Wendy's Whimsies: Thursday Chatter, Homeschool

I'm feeling a little better about the homeschooling thing. I searched through the curriculum websites and emailed J about it, he said his mom said she would help. We need to get moving soon, though. I have to file an intent notice with the state and have to be able to tell them when we will be starting school, and they want a 30 day notice. Yikes! We need to move quickly! We decided to go with the A Beka curriculum from Pensacola Christian College. They have a DVD format where all of the lessons are actually taught via DVD, and I just facilitate and grade their work. The teachers for each grade that teach in the DVDs are also available by phone or email personally, which I *really* like, and feel better about.

From their FAQ it appears they'll have three hours of instruction each day with their subjects, Hannah might be a little less only being first grade (Jackson in 4th). My only concern is Jackson has been doing, and succeeding mightily in Saxon math. I need to find out of there is a big difference between Saxon and A Beka as far as teaching styles, and what their goals for the year is. Jackson was doing pre algebra concepts at the end of third grade using Saxon and he had like a 98 average. He made straight A's all year last year, I want this to continue!

So I'm feeling better about this, just anxious about how it will all work out. Physically, I'm just not sure what's going on. I feel like I'm in such a fog, I can't think clearly a good deal of the time. I'm SO tired, a lot. I wish, so wish, that our insurance situation was figured out. I wish J would actually get excited about the fact we don't have insurance and resolve to get something done about it. I have these migraines, and I can only take what we have here at the house to fend them off. I should be on Zoloft (chemical imbalance), yet I'm not and look at how I feel. I'm guessing I'm just dealing with lower amounts of seritonin right now than usual, and that's why I feel worse than I usually do without being on the Zoloft. I can go months and be alright (not good, but alright), but these days I just feel "bleh". Prayers please?

The grocery exile is underway. I learned from the Frugal Kitchen (links in sidebar, too) about this concept- you take everything out of your cupboards, and make note of what's in your fridge and freezer, and you don't buy anything extra until everything is used up. I like this on a few levels. One, it forces you to think more about your future purchases. Two, it helps you save money. Three, and my most favorite- it really helps with the "first in /first out" method I so dearly like to adhere to. I found an unopened can of baking powder that expires next month, and a barely used one that expires Dec '09! Do we know of any uses for baking powder besides baking, where I can use that can up? ;)

Last night we had an one pot pasta dish with shell pasta, garbanzo beans, petite diced tomatoes, minced garlic and olive oil with grated parmesean cheese sprinkled on top. It was YUM-O! Do you have any go-to pasta recipes? If so, hope on to Frugal Kitchen and share them with us :) While you're there, tell us what you think about Dr Fish's pedicures *g*

I clicked onto what looks like a really neat blog "Not of this world" by Katrina. She had posted a comment on Growing in Grace, and I had that thread set up to email me all replies after mine, so I read hers and clicked through her profile to her blog. It's very cute! What I liked reading was a snippet about a "good house". Here's the link to the post, check it out. It's not long at all, it just gives you fuzzy feelings with the visual it gives of what a good house should be.

I also saw a cute little thingy on her blog "how many of me", with a link to the website, so I followed:

HowManyOfMe.com