Big Universe, Small World... ©2013-2020

Courses and items for this academic year: Charlie has some high school Carnegie units under his belt, between last year and this summer: Physical Science Honors Geography Honors Algebra I Latin I 1/2 unit Intro to Engineering 1/2 unit Communication This year, he will take: Geometry Honors English I Honors Biology I (haven't decided if this will be an Honors course or not yet) Politics and Citizenship Guitar Home Economics Intro to Agriculture This is proof that you can successfully homeschool through Asperger's, multiple learning disabilities, and the across the spectrum.

Today started with me having to finish grading a number of papers that students had submitted on the eve of the course sessions closing for one of the universities I teach for online. Final grades were due today at noon...I spent most of yesterday grading papers that were last minute submissions...about 12 hours total yesterday. I finished grading all papers and submitting grades by 12:10...fortunately for me, the university is on a time schedule 3 hours behind my time. Thus, it was all good. Then, as we were getting ready to leave to go to the library and to get allergy shots, we found a chicken in one of my raised beds: the bed with most of the veggies in it. I was disgusted. I had already placed chicken plastic caging as a temporary fencing around each bed to keep chicken and neighbor children out...and there was a chicken in the middle of the bed. I guess I should be equally perplexed that they were locked in last night and were roaming around this morning. So, I had to hit t...

I am realizing we are getting our 8th/9th grade year wrapped up somewhat. We have 5 Latin I lessons left. There are about 6 weeks of grammar lessons left and about 2 units in the IEW-B series. I want to say there seems like there are about 30 more Algebra I lessons or so to work through. My son has chosen his last book of the year to read and complete a presentation project about the novel. We finished up Geography a bit ago. In Physical Science, there are about 4.5 lessons left...we are wrapping up and moving along. I have decided we are going to take a true Spring Break next week. Guitar lessons are about the only thing academic that will continue next week. We started some luffa plants indoors to transplant them when it became Spring. Interestingly enough, it became spring time and the temperatures dropped drastically here. So, now the luffas are growing well and it is freaking cold as all heck outside.  Sheesh.        The lemon and orange tr...

I went to an IEP meeting this week...okay, it was supposed to be an IEP meeting. It was the first one I have went to in a long time that was not for one of my own children or for a child I taught. I remember what it was like to be a parent new to the IEP battles ahead...I remember coming in soft and now being a hard person to deal with - after approximately 13 years of special education battling. The cartoon below makes me remember what it felt like at times to sit on the other side of the table and feel like I had to battle the world and beat down the walls to get my child his accommodations...to all special education mommies - you are not in this alone. :)  The comic is even funnier, since it is the same as my name for the mommy!!  

It is not finished....well, it is finished...but, I have to still nip the drainpipe to the gutter...then I can actually put the lid on without the drain going through the screen...   drew cut out area on top piece   notched it to start cut out   beginning to finish the cut out for the rain to enter   hole for water cut out   layered with one piece of screen   layered with two pieces of screen   lid view from top   preppinng for where the bottom spicket will go   bottom spicket hole drawn to cut out   prepping spicket to place on barrel   out spicket on barrel   bottom spicket nutted from inside   overflow hole cut out   overflow spicket in place   overflow spicket nutted from inside   barrell in place under gutter...just need to nip the drain shorter

I received this in the mail today. Anyone local to me probably received the same flyer. I did crop out the name of the medical facility offering to give children these mandatory  shots. I did not want anyone to think I was being mean to this facility. I know people who work there and I respect them. I do not like this scare tactic used to force people to take their children in rushed to get up to date on all the new required pricks.  Waivers are still available under the law for those whose children cannot be vaccinated or for those who chose to not vaccinate their children due to religious reasons. Medical and religious exemptions are the only vaccination and immunization exemptions available in South Carolina. There is also something many do not know about called a special excemption. If you need to get your child a religious exemption form, you need to contact your local health department .  The form needed is called DHEC Form 1126. Form 1126 can only b...