Birthday for Beadgirl time!

I've learned...

When purchasing birthday cake and ice cream, two methods are readily available with short notice.

If I had the time, energy and skill, I wouldn't even buy a cake. I'd just make it myself. As it is, I haven't made a cake in years. The last time I attempted birthday cake for Beadgirl, I was trying to create a white and chocolate swirl. I think I over swirled the two mixes and ended up with a light colored chocolate with clumps of white and dark cake spots.

I've never had a cake rise evenly. I mix it. I pour it. I drop the daylights out of it to get the air bubbles out. I bake it. Inevitably, any cake I bake ends up huge in the center and short on the edges. How I am supposed to properly layer a cake for decorating if I can't get the thing to rise evenly?

Decorating, I'm not so bad at. Until you ask me for flowers. Flowers on a cake? Not yet. Let me get a few classes under my belt first. The last time I tried flowers, I'm not sure if I had roses or cabbages.

Due to the existence of my current job (which I am trying to replace with something less expensive to operate) I have no time left in my day for baking. Bigfoot and Beadgirl bake more than I do. They have no problem at all with whipping out cookies. I'm waiting for the breads to start coming. Maybe they'll even become interested in baking cakes.

If Bigfoot and Beadgirl get to the cake stage, I may not end up having to buy a cake again. I can just ask them to procure one from the mixer and oven for me. And family. And friends.

Bestowed upon me yesterday was the honor and privilege of buy the cake for Beadgirl's birthday. Between my mother-in-law and myself, the decision was made to find the smallest cake possible for eleven people. The goal of the birthday cake shopping was to walk away with no left overs at the end.

Which leaves me with two primary methods of buying cake and ice cream on short notice. By the way, I knew about the family birthday party. Delegation of cake buying had gone undecided until yesterday.

This is probably the most common method of cake purchasing. I can pick up a quarter-sheet cake and a separate container of ice cream. This means paying somewhere in the vicinity of $16 for the cake and $5 for the ice cream. For eleven people, this $21 expenditure leaves plenty left over.

Left over cake ends up getting taken home. Once home, it faces devourment by the dog, resulting in a sick-to-the-stomach mix of English-Springer and Chow. What chance the dog has of digesting birthday cake relies upon the speed of two weeds known as Bigfoot and Beadgirl. At least I know if the hyperactive weeds get to the leftovers prior to the dog, the dog will be getting plenty of leashed exercise with Bigfoot and Beadgirl. As much as I relish in the idea of the kids not coming in the house for several days, this does not mean I like the idea of them eating all that extra sugar.

All this means leftovers from birthdays end up going to waist. Butt, unfortunate as it may be for birthday leftovers, my butt is big enough. Extra birthday cake and ice cream don't need to add any more tread to the spare tire.

I learned there is a much better option when it comes to birthday cake. Ice cream cake, I found at Fred Meyer, comes in a sheet smaller than a regular quarter sheet. This option carries many benefits not normally seen in times of last-minute cake needs. With ice cream cake, I am able to serve two desserts for a single slightly lower price than two separate items. I carry fewer packages out of the store and into the party scene. Cake stays hidden in the freezer until the appropriate time. And most importantly, I have fewer, if any, left overs. With a smaller ice cream cake, I can cut smaller pieces. The thought of human weeds running from a sugar high at speeds faster than scotch broom can grow isn't exactly appealing. Smaller pieces are welcomed with pleasure.

All in all, Beadgirl had a wonderful family birthday party. Life is good when there is the presence of the grill, burgers, gifts, cards, and ice cream cake.

k12's Top 10 , Part 5

Will someone please get out the camera? We have a Kodak moment here. If you use high enough resolution, you can get a really good shot of the steam coming from the ears today.

I had to really stop and think about this series today. I never really intended to run a ten part series on using k12. Originally, this was meant to be only one post with a list of nine, then the number one post would take the bulk of the entry. I found, as I was writing, I had more to say about each section than I planned.

Each post in the series has been pretty easy so far. "This is why I like using k12." I've tried giving consideration to each reason and where I place it in my top 10. I know most of these haven't really been funny at all. They've been more of a soapbox for right now. That's okay in this case. I'm saving the fun part for last.

So, here it is. My #6 reason for using k12 is...

BASICS.

Basic concepts get taught everywhere and at all reasonable levels. Sentence structure, essay structure, SPELLING (now that's one we don't see too much of anymore), vocabulary, reading skills, and math computation all get taught as essential learning needs over teaching "skills we'll need as adults."

Teaching of basic concepts that develop and strengthen basic skills is a realm of success for the k12 corporation. If a child doesn't have a clue how to write a sentence, what good does it do to expect an essay? These people understand this. K12 teaches grammar, parts of speech, and sentence development before they put any focus on analyzing how well a student has developed communication skills.

Writing education actually goes into detailed lessons. When working the program, kids develop skills in writing quality introductions, essay bodies, and conclusions. At the end of a unit, each kid has a final piece of work to be proud of. In the process of getting to the final production, a student learns about the value of grammar and sentence structure in writing while learning to develop thoughts into written word.

Spelling is taught from lists that cover the rules of English. There is actually a reason "i" comes before "e" except after "c." There is a time and place for "ph" and a different time and place for "f" to be used. K12 takes the time to help kids understand the difference. There aren't too many programs out there in schools that make the effort to help kids understand the background of how to spell. It takes more than practice to win the spelling bee. It takes understanding.

Communication skills are even more well developed when a child understands the words he's reading, and knows how to use them. This is why k12 teaches vocabulary. Teaching vocabulary may be dabbling into more in-depth and advanced skills. A strong vocabulary may just make a person a better communicator. In the process of learning the usage of our own English language, we are developing dedicated work habits.

The program developers at k12 are not worried about weather or not a child reads for a variety of purposes. They just go ahead and let the kid do it. They care that a child enjoys reading. When a kid loves reading, there's no need to worry about why he reads. Its far easier to teach a child to understand reading material when the child is willing to read.

Right along with the ability to communicate comes the ability to compute the numerical side of life. K12 doesn't use calculators. I respect this decision with high regard. I just don't comprehend how someone can even learn math processes if he doesn't know how to add or subtract without a machine doing it for him. Besides, learning math is kind of one of those "practice makes perfect" fields. Just keep working at it, add some encouragement, and you get more than just really good math skills. You may just find the development of delayed gratification, a stronger work ethic, and a self-developed sense of accomplishment.

Oh my, it looks like the teaching of skills doesn't really need to be "taught" after all. looks more to me like we need to just teach basic content with a little bit of practice. The "skills" come with the flow of learning.

Part 4, Why I Love Using k12

7. Material is selected and written with homeschoolers in mind. Instructions speak to kids as well as adults. Looking back at some of the other programs I've used, I wonder how we ever did anything without the kids already having a college degree.

This brings me back to rambling on about Everyday Math and the two years I struggled using it. I don't recommend Everyday Math as a homeschooling program. The teacher's guides don't speak well to parents. I found myself spending more time on Google learning about the topics Bigfoot was covering than he spent in actual learning time.

Please understand there are some things about Everyday Math that are quite good. The connective development between language and math skills excels beyond most math programs. Developing the connection between concrete and abstract thoughts creates a well understanding person. This is all about The ability of a person to connect and communicate with a variety of people in the world holds the key to making proficiency in a field matter.

Application of math in the real world has always been an issue with public schools. Everyday Math does a very good job in this category. Everything taught in Everyday Math has a practical application to it. There isn't much of a point in teaching anything if it can't be used.

Now come the issues I have with Everyday Math. Why teach a pre-calculus concept if a child doesn't even understand how to do the work? Everyday Math has very little focus on basic skills. Parents are realizing this more and more as our public schools carry lower and lower math scores in Washington State. Homeschoolers for years have sworn by programs that teach basic computation skills over advanced applications. I didn't like the idea of not having a clue of what was going on in Bigfoot's math program just because I don't have a college degree. I became uncomfortable real quick with spending half my time on Google learning about what he was supposed to be learning.

Which brings me back to why I like k12. The program developers speak to kids. Kids should be able to read instructions and be able to follow them without translations into plain English. Material is explained in a way parents can help kids understand. A great weight has been taken off my shoulders this year. I don't feel uneducated in our learning process.

If the purpose of education is to develop the future of America, are we doing any good in writing directions our kids can't follow?

I don't think so.

k12's Top 10, Part 3

8. I will always know just what my kids are doing. Even if they work far ahead of the regular lesson.

I'm a firm believer that kids should work at their own pace. Sometimes, this means kids progress slower than others. Other kids whiz through everything. No problem for me here, specially when k12 is in our lives.

All k12 lesson plans are accessible by students. Should Bigfoot and Beadgirl finish early, they can move onto the next set of lessons. However, there are times they need more time to fully learn a concept. Taking the time is great. I'd rather they learn completely than hurriedly. Kids need to learn at their own pace, not at the schedule of a teacher or set program.

We faced that many times in school. I found I was paying tuition for a private school to control Bigfoot's learning schedule. This particular school was using ABeka; a fabulous program I even used as a kid through first grade. ABeka provides a comprehensive curriculum. Everything under the sun gets covered with a Christian viewpoint.

This is a very good program at what it does. If you know how to apply creativity to the program, ABeka is fantastic. If you only stick to the material, everything will get repeated to the digging of the grave. I do not give high recommendations for ABeka to parents of children with Edison-like brains. Nothing stands still very long. Bigfoot was bored at school. I didn't realize just how bored he was until we took him out of school. He understands things quickly and doesn't do well with over-redundant repetition.

For the past two years, we've used Everyday Math. This was the same material used in our local public school system. Everyday Math is an excellent program for gifted kids. So long as they understand basic math concepts. Kids do some pretty advanced stuff in Everyday Math, such as statistics and calculus. Have the time, I wouldn't have a clue what was going on. Eventually, I found myself spending more time on Google trying to learn about what he was supposed to be doing.

There were some days over the last two years, I'd not even know what point he was at in the lesson plan. I could hand him his math book last year, and in one hour, he'd have a full unit finished. Sometimes, I couldn't tell where he was in the lesson plan.

My lesson plan worries are gone. Now, I log onto the k12 website. I can see everything each of the kids did for the day. I can tell if Beadgirl needs help in her Social Studies, or if she's doing just fine. Using k12 allows me the ability to see where both kids are in the lesson plan and what they are learning. I'll always be there for help when they need it.

The hectichomeschooler reason for k12 Top 10... Part 2

9. Worksheet material is provided. Everything considered a reproducible worksheet or black-line master is provided for the convenience of your family. All worksheets are bound in books titled by subject and grade. Workbooks are even color coded by subject, therefore allowing parents and children to pull the appropriate material from the homeschooling bookshelves for the correct subject. Children who choose to loose material books can simply locate them by color.

I will always know science is green, math is blue, and language is purple. Fortunately, nothing is coded in pretty-girl pink, mauve, or lavender. I realize those are very good colors for girls. Anything feminine responds well to pink, lavender, and mauve quite well. On the other hand, I can't say testosterone-infused brains fair nearly as well. By the intelligence given by God, the k12 organizers chose much more gender neutral colors for the program. I am a firm believer in education equality. Yes, that means you cater to everyone, not just a certain group of people.

Since Bigfoot and Beadgirl like to loose everything, workbooks aren't always readily available. k12 knows my kids very well. All of their workbooks are fully available on the Internet for printing. When Bigfoot decides he "can't" find his student pages, everything he needs is readily available. Just click "print" and make sure there is still paper and ink for the printer. Out come all needed pages for the day's work. Now I just wish he'd just get into the habit of looking for the books first. My Costco case of paper if half-full and ink for the printer isn't cheap.

Oh well. At least we've eliminated his lack-of-materials excuse for not doing his work.

And My Top 10 Reasons for Using k12 Are... Part 1 of 10

10. It's "free" to use, as a courtesy of my school property tax dollars. Personally, I'd like to see property tax allowances for families who homeschool. Thus allowing parents to spend on their own children the money they would have paid the school district for less than quality programs and teachers who don't really care about kids in the first place.

Most of your education alloted tax dollars don't buy program. They buy teachers. How many of these teachers do you actually trust? I've heard enough union whining I'm not convinced these people really want to bother working in schools.

Teachers whine over anything they can. I've heard about class size.

The classes are too big. I have 20+ kids in this room. I can't keep track of everything that goes on in here. I just don't have the time for your child's needs. He needs to enter special programs.

I thank God you don't work in business, retail, or food service, especially management. You'd never survive. If you can't handle 20 kids, you'd be eaten alive in the adult world.

I've heard it all about ADHD.

Johnny is a brilliant kid, but he's so out of control. I want you to make him behave in my classroom. I just can't handle him. What am I supposed to do? You need to take him in for an evaluation. I really think he needs medication.

What did you go to college for? Pizza and beer? My boy was born with more testosterone than estrogen by God's will. I don't expect him to behave like a girl. Why should you? Don't even think about mentioning medication. I can haul your tush into the principal's office and have a nice legal/disciplinary chat about medication. I already told you his doctor is not recommending it. You're the one with the college eduction. Act like it.

I've heard it all over personal salary.

I just don't make enough in this job. I can't live on this job alone.

I have several things to say here. First off, I do realize teachers don't get paid well compared to everything else that requires a BS or BA for entry level work. I also realize teachers are pushed in MA programs to a point I feel the MA in Education has lost its core value. I'm not opposed to salary increases for teachers. I don't dig the whining over it.

In the real world, no one is ever paid what they're worth. If your income is supported by tax problems and you have a problem with that, I suggest you get another source of income. Try owning a business where you have to sign someone else's paychecks. You may learn something about your school district income. Besides, why should your income be an issue? Isn't the greatest reward in education the satisfaction of teaching kids?

Your tax supported income is a matter of perspective. I realize living under your means is not always easy. Toys and bling are tempting. I know. But if I can go without stuff simply because I don't have the CASH, why can't you?

I've heard it over expectations.

I have all this stuff I'm told to cover. They want it covered this way. I have to teach the material using this method. I can't just veer from the program. We all have to do exactly the same thing. Even if what your child is doing makes no common sense what so ever, I can't make any exceptions to the rules. I have to stick to what I'm told.

Do you do any thinking for yourself? Are you even teaching my child HOW to think? Or is it more like WHAT to think? No wonder America is so messed up in the head. We quit developing thought processes.

Whining makes me sick as it is. I don't need my kids being sent to whining class just because someone has a personal issue with her job.

Is It Just My Kids?

The word is now official. Both of my children have big feet. This news is now confirmed with Beadgirl's size 8 shoe. Nicknames will not be changing. Bigfoot and Beadgirl will continue to carry their personal identities. Their shoe sizes will be forever changing, only to cease growing upon the end of the world.

Awed as I may be, I must now fess up to the fact that my daughter, Beadgirl, will soon be wearing the same shoe size as me. Only last weekend did we buy her size 8 shoes. I only bought the size 7s four months ago.

I have officially validated my reason for restricting shoe purchases to Payless Shoe Source. I can't afford anything else anywhere else. You try buying $50 shoes every three months for your kids and see what it does to your endless limited budget for four people. Only at Payless can I write a check without showing ID due to our loyal consumer purchases. A trip to Payless usually looks something like this:

Entering into the store are three people: Bigfoot, Beadgirl and Mom. Upon our arrival and recognition by the manager, we are directed to the location of the shoe sizing tool. As we are loyal customers every three months, Bigfoot and Beadgirl have complete comprehension of how to size their own feet. Off come shoes and feet are placed onto the tool. Gawking is made by Mom as I stand in amazement that their feet have grown yet another shoe size.

New sizes are pronounced, and children are sent to the appropriate section of the store. Typically, I will go along with Beadgirl to her section of the Ladies department. This is a crucial time in my need to exercise my right of parental influence. Most shoes in her size reflect an age bracket at least five years older than hers. I prefer to have my nine-year-old daughter look as if she is nine, not fifteen. We find several pairs for trying on containing pink somewhere in the fabric of these shoes.

While she is lacing up shoes, I wander to the mens large feet section where Bigfoot is looking at several different pairs. All must be black, or contain as much black as possible. White is disgusting in the mind of the twelve-year-old. No where on any pair of his shoes shall white be allowed. Shoes must have a key color: black. His shoes are found, tried on.

Perfect fits are found for both children. New shoes are packed into boxes and carried to the register. Bar codes are scanned and shoes are bagged. The bags don't last long for us. Just long enough to take everything to the car. They'll done their new footwear before I turn the engine on. I pull out the checkbook, and proceed to write the check. The manager and I carry on over the size of my children's feet. She has gotten to know us quite well. We come in every three months. Not for a replacement of worn out shoes, but an upgrade of foot size.

Shoes are then taken to the car. Bigfoot and Beadgirl pile into our two-door compact car. Before I can fasten my seatbelt, two rear-seat seat belts have been buckled and new shoes are donned. I a fix the bluetooth to the ear, and call Bigboy. He needs to know our weeds children have grown once again.

I thank God for a very good blessing He has given my life. I don't have to deal with status pressure such as the desire for Sketchers, Nike, or Doc Maartens on the feet of my children. I don't know what I would without that blessing.

Actually, yes I do know what I'd do. I wouldn't buy every cool name brand they want. I'd buy them what we can afford, proceeding to lecture two kids on the importance of not having everything everybody else has. We buy for them the shoes and clothes we can afford, and all that blah, blah, blah. We have to remember to be ourselves. We need to live within our means. Even if that means we don't have all the cool stuff. Stuff does not make the person. Our actions do, and all that yada yada yada.

Kids don't need cool popular shoes anyway.