Planning for next year

Yes, I'm officially nuts. Planning for next year's school schedule now instead of procrastinating. Usually I buy a bunch of stuff in Mar at the convention and do the panic run in Aug, "what the heck are we going to do? " Not this year. Saved me $500 at least in books doing things the easy way. Unit studies seem to be working for us. Kid really enjoy them. Got Language Art, History,and Science down. Need a few others to tie this up into a neat little package. Looking now for a Health curriculum or unit study. Friend of mine loaned me her Apologia Exploring Creation with Astronomy book for science. We really loved it. Hands on, not to much reading. Hoping to find a Health series like that.

In the mean time I'm also learning how to use Homeschool Tracker Plus. Spent the money for it, never used it. Now, I"m using it. Need to use it because the oldest is starting high school next year. Transcriptions are going to drive me looney or loonier...depends on who you talk to. The program is not user friendly; me I can use pretty much or figure out how to use most programs. Sadly I need to watch the tutorial several times to see how to use different aspects of the program. How has time for that? Not me.

Also in my day to day things, I've been throwing out and donating crap we don't need. Streamlining the house. I've applied to several part-time positions. If I start a job, I want my life to be 110% easier to maintain. Yet my pain is my husband is a serious packrat. I mean serious as in hard core. Here's a good example of my pain: He has a box of rocks and twigs that was a Christmas present back in the early 70's (I can mentally picture the 70's clothing in this flashback) when he was a small kid. Under strict orders to not every toss them away. I kid you not. So far I've tossed a few items from the basement that he hasn't missed or when I cleaned out the parking area of the garage. I can now park my van in it without hitting something when the doors open. Still need to get rid of the broken lawn mower he promised to fix 5 yrs ago. Wait a sec....trash day is Tue next week. hmmmmmm.........

Frustrated

So frustrated with the kids and myself. Homeschooling has become a burden with me/us. Its like I can't seem to get them to work, I don't want to sit and hold their hands all the darn day. Why am I feeling this way? Its like the goals we want for our children's schooling don't matter anymore. I just don't want to mess with them anymore. This is such a dis-hearting feeling. I feel like a failure.

Typical day is they get up before me. I can't seem to bring myself out of bed early, shut off the alarm and go back to sleep. Its not like I don't stay up at all hours either. 10:30 is the latest I stay up. I'm tired all the time too. Motivation is out the window with me. The younger boys are watching tv and I plop my butt down to the computer. Its like that thing sucks me in. By 11:30 I'm upset cause they haven't started school and nothing is been done around the house. Is it their fault? NO. Its all mine. So why can't I get organized and motivated?

We were all organized and motivated when school started. Until our "friend's" daughter accused my oldest of grabbing her butt. They made it out to be a sin and crime. It wasn't, my son swears it was an accident. The only person that knows what truly happened is God. I'm leaving that fight up to him. It got so bad that I was talking to a lawyer about it. But because of this, we have our whole schedule thrown out. Never got it back either.

Maybe we need to take a week off and regroup our efforts. I have a program to help keep tabs of our schedule, Homeschool Tracker Plus. Am I making this into a huge undertaking instead of making it simple? Probably. I have a tendency to do that. So, what am I doing wrong? Besides sleeping 10 hrs a day. Taking naps in the afternoon. Wonder if its physical and it can be fixed. Write down on a erase board the kids schedule and tell them this has to be done today. Rewrite it out for the next day each evening? My kids are old enough to be able to work without me sitting with them making sure things get done. So why don't they?

So many questions. Must pray and mediate on this. Any suggestions, please advise.

Free Stuff

Found these links for free items. If you are a teacher (I think we all qualify for that criteria) and would like to receive free teaching tools to help your children; fill out their forms and they'll send you stuff. I love FREE things. Most of this stuff can be used in a co-op setting, which is what I'm going to do with my stuff.

http://sanihandsforkids.com - includes a canister of Sani-Hands® for Kids, a Cory & Cora Educational Cartoon/DVD and product literature

http://qa.bookitprogram.com/enrollment/homeschool.asp - Free stuff from the Pizza Hut Book It program for homeschoolers

http://kindergarten.colgatebsbf.com/order/sign_in.php - Free dential kit for kindergardeners from Colgate for teachers. Receive Dr. Rabbit and The Legend of Tooth Kingdom™ VHS or DVD, Dr. Rabbit and The Legend of Tooth Kingdom™ Teacher's Guide, 2-Sided Classroom Wall Poster, My Bright Smile Read-together Storybook (Available in English and Spanish), New! Bright Smiles at Home Family Booklet (Available in English and Spanish), New! Kid's Toothbrushes, Kid's Toothpaste samples

http://www.biography.com/classroom/ideabook.jsp - The Idea Book for Educators is the biannual teacher's magazine created by the Education Department at A&E Television Networks. The Idea Book includes Teacher's Guides for programs featured in Classroom and a printed version of the A&E Classroom Calendar, which features air dates, program descriptions, and copyright information.

http://whc.unesco.org/en/register/ - Receive the 2007-2008 World Heritage Wall Map. You must become a member to receive a free map. Once you have filled in the information, you will receive an e-mail confirming your registration. This large format full-color map features the World Heritage sites. The dimensions of the map are 78 cm by 50 cm (31 in. by 20 in.).

http://www.royalbrush.com/ver3/student/question.htm - Free Art Supplies and Brushes for Educators/Teachers

http://www.history.com/classroom/flag_form.html - History Channel - Save Our History Manuals for Educators. Set includes:
The Declaration of Independence, Grades 2-12
The Missouri River: A Journey with Stephen Ambrose Grades 4-12.
The National World War II Memorial -Grades 4-12
The White House , Grades K-1

http://www.rtsregistration.com/ - Six Flags Theme Parks and Weekly Reader Offer-Read to Succeed Program. Six Flags theme parks, Chase, and Weekly Reader are pleased to offer the 2007-2008 Read to Succeed® program — a free, supplemental language arts program. The program also features the Six Flags Six Hour Reading Club®, which encourages kids in grades K through 6 to complete six hours of recreational reading and rewards them with free admission tickets to participating Six Flags theme parks. All the information you need about the rules and regulations of the Reading Club are in the program guide in the printed kit. You will also receive free wall posters in the package. Free downloadable lesson materials for grades K-1, 2-3, and 4-6. To be eligible to order a kit for your school, your students must be in grades K through 6 and your school must be within a 150-mile radius of one of the participating Six Flags theme parks (see the list below). Quantities are limited so order today.