Happy Birthday Friday!

Hey, did y'all hear that Great Britain declared today a national holiday? That was awfully nice of them to make such a fuss over my birthday!

Okay, I'm not totally ignoring the wedding. I thought his commercial was pretty cute:



For all the Harry Potter fans - my kids think this is absolutely hysterical:



A little funny for Michael:


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Is it wrong I laughed out loud and for quite a long time over this?


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For my friend, Heidi, who likes to iron. Who knew Extreme Ironing was a sport?



For my sweet twin sister - happy birthday, Heather! Here's some Phil Collins for you.  Love you!



Well, if you got up for the wedding, I hope you get a nap! And happy weekend!

Well, if you have to do math...

Over the last few months I’ve reviewed a few books and programs that I’ve used during our seven years of homeschooling.  Some worked (Sing, Spell, Read and Write, HPA), some, not so much (Classical Conversations).  Today, let’s look at the math curriculum I’ve used for the last four years, Teaching Textbooks.

First of all, you have to understand we never thought we’d homeschool through high school. Never. Ever. Ever.  And one of the main reasons was because Sean knew I could barely keep up with 7^th grade math, much less algebra or geometry.  I am not at all ashamed to admit this; folks, I did the math I had to do in high school and promptly forgot it. The only math I need now involves figuring out a tip or a discount at the shoe store. And honey, I can flat do that math. But cosine or area or if a train leaves a station at 6 and another leaves at 7 heading the opposite direction… no thank you.

Anyway, as it became apparent we were going to teach Michael algebra at home, I went looking for a program I could easily set before him that he would understand on his own.  Sean could help him occasionally, but for the most part, Michael had to be able to understand it all by himself. And that’s when my friend Shawna suggested Teaching Textbooks. 

Teaching Textbooks is a complete math program. It comes with a textbook, tests and CDs that both teach the lesson and explain each problem in the book. Did you hear that last part – the one that said the CD’s teach each lesson and explain each problem in the book? Home run time!

The authors, Greg and Shawn Sabouri are Harvard-educated brothers who set out to design a math program that would work well for home-based educators. They narrate each lesson and, as I said before, explain each problem in the book.

By watching the lessons and reading along in his book, Michael was able to complete his first course (Pre-Algebra) with flying colors. Since then he’s completed Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, and he’s just about to finish up Pre-Calc.  Amy is following in his footsteps; she completed Pre-Algebra, Algebra I and is about to finish Algebra II. 

Rebecca is also having great success with Teaching Textbooks. She completed Math 4 last year and is working through Math 5 this year.

Some folks complain the program is not rigorous enough. That has not been our experience. I want my kids to understand the major concepts and Teaching Textbooks clearly explains what high school students need to know. Y’all, if Sean, Mr. Math, didn’t think it was a good program, do you really think we’d be using it?

Even though it is a complete, stand-alone program, I opted to enlist the help of a tutor for the past two years. My kids enjoy having someone to talk to about the problems. They could talk to me but I have no answers. Well, not about math… It’s been great to have Sheri come once a week to review their lessons and answer questions.  By the way, she teaches at the local community college and she is a fan of the program, too. (Not the pre-calc book so much, but definitely the others.)

I love Teaching Textbooks.  This program took away a major obstacle to homeschooling through high school. And even though it’s math, I have to admit the way the Sabouri brothers teach is fun and easy to understand.

Say yes to rest!

I'd never been good at resolutions until last year when I resolved to better accessorize. That resolution has been a resounding success and one I’ve kept up for now 16 months.  I realize it’s not curing cancer, but we all have our roles to play, and playing them with a cocktail ring on your pointer is just a better way to go.

This year my resolution, “Just say no,” was a reaction to the overscheduling I’d done to myself. While all the activities I’d said yes to were ones I wanted to be a part of, I was simply over-extended. But there was light at the end of the tunnel of the over-commitment, and that light shone brightly on Friday. The play was over. The church function I helped with was over. The vacation was over. I have nothing else on my calendar except for the normal school and church stuff (and, of course, now soccer) and I suddenly feel like I can breathe without worrying that the time I spent exhaling was time I should have spent on the phone or sending an email or following up on something.

I mentioned my crazy schedule to a friend at our church dinner last week. I told her I couldn’t wait to clear my calendar and have time to sit and smell the roses (figuratively, of course, since I don’t garden – still saying no to dirt) and that my resolution was to just say no from now on. Megan* said, “Christy, you need to say yes to rest!”

At the time she said it I still had to pack for Colorado. So saying yes to rest just didn’t seem possible.  But now that I’m back and I don’t have any pressing responsibilities (other than the regular ones like having food in the house and cooking dinner – neither of which I’ve  done for weeks and am not looking forward to doing – but I digress…) I can actually think about resting. 

Or at the very least not saying yes to every opportunity that presents itself.

*Megan – I feel certain this will not be your last mention on here. I still have to discuss our TLC’s Sister Wives connection!

Good Friday

Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream."

Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor again said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barabbas." Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said, "Let him be crucified!" And he said, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they shouted all the more, "Let him be crucified!" 

Matthew 27: 15:26

This video is from the 80's and makes me laugh, plus the words fit for today. So a good pick for a Good Friday Funny, me thinks.

Leaving on a jet plane

We should be in a flurry of packing and moving kids out the door, but so far most of the kids are still asleep. My sister's sitting next to me checking her email and popping ibuprofen for her hurting hand. Rebecca's here eating some cereal and I'm typing away, enjoying one last view of the mountains. The snow is gorgeous but I sure do hope I don't see any when I land in Michigan...

Rebecca, Sean, Michael, Megan, David, Ryan, Amy

Injury Report

Did you know that Winter Park, Colorado is the home of the National Sports Center for the Disabled? Seems appropriate for the kind of week we’re having. Two kids have third-degree sunburn resulting in blisters on their cheeks. Another child injured a knee in a tumble and was transported down the mountain by Winter Park's Ski Patrol. And an adult broke her hand which will require surgery when she gets home. So 40% of our group is in some way injured or hurting. Not exactly the kind of trip we were planning…

Sean and Rebecca

On the upside, Rebecca and Amy have really enjoyed skiing. Both of them are anxious to hit the slopes again today.  Michael is anxious to be finished skiing today because this afternoon he and Sean are renting snowmobiles; Michael’s old enough to drive his own.  And Sean’s skiing is greatly improved since our last trip ski trip which was only his second time on skies. His first time skiing was in 1985 and he only got to go down the hill twice because the buddy he was with broke his leg on the second run of the day. He seems to have conquered his fear that he’d break something, which has freed him up to actually enjoy the adventure.

It’s been a joy for me to see my family appreciate the only sport I’m any good at.

Despite the injuries, we are enjoying the majesty of the views and the company of our extended family. I love seeing the cousins together. I hate that we live so far apart because these guys are really fun together and love each other to pieces.

One more day of skiing; hope we can do it without any more injuries or visits from ski patrol.

Here are a few pictures from our first day out - I forgot my real camera and had to rely on my iPhone. Not the greatest, but I'm glad to have a few pictures.

Ryan, Amy and me

David, Ryan, Heather and Amy

The cousins playing cards

Chilly Spring Break

I’ve never liked hot weather. I’m not a beach girl; I hate sand sticking to me and I hate sweat pouring down my face and we don’t even need to talk about my fear of swimming things that live in salt water.  But since moving to Michigan, every February or March I get the itch to head to the beach if, for nothing else, to not be cold.

But today, I do not find myself at the beach. I do not find myself warm. I find myself in Colorado where last night we got 5 – 7 inches of snow.

My parents, my sister and her family and my family are all here. My parents have talked about us all going to Colorado for at least ten years.  When my sister, Heather, and I were in school, Mom and Dad would bring us to Colorado to ski. And when Heather and I were in our last year of college, Mom lived here so she could get her Master’s degree, and ever since Colorado has held a special place in her heart. And she and Dad both have wanted to share it with their grandchildren for years.

We skied all day yesterday – Sean and the kids took a lesson while Heather, her husband, Dad and I hit the slopes. It’s amazing how quickly those skills come back. It’s also amazing how sore my legs were afterward…

We’re not at the beach or anywhere warm, but we are fulfilling a long-time dream for my parents, so that’s a good thing. And despite the cold, we all got sunburned yesterday, so we’ll go home looking like we were somewhere warm. Well, at least our cheeks were.

Friday Funnies

I enjoyed this one:

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Definitely for Sean, and all the music-lovers and engineers in my life (thanks to Kyrie O'Connor):

Sean would totally buy this:

Sean and I saw Jurassic Park the night it opened. We went thinking we were going to see ET, but with dinosaurs. As everyone knows, we were very, very wrong. That movie scared the socks off me. And if I'd seen this, I'd have gone running from the room. No wonder all those kids were screaming bloody murder:

Hope you have a happy weekend!

Soccer? Seriously?

I am not a fan of outside sports. Football, baseball, soccer – each is played outside and each is played regardless of weather. Basketball and volleyball are the two sports I encouraged my children to try because they’re played indoors.  So I wouldn’t get wet or hot or cold. Because, of course, it is all about me… Michael and Amy both played basketball and Amy has two seasons of volleyball under her belt. And I was happy. Because I watched from the comfort of a climate-controlled gymnasium.

I have this indoor-sport conviction because of the disastrous experience we had when Michael played soccer. It was spring soccer and Georgia, in the spring, is hot.  Really, really hot. And because I thought being a good mom meant going to all the games, I stood out there in the sweltering heat while a gaggle of second-grade boys ran around trying to kick the ball.  Well, all the boys on the team except Michael. The soccer field was adjacent to a giant parking lot and Michael spent the majority of the game looking at the cars in the parking lot. Every so often he would yell across the field, “Hey, Dad! Did you see that Jaguar?” or “Look at that Hummer, Dad!”

Michael enjoyed the soccer season about as much as I did. Turns out I'm not much of a soccer mom. And after that season I packed away the cleats for good. Or so I thought.

Fast-forward several years and the cleats are again in the shoe rack because Amy has decided to try her hand (foot?) at soccer. This does not thrill me. I want to be supportive. I want to be encouraging. And so far, I have been. But I am not happy. Because we now live in Michigan and spring soccer will be cold. And wet. And muddy.

Where did I go wrong? I thought I was very, very clear about the “indoor sport” portion of our parent/child contract.

Last month when she broached the subject of playing soccer I told her I was (going to be) fine with it, as long as she wasn’t the goalie. My heart cannot take that kind of pressure. And if I’m already cold and miserable I will have a dadgum heart attack if the ball gets near her. Guess what she came home and told me last night? Yep, she was practicing being the goalie. Ugh.  

She’s playing with a fabulous group of girls, and thankfully, I love many of the moms, so at least I’ll enjoy visiting on the sidelines.  But I fear Amy will actually like the sport and will want to continue.  Based on what she’s said after each practice so far, I’m pretty sure that’s going to be the case. I guess I need to invest in some mud gear and hand warmers.

Too bad the soccer field isn’t like a drive-in movie.  Wonder if I could make that happen…

Back from Brigadoon

Last week was insane. I have never worked so hard in all my life. No hyperbole there; I worked and worked and worked. Good news is I was working with some of my now-favorite people in the world. And more good news is the 87 kids in the cast put on one heck of a fantastic show.

You know when you watch a movie and the credits take six or seven minutes to scroll through and you wonder what in the world all those people do? After working on Brigadoon, I will never wonder that again. There are costume moms and set builders and props people and tech people and mic people and stage hands and publicity people and rehearsal moms and ticket moms and so many other committees… I was one blessed production manager with all the excellent help making me look good.

The one person who really made it a worry-free week, though, was my mom.  She flew up last Sunday and took care of Rebecca for all the hours I was at rehearsal. Most nights I didn’t get home before 2 am; I couldn’t have done it without her.

Sean took last week off so he could be the orchestra conductor. He and his pit rehearsed for several weeks leading up to show week, and all last week they rehearsed several hours each day with the cast. He had an incredibly talented group of musicians, including two pianists who became part of the family. (I began calling them my sister wives because they were spending more time with Sean than I was! I thought it was funny but soon realized polygamy humor does not play well with the homeschool set.) Yesterday afternoon he came through the door looking decidedly depressed. “What’s wrong, honey?” I asked. “I miss Brigadoon!” said he.  Poor guy; he’s as sad as the kids that it’s over.

We have the cast party to look forward to – and I really am looking forward to it. Can’t wait to see the cast and crew and get a few last-time hugs from this great group.

While I loved every minute of it (well, almost every minute), I did miss blogging. Glad to be back at it!

Here are some pictures of the clans – notice the incredible costumes that were put together by moms of cast members!

The Beaton Clan (Amy's in the middle)

The Dean Clan (Michael's in the back with the red hat)

The MacGuffie Clan

And here are two clips of Sean rehearsing the orchestra. My sister wives are on the piano and keyboard. 

Opening Night!

We made it to opening night! It's all coming together and I'm so excited to see what happens tonight. A few tickets are still available, but they're going fast!

Here are a few shots from our run-through. Sean loves being in the pit, Amy's dancing up a storm and Michael's pulling off that kilt, wouldn't you say?

Show Week

Well, show week is upon us, and I will be absent from this little corner of the universe for a while. I hope to post, but am trying to be realistic about my week. I'm the Production Manager for the show which means I'll be busy. Really, really busy.

Michael and Amy are both in the show and Sean's conducting the orchestra. Rebecca's been my faithful helper all year; thankfully, though, my Mom flew in Sunday night to play with Rebecca. She doesn't need to hang out in the theater all day.

If I've learned one this this year, it's that Homeschool Performing Arts is more than a production company; putting on a quality show is important, but leading and teaching and loving kids is the higher calling. Any prayers offered for me to love well this week will be greatly appreciated!

Tickets are still available, but they are going fast. The kids are doing a great job - and I cannot say enough about that orchestra conductor!

Hope to be back soon!

Yes, I know what VCU stands for now.  Kind of a bummer. But I'm still pulling for the underdog!



Moms, if you're going to hack your kid's Facebook, remember to log out:


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How much time do you have to have on your hands to do this?



In case you forgot, it is April Fool's Day. Watch out:



Happy April!  And have a great weekend!