*** Homeschool List ***

[DawnM]

hey, Beth, maybe we can meet up at Disney! DH does not like to go nearly as often as I do.

We do watch what we spend, but we don't have to be overly rigid about it. We don't have any debt other than the mortgage, but I would love to even have that paid off.

Dawn

We moved where we live about 2 yrs ago. I have family close-by and I am often with my aunt/cousin. We have our homeschool group about 45 mins away.

I totally understand *many* homeschool families are losing an income and *many* end up pinching pennies. I totally get it. Weare totally blessed and lucky to be in the position we are in.

HOWEVER..... I *LONG* to have a really close friend. A local friend I can go to town with, grocery shop with..... pickup on a whim and drive 2 hours to the zoo without blinking. Decide one day "Hey lets take the kids to WDW next week!" and go for it! I know..... I am dreaming. Most of my aquaintances would have to "ask DH" or "check the budget". Yes we are money conscious, but we are in a pretty good position right now. I could totally just take off and have a *blast*.

I almost feel guilty when our homesschool group only goes to the zoo on family discount days, or we only go to the aquarium when there is some family special. I am all for saving money and getting discounts, but I feel like asking someone when there isn't a "Kmart special" is totally out.

Am I totally alone? Maybe I am just feeling lonely.....

 

[earthfaries]

Mykidsintow-just consider yourself very blessed financially. You are living the life-well, my dream financial life. When my DD10 was 2, she got leukemia, we had NO intentions of me not working(I was only 2 ,10 hour days per week back then, but I do fairly well), but we were thrown for that loop that some families get dealt. I am not resentful, I am actually extrememly BLESSED and LUCKY and whatever other good word you can muster up. BUT we had lost my income, had more expenses and we had another child who was 10 months old at the time. Although we had a little bit of handle-able debt back then, this situation pummelled us crazily into debt. Not thinking straight, we lived off of DH school loans-he was in school for his MBA. Now, although I cannot complain since we DO have a vaction every other year or so, and that is a luxury, we have lots of debt, and I work less, b/c the good Lord led me to homeschooling! That is another story though. I would not trade it. I may have to eventually but I would rather do those family value days for field trips so I CAN go to Disney every so often and be able to be home. I don't regret anything, we did what we had to do and the best we could for our situation. But boy, it would be soooo nice to not HAVE to work and just use my income for vacations and fun stuff!

Mostly I am just THRILLED to be my kids mom, and to officially tell you that TODAY my daughter, Ashton,10, is 5 years off chemo! You are the first to be announced this too and I am so overwhelmed by God's grace in our lives.

God bless and just feel blessed and LUCKY, mykidsintow!!


Lori​

That is so wonderful!!! Yay what a blessing and a miracle!!!

 

[mykidsintow]

hey, Beth, maybe we can meet up at Disney! DH does not like to go nearly as often as I do.

We do watch what we spend, but we don't have to be overly rigid about it. We don't have any debt other than the mortgage, but I would love to even have that paid off.

Dawn

Hey Dawn! I also am conscious of what we spend. We are by no means loaded. We don't drink fine wine every night and bask in the Bahama sun. In fact we have never been to the Bahamas at all and wine is overrated. Tea is much cheaper and tastes better. Our daughters special needs require a good chunk of money in accomodations (anything special needs is like a never ending black hole).

I guess we cut some things. I shop yard sales and goodwill.... mostly because I love a bargain. Tho in other areas I would rather splurge (like going to the zoo in the middle of the week with no crowd vs. going on a family day when its packed). I just feel guilty suggesting other days to those around us, because I feel their budget is so much tighter than ours.

As for Disney.... lets go! Tell me when

I mentioned to some local friends of ours going to Disney wish us next Jan. They were excited, but they weren't sure they could get finances together by then. Ummmmm we are providing the room. Surely in 10 months notice you can come up with the cost of gas, tickets and food. Its not like I booked the GF and asked them to pay, ya kno? Babysit once a month and save it, there ya go! I think maybe this is what set off my current pity party...... No offense to them, we love them.

 

[lori1043]

Hey Dawn! I also am conscious of what we spend. We are by no means loaded. We don't drink fine wine every night and bask in the Bahama sun. In fact we have never been to the Bahamas at all and wine is overrated. Tea is much cheaper and tastes better. Our daughters special needs require a good chunk of money in accomodations (anything special needs is like a never ending black hole).

I guess we cut some things. I shop yard sales and goodwill.... mostly because I love a bargain. Tho in other areas I would rather splurge (like going to the zoo in the middle of the week with no crowd vs. going on a family day when its packed). I just feel guilty suggesting other days to those around us, because I feel their budget is so much tighter than ours.

As for Disney.... lets go! Tell me when

I mentioned to some local friends of ours going to Disney wish us next Jan. They were excited, but they weren't sure they could get finances together by then. Ummmmm we are providing the room. Surely in 10 months notice you can come up with the cost of gas, tickets and food. Its not like I booked the GF and asked them to pay, ya kno? Babysit once a month and save it, there ya go! I think maybe this is what set off my current pity party...... No offense to them, we love them.

You sound like me! I just LOVE a bargain!

We are saving for the cruise next!

I aspire to be able to live like you do financially!-frugal, yet free!

Lori

 

[DawnM]

Beth,

I am not sure about January because DH has a conference there in December, so we may tag along for free lodging! But I may go in Jan. It just depends on what his work schedule/conference looks like.

September homeschool days are good (and free dining if you stay on property.)

How many kids do you have and how old are they?

We stayed at a SkyAuction condo last time. It was great! $179 for 7 nights in a 2 bedroom/2 bathroom place.

Dawn

Hey Dawn! I also am conscious of what we spend. We are by no means loaded. We don't drink fine wine every night and bask in the Bahama sun. In fact we have never been to the Bahamas at all and wine is overrated. Tea is much cheaper and tastes better. Our daughters special needs require a good chunk of money in accomodations (anything special needs is like a never ending black hole).

I guess we cut some things. I shop yard sales and goodwill.... mostly because I love a bargain. Tho in other areas I would rather splurge (like going to the zoo in the middle of the week with no crowd vs. going on a family day when its packed). I just feel guilty suggesting other days to those around us, because I feel their budget is so much tighter than ours.

As for Disney.... lets go! Tell me when

I mentioned to some local friends of ours going to Disney wish us next Jan. They were excited, but they weren't sure they could get finances together by then. Ummmmm we are providing the room. Surely in 10 months notice you can come up with the cost of gas, tickets and food. Its not like I booked the GF and asked them to pay, ya kno? Babysit once a month and save it, there ya go! I think maybe this is what set off my current pity party...... No offense to them, we love them.

 

[mykidsintow]

Beth,

I am not sure about January because DH has a conference there in December, so we may tag along for free lodging! But I may go in Jan. It just depends on what his work schedule/conference looks like.

September homeschool days are good (and free dining if you stay on property.)

How many kids do you have and how old are they?

We stayed at a SkyAuction condo last time. It was great! $179 for 7 nights in a 2 bedroom/2 bathroom place.

Dawn

As of now we have reservations for May (I am going to cancel....). We have reservations Oct 12-17th (fall break for my cousin, we are taking the family since we have extra points after joining the DVC).

We *have* to travel when its cooler, or we can't do anything except spend time in the pool. I have 2 kiddos. My son is 6, my daughter is 4. My daughter is special needs... she can't control her body temp and will have a heat stroke in the FL summer heat! Thats why we try to limit trips to coolerish months. We just spent 4 nights in Feb. It was my daughters 2nd trip and my sons first. Here are some pics from our trip. This may give you a better feel of our family

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v432/_kulali_/Disney08/

We are pretty easy to pickout... Where are you guys located? Thanks for making me feel better!

 

[earthfaries]

Hey Dawn! I also am conscious of what we spend. We are by no means loaded. We don't drink fine wine every night and bask in the Bahama sun. In fact we have never been to the Bahamas at all and wine is overrated. Tea is much cheaper and tastes better. Our daughters special needs require a good chunk of money in accomodations (anything special needs is like a never ending black hole).

I guess we cut some things. I shop yard sales and goodwill.... mostly because I love a bargain. Tho in other areas I would rather splurge (like going to the zoo in the middle of the week with no crowd vs. going on a family day when its packed). I just feel guilty suggesting other days to those around us, because I feel their budget is so much tighter than ours.

As for Disney.... lets go! Tell me when

I mentioned to some local friends of ours going to Disney wish us next Jan. They were excited, but they weren't sure they could get finances together by then. Ummmmm we are providing the room. Surely in 10 months notice you can come up with the cost of gas, tickets and food. Its not like I booked the GF and asked them to pay, ya kno? Babysit once a month and save it, there ya go! I think maybe this is what set off my current pity party...... No offense to them, we love them.

Your pictures are so cute! It looks like you guys had a great time and your family is beautiful

I can understand your wanting a good friend to go places with ~ luckily I have that in my sister I haven't really met anyone else who is like that. Most of the people here in the homeschool groups are as someone previously described, like being in HS again

I have always shopped at Goodwill and yard sales and the flea market for the kids clothes and toys, etc. I love yard sales! They are my favorite!

Last year I invited my oldest son's best friend with us to WDW, I told them I'd pay for everything except the tickets and food, which at that time was only going to be about $300.00 and they said they couldn't justify spending the money on her like that

She's never been to Disney, although she has been visiting FL her whole life to visit relative. They are just those people who have no idea how magical and fun Disney is for a child and she'll probably never get to go.

It's not that they didn't want her gone that long either...we have taken her on trips in the past, to Dollywood, Splash Country, the zoo a couple of hours away, out on the town for fun around here, they never take her anywhere because of money...even though they have it, they don't spend it on the kids

Anyway, it's frustrating!

Hopefully you will find someone to have fun with soon Too bad you don't live around here. Where do you live anyway?

 

[graygables]

Does this quote bother anyone else as much as it bothers me?
"A primary purpose of the educational system is to train school children in good
citizenship, patriotism and loyalty to the state and the nation as a means of protecting the public welfare."

This was taken from the California ruling against homeschooling, but was originally cited in Pierce v. Society of Sisters.

I thought the primary purpose of an educational system was to train children to learn, explore, intellectually grow, and to prepare them for a purposeful and useful life. The above sounds frighteningly like the propaganda used by Hitler's Youth (I grew up in Germany, so I've seen a bit of it)

 

[mykidsintow]

For starters.... I thnk California needs to get a grip! Abuse will happen whether a family homeschools or not. Insane.

We are in KY. I would *love* to have a sister!

 

[earthfaries]

Does this quote bother anyone else as much as it bothers me?
"A primary purpose of the educational system is to train school children in good
citizenship, patriotism and loyalty to the state and the nation as a means of protecting the public welfare."

I'm not surprised by it...it sums up why we have such problems in the U.S. these days

If everyone thought the purpose of education was what you described, not the above description which is crap, then the world would be a better place.

That's why I homeschool ~ I'm not sending my kids to a big prison like daycare institution that is basically training them to be brainwashed recruits for their unneccessary wars!

 

[DawnM]

(this is a forward from a national list)

At some point, and you may already have, you will probably receive an
e-mail asking you to sign a petition about the court case in
California. PLEASE do NOT sign it! What it really is about isn't
California but more scare tactics and part of a membership drive.

Homeschool is still very much alive and LEGAL in California. We do NOT
need hysteria fueled by HSLDA! The last time they did this we almost
lost our right to homeschool. Please don't feed into their hysteria.

If you have questions, then go to the HSC (Homeschool Association of
California) or CHN (California Homeschool Network). Leslie Buchanan is
Board President of HSC and has let us know that the legal teams of the
California homeschooling groups are meeting and will deal with this.
IF, let me repeat myself here, IF the legal teams feel that California
needs help, then HSC and CHN will send out a message asking for help.

The case will be easily overturned because his ruling effects public
schools! Further, *anyone* who has even a tiny bit of legal training
will tell you that his ruling is a mess and has no legal foundation
and is an appeal to overturn waiting to happen.

Just sign me, a California homeschooling mom who would like to get
back to homeschooling and spend less time putting out unnecessary
fires <g>

P.S. Please feel free to forward!

 

[DawnM]

Wait, why are you cancelling May? I could go in May!

Dawn

As of now we have reservations for May (I am going to cancel....). We have reservations Oct 12-17th (fall break for my cousin, we are taking the family since we have extra points after joining the DVC).

We *have* to travel when its cooler, or we can't do anything except spend time in the pool. I have 2 kiddos. My son is 6, my daughter is 4. My daughter is special needs... she can't control her body temp and will have a heat stroke in the FL summer heat! Thats why we try to limit trips to coolerish months. We just spent 4 nights in Feb. It was my daughters 2nd trip and my sons first. Here are some pics from our trip. This may give you a better feel of our family

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v432/_kulali_/Disney08/

We are pretty easy to pickout... Where are you guys located? Thanks for making me feel better!

 

[mykidsintow]

Wait, why are you cancelling May? I could go in May!

Dawn

Umm because my husband doesn't have enough time off work. I don't have anyone to go with us.

We have May 29-June 2nd reserved at WL. They still had openings at SSR and OKW as of yesterday, for different dates. I would *love* to stay at OKW. I think DH would kill me if I stayed at WL without him (we have never stayed there).

I just figured I would end up canceling. I am not sure how it would be at Disney with just me and the 2 kids. I would end up with an unhappy boy not getting to ride any of the bigger rides, because my 4 yr old can't ride them.

 

[sha_lyn]

Last year I invited my oldest son's best friend with us to WDW, I told them I'd pay for everything except the tickets and food, which at that time was only going to be about $300.00 and they said they couldn't justify spending the money on her like that

She's never been to Disney, although she has been visiting FL her whole life to visit relative. They are just those people who have no idea how magical and fun Disney is for a child and she'll probably never get to go.

It's not that they didn't want her gone that long either...we have taken her on trips in the past, to Dollywood, Splash Country, the zoo a couple of hours away, out on the town for fun around here, they never take her anywhere because of money...even though they have it, they don't spend it on the kids

Reminds me of the time DD and I were going down to Orlando 2 days prior to a TKD tournmant. I offered to take 2 girls with us that were coming down for the tournamant. In fact we were sharing a room with both girls and their mothers. DD and I had 1 week left on our Univeral Annual passes and wanted to spend 1 day in US/IOA. Each girl would only need money for 5 meals (dinner the night we went down, 3 the day at US/IOA and breakfast the day we were meeting their mothers), and their tickets which would have been about $50 each if I remember correctly. Nope neither mother said they could afford it. Then during the 4 days we were at the tournament I watched them each blow more than that on "adult" drinks, and one mother bought her and her DD matching sweatshirts at the tournament with lots of extra patches etc on them. The shirts ended up costing about $75 each.


DawnM...do you have link or anything for the article? I would love to forward it to a couple of groups, but know I will get torn apart without a link or other information

 

[hmerritt]

Ummmmm we are providing the room. Surely in 10 months notice you can come up with the cost of gas, tickets and food. Its not like I booked the GF and asked them to pay, ya kno?

I can save that by then- can I go with you?

Heather

 

[graygables]

Hubby and I were just saying that the CA thing is a tempest in a teapot and it's being a bit overblown, it's just that quote was quite chilling to read. I'll teach my child loyalty to family and friends, but NEVER blind loyalty to any state or nation. I won't even go into the revisionist history I've encountered in my lifetime; let's just say that my Summer spent in England in the "bicentennial" year of 1976 was a REAL eye opener and it's true, the victor writes the history. I don't know if anyone watches Jericho, but we've been discussing that a lot, too, esp the scene where the teacher (or Nuclear Holocaust Barbie, as we call her ) brings in the "new" history book she's received.

 

[DawnM]

Ok, let me talk to DH.

Do you think that many schools will be out then? I am worried about it being crowded then.

Also, would you use your DVC points? I thought it was really high on Fri and Saturday nights.

Dawn

Umm because my husband doesn't have enough time off work. I don't have anyone to go with us.

We have May 29-June 2nd reserved at WL. They still had openings at SSR and OKW as of yesterday, for different dates. I would *love* to stay at OKW. I think DH would kill me if I stayed at WL without him (we have never stayed there).

I just figured I would end up canceling. I am not sure how it would be at Disney with just me and the 2 kids. I would end up with an unhappy boy not getting to ride any of the bigger rides, because my 4 yr old can't ride them.

 

[DawnM]

DawnM...do you have link or anything for the article? I would love to forward it to a couple of groups, but know I will get torn apart without a link or other information

I will have to find out myself. There is so much panic going around right now. We just moved from California. These types of things happen on an individual basis and get blown WAY out of proportion.

NONE of my friends feel that they are losing their right to hs in California.

Dawn

 

[sha_lyn]

on several local loops we've been talking about it.
IMHO it is jsut as you said, being blown way out of proportion.
From what I have read, the oldest child reported the parents for abuse.
During the investigation it was found that there is some problem with the private christian school/homeschool program that the parents are using or the parents have not complied with the schools requirements. The problem with the private chrisitan school program seems to be the root for why the children have been forced into public school.

I really agree with the article/post that you posted. HSLDA seems to be using this as nothing more than a membership drive.

 

[mykidsintow]

I can change it around to week days, if anything is available (one down side to DVC).

If we went mostly weekdays in May and there was availability at OKW I could get 2 rooms for the same points as the 1 room I have booked at VWL. Just a random thought However, as I said that depends on availability.

My husband got home. I said "Hey I think I may go to Disney with this lady from the dis boards" he said "ok honey" and kept going. My poor hubby!

Anyway I have 100 developer points to blow, er I mean use....