Real. Beautiful, Liturgical and Catholic...

I am a convert of 9 years. There are some really wonderful things about being a convert. Since I discovered the faith as an adult, it is like opening up surprise after surprise as I learn more about all the beautiful, real and true aspects of the faith. I think of the journeys I have taken as I discovered the Real Presence, adoration, Mary, the saints, Reconciliation, sacraments for my boys as they were born and grew, etc.

The past few years, in large part thanks to the past leader of my TORCH group, I have learned about the liturgical year. Every year now I order the big poster with the wheel of the liturgical year. The colors and artwork is beautiful and it has all the saints' days and feast days on it. I am slowly learning about these days and saints, and two of my e-friends just posted about the Feast of the Archangels, (which I missed..:( ). I put them in charge of reminding me next year. lol

I want to learn more about the beautiful Church we have. I want to slowly make this a part of our lives. I wish my boys were younger, as it would be fun to make crafts that apply to the days. But we are past that. Humm... food. That is always a good way to ply into the male hearts in this house. That could be a ticket.

I am praying about this upcoming Advent season. Last year I was sick-ish during most of it and had low energy, which maybe was meant to be. It was low key. I don't want 'high key' neccesarily, but I would like to plan ahead a bit. My guys have only a few years left here. I want to keep bringing in the Catholic life... and am well aware I may be in training for future Grandma duty. I am going to be one of those Catholic grandmas who help save the world! :)

One small step at a time. Here it is. I am going to buy my Advent candles ahead of time. Usually I am cleaning up or returning home from Thanksgiving and then realize I have none or only have used and short ones and the stores are sold out. So that is my plan so far.

And to ask the saints to pray for me to help bring their presence and history and blessings into our home.

God Bless,
Cindy

Checking Boxes

What she said....:)

After reading this you can check off at least one box!

God Bless- hope you are having a lovely day!
Cindy

Real Expectation for Real Learning

Thank you, Willa!

I was just about to go search out that great post by Julie on Bravewriter, find an excerpt and link the rest when I went to your site and found you had already done it for me.

I ditto everything you said and Julie wrote and saw my home reflected throughout her whole wonderful list.

This is real journey stuff. Julie has helped strip away the fears and static to look at what we are really learning in our homes.

As Julie wrote:

"Let's tackle this tiger!" :)

This is what is real. Looking at her list, honestly facing our goals, staying in prayer-- what a wonderful way to try and find out where God wants our kids to go. Keeping it open and honest but really looking at what we are doing at home.

Thank you for posting this--

God Bless,
Cindy

It's Always Something...

I was thinking about my current parenting/homeschooling challenges. One of them is continuing to connect with my teen boys. They of course are becoming more independent and also go through ups and down, needs to pull away and return.

It would be easy just to get on with my life and interests and not involve them, but my goal is to continue to connect, so it takes effort on my part to keep the balance.

Rewind back in our lives about 10 years. That was *not* my challenge then! Then it was how to keep up with a 6 and 3 year old- and to sometimes find a little space for myself! They wanted to do everything with me, me do everything with them and wanted to do just plain everything! We were still learning basics, such as how to clean up after ourselves. I can see the toys just strewn all over the basement! I felt so busy all the time and my little guys were very dependent on me.

Made me think how each age has its challenges. But each age has its joys. Stopping to think about the joys of today--- these boys are so intelligent. They can reason. They help when I ask them to help. They help me make decisions and give me feedback on many things, We talk about their intersts and mine. There are many joys amidst the challenges.

How to remember to see the joyful times that exist in every age--- that is the goal, I think. It is so easy to dwell on the difficulties...

Sideroads on the Journey

I have a side business I just got involved in. It is Lighthouse Catholic Media (see side bar for the url)

I am a convert. Instrumental to my conversion was the awesome teaching I read and heard on books and CDs. When I heard St. Joseph's Communciations started this division, Lighthouse, to help spread CDs teaching the faith, I checked into it.

Well, after a Saturday of training and a bunch of calls I am doing it! Meeting with pastors as well as Catholic school principals and sharing about this minsitry. (BTW, it is a self funding ministry that is easy to implement in a parish or school)

I am in new territory. I am really doing sales. My dh has done sales for 20 years, and he is very good at it. He always told me it is really about relationships, not just getting people to buy. Finding needs, solving problems. Did I ever think I would be presenting to priests? NO! But I am.

So, with that backdrop comes today. I got my first order. But it was not just a order. It was a lovely afternoon with a Monsigner at a beautiful old church.

I won't go into the preliminaires of how I got there, but at 1:30 I was seated in the parlor of the rectory of this antique parish, one that has as its church an historical landmark. As I waited for Msgr. to finish lunch I was looking through his shelves of books. Ah, many old friends there. I saw many books I have on my own shelf including Rome Sweet Home by Scott and Kimberly Hahn, Navarre Bibles, Death on a Friday Afternoon by John Neuhaus and Surprised by the Truth by Patrick Madrid- as well as others.

My eye was caught by familiar author, Peter Kreeft. I had seen him speak in Steubenville years ago. I picked up the book and found several chapters on comparitive religion. The one on Christainity and Islam was only 3 pages long- I love that about Mr. Kreeft, he is bold, but succinct.

As I perched on a chair and read, Msgr arrived. I had been prepared for a formal presentation, to show him my LCM stuff, but instead we began talking about the book in my hands. Soon we were off on other topics, the Pope's speech inviting Muslims to dialog, the media, Protestant view (or non view) of suffering, Mel Gibson and his beliefs, the parish and its challenges, the old and new bishop, the effect of the baseball stadium across the street... and on.

Every so often he would tell me of a book or article he read on the subject at hand and would stand up, and begin to walk up the beautiful creaky old staircase to retrieve the said document to share.

After an hour of chatting I relunctanly changed the subject and showed him more details about our CD program. He had seen it elsewhere, asked a couple of questions, asked his office manager to write me a check and we kept chatting.. about Norman Vincent Peale, the Latin Mass he says each Sunday, the homeless, the history of social reform in the Catholic church and immmigration... and on.

Finally I knew I had to leave or traffic would be horrible, as I live in a far away suburb. The suburbs seem foreign to him, he said, such large parishes, people leave communion early, so busy. Yes, I said. This place had a feeling of home. Most pastors cannot give me 30 minutes to talk, can often not even stop after daily Mass to chat with me but are off in a flurry to multiple meetings and duties to keep their gigantic parishes running. But Mgsr. gave me a large part of his afternoon.

And my side journey extended into my home.

Tonight at dinner I read parts of the Islam chapter of the Kreeft book Msgr. had allowed me to copy while visiting. My dh (Mr. History) began to fill in more gaps. We talked about Islam. We are trying to gain an understanding of this religion in our home. I told them what Mgsr. had said- about the Arab perception of debachary in the west, often fueled by materialism and other atrocities (such as high abortion rates) seen in Israel, not to mention the horrible output of Hollywood and the media.

Mgsr. touched my family's life, too.

So, as I have wondered how much time to give LCM... this gave me another reason to continue. It may help pay for my youngest son's braces... and I know it is a wonderful thing to try and get into parishes. Though I don't like the time away from my family, my boys are older and more independent. And my dh is now working from home, so I am much more free to be out. But, I saw today that being 'out' does not mean I connect less, because I can bring home and share what I find.


I wish I could have stayed to listen longer. I think we will all go to his Latin Mass one Sunday soon.

Something to do....Something to love.. Something to think about...

One of my favorite quotes is from Charlotte Mason. She said to give our children "Something to do, something to love, something to think about."

One of the things in our life that gives us something to do...love.. think about is our dogs. Actually in this picture I wonder what Ralphie (the dog) is thinking about.. :)

This is our family. Here we are, this is us. We have a strong affection for our dogs and other people's dogs as well. It is amazing when I think of all the areas of life they have touched for us. One of my favorite memories was when we did a co-op class with our local homeschool group. I had taught several semesters (as did other moms) and the last year when I chose a topic to teach on I let my boys help me pick. We chose dogs. We just love dogs and it was a blast.

What fun it was to brainstorm all the ways we could learn about dogs. I had a wonderful 'class'- about 6 kids (including my 2) and all around ages 10-12 or so. What a fun age! We read Jack London, we played Dog Bingo, we read St. Francis. One of my favorite days was when we read from the Bible and CCC about the relationship between God, man and the animals. We learned that man had dominion over animals, but also responsbility. We learned that animals had no soul, but we could love them. It was a nice day.

Another day we did a Charlotte Mason style 'object study' and our big dachshund Boomer was the 'object'. We studied his body parts and deduced what they were used for by his ancestors (long years, tough claws, etc). After the study, we got busy and Boomer made his way around the classroom. Soon we saw a mylar balloon slowly moving across the side wall. Boomer had found the valentine's balloon, obviously left by the preschool class, that had a small Snickers bar attached to the end. He was stealthily trying to steal it away to a private corner. What a laugh we got!

I think of all the group learning we have been involved with over the years, that co-op class gave us the most *real* learning. We all cared about the subject and all shared in the joy.

Thinking, too, of our dog-sitting business. How we learn about our clients and their dogs and their needs. How we care for our sweet but sometimes demanding dogs. And how we realize they are just dogs, but we love them anyway.

Just thinking about how dogs have been a real part of our learning. And now that I am adding some pictures here, had to get a dog one on line. :)

Thinking About History

I have been thinking about history and how it has evolved in our house. Also how it has come to reflect the personality of our family. I must say, one of the benefits of homeschooling this long and having 'old' kids as I can look back and see how everything played out!

When the boys were younger we were mostly in Charlotte Mason mode, but I think really it was the Living Books and Atmosphere of the Home modes that were the gold. I think, to do it over, I would skip the daily lesson mode we got into around ages 9-11. That was were our difficulty stemmed. But the read alouds, projects, exploring... that was really fun.

Thinking back, I did not really know about unschooling then. Back then I did a lot of heavy duty strewing and it was perfect for us. I would get tons of picture books and we would read and read. As they got older, we got more involved in chapter books. Lots of DK and Usborne. Though I did plan it to 'cover' periods. We enjoyed a few weeks in the Middle Ages. I read from a spine book (Christ the King, Lord of History, A Child's History of the World, and others) But we had medievel feasts, built castles and had sword fights. What fun!

Would I do it the same way again? I think yes. I think I overdid a bit in some books I thought I had to pour in their heads.. :0.. there was a saturation point, but thinking back the forrays we had into history were nice because they connected the boys with the past. As CM said, don't worry about trying to give a complete survey, but help the child make friends in a deeper way with certain events or people.

I also read and believe that a child really can't grasp a timeline of history until well past 9 years old. So, luckily I let that go after spending hours tacking up a KONOS timeline in our basement when the boys were little bitty.

Oh, hindsight really is 20/20! Looking back I can see that the Classical folks have it right in the Trivium stages of development. I saw that Grammar stage when they just absorbed and absorbed everything we read, saw and did. Then came the Logic stage, where they begin putting it together. And now my 16 yo is delving into the Rhetoric stage and my 13yo is on the cusp. And it all has happened naturally- through lots of fuel and conversation.

Generally I don't consider history a strong point in our home. Well, my dh loves it. And I am beginning to love it, too. But my boys will tell you they don't. But I think that is because they are remembering the ill-assigned reading I gave them for a period and the read alouds that got too long. They also saw a lot of war and bad things happen. History is a lot of bad things, when you think about it. So, I have tried to look at the good things, too, especially through bios of admirable people.
Then see God's plan in it all. The bad stuff is the evil in the world, but there is also a lot of beauty and God's fingerprints are throughout all of time.

But, thinking about history in our home now, what I am finding is that it is playing out through the personality of our home. My husband loves history and current events, though does not systematicly discuss it with the boys, he does occasionally bring it up at the dinner table. I follow current events and feel as a Catholic I need to know and at least try to be aware of what is happening and the Catholic response. They hear us talk, they listen a lot and join in sometimes. It is rubbing off.

What I am seeing is that the current events and our life experiences is pulling history up from the past. For example, the Holy Father's speech about a dialog with the Muslims caused my dh and I to research and share with the boys. Through conversation we are learning more about the Muslim faith and the history of their presence in the world, as well as the Jewish people.

Or we will have a new Indian priest come and begin to reserach where he came from and the pieces will fit into larger picture of history that has developed over the years.

My husband has shared a lot about defending the faith and the history of Catholics and Protestants in past centuries.

Many other events/ideas have caused us to look at where we have been in the past and how it pulls forward to relate to today. Star Wars and LOTR have given us lots of jumping off points to talk about good and evil, facists and Hitler in particular.

I am still strewing, but am finding it interesting how a lot of our history is being explored from today -- and pulling history up to meet us. Not me just getting a book that is firmly set back in time and us trying to make sense of it.

I was listening to an excerpt from Pope Benedict's book The Salt of the Earth today. He was asked how he was so successful at teaching during that part of his life. He said that instead of just cobbling together lectures and lessons from textbooks, he would look at history and discover ways to make it relevant to his students today.

Maybe that is what we are doing in our own clumsy, Kelly way? :) Again, I hear Pope John Paul II's words: "Families, be who you are!" Maybe no other family would like doing things this way and in a way we just fell into it because of our personalities and interests. I read about families who are milking cows and cutting grain, or traveling, or doing a host of other interests, things that we would not be so great at. And they are learning history and all sorts of things, their way.

Sometimes I think often homeschoolers don't trust their family to set the tone. Often they think they have to be a 'perfect Catholic family' - read that: a family like that one over there. But how can we be who we are if we are trying to be something else? I speak here from experience... I have done just that.

Maybe our goal should be to emulate the Holy Family. Yes, a perfect goal. And since God created us so individually, won't that look slightly different as each family stirs around all the family members' personalities and interests in their individual family pot? Each stew will be unique! Just thinking outloud.
Also thinking that I am rather amazed that we are learning a lot of history. Who'd of thunk? :)
God Bless,
Cindy

Valleys on the Journey

The other day on the UC list I posted about how I wished I could stop time and savor my family where we are-- forever. I really meant it. Most of you know I have two older kids, 16 and almost 13. I see the 'end' coming.... and I will join the ranks of Empty Nesters in coming years. I must say I envy my friends that have babies or toddlers as their time with their kids seems to stretch out forever.

Now, I still mean what I wrote. But I wondered if it sounded a bit smug. Like, wow, everything is so wonderful here in the Kelly house every day that I want to freeze my perfect family just like it is! Yada yada yada...

I firmly believe in acknowledging the joyful times. Savor, enjoy and share. I loved it when friends do this as I find it so encouraging. And I love sharing the joyful times. It helps me be grateful, something I think many of us often forget. God wants us to be grateful, he gave this all to us.

So I felt I needed to write a bit about this valley. Not just for others but for me. Blogging really is a great tool. I can think about these things and they swirl around in my mind, but when I get to the keyboard and have to compose the thoughts, they seem to really gel. Plus I can go back and look at them later and see where I have been.

This week has been a valley. Not a crisis, as we are all healthy, dh has a job, no devastating storms... but it has been a dip.

I think it is in part due to me being a woman. God saw fit to equip us with these volatile moods and feelings. But I know he also gives us grace to deal with them. And friends to encourage us. But my mood has been teetering. My men have noticed and laid a bit low. Kind of funny when you think about it...:) he he hee. Do they know me or what?

What has gone wrong? Nothing earth-shattering, but I will list some here to help me clarify and maybe if anyone is reading this, they can relate. But if no one is reading, that is ok...:+ .. as this is therapeutic for me.

I am depressed over what is happening at the UN. Where are all the normal people in America who love our country and will stand up for it? Why are these insane world leaders running roughshod over us and getting cheers? Why is the press covering it? I know some of the answers as I just read The 100 People Who are Screwing Up America by Bernard Goldberg and agree with most all he wrote. As a Catholic I know that our government is not perfect, but I also know that we are the last "minority" that is free game to attacks.

I am saddened over the attacks on the pope. Again the press is so simple-minded, sound-bite-driven and if someone like me can google and read the first 2 pages of his talk and see what he meant, then why can't all the world leaders, press and pundits that try to simplify and twist his words? God bless you, Holy Father.

I have also been pulled away by something wonderful in my life, but find I am having a hard time balancing my duties at home. I recently hooked up with
Lighthouse Catholic Media
which helps parishes set up an audio CD ministries. (Check out the website.. great video on there of Scott Hahn endorsing it!- Click on Endorsements) I am meeting some wonderful people and love the product, and learning... of all things sales. I have learned that what sales is, is explaining the process to people and then helping them find a way to bring it into their organization/parish. I have met the most wonderful faith-filled people, including local priests. But my house is a wreck, laundry undone and I feel out of sync with my boys.

Now, I know that sometimes this space is good for them. But things are in that 'glaring' stage. Where every small thing seems big. Do you know what I mean? Like, they are supposed to fold the pile of towels. It went unfolded for 3 days. And, the upstairs never was cleaned up. And then what I do is extrapolate it into:

"I am failing as a parent."

Wow, how did I make that jump? All or nothing thinking. My nemesis.

Also, to add fuel to my smoldering fire, I went for a mom's night out with a group of just wonderful ladies in my local TORCH group and I really like them so much. But, of course the talk got to schedules, lessons, etc. They were of course very polite with me and we found lots of common ground, but I did feel a bit out of the sync. It made me question what I am doing again, especially since I am in this current stage of busyness with LCM phone calls and appointments and wondering if my boys are doing enough.

I know the remedy.. prayers, journaling, reading and taking some time to hang out with them.

And, at least I *see* this before it gets blown out of proportion. Thank God for that grace and these learning steps I have taken over the years and for my dear friends who have encouraged and shared.

I have really tried hard to work on the all-or-nothing thinking as it relates to many areas. One being homeschooling style. I really respect all moms and their choice of style and have worked to find common ground, and there is so much. We are all homeschooling, love our kids, bring in wonderful resources, share our Catholic faith, etc. This is not an "either-or" thing. It is a "we're-in-this-together" thing. I have come a long way.

Another set-up for these valleys, I find, is when I do share my successes. Sigh. Is this God making sure I am not getting prideful? Remember my post on our LOTR group? Well it didn't go so well yesterday. S, it turns out got so involved in LOTR for so long-immersed himself in it- that by the time we got the group together he is now tired of LOTR. The group was smaller yesterday and I have not finished the books and it flagged a bit. Oh well. Perfection is not the goal and I am humbled.

So, we are in a trough. That is ok. My goal is to learn to keep perspective. I know this is a real chance to grow in holiness and that must start with humility.

Everything will not go as I want it.

I will have to deal with irrational emotions.

My boys are imperfect.

We have down days.

All is not lost.

It is time to pull in and be extra careful to think of our blessings of which there are many, oh so many. I know this is also the time to tune into others and their needs. I am not the center of the universe. Time for coffee with a friend. Time to listen and seek to understand.

Time to give thanks. Oh I feel better just for typing this out.

God Bless,

Cindy

Sensitivity

This from a friend:

Sensitivity means that when I walk into a room I look and listen before I speak.

Tapping Into and Sharing our Learning

As a follow up to the previous post about developing retroactive credits for my high school aged son, I wanted to journal a bit of what happened yesterday.

We took the Basic Media Analysis credit and began backfilling on paper what he really did. We followed the format given to us by Clonlara, but found it was really just an jumping off point to help discover what learning occurred, how it occurred and what resources he used.

He talked and I typed. He explained the websites he frequents and the information he finds there. He also talked about the discussions he has online with friends and on public blogs, as well as with his friends and brother. He told me about the writing styles of the varoius reviewers on the main sites and his opinion of each. We talked about the bigger picture things he has learned, such as how companies operate and the overall strategy as well as the personal skill he has adapted, such as how he goes about understanding and reviewing a game and them developing his own rating system.

As we talked not only did I learn more about his passion and what he does in his free time but I think he learned a lot about it, too. Seeing his work translated into a concrete format seems to show him what learning he was doing, that it was valid and how it translates to the outside world through reporting, and also how these skill translate in his life of future learning.

At one point he asked if we should put down his personal method of analyzing games.

I thought about what he really was doing and realized ---what a skill this was he had developed! The method he is using, I told him, is one that will be used all throughout college and his life. I can remember when I worked for a dynamic start up high tech firm, for instance, they only hired people they felt could think outside the box, were self starters and had the skill to develop a thinking process to analyze situations- situations they have never come across before.

So, our exercise yesterday opened up several new worlds.

It solidified for me the real learning he is doing through his interest- video games, the companies involved and the world of discussion and debate surrounding them.

Also, it gave him a benchmark of the natural learning he is doing and how it applies to the outside world.

On the UC list .....Willa also brought up the idea that perhaps this sort of exercise is good, even if it is not just for college prep and transcripts. I agree. I have tried to find ways to tap into the boys, especially as they become older and more independent. This was a wonderful way to open up communication and help him share his world. I think in a large part, it validated what he did. Everyone shares more when they feel validated.

I know I do.

In line with this, I just started re-reading Soar With Your Strengths by Donald Clifton. The premise of the book is that one should not try and develop their weaknesses to match your strengths, but should focus on soaring with their strengths and manage your weaknesses.

Clifton says the goal is not to be 'well-rounded'. (Think the Animal School story.) But instead, if you have one passion it can be a jumping off point to all other areas of study. Though my son has other interests than gaming, that is his primary one at the moment. I can see, especially through this discussion yesterday, how this interest has taken him into all sorts of disciplines: business, media, marketing, personal management and discipline, composition, creative writing, graphic art, a bit of science and math and history and more.

Thinking of this is helping me see even more clearly how important interest-led learning is. And when I strew, I am becoming more careful to give my boys really good stuff. Some strewing is the take or leave kind. Find an inexpensive book and leave it around- share bits and pieces of new worlds.

But I am also introducing them to other areas I find valuable and would like to share with them. Things I love and want to share. Things I find important and want them to know, or at least be introduced to. Less and less am I doing certain books or subjects because I 'think I should'. If it is not interesting to me, it probably won't be interesting to them.

Recently as I was talking to my oldest about what he might want to explore in Science and History, (areas that are not as natural to him) he said he didn't care. Just wanted me to choose books on any subject, as long as the books were GOOD.

In other words, don't make him read something just because I saw it on a list and felt I should. This is a hard habit for me to break. I think pride is intertwined very heavily when I start going down that road.

This is working well here. And I know I am blessed with the time to preview the books first (via audio). I am going to start a Shakespeare study because I am just curious why so many people like it. I think I found a hook to introduce it to the boys, too. (Through LOTR- we will see how that goes.) But if they don't like it, we will survive. There is a lot of good stuff out there.

And to quote Lord of the Rings and The Merchant of Venice,
"
All that glitters is not gold..."

Gentle Education- High School Evolves

I was raised with the school mindset. As I embraced the un- schooly mindset the past years I have journalled and seen what my boys (and I) really learn as we explore life.

The journalling, though it cannot capture it all, really has aided me greatly. It puts on paper at least some of what we are doing. I was used to report cards, transcripts, then performance reviews to measure progress. Journalling has at least put something on paper for me to see.

I have made a grand effort to get beyond the superficial. I say 'grand' because it was very hard. It really went against much of my intuition and fiber to get beyond the reports. The superficial was my safety net. Though fake, I clung to it. I just knew if I kept stretching and searching and educating myself and watching my boys, that I would see a deeper truth to their learning. And I am beginning to see it and it was worth every minute of toil.

But, I am still me, raised in the schoolish fashion I was. I say I am doing the transcripts just for college. So all the doors possible will be open for my son. Well, I know I am also doing it for other reasons, too.

I want my son to be able to compare his learning with friends in the world, should that come one day. I think it will be much easier for them, because they got this mindset of learning long before I did. They were convinced and are now convincing me. But now they can have more tools to understand the world and how it reports things.

My dh is traditional and has never picked up John Holt's writing. He is learning about this through 'immersion', with little lingo or explanations (his choice). So, I want to have something he can understand should he need it. He sees the real learning, but it is nice to see things in black and white. Especially for men. Right?

Well then there is me. Of course I want the best for my boys. And I know that interest-led learning is wonderful for them, fits them to a tee. I could not go back now if I had to. But, it helps me and the way I was trained to learn to see their learning in a familiar format. It is funny, though, because once I do see it in a educational format, it just helps me see so clearly how unnecessary it is to have the labels. It is like I am in a dim room and once the light comes on, I get a glaring eyefull of credits, of what was there all along. But I find I beg for the light to be turned off again as it is too harsh, artificial and bright and I want to go back to sensing again. To real learning and perception.

A little educational-eese goes a long way. :)

I sent my journal I had kept the last year to my Clonlara advisor. She is my beacon in this journey. With her decades of experience, she easily converted the list to credits. This was at proverbial gunpoint, as she kept telling me we were doing fine, don't worry about credits, etc. But I needed to do it now.

Converting to credits is something most moms could do - and I could, too. But it is a joy to work with her as she eases the road for me... greases the wheels.

I am posting this for anyone reading who might be encouraged to see what a pair of laid back boys do in a year of just doing their thing. Yes, I brought some books in and strewed a bit and took them by hand to venture into new territory. But the bulk is them. Just living and perusing life, passions and projects. This is culled from playing games, reading books, discussing current events, life and faith.... just living.

On paper they help me see from my school-mind that life is learning. It is all the journey... for me it is about learning how to see that journey as it happens, focus on the moment and get some down on paper.

I also am glad that my boys' education is not simply reduced to credits and transcripts. This beginning transcript is just a superfical way to capture some of their life and I know there is so much richness and content behind it that will never show up on a piece of paper.

If anyone is interested in what is behind the credits, let me know and I will be happy to share! (eg: Small Business Mgnt, think Dog Sitting Business....)

Credits earned last year:
English:
1/2 English Lit
1/2 Writing Composition
1/2 American Short Story

Social Studies:
1/2 Microeconomics
1 Basic Media Analysis

Physical Fitness
1/2 Tennis

Math:
1 Practical Math

Electives:
2 Internet/Computer Skills
1 Small Business Management
1/2 Faith/Religion
1/2 Career Planning
1/2 Music Composition
1/2 Logic and Debate

Developing Credits: (these are areas that are in progress and will be added to through coming years)

History:
US History
World History
American Govt.

Science:
Human Physiology
Animal Care and Behavior

Sociology:
Current Issues in the US

English:
Eng. Lit

Electives:
Public Speaking
Logic and Debate