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The Pros of Homeschooling

After much pondering and research here are my lists of pros
1. Teacher/Student ratio: How many times as educators and as parents do we find ourselves wishing class sizes are smaller.
2. VARIETY and control over curriculum: There are so many different subjects and projects I want my children to be exposed to. There’s no way in the current public school structure this can happen. Whether it’s spending four weeks on a novel unit or deciding between Spanish or Latin for the year, the children and I have control over what to focus on. I can focus on things that I think are important for EACH child.
3. BONDING and attachment opportunities: Homeschooling can supply much needed time together for the adopted child. I’ve already lost the early formative years of my children’s lives. The more time I have with them the better.
4. FLEXIBILITY: I want to teach my children at the library, on Friday field trips, out at Red Rock, in India, and in the backyard. None of us learn the same. And although teachers, me included, try their best to reach all learning styles and differentiate instruction-it is IMPOSSIBLE due to class sizes and shortened periods.

I love teaching. I’m really good at it. I can’t escape the gnawing feeling in my mind and in my heart to not put this off. There are many other pros like avoiding the crassness and crudeness of the general student population, time for religious education, and flexible vacation times. But mostly I want to be with my kids and use the talent I’ve been given for good.

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The stockings were hung by the chimney with care…

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As Rach mentioned, no lame blogs are allowed here. In order to fulfill my promise of pictures of the “Full” Christmas light presentation, I write this post.
Despite all of the unexpected surprises during our trip to Washington, we really enjoyed the time. The Pennings really know how to throw a Christmas party. When loading presents into the truck to return to Logan, I noted that it must have taken Santa at least two trips for this house alone!
 
 

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Christmas, wrapped up!

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Despite a few hiccups during Christmas week, we still managed to have a great vacation. Adam had 3-1/2 weeks off of school and we took full advantage of it. We drove up to Washington and spent our time there. We were able to help pick out the Christmas tree, put up last minute decorations, and help with mom’s last minute shopping. The above picture is mom’s idea of cooking dinner on Christmas Eve….’let’s go outback’….easy clean-up, wahoo!!! Don’t worry–Christmas Day dinner was all homemade. 

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We also squeezed in a few short trips…one to Portland to celebrate Jessica’s birthday, one to Leavenworth for some winter wonderland fun, and one to Tacoma to visit grandma and grandpa Penning. We also were blessed to spend grandpa Harvey’s last week here on earth with him. Everyone was able to say their goodbyes and my mom was able to be there when he passed. I’m grateful that we were there not only to say goodbye and attend the funeral, but also to help mom and dad get through it all. A tender mercy for sure.
We wish everyone a wonderful 2008. Keep smiling!!!!!!!!!!!

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Christmas Tag…better late, than never!!!

A scrapbook.com friend–Cadi Walda–tagged me before Christmas. I owe this post since I wasn’t able to get to the computer much over the past month (see previous post for reasoning). I love tagging…so I still wanted to do this one even though it’s a bit out of season. :)

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Â  Hot Chocolate.

2. Does Santa wrap the presents or just sit them under the tree?  Santa wraps the really special ones and the elves do the rest.
3. Colored or white lights? I love white lights all around the outside of the house, but colored lights for accents and the tree.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? No, but maybe I should start!
5. When do you put your decorations up?  The goal is Thanksgiving weekend, but it usually takes about a week to finish it all.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Mashed potatoes, mashed potatoes, and more mashed potatoes!!!
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child?  There are so many, but one particular christmas, when I was about eight, the whole family slept under the tree on Christmas Eve. This was a special treat because we were usually not allowed to do this (mostly because the parents were usually not done wrapping everything yet). Mom and dad must have had it together that year because we awoke to new shiny bikes and a railroad track going around the tree. It was the best Christmas ever.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I don’t really remember, but I think by about age 12, I was helping wrap presents for Santa.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Heck, yeah! It’s always Christmas pajamas. Sometimes my husband and I exchange a non-pajama present as well…depends on the year.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?  No real tradition about it. I prefer homemade ornaments. I love the nostalgic feeling they provide.  When we have more than one tree, the others will be more designerish.
12. Can you ice skate?  Can, yes. Good, no!
13. Do you remember your favorite gift?  I guess my favorite gift was from my husband on our very first Christmas together. It was an outdoor jacket that I still wear today. Even though it’s a great gift–one that I really wanted–the reason it’s my favorite is because we didn’t have much extra money that Christmas. Adam had just graduated from college, and had only been at his job for a week. The jacket cost over $200 so Adam pulled out his can of state quarters he had been saving for years. He used the entire can to get me my jacket. I would’ve stopped him had I known. It was the sweetest thing because I know how much he loves his coin collections. I love my husband so very much.
14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Seeing family and friends. But also spending extra time with my husband. 
15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? My mom’s CHOCOLATE PIE.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Putting on our matching pajamas Christmas Eve and spending time as a family reading the Christmas story and catching up.

17. What is on top of your tree? Actually, nothing. But I should get a Star.
18. What’s your favorite traditional Christmas Carol? Little Drummer Boy and Do You Hear What I Hear
19. What is your favorite contemporary Christmas Song? Â I’m not a big fan. I just love the oldies so much.
20. Do you like candy canes? Only as decoration…hanging out of the stockings.
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How Lame…

I’ve decided to stop the lameness! Who wants to check a lame blog that is never updated? I know that I don’t. Of course, a death in the family, an unexpected pregnancy accompanied by complications, and traveling the last month has taken its toll. Regardless, these are things I should be blogging, not lamenting as I lie in bed doing NOTHING.

Although we probably deserve a serious Christmas do-over, we are looking to the future. I am focused on my upcoming 32nd birthday (only 7-1/2 weeks away). I will share it with my best friends and sisters, as we scrap the weekend away. Adam looks toward our most sacred friendship tradition (four years running)–Memorial Weekend @ Zion National Park. He loves planning it with his best buddies. And we both continue to work on our adoption. With our pregnancy up in the air, we take comfort in knowing we will be parents one way or another.

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And they call this vacation?

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Upon arriving in Yakima, I was immediately put to work. After painting the Lee’s laundry room and bathroom, I had a new job – putting up lights. Since I love the lights, I guess it’s a good gig.
Jim (Rach’s dad) had already put a lot of lights out, but this is a year for celebration, so we needed more. By the time we were done, several more trips were made to WalMart, Target, Kmart, and Home Depot – all in search of the “right” lights to complete our holiday festivities. All of it adds up to a beautiful Griswold family Christmas!

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A few frozen fingers and toes later, we had all the bushes covered in lights. New for this year are the lighted candy canes adorning the second story railing and the front tree – but you’ll just have to wait for those pics!

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Soon after this, we were headed to Stevenson, WA for fun with Dan and Jessica. In addition to my first trip to Portland, we returned to the newly named “Davenport Falls” to get some pictures I didn’t get last time due to ummm… technical difficulties — apparently you need these memory card thingies in these new digital cameras — who knew?!

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Who said that?

Over the past several years, I have collected quotes that I have heard — some that are popular or come from famous people, while some are from friends or people speaking in church meetings I have attended. I just finished putting some of them into a database. On the right side of the page, under the pictures, one will be shown. You can see all of the quotes here, or click on the “Quotes” tab at the top of each page.

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OH, THE WEATHER OUTSIDE…

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Friday night we took a trek to SLC to see the lights at Temple Square. It was glorious. The drive down was an adventure to say the least. It started storming that morning and got worse as the day progressed, but a little inclement weather was not going to stand in our way of this event! Our first stop was our social worker’s house in South Odgen to meet him and get home study info. After that we met up with the Hirschi’s at Outback for dinner. I have been craving a Queensland Chicken Salad for months and have been seemingly thwarted at every turn. FINALLY, I got my salad and we had a wonderful time.

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Walking among the lights on a snowy night was magical. The hot cocoa topped the night off perfectly. THe whole experience sent my head spinning to another time – my time at BYU where Temple Square was a regular occasion. Although I have many fond memories of that time, I would so much rather be with my sweet husband. It is good to be surrounded by friends and family. I know not everyone is so lucky. We are very blessed, indeed.
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seven random facts…TAKE TWO!!!

Jessica Anne doesn’t think my list is very random (for anyone who “knows me at all” as she put it) so I took this a challenge. Forgive my do-over. Here we go:

  1. I still have that one pair of jeans from high school that I hold onto “just in case”. I did fit into them snuggly right around my wedding in 2004. But then marriage happened and I trying to fight my way back down.
  2. I can’t take my wedding band off–literally. (haven’t been able to for about a year now) Another reason I need to work toward those jeans.
  3. I didn’t really care for one of my now best friends, Amy, when we first met. I think she was having an off week–as a friend from high school was visiting her. Jessica (and Amy) agrees with this first impressioned fiasco.
  4. Giving birth seemed like the most unnatural thing in the world to me for the first 27 years of my life. In fact, I never wanted to pregnant at all–only two or three people know that about me. Isn’t it ironic how life turns out sometimes.
  5. I knew from the very first time I spoke to Adam that he could, and would be my husband. Looking back, I think I’ve loved him from our first conversation, truly.
  6. Death and polygamy are two of my favorite topics to discuss. I think they are two of the most fascinating topics on the planet, probably because I understand them the least.
  7. Sometimes when were driving long distances and we go through the drive-thru I take some of Adam’s fries (actually a lot) and put them into my basket. This is soooo stupid because he will regularly give me his fries freely when he can’t eat them all. I just LOVE fries with lots of salt on them, and we never eat them unless traveling. Yummy!
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Seven Random Facts!

I was tagged by a friend on scrapbook.com. The task is to write seven random facts about myself.

  1. I once jumped off a moving train while backpacking around Taiwan. (jump, jump….for all those familiar with the story)
  2. My favorite books to read are what’s commonly noted as “coffee table” books. I’ll pick non-fiction 8 times out of 10 over fiction.
  3. I LOVE Murder, She Wrote. I watch it whenever I can on the Hallmark Channel.
  4. I made my brother-in-law haul my huge tub of scrapbooking supplies from the dock to the houseboat we were staying on at Lake Powell. Who scraps at Lake Powell anyway?
  5. I spent five weeks in an African village in 2003–and came back transformed.
  6. I still want to get my Ph.D. someday–not sure in what though.
  7. I (and my husband) are in the middle of adopting a sibling group of four from Colombia!!!!