I know, I know I'm over a week early. But as the last month and half show, I've had very little time to stop and say hi. I've thought about it, lots of time. But then I think well I have no photos to share. And well lots of photos I want to take to share. Oh well.
I'm starting to get a little stressed over here.
I've got gifts to make still. Well it's only two of them. And one of them is even started. If all goes well I'm hoping to have that one done by Saturday. I'm a quarter of the way into a cowl and I only spent about an hour on it last night. And the other one I have high hopes on. A dolly for Squirm.
I'm starting a month or more long volunteer project with the school. They are doing a reading festival. I will be doing the data entering of what gets turned in.
I will having I think 9 people over off and on over the Christmas weekend. That means meals for 3 days.
I still have presents to buy and wrap. And food to get.
And to top it all off yesterday Monkey said she wanted to get her picture taken with Santa. Not to big of deal. But it would make a trip to the mall (which was not on the to do list for this weekend). And from what I can figure out Santa photo packages start at $17. I believe this would be just one printed pic at that. I'm a little disappointed in that.
I know it's not a big deal on any of it. And anything on that list by it self would be okay but this year, I'm just not feeling it.
Well I'll be back sooner or later and share what got made for gifts around here.
But until then have a Very Merry Christmas. And hoping that you stay warm. (it's been below zero the last few mornings)
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Moving
Well sorry that I put all of you on hold.
Last week we decided to move. Not very far, just down the stairs, across the parking lot, and back up the stairs. This was not a planned move. And well we're doing it just for a few extra feet of space. But needless to say packing and cleaning have taking up most of my time. (and well a pair of socks that I'm knitting) I don't have near enough packed for tomorrow when we'll have help. But I'm out of boxes, totes and laundry baskets to pack things in.
So I'll keep you advised of the status of things and some of my attempts at decorating. Which will be slow going, as I'm slowly buying new or new to me furniture for most of the apartment.
But I hope everyone is having a wonderful fall. We had the most wonderful weather here in Minnesota sunshiny and warm. That it until this past weekend. Now it's wet and dreary, and to top it off they are forecasting flurries the next couple of days.
Last week we decided to move. Not very far, just down the stairs, across the parking lot, and back up the stairs. This was not a planned move. And well we're doing it just for a few extra feet of space. But needless to say packing and cleaning have taking up most of my time. (and well a pair of socks that I'm knitting) I don't have near enough packed for tomorrow when we'll have help. But I'm out of boxes, totes and laundry baskets to pack things in.
So I'll keep you advised of the status of things and some of my attempts at decorating. Which will be slow going, as I'm slowly buying new or new to me furniture for most of the apartment.
But I hope everyone is having a wonderful fall. We had the most wonderful weather here in Minnesota sunshiny and warm. That it until this past weekend. Now it's wet and dreary, and to top it off they are forecasting flurries the next couple of days.
Friday, October 15, 2010
The Bane of Parents. . . Conferences
On Tuesday we had parent/teacher conferences. This isn't our first conference but it was the first one for Monkey. We came out with mixed thoughts. And well some of mine not so positive.
You see Monkey just turned 5 in July. And has been in school now for six weeks or 12 days at the time of the conference. She never went to preschool. Not because we didn't want her to go, but cost and scheduling pick up and drop off from and to daycare. Made it near impossible. I know we could have figured out a way but I just feel preschool shouldn't have to be necessary. So we worked with her at home on some stuff and they worked on some stuff at daycare.
When we got to conferences we found out she was a chatter. NO surprise there. Not a big deal. But one of the things that did get me was that the teacher felt she needed more help. Gave us a sheet to fill out to sign her up for KIP (Kindergarten Intervention Program). What????? Intervention after less 12 days of school? You got to be kidding me. And Oh by the way it's due back on Thursday, two days to decide if we want her to be in this program. (Later when I was talking to my daycare lady, it seemed to us this was the program to push this year, Monkey being the 4th person she knew that was offered this and it's just the beginning of conferences)
What is this program you ask? Well she would go to school on two of the days she doesn't go to school. And the follow the curriculum that they are working on in normal class. And well right there is my first problem. I work, my hubby works, we have no family in the area that would be able to help. So there would be no way to get her to or from school. We have daycare at school on normal school days and she rides the bus home. All this had to be set up back in April for this school year.
Second of all why is this needed? Well she doesn't know everything she needs to know by the end of the school year. Key work END. We have 8 more months of school left.
I know some of you out there are going to dislike this comment of mine, but I wanted to tell her teacher 'You are her teacher, so teach her.'
Now don't get me wrong, I know teachers work hard, I have great respect for teachers. And parents should take an active role in helping their kids learn. But I send them to, so you can teach them, because I can't do it. But sometime I think the school districts get in the way too much, by providing this type of help. I feel too often that a child gets put into such programs just because it's offered. And most of the time with a little bit of help from the teacher and some effort by the parents, would help the child get to where they need.
For example with The Boy, who is now in 8th grade, was put into Title 1. Part of Title 1 is extra funding from the government to help kids who need extra help in Math and/or Reading. Now back when he was starting to learn to read he needed the extra help in reading and so his mom signed the form to allow this. But since he was in it for reading they then also placed him in it for math. Which he might have needed to work a little harder at but did not really need the extra help. Most of his time in the Math group was spent on helping other kids in his group. This group worked at a slower pace the normal class did. So he did not keep up with his class and when he did have math homework from his regular class, he didn't know how to do the problems, because they went over it while he was out for Title 1 math. Please tell me how much this actually helped him?
So to wrap up this part of conferences. We did not sign the form for Monkey to go the KIP. Will she struggle this year? A little. Will we work hard to get her to where she needs to be by the end of the year? You bet we will. Will her teacher have to work a little more with her? I hope she will.
Where does she stand on what she needs to know?
I would love to hear from anyone out there on how they feel their school? Am I wrong to feel that this way about my child's schooling?
Well I'll get off this soap box for now. You'll see another one here soon about the writing style that they are teaching her.
You see Monkey just turned 5 in July. And has been in school now for six weeks or 12 days at the time of the conference. She never went to preschool. Not because we didn't want her to go, but cost and scheduling pick up and drop off from and to daycare. Made it near impossible. I know we could have figured out a way but I just feel preschool shouldn't have to be necessary. So we worked with her at home on some stuff and they worked on some stuff at daycare.
When we got to conferences we found out she was a chatter. NO surprise there. Not a big deal. But one of the things that did get me was that the teacher felt she needed more help. Gave us a sheet to fill out to sign her up for KIP (Kindergarten Intervention Program). What????? Intervention after less 12 days of school? You got to be kidding me. And Oh by the way it's due back on Thursday, two days to decide if we want her to be in this program. (Later when I was talking to my daycare lady, it seemed to us this was the program to push this year, Monkey being the 4th person she knew that was offered this and it's just the beginning of conferences)
What is this program you ask? Well she would go to school on two of the days she doesn't go to school. And the follow the curriculum that they are working on in normal class. And well right there is my first problem. I work, my hubby works, we have no family in the area that would be able to help. So there would be no way to get her to or from school. We have daycare at school on normal school days and she rides the bus home. All this had to be set up back in April for this school year.
Second of all why is this needed? Well she doesn't know everything she needs to know by the end of the school year. Key work END. We have 8 more months of school left.
I know some of you out there are going to dislike this comment of mine, but I wanted to tell her teacher 'You are her teacher, so teach her.'
Now don't get me wrong, I know teachers work hard, I have great respect for teachers. And parents should take an active role in helping their kids learn. But I send them to, so you can teach them, because I can't do it. But sometime I think the school districts get in the way too much, by providing this type of help. I feel too often that a child gets put into such programs just because it's offered. And most of the time with a little bit of help from the teacher and some effort by the parents, would help the child get to where they need.
For example with The Boy, who is now in 8th grade, was put into Title 1. Part of Title 1 is extra funding from the government to help kids who need extra help in Math and/or Reading. Now back when he was starting to learn to read he needed the extra help in reading and so his mom signed the form to allow this. But since he was in it for reading they then also placed him in it for math. Which he might have needed to work a little harder at but did not really need the extra help. Most of his time in the Math group was spent on helping other kids in his group. This group worked at a slower pace the normal class did. So he did not keep up with his class and when he did have math homework from his regular class, he didn't know how to do the problems, because they went over it while he was out for Title 1 math. Please tell me how much this actually helped him?
So to wrap up this part of conferences. We did not sign the form for Monkey to go the KIP. Will she struggle this year? A little. Will we work hard to get her to where she needs to be by the end of the year? You bet we will. Will her teacher have to work a little more with her? I hope she will.
Where does she stand on what she needs to know?
- letters? 31/52
- write letters? some
- letter sounds? some
- count to 32? no problems 1-8 but does get 10-12 right too
- count backwards from 20? we've got from 5 down pat
- Read a small book (they said level 4)? no
I would love to hear from anyone out there on how they feel their school? Am I wrong to feel that this way about my child's schooling?
Well I'll get off this soap box for now. You'll see another one here soon about the writing style that they are teaching her.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Yaks
Yesterday, I was browsing on Ravelry and I accidental clicked instead of scrolled. But I came across this yarn company. Yak yarn? I never knew. But it looks absolutely gorgeous.
So that brought me to reading about yaks. Milk, meat, and fiber. Hmmm. . . I think I want a couple.
Picture Source: kenner116
and Animal Photos!
Okay granted they are not the best animal to look at but it would be interesting to raise.
But that also brought me to this cutie:
Picture Source: foxypar4
and Animal Photos!
A highland cow. I wouldn't mind a couple of these either.
Now please keep in mind I live in a apartment, in a suburb. I've never raised cattle. But needless to say I told my hubby when he called me on lunch that I wanted a yak. Here is how the conversation went.
Me: I want a yak.
Hubby: A what?
Me: A yak.
Hubby: Well I suppose I could yack in a bag for you.
Me: No, not that kind of yack. The kind with meat, milk and yarn.
Hubby: Sometimes, I wished you would look at expensive jewelry and clothes. At least then I could pretend to try to get it for you.
Yup, that's my hunny. Giving me everything I want and then some that I don't.
You see I get these weird ideas in my head. Like I want to own a farm and raise animals. Mostly to get fiber from. And well since we like meat in this household, the meat wouldn't be bad either. But really what would I do with a real live working farm. I've never raised animals and neither has my husband. I have no idea what I would be doing. Then do they have company/people that buy the animal hair/fur/fiber whatever you want call it?
Am I the only one out there that has brief ideas like these?
So that brought me to reading about yaks. Milk, meat, and fiber. Hmmm. . . I think I want a couple.
Picture Source: kenner116
and Animal Photos!
Okay granted they are not the best animal to look at but it would be interesting to raise.
But that also brought me to this cutie:
Picture Source: foxypar4
and Animal Photos!
A highland cow. I wouldn't mind a couple of these either.
Now please keep in mind I live in a apartment, in a suburb. I've never raised cattle. But needless to say I told my hubby when he called me on lunch that I wanted a yak. Here is how the conversation went.
Me: I want a yak.
Hubby: A what?
Me: A yak.
Hubby: Well I suppose I could yack in a bag for you.
Me: No, not that kind of yack. The kind with meat, milk and yarn.
Hubby: Sometimes, I wished you would look at expensive jewelry and clothes. At least then I could pretend to try to get it for you.
Yup, that's my hunny. Giving me everything I want and then some that I don't.
You see I get these weird ideas in my head. Like I want to own a farm and raise animals. Mostly to get fiber from. And well since we like meat in this household, the meat wouldn't be bad either. But really what would I do with a real live working farm. I've never raised animals and neither has my husband. I have no idea what I would be doing. Then do they have company/people that buy the animal hair/fur/fiber whatever you want call it?
Am I the only one out there that has brief ideas like these?
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Welcome
Greeting from At Home.
Hello new people, hello old friends from Needle,Threads & Crafts.
I originally started out blogging as a place to share my craft projects. But real life seemed to always get in the way and not much crafting was getting done. In fact I'm just finishing up my first project of 2010. Not that I haven't been working on many others. So I decided I wanted a place to share not only my crafts, but my life in general. A place where sometimes I can take out my soap box and stand on it, when I want to. A place where I can let you in on my very boring daily life. A place where I can share with you some of my outrageous thoughts and dreams. A place where I can let in on my struggles, sometimes just to vent or other times to in hopes that you have advise to give or that what working for us will help you.
I'm going to tell you now that posting may not be regular. Pictures may not be regular. You may or my not agree with me. And feel free to tell me, just do so nicely please.
So grab your favorite beverage, pull up a chair and make yourself at home. I hope that you continue to visit me here. I hope that you will feel At Home . . . with me.
Hello new people, hello old friends from Needle,Threads & Crafts.
I originally started out blogging as a place to share my craft projects. But real life seemed to always get in the way and not much crafting was getting done. In fact I'm just finishing up my first project of 2010. Not that I haven't been working on many others. So I decided I wanted a place to share not only my crafts, but my life in general. A place where sometimes I can take out my soap box and stand on it, when I want to. A place where I can let you in on my very boring daily life. A place where I can share with you some of my outrageous thoughts and dreams. A place where I can let in on my struggles, sometimes just to vent or other times to in hopes that you have advise to give or that what working for us will help you.
I'm going to tell you now that posting may not be regular. Pictures may not be regular. You may or my not agree with me. And feel free to tell me, just do so nicely please.
So grab your favorite beverage, pull up a chair and make yourself at home. I hope that you continue to visit me here. I hope that you will feel At Home . . . with me.
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