our own graduate open house

This photo above is nothin' special but I just love the way it captured the smoke and their intent business of making hot dogs this day...
That's JoLayne, she was a blessed helper to me, devoting her day for my service, thanks friend.

Here is a sampling of this weekend's open house here for our graduate. I have to get some other cool pics on here later that my friend Karl took. It was a beautiful day and such a blast and I was exhausted afterward. Thanks to all that helped out. Then he turned 18 a couple days later and I have to make cake for that too!! I laugh because I feel like I am in a perpetual 'party' mode right now...:)

do teens have to grow up?

I can't believe my boy is graduating! I tease about them having to grow up because we do have a healthy view 'nest leaving', but it is surreal looking at this child. I truly remember the day I first laid eyes on this precious boy and how much love burst throughout my chest. I really do!
What a big weekend. Braveheart had his 'official' last day of chemo drugs so we are fully rejoicing in that. What a nice feeling to not count the time and give that bedtime chemo one hour after eating. Dylan had his finals at college last week and a home school dinner banquet to attend. What a cool dad to let him and his buddy go in the Miata. He had to dress snazzy for it, which I loved, but him, not so much. Then our church had a special celebration as they do every year for whoever is graduating. Here are two fine young graduating men. May God guide them, protect them and use them mightily.

college transcripts

I am fine tuning transcripts here! I have kept them up ever so casually over the last 3 1/2 years. Now I am preparing them for final preparedness to send to a potential future college school. It hasn't, honestly, been all that terribly hard to do. An extremely specialized school with many specialized needs might require different, extreme details. That can be produced if needed. I suppose that many kids would know that bent as they get closer to college time.
I re-familiarized myself on how to calculate a GPA. It is not too hard either. However, I did find a nice site to help with 'cumulative' GPA which I found very helpful. I put the link in my side bar, but I will also post the link here today.

I am so excited and find it hard to believe I am sitting here preparing a transcript for my Senior High son in preparation for college!! Wow. I am so grateful for being able to home school him through this time. Home schooling has really given us an advantage in preparing for college in many unique ways. I will admit, it was a struggle at times too. No school choice is easy. One is, in some way or another, strapped to whichever choice one's family has made. There are weaknesses on both sides that can be gained or lost as well. Raising kids is hard work no matter where they are! Well worth it though, I might add.

My boy knows the general area he wants to go into and has only a couple different ideas of where to go. I am thankful for that at this season in our lives. I am so excited to see what the Lord does here.
I will update you some more on college stuff some day soon.

senior year #1

It's true...I have a senior this year! This is so exciting! He has made it this far and he can read, write, calculate mathematical equations and I didn't 'mess' him up too much. :) I am loving this age since he is so self sufficient. He is a man now and nearly all grown up. I am thankful for all the help God has given me and his father.
This is a year of finishing classic reading lists, furthering math levels, starting community college coarses, while acquiring some more college credits. He has been blessed to apprentice in computers with a wonderful man that God sent in our path. This led to his now first official part time job. It is essential that a part time job during high school be the right kind of job; one that fits that teen's needs, goals and social environment positively.
This will be my first home school graduate in May 2010. Meanwhile, we are trying to help him to prepare for college and his future prospects that God has for him, while saving money and avoiding huge debts as he starts out his adult life. If you would like to start thinking of these money saving ideas for college, please see the link on my sidebar.
Here is a great book to get you started called ACCELERATED DISTANCE LEARNING.

Have a great homeschooling year and enjoy that high school student!

class is over...finally!

This is the face of a teenager who took his first in house college class, who did a really great job, with a very challenging teacher, including a major power point presentation!! I think it would be safe to say that although he learned much and loved the subject...he is glad it is over!! What do you think? :)


Good job D, we are proud of you...mission accomplished! for now......

FUN CITY!!!!

Fun City was great! We have been trying to plan this since B finished phase 4 and here we are, finally there. We wanted to do something simple, but special to celebrate together as a family. We also brought our 5th kid, good family friend Casey.

We started out the first night bowling in the fun atmosphere of black lights and pizza. Hey, there's T just chillin'. He really has some skill at this game too.

The big boys are drummin' to a different beat on this electronic game. And you thought there was no exercise with these games. :)

We had to try the race cars. The kids (including the big kid here) loved those little race cars. I even raced and have formed the opinion that it was fun for the first 2 rounds then it starts to shake the stomach around a bit. I am sensitive that way.

Water park water slides.

Look at that thick hair!! It is so fun to rub it after he gets out of the pool and it gets all wavy and curly. He tells me has been praying that it won't end up curly, but I thought it was adorable. He won't mind it too much.

Daddy's birthday is Tuesday and he is 40!!
Can you believe it?
We had some cake and sang to him.
Happy Birthday honey, you're the best!

CAUTION: what you are about to see next could be disturbing to some of you, so view with caution as you are about to witness a sensitive, smelly teen filled domain.....be glad there is no smello-blog right now! :)
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Yes, in case your wondering, that's a TV they are staring at!! And YES, in case you're wondering, they did have their OWN room adjoining ours. :)