Not Another Homeschool Blog

Some people think I'm crazy, but I see no reason to have a 3000+ sq house (with a basement that is probably 1500 sf) with just my husband and myself.  We bought this house for our kids, to allow them a place to grow and enjoy and feel safe and entertain their friends, and honestly it hasn't even been used to its fullest potential.  Right now is probably the closest it has come to being utilized fully and that is because I have family members staying with me right now... So, our plan is to downsize. I not only want a smaller home, but I want to put an end to this sub-urban living.  After all, I am a city girl. I grew up in the city, and some of the best homes we have had were in the city... like our Corn Hill apartment in Rochester NY , or our warehouse apartment in New Orleans .  Those places really made us happy, and that is what we are looking for... but I know it is  not going to be easy. The good news is that house prices in our area are above what we pa...

I can tell you that the health club is taking up a lot of time that homeschooling used to... yay! I can also tell you that a certain contingent of health club life is just as annoying if not more so than the worst homeschool parent meeting where they are comparing curriculum and someone has decided to champion Math-U-See as if their life has depended on it... and woe to anyone who likes something else. So there is a large bunch of women (all of the same nationality) who like to take over the locker room with their saggy naked butts dangling about, sitting on the benches with nothing in between their Lee-la's and the benches that other people have to use.  The good news is that they have commandeered one of three sections of the locker room with vengeance, so at least we know that it might be safe to sit on the other two benches... but frankly, I'd rather stand in a pool of piranhas than put my tooshie anywhere near where they are all sitting nude as the day they were born. ...

I've decided that my doctor is an idiot. I was sent to her by the endocrinologist that is taking care of my daughter for PCOS and pre-diabetes.  I thought.. finally, some folks who know what they are doing, I want to go here... but NOOOOO  I needed a referral... go to this doctor first, and I landed in idiot town. So why is she an idiot? 1.  She looked me in the eye and said the only way to lose the weight is to gradually cut your calories to 1000 a day and stay on that for the rest of your life.  Uh-no.  Try typing that into Google, and you get a great big honking NO.  According to WebMD, Reducing calorie intake to 1,200 to 1,500 calories per day for women and 1,500 to 1,800 calories per day for men. Women should not restrict themselves to fewer than 1,000 calories per day and men to fewer than 1,200 calories per day without medical supervision. 2.  The lab techs after my ultrasound said that I had no ovaries.  I know I have ovaries, a...

So I had my call back mammogram today.  I tried to not think of it much since I got my tests back a few days ago and was told that I had an indeterminate asymmetry, or in other words, something was wonky with one of my breasts. So they warned my that the visit would be 2-4 hours, and it was. Another mammogram, this time the technician was much more grim than the last, and avoided eye contact... great. Then I went in for an ultrasound.   I had one ultrasound. Then I had another ultrasound. Then I waited in an exam room on a table alone for a half hour for the doctor who did another ultrasound. All the time, I was staring at a spot on the screen that definately showed that there was something in my breast that did not necessarily belong there.  In the final exam with the doctor,  after he probed my breast using a lot of pressure with the ultrasound machine, then he told me not to worry, it didn't look like cancer, but he just wanted to look at the photos mo...

Water Aerobics is one of the things that has been filling my time as of late, especially since my kids are all grown up and in college.  Gotta get the ole body in shape if I plan to keep on keeping on. Today's class caused an interesting observation. We had a substitute teacher who claims that she has taught water aerobics before.  However, she was up on the platform, doing a zumba routine, and pretty much giving no instruction.  Meanwhile, all of us down in the water were pretty much flopping around like dying fish. You see, movement under water is very different than movement on dry land. Water makes you weightless, taking the stress of exercise off your legs, feet, and knees, which is why many people, both large and/or elderly don't exercise... because our feet swell up and our knees ache.  So here we are, doing our darndest to keep up, but she's bouncing on dry land, two of these moves, a wiggle, two of those moves, and jump, and eventually many of us began to...

I spoke to my son a few days ago.  He was stressed about some technology issues he was having at school, and during the course of our conversation, I could hear his stress melt away.  I did nothing to make the situation better.  I only gave him the opportunity to vent.  It made me glad that I was still of use to my son, and as the conversation wound down, I said, so I will talk to you soon, goodbye.  I initiated the end of the conversation with my son. I spoke to my daughter yesterday.  I texted her in the early afternoon that I needed to hear her voice.  I couldn't get my mind off her, and I just wanted to know she was fine   fill my personal need for a connection with her.  Not being able to reach her actually made me kind of frantic.  I began to have unfound worries.  I began to obsess.  I grew sad.  Finally she called me, and the weight lifted, but I wanted to stay on the phone with her forever. One might think tha...

On this 12th anniversary of 9-11, I am feeling traumatized by the media's insistence to replay footage.  Turning on the radio or the TV and seeing footage as if the planes are just not striking the building is very hard to digest.  I wish they would at least lower the original dialogue and talk over it so it doesn't feel like real time. I will never forget, but If this causes me to re-live it, what about the people who experienced this in person? In other news, here's a completely unrelated video clip that brought me joy today.

So I got railroaded into going to Zumba today. FYI.  I have no rhythm, but in the spirit of taking care of myself, I went. While most of the women were kinda keeping up, and other's were twerking, I was pretty much jerking around like I had a physical ailment. My personal performance reminded me of this "tweaking" (not really twerking) video

... And I thought teaching them was taxing. From dealing with son's financials, which are a mess due to late application and etc over the summer, and dealing with daughter's roommate issues, I am exhausted. Son's money is straight now and he will have his cash for the semester shortly.  Next year, I will just save up money over the summer and skip the loan.  I'd rather be broke for a minute than to be treated like I am trying to get a handout when I am still paying back the stinking loan, so that is that. Daughter's roommate moved out before you can say "hello, my name is..."  As a mom, I was pretty unhappy, seeing as they met last winter, hit it off, and decided to pair up.  But ex roomie wanted privacy, and they are still friendly, so that is that. Hopefully new roomie will be quieter than my kid suspects cause little homie has a scholarship and needs quiet study time.   On the plus side, my kids are having an easy time with academics so it's a...

I have seriously been neglecting my health. First, I was just sick of doctors telling me that losing weight was the answer to all my problems.  Second, there was always some homeschooling task or event more important and fun than a doctors appointment. There's that and the fact that it was hard to make doctors appointments while toting kids around and how the doctors staff used to glare at me for bringing them to appointments when they were younger.  When they were finally old enough to be left home, I missed a scheduled appointment and the self important doctor's office left me a message to not come back...  so... it's been about 5 years since seeing a Gyn and 3 years since seeing a general practitioner for anything So with no excuses left, I dragged my butt to the doctor yesterday.  I am not pleased. I decided to go because of a diagnosis my daughter got that I had been trying to get for myself for years (PCOS).  So I asked the endocrinologist if they ...

I swear, it is driving me crazy! People are making a bigger deal about my kids being off at college than I am. Hubby's coming out of the closet with red swollen eyes.  Brother, sis n law, and everyone else I run into are looking at my eyes for signs of tears.  But I don't feel sad.  So now I am starting to feel like maybe I'm a great big heal for not being a blubbering idiot right now! The thing is... They are at college, 2 hours away, and I can get to them quickly if I have to. I know they are equipped and ready for college and I am celebrating that fact, not bemoaning it.  - I know, because I homeschooled them! I was given quite the guilt trip when it was time for me to leave for college and I AM NOT going to do that to my kids. I'm just so giddy with excitement for them and what they are preparing to accomplish in life. So, please, don't expect me to be unhappy about this very happy occasion. Tears aren't necessary.  ... and I won't succumb...

The day you drop your kids off at college they hand the kids an orientation schedule and they hand the parents an orientation schedule. A big part of the parents orientation is THE TALK.  It goes something like this.   Your kids are adults now.  Your relationship with them is going to change.  It is not going to be easy but they are going to be fine.  They also advises us on FERPA laws that state we need our kids' permission to access their information.  Where the talk from each school differed is in the level of involvement they want from the parents. At son's first university last summer, they told us to back off... Give them space. Don't visit too much.  Don't expect or request phone calls. They are our responsibility now, and we will take care of them.. We listened, and for my son... This was bad advice. He is now at a new school.  His new school said, talk regularly and gave us advice on how to phrase questions to make sure every thing is OK....

By the time most of you read this, my kids will already be settling into college life.  I am writing this especially for the homeschool carnival to be posted by Homeschool Dad, or as you will soon come to know him... The dad formerly known as Homeschool Dad.  I thought it was important to contribute to this carnival in particular, as like Homeschool Dad, my homeschooling days have also come to an end. If you look back over my blog the last year, you will see our transition to graduating our last homeschooler. I spent the last summer pretty much in post homeschool mode. I required no assignments of them. I introduced no new material, but like in those pre-homeschool days - from birth to when we started homeschooling, I observed that we are STILL forever teaching our children. We didn't teach them to walk, talk, or eat with a utensil like when they were small, but like when they were young, I mostly sat back and watched them reach new milestones and prepare for the time when...

A bunch of youtubers and I am working on a series of videos on homeschooling.  Here is my first video:  

As I have said before, I have been flabbergasted by my own reaction to the results of the Zimmerman trial.  I never expected to feel so deeply about something that I have pretty much felt relatively unattached to.  Sure, I began purchasing a different style of jacket/sweater for my son just over a year ago, but until the verdict was dropped, I felt pretty much removed from the issue. Today, I read an article entitled racially profiled in Palm Beach. It made me say "oooooh... that's my problem."  I guess you want me to explain. I have never felt inferior to anyone because of the color of my skin.  I may have been aware as a child that there were people who would judge me because of it, but it never bothered me.  I always told my self that I could educate and demonstrate my way out of any preconceived notion anyone could have about me.  That presumption was proven true when in college, my while classmates, and even some well meaning teachers would point o...

With his little sister on her graduation day I probably won't blog much about him anymore, seeing that he's pretty grown up. He really is an amazing person.  I pray for him today and every day of his life for safety and success.  I know he will continue to amaze us. I am so glad I was able to homeschool him. A man and his dog. 

Things are strangely quiet around here.  There has been nothing on my mind but the Zimmerman trial, and I know that a great deal of my subscribers don't agree with me politically or socially... (but I love you nonetheless).  So that told me that they would certainly not agree with me on this trail. Another reason I have been so quiet is that I am still processing how I feel.  Stunned, blown away, confused... this does not even begin to touch on the depth of my feelings. I went head to head with an old friend who was defending why Zimmerman may have been so gun-shy  (realizing the pun) that night, and I really could just not see past my own pain.  Nor could I really communicate my pain. I just know that I keep looking at my wonderful son who I put so much effort into raising and homeschooling and I am still wondering how safe he really is. We made sure he was polite. We made sure he was smart. We made sure he was classy and classic. We made sure he was a...

It's my baby's birthday. It's weird how birthdays work.  You know they are coming, but when you wake up on your child's birthday, it's like you've been hit by a rock... especially when you realize they are pretty much all grown up. But when I look at her, I still see this.

I made a video a couple days about about being done with homeschooling.  While we are done... i.e. my kids are finished being homeschoolers and are moving on to college doesn't mean we are done with homeschooling.  My daughter right now is investigating an opportunity to teach crafts to homeschoolers for a summer camp, and I am always her to answer questions and give advise.   FREE HOME EDUCATION WEBSITE ahermitt.com

Yesterday was the graduation party.  Daughter and good friend had a joint party at our house.  I love having parties at our house because I can get people (kids and hubby) to help me clean in the week preceding the party.  I even got son to do a little painting! After post-party straightening, the house is usually pristine for a week or two.  That means I can spend some time decluttering bedrooms as main parts of house look great. The party was fun, but I am glad it is over.  We all passed out afterwards, and are pretty sick from hot dogs and s'mores.  (The other family supplied fancy hors devours and cake).  We provided a fire-pit and the aforementioned junk foods. On the down side... a very nice football and video game controller are missing.  Both belonged to party guests.  I am hoping these turn up soon and that the football is not down by the creek.  Lord-have-mercy... there are snakes down there. (cute picture from her Sr. ph...