Congrats Shae!

Hurray for Shae! She has completed her kindergarten work and on to first grade. We did a photo shoot today and I experimented with a fun background and Tom says she looks like a smurf (as my color correction wasn't the best). She says that the kids on Kayla's High School Musical poster had their caps and gowns on and jumped in the air. So, that is what we did. And of course... for the family I have the normal graduation shots of her like I did for Kayla. :> )

She was not only excited to wear the cap and gown but she was so happy that finally her second tooth came out. Got to love the tongue between the empty tooth spot. How fun this has been!

I sometimes forget that I homeschool my children. I am now finishing up my third year of homeschooling. To some people what we do is strange, unnatural, and absolutely shocking. I remember going to my first homeschool group meeting.... I was freaked out to walk in the door thinking that I would see a bunch of "hill billies" wearing birkenstocks and having arm pit hair in braids. Boy was I wrong. It was a room filled with maybe 1 or 2 of those people but out of about 30 moms they were ... well "normal" people like me.

Tom and I decided to homeschool our kids almost three years ago after my oldest daughter didn't transition well and didn't even make it to day 2 of kindergarten. When I look back I am sure she would of pulled thru if I just left her there everyday like the other moms did. But I felt for her and I could tell she wasn't at all liking it. So, we said "What the heck! We will take her out and I will teach her at home and we will try her at school again the next year."

Well, that day came and went! We have been very successful in teaching our children at home. It is very gratifying for me and I can tell the girls love it! We pass by schools on a daily basis and sometimes I ask if they feel they are missing out on anything or they would like to try school and they say "no, we love to homeschool."

I always get asked "What about the Socialization" and THREE years later I still get that stupid question. I should get printed cards made and just hand them out and say read it when you have time. But I usually say that my kids are probably over socialized and we have to cut back on that socialization. It is not all that it is panned out to be. It is my job as the "mom" to keep them involved in a variety of activities as we continue our journey in homeschooling. And I do just that! To all the new moms who are thinking of homeschooling.... you will get so annoyed of the "Socialization" topic that comes up for homeschoolers and it will never leave us but I promise it does get better as we get more experienced in what we do and why. And we have all seen public schooled kids who are quite, hermits, outcasts, super shy, nerds, freaks, brats, wonderful and outgoing. And I have seen outgoing and confident homeschooled kids who are not hermits, shy and or nerds. But don't get me wrong... they are out there. And we have all seen it on BOTH sides.

Lots of people openly support our decision to homeschool and others not. And that is okay. But it works for us and we love our life!

I am happy to answer any questions if you have any. I know many who come to me with lots of questions that are quietly thinking about homeschooling. I am here for you so feel free to ask away. Until next time, have a wonderful day!