{Homeschool} Field Trip: International Auto Show

Kendall is going through a car-craze phase, so I thought that taking him to the auto show would satiate him for a while. I was wrong. It made it worse. Oh well, there are worse things he could be the focus of his obsession.

First, we saw the Fox 5 Storm Chaser!

Then, we dropped a $5 bill near the vending machines and they sucked it up under there into the black hole. We never saw it again.

Kendall sat in almost every single car there. I sat in the ones I was interested in: Acura TSX Sport Wagon, Volvo S60, Nissan Maxima, and (the best for last) Cadillac CTS V Coupe. I love that Cadillac. 556 horsepower has something to do with it, you know. 0-60 in 3.9 seconds. It could be yours for $75,000. Anyway, here's Kendall in a Mustang:

And my 2nd choice if the whole Cadillac thing doesn't work out:

A green car:

And, last but not least, a new sports car by Lexus. They are only making 500 of these. At $375,000, the Cadillac looks like a bargain!

Overall, the auto show was fun. It was basically like a super dealership, and I was glad for the opportunity to look at that Acura station wagon since the dealership here was not helpful when I wanted to test drive last year.

{Time Management} Lists

A while back, I wrote a post about using your time wisely and effectively. Today I'll share a simple way you can keep yourself on track and feel a sense of accomplishment each and every day.

It seems really simple and easy, but the only thing I use to help me be productive is a list. Well, there is actually more than one list. I usually have at least 3 lists, and that number can go up to about 15.  It might sound neurotic, but it works!

I will just tell you about my main, daily lists. The first is the "to do" list. If there are things I MUST do today that aren't routine, they go on the "to do" list. This includes making doctor's appointments, making phone calls, etc. Things like sewing, homeschool, returning emails, etc. do not go on this list. 

The second list is the "done" list. It's really just a daily log of all the stuff I did. The reason I started keeping this list is that I was having a lot of days where I was busy all day but did not feel that I accomplished a lot. I began writing down everything I did (within reason--feel free to leave off breathing, using the bathroom, showering and such...) and I felt a lot better about the way my time was spent. Here's what my daily log looks like:

The daisy is hiding a client's last name...I don't think she wants her full name on my blog!

It's just a little notebook with a list of stuff I did. Simple, right?

Once you get in the habit of keeping a list, you'll be on track and focused like crazy!

I Painted My Kitchen!

New paint! The color is by Behr (Home Depot) and is called River's Edge. I love it! I am not a huge fan of Behr paint, though. I find that it doesn't cover as well as Valspar from Lowe's. Either way, two coats are always required from either so I guess it doesn't matter!

Also, every plant is blooming here in Georgia. The ground is covered in yellow pollen. This happens every year, but it came early this year! I am definitely allergic to this mess, so I just stay inside! I did venture out to clip some little blooms off my cherry tree.

Aren't they pretty? Since I took this photo, the blooms have turned pink instead of white. Gorgeous!

Next, I am going to paint my laundry closet! It will be Valspar Poppy Petal:

I wanted a hot pink, but my husband disagreed. I figured that since he uses the laundry room also, that I should not use pink! 

{Homeschool} Never Too Old...

I seriously don't know why I didn't think of this earlier. It's one of those things that you suddenly think of trying and then it hits you...DUH! I'm talking about flash cards. It seems so simple.

The problem was that Kendall was taking way too long on his math assignments. I couldn't really figure out why. Then I noticed that his computation was incorrect a lot of times. I think I was thinking that if he did more problems, he would get better. He wasn't. Again, I'm not sure why I didn't realize this earlier.

It dawned on me that I should stop progressing with the new math material and spend a week or so doing each set of flash cards and worksheets (adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing) a few times each day.

So that's what we did and it has worked. When we started back with the regularly scheduled program, I noticed that he had ZERO computation errors. ZERO! What a success!

The reason I'm sharing this with the worldwideweb is because I want other homeschool moms to know that it's ok to stop moving forward if you need to. I mean, what's the point of moving forward if your child's foundational skills are a tad shaky?

{Homeschool} Change in Plans

By the time I figure out how homeschooling is going to work for us, Kendall will be 30.

I love love love to plan. I am a scheduler & a list maker. This is what I do. Now, things hardly ever go as planned, and I don't usually check everything off my prized lists. Even though that's the case, I find it very important to have an idea of where I'm headed for the day/week/month.  I honestly think people who don't plan might have lost their minds. It's definitely a right brain/left brain issue. Guess which side I predominately think with?

The rules in Georgia state that each homeschool student must "attend" 180 days of school. A day must consist of 4.5 hours of instruction, including the basic subjects. Easy, right? We do our 180 days and much more than 4.5 hours a day. We do a year-round 4 day school week, but we're not doing school every single week. We do take weeks off from time to time. Also, during the Christmas rush of my business, the boy is more or less left to fend for himself for about a month. He's 11, he can feed/clothe/water himself, right? 

The extent of my daily planning for homeschool only consists of the things Kendall has to get done that day. We do start around 8:30am and I have him work until he's done with the list. I don't keep a schedule such as "at 11am, we do math, at 12 we have lunch, etc.." I think that would be a waste of my energy, given that I have one child. If I had multiple children, I think the day might have to be slightly more structured. I do make my list of things he must do for about two weeks at a time.

My point in all of this is that I think I have to be a tad more flexible and embrace the homeschool way of life. I've tended to want to have Kendall sit and do school at prescribed hours & days for the past 1 1/2 years, and I'm not sure it's working. Most days are frustrating for both of us. I think expecting both of us to stay focused and engaged for 7ish hours (with 1 1/2 hrs for lunch) is a bit too much.

So what I'm thinking is that I will still expect the same amount of work to be done during the week, but I will spread it out over more days. Kendall will probably end up qualifying for 200 days of school this way, but the point is not to satisfy the state. It's to make sure my child is prepared for high school, college & life. Any words of advice or encouragement on schedules & amount of work are greatly appreciated in advance! 

{Sewing} Coupon File Organizer Clutch

My second pattern is out and available! The theme of my business is "Practical & Pretty," and this clutch is exactly that.

Originally named the Coupon Clutch, I've realized that it is much more than that. Its new name, Coupon File Organizer Clutch, encompasses the many ways that this clutch can be used! I'm currently using mine to file coupons, loyalty cards & receipts. It's much better than overstuffing my wallet with things I only use every so often!

Coupon File Organizer Clutch PDF Sewing Pattern

Within the pattern, you'll find all the pattern pieces you need as well as templates for 4" x 6" cards so you can file and organize to your heart's content! No need to go out and buy cards, you can use what you have lying around to make your file cards!

You can head over to the shop to see the details such as delivery details, fabric requirements and dimensions!

If you don't sew, I have finished Coupon File Organizers available for purchase!

{Sewing} Something For Me!

Guess what, folks...drumroll, please...I made something for myself. Shocking, I know. I was recently gifted an iPad and really wanted to be able to take it with me wherever I go. I don't really do small bags, so I knew that I needed to design a big bag that would suit my needs. Here's what I came up with:

The pockets on either side of the exterior are the perfect
size and give easy access to a smartphone.

Zippered Top--This is the 1st time I had done this and it was easy!
I got my instructions from Lisa Liam's Bag Making Bible. A row of interior pocketsAnd a zippered pocket that runs the width of the bag...I didn't
have two of the same color zippers and that bugs me to death!And my trio of matching goodies! Tote, Zippered Pouch, iPad Sleeve

The dimensions are roughly 17" tall x 14" wide x 4" deep. It's quite a large bag. The only thing I would change is that I would make the strap adjustable and able to go cross body. It was quite a shoulder breaker carrying all my stuff + my dSLR + iPad, etc.. Fortunately I used those little hardware rectangles, so the strap can easily be changed!

Me being my fancy self, designed the bag design myself. It's not really that fancy, though. It's just a square bag!