Wednesday, August 23, 2006

My H.S. student!

Yesterday we met with DD's High school counsellor to set up her schedule for the year. She is now enrolled in 7 classes. She will be taking

English 9
Health Sem 1/ PE Sem 2
Global Studies
Japanese I
Study Skills
Drawing/Painting 1 & 2
Algebra A

All I need to do to get her ready is buy her a cell phone (prepaid) and enroll her in the weekend freshman overnighter. They have a sleepover to let the kids get to know each other before school starts.

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

What a day!

Yesterday I took Cassie to do her standardized testing to comply with the homeschool law to get tested after 8th grade. On the way home she tells me she WANTS to go to Public H.S. now. After the initial OMG butterflies, I tell her o.k. if that is what she wants :) We registered her this morning, went to do the second 1/2 of her testing in the afternoon. When we got home, it was off again to register Max in middle school, and Jake in 3rd grade.

A lot of papers, and then home to file them and fill out the rest of my own application. I took the first real action on my college plans. I called SCCC and U of I for my transcripts to be sent, and left a msg at my H.S. I'll call them again tomorrow since the person I needed to talk to was out to lunch.

I am going to go very part time this semester- just one or two classes to get my feet wet and get back into the student groove. Then more next semester if I get enough student loans. I am really hoping to get a scholarship :)

Right now the plan is to try to get my B.S. in Nursing, then go on for my Masters and become a Nurse Midwife. I think I can do the whole thing in 8 yrs. (2 yrs part time, then 4 full time for the Nursing program, then 2 for the Masters) If I can't do the Nurse track, then I'll do the Education track and become a Teacher. One way or another I am going to have a career that will let me put my kids through college and retire on my own merits :)

Sunday, August 13, 2006

Back to school

This is our last full week of Summer vacation before the kids head back to school. I am taking DD to her 8th grade testing this week, 5 hrs of testing so we are compliant with OR homeschool law that requires us to test at the end of 8th. Then she will just have 1 more set of required tests after 10th. Registration for my boys is on Wed, and then the week after that we go back.

Littlest DS goes back to daycare/preschool on the 4th of Sept. I will be very happy to have him get a break from me. He's been a handful lately.

Rocky had his second week of puppy school. He socialized very nicely today instead of hiding under my chair. Made buddies with the german shepherd on our right and the St. Bernard pup on our left LOL. I was happy to see him come out and play :) His sister is in the class and he got her to be less shy too and actually wag her tail :) Last week they were the only 2 hiding under the chairs. It's the Chow in them I guess LOL. I gave him a bath today and he tolerated it much better than Taffy. Now he is all fluffy and clean :)

I found out this week my brother and his wife are having a baby :) My first niece or nephew on my side! It will be their first and they are due in March. I am so so happy for them. They waited a long time and I was worried they might wait too long. I know my brother will be a great dad. I just wish they lived in the U.S. Japan is so far away :(

I decided today that I must go back to school. I really feel like if I don't then I never will and I really want to get the show on the road. I need a career where I can definately make enough $ to justify the degree, and help pay for my kids college too. I am feelign the financial pressure of only 1 income and I know at my current stage of life I have to pick something that can pay off right away.

I know I am smart enough, and have the aptitude to do it, so I am looking seriously at Nursing with a fall back option of Teaching if I don't get in to nursing school. Around here those are two areas they actually need good people!