Time for the Happy Dance

Testing is Over

Woo Hoo! 

All the standardized testing is over and done with.

Mary is so happy!

Our homeschool classes are year round 

so this doesn't mean that we are at the end of our school year.

It just means 

we can get back to business as usual.

For some reason, these tests

create a great deal of stress for the both of us.

It must be PTS from the EOG testing in public school.

The weeks leading up to the tests create an unwarranted fear and frantic cramming.

Luckily I only allowed the torture of test preparation to last for two weeks

 this year.

(I suppose this is how public school teachers feel all year long... teaching to a test)

Maybe next year we will get it through our heads that 

this test is simply a requirement of the state.

We are just going through the motions.

This score has nothing to do with her grade.

Even if she did poorly

(which she won't)

it would only let me know what we still need to work on.  

However, she was MORE than prepared for this test. 

We have had a really good year! 

Mary has made so much progress and I have worked a lot of bugs out of our routine.

We are truly getting this Homeschool thing down packed.

We are "officially" only three-fourths

through this school year

but I may be able to promote her before then.

Way to go Mary!

7th Grade is going to be even better!

Off and Away!

 They are off to mail her tests in.

She is giddy!

Hopefully this is a good sign.

I think she feels very confident that she scored well.

We will know soon enough.

Seton Testing Services is fast and reliable. 

Till then we will continue as usual.

One day at a time!

Dust 'em Off

What a ...

Long Strange Trip

 I couldn't even tell ya where this picture was taken...

there were so many stops along the way!

So Many Roads

Wow...
I may not have always kept my "day job" back then
but once all my cash had run out...
even with a miracle ticket ...
I had to make money some how to get from show to show.


The parking lots were filled with vendors
and I was one of the many.
I wrapped hair...
sold food...
and I picked up the art of beading.
I made earrings, necklaces, berets and other decorative pieces.
I sold my bead work, beads and even my own cloths once or twice. 

But I also picked up some really beautiful beads along the way as well.

I don't reminisce these days to often...

and 

as sad as it is to say

music just isn't as BIG a part of my life as it use to be.

I wish it were.

Back then... 

there were not many moments in a day

that music didn't fill the air.

I still listen to music...

just not like I use to.

I also haven't done any beading in YEARS.

A few days ago during a class video chat...

Language Arts

  

Mary discovered that I use to make jewelry.

After class, she was showing off some of her jewelry to the girls when my girlfriend made a comment like 

"of course you love to bead and make jewelry."

That is when I told her that Mary had no idea that I ever did bead-work.

To add to Mary's surprise...

she found out that I still have a lot of my beads stashed away out in the shop collecting dust.

Mary couldn't believe that I had all these beads and never told her.

I have to say that I am a little surprised as well.

It isn't like I was keeping it a secret.

Or was I?

Honestly...

I think I am still mourning that part of my life!

I really do have some wonderful memories

fragmented as they may be.

LOVE

Mary wanted to make something for a Birthday present...

So, I figured it was time to find those beads,

dust them off 

and

Pass 'em On

 Check out these beautiful earrings Mary made!

And to go with it...

a

Homemade Card

with a little cardboard, duck tape, fabric, sketch paper...

a whole lot of 

Love

and 

Personality

there is  a unique card to go with her 

Original

Handmade Gift

for one of her favorite people ever!

Guess this Apple didn't fall to far from the 


Tree!