Businesses that Recognize Homeschools

I had previously written about "free days" at the museums in the city but I've since learned that some of these museums have free days all year long for homeschooling families.  The Science and Industry Museum tells you right on their website that homeschooled kids and their parents are admitted free of charge Monday through Friday.  Another mom told me that the Field Museum is also free to us, but I have not yet verified these things personally. 

I think more businesses are starting to recognize the legitimacy of homeschool now.  By law, a homeschool is considered a private school.  Most companies that offer a discount to public/private school teachers will also offer it to those of us that homeschool.  The store policies vary.  Some take you at your word.  Others want some kind of proof.  In Indiana, I kept a printout of an email I received from the state showing that we were indeed homeschoolers. 

There are websites we can use to order or print out our own ID cards.  I haven't done this but maybe I will.  If I do, I think I will use the goofiest pictures of my kids I can find.

My MacBook

I love my MacBook.  It's now several years old which means it may as well be 10 years old in the world of technology but I still love it.  I had another Mac before this one that lasted 8 or 9 years.  I think the final two years of that computer's life were spent listening to my husband nag me that it was time for a new one.  One thing that helped convince me in the end was the discount Apple gives to teachers (including homeschoolers) when purchasing one of their computers.  It wasn't a huge savings but it helped.

When I bought this one, I remember walking out of the mall with a bit of the obnoxious pride Mac users seem to have.  "Yeah, I'm cool.  I use a Mac."  At home, I was thrilled to find stickers in the box.  I couldn't wait to slap that Apple sticker on my car so every loser at the intersection could see how hip I was.  "Okay, I drive a minivan but I'm still better than you."

It wasn't long after that when I was approached in a grocery parking lot by a nasty looking guy driving a nastier looking van from 1978.  "You have a Mac?"  Uncomfortable conversation followed and it  turned out, I was just as cool as this guy who has always used Mac, has several at home (probably in his mom's basement), and would never use anything else.  Mac users unite.  Gross.

Lately, I think the sticker has lost its meaning anyway.  The sticker used to mean you had an Apple computer.  Now, it just means you have a cell phone.

Hugs

Homemade Halloween Costumes

Over the years, I've purchased plenty of Halloween costumes but some of my favorites have been the ones I've made.  They don't always look better or cost less but they are a creative challenge.


The first year I made costumes was the year Daniel wanted to be Peter Pan.  I was unable to find one in the store so I decided to make it.  I used fleece because it's easy to work with and because I thought it would keep him warmer on Halloween night than the flimsy store kind anyway.  As luck would have it, that year was one of the warmest Halloweens.  Poor kid threw up that evening.  It might of just been the candy but I don't think the hot flashes he was having helped.












The "bird watcher" costume was thrown together at the last minute the year we went to a party with a "no masks allowed" rule.  I forget what other costume he had for that year but I wasn't about to buy another one just for a party.  I don't think the other kids understood the outfit but he was a real hit with the adults.






By far, my favorite was the doctor/nurse/patient year.  These were super easy and cheap.  I found scrubs at Goodwill for each of the kids.  Daniel was big enough to fit into a woman's small.  Grace just needed a skirt so I made one from a white nurses top.  For Ruby, I found patterned scrubs that reminded me of a hospital gown and sewed that just enough so it wouldn't fall off of her.  I found a few accessories at the party store and a few we already had at the house.  The costumes don't look like much but everyone they passed on the street loved them.  Sadly, one person thought we'd put make-up on Ruby to make her look sickly.  No, she was just that pale and happened to have a bruised eye.

This year they want to be bacon, eggs, and toast.  I don't know how I'm going to pull that together.

Dress Up