Rather busy lately

Hi everyone. Just a quick note to let you know what I've been up to and why I haven't posted more.

1. I finally finished getting everything ready for our new school year which starts this Monday. And no the kids don't want to hear about it.
2. I've been madly working on a baby quilt with the hopes I'll have it ready in time for my sister-in-law's baby shower. (I plan to post pictures afterward, since the actual subject of the quilt is to be a surprise.)
3. My seven year old had a week at church day camp which completely messes with our normal schedule.
4. Currently my five year old is having swim lessons which completely messes with our normal schedule.
5. Our backyard orchard fruit season is just starting with plums that need to be picked every couple of days (I've been drying them this time).

My latest library homeschool/teaching book review is short. It is titled "Homeschooling Step-by-Step" by LauraMarey Gold & Joan M. Zielinski. It was published in 2002 so its not too far out of date. It is a great place to start if someone has questions about homeschooling, whether they are wanting to homeschool or if they are curious because someone they know is doing it and would like to understand the movement better. It covers how one starts homeschooling, dealing with legal issues, how to teach, educational philosophies, curriculum, parent/teacher confidence as a first timer, learning environment, balance, challenges, support, and graduation. I can't say that I learned a lot, although I appreciated some parts of the educational philosophy section that explained Waldorf method and Montessori method which I have heard about but never had explanations for. I see the book as a one stop shop for information. By reading it, you get a better idea what you want to look at further. It is potentially very useful if you are needing lots of general information. It is also helpful at pointing the way to more information on each subject. I found it an easy and interesting read (particularly since I'm already homeschooling).