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Erin
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| Posted: July 24 2008 at 8:38pm | IP Logged
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Mare wrote:
| Could you and the other ladies please share when you post on your blog? Do you work on it in bits and pieces and save it in draft? How do you handle interruptions? |
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Mare
I have to say I don't write as often as I'd like, ideally I'd like to post at the end of the week to record what we have learnt. Although since I have started our Expectation Sheets I have been more faithful, because I copy and paste from my excel files and then adjust as to what didn't occur or what extras happened.
I'm a very visual person so for me I like to have all our learning information together. I also use the blog to plan at the beginning of the term and at the end I write a summation post on how I feel the dc are progressing and where we need to put energies in the next term. Talking to myself basically. 
I also keep running, individual lists in the sidebars of the books the children are reading. (I also use blogger) and at the end of the term I 'tidy' it all up and paste the booklists into a post so as to have a record of what they have read. It really helps me keep 'my finger on the pulse' as I have one child who hardly reads at all (well for this family) 
Sometimes the posts are written a bit at a time, other times I'm faster, it depends on what I'm writing about. Like yourself our computer is in the main room, so I'm often popping up, sometimes I just tune out.
Hope that helps some.
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Erin
Faith Filled Days
Seven Little Australians
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Mary G
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| Posted: July 25 2008 at 7:25am | IP Logged
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Here's another great tool. Kathryn in England posted today about Toodledo, a FREE, online based to-do list tool that works with Google calendar (and iphone, etc) to give you a chance to write extended notes, etc about your schedule (even tracking length of time to do projects, creating shopping lists, etc).
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MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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hereinantwerp
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| Posted: July 26 2008 at 1:18pm | IP Logged
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Verrrrry interesting--! Thank you for posting!
In my similar quest for *the perfect planner* I spent hours yesterday looking for free pages to print--then spent over an hour typing in personal dates like family birthdays and saints' days, only to find at the end that the program I had decided upon printed out a free *2 week sample*, to get the whole shebang would cost 16.95  .
So these ideas sound interesting but I wanted one in print, because I really don't get to the computer every day, and my idealistic self wants it to be *pretty*, with quite a bit of white space for my "journaling" style----at the same time maybe I would be more likely to keep REGULAR little notes about our learning life by computer vs. sitting and writing them all out, which can feel like a chore!
As far as I can see the calendars you could print out from google would not be exactly pretty--? I would like to be more organized and intentional, but too many "little boxes" tends to shut me down, and fill me with dread!
It is likely I think I will just end up making/printing my own, vs. wasting money on another planner that does not get used. I would like to somehow figure out how to insert the dates vs. having to write them in but I'm afraid I'm not very technically literate! I printed my own "summer planner" with calendar pages mostly obtained from the donna young website.
It's working pretty ok and I'm figuring out how it needs "tweaked" to fit better. There are some nice calendar pages on this other site too.
donna young website
free printable pages
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Angela Nelson
Mother to Simon (13), Calvin (9), and Lyddie Rose (3)
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Erin
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Angela
I'd be interested in hearing what you decide in the end.
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Erin
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amethyst
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| Posted: July 27 2008 at 11:41pm | IP Logged
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I'm not going to go as deeply into this idea as some of you, but, I have begun a new blog to put each week's schedules up. I like that I've finally been helped with a way to keep on track, to be accountable (even if it IS only with myself).
Thank you Mary for beginning this thread!! 
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Jenny in Australia
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Willa
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Jenny, thank you for posting the link to your new blog. I like your weekly plan format!
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Willa
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hereinantwerp
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| Posted: July 28 2008 at 1:06pm | IP Logged
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Erin wrote:
Angela
I'd be interested in hearing what you decide in the end. |
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WELLLLLL I was at Office Depot the other day and they had this truly beautiful planner . . . . so, sucker for prettiness that I am, I bought it! . . . . (it is by "Blue Sky", the cover is light blue, and the inside is a very pretty faded floral/butterfly design, just lovely!). A few features I like, It has the months with tabs, and then the weeks too, in simple big blocks--the month pages I will use to make note of big events (such as, "4H camp, swim meet, dh flies to CA, Dr appt., phone card runs out, birthdays, etc), then I will use the weekly pages for more detail about each day--chores and errands, what's for dinner, etc. Just a basic planner.
The trouble is, it is WAY too small! It is just for the basic details (which I confess I've just had a much harder time remembering this past year than I used to, so maybe that's ok!). I will have to use another notebook (or blog?) for recording our "learning journey", which I imagine to be more of a journal, along with some loose plans. My IDEAL planner I was going to print was 8 1/2 by 11 size, had monthly pages in one pastel color, THEN weekly pages in another pastel color, with the days on the week on one side, then a BLANK page on the facing side (I was toying with the idea of making it into a few blocks? Or not?), for notes, BRAINSTORMS, ideas, journaling about what we did, then maybe behind those monthly pages things like a fieldtrip log for recording outings, a booklist for recording books read, pages for things like ideas for gift buying, a list of holidays/feast days, lists of books to read and movies to watch, places to go, things to create, etc. . . .
But I had severe doubts that I would actually get this done----!! And the cost of printing and binding wouldn't necessarily save me money from buying one, it might actually be more. Also the planner I bought will fit in my purse, handy for those details. I just wish it had some blank note pages in the back!
One good thing (I thought) about a few separate planners though is that you can have more than one open on the desk at once, vs. flipping back and forth. It seems like Dawn at by sun and candlelight
has the most beautiful ideas for "seasonal planning." Totally copying her ideas, I have been working on my own "seasonal planner"--so maybe a "daily details" planner, and a seasonal planner?? With what we actually DO recorded or journaled on a blog or even scrapbook?? I think that's the direction I am heading. Dawn seems to use some separate planners for separate purposes (she has written a lot about this!) and maybe that will work better than trying to do an all-in-one?
I am really considering doing a blog though. I just want to be able to commit to it if I do it. My old one became too ponderous and heavy and I really need to figure out how to just delete it. All of my life I have been interested in "seasonal celebrations," and having not grown up with these it has felt awkward, but I have been researching and planning--maybe I will make that a focus for the blog. Our "learning lifestyle" is extremely casual right now. My older boys have actually been in school and doing so well, but I am still trying to read aloud and give them some of the rich experiences . . . also praying praying praying to homeschool again, but not sure that's the right thing  . Right now I am really "homeschooling/unschooling" my 3 year old---and ME! As I read the unschooling things, it applies so much to myself, and it is really an attitude of mind, that life is an adventure, to explore--I would like to record our "learning journey" in some way.
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Angela Nelson
Mother to Simon (13), Calvin (9), and Lyddie Rose (3)
my blog: live and learn
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hereinantwerp
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PS, is there some basic tutorial for blogs, such as how to add pictures, or the book icons on the side???
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Angela Nelson
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PDyer
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| Posted: July 28 2008 at 2:31pm | IP Logged
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Google Calendar and ToodleDo, in combination, is a beautiful beautiful, thing.
I can share the calendars with my husband! He can see what's going on from the office! This is revolutionary! Hooray!
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Patty
Mom of ds (7/96) and dd (9/01) and two angels (8/95 and 6/08)
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stefoodie
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Patty, would you mind sharing a bit more detail as to how you use Google Calendar and Toodledo in combo? I looked at ToodleDo a while back and thought -- oh no, one more thing and didn't really do anything with it. But from time to time I've wondered if maybe I do need it... I would like a bit of help getting started though. Please? 
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PDyer
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stefoodie wrote:
| Patty, would you mind sharing a bit more detail as to how you use Google Calendar and Toodledo in combo? I looked at ToodleDo a while back and thought -- oh no, one more thing and didn't really do anything with it. But from time to time I've wondered if maybe I do need it... I would like a bit of help getting started though. Please? |
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Well I just got it all set up so I am a novice, but for me, I hope having the to-do list on the calendar I've shared with my husband will help us communicate better about our priorities. And having my calendar and to-do list in bold color in front of me on the 'puter can only be a good thing. I make too many to-do lists that molder in the rubble on my desk.
I still have my MomAgenda to carry around (at least until the end of the year) for noting things immediately. I find I can't remember appts any more. Too many things rattling around in my head...
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Patty
Mom of ds (7/96) and dd (9/01) and two angels (8/95 and 6/08)
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Mary G
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| Posted: July 28 2008 at 5:04pm | IP Logged
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amethyst wrote:
| I'm not going to go as deeply into this idea as some of you, but, I have begun a new blog to put each week's schedules up. I like that I've finally been helped with a way to keep on track, to be accountable (even if it IS only with myself). |
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That looks great ... and it's so easy to tweak or completely change as you need ...
amethyst wrote:
Thank you Mary for beginning this thread!!
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You are MOST welcome ... the fun thing is all the other suggestions for improving my own ... I love this forum!
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MaryG
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amethyst
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hereinantwerp wrote:
| PS, is there some basic tutorial for blogs, such as how to add pictures, or the book icons on the side??? |
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Angela, some of the blog hosts have great information on how to do up your blog - I started with homeschool blogger, just looking over the template to see what I could figure out. I found when I switched to blogger.com it was waaaay easier and most of the work is done for me. There are many links on your settings page to suit whatever you want to add/change on your blog. A lot of it for me has been trial and error, but I have definitely been more confident using blogger.com
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Jenny in Australia
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amethyst
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Mary G wrote:
That looks great ... and it's so easy to tweak or completely change as you need ...
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And that's exactly what I'm going to have to do already! My son's next science text was due to arrive yesterday but when the package was delivered it was the wrong one - now I'll have to wait until Friday (or Monday) for the replacement to arrive. Another lesson in how your best plans can come undone!
Now I have to think up something else for the rest of the week's science...I should write up a list of replacement lessons for when my plans fall through. Hmmm.
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Jenny in Australia
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momto2
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Anyone know how to print the whole schedule out on one page(google calendar that is ) ? Mine seems to stop at 3pm and then just lists after that....I would ideally like my motivated moms planner page on one side and the schedule on the other(so when I open my book I can see both) and I don't really want to flip pages.
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Mary G
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amethyst wrote:
| Now I have to think up something else for the rest of the week's science...I should write up a list of replacement lessons for when my plans fall through. Hmmm. |
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Or, take it as an opportunity for "masterly inactivity" by letting him figure out what to do ... internet research, nature study, living book reading, etc.
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MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
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amethyst
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Mary G wrote:
| Or, take it as an opportunity for "masterly inactivity" by letting him figure out what to do ... internet research, nature study, living book reading, etc. |
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Oooh, that means I have to be brave...
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Jenny in Australia
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stefoodie
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Thanks, Patty! I finally took the plunge and added Toodledo to Google Calendar and I love the seamless integration! Very nice! Don't know if it will print together yet but at least on screen I'm liking how it works in tandem.
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stef
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cvbmom
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Has anyone figured out how to import a Catholic liturgical calendar into Google Calendar? It would make things SOOOOOOO much easier
God bless,
Christine
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Wife to dh - 18 years!
Mom to dd (16), ds (15), dd, (12), dd (11), ds (9), dd (8), dd (7), ds (5), dd (3), ds (2), and ds (1)
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sunny
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I have been using Google Calendar and MS Outlook. I would like to switch soley to Google, but have alwys kept birthdays, anniversaries, liturgical calendar, etc. on Outlook. Does anyone know a way to import all those recurring events to Google Calendar?
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Planner, journal & calendar -- free!
