A Day in the Life

Hello Readers!

     Today I am going to do a day-in-the-life post about events that happened today. By the hour.
Today I might also do a movie review, as well, so lots of content!

Well, here goes nothing.

9:00 AM: I woke up, rolled over, and grabbed my tablet. I switched it on, checked my email and IM for new messages, responded to a couple, then went up for breakfast.
10:00: Usually I did homework or whatever then, but today I skipped took a day long hiatus from homework and read a book (The Forsaken by Lisa Stasse) on my tablet.
10:30 We leave and go shopping for new shoes and swing by the health food store and the Pet Valu. We grab a new lead for my dog and meet some cute kittens. On the way home we go to the hardware store. Fun fun.
12:30: Lunchtime. Salmon wraps, corn chips and salsa, plus some cereal.
1:00: My dad rigs up the sprinkler so I can cool off somewhat on this abysmally hot day.
1:30: My mom and dad bring up the patio furniture while I watch the puppy.
2:00: I head inside for a snack. Puppy sleeps while I Google weird stuff.
3:00: I work on some Minecraft, then walk to the store with my dad. We discuss about maybe going on a trip sometime, or maybe re-visiting the States, which I did just a couple weeks ago.
4:00: Home again. I eat some more food.
5:00: Call my friend and watch a YouTube Video he is in. I text a friend and go on Threadless.
6:00: Dinner out on the patio. Burgers. For dessert we have chocolate pudding.
7:00: I finish Catching Fire for the second time and IM some more.
9:00: Head to my bed and go on my tablet for a while.
11:00: Unfortunately, it's lights-out time.

     So there you have it readers, a day in my fantastic life!
     Watch for a Catching Fire movie review and a My Favorites coming soon!

Book Review: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

First things first.
Oh.
My.
Goodness.

I love this book. I love it love it love it love it. I love it to death.

Aristotle and Dante is a very different story about two very different boys. Aristotle (nicknamed Ari) is quiet, lonely, and has never had a friend. Dante, on the other hand, is friendly, outgoing, and loves poetry.
They meet and they bond. However, their friendship is shattered by Dante's temporary move to Chicago, Ari saving Dante in an accident and breaking his legs in the process, and Dante revealing he is gay and sharing his feelings for Ari.
The book's main event is near the end, where Dante is severely injured and nearly dies in a beating. There is, however, a happy ending.
Aristotle and Dante is a breathtaking book. It has a slow pace, but a wonderful one.
The boys, Dante in particular, feel like living, breathing 3D characters.
Their struggles and their triumphs are real and true.

'I wrote my name on his back. He wrote his name on mine.'

This book made me happy. It made me cry. It made me glad that such a book exists. It earned a place on my Golden Shelf of Pure Wonderful (a prestigious award that so far has only been gifted to The Fault in Our Stars, every Harry Potter book except the second one, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings.)

Benjamin Alire Saenz is probably my new favorite writer, and Aristotle and Dante will probably be one of my favorite books forever and ever and ever.
"Ashamed? Of loving Dante?".....
I took Dante's hand and held it. 
How could I have ever been ashamed of loving Dante Quintana."

Warm Weather and Cute Canines

Hello readers,
Springtime is coming up, and my corner of the world is warming up a lot. It has gone from freezing my buns off if I step outside for three seconds to wearing just a sweater. The deep thaw has finally worn off, and I am glad.
I have been spending the Long, Cold Winter by reading popular fiction. Here is my Grand List:

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell (nay)
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell (yay)
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (yay)
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (nay)
The Fault in our Stars by John Green (one hundred percent yes)
Divergent by Veronica Roth (nay)
Insurgent by Veronica Roth (nay)
Part of Allegiant by Veronica Roth (hated it so much that I didn't finish it.)

As you can see, most of the books I hated. I don't like most popular fiction.


Anyway, I have welcomed a new puppy to my life, a wriggly King Charles Cavalier Spaniel. Her name is Pip and she is six months old.
She loves walks but hates people. I'm teaching her to lie down, and because she catches on to things pretty well, she is learning quite fast.
I have been quite busy with my homeschooling and my classes, which is why I haven't been posting as much, and I'm sorry.

 Xoxo, Taryn

Crafts by Taryn: A colourful birthday card

Hello readers! It's Taryn here, with her very first how-to blog!
I'm going to teach you how to make a easy, pretty birthday card! With photos!

You will need:

One piece of paper, any colour
A pair of scissors
Fabric, in a variety of colours and textures
A marker, any colour
Glue
It takes approximately 20 minutes to make.


Step 1: Cut out 16 (sixteen) circles of your chosen fabrics. I used some that came in a child's sewing kit.

Step 2: Fold a piece of paper in half.  Lay out three circles of your chosen fabric in the upper-left corner on the front of the card. It should look like the image below.

Step 3: Lay down four circles of your choice below the top row.

Step 4:  Lay down an additional four circles below the second row.

Step 5: Lay down 1 circle. Then, write a small message beside it, like "I love you!" or "I'm sorry" or "Happy Easter" or whatever you made the card for. I made it for a friend celebrating her 13th birthday, so I wrote ''Happy 13th," on the front. Then place an additional circle beside it. It should look like this:

 Step 6: Lay down three circles in the bottom row.

Step 7: Glue them all down. The glue may take a while to dry, but I used a glue stick, which doesn't take that long.

Step 8: You know how the corners are empty? Draw bows across them. Like this:

Once you've drawn them in the two exposed corners, you're done! Your finished card should look like this: 

Thank you for reading!

Something Long Overdue

Hello readers! Happy New Year!

  I realize I haven't been as....active on Adventures Of a Homeschooling Girl. So I'm going to make up for it by giving you an extra-long post about my plans for the future and lots of other interesting info.
  For me, figuring out the opening line for a book, or heck, even a blog post, has always been difficult. Maybe it's trying to figure out how to introduce it...or trying not to mess it up......well, either way, it's hard with a capital D.
  (Yeah, I know that made no sense whatsoever.)
  So here we go. I'll open with a quote from my latest book, Dacha Summer.


  "Summer is a rather peaceful time. When it's winter, we think of summer with a sad fondness, and we think of not-too-hot days with perfect breezes, spent skipping through meadows or climbing trees, or playing in sparkling, cold pools. We think of days watching fireworks, or wading through creeks catching crayfish. We taste the smoky flavour of barbecue sauce, and the cold creaminess of ice cream. We are thankful for air conditioners and trips to the beach. We wear faded shorts and climb onto burning hot, black-shingled roofs.
  My favorite part about summer are those rare days that are extremely cloudy but warm, with the occasional breeze. The air tingles with an electric charge. It makes me want to sneak through the forest, playing Manhunt, or go on a great journey. It makes me think of white-tipped waves crashing to shore. You can practically feel the salty breeze."

I love summer. It is the Bestest, most Amazing, Wonderful time of the Year. And since 7 and 2 are some of my lucky numbers, 2014 should be the Bestest, most Amazing Year so Far.
   And here's why:
  I may have a chance to go to Tennessee (long story)
  This is gonna be the year I really push for a dog
  I can climb trees a lot better than I used to be able to, so more time in the treetops doing my best Rue-jumping-from-tree-to-tree impersonation.
  I may be going on a real-life adventure with four good friends and compete with thousands of others to win something (also a long story)
  We will be getting our garden in, so lots of time planting and enjoying our harvests.

  Here are the small things I'm really looking forward to in summer:
  Climbing onto the rooftop and enjoying a really awesome view
  Eating frozen grapes under the shade of a tree
  Summer park dates!
  And last, staying up late at summer barbecues.

  And now that I've ranted on and on about summer, I'll tell you about my big (summer) project.

  TIME. LAPSE. PHOTOGRAPHY.

  Once summer starts, I'm gonna go out and photograph a single thing, be it flower, bush, or patch of grass, every day for the rest of summer. Then I'm going to make it into a time-lapse video and post it on here! Cool, huh?

  Right now it's snowing pretty hard. I dislike (read: extremely hate) winter, so I have stayed inside and made a sled for the Disaster, also known as Taryn B the One-legged Doll. She used to have ridiculously fuzzy hair and a dirty face, but my friend managed to fix her up. Many thanks.

La catastrophe, Christmas 2012

It's a big change from that.......

to this!

Le pas-si catastrophe, January 6, 2014

I used Google Translate French for both of these. (Don't kill me!)

  And soon my busy social calendar will start up again, and I won't spend my days looking out my window with the Disaster waiting for summer.

  Au revoir, dear readers, until next time!

  

Fifty Things about me!

1: What are you wearing? Red robe, black leggings, blue & white striped t-shirt, and a grey beaded necklace.
2: Ever been in love? Uhm, nope.
3: Ever had a terrible breakup? Definitely no!
4: How tall are you? 5'2! I'm taller than most of my friends.
5: How much do you weigh? 82 pounds, perhaps?
6: Any tattoos? No. I might get one when I'm older, though.
7: Any piercings? Yeah, I got my ears pierced a long time ago. I want to get more, though.
8: OTP? Ron/Hermione! They're awesome together!
9: Favorite Show? Amazing Race and Wipeout are my favorites.
10: Favorite bands? Regina Spektor Nickleback, Keane, I somewhat like One Direction, and Fall Out Boy.
11: Something you miss? My stuffed black cat. She was so sweet, I really miss her!
12: Favorite song? Currently it's Enchanted by Taylor Swift.
13: How old are you? Between 11 and 13
14: Zodiac sign? Pisces.
15: Quality you look for in a partner? Kind, caring, empathetic.
16: Favorite Quote? “Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn't." ― Mark Twain
17: Favorite actor? Emma Watson.
18: Favorite color? Blue and green are my favorites.
19: Loud music or soft? LOUD!
20: Where do you go when you're sad? My room. I unzip my comforter and crawl into it.
21: How long does it take you to shower? 10-20 minutes.
22: How long does it take you to get ready in the morning? It can take 2 minutes to 10 minutes.
23: Ever been in a physical fight? Nope.
24: Turn on? I like sparkly, pristine, tropical beaches.
25: Turn off? Big messes!
26: The reason I joined Youtube? I'm not on Youtube.
27: Fears? Puppets, Muppets, Sesame Street, and certain noises (extremely loud gongs, creaking chains at playgrounds, and loud banging on metal. I actually worked myself into a a panic crossing under a train bridge, because I kept thinking about the awful noises it would make if I touched it.)
28: Last thing that made you cry? When I accidentally trapped my fingers between the panels of a garage door a few days ago.
29: Last time you said you loved someone? last night, to my mom.
30: Meaning behind your Youtube Name? Again, I'm not on Youtube.
31: Last book you read? Artemis Fowl and the Eternity Code.
32: The book you're currently reading? Olivia kidney, Hot on the Trail.
33: Last show you watched? Wipeout.
34: Last person you talked to? My mom, telling her I didn't want to watch any Christmas movies.
35: The relationship between you and the person you last texted?  I don't text.
36: Favorite food? Thai food! I love Thai food!
37: Place you want to visit? London, England, P.E.I, and Tokyo.
38: Last place you were? At co-op.
39: Do you have a crush? Perhaps. : P
40: Last time you kissed someone? A goodnight kiss for my mom.
41: Last time you were insulted? Can't remember.
42: Favourite flavour of sweet? CHOCOLATE! CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE!
43: What instruments do you play?? No instruments. I tried playing the recorder earlier today, but it sounded like a dying animal gasping for its last breath.
44: Favourite piece of jewelery? My necklace. It's got clear and black jewels on it, and it's also got a tiny, hollow metal ball with carved designs on it.
45: Last sport you played? Dodgeball at co-op.
46: Last song you sang? Enchanted by Taylor Swift.
47: Favourite chat up line? Waffles or pancakes! It's become my trademark.
48:Have you ever used it? Loads of times.
49: Last time you hung out with anyone? My friends at co-op today
50: Who should answer these questions next? YOU!

  I really, really promise to post more. Au revoir for now!

Book Review: Looking for X, by Deborah Ellis

"Mom used to be a stripper.
 She quit when I came along. She calls it exotic dancing, which isn't quite right. It is dancing, but exotic doesn't mean dancing while you take your clothes off. Inuit dancing could be exotic, but that's not what Mom did. 
 She made good money at it, but it all sort of drained away. Before I was born, she was poor, and we've been poor ever since.
 A lot of people think that just because Mom used to be a stripper, her children are screwed up and will stay screwed up forever. Not so. My brothers would have been the way they are no matter how Mom paid her rent. 
 If I'm screwed up when I become an adult. it will be my own fault. If I'm screwed up now - well, I'm not, so there's nothing more to say about that. Sometimes strippers like to travel. I'd like that."
 Deborah Ellis, Looking for X

 And so begins the wonderful book that is Looking for X.

 In Looking for X, eleven-year-old Khyber lives with her mother Tammy, her autistic younger brothers David and Daniel, who are twins, in the Regent Park section of Toronto, Ontario.
" "They should have called it Pauper Park," I said once to Tammy. "No one would want to live here then," she replied. "Hardly anyone wants to live here now," I answered."

 Khyber has a friend called X, who is homeless and she meets in Allan Gardens. Khyber gives her peanut butter and corn syrup sandwiches, which creates a sort of bond between them.
 Khyber also works at the Trojan Horse restaurant with Valerie, who was named the meanest waitress in Toronto. Khyber mops the floors in exchange for a free breakfast.
 After a visit to X that ends with a fight with neighborhood rough people, Khyber comes home muddy and scraped. Her mother suspects that she was fighting, but Khyber doesn't say anything. Later, Tammy reveals that Khyber's classroom windows were shattered and that Khyber is the main suspect. Khyber runs away to look for X, who is the only one who can vouch for her.


 I loved this book. It's well written, and it is very sad in some parts. Tammy grows from being quiet and motherly to being harsher and quicker to anger, which is interesting to read about. Khyber is a likable protagonist, but X is rather underdeveloped.

 I rate this four out of five stars.

Happy Canada Day!

I wish a Happy Canada Day to all my Canadian readers!

I live in Canada and celebrate Canada Day, so my family and I are driving up to a little town nearby and meeting friends. We're also bringing dinner and watching the fireworks!
The fireworks are so fun! I love the chrysanthemums. I also like the ones that break up into little sparks.

Comment and tell me: Which fireworks are your favorites?

Happy Canada Day from Homeschool Girl!

Another Update

Hi readers!

I've had a busy few weeks lately.


First off, I ran a 5K race with my dad! I won eighth in my age category. Not bad, huh?
Second, there was a HUGE storm where I lived just a couple days ago. There was even hail!
Third, we've finally had some warm-ish weather. Things are looking up for Taryn the Amazing!
Fourth, gymnastics ended about a month ago. I didn't get my Tan badge, but that's ok. I'll try again next year.
Also, the spell-check censors the word Taryn. Hmm. Wonder why.
I recently learned how to sew basic stitches a while ago, so I sewed up Miss Taryn the Maplelea Girl's leg hole yesterday. Her leg fell out on Christmas Day, so there was a big hole full of stuffing that would fly pell-mell around the room whenever I played with her. I made a hospital bed and set up a fake IV drip. She'll be released next Monday!

And now, for today's funny photo....(drumroll)

Thanks for reading!
Love, Taryn (aka Homeschool Girl)

Jogging, Markets, Races, and Blog Launches

Hello readers!
I have been pretty busy lately, so I didn't have a chance to post.
On Friday me and my parents went to an outdoor market. It was super small, but really fun.
The next day, my parents and I went to a huge downtown indoor-outdoor market. Indoors is really fun, because it's got two stories and lots of unique little shops, and a bunch of classy restaurants.
Also, today is the launch of Lost in the Chapters! I really hope you like it.

Today my dad and I jogged 3 1/2 K on a little trail in our neighborhood. It was really fun to do.
I did it because my dad and I are going to run a 5K race in a month, along with some of my friends. There's a beach nearby, so we're going to that after to cool off.
It'll be at 9:40 AM, and it's not near us, so we're going to get up really early to get there. I love morning road trips! They're nearly as fun as eating cake.

Love, Taryn (aka Homeschool Girl)

Update on the Presentation

Hello readers

PowToon isn't working out for me, so I've called a halt to the presentation. Sorry, guys.

Taryn

Rain, Books, and Presentations

Hey, folks!
Super rainy where I live, and icy cold. To think that just a couple weeks ago it was shorts-and-T-shirt-weather.
I've been reading more comics and browsing the Web on my Kobo. And finishing up homework and reading books for tutoring.

Anyway, my Mom and I might be taking a trip to the library later, after lunch. We have a book on hold that looks really good, it's called Unison Spark.
The end of gymnastics is a week from tomorrow. Then we perform for the others and do our routines.
My family and I are going to Toronto soon for a couple days. I've been looking at hotels that are close to where family lives, looking at nearby attractions and restaurants and calculating it into one big PowToon presentation, which I will be showing to my father, once he gets home from work, which should be from 3:50 to 4:00.
My plan can't fail!

Three more days till Lost in the Chapters gets launched!

Love, Homeschool Girl (aka Taryn)

Sorry I haven't posted in so long..

Hey guys, it's Taryn here!
I'm sorry I haven't posted in so long. I've been sick quite a few times, and very busy.
I'll try to post at least once a day on this blog.

So today I mostly surfed the 'net, reading comics and playing Club Penguin. My mom and I are reading this extremely funny series called School of Fear. You should read it!
Also, I visited Chapters on Thursday and bought myself a Kobo Touch E-reader. I've been wanting a Kobo for a while, and I finally got one! It's come in really handy, cause I can lie in bed and browse the Web.
I'm also recovering from a raging cold.

Also, I will soon launch a new book review based blog, called Lost in the Chapters. It'll be up on May 18th.

Love from Homeschool Girl (aka Taryn)

An Update

Hello, everyone! It's Homeschool Girl here!

Me and my family have been SO INCREDIBLY BUSY lately! We've been Christmas shopping, wrapping presents, and trying out new recipes. (Kudos to Brittany and her Cinnamon Swirl Breakfast Cake at Real Sustenance!)
I finally read The Hobbit with my family! Utterly terrific book, but it doesn't quite top Harry Potter. We're starting to read The Fellowship of the Ring.
Not to mention I was knocked out for a week by a terrible cold. I couldn't make it to two Christmas parties because of that darn cold. It spoiled my week!
I asked my parents if I could watch the Hobbit movie, They said no, because it was way too violent for me. Plus, I watched the trailer and read a couple reviews of it. There are a couple things that aren't quite right. There are GOBLINS in the Misty Mountains, not orcs! And the elf woman, Galadriel or Arwen or whatever her name was, well, she wasn't in the book! Elrond was the only elf mentioned in the book!
Taryn, my Maplelea Girl Doll, is pretty much falling apart. I'm going to get her fixed at the Maplelea Spa. Poor Taryn. I shall never see her again. I will see the replacement doll that they send, though.

Yeah, Taryn's pretty much given up by now.

Love, Ho-Ho-Ho-Homeschool Girl

Costumes, Gym, and Trick-Or-Treating!

Happy Halloween, beloved readers!

I've been up to my ears in studying lately (I'm trying to get my Radio Operator's License), and that is a LOT of work. Really.
Anyway, beloved Gym and Halloween is today, and I had a hard time getting to sleep last night, even when I was clutching my favorite plush kangaroo. Ginny (yes, she and three other plushies are named after Harry Potter characters) is usually an excellent go-to-sleep soother, but I was worried about the hordes of zombies and haunted lip gloss approaching my window. After all, a lot of commercial lip gloss is made with stearic acid. The ghosts of enraged bulls could tear down my walls!
And that, folks, is why you always buy natural.


I also found a cute stick-figure bunny roaming my posts.


                                   

                                                       () ()
                                                       ( '.')
                                                     (..) (..)
                                                      (")(")


The bunny's name is Stan, and he is here to stay.






Some other super-exciting news is that I am finally going to reveal my Halloween costume! My mom found this online, and I asked whether we could do it for me! (This is not me in the video) (Warning: This is a rather creepy/unsettling costume. Don't say I didn't warn you!)

Love, Homeschool Girl

My Dear Readers

Homeschool Girl here with some IMPORTANT announcements!

Announcement 1: I may not be able to do Thing Reviews every day, but I'll try! What I am reviewing depends on what's more popular. For example, if my T.V. show reviews have more views than my Book Reviews, than I'll do more T.V. show reviews!

Announcement 2: Everyone, FEEL FREE to comment on my posts! I would love to hear from any one of you!

Announcement 3: Spread the word! Tell your mom, dad, kids, cats, dogs, uncles, aunts, sisters, brothers, and grandparents. It always warms my heart to see that people have been reading my blog. I couldn't do it without you.

And finally: Even though I love hearing from you, there's some stuff I don't want to hear. All comments go through me, and I will review comments before they are posted.

Love, Homeschool Girl (aka Taryn!)

Gymnastics, Dream Jobs, and Dead Snail Colonies

Goooooooooooooood morning, my dear readers! How did you sleep? I slept well, thanks for asking. And today is..........Gymnastics!
I used to take a theater program on Wednesdays ( started in September, but in June we'd perform a play in a theater for people to come watch.) But now, I take gymnastics.
Today I've been reading about Shakespearian poems and studying the phonetic alphabet (Z=Zulu!). And trying to do a cartwheel successfully. Believe me, it's harder than it looks! And you would think that any self-respecting gymnast could do a cartwheel, but guess which one can't! Me!

Anyway, Olympic gymnast is not my dream job. I want to be either a brain surgeon or a gastroenterologist. Ahhh..the warm, buttery sensation of helping people. Even if it's just helping a snail cross the road, it's still satisfying. (What? The cute baby snail could have been hit by a truck!)
Anyway, a farmer or backyard gardener must have killed a snail colony at some point, and forgot to bury the deceased snails, so that's the reason we've been having SO MUCH RAIN! (Rain, rain, go away. Taryn wants to go and play!)


Keep reading my blog!

P.S. I got the things I needed for my Halloween costume!

Gym, Amigos, and A Couple Of Imagined Scenes

I know it's late, but I can't resist posting something.
So it's Tuesday today, which means that tomorrow is Gymnastics. Fabulous! I get to see a few LOTS of my friends at Gym, plus I can learn how to PROPERLY do a cartwheel. Yay!
The only drawback is that one of my other amigos isn't in my group, so she and some other girls get taught by a different teacher. But I still get to see her after gym class!

It's also pretty cold and rainy right now, so it's hard to figure out what to wear. After all, I can't do wolf jumps and handstands in a pair of fleece pants and a turtleneck, can I?
I can just imagine the scene..

M(e): Hey, what's up? Ready to work on those wolf jumps?
C(oach): Taryn...You're dressed...creatively....
M: Well, sure gets cold under those bright gym lights! Plus, the air conditioner is here, right?

How embarrassing.

C: Well, the air conditioner just broke down today..so..
M: Well, a nice sweat bath is supposed to be nice for the soul, right?
F(riend): But not so nice for the person who uses the equipment after you.

ANYWAY..
I've solved any embarrassing problems by changing in the locker room.



Also, readers, feel free to post in the comments about what you want to read next! Want to hear the juicy details about the horse ride with Chester? I'm on it! Want to find out how hard it is to ACTUALLY FLY A PLANE in Aviation? I'm on it! Want to find out what I did at co-op today? I'm on it! (Note: I will not write about how I have a shower or what brand of clothes I wear or whether I've had a shower in the last two days, in case you were thinking about posting that in the comments.)


:) Keep reading!

TV Show Review: Victorious

Hi! This is my daily Thing Review, and today I have decided to review a TV show called Victorious.

Description: Aspiring singer Tori Vega navigates life while attending a performing arts high school called Hollywood Arts. (From imdb)

My Rating: 4 TV remotes.
What I Thought: This show is pretty good. It's entertaining, and perfect for watching on those rainy Tuesday evenings. However, some of the characters are a little over-the-top. Like TOO over-the-top. And some of the episodes are a little strange. But it's a show I will be watching again.

Keep reading!

Homeschooling..

I always thought I was pretty lucky to be homeschooled...and I still do. I'm part of an AWESOME homeschool group, I have so many AWESOME friends, and homeschooling is AWESOME.
But it can also be really hard.
It's pretty hard to find another homeschooler in a day camp. And some kids say: 'Ewwww, homeschooling's weird.' And I say, 'We go to different schools, does that mean I'm weird? No.'
Sometimes I wish I could go to school to find out what it's like. But apparently, school is....school. Just not at home.


Keep reading!