Free State Wyoming Forum
Prospective Free State Wyoming (FSW) Members and Interested Parties => Prospective Free State Wyoming (FSW) Members and Interested Parties => Topic started by: jpheonix on May 30, 2009, 01:05:53 PM
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Hello everyone, I'm Jaclyn a 26yr homeschooling mom trapped in NE Ohio. I'm an everyday lurker and infrequent poster (I'm really shy) at TMM since 2003.
I have 2 kids, a girl age 4 and a boy age 2. I really want to leave Ohio before my daughter turns five and I have to jump through all the paperwork hoops to homeschool. I'm really looking for a good caretaker situation where I could upkeep someone's property in return for a home and garden plot. I've tried a few ways to work from home but none have worked out between the kids and my fibromyalgia, Anything I do I really need the kids involved. I can garden organically, bake some things for people with allergies, including really good cookies, and make a pancakes out of anything. I have good research skills but don't type very fast.
My husband of 8 years and I are not always on the same page, and although I'm working hard to convince him of the need to move out of ohio, he's actually the one bound up with financial security and keeping his job. I find this a little funny because he's also not very good with money and believes he deserves his instant gratification in return for working 60+ a week. He works for Rent A Center as a credit manager, and he's pretty good at both that and the sales. He's a solid worker who's just stressed out from feeling like he should be farther in his life and occasionally forgets that even though I'm unpaid, I'm the one with the 24/7 365 no sick time job :) He's also an artist but never tried to make money at it. He used to want to be an architect, but never had the school money.
My daughter is very friendly and social but also easily hurt and quick to cry. She has a huge interest in reptiles, and wants a pet lizard and a snake. She's a totally I love pink and dresses girl. I'm having a little trouble getting her focused on learning her letter sounds (Montessori style sounds first then names after they can read). I don't want to push her and make her dislike reading, but she has a gift for language and speaks some spanish and chinese along with signing to her brother.
My son is very attached to me, still wants to nurse, still wakes up once a night and makes me spend the second half of the night with him. He's pretty smart and right in the language explosion stage. Talks about cars morning noon and night.
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Hello Jpheonix,
Welcome to the Free State Wyoming forum.
Please don't be shy, the folks here are warm and kind hearted.
Welcome!
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Welcome!
Please don't be shy about posting and getting to know us. It's a shame that your husband isn't ready to make a move, but there are probably lots of things you can do to help him understand. Does he have any idea of the precarious nature of the economy now? Does he realize that his job could easily vanish tomorrow?
Sounds like you both have lots of talent and potential - just need to get him on board with being free, seems like.
Let us know how we can help!
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Well the real problem with moving is money. Both of us have bad credit, and no money to fix it. He's the sole income earner and even though I've written out budgets on paper that have us putting away money each month, somehow it all disappears and I have to fight for 100 in grocery money each week. I used to work before we had kids, but now I wouldn't even if I could because I would be working just to cover his nickel and diming us to death. The rent and bills get paid, and he works really hard, but I'm fighting to find where the money is going. How far will 2000 a month get a family of four in WY?
I'm afraid I've put myself in a bind the past few years, I can't not make things work out between us because I absolutely have no other support for homeschooling the kids. My mother has actually even said she won't watch them during hours they could be in school. I don't even drive because of my fibromyalgia.
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The cost of living is less here than a lot of other places, largely because there are fewer and lower taxes. Wages right now are still good, but that could change fast. Seems like the most important thing for you right now is to figure out how to plug the leaks in your budget.
Do you have a nice, heavy frying pan? >:D
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Do you have a nice, heavy frying pan?
Ahem, is that not in violation of the almighty "ZAP"? ;D :-\
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Hi Jaclyn,
Welcome to the forum. I'm not here very often, because I too have a 4 and 2 year old. The opposite of you; my boy is 4 my girl is 2. I too am going to homeschool, actually already started "Teach your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lesson" (highly recommend) to my 4 yr old, he likes it. I'm sorry to hear that you do not have any support, with homeschooling or moving. As for as homeschooling, try and find a local homeschool co-op in your area. I found one at a local church, it meets just once a week. My son loves it.
As far as the budget I highly recommend, without reservation; "The Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey. http://www.daveramsey.com/ This changed our lives and would never want to go back. It does take some work but is more than worth it. Before we found his book, I would be in tears at least a couple times a week from the overwhelming amount of medical bills, well and just everyday bills.
We were planning on moving this summer to WY ourselves, for a couple of reasons it isn't looking too likely right now. The housing market is horrible for trying to sell a house in our area as there are TONS of foreclosures in our neck of the woods, and it doesn't look like we can sell our house for enough to be able to even afford to move. The other is the work situation. My husband's job is very secure; since he's the sole breadwinner & we have to rely on employer provided medical insurance in our current position, we're a bit nervous about the possibility of his having to change jobs to something that is less secure. I have no doubt my husband could find work, but who's to say that as a new employee somewhere, he'll be more likely to get laid off if the job he finds ends up needing to trim staff.
Feel free to PM (private message) me if you would like. Good luck with everything. We'll keep you in our prayers.
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Hey Homeschooling moms: Don't be in such a rush to teach your children reading and other "formal" things 2 is still a baby and 4 is very very young too. I've just finished a 30 year teaching career in the public schools and applaud any mom (or dad) who homeschools. Your children will profit so much you can hardly believe it. All the homeschool children I've met have done very very well in college, jobs and life in general because they are responsible and independent.
You are going to have to get control of your budget whether you move or not or you will destroy your peace and happiness.
Good luck!
Lynn (springtime 06)
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Dear Homeschooling Moms,
I'm now reading John Taylor Gatto's new book, Weapons of Mass Instruction, and I too am going to homeschool once my starts gets older (he's 1 now). My wife and I feel that getting to Wyoming as soon as possible is soooo important due to the heightened precariousness out there, both of you sound really intelligent and caring so I'm sure you can land on your feet when get to Wyoming.
Best of Luck and God Bless,
Izzy
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My wife was resistant at first. Now she's as hot to move as I am. I didn't nag, just gently fell in love with the idea of moving to Wyoming, and she caught the spark from me.
She quit a wonderful job of 15 years yesterday. It's a big step. We're visiting Wyoming next week, and moving in July or August (as soon as we can find a place we like.)
Basically the conclusion we came to is "You can't cross a chasm in two small steps." If we waited to do the move really comfortably, we'd never do it.
MWD
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Do you have a nice, heavy frying pan?
Ahem, is that not in violation of the almighty "ZAP"? ;D :-\
Hmmm, did I say anything about actually hitting anybody with it? :o I carry a gun all the time and that's not aggression. It's just handy in case there's a real need.
Guess I meant mostly that you need to be truly SERIOUS about getting control of your budget. :) It might be the difference between life and death - and that time may be coming all too soon.
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regarding security: Friday was DJ's last day. Our health and life insurance ran out on Friday at midnight. (We turned into uninsured pumpkins!)
We're totally fine with that. Thought it would be scary, but instead of being nervous about visiting/moving, we're both having euphoric butterflies in the stomach. It's a giddy good feeling.
MWD
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California did well by me and Debra Jean for decades. We both grew and prospered here in a lot of ways. And we met each other here, which was the best thing that every happened to either of us.
But California has outlived its usefulness. It's changed, and we've changed, in different directions.
I sound like I'm writing a "dear john" letter to a state! I like that!
I remember hearing this thing that drug addicts in recovery do, people sometimes write a "dear john" letter to their drug.
I was addicted to California for a long time. Couldn't ever picture being anywhere else. But now I can't picture being here much longer. I'm not going nuts over it, I'm comfortable (as long as I don't go outside among the people much!), but the fact that we're moving makes it tollerable.
I guess I have been "saying goodbye" to it for a while, since even before we decided for sure to move by this fall.
Today when I walked to the post office, I sort of talked to the field and the trees and the hills in my mind and said goodbye. Sort of told nature around here "I'll miss you. You'd be a great place to live if it weren't for all this Californians!"
MWD
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jpheonix -
I guess what I'm trying to say is I totally understand the feeling of insurmountably of leaving the familiar. It's emotional, and it's difficult sometimes.
But want to give you my "experience, strength and hope" that it can be surmounted.
MWD
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Dear MWD
We moved from California to Park City, Utah to be near and help out with my grandchildren. It's been wonderful but I miss the California warm weather. I'm getting old and creaky in the joints and warm, and hot weather, feels wonderful to me. But we have our house up for sale and we'll see.
I'm not sure anywhere is going to be "free" when Obama and the other republicrats get through with us, but it would be nice ot have gun toting neighbors and friends nearby.
I don't believe Wyoming will ever be crowded or have high housing prices or people fighting over jobs: it's just too cold, look at the demographics of the U.S.: people are wimps and want warm weather and except for the N.Y. area the big movements are all South. I am even considering Nevada and I love freedom and have been a freedom fighter for a generation, since I joined the Libertarian Party in 1987.
My mate hates hot weather so Wyoming is his 2nd choice (his first choice is to move back to San Diego! There's a job there for him) I hate California government so Wyoming is my 2nd choice. I also like the Las Vegas area because it's midway between grandchildren on an easy road. Getting anywhere from Cody (probably my chosen town) is very difficult driving wise.
Anyway as someone said on here it's all priorities. I do miss getting together with liberty minded people at least once a week, there are actually a lot of them in San Diego and Las Vegas but almost none in the Salt Lake city area.
I love entertaining and will have big parties for all of you if/when we move there.
See you all at the Jamboree next month.
springtime06
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Dear MWD
We moved from California to Park City, Utah to be near and help out with my grandchildren....
I love entertaining and will have big parties for all of you if/when we move there.
See you all at the Jamboree next month.
springtime06
We won't be at the Jamboree, we'll be back here tying up lose ends to move. Will be there before, and will be moving not too long after. But unfortunately it ain't in the cards to make it this year.
Park City is nice (when it's not overrun in the winter with liberal Hollywood. I've been there then, and in the summer, and like it better in the summer.)
My in-laws summer near Park City, which is one more reason for us to live in Wyoming, we can see them more often. (My in-laws are not the stereotype, they're people I actually adore hanging out with!)
MWD
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Welcome everybody!! This is sewingdove in Riverton, central part of the state. Living in Wy is like what living in Co was when i grew up there. slow paced, rural as you want, 4-H, fairs, neighbors, outdoors activity. Now i hate hitting that Co line when traveling, so tense and busy. My words of advice are about worrying about insurance. I had a heart attack in 99 and DH was injured on the job, oh gee, suddenly no income, no power, no insurance. Best thing that ever happened to us. Because we had to, we learned to do without it all, have continued to learn about herbs and alternative medicine, we have insurance now but seldom ever use it. Just take care of ourselves. I did plan and do any needed surgeries, glasses, dental work etc. this year because we plan on me retiring ASAP. AM looking forward to not jumping through their hoops again, What i keep seeing in my head is the dust bowl days when people didn't move until they had to, then had no resources to do so. Many places you will never sell a house, and will eventually lose it anyway. ANd by then will not be able to relocate. Abandon the impossible to reach for the dream. And our pioneet ancestors piled it all in a wagon and headed west. They had to have resources for 6 months of living needs but off they went. No doctors, and they thought spiritual support was more important. Be realistic, things are going to get much worse, circumstances are only going to deteriorate, go while it is still possible. But focus on what your spiritual direction points you to. That is most important. God bless and speed you.
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I am even considering Nevada ...
CA "East", huh? LOL! :)
Actually, we live in NV about 10 miles southeast of Lake Tahoe. It's very nice here, but we're planning on moving to WY for several reasons - to be closer to family, to live near other like minded folks, and to live in a place that is not as far down the road to complete nanny-statism than others.
We're working on selling our home so we can get to WY. If you seriously looking at NV, PM me for details.
Lynda
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Well, I grew up in Calif. in the 50s and 60s. It has certainly changed
from that time, but it's been only more corrupt and unfree since then. I
can't help but wish I'd never seen the place. sigh... And I don't give
California any credit for my children or much of anything else. My life
happened in spite of California, not really because of it. But maybe I'm
different. I know now that I never really belonged there in the first
place. It was never my "home." I came HOME - for the first time in my
life - when I came to Wyoming. Amazing.
I can never adequately articulate what I felt when I crossed from Utah
to Wyoming that fateful day of my move. We stopped just across the border in a
little town to get gas and I got out of the truck to walk around. It was
dry, rocky, bleak and treeless there. I walked to the edge of a bluff
and took a deep breath. Suddenly I felt as if arms had come around me,
giving me a warm and loving hug of welcome. It hit me hard at that
moment - that I finally had a real HOME, for the first time in my life
(though I had no idea where I would live, if I would find work, or much
of anything else). I was free, at peace and much loved! And this was
well before I found the healing for my physical/medical problems!!! It
was, of course, the beginning of that process. Can't wait to share that
story with you!
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Howdy jpheonix ,Anybody from TMM will fit right in with this bunch ! Glad you introduced yourself here.
Have you looked for jobs in Wyoming that might be a good fit for your husband? Might even find something with less hours and more pay ? This might add a little spark of incentive to look a little closer at your idea of moving. Keep the faith and do not be shy, we have a pretty good bunch of folks here, lots of good help.
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Homeschoolers and prospective homeschoolers should examine the possibility of not registering with the so-called authorities. It is none of their business. Few if any "non-compliant" homeschoolers regret being so, and many "compliant" ones wish they had not registered!
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To Judith:
I want to discuss herbs and alternative therapies with you. It's something I believe in too. (I'm grateful for the hip replacement I just received last July however, a life shanging surgery) Maybe I would not have needed it if I"d followed the "arthritis diet".
springtime06
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Thank you everyone for your warm welcomes, sorry to say the cast iron skillet disappeared a few moves ago, but I have my grandmother's rolling pin. ;D
Riverton does actually have a RentACenter, but I'm hoping Jared will think about turning some of his "hobbies" into income too. Sales positions are widely varied, and although he doesn't mind getting his hands dirty, he's not made for industrial work.
I have no intentions of registering my daughter, but someone needs to keep their mouth shut. ::) We live on the line between a nice small town and the run down end of a small city there are too many people who can't MYOOB. This includes my relatives.
I'm honestly in the process of selling everything I have that's unneeded and worth a frn, but boy do I have a lot of junk to go through.
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I was looking at local laws in Rawins, WY, and kinda balked when I realized we're supposed to register our cats if we live there, even if they stay inside. (Good luck getting them to wear collars and keep them on!). I mentioned it to my wife and she said, "We're supposed to register them here, too.
I had no idea! I've been carrying unregistered concealed cats for years!
MWD
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Hey Phoenix,
It's not just people talking, it's all the unauthorized snitches in our society now. My friend who homeschools took her son to the emergency room with an ear ache and the doctor started grilling him: why wasn't he in school, what school did he go to, etc etc. He said he's homeschooled and the Dr. said "Is your mom a certified teacher?" (you dont have to be, to homeschool) the dr finally shut up when my friend told him to but she left the hospital feeling she would n't go there again and would deal with medical emergencies herself.
Sigh, it's all around us.
This took place in California but it happened to a friend of mine here in Utah too.....
Springtime06i
We have a ton of stuff for sale too but so far no takers, thought the things would go fast, esp leftover building materials because of the recession, what a disappointment.
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I do miss getting together with liberty minded people at least once a week, there are actually a lot of them in San Diego and Las Vegas but almost none in the Salt Lake city area.
springtime06, regarding the bolded part.....I currently live in SD and would like to know who you're referring to. Do you mean individuals or groups? Might be a while before I can visit WY and it'd be great to do some local networking with like-minded people. I've found it tough to find any significant number of folks with that general mindset (and are serious about it) around here - then again, maybe I've been looking in the wrong places. If you have any leads, I'd appreciate them. Feel free to PM me. Thanks!
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Another thing you should look into jpheonix is the HSLDA; http://www.hslda.org/Default.asp?bhcp=1. This is the Home School Legal Defense Association. One they have a wealth of information on their website. Next they protect us Homeschoolers from busy bodies that want to stick their nose in our business and throw their weight around, including Government agencies that think they know how to raise our children better than we, the parents, do!! >:(
The annual fees you pay them would come in handy if you did have a legal issue regarding homeschooling. They will back you 100%. It is basically home school insurance.
As much as I agree with Paul B. the reality is what Springtime06 mentioned. There are those nosy jerks that cause problems. Which again where the HSLDA can come in handy!! ;)
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Some people consider HSLDA to be the NRA of homeschooling. :)
There comes a time (usually when one gets older, I think) when a person has to stop worrying about rules and regulations and snitches and what-not, and start living free. Conversely, lack of freedom happens more because of what's in a person's own brain than anything else. All governments depend on willing or grudging compliance from the peons; they simply don't have the time or manpower to force compliance on everyone. Therefore, the very least one can do for freedom is withhold compliance until actually forced.
Of course, it depends on the actual subject we are talking about. Some actions are more risky than others. Inform yourself before attempting this...