A Little Creative Outlet

Right up front, here is your warning.  I am on a ramble. I really have nothing to say today, but I need to air some thoughts that are getting all tangled up in my brain. You will find nothing interesting here, so just click on one of my friends or links and go visit someone else.  I'm waiting... You're leaving, right? Okay, thank you.

Supper tonight.  Man at office.  Kids don't want cereal, so it's left over spaghetti or else left over roast and potatoes.  Better get started.

Iron Pastor's shirt for tomorrow.
Bathe kids and braid hair. 
Make list for trip next week.
Grocery list for trip.
Walmart for Father's Day project.
Prescription refill.
Mop floors.
Curriculum purchase list for next year.
Things to do list for the coming week. Wait.  That's what this is.
Look at SS lesson for tomorrow. Find mnemonic device for lesson.
Get Alison to sew her dress.
Pay Kristy for bagels.
Clean bathroom.
Dishes
Bake more chocolate chip cookies to feed my habit.

I'm still walking two miles a day.  The fact that I have lost neither an ounce or a millimeter in six, no, SEVEN! weeks,  is very discouraging (that has nothing to do with aforementioned habit!), and so is this fluid in my legs.  The only thing that keeps me going is the fact that my dear husband is really, REALLY pleased that I am doing something active.  (He is an avid cyclist.  I'll never be THAT active.)

And, yesterday I did a really Big Thing.  I allowed my two oldest girls, 13 and 11, to walk to the library and back together, without me.  It's only 1/2 mile away, but we stick out like a sore thumb in this town, and I just don't want anyone accosting them about the way they dress, the fact that we homeschool, the fact they are alone, or anything else.  It was a major letting-go type thing!  Some of you think I am crazy because you allowed your five year old to get on the school bus, and others of you think I am crazy because I allowed them out of the house without supervision. Truly I did feel like I just put my little kids on the bus, and I even got a little tear in my eye when they walked out the door. They, on the other hand, were ecstatic with their newfound freedom.  Now Alizona wants to go to the library every day, of course, and do her school there. LOL!  No way.  Sorry, kids.  Once in a lifetime is all you get. Silly me, I know. But I still don't think you can shelter kids too much in this nutso world today.  Well, they might talk me into it again sometime.  Maybe when they are twenty-one. Or thirty.

My four year old, Emily, wrote a story this week, complete with photo illustration:
"I once was a litl girl. And a lian came. The lian went ror! The end."
Looks like I have another writer.

More rambles.  The family room has been a sore spot with all of us of late, and it takes too much energy, and time, and organizational skill to clean it.  And besides, "That's not my stuff."  Some of you know how that is.  So, bless her little pointed head, Amy took on the "school" cabinet, which was a disaster, and put it all in order.  Then she took on her own desk area, which was a bigger disaster, and got that nicely cleaned up and organized, AND she cleaned up a cabinet that contains all our photo albums and a bunch of other stuff.  I know now that she is not my child, because she said, "Mom! Organizing is FUN!"  I don't know where she came from.  Must have switched her at the hospital.

Amy's cleaning was contagious.  Elisabeth tackled her totally hopeless bedroom and almost finished it.  Alison sorted and organized all the books in the dining room, where we have a built-in china hutch turned very full bookshelf. 

Amy just finished her school work for the year, but she is ready for school to start up again. Now that the house is "clean" (it really has a long way to go), there is "nothing to do"! LOL!  Alas, poor kid, I have not ordered her stuff for next year yet.

Last of all, I was really disappointed I got outbid by 50¢ this afternoon on a box of prepared microscope slides on eBay. I really wanted those things.  Too bad I'm such a cheapskate.

I think I am done rambling now.  If you're still here, thank you for listening. Have a nice weekend.

Carnival of Homeschooling

The 126th Carnival of Homeschooling is being hosted this week by Jacque Dixon, right here.

Jacque says, "This is the end of the school year.  Or is it?"  Head over and find out!

The next issue, June 3, will be held at Tami’s Blog.

Submit your blog article to the next edition of Carnival of Homeschooling using the carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on the blog carnival index page. Submissions are due by Monday at 6 p.m.

Summer Science

We were blessed to be able to borrow two microscopes from our local high school for the summer, a dissecting scope and a slide scope.  My online search for a lending library where we might find some prepared slides was not successful, but I did find this:

The Biology Education Advancement Program (BioLEAP), a program of the National Anti-Vivisection Society, is "an extensive library of state-of-the-art dissection alternatives that are available on a FREE loan basis to students, teachers, school boards and others interested in advancing science education". 

Did you see that?  FREE!!  I love free stuff.  If I understand it right, when you borrow these items, you pay only the return shipping. NAVS takes your credit card number so that they can charge you a late fee if you don't get your loan items back promptly.

"NAVS’ (National Anti-Vivisection Society) comprehensive library of alternatives includes dozens of high-relief, three dimensional plastic models, computer software programs, color transparencies, videotapes and other materials that teach fundamental scientific principles to students from elementary through the post-graduate level without sacrificing animals in the process.  A wide range of species are included in the library, from invertebrates to frogs, starfish, perch, shark, rats, cats, fetal pig and humans." 

So.  I didn't find slides.  But I think I found a source for some other great science materials.  Anyone know where I can find slides already made? Cheap? I want a paramecium, allium root mitosis, blood cells, etc. the usual high school stuff.

I think I'll share this at Weblink Wednesday.  For more great links, see Val.

Western Arizona Container Gardening

Cherry Tomato Has-Been

Geranium Has-Been

Bell Pepper Has-Been

 

On second thought, it's one way to make roasted vegetables...

A Teen Follows Her Conscience

It is always a HUGE blessing to me when  young person does what is right, not when  their parents told them they had to, but when they choose to of their own volition.  I have seen a few examples of that here at HSB, most recently at Jocelyn Dixon's blog. Those of you who know Jocelyn know that she is (was) a HUGE fan of "Lord of the Rings".  But when she read  this article and this article, written by a former witch turned Christian, Jocelyn knew in her heart that LOTR is NOT of God, and has no place in the life or heart of a Christian.  Go read her post.  She did an excellent job.

Grape Juice Update

It worked! I gave Emily grape juice with honey three times yesterday, and I think she coughed the same number of times the entire day.  AH, peace!  Last night I coated the soles of her feet with Vicks VapoRub (thanks Michelle!) and we did not hear even one cough last night.  I am so thankful.  Emily got some sleep, and so did the rest of us!  Thank the Lord for simple things.

Victory Over Anger

Okay, I admit it, this entry is an unpaid advertisement.  A few weeks ago my DH and pastor ordered a set of Dr. S.M. Davis's (www.solvefamilyproblems.com) DVD's on the subject of anger, to share with some of the families in our church.  Besides the fact that we know people who might benefit from this good teaching, we ourselves are a little bit (?) prone to some anger, ourselves. (Unless you are one of the, maybe, two families I have known in my life who don't seem to have any trouble with anger, this is for you, too!)  Our family began watching the DVD's together last week.

Oh me.  After ONE DVD (out of five in the set), I was under deep conviction. Compounded by my own husband's recent preaching on walking after the Spirit, I knew I needed to change some things.  Not like I didn't know that before, but sometimes the Lord really gets your attention, you know what I mean?

I won't give away everything (not even close), but did you know that anger is NOT one of the fruits of the spirit, of Galatians 5:22?    And did you know that there is NO Biblically justifiable reason for anger?  Dr. Davis does a good job of explaining away the myth of "righteous indignation". Did you also know that parents who have a spirit of anger will eventually lose their children's hearts?  I do not want to lose my girls' hearts. SO.  I have spent some time with the Lord, confessing sin and asking him to free me from the spirit of anger. I am very happy to report that to my knowledge (though I am prone to self-deception, I'm sure), I have not displayed even the spirit of anger for a week and a half now.  Thank the Lord.  In one week I can tell the difference in my children's attitudes.  I am so grateful to the Lord.

Romans 2:4 "..Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?"

Yes, God is good.  I am very thankful for Dr. Davis's wisdom, for my DH getting these DVD's, and for the Lord's help to overcome a destructive personality problem (SIN). 

Dr. Davis has many other interesting-looking titles, also. Check these out these samples:
"Overcoming Discouragement" DVD
"Changing the Heart of a Rebel" DVD
"How to Help Rebellious Adopted or Step-Children" DVD
"How to Avoid the Destructiveness of a Wrong Self-Image" DVD
"How a Wife Can Use Reverence to Build or Save Her Marriage" DVD
"The Attitude No Lady Should Have" DVD
"The Consequences of Living Life Without a Pastor" CD
"Why Satan Wants Your Firstborn and What to Do About It" DVD

125th Carnival of Homeschooling

Join Sylvia at Po Moyemu -- In My Opinion for this week's Carnival. 

Here are a few teasers to get you started:

"I just came across this post on Sandra Dodd's blog and really liked the message, so I'm including it here. It's called Happiness, Freedom and Peace of Mind. She begins with this, "Joyce Fetteroll posted this on Always Learning. She got it from Word-a-Day e-mail or somewhere like that. It's worth putting where I can find it easily again and others can see it.

There is a wonderful mythical law of nature that the three things we crave most in life—happiness, freedom, and peace of mind—are always attained by giving them to someone else.

—General Peyton C. March (1864-1955)"

"Rose presents Just call me Mom posted at Learning at Home, adding, "Of all my names "Mom" is my favorite."

"Andrea presents My secret reason for homeschooling posted at Kids and Nature. Love this! "There are lots of reasons people choose to homeschool their children. I'm not going to go into all of them, you can take a peek here if you're interested. My secret reason did not make the top ten. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, it's not a particularly honorable sentiment, it won't make a great slogan or lead a movement. I homeschool my children because I'm too lazy to take them to school." Wonder what non-homeschoolers will have to say about this one? Though I think that maybe lazy marks this unnecessarily as a negative--I'd spin this as, "I have better things to do with my time than waste it taking them to school!" :) Don't you agree?"

"From The Reluctant Homeschooler we have On medical leave, 'Unlike many moms, I both homeschool and work. When I began homeschooling in late January, it never crossed my mind that I could get sick - so sick that I would have to take medical leave. I can take a leave from work, but how would I keep school going? I'm managing somehow, but it feels like I get nothing done.'"

 

Some good posts are awaiting your attention!

To submit an entry, go here.

To see the schedule, go here.

To see the archives, go here.

 

Tasty Cough Remedy

I have a diseased child. She is covered head to toe with hives and another, different sort of rash, and has a tremendous cough that is trying to bring her heart right out of her little body, poor kid.  To top it all off, she is allergic to Rondec DM, and now Robitussin DM, as we just found out.  I assume the culprit is the dextromethorphan (DM), but I thought I gave her the Robitussin just a few months ago, with no side effects...? 

Anyway, last night, with a bit of help from Becca, I did some research on a home remedy for coughing.  Can you believe this?  Grape juice.  How easy!  Nothing to extract, boil, pulverize, etc.  I poured Emily a cup, warmed it up a tad, and added a bit of honey to it.  That was about two hours ago, and we have not heard a cough since!  Will keep you posted... if this works, it is a God-send.  I'm sure God gave us everything we would need when he made the world, anyway.

Beach Day

Well, guess what, I did go to the lake, after all, and I took a zillion pictures (thank the Lord for digital cameras). These photos are going to look just like the ones I took last year at the lake.  Same lake, same hot sun, same kids, same swimsuits, even!   It was 115, just like I thought.  We didn't get there until 3 pm, and we still sunburned.  I put my toes in the water a couple of times, and I can't believe the kids actually got in.  (My DH did, too, but he's like that. )  The beach was packed, well, there might have been 50 people there, but that's too many for our liking.  We go wayyyy down on the end where there isn't anybody. Problem is, we have to walk by all of them on our way out.  Sorry about all the pixelation.  Someday I'll figure out how to post photos right, but not right now. I'm going to bed.  See you tomorrow!

Still Alive and Kicking

Yep, we're still here.  Two thirds done with school, fighting hard to get that third one finished.  If she doesn't get working, she is going to have to do without a vacation, and that will not be good for any of us!  I have yet to pick out stuff for next year... tired of the same old, but I admit it, I am too lazy and/or unorganized to do unit studies or something else that would be FUN.  I need a couple weeks alone on a secluded tropical island, with internet, of course, to concentrate and figure it all out. While I was there, I could starve myself and just drink iced tea, and lose a few pounds.  Speaking of which, here is my

MOMS Exercise Challenge Update:  Can you believe it, I am posting this on time.  I'm still at it.  But I am really battling fluid retention.  Does anyone else have trouble with this when you start exercising??  My lower legs ache so bad while I am walking.  They feel like they are going to explode. Tried a bike ride the other day instead, and I remember now why I hate riding bike. In addition to my usual, but forgotten, bicycle complaints, I discovered some ancient flab-encrusted muscles that I would rather just not know about. lol!  I thought I had lost 3 1/2 pounds, but now with the fluid, I can't tell.  I'll just say I am doing it for toning and to clear my brain.  This morning Alison and I got out there at 6:15 and it was already too hot out.  Might have to switch to evenings, when, I know, it will be hotter, but for some reason the sun doesn't feel so direct as it does in the morning.  The evening heat is more enveloping.  Maybe that will help my old muscles warm up.

The past couple of weeks I have been working on a big project, which I can tell you more about later... in about a month.  It's my mom and dad's fiftieth wedding anniversary this June, that's all I can say for now.

We are off to the lake this afternoon.  It is 115° out, and I am debating whether or not to go along.  My kids might need a photographer .  But the water is a chilly 60°, so going in is out, and I don't relish having my head baked.  I have about 2 hours to decide. Hey, if I don't go along, I could BLOG all afternoon!!.... or sew, or clean, or write letters (yes, I do it the old fashioned way sometimes), or organize something, or make supper, or................staying home is looking good. 

Carnival of Homeschooling

 

This week's Carnival of Homeschooling is hosted by Mom Is Teaching.  A nice variety of entries were submitted, so let the laundry and dusting go (they'll still be there tomorrow), and go learn some things.

Bloggers interested in submitting a post for next week, click here for submission form.

MOM Exercise Challenge and other stuff

Late as usual. Really late. Two weeks and a day late. But I'm here! I am surviving my new morning walking routine quite well, even benefiting from it. What's nice is that the benefits of walking are greater than just physical.  Most days I have a walking partner, either my DH or Alizona.  It is with us as my dad pointed out to me recently; we actually talk to each other during this half-hour, which is something we would not do if we were at home just doing our own thing. It has been a blessing to have personal time with both of them. That is something that is difficult to do in a house full of people, even though we are together all the time.

So. The progress report.  Well, I am up to two miles a day, actually rolling out of bed early to get it done before the sun is too hot. (That translates to getting out the door before 6:30 a.m.)  I have lost a few pounds, but that may be due to a bathroom scale that is very prone to fluctuation. It doesn't matter; I feel better for it.

How are the rest of you doing?  Leave a comment.  I know Kristy is doing great, but that is because I know her IRL. I have been weaning myself away from the computer and the blogging community lately, and have not been keeping up with the rest of you.

If you are interested in joining us moms of many on this challenge to get a bit of activity in our days, head over to Becca Beard's and sign up!

Happy Mother's Day

(this is booklover hacking her mom's blog)

Happy Mother's Day Mom!!!!!

I love you and I hope you have a wonderful day this Sunday.

Love Amy

Carnival of Homeschooling

Who does most of the teaching at your house?  Probably Mom.  Join Melissa Markham for the Mother's Day edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling. (Now, if I can only find a few hours to check out all those interesting-looking entries...)
 
If you would like to join in and submit a post for next week's Carnival, fill out this carnival submission form. 

Carnival of Homeschooling

Sorry I'm late, everyone.  I'm busy this week!  Here's the latest Carnival of Homeschooling, hosted by HomeschoolBuzz.com.  Click on this link to see some visions of the future.