The Reformation Polka

An entertaining and clever way to learn a short history of the Reformation. Enjoy... but beware, I now can't get the chorus our of my head! (I am impressed that someone could work the word "transubstantiation" into a song... and rhyme it!)

The Reformation Polka
by Robert Gebel

[Sung to the tune of "Supercalifragilistic-expialidocious"]

When I was just ein junger Mann I studied canon law
While Erfurt was a challenge, it was just to please my Pa.
Then came the storm, the lightning struck, I called upon Saint Anne,
I shaved my head, I took my vows, an Augustinian!

Oh...

Papal bulls, indulgences, and transubstantiation
Speak your mind against them and face excommunication!
Nail your theses to the door, let's start a Reformation!
Papal bulls, indulgences, and transubstantiation!

When Tetzel came near Wittenberg, St. Peter's profits soared,
I wrote a little notice for the All Saints' Bull'tin board:
"You cannot purchase merits, for we're justified by grace!
Here's 95 more reasons, Brother Tetzel, in your face!"

Oh...

Papal bulls, indulgences, and transubstantiation
Speak your mind against them and face excommunication!
Nail your theses to the door, let's start a Reformation!
Papal bulls, indulgences, and transubstantiation!

They loved my tracts, adored my wit, all were exempleror;
The Pope, however, hauled me up before the Emperor.
"Are these your books? Do you recant?" King Charles did demand,
"I will not change my Diet, Sir, God help me here I stand!"

Oh...

Papal bulls, indulgences, and transubstantiation
Speak your mind against them and face excommunication!
Nail your theses to the door, let's start a Reformation!
Papal bulls, indulgences, and transubstantiation!

Duke Frederick took the Wise approach, responding to my words,
By knighting "George" as hostage in the Kingdom of the Birds.
Use Brother Martin's model if the languages you seek,
Stay locked inside a castle with your Hebrew and your Greek!

Oh...

Papal bulls, indulgences, and transubstantiation
Speak your mind against them and face excommunication!
Nail your theses to the door, let's start a Reformation!
Papal bulls, indulgences, and transubstantiation!

Let's raise our steins and Concord Books while gathered in this place,
And spread the word that 'catholic' is spelled with lower case;
The Word remains unfettered when the Spirit gets his chance,
So come on, Katy, drop your lute, and join us in our dance!

Oh...

Papal bulls, indulgences, and transubstantiation
Speak your mind against them and face excommunication!
Nail your theses to the door, let's start a Reformation!
Papal bulls, indulgences, and transubstantiation!

HT: Stepping Heavenward

*short historical note: When Luther wrote his theses and was asked to recant his teachings in front of the Diet of Worms, he was heartbroken and pained... not defiant as this song, and many other sources, suggests. The last thing Luther wanted was to break from the Catholic Church. He loved the Church and wanted to see change within her in areas where he felt she had gone astray (namely, in the paying for indulgences... especially as the Church grew wealthy while its parishoners starved.)

The flier that changed history...

Out of love for the truth and the desire to bring it to light, the following propositions will be discussed at Wittenberg, under the presidency of the Reverend Father Martin Luther, Master of Arts and of Sacred Theology, and Lecturer in Ordinary on the same at that place. Wherefore he requests that those who are unable to be present and debate orally with us, may do so by letter.

In the Name our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

-introduction to Disputation of Martin Luther on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences by Martin Luther (1517), a.k.a. The 95 Theses

Other Luther quotes:

Be a sinner and sin strongly, but more strongly have faith and rejoice in Christ.

Let the wife make the husband glad to come home, and let him make her sorry to see him leave.

Pray and let God worry.

Happy Reformation Day!

The Nearest Book

As seen on Mental Multivitamin:

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next four sentences on your blog (or here in the comments section if you don't have a blog) along with these instructions.
5. Don't you dare dig around for that "cool" or "intellectual" book on your shelves. (I know you were thinking about it.) Just pick up whatever is closest.

Here is my contribution:

"He would have none of what those big fellows tried to sell him. So it's up to us, boys. You know, something different, unusual, but in good taste, and you know different. Now do your best!"

Can you guess the book?

(To be completely honest, this was the second closest book to me, geographically speaking. I just picked it up at the library book sale this morning and haven't started reading it yet. The closest book was Shepherding A Child's Heart, but there was no writing on p. 123.)

Art Can Be Dangerous

Whenever our kids go bike riding or rollerblading or go tearing around on their scooters, we make them wear their helmets. At every checkup, the doctor asks our kids if they wear their helmets when on wheels or ride in a booster seat in the car. No one told me that helmets would be necessary in art class.

This past Tuesday, I had this elaborate art project all set up (I always have high hopes for art… I should know better). I had spent days cutting out pictures, words, letters, numbers, etc from magazines and had spent that morning getting out scissors, paper, fabric, glue, and every other craft item I could think of so that the kids could work on collages in the style of Romare Bearden. Quarto was going to join us, so I set up a little spot for him with some paper and crayons since he finds glue “yucky” (although tasty). Being a typical “I want it therefore I must have it NOW” two-year-old, he immediately climbed onto his chair and stood to reach for the crayon box before I could move it within his reach. As he thrust himself forward by pushing against the chair, the chair, obeying Newton’s Third Law of Motion, shot away from the table. That’s when the Law of Gravity took its cue, and Quarto plummeted to the floor. Unfortunately for Quarto’s forehead, Secondo had moved closer to him in an attempt to catch him and his head met the edge of her chair on the way down. Then there was silence. If you are a parent, you know exactly what I am talking about. That nanosecond where the world stops spinning and sound waves are held at bay while your heart sinks into your gut. Then came the scream. An ear-piercing scream that expresses a toddler’s shock clearer than any Shakespearean oration. A scream that says, “That chair just attacked me! Can you believe it?! Me! Of all people!”

Primo and I took turns holding a compress on Quarto’s head and gathering changes of clothes and making phone calls. I take pride that I live in a neighborhood where many moms stay home during the day, but wouldn’t you know it… none were home Tuesday afternoon! Instead, I had to set people’s imaginations reeling when I called Frodo’s school and told the secretary that there was an emergency at home and I needed Frodo to come home immediately. By the time Frodo got home, the bleeding was under control, the kitchen was cleaned up, Terzo was comforting Quarto, Primo was crying and saying how much she loved Quarto and didn’t want him to die, and Secondo was asking, “Mom, how come when I look at Quarto’s cut I get dizzy? Can you see his skull?”

The emergency room visit was amazingly fast. We were on our way home about an hour and a half after we arrived. Quarto was amazing. He only cried twice: 1) when the triage nurse removed the duct tape band aid Frodo had put over the cut which caused the bleeding to restart and 2) when the doctor gave him the shot of anesthetic. He winced at one point when the doctor moved the needle into his line of vision, and when she apologized, Quarto said, sniffling, “That’s okay.” Before the doctor could come stitch up Quarto, she had to give another little one stitches. I was panicking because she was screaming bloody murder, and I was afraid it was going to scare Quarto, but Quarto amazed me. Do you know what he did? He looked at me and said, “That baby crying. We pray her?” So while waiting for his own stitches, he and I were praying for the little girl to have peace and healing. I love my kids.

Quarto is doing fine. The cut was rather deep, so he needed two sub dermal stitches and four surface stitches. We’ve been calling him ‘Franken-Toddler’ and he shows his “tiches” to anyone who will look. His stitches don’t come out until the day after our family photo. I could reschedule the photo, I suppose, but why avoid a photo that will recall so many scary and wonderful memories for years to come?

All this because the poor boy wanted to hold the power of ‘Sunshine Yellow’ in the palm of his hand.

Alive and Well

A couple weeks ago, I promised an update, so here it is. I hope it doesn’t disappoint. We have been having great fun, but someone else’s experiences read are never as exciting as one’s own experiences lived.

Actually, the main reason we have been scarce (especially ‘virtual me’) is that we found a school day routine that works really well for us, and I haven’t wanted to interfere with it by coming online during school hours. If we stay on track, school takes anywhere from 4 to 6 hours depending on the subjects we are studying that day. What about after school hours? Well, I have been trying not to do much housework while teaching, so I have to do housework during quiet times and after the kids go to bed. Thus, my screen time has been limited.

I thought this year would be more of a challenge because I am teaching three grades, kindergarten, third and fourth, and in many ways it is more of a challenge. However, I have always done better under pressure than I have when I have seemingly limitless time, so I think that has worked to my advantage this year. Primo and Secondo have many subjects that they can do together… history, chemistry, Latin, grammar, art, music, some math, and Bible. They do some math and spelling separately. Terzo joins them for Bible, art and music.

He even joined in our last Chemistry experiment (who can pass-up making marshmallow molecules?). The main focus with Terzo this year is learning to read, but he insisted on doing math, so I pulled out the first grade Saxon Math book, and he loves it. He also loves word finds, so I print out a new word find every time he learns a new phonics sound. (By the way, if you haven’t discovered Enchanted Learning, I highly recommend it. This is where I get Terzo’s word finds, and I have gotten art and science pages here as well. It is well worth the $20 annual fee to become a member and have access to additional pages and remove the advertising from printouts.) Keeping Quarto occupied has been a bit rough, and apparently including him in our studies can be hazardous to his health.

As to what else we’ve been up to:

-4H for the girls

-Soccer for Primo

-Cub Scouts for Terzo

-Keepers at Home for the girls

-Weekly library trips for everyone

-Homeschool Book Club for Primo, Secondo and Terzo

-Square Dancing lessons for the girls (although Terzo joins for the line dances)

-celebration of International Talk Like A Pirate Day

-field trip to the Smithsonian’s Folk Life Festival for everyone

-Field trip to the zoo for everyone

-joint field trip to Native American Day at the local museum with Aduladi’ Homeschool Academy

-Titus 2 bi-monthly meetings with another homeschool family from our church for me and the kids

-Bi-monthly cleaning exchanges with a second homeschool family from our church for me and the kids

-Bi-monthly Sunday night teaching at church of 2 and 3 year olds for me and Frodo while the kids go to their own classes

-American Girl Book Club at the library for Secondo

-Series of Unfortunate Events party at the library for the girls (they won a copy of The End… very cool)

-monthly homeschool support meetings for me

-graduate school classes and thesis writing for Frodo

-teaching weekly childbirth class for me (this includes making dinner for the couple I’m teaching… it is one of Frodo’s former students and his wife and we all have a wonderful time when they come)

-Great Books Reading Partnership reading for me (I should be posting, too, but I haven’t had time)

And last but not least:

-potty training for Quarto

Yes, we’ve been busy, but we have been learning and having fun doing it. Soccer is almost over, Frodo will graduate in December, and the couple I’m teaching will have their baby. Even as these things end, other things are waiting to take their places… skating lessons, holidays, applications to Doctoral programs. But some things will remain the same… Sunday will remain a day of rest, family meal time will be protected, and we will look at every experience as a chance to glorify God and learn, learn, learn.

This is something I would do

Casino owner, Steve Wynn, was on track to sell his Picasso Le Reve for a record $139 million when his characteristic habit of animated gesturing while speaking caused him to accidentally thrust his elbow through the canvas and punch a hole in the painting! You can read the complete account here.

I guess now he's going to move to Australia.

Our Budding Environmentalist

Today we had an impromptu field trip to a semi-local little zoo. (aka: the kids earned free tickets to said zoo in the library's summer reading program, and the tickets were only good during the month of September, but since we received them in July, I forgot about them until last night and today was the only day this week we could go before the tickets expired, so... we went.) The zoo's brochures read "picnics welcome", so I packed up a stunning picnic of peanut butter and jelly on whole wheat bread, individual bottles of 100% apple juice, pretzles, and chocolate chip cookies for us to enjoy while at the zoo. The zoo had these great little picnic areas set up throughout the park so that you could eat while overlooking various paddocks throughout the park. The kids decided that they wanted to eat the first portion of thier lunches (i.e. PBJs and apple juice) while keeping an eye out for the black bear... who seemed to be in nap time like 90% of the other animals.

When we finished eating, I asked the kids to put thier trash in the trash can. Everyone dutifully gathered up thier sandwich wrappers, napkins, and juice bottles and placed them in the trash. Secondo was the last one at the trash can and distractedly (she was afraid to take her eyes off of the bear paddock for fear of missing the bear) placed her trash in the can... or so I thought.

After I heard the trash door close, I noticed that Secondo was slowly spinning around and looking confused. She still had her juice bottle in her hand.

"Where's the recycling bin?"

"I don't think they have them, munchkin. Just put your bottle in the trash can and we'll go see if we can see the bear from the other side." (Bad granola mommy, I know.)

"But this is a zoo. They take care of animals. They should have recycling bins."

"You're right. They should. But they don't, so just..."

"I'm going to hold on to my bottle and put it in the recycling bin when we get home."

"Okay, but you have to carry it." (attempting to make up for my reduce - reuse - recycle lapse with a good dose of personal property responsibility training)

"I know." (Pensive pause.) "Mom?"

"Yes?"

"Can I write a letter to the zoo people when we get home? They really should get recycling bins."

"Um... well... sure. That's a good idea." (Said in my best "don't sound shocked, be encouraging" voice)

Apparently that training by example thing really works. (Except that Secondo has me beat. I only recycle when it's convenient, apparently. I was so tempted to make everyone fish their bottles out of the trash can and take them all home to recycle them to save face.)

Time to get ready for...

Banned Books Week

September 23-30

The American Library Association has a list of the 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000. However, I like The Forbidden Library’s less-complete but amusingly annotated list of Banned and Challenged Books which includes selections covering the entire history of the written word.

Some quotes to put it all into perspective:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. - Constitution of the United States, Bill of Rights, Amendment 1

Censorship, like charity, should begin at home, but unlike charity, it should end there. -Clare Boothe Luce

First they burn books, then they burn people. – Unknown

The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.' -Ronald Reagan

The age-old question...

I was reading a couple of articles on homeschooling last night, and one of them brought up the age old question, “What about socialization?”

The National Education Association (NEA), the nation’s largest teacher’s union, said there is another hidden cost to home education. Home-educated students miss out on opportunities to build socials skills by not studying with their peers.

In a Feb. 26, 2002 letter to the National Home Education Network, former NEA president Bob Chase wrote his organization was “concerned that homeschooled students were not provided a comprehensive education experience because they did not have an opportunity to interact with students of different cultures, economic status or learning styles. They felt homeschooled students learned in a setting primarily made up (of) family members and friends.”

- Lessons From Home, Macomb Eagle, Sept. 13, 2006

My standard response to this argument is, “And that’s bad because…?”

If my goal were to raise a life-long eight-year-old or nine-year-old or Kindergartener, maybe I wouldn’t be so concerned that my child spent all of his/her time around other eight-year-olds, nine-year-olds, or Kindergartners in an institutional setting. However, I am not raising career eight-year-olds, nine-year-olds, or Kindergarteners; I am raising adults… adults who will hopefully function in and contribute to the whole of society. Thus, they should be raised among those with whom they will interact for the rest of their lives. They will spend most of their social time as adults with family more than with any other social group, so learning family dynamics is the most important social skill they will learn.

However, this article didn’t stick out to me because of the quoted statement. I (as well as every other homeschooler) have heard this all before. It stuck out to me because of another homeschooling article that I read immediately after.

The second article was about virtual charter schools in California. If you are not familiar with virtual charter schools, they are basically government schools that children participate in via online classes and instant messaging along with the traditional book work that they do at home with a parent. Government schoolers consider this type of schooling homeschooling while many homeschoolers consider it government schooling. In either case, one would think that the problem of socialization would come up with these virtual charter schools as it does with traditional homeschooling because of the lack of ‘peer interaction’. Socialization does come up, but it is not seen as the problem it is for traditional homeschoolers:

As for the social components most educators agree are an essential to the school experience, the report, produced by an “e-learning ad hock committee of educators,” finds: “Quality online courses are highly interactive. ... Teachers interact with students in real time via live video and audio … through discussion boards and email.”

Torres added that such tech-savvy communication more accurately reflects the way today’s youth socialize — through such vehicles as MySpace, chat rooms, email and text messaging.

“We all value socialization,” Torres said. “We have to take into account that the population of kids we’re dealing with is very different [today]. … When we were growing up, you would get one hour on the phone. Now there are multiple sources of communication.”

- Virtual Learning, Pasadena Weekly, Sept. 14, 2006

Educators seem to be broadening the definition of the term “socialization”, from face-to-face daily interaction with peers in an institutional setting to virtual interaction with peers and teachers in an institutionally-controlled setting, to suit their own purposes. Adults know that there are huge differences between reality and virtual reality. Virtual reality is more like a play than real life. It is rare for real relationships to develop is cyber space because it is too easy to put on masks and develop a cyber-persona. Children don’t need to learn how to interact with a keyboard and imaginary friends. They need to hug, cry, debate, and hear and see those who are different from them and similar to them so they can mature in faith, emotion and thought.

The only part of the definition of socialization that doesn’t seem to be changing is the “institution” part. This reveals to me that many professional educators are not as concerned with our children’s social development as they are with maintaining their control… whether it is controlling who our children interact with or what their minds are exposed to. (And mentioning MySpace and chat rooms -known tools of cyber predators, child molesters and parental defiance by children- don’t exactly shout “positive socialization”.)

Are there homeschoolers who have socially inept children? Yes. Are there government schoolers who have socially inept children? Yes. The government does not hold the monopoly on socialization just as they should not hold the monopoly on education. Socialization and education are the parent’s responsibility… no matter where a child is educated.

What is the chief end of man?

On her blog, Writer Mom, Nan (wife of a PCA pastor), shared her recent ponderings of the first question of the Westminster Shorter Catechism.

What is the chief end of man?

Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.

A portion of her post reads:

I have been summarily told by an atheist that Christianity provides no more meaning in life than Atheism does and therefore cannot be more worthy as a belief than an unbelief. The atheist adjudges that if the chief end of man is to glorify God and if God is glorious in and of himself then humans are unnecessary. Hence the life devoted to God, if he does exist is meaningless because we are an unnecessary part of the story. He concludes that life apart from any god is every bit as meaningful as life with a just, all knowing, all powerful, all loving God. He derives that the Christian life is every bit as meaningless as the atheist life.

Being a member of the PCA myself (and thus also holding to the tenets of the Westminster Confession and Catechisms), this statement forced me to revisit this question in my mind and see if I could defend my position. After reading the rest of Nan’s post and rereading the Scripture proofs for the question, I developed a defense which had not occurred to me before and has strengthened my belief that man is not meaningless.

The problem with this atheist’s argument is his point of view. He argues from the viewpoint of men, but for man to find his purpose, he must look through the eyes of God.

My daughter, Secondo, has two baby dolls. These dolls have a cradle next to Secondo’s bed and a special place in her heart. When she refers to these dolls, she does not refer to them as “my dolls” she calls them by name, Ashley and Jonathan. When a stranger looks at these dolls, he will see cloth sewn into the shapes of human bodies with plastic, humanoid heads. These organized pieces of cloth are clad in clothing that could be seen on a human baby. In other words, the viewer would see ordinary dolls. He would not, however, see Ashley and Jonathan. The dolls’ Ashley-ness and Jonathan-ness come from Secondo. When she looks at them, they live. When she talks to them, they respond. If the stranger came across these dolls lying on the street, he might pick them up and look for an owner, or he may toss them in the trash. If Secondo came across them in the street, she would see Ashley and Jonathan and feel remorse for not caring for them properly. She would feel pity for them and clean them and talk to them. Their value comes not in what they are, but in who they are to Secondo.

The same goes for man and God. Man has no value except that which God gives him. We have value because God gives us value by loving us and making us in His image. The scientist may look at us and see carbon-based beings, but God looks at us and sees His handiwork. If we are His children, He sees His Son. We can do nothing to give ourselves value… just as Secondo’s dolls do nothing to make her love them. They are because Secondo says they are. We glorify God because He made us to glorify Him. That is the purpose to which we were created. We cannot change it, and we cannot devalue it. We are necessary because God has made us necessary. Could God have gone on for eternity fully glorified in and of Himself without man? Yes. He doesn’t need us; He wants us. What greater value is there?

Guess what I did on Saturday?

I bought pants

(are you ready for this?)

(you may want to sit down)

that button!!!!!!

You may be wondering, "Why is she so excited about that?" Well, if you are, you obviously haven't given birth to four children and/ or had abdominal surgery. Lucky me... I've had both! And that is why I have been wearing pants with elastic waistbands since I was pregnant with Quarto. But, no more! Welcome back buttons! You have been missed.

Stay tuned for my next update...

wearing a belt!

Happy Birthday, Frodo!

May you recognize grace every day!

Sleep
Sleep tonight
And may your dreams
Be realized
If the thundercloud
Passes rain
So let it rain
Let it rain
Rain on him

-U2

Proof that Some Politicians Have a Sense of Humor

California State Assemblymen Kieth Richman (R) and Joseph Canciamilla (D) have introduced House Resolution No. 36 to the California Assembly. The bill, entitled Relative to Pluto's planetary status, is a formal condemnation of the International Astronomical Union and it's "decision to strip Pluto of its planetary status for its tremendous impact on the people of California and the state's long term fiscal health." Below are two of the reasons, cited in the bill, such legislation is necessary (click on the link above to read the text of the bill in its entirety):

"WHEREAS, Downgrading Pluto's status will cause psychological harm to some Californians who question their place in the universe and worry about the instability of universal constants"

"WHEREAS, The downgrading of Pluto reduces the number of planets available for legislative leaders to hide redistricting legislation and other inconvenient political reform measures"

As AlmostLucy pointed out on the WTM Message Boards today, "Now every astronomy chart/ toy, etc. will come with a label that says, 'This product does not meet the California standards of planetary classification.' "

Now, before you get too upset about the waste of the California Legislature's time and money, remember that while the Legislature discusses items such as HR36, they spend less time on bills like Senate Bill 840: Single-payer Health Care Coverage (which passed, BTW) which paves the way for universal health care in California. Ironically, in California's Assembly, a bill passed that same week (AB 1840: Employer Coverage: Disclosure) that would require employers with 25 or more employees to make public how many of their employees receive state-funded medical care with the goal of either 1) shaming 'big' companies into providing health care for their employees or 2) angering citizens so they boycott these companies. Well? Which is it? Does California want thier citizens on state-funded health care or doesn't it?

Yup, the California Legislature needs a little levity.

Didn't He Already Ask That?

The kids and I were at our local "Generally A Dollar" store today. This store seems to always be going through changes, and none of it for the better... lots of employee turnover and a floorplan that changes so frequently I half expect to stumble across a Minotaur. Because of all this upheaval, it appears that the "powers that be" at headquarters decided to send a regional manager to the store to help them regroup and increase their efficiency.

While I was at the checkout, aforementioned regional manager approached the clerk waiting on me. In his hand was some retail-related gizmo. He stuck it in front of the clerk's face and asked, "Is this broke? Or just ain't workin'?"

Poetic Procrastination

Along with the other members of The Great Books Reading Partnership, I am reading Chapter 9 (History Refracted: The Poets and Thier Poetry) of The Well-Educated Mind by Susan Wise Bauer. However, I am finding the section on the history of poetry very difficult to get through because of an anology Ms. Bauer uses that makes the topic more, rather than less, confusing for me.

Anyway, I decided to take a break from reading in the hopes of clearing my head and starting anew after the kids went to bed. I went out to the back porch to watch the kids play outside and to watch the beautiful flights of the brown bats that hunt bugs in our backyard. As I was watching Terzo pick up a stick to fight an enemy I could not see, a poem formed in my mind. Although I like to read poetry, all my attempts at writing it are very juvenile and uninspired. I am generally too concrete and to-the-point in my thinking... i.e. not poetic. This time, however, I wrote the poem down and read it to Frodo... and he liked it. So here it is... such as it is.

It is so

The Child stands, spies a stick

He stoops, “You shall be my sword.”

And it is so.

The Child looks, observes the air

He commands, “You shall be my enemy.”

And it is so.

The battle begins, creature against creator

The victor is no mystery, still the battle must be fought

There is honor in it.

Armageddon, the fates of worlds

The creator triumphs, “I am the hero.”

And it is so.

Noah Takes A Picture Of Himself Every Day For 6 Years

This is the name of a short film that I discovered on YouTube this evening (a web site I am now totally addicted to, by the way). The film is exactly what it's title says it is. It is a series of photos that Noah Kalina took of himself everyday from January 11, 2000 to July 31, 2006 set to original music by Carly Comando (very reminiscent of Phillip Glass... so much so that Frodo thought I had started watching Truman Show without him... a cardinal sin in our house).

This film fascinated me. I felt compelled to watch it once it began and wanted to watch it over and over once it was finished. We may notice changes is our appearance year-to-year, but it was surprizing to see how much Noah changed day-by-day. I would watch the changes in his hair length, wardrobe, background and people who provided his 'supporting cast' and find myself thinking:

"Wow, he likes that plaid shirt."

"I wonder where he was going." (He had on a tuxedo shirt and bow tie twice... on non-consecutive days but within a week of each other.)

"Did he move?"

"Is that his girlfriend?"

"What is that picture on the wall?"

"Did he take his picture at the same time every day?"

"Why is there a seemingly long period of time when he took his photo in front of the alcove with the computer then another long period of time when he didn't?"

"What was his purpose in doing this?"

The film is 5.5 minutes long, so if you have a few minutes and you want to rest your feet while exercising your brain's areas of abstract (or not so abstract) thought, check out the film and let me know what you think.

Never Mind

Well, I guess Target didn't like me (and many others) pointing out the gaps in their copywriters' educations. If you were among the many people who were confused when trying to click the link in my post Sigh, there was good reason... Target changed what it linked to.

The link originally brought you to a doll that was obviously supposed to be Benjamin Franklin. However, the Target people identified the doll as being "Franklin Roosevelt".

I guess it is good that they have taken the page down to be edited properly, but I am sad over being made to look like I am clueless. I often am clueless, I just don't like it pointed out!

To prove that I am not crazy, here is a copy of the original product page.

On the plus side, Christmas is coming up. Why not buy a Presidential Action Figure for the child in your life today! They'll be glad you did.

Sigh.

I don't even know what to say about this.

Really. What could I say?

Note: For those of you who receive copies of these posts via email, you need to head on over here to the website so you can access the hyperlink. And since most of my posts contain at least one hyperlink, coming here to read the posts might be a good common practice.

A Top Notch Education In Economics

If you want to learn about a topic, the best person to learn from is an expert - preferably one who is world-renown in his subject. Who wouldn't want to take art classes from Leonard DaVinchi, learn astronomy from Galileo, or receive golf lessons from Tiger Woods? Unfortunately, for many of us, learning any craft from such an expert, living or dead, is equally impossible. Fortunately, this is not the case in economics. Milton Friedman, Nobel Prize winner in Economics, has made his "Free To Choose" lectures (originally aired on PBS in the 1980's) free for the viewing. Don't miss this rare opportunity to sit under the tutelage of a master.

Note: I had some trouble with the audio, so you may need to fiddle with it a bit. Trust me, it is worth some fiddling!

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

Homeschooling 4 children, a dh who works full-time and goes to grad school part-time, writing, and taking care of a house are enough to keep any woman on her toes. She looks for those little things throughout her day to encourage her to keep going... evidence that all is not in vain (and that she can relax a bit because her children actually are learning something despite what seems like daily evidence to the contrary). One of those things for me is the rapidly increasing vocabulary of our 2-year-old, Quarto. As someone who loves words, dislikes "baby talk" and loves to talk, having children with large vocabularies is a great pick-me-up. True, Quarto's constant repeating of Terzo drives Terzo a little nuts, but all-in-all this rapid increase in speech has been a good thing... or so I thought.

It was cute when I would call Quarto over for a diaper change and he would call back, "Just a minute!"

Or when he would call out, "Can you pray with me?" after being in bed for an hour already or during a particularly strong "scary, terrible rain" (aka thunderstorm).

However, it ceased being cute when he began declaring, "Mom! I'm gonna throw up!" on a regular basis.

Now, to put you all at ease, the first few times he did this, I was a good parent and made sure he was provided with a bucket, that he had no fever and that he had plenty of bland food so as not to further aggrivate his delicate tummy. However, I began to notice that his declarations were not accomapnied by the typical physical signs of nausea. Quite the opposite. He would continue to run around and giggle and ask to play with cars or watch a movie or play outside. This phrase simply appears to be his "something to say when he doesn't know what else to say."

All parents know the high state of alert that the proclamation "I'm gonna throw up!" brings. You brace yourself for the wretch as you scramble to find a bucket and your brain plans how to clean whatever difficult-to-clean surface your child inevitably ends up targeting. Although my mind knows that Quarto is just repeating this phrase because he finds it an interesting phrase to utter (kind of like Frodo's need to use the word "phlegm" whenever the occasion arises because he loves the sound of the word and the chance just doesn't come up that often in typical daily conversation), I can't turn off this primitive reaction of reaching for a bucket and mentally replanning my day to accomodate a sick toddler.

I already feel like I have to be on my game on a daily basis without having the "kid alert" raised to red whenever my toddler is bored. Reprogramming appears to be in order. Here are the phrases I have decided to repeat randomly throughout the day with the hopes that Quarto will exchange one of them for his current favorite:

1. "Sweet baby gherkins!" (This is actually an exclamation that Frodo is attempting to introduce into the American lexicon. To be used when receiving a positive shock. For example: "Honey, we're going to have a baby." "Really?! Sweet baby gherkins!")

2. "The sea monkey stole my money." (from Finding Nemo. Strictly for the entertainment value.)

3. "Mom! I got a full scholarship to Harvard!" (Although still untrue, would successfully replace the instinctive dread elicited by the current phrase with a naturally joyous response.)

Any other suggestions?

Sometimes You Find Great Philosophy In Unlikely Places

Criminals thrive on the indulgence of society's understanding.

-Henri Ducard, Batman Begins

And sometimes you find terrible philosophy in the same place.

It's not who you are underneath, it's what you do that defines you.

- Rachel Dawes (repeated by Batman), Batman Begins

Praise God for grace!

Then the Lord said to him, "Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But give what is inside the dish to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.

- Luke 11:39-41

A Great Pick-Me-Up and Exercise Program

Go ahead. Try not to bounce around with your kids while you watch... I dare you!

Furry Happy Monsters

Tagged For Homeschool Resources

Tagged by : Stepping Heavenward

1. One Homeschooling Book You Have Enjoyed

The Well-Trained Mind

2. One Resource You Wouldn't Be Without

Story of the World

3. One Resource You Wish You Had Never Bought

Loads of used easy readers. Better to borrow from the library.

4. One Resource You Enjoyed Last Year

First Language Lessons

5. One Resource You Will Be Using Next Year

Real Science 4 Kids: Chemistry Level 1

6. One Resource You Would Like To Buy

Good-quality, college level microscope

7. One Resource You Wish Existed

Clasically-oriented, grammar-stage science curriculum.

(I'm typing it as fast as I can!)

8. One Homeschooling Catalogue You Enjoy Reading

Rainbow Resource Center

9. One Homeschooling Website You Use Regularly

Well-Trained Mind Message Boards

10. Tag Five Other Homeschoolers

You know who you are!

Free Education

I am opposed to free education as much as I am opposed to taking property from one man and giving it to another who knows not how to take care of it... I do not believe in allowing my charities to go through the hands of robbers who pocket nine-tenths themselves and give one tenth to the poor... Would I encourage free schools by taxation? No!

-Brigham Young

Mushaboom

Frodo recently introduced me to the artist Feist. Her album Let It Die has quickly become a favorite... especially for road trips or as a gloomy day pick-me-up. I find myself drawn to the song Mushaboom, in particular. It has a wonderful, dreamy quality to it that I find easy to get lost in. I just may adopt this as my new theme song... it fits me so well. To listen, click the link below. The song's lyrics follow.

Mushaboom

Helping the kids out of their coats
But wait the babies haven't been born
oh oh oh

Unpacking the bags and settin' up
 And planting lilacs and buttercups
oh oh oh

But in the meantime I've got it hard
 Second floor living without a yard
 It may be years until the day
 My dreams will match up with my pay

 Old dirt road
 (mushaboom, mushaboom)
 Knee deep snow
(mushaboom, mushaboom)
Watchin' the fire as we grow...  old
(mushaboom, mushaboom)

I got a man to stick it out
 And make a home from a rented house
 oh oh oh
And we'll collect the moments one by one
 I guess that's how the future's done
 oh oh oh

How many acres how much light
 Tucked in the woods and out of sight
 Talk to the neighbours and tip my cap 
On a little road barely on the map

 Old dirt road
 (mushaboom, mushaboom)
 Knee deep snow
 (mushaboom, mushaboom)
 Watchin' the fire as we grow... old
(mushaboom, mushaboom)

 Old dirt road
 Ramblin' rose
 (mushaboom, mushaboom)
 Watchin' the fire as we grow
 (mushaboom, mushaboom)
 Well I'm sold ...
Oh oh oh oh oh oh ...
 Oh oh oh oh oh oh ...

What would you do?

Fox reporters, Steve Centanni (American) and Olaf Wiig (New Zealander), were released by their 'Holy Jihad Brigades' captors this week after a week in captivity. Although no one will ever know the minds of their captors, it is commonly accepted that the videotape made of the two men reading prepared statements in which they denounce Christ, America, and Western society were key to thier release. (To view the videotape, click here.) After their release, Cantanni said, "It was something we felt we had to do because they had the guns and we didn't know what the hell was going on."

What would you do? Would you agree to read the prepared statement with the hopes of being released?

I honestly don't know what I would do. It's easy to say that I would refuse to read the statement, but then who really knows what one would do at gunpoint?

"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"

Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." -Matthew 16: 15-19

Then Jesus told them, "This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: " 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee."

Peter replied, "Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will."

"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times."

But Peter declared, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." And all the other disciples said the same. - Matthew 26:31-35

Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. "You also were with Jesus of Galilee," she said. But he denied it before them all. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said.

Then he went out to the gateway, where another girl saw him and said to the people there, "This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth." He denied it again, with an oath: "I don't know the man!"

After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, "Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away." Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, "I don't know the man!"

Immediately a rooster crowed.

Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly. - Matthew 26:69-75

Time to Catch Up

How ironic is that? These last many weeks I have had no time to post anything but the Carnival of Homeschooling links and when I finally begin to settle back into a routine and get back to my blog, I miss the last two carnivals.

Well, Yee Haw! It's time to set things straight! This week's carnival could be better described as a rodeo. So step right up Little Lady (or Buckaroo) and go visit the Carnival here. Say howdee to the head honcho, Sprittibee, while you're there.

And while you've got your feet up, check at last week's carnival over at PHAT Mommy's.

See ya'll after the fair!

School Is In Session

To be honest, it was never really out of session, but I can't fit "Sitting At A Table And Doing Workbook Pages, Handwriting Practice, and Other Textbook Learning Has Now Re-Commenced" in the subject line.

Since life occurs year-round, learning occurs year-round here at Apollos Academy. This summer was full of swimming lessons, trips to the local pool, trips to the neighbor's pool, hiking, museum visits, festival fun, family film fests, 4H, reading, watching thunderstorms, working in the garden, baking (both food in the kitchen and ourselves in the heat), church picnics, vacation bible school, and just being. With all that fun and learning, you'd think the kids wouldn't want to settle down with books, would you? Well, that's where you'd be wrong.

I called the girls into the kitchen this afternoon (after 2.5 hours working in the 4H garden) and told them that it was time for math. Both Primo and Secondo said, "Yay! Math!" Yay? Math? After half an hour, I asked them to clean up their Cuisenaire Rods and hand me thier worksheets,

"Now?! I was having fun."

"Just a few more minutes. PLEEEEAAAASSSEEEE!"

I gave in. Who wouldn't? They're begging to do math for goodness sake. A couple minutes later I hear:

Primo - "Mom, come look at my computer bars."

Tutor - "Computer bars?"

P - "Yeah. You know, like the bars on your cell phone or when you're waiting for a thing that you clicked on to come up on the computer."

T - "You mean a download?"

P - "That's what I said."

Secondo - "Mom, look. I can make steps this way (places rods vertically) or this way (stacks rods horizontally) or if I mix them up like this (places rods of random heights in a line vertically) it looks like New York City!"

T - "Very cool!"

I finally convince them to put the rods away after reassuring them that we can play with the rods again tomorrow, and they quickly clean up then scatter. I call them back in mere minutes later. Secondo arrives first and sees me holding books in my hands. "Are we having a spelling quiz?" I confirm that we are, indeed. Secondo enthusiastically screams, "Primo! Come here! Spelling quizes!"

"Spelling quiz?! Woo hoo!" Primo yells as she runs to her spot at the table. " I like spelling."

The rest of this week will be more of the same mix of conventional and unconventional:

Tuesday: Deskwork, housework, and swimming (maybe some car washing)

Wednesday: Deskwork, library trip, and swimming exhibition for grandparents at the local pool

Thursday: field trip to the county fair to see the girls' displays, eat fattening foods, and take in everything the fair has to offer

Friday: deskwork and swimming

And thus begins our re-commencement of "Sitting At A Table And Doing Workbook Pages, Handwriting Practice, and Other Textbook Learning"... and then some.