Know Your Enemy

When we were on vacation at the shore with friends a few years ago, we bought a hurricane tracking chart. I thought it would be a fun addition to weather studies and map reading. During hurricane season, we'd keep tabs on devloping storms by listening to the weather report on the radio. When we heard about a named storm, we'd go to NOAA'a National Hurricane Center website and look at the storm's location and projected track and mark it on our map. Not only was this practice educational, but I thought it would also help allay Primo's nearly pertrifying fear of severe weather. "We live in central PA; we don't get hurricanes," I assured her one day.

Then Ivan arrived.

Now, the effects of Ivan on our land-locked region were nothing compared to that of coastal regions, but they were sufficient enough to finger me as a liar - or at the very least, highly misinformed. Thus, the hurricane tracking chart moved from the purely educational realm and into that of "emergency preparedness equipment." Primo became obsessed with listening to weather radio, keeping the hurricane map up-to-date, and making sure our emergency kit was properly stocked and easily accessible in case the need to evacuate should arrive. (By the way, this fear of severe weather is apparently inherited as my dad's state-of-the-art home weather center and obsession with interest in The Weather Channel can attest. Right, Dad? *wink*)

When Frodo was first looking at graduate schools, the University of Kansas came up and Primo put her foot down. There was no way she was going to live in tornado alley. She was happy when she found out we would not be moving to Kansas. Instead, we moved to Mississippi.... aka the forgotten victim of Katrina... right smack in Dixie Alley. (Yeah, we'd never heard of it either 'til we got here.) Primo learned all these wonderful weather facts after we got here. She was thrilled. [insert eye roll here]

Today we began tracking Tropical Storm Gustav.


It's projected 5-day track has it making landfall (at hurricane strength) at the Louisiana/ Mississippi border... right where Katrina made landfall three years ago. I attempted to comfort Primo by pointing out that the area where we live is covered by the map key. "The makers of a hurricane tracking chart wouldn't cover an area with the key if hurricanes frequently hit that area, would they?" She's still made plans for tomorrow.

Tomorrow, we'll be checking to make sure our emergency kit is up to date... replacing any expired canned goods (or at least making a shopping list), putting in fresh batteries, making sure changes of clothes will actually fit everyone, removing the diapers we put in for Quarto now that he's potty trained and replace them with a couple of "just in case" pull-ups, and making sure we have supplies and contact info for the two kids we watch during the day. We'll also:

-change the back-up battery in the weather alert radio and make sure our hand-crank radio and flashlights are easily accessible (and the flashlights have fresh batteries)
-set aside some containers to fill with drinking water should it look like we'll need it
-review what to do in case of an emergency
-read The Magic School Bus Inside a Hurricane and National Audubon Society First Field Guide: Weather (hey, we're homeschoolers; we see life's experiences as reasons to buy and read books)
-update any changes in Gustav's status and track on the hurricane chart
-be shushed by Primo every time the weather report comes on the radio

We are diligently trying to put into practice what Terzo learned in Cub Scouts (particularly during our family emergency preparedness sessions): Be Prepared

As Sun Tzu stated in The Art of War (and as I am trying to impart to Primo through this study of hurricanes and emergency preparedness):

So it is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will fight without danger in battles. If you know only yourself, but not your opponent, you may win or may lose. If you know neither yourself nor your enemy, you will always endanger yourself.

Wronger Than Wrong

I'm not really sure what to say about this:



Among some of the benefits of their prefilled communion cups, the website lists that the cups are 1) sanitary, 2) less messy, and 3) result in less waste. My thoughts when reading this list of "benefits" were:

1) Less sanitary than the little individual glasses that are run through the dishwasher after every Lord's Supper? Of course, I wasn't taking into account those traditions that use a communal chalice, but then wouldn't those taking part in a communion with a communal chalice loose the "community" part of their communion by switching to individual cups, prefilled or not? I guess it depends on what your priorities are in taking part in the sacrament.

2) Less messy? Obviously the creators of this haven't attempted to open the orange juice or apple sauce that often come in these little foil-lidded containers. Or maybe it's just me. I always end up with applesauce all over my knuckles when I open those things. I can't imagine that I would be in a very worshipful mood after opening my communion-on-the-go and spilling permanently staining grape juice all over myself... not to mention what that juice is supposed to represent.

3) Less waste? Sure, many churches fill more cups with juice or wine than they think they may need to be on the safe side, but that would amount to what? Maybe a cup of juice would go unused - if that? And many priests in churches that use communal chalices drink the excess juice or wine since it has been blessed and should not just be poured down the drain, anyway. But what about the foil lid and plastic cup that now have to be thrown away? I know that many churches already use little ,disposable plastic cups, and I am not too thrilled with that either. Why not just use washable, glass cups? But that aside, the prefilled cups not only have the plastic juice cup, but they now add a foil lid and a seperate wafer packet. Are they going to put trash cans near the altar in churches where the congregants go forward to recieve communion?

The whole idea of prefilled communion cups just seems so wrong. It moves the idea of the communal sharing of rememberance into the modern fast-food culture. We're the children of God, right? Why not just go all the way and add a Bible hero action figure and call it a Truly-Happy Meal? Our praise choruses already border on being glorified (pardon the pun) jingles, so all we need is a catchy slogan and viola... God's entered the fast food market.

Seeing these cups reminded me of a story I heard on NPR a couple years ago about the comfort and sense of community a listener felt every Sunday as she heard the glass communion cups clink into the pew racks after the congragation finished thier Lord's Supper. I love that sound, too. I can't imagine replacing it with the sound of tin foil being pulled off of plastic juice cups.

To quote Mammy, "It ain't fittin'. It just ain't fittin'."

Yes, Minister... Mr. Secretary... Mr. President

Not sure whether to laugh or cry. Maybe we can take comfort in the fact that at least we're not alone... nope, still leaning towards crying... or at least fist-pounding. (And I'm definitely laughing. This is great stuff. Gotta love British sitcoms.)



If you've never seen the British television series Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister, I highly recommend them. You are missing quite a treat.

HT: Consent of the Governed - thanks for the reminder)

Because They're There

Aw, shucks!

You all are making me blush.

Can I just tell you that I am amazed that there are people, other than my parents and in-laws, who actually read this blog on a regular basis (or at least check it regularly... kinda hard to read when I haven't been writing much) much less bother to email me and tell me that they miss me? (And want to hear my opinions on things political and religious. Really?) You're all so sweet.

I am actually missing writing here. I need the creative, goofy, ranting outlet. And you would think that I would have had plenty of time to hang out online and write and post considering that I have been basically house-bound all summer. I'll spare you all the gory details, but the long and the short of it is that after spending enough $$ to have replaced the engine in our Suburban trying to keep it running, we now more-than-likely need a new engine and don't have the money because, well, we spent it all on periphery things that apparently meant diddly-squat since the engine is no basically no good. Sigh. Two friends have graciously lent us cars, but I feel bad putting tons of miles and wear-and-tear on someone else's car, so I've been limiting my driving to what is absolutely necessary. Hopefully, soon we'll be able to get our truck fixed (or at least determine once and for all if it's even worth it or if we should start looking for a "new" vehicle). The up-side is that we've really saved on gas this summer.

Ironically, I have been finding more "me", thinking, creative time now that my life has gotten much, much busier. I am in the editing phase for the two books I've written in the last year. The target date for the first book to be released is April 2009. Send prayers, good vibes, good thoughts, what have you because I have never done this type of editing before and am finding it a bit overwhelming. I have also started watching two great kids during the day. The oldest is 2 and his little sister is 5 months. They are great kids (did I say that already?) and the 2yo and Quarto play together really well which has actually helped the older kids and I get more focused school done during the day. I just don't do well self-disciplining my time when too much of it is "free", so having all of these obligations really helps keep me organized and on my toes because I have to be.

I guess that's a good, relatively short summary of why I haven't posted anything in almost a month. *grin* Hopefully, I'll post more frequently as summer ends and fall begins.

Thanks for your encouragement and support. I really am astounded at the interest at my thoughts, rantings, and random musings. Who knew?

Blessings!

Fly on the Wall

This morning at breakfast:

Quarto: Mom, how many eggs is that?
Me: Ten.
Quarto: Ten?! That's crazy talk!

A Gap in Their Education

The kiddos are trying to fit in as much TV as possible before we cancel the satellite service at the end of the month. Primo's favorite channel is the Bomerang Network. They show classic cartoons from the 60's and 70's with a few earlier ones thrown in for good measure. I think Primo is just amazed that they had cartoons when Frodo and I were kids... heck, she's amazed that television existed when Frodo and I were kids! Anyway, tonight she was absorbed in an episode of Scooby Doo. When I walked into the room, she turned to me and said, "Mom, that's Cast Elliott," indicating a character in the show. "Dad knows who she is. Do you know her? Cast Elliott?"

"Do you mean Cass Elliott? Yeah, that's Mama Cass."

"Yeah, that's it! Cass Elliott. Who's Mama Cass?"

"Mama Cass. She's a singer. From The Mamas & The Papas."

"Yeah, she's a singer on here, too. Who are The Mamas & The Papas?"

"You don't know who The Mamas & The Papas are?! Are you sure you're my child?"

At this point, I open up YouTube. (What would I do without YouTube and Google? I mean, seriously?)

"This is The Mamas & The Papas..."



"And this..."





"And this is Mama Cass. Cass Elliott."



"Oh."

Oh?

Sigh. I can see we have to have a more formal study of "American Folk Music of the 50's, 60's and 70's", aka "stuff Mom listened to when she was a kid" and these kids better learn it if they are going to have a good grounding in American Culture Studies (and be able to get half of the jokes in The Simpsons... when they are old enough to watch The Simpsons, that is). They obviously aren't picking it up properly through casual exposure and are seriously lacking in appreciation of the classics of American music.

Johnny Cash does seem to be sticking with Secondo. She has recently declared him her favorite. So, here is a little Johnny Cash to help diversify your own folk music studies. Here is Secondo's favorite:



And here is mine:






(Hey, I'm impressed I was able to hold myself to two.)

Fly on the Wall

Quarto: [casually, while putting markers away] Dad, what's sharper, a marker or a sword?
Frodo: [slightly puzzled] A sword.
Quarto: [with the tone of a schoolteacher amazed at his young pupil's apparent wisdom beyond his years] That's right!

Book Meme

Heather, over at Stepping Heavenward, "tagged" me for this meme... in a laid-back, non-tagging sort of way. *grin*

From The Equation for Excellence: How to Make Your Child Excel at Math:

A parent gives a child a problem. The child gets the problem wrong. The parent should then just give an easier problem, right?

Share a taste of your most recent read... or at least the one most near at hand. If you'd like to participate, consider yourself tagged and follow these guidelines:

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages.)
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people. Or not. I'm in favor of just opening up for anyone who wants to play along.

I knew it...

Housekeeping is hazardous to your health. In fact, it can be downright deadly.

3M, the makers of ScotchBrite products, have gotten caught up in the "eco-fever" affecting businesses worldwide and now provide a scrubbing sponge made from tree cellulose and walnut shells. The problem? If you are allergic to tree nuts, these sponges can be deadly. So, I have decided that since many cleaning chemicals are bad for my family's health and the environment, and I don't want to kill anyone with a nut-based, eco-friendly scrubber, I am just not going to clean anymore. (And no, no one in my immediate family is allergic to tree nuts or any other kind of nut or food-stuff.)

What's been my excuse for not cleaning up until this point? I've been busy blogging.

I haven't, you say? Well then, I've been busy... um, schooling... and writing. Yeah, that's it. Schooling and writing. (Whew, that was close.)

In all honesty, I will probably buy and try out the new ScotchBrite walnut-based scrubbers (although if you or anyone in your family is allergic to nuts, you should probably contact 3M and find out if any of their other products have come in contact with the walnuts used in their new product). I already use regular ScotchBrite scrubbers, and these new ones look to be about the same price as their non-green product (which actually is green... in color anyway). I am interested in becoming more eco-friendly and making sure that I do things that are healthy for myself and my family. However, I do not delude myself that I will somehow save our atmosphere through my actions. I'm not really all that convinced that humans contribute a significant amount to atmospheric or ice-locked CO2 levels. However, I do think that using a renewable resource over a limited resource makes good sense... economically, environmentally, and morally. I believe that as humans, we need to protect the land, water, and air that we have been given, but that we shouldn't protect it for its own sake to the point of religious fanaticism. We have been given a gift and a command to care for it, and we should. Because it is the right thing to do.

COH- Week 129

Carnival of Homeschooling ~ Week 129
Let’s Go To The Movies!

The Theatuh, the Theatuh - what book of rules says the Theater exists only within some ugly buildings crowded into one square mile of New York City? Or London, Paris or Vienna? Listen, junior. And learn. Want to know what the Theater is? A flea circus. Also opera. Also rodeos, carnivals, ballets, Indian tribal dances, Punch and Judy, a one-man band - all Theater. Wherever there's magic and make-believe and an audience - there's Theater. Donald Duck, Ibsen, and The Lone Ranger, Sarah Bernhardt, Poodles Hanneford, Lunt and Fontanne, Betty Grable, Rex and Wild, and Eleanora Duse. You don't understand them all, you don't like them all, why should you? The Theater's for everybody - you included, but not exclusively - so don't approve or disapprove. It may not be your Theater, but it's Theater of somebody, somewhere.

- from All About Eve

We are a movie family. The images, the direction, the entertainment, the education, the creativity… we are drawn to all of it. Movies like Ghandi and The Last Emperor reveal to us amazing people, places, and eras. Finding Nemo and Big Fish open doors to discuss the intricacies of relationships and family. Rebecca and Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? have plots and characters revealed as much by lighting, camera angles, and editing as by dialogue. Magnolia reveals the dark side of humanity and the beauty of grace. And some films, like Duck Soup, Singin’ In the Rain, and Batman Begins, are just plain old fun. Every movie should be enjoyed for whatever it is… an escapist comedy, a revealing documentary, a breakthrough drama. Not every movie is educational, but we can learn something from every movie.

Our family has yet to find an experience, characteristic, or emotion for which there is not an appropriate movie quote. I have decided that in this Carnival of Homeschooling, I will put this theory to the test. Enjoy the wonderful posts of our fellow educators, then on an upcoming, sweltering summer afternoon, escape into the air conditioning and enjoy a movie. Most libraries carry feature films and documentaries that you can check-out for free. There are also many movie theaters across the US offering free or inexpensive family movies through the summer. Here are a few:

Regal’s Free Family Film Festival

AMC’s Summer Movie Camp

Malco Theaters Summer Film Fest

Marcus Theaters Kids Rule Summer Film Series

Cinemark Summer Movie Clubhouse

Not sure if a movie is right for you or your kids? Check it out on the website Kids-In-Mind. They have a wonderful rating system and include descriptions of any scenes that parents may find objectionable so that parents can decide if a given movie is right for their kids. Also, the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) is a great resource for plot summaries, release dates, cast information, director information, ratings, and you can also learn what movies are in production or due for release in the near future.

Enjoy the carnival!

~~~~~

So this is like a clue in a real murder case? Kew-el!

- from The Silence of the Lambs

Tiffany, at her Natural Family Living Blog, shares about some recent field trips they took… and one included investigating a crime scene.
~~~~~

You. Are. A. TOY! You aren’t the real Buzz Lightyear! You’re a… Oh, you’re an action figure! You are a CHILD’S PLAYTHING!”

- from Toy Story

On his blog Sharp Minds, Alvaro reviews the book The Power of Play: Learning That Comes Naturally by Dr. David Elkind.
~~~~~

Honey, there’s a spider in your bathroom the size of a Buick.*

- from Annie Hall

What’s the largest insect in the world? Find out from Katrina over at, where else, What is the Biggest…?

(* Yes, I know that spiders aren’t insects, but quoting movies is not an exact science, it’s an art… sometimes an abstract, indirect one.*grin*)
~~~~~

I do have a test today…. It's on European socialism. I mean, really, what's the point? I'm not European. I don't plan on being European. So who cares if they're socialists? They could be fascist anarchists. It still doesn't change the fact that I don't own a car. Not that I condone fascism, or any -ism for that matter. -Ism's in my opinion are not good. A person should not believe in an -ism, he should believe in himself. I quote John Lennon, "I don't believe in The Beatles, I just believe in me." Good point there. After all, he was the walrus. I could be the walrus. I'd still have to bum rides off people.

- from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Looks like Bueller and OverwhelmedMom have something to discuss. Are standardized exams really necessary?
~~~~~

Yes I love technology
But not as much as you, you see
But I still love technology
Always and forever.

- from Napoleon Dynamite

Now that the price of iPhones has come down, Christina Laun shares some tips on how to maximize their use as a library and research tool. You can find her article at College@Home.

A post at On Living By Learning uncovers the benefit YahooGroups can be to homeschoolers.

Technology can have a down side as Timothy at Sometimes I’m Actually Coherent points out in his post Minds Like Steel Traps- For The Wrong Stuff.
~~~~~

You’re right, I did lose a million dollars last year. I expect to lose a million dollars this year. I expect to lose a million dollars *next* year. You know, Mr. Thatcher, at the rate of a million dollars a year, I’ll have to close this place in… 60 years.

-from Citizen Kane

A little, impromptu lesson on supply and demand from Rose who’s Learning At Home.

There is a great post at Money Blue Book on teaching your college-bound kids about credit card use before they leave home and find their college mailbox filled with offers for easy credit.
~~~~~

It must be tremendously interesting to be a schoolmaster, to watch boys grow up and help them along; to see their characters develop and what they become when they school and the world gets a hold of them. I don’t see how you could ever grow old in a world that’s always young.

-from Goodbye, Mr. Chips

Kim at the Buckeye Blog reminds us that children grow in many ways. How do your children grow?

Renae at Life Nurturing Gifts shares her daughter’s discovery of her gifts.
~~~~~

You know, the best prize life that life offers is the chance to work hard at something worth doing. That’s Teddy Roosevelt said that, not me.

-from Bridge to Terabithia

David at SelectCoursesBlog.com shares some tips on how to keep your study skills razor sharp.
~~~~~

Oh! The theme I've been waiting for all my life. Listen to this sentence: "A Red Ryder BB gun with a compass in the stock, and this thing which tells time". Poetry. Sheer poetry, Ralph! An A+!

- from A Christmas Story

In his post, Taking Back Teaching: A Forgotten History, Clay (Beyond School) reviews the history of the grading system and its effect on education.
~~~~~

While my father prayed earnestly to God to protect commerce, I would offer up secretly the proudest prayer a boy could think of: Lord, make me a great composer. Let me celebrate Your glory through music and be celebrated myself. Make me famous through the world, dear God. Make me immortal. After I die, let people speak my name forever with love for what I wrote. In return, I will give You my chastity, my industry, my deepest humility, every hour of my life, Amen.

- from Amadeus

Attention all Catholic Homeschoolers in New England! Mary, at Mum2Best7, wants you to mark your calendars for the 2009 New England Catholic Homeschoolers Conference. You can find more information here.
~~~~~

Behind of each of these books, there’s a man. That’s what interests me.

- from Fahrenheit 451

Going back and re-reading a classic homeschooling text may be just the boost you need if you are feeling burned out at the end of another school year. Barbara Frank got her second wind after reading some Gatto. How about you?

Adso of Melk at Lorem Ipsum encourages us to go ahead and enjoy “dangerous literature”… and lots of it.

It’s time for summer reading lists again! Denise at Frugal Homeschooling shares some great reading lists, by genre and age group, that you can take to the library to get your kids started on their summer reading.

Need some help organizing your summer reading program? Check out Kathy’s post Our Summer Reading Program at HomeschoolBuzz.com.
~~~~~

You don't understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it.

- from On the Waterfront

Elisheva, over at Ragamuffin Studies, sends out a warning to all homeschool parents not to inadvertently send the message to your students that not achieving immediate success is equivalent to failure in her post IRD Second Week: Immediacy and the Ghost of Failure.
~~~~~

Grandma said when you come on something good, first thing to do is share it with whoever you can find; that way, the good spreads out where no telling it will go. Which is right.

- from The Education of Little Tree

Kevin provides an overview of the three primary learning styles over at M4K Homeschooling & Education.
~~~~~

The world is changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air. Much that once was is lost, for none now live who remember it.

- from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Have you incorporated interactive maps and oral histories into your homeschool studies? Pop on over to An (aspiring) Educator’s Blog and see how it can be done.

Visit Sarah’s blog Small World and take a look at her impressive American History unit studies, complete with book lists and hands-on activities.

In Kim’s Play Place you can find Kim's recommendations for preschool Montessori activities: first year primary (age 3).
~~~~~

There has to be a mathematical explanation for how bad that tie is.

- from A Beautiful Mind

Need to exercise your brain? Try to solve The Mosaic Tile Mystery over at Let’s Play Math!

A Division Bead Board can be a helpful tool for teaching your student division. A semester’s to a year’s worth of bead board lessons are available from Rebecca at Little Homeschool on the Prairie.

Kerri at Psalm 1 Homeschool shares lesson plans associated with the book One Grain of Rice by Demi.
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You see, boys forget what their country means by just reading 'The Land of the Free' in history books. Then they get to be men they forget even more. Liberty's too precious a thing to be buried in books, Miss Saunders. Men should hold it up in front of them every single day of their lives and say: I'm free to think and to speak. My ancestors couldn't, I can, and my children will. Boys ought to grow up remembering that.

- from Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Henry at Why Homeschool gives the heads up to be alert on June 23rd. That’s when the California Court of Appeals will hear arguments for and against homeschooling in the state of California.

Heather, in her Notes From a Homeschooling Mom, points out that one of the big lessons to be learned from the recent court decisions and debate in California is that we homeschoolers need to be educated and well-versed in our own state’s homeschooling laws and know our rights.
~~~~~

Vanessa: Your parents are probably wondering where you are.
Juno: Nah… I mean, I’m already pregnant, so what other kind of shenanigans could I get into?

- from Juno

Most of us try putting it off as long as possible, but The Thinking Mother shares the importance of having “the talk” with our kids and encourages us that we’re more scared of talking than our kids are of listening.
~~~~~

Batty: It’s not an easy thing to meet your maker.
Tyrell: What could he do for you?
Batty: Can the maker repair what he makes?

- from Blade Runner

Create your own zoo exhibits with inspiration from Christina at Home Spun Juggling.

Dana at Principled Discovery shows us that the education found in “educational toys” can come not just from playing with them but from making them.

Need some summer craft ideas? Pop on over to How To Me and learn how to dry a rose that you can include in your craft project or botany lesson.
~~~~~

Mad Hatter: Would you like a little more tea?
Alice: Well, I haven’t had any yet, so I can’t very well take more.
March Hare: Ah, you mean you can’t very well take less.
Mad Hatter: Yes. You can always take more than nothing.

- from Alice in Wonderland

The Tea Party Girl shares some of her family’s more cultured field trips (aka vacations) in her post Tea Party Girl’s Top Tea Moments on the Road.
~~~~~

If you just learn a single trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.

- from To Kill A Mockingbird

All homeschoolers are used to hearing the homeschool stereotypes. Cherish at Faraday’s Cage is Where You Put Schroedinger’s Cat provides an opportunity for homeschoolers to share their reasons for homeschooling and show the true diversity in the homeschooling community.

Want to see the comments spurred by Susan’s educational discussion on her blog The Expanding Life? You’re in luck, she’s arranged them into a more conversational format in her post An Educational Conversation.
~~~~~

Hmm, difficult. *Very* difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either. There’s talent, oh yes. And a thirst to prove yourself. But where to put you?

- from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Celeste at Life Without School Blog shares the dangers we can encounter when we categorize ourselves by homeschooler type (unschooler, classical, etc) in her post Homeschooling and the Sorting Hat.
~~~~~

I was thinking about some very deep things. About God and his relation with Irving Saks and R.H. Levine. And I was thinking about life in general. The origin of everything we see about us. The finality of death; how almost magical it seems in the real world, as opposed to the world of celluloid and flickering shadows.

- from The Purple Rose of Cairo

At An Evangelical Dialogue on Evolution, guest author Douglas Hayworth shares the difficulties of the evolutionary creationist homeschooler trying to find useful and intellectually challenging curriculum and makes an appeal to other homeschoolers to share what resources they have found.
~~~~~

Just a minute - just a minute. Now, hold on, Mr. Potter. You're right when you say my father was no businessman. I know that. Why he ever started this cheap, penny-ante Building and Loan, I'll never know. But neither you nor anyone else can say anything against his character, because his whole life was - why, in the twenty-five years since he and Uncle Billy started this thing, he never once thought of himself.

- from It’s a Wonderful Life

After celebrating Father’s Day this past weekend, Phil at A Family Runs Through It has an important reminder for us: dads are homeschoolers, too!
~~~~~

Cheating on a quiz show? That's sort of like plagiarizing a comic strip.

- from Quiz Show

Many of us are in the process of ordering our curriculum for next year. But don’t buy when you can get it for free? Jennifer of Little Acorns Treehouse is giving away some of her gently used curriculum in a week of giveaways. Register to win today.
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We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for. To quote from Whitman, "O me! O life!... of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless... of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?" Answer. That you are here - that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. That the powerful play *goes on* and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?

- from Dead Poet’s Society

The tips over at Learn English for Free can help you avoid clichés in your writing.
~~~~~

Sell crazy someplace else. We’re all stocked up here.

- from As Good As It Gets

Katherine at No Fighting! No Biting! shares notes from a lecture at a recent homeschooling conference concerning managing the chaos that can occur when homeschooling many children at many different grade levels.

~~~~~

That’s it for this week’s carnival of homeschooling. Next week, the carnival will be at Dewey’s Treehouse. For information on how to have your post included in the Carnival of Homeschooling, check here.

Have fun stormin’ the castle!

Good morning, and in case I don’t see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and good night!

(Oh, and yes, my history of things going wrong when I host the carnival continues… severe thunderstorms and power outages this time. And when I finally was able to post- I worked off-line and on my battery during the storm- none of my links worked. *sigh* I wonder what’s in store for next time.)

The Carnival is Coming!

Don't forget, the Carnival of Homeschooling will be here on Tuesday, June 17th. Get your submissions in by 6pm PST Monday evening. For information on how to submit a post, look here.

See you at the carnival!

Catching the Entrepreneurial Spirit

Friends of ours have been considering selling their extra, organic eggs at the local farmer's market. Another of our friends has a booth at a local antique mall where she sells furniture and other items. Some men in our church made really great name tags for the kids attending Vacation Bible School by cutting rounds of wood, painting the kids' names on them, and drilling holes in them and adding string to make them into necklaces.

After learning that our friends get to do such cool things as raise chickens, go yard-salling for re-sellable furniture (I'm going for a making-up-hyphenated-words-record, apparently), and make handicrafts with natural materials, our kids decided that each of them was going to learn a handicraft or skill of some kind that they would then try to market. I challenged them to come up with crafts and skills that could be done at home with as many 'found' or recycled items as possible.

Primo, Secondo, and Quarto don't know what they want to try yet. They each have a lot of ideas, but don't know how to narrow them down. (All of Quarto's ideas involve play dough and toy cars, so I'm not sure how successful he'll be, but that's another post.) Terzo has his mind set on opening a quill pen stand... well, he said "feather pen stand," but then we did a brief history and science lesson on feathers and quill pens, so now he's referring to it as a "quill pen stand." He already knows where to get the feathers. The home where the kids are attending VBS has a small flock of wild geese living on the property. Terzo has brought home four feathers already and has purposed to ask the owners if he can come back through the summer and collect feathers. I am very impressed with his determination and focus, but I have one issue... anyone know where we can find information on how to make quill pens?

Apparently, Terzo isn't putting all his organic eggs in one feather-lined basket, however. Nope. He's got a backup plan... songwriting. This afternoon he composed a song. Once I figure out how to get my videos or at the least an audio file on here, I'll post him preforming it. Frodo and I were rather impressed with the tune he came up with. Until then, I'll just post the lyrics. You'll have to provide the tune.

God Is In Our Heart
by Terzo

God is in our heart.
God is in our heart.
He is in our soul,
And He is in our heart.

We believe in Him.
We will sing with Him.
He is in our soul and heart.

I'll let you know when his CD comes out. If you pre-order now, we'll send you a free quill pen with your CD.

COH - Week 128

Carnival of Homeschooling ~ Week 128
hosted by the Headmistress over at The Common Room

The Carnival of Homeschooling will be here next week. Here is the information on how to have your post included in the carnival.

We Call Him "Liberace"

The moth, not the kid.



It's a Dryocampa rubicunda or Rosy Maple Moth. (The moth, not the kid.) Here are some closer pictures (of the moth, not the kid):







And here's a picture of Quarto, or Homo sapiens sapiens, in his natural habitat (the kid, not the moth... just to make it fair and all):

Little Serendipities Go A Long Way

I am a planner by nature. If I find out that we are traveling somewhere (and it doesn't have to be far; if we are going to be away from home for more than a couple of hours, that's enough) or having company, out come the paper and pencil, I pull up MapQuest and Google on the computer, and the research and planning begin. And although I get great pleasure out of planning little (and big) excursions, it is often those little serendipities that provide the most pleasure and the greatest memories. We recently experienced one of these little serendipities, and I know it is something I will always remember.

My parents came to visit a few weeks ago. They had never been to our new place here in Dixie, and since our new home is over 1,000 miles from their place, we haven't seen each other in almost a year. With the price of gas soaring as it is, who knows when we'll get together again, so I decided to try and plan some short trips that would give them a good taste of the area in their short trip plus include some places our family hadn't had a chance to explore yet. One of the places we went was the University Museum. Our family had been there before, but it is quite an impressive little museum. They have a wonderful antiquities collection that includes pottery, coins, mosaics, and busts as well as a doll collection, a Civil War (or should I say "War Between the States" or "War of Northern Aggression") collection, a small but broadly representational art collection, and a collection of historical scientific instruments that my children always find fascinating and wish they could touch. Tucked off on the side is a small room that usually houses a temporary exhibit. Terzo was very disappointed when he investigated back there this time and found that the Art of the Faulkners exhibit that we had seen on our last trip was gone. "Now it's just some old books," he lamented to me. Not connecting his statement with some information Frodo had given me earlier in the semester, I took my time moseying back to the exhibit and stood only feet from it is a I re-examined a sketch created and autographed by Kurt Vonnegut that is part of the museum's regular collection. Frodo was just behind me as I finally made my way to the "old books" and I could hear him gasp as we entered, "These are the Remnant Trust books. Remember, Hon, I told you about these? Cool."

At the beginning of the spring semester, Frodo mentioned that the University was going to host a tour by the Remnant Trust. The tour consisted of books considered significant because of their age, rarity, or influence on the world, but even cooler, you not only got to see the books, but you also got to touch them. When I went to the University Museum's website to see if I could take the kids over to leek at the books, I came across this notice:

These books are available for professors to use in their classes under supervision in the museum. The books cannot be removed from the museum. We can accommodate groups up to 70 in our [gallery], up to 40 in our classroom and up to 10 in our board room. For larger classes special arrangements may be possible. We need two weeks notice to arrange to host your class at the museum. Our regular hours are 9:30-4:30 Tues.-Sat. We will try to accommodate classes that meet outside of those hours when ever possible but we cannot guarantee that. Call... to book a class.

Drat. We weren't going to be able to go. Frodo was hoping to arrange a time for his university students to go to the exhibit, but he wasn't able to get a hold of the correct person to arrange an appointment. With the end of the semester, we figured his chance to view the exhibit had gone.

Fast forward to my parents' visit two weeks after the semester ended. The RT was late in picking up the collection, so the University Museum still had it on display! As we were oohing and aahing over the books in the display cases, a museum employee approached us and asked if we wanted the curator to open the cases for us and give us a closer look at the books. Minutes later, we were getting a personal lesson on the books on display.



This is the curator showing us a handwritten, illuminated manuscript (on parchment, I might add) of the Magna Carta from 1350. 1350!

Then, it got even better:

That's Frodo and Primo holding and casually thumbing through a handwritten, illuminated manuscript of the Magna Carta from 1350. How cool is that?!

Here is a closer view. (Handwritten! 1350! Did I mention that it was handwritten and illuminated on parchment in 1350?)

The curator shared the books in all the display cases then left them open for us to go back and pick up and leaf through the ones we wanted and to ask questions.

What other books were there? Well...

Secondo's favorite was the illuminated copy of St. Augustine's City of God c. 1494 (two short years after "in 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue.")



I tried to take a picture of her flipping through it, but every time she suspected she was being watched, she took her hands off the book. See, here she is doing the "Me? I wasn't touching the book. I was just standing here rubbing my eye" move. I think she had "don't touch the exhibits" going through her head no matter how many times we were told to feel free to pick up and examine the books.

A first edition of Thomas Paine's Common Sense... printed in England in 1776.


If you ask Primo which book was her favorite, she will tell you it was this one, Summa Theologica Pars Secunda c. 1497. From the accompanying plaque:

"One of only three known copies in the world. One in the British Museum in London and the other in the Newbury in Chicago. This is the most perfect of the three."

See the large blanks in the copy? This copy was supposed to be illuminated, but apparently no one got around to it.


Although she says Aquinas' book was her favorite, Primo spent most of her time paging through this 1862 copy of William the Conqueror's Doomsday Book.


Terzo's favorite was this print of the Boston Massacre made from the plate created by Paul Revere and his silversmiths. (The curator was impressed that Primo knew that the Boston Massacre was instigated by the children of Patriots, and some Patriots, throwing snowballs at the British soldiers... although something was bound to happen sooner or later after months of military occupation in Boston.)

Frodo had a hard time nailing down a favorite. Besides City of God, the Magna Carta, and Summa Theologica which I have already shared, he probably would list the two works by Frederick Douglass that were included in the display.


Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (1945)



My Bondage & My Freedom (1855) signed by Frederick Douglass

On the top of a list of Frodo's favorites, if he had been forced to rank them, would have been the copy of John Calvin's Institutes printed in 1578. William Shakespeare was apprenticing at the print shop where this edition was printed and probably set some of the type for the volume. Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of the book. I got a picture of the plaque, but not the book. (Mom, do you have a picture of Calvin's Institutes?) Not sure how that happened. I was probably distracted by my favorites in the collection.


William Penn's The Great Case of Liberty of Conscience c. 1670.


I was also amazed to see the Minutes of the Second Continental Congress from 1778 and the Illinois broadside of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by Abraham Lincoln. (Each president signed all broadsides sent to his home state.) I couldn't get a good picture of the broadside because it was framed under glass, and I have no idea why I don't have a picture of the minutes. (Mom? Did you get one?)


Other books in the collection were William Blackstone's Commentaries on the Law, 1771 (above), Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication on the Rights of Women, Benjamin Franklin's Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Document (1787), and Letters Concerning the English Nation (1733) by Voltaire.

What a great day!

Carnival of Homeschooling

This week's Carnival of Homeschooling is hosted by
Tami over at Tami's Blog

Check here on June 17th when I will be hosting the Carnival of Homeschooling.

Yup. That's what we're talking about.

Grandma Josephine: [watching Violet Beauregarde on TV] What a beastly girl.
Grandma Georgina: Despicable.
Grandpa George: You don't know what we're talking about.
Grandma Georgina: [pause] Dragonflies?

- from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

The Paradox

A friend pointed out the other day that I hadn't posted here in over two months. After the shock wore off that there is someone out there who cares enough to check here regularly to see if I've posted and note the frequency of the posts, I responded, "Yeah, I know. Life's been too crazy." And there is my paradox... when life is busy, I don't have time to post here; when life is slow and I have all the time in the world to write blog posts, I don't have anything interesting to write about.

Here's a brief list of all the stuff that's gone on in the last two months that I would have loved to have written about (and will, eventually) but just didn't have time to because, well, I was busy doing them:

1. Frodo finished his first year in the PhD program (I know, that doesn't sound like it has much to do with me, but trust me, it does... it throws me into single-parent mode)

2. I finished the second book of my science curriculum series. (Now, I just have to shift gears and work on editing the first one.)

3. We took some time off of homeschooling and played, and the kids enjoyed having parents who weren't working, working, working. (We all so enjoyed this.)

4. My parents came for a week-long visit. (We hadn't seen them for almost a year, and really had a wonderful time.)

5. Had the car fixed. (That was a very expensive proposition.)

6. Had the car fixed again. (Can you call it "hemorrhaging money" when you're already broke?)

7. Took lots of pictures. (I am finally getting a chance to play with my new camera, plus the publisher for my books wants to go color and may use some of my photos.)

8. Read a lot of books. (I love to read... especially when I have writer's block or when I am procrastinating.)

9. Began attending small groups at church. (The church just started the small groups, and we love ours.)

10. Sent Primo off to Youth Group... one activity involved dropping her off on campus to meet-up with the rest of the youth to attend a concert. (I am not ready for this.)

11. Deep-cleaned the house. (I have been wanting to do this for months, but waited until the book was done and spring semester was over. The house is so nice and comfy now.)

12. Sketched a design and began collecting fabrics for my new nephew's quilt. (I haven't tried anything this ambitious before, but I think it will look great when it's done. I just hope I can have it done by September when we hope to drive up for a visit. Oh, and on that note, pray for gas prices to stay down.)

13. Started up our homeschool's summer session. (Homeschooling year-round is great. It allows us to take off from Thanksgiving to New Year's plus we are inside in the a/c or heat on the truly hot or cold days and have the time to take off a day or two when those perfect spring or fall days come around.)

14. Wrote up a school plan for the upcoming year and planned what texts I need to purchase. (Now I just need money... and more bookshelves.)

15. Wrote up a summer reading list for myself. (I tend to focus on "have-to" reading, education and work-related things, so I wanted to come up with goals that included some pleasure reading.)

16. Wrote up an outline and a list of reading materials in preparation for book 3. (Now all I need is the contract for book 3.)

17. Held a book handwritten in the 1300's, another that was one of only three copies known to be in existence (one of the other two is in the British Museum), and touched the signature of Frederick Douglass. (I'll post about that shortly. This was so cool!)

18. Found out that the University Museum allows homeschoolers to check out boxes of actual artifacts to take home and study. They will also set up private displays and viewings on request. (You know we'll be taking advantage of this.)

19. Ate way too many hot dogs. (I know they are bad for you, but they're yummy.)

20. Began walking in the walking park down the street three times a week. (see # 19)

That's all I can recall for now. I know there is more, but I am going to go hang out with the kids for a bit then start in on my summer reading list. I'll share some more details of our recent adventures soon... sooner than two months from now. Promise.

Fly on the Wall

Terzo: Mom, can we do that game where you read me stuff, and I write stuff?

Me: Um, what?

Terzo: You know, that game where you read me stuff out of that book, and I have a pencil and a piece of paper and write stuff you tell me. Then you take a red pen and write some of the things I wrote wrong right, so I have to write them again, but when I get them right, you use the red pen to write big C's next to them then you hug me! Can we play that game? Please!

Me: You mean a spelling test? Sure, I can give you a spelling test.

Terzo: Yay! I like the spelling test game!

Church Membership

In order to become members of the Presbyterian Church of America (PCA), as we are, you must affirm five vows:

1. Do you acknowledge yourself to be a sinner in the sight of God, justly deserving his displeasure, and without hope, except through his sovereign mercy?

2. Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and savior of sinners, and do you receive and trust him alone for salvation as he is offered in the gospel?

3. Do you now resolve and promise, in humble reliance upon the grace of the Holy Spirit, that you will endeavor to live as becomes a follower of Christ?

4. Do you promise to support the church in it's worship and work to the best of your ability?

5. Do you submit yourself to the government and discipline of the church, and promise to strive for its purity and peace?

Primo and Secondo took these vows at our church's Maundy Thursday service. They are the girls in the hats. The pastor with the dark hair is our head pastor. The pastor who looks like Santa Claus is our youth pastor. We love them. The other gentlemen are church elders. (We love them, too.) I think it's funny that when each man hugs Secondo, they act as if they are afraid to break her. *grin*

I apologize in advance for the incompleteness of the videos. This was my second attempt to use the video feature on our camera. (You can imagine how sad the first attempt came out.)








After the service, we enjoyed a delicious ham dinner. The kids loved eating at the Passover Seder table. You can see the girls in their hats in the background. Terzo is the one in the black coat in the foreground. (The coat was new, and he refused to take it off.)



Here are Terzo and Quarto enjoying their supper.



This church really knows how to host a supper!



This is the Seder Plate containing chazeret (bitter herbs representing the bitterness of slavery), charoset (sweet, brown, grainy mixture representing the mortar used by the Hebrew slaves in Egypt), karpas (a simple food dipped into salt water, representing tears, to remind us of the plain foods the Hebrews ate while in captivity), z'roa (roasted lamb shank bone representing the Pesach sacrifice now fulfilled by Christ, the Lamb of God), and beitzah (representing the festival sacrifice, or chagigah, and symbolizing mourning).



And lastly, Elijah's place.