I still have a lot of work to do if I wanted to be a perfect 1930's housewife.
hat tip to Barbara (who scored 99)
 | 84 As a 1930s wife, I am |
Sunday, June 22, 2008
reading circle
I just finished (while on the way home from Mass) Stolen Innocence, My Story of Growing Up in a Polygamous Sect, Becoming a Teenage Bride, and Breaking Free of Warren Jeffs by Elissa Wall. I can't say that I know much about Mormonism in general or the FLDS (the group that runs Yearn for Zion ranch in Texas), but this book gave me more insight into the brainwashing that goes on in such a place. It was frightening to read about her repeated pleading not to marry a man she despised and then be pressed into "man-woman relations" without having learned anything from her mother about such things. It amazed me how Elissa could develop a stong inner conscious after being subjected to such abject cruelty and limited education. Her courageousness at facing down the "prophet" Warren Jeffs is inspiring.
The epilogue mentions the April 2008 raiding of the FLDS compound in Texas and how Elissa assisted the authorities in communicating clearly with the members. She gives great credit to the CPS and the police in their effort in reaching out and understanding the culture of the FLDS while investigating child abuse. I admit that I can see this side of the argument better now. On the other hand, I still am angry over the image of dozens of little children taken from their mothers and put in foster care based on a single anonymous caller. This is many homeschooler's biggest fear and one that has made me wake out of a nightmare covered in sweat.
What was the right thing to do? I think it is such a difficult and multi-faceted problem involving freedom of religion, property rights, marriage laws, and child abuse that it will take minds far more intelligent than mine to find the morally correct answer.
The epilogue mentions the April 2008 raiding of the FLDS compound in Texas and how Elissa assisted the authorities in communicating clearly with the members. She gives great credit to the CPS and the police in their effort in reaching out and understanding the culture of the FLDS while investigating child abuse. I admit that I can see this side of the argument better now. On the other hand, I still am angry over the image of dozens of little children taken from their mothers and put in foster care based on a single anonymous caller. This is many homeschooler's biggest fear and one that has made me wake out of a nightmare covered in sweat.
What was the right thing to do? I think it is such a difficult and multi-faceted problem involving freedom of religion, property rights, marriage laws, and child abuse that it will take minds far more intelligent than mine to find the morally correct answer.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
disclaimer
The rapid discoloration and swelling on my left cheekbone is not from any violence on the part of my spouse (as if!) or children, but due to my own stupidity. If you happen to be cleaning up the yard today and spy a large dead branch hanging down, do not yank with all your might. It could swing back and whack you in the face. I wish that someone had warned me 30 minutes ago.
Of course we are going to dinner tonight at a work colleague's home. I'm hoping that they just think that Tim's wife is a closet biker chicks who just happened to be in a bar fight.
I think I'll go put an ice pack on my face and go lie down....
Of course we are going to dinner tonight at a work colleague's home. I'm hoping that they just think that Tim's wife is a closet biker chicks who just happened to be in a bar fight.
I think I'll go put an ice pack on my face and go lie down....
Friday, June 20, 2008
pool party
Every evening after supper is cleaned up I help Timmy into his swimmy nappie and instruct the older children to grab a towel. Then we walk around the pond, constantly watching out for snakes lying by the path. I slip both the little boys into their float gear and they jump, splash, and paddle for over an hour before we hike back home for showers and bed. The exercise has been great, ensuring that they will start snoring as soon as each head hit the pillow. They have made quite a few friends. I actually didn't realize how many children lived in the neighborhood until we met them poolside.
Maggie has learned to dive off the diving board. Her signature hop at takeoff always sends me into a giggle fit. Even Charlie tries to dive, pointing his little fingers before he does an enormous belly flop. As his body is encased in buoyant foam pads it doesn't seem to bother him because he climbs up the ladder to give it another go. Timmy performs a jump, splash, bob to surface, climb, jump, splash sequence which keeps me on my toes to make sure the little daredevil doesn't drown.
I broke down the cost of the prorated fee we paid for half the summer and it must be the best deal out there: $5.50 a visit for the whole family to get wet, get fit, learn new skills, and have a great time. 
Maggie has learned to dive off the diving board. Her signature hop at takeoff always sends me into a giggle fit. Even Charlie tries to dive, pointing his little fingers before he does an enormous belly flop. As his body is encased in buoyant foam pads it doesn't seem to bother him because he climbs up the ladder to give it another go. Timmy performs a jump, splash, bob to surface, climb, jump, splash sequence which keeps me on my toes to make sure the little daredevil doesn't drown.
I broke down the cost of the prorated fee we paid for half the summer and it must be the best deal out there: $5.50 a visit for the whole family to get wet, get fit, learn new skills, and have a great time. As if I could put a value on this smile.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
IHM Conference notes: Homeschooling Boys
Dr. Mary Kay Clark homeschooled her 7 boys so it is appropriate that she give a talk explaining the delights and distractions inevitable in sitting down in the schoolroom with a young male. I have to say that my experience has been pretty typical with Will taking forever to learn to read, being easily distracted by everything outside of his books, loving science projects, and having more of a knack for understanding numbers than his sister. I cringe when I think of what he could have experienced if we had put him in public school: doped up on Ritalin and placed in a track to special ed just for being a typical boy. Every child develops at their own speed but there are some generalizations that are true for boys that are not addressed in our female dominated school systems.
Boys learn differently than girls and they surprise us with their goodness. We can harness that desire to do good by helping them practice the corporal works of mercy and teaching them by example. Our goal is not just to raise brains capable of getting into Harvard, but to raise good Catholic men, the future's priests and fathers.
How boys learn differently:
Boys like active learning- moving while studying, hands-on science projects, serving Mass. They use few words but they will excel at competitive activities such as crossword and code puzzles, cryptograms, and Scrabble. Most importantly for their academic success is teaching them to read and to love reading. Explain pictures and diagrams in textbooks before they start reading a section. They hate to write, but you must patiently and diligently make them do it. They have short attention spans so don't drag school out longer than 6 hours. They would rather be finished than accurate so the parent must be on top of the situation. Math problems can be graded right away, preferably by the boy after each problem is completed so he doesn't continue any errors. Boys are generally not good listeners, but if they start playing a musical instrument then their ears become better trained.
Young men look to their fathers and those who share hobbies with their boys have many opportunities to teach them about being a man. It doesn't matter what they are doing together, fixing cars, fishing, sports, or electric trains, that time together gives the father the opportunity to be a role model and discuss "man stuff." Boys like a challenge so utilize competitive opportunities such as quiz games and spelling bees. Lastly, boys like to be in control so let them make choices early so they can gradually develop the ability to be in charge of a family.
All through this talk I saw many heads nodding their agreement with Dr. Clark's assessment of how boys learn best. So far we have incorporated many of these ideas into our own homeschooling but I will have to check out the Mr. Wizard science shows that she mentioned were now available on DVD. I know Will loves seeing these experiments, I just don't want to blow up my kitchen in the process.
Boys learn differently than girls and they surprise us with their goodness. We can harness that desire to do good by helping them practice the corporal works of mercy and teaching them by example. Our goal is not just to raise brains capable of getting into Harvard, but to raise good Catholic men, the future's priests and fathers.
How boys learn differently:
Boys like active learning- moving while studying, hands-on science projects, serving Mass. They use few words but they will excel at competitive activities such as crossword and code puzzles, cryptograms, and Scrabble. Most importantly for their academic success is teaching them to read and to love reading. Explain pictures and diagrams in textbooks before they start reading a section. They hate to write, but you must patiently and diligently make them do it. They have short attention spans so don't drag school out longer than 6 hours. They would rather be finished than accurate so the parent must be on top of the situation. Math problems can be graded right away, preferably by the boy after each problem is completed so he doesn't continue any errors. Boys are generally not good listeners, but if they start playing a musical instrument then their ears become better trained.
Young men look to their fathers and those who share hobbies with their boys have many opportunities to teach them about being a man. It doesn't matter what they are doing together, fixing cars, fishing, sports, or electric trains, that time together gives the father the opportunity to be a role model and discuss "man stuff." Boys like a challenge so utilize competitive opportunities such as quiz games and spelling bees. Lastly, boys like to be in control so let them make choices early so they can gradually develop the ability to be in charge of a family.
All through this talk I saw many heads nodding their agreement with Dr. Clark's assessment of how boys learn best. So far we have incorporated many of these ideas into our own homeschooling but I will have to check out the Mr. Wizard science shows that she mentioned were now available on DVD. I know Will loves seeing these experiments, I just don't want to blow up my kitchen in the process.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
IHM Conference notes: The Place of the Passions in Education
Father Paul Scalia, son of Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia, gave a wonderful (sometime over my head) talk on the role that emotions play in education.
Our doctrines are not to be held just intellectually, but with our emotions as well. We should feel with the Church and through the development of a sound conscious develop a gut instinct for what the Faith holds.
Two errors of the passions:
defect-a stoic attitude that trivializes the emotions
excess-viewing of emotions as the end-all-be-all
Disordered passions cripple our ability to think, but with trained emotions everything works more serenely. To teach our children we first need to train our own- discern what is a proper emotional response.
3 goals of education:
intellect- know what is truth
will- do what is good
emotion- passions trained to delight in and be pained by things that we ought
How do we train the passions?
We need to preserve the capacity to wonder by exposing our children to the fine arts. Learning about classic music, painting, literature, poetry, and sculpture teach children a standard of beauty and how to respond to them properly. With our emotions properly formed we are drawn to goodness and moved by the greatness of the Incarnation. The purpose of educating our children is to assist them in reaching Heaven and the goals above do this by helping them know, love, and serve God in this world so they can be happy with him forever.
It is certainly humbling to realize that Father Scalia is the same age as I am and has accomplished so much. What do I have to show for my years of study and work? Then I realize that God gave us far different vocations and therefore distinct gifts to produce success. My goal in this life is to teach my children to long for Heaven and help them attain eternal life as well as assisting my spouse to do the same. If I do my job to the best of my ability then one day I will hear Our Lord say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
Our doctrines are not to be held just intellectually, but with our emotions as well. We should feel with the Church and through the development of a sound conscious develop a gut instinct for what the Faith holds.
Two errors of the passions:
defect-a stoic attitude that trivializes the emotions
excess-viewing of emotions as the end-all-be-all
Disordered passions cripple our ability to think, but with trained emotions everything works more serenely. To teach our children we first need to train our own- discern what is a proper emotional response.
3 goals of education:
intellect- know what is truth
will- do what is good
emotion- passions trained to delight in and be pained by things that we ought
How do we train the passions?
We need to preserve the capacity to wonder by exposing our children to the fine arts. Learning about classic music, painting, literature, poetry, and sculpture teach children a standard of beauty and how to respond to them properly. With our emotions properly formed we are drawn to goodness and moved by the greatness of the Incarnation. The purpose of educating our children is to assist them in reaching Heaven and the goals above do this by helping them know, love, and serve God in this world so they can be happy with him forever.
It is certainly humbling to realize that Father Scalia is the same age as I am and has accomplished so much. What do I have to show for my years of study and work? Then I realize that God gave us far different vocations and therefore distinct gifts to produce success. My goal in this life is to teach my children to long for Heaven and help them attain eternal life as well as assisting my spouse to do the same. If I do my job to the best of my ability then one day I will hear Our Lord say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
Monday, June 16, 2008
IHM Conference notes: Surviving Siblings
Ginny Seuffert, mother of 12 has to be one of the funniest speakers in the world of homeschooling. She gives out practical advice on organizing a household and educating children of many ages at the same time. Her talk this past week included the "S list":
strict not stern:
be loving and kind, start discipline early and often, enforce rules 100% of time, never allow your children to argue with you.
schedule set in stone:
create one that makes sense for your family, children do better if they know what to expect, little kids will play better on their own in morning, brainstorm to solve time problems.
spic and span not squalor:
do the best you can- surface clean counts, a certain level of cleanliness is needed, don't procrastinate, get rid of stuff you don't need to reduce clutter.
stingy:
be very mindful of any activity that takes time away from homeschooling.
sense of humor:
don't be so serious- keep a joy of family life, accept bad stuff with calmness and prayer, remember the eternal view- keep a big smile on your face, joy is proper for a Christian.
steadfast in faith:
see Jesus Christ in the face of everyone-especially our children, we would sacrifice our own life for our child- we should sacrifice our daily life for their soul.
I made a point to tell Ginny what wonderful talks she gave this weekend and how lovely it was to hear someone who shares my basic homeschooling philosophy. She really shows mothers how we can pull it together and have a loving attitude toward our families. When I think of homeschoolers I would love to be more like, Ginny Seuffert is close to the top of the list.
strict not stern:
be loving and kind, start discipline early and often, enforce rules 100% of time, never allow your children to argue with you.
schedule set in stone:
create one that makes sense for your family, children do better if they know what to expect, little kids will play better on their own in morning, brainstorm to solve time problems.
spic and span not squalor:
do the best you can- surface clean counts, a certain level of cleanliness is needed, don't procrastinate, get rid of stuff you don't need to reduce clutter.
stingy:
be very mindful of any activity that takes time away from homeschooling.
sense of humor:
don't be so serious- keep a joy of family life, accept bad stuff with calmness and prayer, remember the eternal view- keep a big smile on your face, joy is proper for a Christian.
steadfast in faith:
see Jesus Christ in the face of everyone-especially our children, we would sacrifice our own life for our child- we should sacrifice our daily life for their soul.
I made a point to tell Ginny what wonderful talks she gave this weekend and how lovely it was to hear someone who shares my basic homeschooling philosophy. She really shows mothers how we can pull it together and have a loving attitude toward our families. When I think of homeschoolers I would love to be more like, Ginny Seuffert is close to the top of the list.
learning to read
Maggie and I sat on the sofa this morning with set 1 of the cute Bob Books that I picked up at the bookstore a few months back. She is a very smart little girl and declares to everyone who will listen, "I am going to be reading by the end of the summer. I want to be able to read in bed with my flashlight, 'cause I'm a big girl!" Unfortunately I can't tell with the first 6 books if she is sounding out the words since Mary read them aloud and helped her memorize the stories. Maggie can rattle off the text almost before I turn the page. I think that we will only spend a week or so finishing up the set before we begin Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. Both Will and Mary gained a lot of skills and confidence from the simple stories even though neither got past lesson 62. I can tell that Maggie is right on the brink, if I work with her for just 10 minutes a day she will be soon be staying up until midnight with her wind-up flashlight and a copy of Make Way for Ducklings under the covers.
Friday, June 13, 2008
driving alone
I left North Carolina Thursday morning with ample time to get up to DC for the IHM conference,my suitcase packed full of clothing more modest than I typically wear and my tote bag filled with lists of Landmark books, catalogues, and my completed enrollment packet. Seton offers a $30 discount per child if you sign up at a conference, so with 3 kids in school next year that pays for 1 night in the hotel. About 2 hours into the trip I realized, barring huge delays, that I would be arriving before check-in so I decided to stop at Petersburg's National Battlefield.
While taking a class in Virginia History at college I wrote a research paper on my great-great-grandfather, John C. Ashton, a Civil War veteran who fought in Petersburg at the Battle of the Crater and was captured and taken to Maryland. According to family lore, his mother traveled up to Washington, DC to plead with President Johnson to release all the boys from Portsmouth, including her son. Soon afterwards he returned home via the Eastern Shore where he was forced to cut off the CSA buttons off his jacket so he wouldn't be harassed by the occupying Union forces on the ferryboat.
I drove along the 4 mile road, stopping a few times to look at cabins and the massive earthworks that both sides erected during the 18 month campaign. Finally I arrived at stop 8 and walked to the modest crater that the Union forces created when they blew up the Confederate battery with explosives packed into a 300 yard long tunnel. It was a peaceful place with even a sight of a white-tailed deer grazing on the old battlefield, a far cry from the smoking and bloody scene on a hot July day almost 150 year ago. My last opportunity to take the children to see this battlefield will be after our packout while driving to our next duty station so I expect that over the next few weeks I will be conducting a short lesson on the Civil War and their ancestor's part in the conflict. One day we will live in the most Yankee state there is, home of towns created in the 1860's with names like Union and Unity. They may have slight Maine accents, but I will insist they were Virginians first.
While taking a class in Virginia History at college I wrote a research paper on my great-great-grandfather, John C. Ashton, a Civil War veteran who fought in Petersburg at the Battle of the Crater and was captured and taken to Maryland. According to family lore, his mother traveled up to Washington, DC to plead with President Johnson to release all the boys from Portsmouth, including her son. Soon afterwards he returned home via the Eastern Shore where he was forced to cut off the CSA buttons off his jacket so he wouldn't be harassed by the occupying Union forces on the ferryboat.
I drove along the 4 mile road, stopping a few times to look at cabins and the massive earthworks that both sides erected during the 18 month campaign. Finally I arrived at stop 8 and walked to the modest crater that the Union forces created when they blew up the Confederate battery with explosives packed into a 300 yard long tunnel. It was a peaceful place with even a sight of a white-tailed deer grazing on the old battlefield, a far cry from the smoking and bloody scene on a hot July day almost 150 year ago. My last opportunity to take the children to see this battlefield will be after our packout while driving to our next duty station so I expect that over the next few weeks I will be conducting a short lesson on the Civil War and their ancestor's part in the conflict. One day we will live in the most Yankee state there is, home of towns created in the 1860's with names like Union and Unity. They may have slight Maine accents, but I will insist they were Virginians first.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Kudos to my husband
He was a first place winner in the 2007 Catholic Press Association Awards. He is a wonderful writer and humble to boot.
Ethics and Medics, Philadelphia, Pa., “The Pill and Breast Cancer Risk” by Timothy P. Collins, M.D.
Dr. Collins lays out the case that birth control pills are bad, not only because they violate the teachings of the Church, but they also pose serious health risks. He states his intention clearly in the opening paragraph, then lays out a convincing case for his thesis. He sums up his argument, showing that the Church and science agree on this subject. This essay stands out in that it is well organized, written clearly, it stays focused, and it effectively proves its point.
Ethics and Medics, Philadelphia, Pa., “The Pill and Breast Cancer Risk” by Timothy P. Collins, M.D.
Dr. Collins lays out the case that birth control pills are bad, not only because they violate the teachings of the Church, but they also pose serious health risks. He states his intention clearly in the opening paragraph, then lays out a convincing case for his thesis. He sums up his argument, showing that the Church and science agree on this subject. This essay stands out in that it is well organized, written clearly, it stays focused, and it effectively proves its point.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Carnival of Homeschooling
The Common Room is hosting the carnival this week.
I am amazed that someone with 7 kids could plan and stay on the computer long enough to collate all the posts, but likely they have much higher speed internet than my dinky 7 year old over-taxed computer. Tim just got a new laptop and wants me to try it out to see if I want one just like it. Only if I can get a mouse with it, I can't handle all the fingertip coordination you need to operate a standard laptop.
I am amazed that someone with 7 kids could plan and stay on the computer long enough to collate all the posts, but likely they have much higher speed internet than my dinky 7 year old over-taxed computer. Tim just got a new laptop and wants me to try it out to see if I want one just like it. Only if I can get a mouse with it, I can't handle all the fingertip coordination you need to operate a standard laptop.
happy that our second amendment rights are secured
The North Carolina miltia is now armed and ready for any future battles.Monday, June 09, 2008
crack the code
There are a lot of words any family uses that have special meanings forged by shared experiences and old jokes. An outsider could feel like they are listening to a foreign language. "Basta! Do not make any more bubbles," translates into, "No more! Stop passing gas." Four pairs of eagle eyes are ready to chant, "Mommy rolled her eyes, Mommy rolled her eyes!" when someone utters a far-fetched statement or tells a really bad knock-knock joke. Now Charlie and Timmy have expanded the family linguistic repertoire with their own code. In 24 month old speak, "NO!" means no and "no" means yes. Danielle Bean posted about this very same phenomenon with her toddler.
"I'm a little kid," from soon-to-be 4 year old Charlie translates into, "I want a sippy cup, to be carried, I can't eat all the food on my plate," while, "I am a big kid," means "I want special privileges reserved for the older children such as a glass of juice, a trip somewhere in the car, or a later bedtime." All this means that I am constantly asking both boys for a translation, "Does your no mean no or yes? What is your status today Charlie?"
Charlie summed up his fluttering back and forth very well, "Right now I'm a little kid, but I need to eat a lot so I can get big and do lots of stuff."
"I'm a little kid," from soon-to-be 4 year old Charlie translates into, "I want a sippy cup, to be carried, I can't eat all the food on my plate," while, "I am a big kid," means "I want special privileges reserved for the older children such as a glass of juice, a trip somewhere in the car, or a later bedtime." All this means that I am constantly asking both boys for a translation, "Does your no mean no or yes? What is your status today Charlie?"
Charlie summed up his fluttering back and forth very well, "Right now I'm a little kid, but I need to eat a lot so I can get big and do lots of stuff."
Sunday, June 08, 2008
supersoaker or no supersoaker, that is the question
Some days it is hard to be the baby in the family. Yeah, sure you have lots of bigger people smiling and cheering every time you do something new, like walk down the stairs or say a string of new words, "duk, itty, Mawy..." But then there is the constant, "No, Baby Timmy, not for you." It is a real drag.
Now that the pool has opened our evening routine has shifted to dinner at 5, cleanup, pool at 6:30 and bath and bed at 8:30. Timmy loves getting his tiny red Crocs out, holding my hand and pointing at all the ducks in the pond, and shimmying into his inflated ring to paddle around in the shallow end. His first few dips were spent clinging to Tim's neck, but now he climbs in and out, splashes around, and even kicks his feet to stay upright. His eyes 'bout bugged out of his head when a child brought a humongous water gun tonight and let all the kids try it out. Even though he couldn't make it work Timmy still loved pretending that he could shoot water like everyone else. Watching them play, I thought, "Wouldn't these make great birthday gifts for the little boys?"
But then the fireworks started. After his very long turn Timmy fought vigorously against handing it back to the gracious 6 year old owner. When that didn't produce the desired result of the gun back in his hands he howled and screamed for what seemed like an eternity, but was likely about 15 minutes. After I realized that he wasn't going to give up I scooped him up and barked to Charlie and Maggie, "Follow me home!"
Then I realized my predicament. If I went ahead and bought Timmy the very toy he fussed so much over then that might give him the idea that he just has to pitch another fit and another to get his next have-to-have item. Before I know it, he could be 16 and having a throw down temper tantrum over a sporty red truck.
So... I can put a little money aside each month for truck payments if I buy him the gun or the same amount toward therapy if I don't buy it.
I might be overreacting, but doubt it, since I came "this close" to getting that red truck myself. My grandmother still talks about that day. It wasn't pretty.
Now that the pool has opened our evening routine has shifted to dinner at 5, cleanup, pool at 6:30 and bath and bed at 8:30. Timmy loves getting his tiny red Crocs out, holding my hand and pointing at all the ducks in the pond, and shimmying into his inflated ring to paddle around in the shallow end. His first few dips were spent clinging to Tim's neck, but now he climbs in and out, splashes around, and even kicks his feet to stay upright. His eyes 'bout bugged out of his head when a child brought a humongous water gun tonight and let all the kids try it out. Even though he couldn't make it work Timmy still loved pretending that he could shoot water like everyone else. Watching them play, I thought, "Wouldn't these make great birthday gifts for the little boys?"
But then the fireworks started. After his very long turn Timmy fought vigorously against handing it back to the gracious 6 year old owner. When that didn't produce the desired result of the gun back in his hands he howled and screamed for what seemed like an eternity, but was likely about 15 minutes. After I realized that he wasn't going to give up I scooped him up and barked to Charlie and Maggie, "Follow me home!"
Then I realized my predicament. If I went ahead and bought Timmy the very toy he fussed so much over then that might give him the idea that he just has to pitch another fit and another to get his next have-to-have item. Before I know it, he could be 16 and having a throw down temper tantrum over a sporty red truck.
So... I can put a little money aside each month for truck payments if I buy him the gun or the same amount toward therapy if I don't buy it.
I might be overreacting, but doubt it, since I came "this close" to getting that red truck myself. My grandmother still talks about that day. It wasn't pretty.
Friday, June 06, 2008
do you have house lust?
I just finished speed-reading the new book, House Lust: America's Obsession With Our Homes by Daniel McGinn. It was facinating to get the inside scoop about the excesses of square foot mania, new home neurosis, renovation psychology, tempting TV shows, flipping failures, agent career stats, and vacation home valuation. It seems that the home tours, including bathrooms, and discussions of real estate values over the past five or six years I experienced at parties were not some local fad, but part of a nation-wide obsession with houses as the ultimate trophy to prove something to the neighbors and ourselves.
I certainly have been part of the craze, scanning real estate sections on Saturday mornings to see what homes were going for in various neighborhoods, including my own. I have watched a few episodes of HGTV, at least enough to know that if we had cable I would be addicted to at least a couple. Our own building project is far enough away that I can't camp out at the job site every day. However, I am starting to gear up for the main house project, one I know will involve many more decisions and could easily spiral out of control. Reading this book helped me plant my feet firmly in the smaller, more efficient house camp, after all, the kids will start leaving the nest 6 years after we move in.
I certainly have been part of the craze, scanning real estate sections on Saturday mornings to see what homes were going for in various neighborhoods, including my own. I have watched a few episodes of HGTV, at least enough to know that if we had cable I would be addicted to at least a couple. Our own building project is far enough away that I can't camp out at the job site every day. However, I am starting to gear up for the main house project, one I know will involve many more decisions and could easily spiral out of control. Reading this book helped me plant my feet firmly in the smaller, more efficient house camp, after all, the kids will start leaving the nest 6 years after we move in.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
art totes and toting babies to the arts
This morning I packed the kids in the van and escaped the oppressive heat (the heat index today is over 100F) at the North Carolina Museum of Art. After clicking around on the website I found that the info desk offers a tote bag program for kids. In our quest we explored the African and Modern art galleries, which I wouldn't have ventured into otherwise and found some lovely pieces, including a magical butterfly sculpture. Hundreds of glittering metal butterflies seemed to dance over delicate flowers above our heads.
The 4 ziplock bags contained activities corresponding to a painting, each child put together a modernistic puzzle to match this piece,
stroked fabrics contained in a portrait of the 5 year old King Louis XV, and listened to a story of how the african leopard got his spots. Except for having to listen to Timmy whine about having to stay strapped in the stroller instead of running around toucing valuable art works, the 90 minute visit was just long enough to be educational and just short enough to be fun.
The 4 ziplock bags contained activities corresponding to a painting, each child put together a modernistic puzzle to match this piece,
played a color search game
with this impressionist,
stroked fabrics contained in a portrait of the 5 year old King Louis XV, and listened to a story of how the african leopard got his spots. Except for having to listen to Timmy whine about having to stay strapped in the stroller instead of running around toucing valuable art works, the 90 minute visit was just long enough to be educational and just short enough to be fun.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
summer reading program
We used to enroll the kids in the local library summer reading programs with their game cards, cheap plastic prizes, and coupons to Chick-fi-a, but finally it became too much trouble for me. Our children simply read too many books to keep track of minutes read or titles. After fighting with the librarian yesterday over several returned items (I remember putting them in the slot but they are still on our cards) I realized that we have checked out over 800 books this year. Okay, we paid $15 or so in overdue fees, but with a family of voracious readers like ours, the library is the best taxpayer funded public service by far.
I am so grateful to philanthropists who organized and sponsored public libraries in towns and cities all over the world and the librarians who staff them. Here are some of their many beneficiaries:
(note that the book is upside down)
(this one is reading his sister's Pony Pals books):
I hope your summer is filled with many trips to the library!
I am so grateful to philanthropists who organized and sponsored public libraries in towns and cities all over the world and the librarians who staff them. Here are some of their many beneficiaries:
(note that the book is upside down)
(this one is reading his sister's Pony Pals books):I hope your summer is filled with many trips to the library!
homeschool carnival
This week's carnival is up at Tami's Blog.
I got home really late last night from the "bombs and bravos" show-and-tell with some other homeschooling moms. Once I recover, I'll write about some of the books/game titles I scribbled down.
I got home really late last night from the "bombs and bravos" show-and-tell with some other homeschooling moms. Once I recover, I'll write about some of the books/game titles I scribbled down.
Monday, June 02, 2008
pray with me
I am not one of those folks who line up to see celebrities or idolize famous people in the media, but was startled to check my email this morning and discover that Teddy Kennedy is having surgery, not 30 minutes from here, at Duke University for a malignant glioma brain tumor discovered two weeks ago. I immediately recalled a conversation a few years ago with a priest in Maine who said, "If you had come with me last week over to Islesboro for Mass you would have seen Teddy Kennedy. He was here staying with a golfing buddy." At the time I wasn't too fond of the pro-abortion Catholic from Massachusetts, but didn't have the nerve to ask the priest if he gave him Holy Communion.
Today's news article states that the Senator plans to return to his political life and,"help elect Barack Obama the next president of the United States." Perhaps our prayers will change his heart to follow Catholic teaching regarding abortion. Sen Kennedy has a terrible prognosis and will likely soon meet Our Lord in the Particular Judgement. Our prayers now are with him and his family for conversion and comfort.
Today's news article states that the Senator plans to return to his political life and,"help elect Barack Obama the next president of the United States." Perhaps our prayers will change his heart to follow Catholic teaching regarding abortion. Sen Kennedy has a terrible prognosis and will likely soon meet Our Lord in the Particular Judgement. Our prayers now are with him and his family for conversion and comfort.
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