News Worth Reading

I remember really trying to be more aware of current events by watching and reading the news as often as I could. Shortly after that decision was the Summer Of Abductions, as I call it in my memory. It was the summer of the Elizabeth Smart case. News medias must do what Hollywood does. When one studio makes a natural disaster film, they ALL make a natural disaster film. When one makes an ancient civilization epic, they ALL must make movies with buff men from ancient civilizations. Well, that summer the news media picked out and highlighted every single child abduction they could find. I'm not saying the abductions didn't happen. I'm not saying they weren't worth reporting. I'm saying that after hearing about nothing but child abductions day after day after day I started to be scared of ever letting my children out of the house. I would wake up all through the night to continually count my children in their beds and to check windows and doors. I refused to let them be babysat by anyone. It was awful. So, I decided to scale back my involvement in the news of current events and just be happy with enjoying my children while they are still young. And ignorance has been bliss.

Occasionally, though, I catch myself back up and read what I can find to know what is going on out there, in that big ol' world. The past two days I've been pleased to read two things that really make me smile. And if news can make a person smile I think it is well worth sharing. So, for some happy news just click these:

Secret gifts in Tokyo
Education, service, and hotdogs for all

A bowl of good ice cream and happy news. A perfect way to start the day. =)

HAPPY WEEKEND Y'ALL!

Do you have any good news to share?

Better Than Spaghettios

When I was a kid Spaghettios were da bomb! The only thing better than Spaghettios were Raviolies. Mom didn't buy them because with as many kids as she had it was just cheaper (and healthier) to make a big ol' pot of spaghetti. So, for every birthday till I was 15 I would ask for Spaghettios and Raviolies for dinner. Chef Boyardee was good to me all those many years ago.

I have tried several times to buy my children's love and affection with Spaghettios. The first time I heated them a can and served it I sat back waiting for the praise and adoration. Instead all I got were whines. "This doesn't taste good." "Can I be done." "Whah is distuff?" So I say, "I made it, you eat it." "But we don waaaaannnnaaaa." "FINE, go play. I will eat it. I love it!" Then, with my nose in the air I sit down to enjoy 4 bowls of yummy goodness all to myself.

The only problem is that the kids are right. This stuff is NASTY! I force myself to eat an entire bowl and then I just wash the rest down the sink. The saddest part of this, though, is that I still will occasionally buy them again and try to get the kids to like them again. This last time I even bought Dora The Explorer shaped Spaghettios. I mean, come on, anything Dora has got to be good, right? Sweet Terror and Monster Man had fun cooking them, playing with them, and looking for all the different shapes, but neither of them could stomach more than a mouthful, and neither could I. They seem to get grosser every time we try them. *SIGH* I guess I will finally have to accept that I will not be able to buy my way into the heart of my children via canned noddle Os. Luckily for me I still had a smidgen of Lasagna left over from last night.

What? Lasagna? How could I, who have been complaining about my lack of energy, who's house is a total disaster, who spends WAY too much time on the computer, how could I have time, desire, or the ability to make lasagna on a weeknight? Well if I must share my secret... I made my awesome Lazy Lizzy Lasagna. Now, all you amazing lasagna makers (Yes, sis, I'm talking to you), this is NOT a lasagna meant to impress. It isn't even healthy enough to serve without vegetables. There is no bechamel sauce, there are no vegetables, and my kitchen is clean by the time we sit down to eat because I have only used 2 bowls, 2 spoons, and the pan I cooked it in. But I don't care because every single stinkin' one of my whiney picky kids asked for seconds. My husband had seconds and then had to leave the table to keep from eating more. And because it was eaten so fast I could only manage to salvage this pathetic, dilapidated corner piece for a picture after dinner was over.

Lazy Lizzy's Lasagna

Ingredients: This is for an 8x8 pan (Any bigger and I gain too much weight) but you can just double it for a 9x13 pan

~1-1 1/2 jar(s) Prego spaghetti sauce (No mushrooms, veggies, meat, or anything else that will make the kids think you are poisoning them. Last night I used Roasted Red Pepper and Garlic flavor)

~A bunch of shredded Mozzarella cheese. I think I maybe used 1-2 cups. I just sprinkle to cover.

~Some Lasagna noddles. I do not buy the oven ready noodles. I laughed when they first came out with the oven ready because I have been using the regular noodles as oven ready since my 8th grade HomeEc class.

~Ricotta filling (mix 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese, 1 egg, 1/3 C. Parmesan cheese, 1Tbslp dried parsley, 1 tsp dried basil, 1/2 tsp garlic salt, 1/4 tsp nutmeg or dash of pepper)

~Water

Assemble as you would regular lasagna. Sauce, noodles, ricotta, cheese, sauce, noodles, etc. I do at least two layers or until I run out of ingredients. With each layer of sauce I sprinkle a Tblsp of water. At the end I also pour a tsp of water in each corner of the pan. Rap tightly with foil and bake in oven at 350 for an hour or until you can poke a sharp knife all over the lasagna without resistance from the noodles. Don't poke the knife through the tinfoil. You don't want bits of foil in your food and if it isn't done you will need to rewrap it because the tinfoil holds in the steam which cooks the noodles. I also stick my lasagna in a cold oven and then turn it on (but I don't set the timer till the oven has reached 350).

It takes a long time to cook but it goes together in 15 minutes and leaves me time to chop veggies, make a salad, wipe down the counters, check a few blogs, and have the kids set the table. And if I make a 9x13 pan I will thow in raw spinach and sauteed onions and zucchini between the layers on one half for the adults to enjoy.

Now, I'm off to wash two bowls of Dora down the drain. Bon Appetite!

REuse, REduce, REcycle, REegg

Easter is over, the candy is gone (or maliciously destroyed by ungrateful children. I'm not bitter about it or anything), the baskets are put away, but the plastic Easter eggs are still here.

We could toss them into our landfills, or clean, sort, box up and store until next year and hope we don't forget they are there before we buy more, or we could donate them to a local charity that won't be able to use or sell them for a whole year either, or we can use them.

Uses for plastic Easter Eggs:

Tooth boxes for hiding lost teeth under your pillow

Lunch Money or milk money containers

Save and use to hide clues in for your next treasure hunt

Fill with cereal and keep in your purse for the kids

Fill with dried beans and glue shut for hand maracas

Tape to balloons to make noses, eyes, and other odd shapes for paper mache pinatas

Fill with love notes and stick in your child's lunch box

Serve scrambled eggs in them for breakfast and let the kids crack them open onto their plates

Use as cookie cutters

Fill them with homemade Gak and let the kids give them to their friends (but only if you are already hated by all the moms in the neighborhood)

Use to package vegetables in your child's packed lunch

Toss them in the bathtub, they make great bath toys for kids.

And while many of these ideas may still end up with the plastic eggs going in the garbage, as long as it isn't your garbage you don't have to feel the guilt, right? RIGHT?

And if you do feel guilt, Scribbit has a great way to work through such guilt in her Winter Bazaar along with other ideas from great bloggers.

Great Literature Part I

My shelves are stacked with Dr. Seuss, Sesame Street Library, Childcraft Encyclopedias, ScoobyDoo and Spongebob, easy readers, chapter books, and many many other books for children. I love them all. Lately, though, I have been trying to focus on great literature for kids. I know that anything that gets a kid to read is great (hence my ScoobyDoo books). Pablo's first love of reading came by way of Garfield and Calvin and Hobbs (which I personally consider great comic book literature. If you don't believe me just go read some and check out the vocabulary that Calvin has). However, after the love of reading is established I think the next step is developing a love of great literature. Many people disagree on what makes great literature, and that is fine, so please do not think that the way I think is the way you should think.

~ To me, great literature uses words for their sound and beauty rather than for their ease of understanding. This teaches vocabulary, and in a roundabout way teaches root words or use of Latin in our language, which in turn makes language, and foreign languages, as a whole more interesting and accessible to the mind. Every word needs not be defined when reading to a child. If they ask then you can explain the word, but most children will learn by context much as they do spoken language, simply by hearing the word used often over time.
~ To me, great literature poses real life choices that are difficult to make. Great literature will show real life consequences, good or bad, for the decisions made. Great literature also portrays real life values of forgiveness, justice, mercy, love, faith, hope, integrity, friendship, joy, humor, etc.
~To me, great literature will take you out of your small sphere of experience without taking you out of real life. It should be an adventure but an adventure that is possible for the reader as well.

Now, lest any of you should frown on my all too restrictive requirements, let me state that great literature is not the only kind or literature I feel is worth reading. I believe that myths and legends are important for teaching about ancient culture, ancient religion, and for opening the imagination. Fantasy,mystery, romance, and thrillers are fun for escaping from reality, though I firmly believe they should be used in moderation. Plays are important reading for building up the visualization abilities of a reader. Poetry should be read for literary rhythm and memorization.

I love any and all forms of the written word, but I worry about the lack of great literature being used in these modern times. Long ago the Odyssey was read as a great adventure story. Now it causes most people's brains to hurt (including mine) to try and read it because our brains are not used to archaic words and wording. Shakespeare is rarely enjoyed to it's fullest because people are not practiced in the art of nuance and wordplay. And many consider great literature to be boring when no one is kissing, being blown up, or falling into a magical realm because we have lost our taste for subtlety. Others dislike any story with real life situations because they are too sad, which can only make me wonder if the distaste for reality has any correlation to the increase in depression we find in our society these days. We often look for semblance between the books we most love and our real life. Is it any wonder that people are dissatisfied to find that there husband isn't a prince, that no vampire will whisk them away from dirty diapers and kitchen, that no wizard will come and save you from your wretched family life, and that your new job is not going to lead you to overthrow a major government conspiracy?

This is why I feel it necessary to raise my children with a love of great literature. But how? With movies, computers, comic books, and Harry Potter to compete with, how do I dare hope to get my children to love great literature? And how can I accomplish it with my lack of energy, my kids being in public school and "done with learning" by the time they get home, and without feeling like I am forcing them or fighting them (heaven's knows I need my fighting energy for other things), and all while still having time to eat ice cream and watch my old movies?

Thus begins my great experiment. Stay tuned for part deux.

Kids Say The Darndest Things

Sweet Terror runs up to me without a diaper and asks to go poopoo on the toilet. (in case you didn't know I have started potty training twice and have given up twice). Excited I said, "Ok, lets go poopoo on the potty." Refusing to go back to the little potty I sit her on the big toilet and squat down in front of her to make sure she doesn't fall in (that bum is so tiny and that toilet is so huge). She sits and starts talking in her hard to understand but adorable mumblish,

"Anagonnaplash" (The poop will make the toilet water splash)

Fffftht (passing gas)

"Hee hee hee, dats noisy anagonnacome out gonnaplash"

Fffftht

"Aha! Hee hee"

Ffftht ftht ff ftht

"Wasat? (grunt) inapoopoo hee hee"

Fffffftht ftht tht tht ft

Now I know parents are not supposed to laugh when their children pass gas, and I didn't, for the first several toots anyway, but come on. I am only human, and a naked cherub tooting right in front of me is just too much for even my rock solid mommy values. I was laughing so hard I had to get up and leave, and as I left she was still making noise. Luckily, as soon as the audience was gone she actually dropped the load. YAY! There is hope yet.

Monster Man, with funny bed head and those big just-woke-up eyes, standing in front of the open fridge at 8am, clutching a package of rarely bought hotdogs to his chest.

"Mom, can we have hotdogs for breakfast?"

"No, honey. But we can have them with lunch today."

"And can we go camping with Drew for lunch today?"

"No, we can't go camping for lunch today." That shows how often we buy hotdogs around here.



Pablo comes home from school the other day and I ask him, while feigning casual curiosity instead of the serious worry I feel, "Hey, Big Guy, how was your day today?"

"Mom, it was the BEST day ever. You were right, I LOVE school! Today was much better than yesterday."

"That is great. So, what made it so great?"

"I got two cupcakes in class today because it was a birthday for twins in my class. But yesterday only one kid had a birthday so I only got one cupcake."

I guess if ice cream can make my day better then cupcakes can do it for Pablo.

Cookie and I were having a serious discussion (ok, it started as a lecture but then I turned it into a discussion) on name calling, being kind, and choosing the right even when at school where mommy can't see you. She started crying and said, "I feel so bad about something else, mom. Sometimes kids say that you... that you..."

"What honey?"

"It's so awful, I can't say it."

"Honey, there really isn't much the kids at your school can say about me that would upset me. Were they talking about my messy hair, our ugly car, or how many kids I have?" (I was thinking up all the things a kid could say about me having only seen me for possibly 2 minutes as I drop her off at school)

"I just can't. It is so bad."

"Honey, just tell me."

"They say things like, 'Your mom is so fat that... that...' well, then they say really bad things."

I started laughing and she looked at me like I had gone crazy. I said, "Do they say things like..." and then I listed some of these. She started crying even harder and nodded her head. Then I had to switch the conversation to the intricacies of Yo Mamma jokes, when they are ok and when they aren't, and that I was most certainly not going to get offended by little punk kids, who've never even seen me, saying I was so fat that they used my belly button as a swimming pool. She was so relieved. Poor girl, here she thought the kids at school really thought I was that fat. =)

How Not To Do Easter My Way

I'm back. Thanks for all the wonderful comments while I was gone, they made me smile. The grounding was very good for me, I got a lot done, I worked very hard, and yet.... And yet my house still has the Monday morning haven't-cleaned-in-weeks-and-has-been-ransacked-by-an-army-of-small-demons look to it. Ah well, at least this time I can say that it wasn't because of me. You may remember my posts on how to have a lovely and a peaceful Easter? Well, great game plans only work if everyone follows the plan. This year we all deviated enough to cause total mayhem. I won't go into too many details but here are some of the main bullet points:

1. Don't allow your daughter to have a friend sleepover Friday night, forgetting that on Saturday you do your egg hunt. This is because said friend will turn your eldest child into a giggling mass of bad decisions, they will stay up and keep you up WAY too late on a pregnant holiday eve and make us all so tired that Mr. Easter Bunny sleeps in the next day, you won't have an Easter basket for the friend and you will have to scrounge around to make one for her, friend will start an egg fight that your kids will fully participate in despite all their upbringing and you won't be left with any eggs for deviled eggs, and in the 7 minutes that you step inside all the candy, playdough, eggs, toys, etc that you purchased, packaged, hid, and were excited about will be torn apart and strewn on the lawn and kids will be crying because they suddenly realize that they have ruined their stuff and are getting hit in the head with eggs, and because the friend won't even say, "Thank you for letting me ruin your holiday" as she heads out your door.

2. Don't schedule events for March 22nd, this coming Saturday, and the day before Easter unless your brain knows that they are all the same day because then you will be WAY over booked during a pregnant holiday.

3. Next Easter I am going to wash underwear, socks, and clothing for church and a nice non church outfit for every kid, then I will wrap them in waterproof plastic and lock them into a safe so that, despite all my hard work and my utter fatigue, I won't be found doing what I was doing Sunday morning. Lets just say that it was the kind of day that makes me say (in a tizzy and ready to cry as I hand my two sons a grey and blue pair and a green and brown pair, "Here, and if anyone asks you why your socks don't match you just tell them that we do this on purpose for Easter."

4. Don't think you are on the freeway heading home at 9:30 at night unless you are SURE you are on the freeway heading home. Loosing a whole hour because you find yourself on some mountainous divided highway in the dark is not a good way to spend an evening and it will suck up the precious hour you were going to spend making food for Easter Sunday. (Thank heavens for cell phones and yahoo maps, and husbands who can guide you back home)

5. Don't spend precious time on Saturday cleaning before you leave for the rest of the day. Instead spend that time cooking. Because you know that if you leave your husband and the three youngest kids at home, on a candy high no less, for 7 hours, that the house will in no way be as clean as you left it.

Luckily, a dear friend had us over for dinner with some other dear friends of ours and the day ended perfectly, with good food, laughing children, and a smiling, tired, pregnant, me.

I hope you all had a Happy Easter!

Pleasant Unexpected Surprise

I know, I know. I am grounded and not supposed to be here yet. "Because I'm the mommy, that's why!" Well, I have to check my email every night so that I don't miss an appointment or make someone mad at me. Last night I received a very pleasant surprise. I was picked as 2nd runner up to the winning entry of Scribbit's Write-Away contest this month. I'm very happy and a bit embarrassed. I whipped my entry out in 20 minutes in order to make the deadline and right after sending it I of course found many mistakes. And to think I'm always telling my brother to read, reread, have someone else read, and then someone else, and then read it again yourself before you consider any written assignment to be done. Ah well, too late now. Thank you, Melissa, for overlooking my mistakes and for liking my entry enough to notice it. Thank you, Scribbit , for holding such a wonderful contest and for giving me this button to add to my sidebar (I know I've been given the button before but I was too new to blogging to understand how to put it in my sidebar).

Now, I'm going to turn off the computer and get back to my grounding before the kids see me. I don't want to give them any ammunition for the next time they are grounded. =)

Grounded

" You've been very, very naughty and now you must go sit on the naughty step."

I'm grounded. I've grounded myself from the computer for 3 days. No, "ifs," "ands," or "buts." I've got a lot of things to do around here and none of it is getting done. Our rule around here is "No computer till your chores are done," and if you break the rule you are grounded from the computer for 3 days. Well, I broke the rule BIG TIME today. So, you won't be hearing from me until the laundry is put away, the floor is swept, the children are bathed, library books returned, Visiting Teaching is done, dinner is made before 8pm, children are read to and played with, a walk is taken in the sunshine, and a museum is visited. Hmmm, I wonder if three days is enough time to get all that done. Well, we'll see.

Oh, and my freezer has been restocked with many lovely flavors. Have you tried Ben and Jerry's creme brulee flavor yet? It is the closest thing I've been able to find to the real thing. And see my sidebar for a new find. So good!

And, in case any of you are feeling the mommy blues here is my list of Mean Mommy actions from just the past two days: (these events are so hideous and cruel that they resulted in many tears, moans of agony, pleadings, screamings, and down right silliness)

I made my kids try Sloppy Joes. Gasp!

I told my daughter she could only get one fantasy book and two regular books about real people situations (you know, where not everything is solved by magic wands or flying lizards). I know... basic abuse.

I asked my son to pick up three potholders off the floor and put them away. Obviously I believe in slave labor.

I told my daughter that she couldn't go with her dad to run late night errands at 9:30pm tonight. I'm out to ruin her life.

I made the kids turn of Sponge Bob, before they completely finished their 3rd viewing of it that day, so that we could read scriptures. I am brainwashing my kids with religion AND cartoons.

Yes, I am a Mean Mom and proud of it.

The Next Twenty Years

The Next Twenty Years

(Written as an entry in Scribbit's writeaway contest.)

Like a hand reaching out in the darkness my future reaches out before me. I can choose to sit in a corner and wait till someone turns on the light, I can panic and stumble around the room screaming for help, or I can calmly take one slow step after another until my hand makes contact with something solid, something to guide me just a little further towards the switch. I choose to calmly move forward. New obstacles in life are like unexpected items on the floor. Sometimes they are painful and quick, like a stepping on a small Lego with my bare foot. Some are more dangerous like a sharp table corner that can bruise or even trip. Some could be fatal, like an open stairwell. Still, I choose to move forward, but with care. I make contact with a wall and use it to guide me. It makes the trip easier. But then the wall is gone for a time and I'm left to search again.

None of us knows what the future holds for us. Even those with the best beginnings can have the hardest endings. Goals are set, plans are made, dreams are dreamed, yet reality holds our fate in it's fickle hands. Death is around any corner, failure is possible with every foot step, and heartache keeps the time. Yet still, I choose to move forward, hand outstretched and feet sliding slowly along the floor. At one point I feel a hand take mine and together we search the darkness. We are still blind but no longer alone. If I fall he will catch me, if I get scared he will hold me, and I will do the same for him. It is better and we continue to move forward. Then little hands pull on my clothing and soon I realize that I am no longer free to move as fast. I now have a little train of children following me in the darkness. I yell out warnings of upcoming objects to save them from the pain I feel. Sometimes they listen, sometimes they don't and we must stop to make it better. It is a slow process and I often wonder why I bother. Why don't we just give up and learn to live in the darkness? Yet, occasionally there are bits of light that seep through the cracks, not enough to see by, but enough to fill us all with hope as the light reveals just a bit of color in our world. So, we make a game of it, seeing how long we can go without injury, play guessing games with the objects we find, taking pleasure in each new experience, and laughing about the past obstacles.

Our dream is a world filled with light. Our goal is a place without shadow. The detours are endless, the pain is always there, but the hope, the adventure, and the possibilities are the reward. I still make my plans, set my goals, and dream my wild dreams, but I don't depend on them because I know that walls are found in unexpected places, hands are lost in the dark, and sometimes we must stop to help one another or we just need to rest. So the plans change, the goals are reviewed and renewed, and the dreams are still dreamed. We choose to move forward.

The Munchies

I don't know why I keep opening the fridge. I know what is in it, and I know exactly what is not in it, yet I continue to open it. Who knows, maybe if I open it enough times there will magically appear more ice cream, some cookie dough, a container of spinach artichoke dip, a left over rice crispie treat from last night, anything to feed this severe attack of the munchies. So, I go back to look in the cabinets one more time. Maybe I've missed a box of cookies, a bag of candy, chips, soda, a half eaten twinkie, ANYTHING. But no, I just organized those shelves yesterday and I know what they contain. I could make something but by the time I finished the kids would be awake and my precious movie time would be lost. I could run to the store, but that would require waking the kids and still loosing my movie/secret eating time. And then I realize that I have achieved my goal. There are no unhealthy, ready to eat from a plastic package, stuffed with preservatives and sugar items in my house. So, I sit back in my chair to watch the movie that would be so much better if I had a treat to eat while watching.

Yay for me. Poor me.

(And no worries, my goal doesn't include no ice cream. I will refill my freezer as soon as I can)

St. Patrick's Day FHE

Opening Song: The Holy Ghost

Lesson: Read this brief history of St. Patrick. Point out that St. Patrick's life was a hard one but because he never stopped having faith he was able to be guided to do wonderful things. Talk about his using the shamrock as a lesson on the Godhead. Repeat together the first article of faith.

Talk about how the shamrock has three separate leaves but are joined together on the same stem. discuss why Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are different/separate and how they are similar or considered "as one". Here are some articles with ideas or answers to these questions that you can read before you give the lesson:

Articles of Faith: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost

First Presidency Message: In These Three I Believe

You can write these down on a big cutout or drawing of a shamrock. Write the differences on the leaves and the unifying elements on the stem.

Closing Song: I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus

Treat: Green Rice Crispie Treats

Game: St. Patrick's Memory Game (Print out two copies onto thick or color backed paper)

H-A-P-P-Y

How do you spell HAPPY?

I know it is Sunday and I should NOT be thinking about this.... but.

On the way to church today I saw 3 of these lovely signs. Yard Sale season is starting early this year and I am happy. =)

My awesome DSSH bought me a box of Samoa Girl Scout cookies and I'm not expected to share with anyone. I love treats just for me and so I am happy. =)

Two people in church made comments to me about how I'm such a skinny pregnant lady and that I looked great. Compare this to last week when I got several comments about how I was so big for only being so far along, and yes I am happy. =)

I went to the library and picked up some fun movies (two classic horrors, a classic, and a romantic comedy) that I get to selfishly watch tomorrow and I am happy. =)

This year I FINALLY remembered to buy my corned beef early so we can actually have our St. Patrick's day dinner. And I also FINALLY remembered to buy my Easter eggs two weeks early so that they will be good and ready to be hard boiled (if your hard boiled eggs never seem to peel without falling apart it is because your eggs are too fresh) and so I am happy. =)

I have bought books and am developing a way to get my artist son to read more and to get my daughter to read more than just fantasy (I will share it once I have it up and running) and so I am happy. =)

How do you spell happy?

To My "Babies"

One should never accidentally come upon baby pictures of their children when pregnant. I can't help but want to cry over my lost "babies".

Cookie, when did you finally get a full head of hair? Exactly how old were you when you lost that bracelet of baby fat on your wrists? When did you loose those perfectly white and straight baby teeth? You were always so much older than you should have been. Too smart too young. I wonder if I ever gave you enough baby-love. Now you are so mature and I still have a hard time treating you like a kid. I hope you feel loved. I hope you are happy. I hope you have a life worthy of the goodness you put into it. You were the first and I've tried to give you the most. I love you!


Pablo, I never thought I would miss this but part of me does. You were ALWAYS getting into the toilet, it is a wonder that you didn't drown or die of some toilet disease. When did you go from being my chubbiest to my skinniest? When did you stop falling asleep to the sound of the vacuum? When did you finally start to talk? When did you stop eating out of the garbage and then stop eating all together? I'm glad you still love cereal. And you are still my quietest. I'm sorry for all the times I lost you, though I don't think you even noticed, if only you would have just made a noise. You are the peacemaker in our home and the imaginative adventure creator. I hope I give you the attention you need even though you aren't a squeaky wheel. I hope you can have the confidence you need to share your love and kindness with others. I love you!

Monster Man, when did you loose your baby blonde hair? When did I finally feel like you might live longer than 24 hours without 24 hour supervision? When did you finally accept that knives are not toys? When did you get big enough to hold the door open for me and to use your manners so nicely? You are so full of energy and so full of passion. You love just as hard as you fight. I hope I can continue to keep you alive. I hope I can help you direct all your energy to good things. I hope I can make you feel smart. I hope you know how grateful I am for you. I love you!

Little Sweet Terror, when did you stop being the actual baby of the house? When did you finally start to laugh? We tried everything but you would only laugh for Cookie. When did you stop screaming for EVERYTHING? Why didn't you come into my life earlier? You were so easy, so good, so healthy, and so fun to watch. You've made us laugh so many times and we've teased you enough that you are a pro at teasing back. You are still my chubby cherub and my fiesty little grizzley cub. I hope I can take you seriously and be there when you need me. I hope I can teach you the right things. I hope you will always have your spitfire spirit and ability to make others smile with your wit. I hope you will always give me raspberry kisses. I love you!

Do's and Don'ts

This post is made up of links and pictures so it won't make much sense when read from a reader.

DO make this delicious crockpot alfredo sauce. I added a 1/3 block of cream cheese and I threw in large uncooked shrimp and leftover roast chicken chunks 20 min before serving with the crock set to "low". This was roll-my-eyes-good! (oh, and I don't have Herbs De Provence so I just threw in garlic salt, sage, thyme, and basil).

DON'T make a double batch of these date nut bars when you think you are making these date nut bars. I wasted a bunch of perfectly good dates, pecans and calories (I kept eating them trying to convince myself that they weren't that bad. Finally tossed the second pan this morning)

DO make these adorable sheep cards with your children.

DON'T make them at your friend's really nice house with 8 small children because it takes a looong time to get so many hands clean and something is sure to get ruined or stained with black paint (or you will have an anxiety attack just anticipating such a disaster).

DO fill plastic tubes with various grains and beans so your kids can shake them and determine what size of grain/bean makes the loudest and quietest sound.

DON'T let your kids keep the rattles because they will eventually take the lids off and you will find wheat, rice, lentils, and kidney beans in odd places around the house.

DO make scrumptious chicken curry salad wraps. In whatever amounts look good to you, throw mayo, curry powder, cooked chicken, chopped celery, red onion, chopped cilantro, dried cranberries ( I like a LOT of these), cashews, ginger paste, and garlic salt into a bowl and stir. Serve on a toasted tortilla (or pita bread) with thick slices of tomato. Oh Yeah, Baby!

DON'T even try to get your kids to eat it. Make them some quick tortilla pizzas instead. To make a good tortilla pizza crust top one tortilla with a light layer of shredded parmesean or mozzerella cheese, spray with butter flavored cooking spray, top with another tortilla and top that like you would a regular pizza. Bake on cookie sheet at 400 till cheese is melted and crust is crisp.

DO marry a man who enables and supports your addictions by running around town looking for just the right ice cream, and lots of it. (Thank you, DSSH. I'm so enjoying the ice cream abundance today!)

Edited to add:

DO be adventurous and buy a very cool 3D puzzle of the Sistine chapel for only $1.00 at a thrift store.

DO finally tell yourself that a puzzle is worth your valuable time and don't feel guilty about making the kids eat at the counter while you hog the dining table.

DON'T worry about the 2 missing pieces that don't show when it's all put together and don't worry that there are some extra pieces that don't seem to go anywhere. Just enjoy the beauty of the thing.

Messy Messy Messy

I am loving Scribbit's Winter Bazaar and all the fun things that people are coming up with.

My contribution for today is "Messy, messy, messy" eggs. Or felt fried eggs. You will need a plastic egg, some white and yellow felt, scissors, thread, a pinch of stuffing, some pins, and something round (hence the bottle of paint).






Fold your white felt and cut out two fried egg shaped blobs. Trace a small circle onto your yellow felt and cut it out.








Blanket stitch (or regular stitch, I just think the blanket stitch is pretty) the yellow circle onto one of the white blobs. Before you come full circle, shove a pinch of stuffing into the yellow circle and then stitch shut. Now place the two white blobs together and blanket stitch around. (I stitched my whites together first and it made sewing the yellow circle on more difficult).




Now your kids can crack eggs on your kitchen floor all day long while repeating the famous line from Frosty The Snowman, "Messy, messy, messy," until you go a bit batty. My daughter got one of these for Christmas and I'm not kidding about going batty.




I'm going to make one of these for every kid and hide them with the rest of the Easter eggs. If I were industrious like Scribbit I would have made a bunch of them and offer to sell them to you but I'm too busy eating my new ice cream to be that cool.

Oh, and if you happen to have, or can get your hands on those thick round magnets you can use them in your yolk so the egg can do double duty as a fridge magnet. The magnet also helps the eggs fall from the egg shell better (more like a real egg).

Homeschooling and Socialization

If you are not a homeschooler, what is the one concern you hear most about homeschooling?

If you are a homeschooler, what is the one question you get most often from people who are concerned about your choice to homeschool?



If you said, or thought, the word "socialization" then give yourself 10 points for being up to date on current issues. I have a lot of opinions, facts, statistics, arguments, pet peeves, and very funny stories about this subject, but today I want to try and address some real concerns about the ominous word, "socialization." I want to point out that while many homeschoolers prefer the kind of socialization they can provide their children through homeschooling the decision to homeschool is often made for other reasons. You can't just ask a homeschooler, "Yes, but what about socialization?" and expect a simple answer. For starters, what are you actually asking? "What about socialization?" can mean lots of things to different people, like:


Won't your kids be weird?
How are your children going to get street smart?
Don't you want your children to have friends?
Aren't you being over protective and sheltering them from real life?
Won't they miss out on all the fun activities that school has to offer?
Don't you think you have a responsibility to let your children be out in the world to help and to influence other children for good?


So, before you ask a homeschooler that all too common question, pause a minute and think about what it is you really want to know. It will make it so much easier for the person you are asking to give you the answer you need to hear.

Should you worry about socialization for your children if you choose to homeschool? It depends on how you plan to homeschool. If you plan to keep your children at home every day and all day long, and they have only you as a teacher for EVERYTHING, and there aren't any kids in your neighborhood, and you don't go to a church that has lots of children, and you never have visitors, then yes, you should worry a lot about your children not getting the socialization they need.

Some homeschoolers do homeschool this way. Most homeschoolers, however, have their kids in classes like sports, art, dance, foreign language, music, nature clubs, geography clubs, etc. where they have different adults teaching them and have to function in a large group of children on a consistent basis. Most homeschoolers have play dates. They take their kids to public parks where their children meet and play with public schooled kids (and where their children often have to deal with mean kids, bad words, and other public school recess situations). Many homeschoolers are religious and so they attend church where their children take active part in lessons and activities with other children.

What kind of socialization do you want your child to get? There are many different kinds of socialization available in this world and as parents we are often picking and choosing what kinds we will have our children learn. Some parents choose not to allow television or certain movies in the home, others choose to live in certain neighborhoods, or choose a particular religion to raise their children in, and still others choose to keep their children away from certain family members. These, and so many other choices we make for our children, are based on the kind of socialization we want our children to have. Is it any wonder then, that there are parents who choose to avoid the socialization they see being taught in their particular schools? I am lucky to live in an area where parents get to choose which public school to put their children in despite school boundaries and there are many parents who are willing to drive many miles in order to get their children to the school with the academic social structure they like best. Personally I think there is a lot to be said for having "street smarts" and I believe that public school is a great place to develop those skills, but it is most certainly not the only place. Public school is also a wonderful place to expose your children to different cultures and ethnic groups, but again, it is not the only place to get such exposure.

What can I do to ensure that my children get "socialization" if I choose to homeschool? Well, after deciding what kind of socialization you want your child to receive, you go out and get it. It is very important to me that my children be understanding and accepting of other ethnic groups, religions, and cultures. To do this I have had to copy the actions of Benjamin Franklin's parents. Franklin's father thought it was more important for his son to stay home and help run the family business than to go to school. But, to meet the demands of his wife and the needs of his son he made a conscious effort to have people into his home who could educate his son. If he met a seafaring man, a politician, a skilled craftsman or anyone who could teach his son more about the world he would invite them over for dinner so that his son could benefit from the stories of their life. Following suit we make an effort to invite in our homes people who can share experiences with us that we would not normally find in our particular social set up. We have had to go way out of our comfort zone to do this but I can promise you that my children are not the only ones who benefit from this. You can do things like this, and many other things, to ensure that your children get the socialization you feel is important for their growth.

Will my children seem, or be considered "weird" to other people if I homeschool them? If you stop grooming them and stop expecting them to use their manners then yes, they will probably seem weird to others. Seriously though, people might think your decision to homeschool is interesting, and a few will treat you as if you are weird but that is only if you tell everyone you meet that you are a homeschooler. You don't have to broadcast it to the world. I've even heard of homeschoolers who, when asked why their kids aren't in school, tell people that their kids go to a private school that runs on a different schedule (many homeschoolers even create names for their "private school"). On the whole, your family will only be as weird as you let them be. In the 8 years that I've been homeschooling I've only had 3 people guess that I am a homeschooler and that had to do with having a lot of kids with me during school hours and nothing else. Also in my 8 years I have only had 4 people treat me like a leper for being a homeschooler and they taught me not to "cast my pearls before swine" or not to broadcast our choice to everyone we meet. I also made sure to teach my children how to answer questions about their schooling in a way that prevents them from getting mean reactions (a skill I wish my mom had given me when I was homeschooled). For instance, I make sure they know what grade they are supposed to be in, I've taught them not to say that they don't go to school, to use the phrase "field trip" often, and to simply say, "I like it" to anyone who gives them grief.

Why is homeschooling good for socialization? Besides the fact that you get to customize it to your individual family you also have access to areas that you might not have time for or the ability to get if you didn't have the time freedoms of homeschooling (though I know many families who public school who go the extra mile to get these experiences for their children). These include but are not limited to:

-Allowing children to socialize and interact outside of age parameters. No one in homeschool is too embarrassed to be seen playing with a kid from a younger grade or talking with a teacher about an academic interest (and really, outside of school, when will your child ever be in such an age restricted set up again?).

-Spending adequate time immersing oneself in other cultures or languages to get a good understanding.

-Taking your children to work and volunteer at nursing homes, homeless shelters, and special education facilities so that children learn to love and serve all people as equals. Or, another beauty of homeschooling, simply taking your children with you while you serve people in your church or community.

-Giving your child a specialized education for a skill or ability that is not offered by the public schools.

-And, something that I think needs to be mentioned, you can also allow a child who is naturally "different" to learn and grow without having to focus so much energy on simply surviving in an intolerant environment.

Public school is fantastic because your children get a LOT of socialization without you having to do much but pack a lunch and kiss them goodbye. My daughter's very first friend in public school was a girl who had just come to America from Ethiopia and was struggling to learn English.

Homeschooling is harder because you have to work to get what you need, but it is so nice getting exactly what you want =)

Now I need my fellow homeschoolers to help me. I am very lucky to live in a big city where I have many many resources at my finger tips. So, I'm asking all you homeschoolers who live in the country or in less diverse cities to share with us your tips and tricks to getting your children the socialization you want them to have.

(Oh, and I have reposted my rant on homeschooling and the socialization question so if you really want to go there go here)

Spiritual Alarm Clock

One of my new favorite blogs is ABBA Stories written by Becks (please stop by and check it out). When I first read her blog's title I thought she must be an ABBA the music group fan. I got a little smarter after finding out that she is really an ABBA fan (Am I the only person who did not know this?):

Where he found people calling upon God with abstract, distant titles, Jesus introduced a homely, personal word, Abba. This word, important to the earliest Christians, translates simply as father; but it is actually slightly less formal than that and contains a flavor of familiarity and trust. (Read whole article here)

Bible Dictionary: A personal, familial term for father as used in Hebrew. It is Aramaic for father, and in Talmudic times was used as a title of honor. It was used in the language of Jesus and the apostles, and later by Greek-speaking Christians, as an intimate name for the Father in Heaven. See Mark 14: 36; Rom. 8: 15; Gal. 4: 6.

Anyway, her blog posts are absolutely lovely. I never come away from there without feeling enlightened, inspired, or wanting to be closer to my Heavenly Father. I also love her humor and her candid honesty. Recently I have been in love with this post that talks about making a very personalized cleaning plan for your home. I will post about what it has helped me do later. Today I want to highlight something that Becks said, not in a post, but in one of her comment streams in response to the question of how to become a morning person. Here is Becks' solution:

Becks' How To Become A Morning Person:

"This first method I used for about three years: Step One: Give birth to a kid who's a morning person. Step Two: Feel guilty for letting the kid wander around the house unattended for hours. Step Three: Let guilt drive you to the action of getting up.

"I used this second method for about a year: Step One: Start getting up early via the old-fashioned alarm clock method. Step Two: Fall asleep on the couch at night from the sheer exhaustion of having been up since 5 am.

"This is my current method of waking up in time to do everything: Step One: Ask God to wake you up however many minutes before your kids do in order for you to have however much time He thinks you need to spend with Him undisturbed. Step Two: Obey. (God frequently embodies our cat to accomplish His answer to my "Will You please wake me up" prayer).

"This is the method I'm going to assume as soon as the outlet situation in our bedroom is resolved: Step One: Set the alarm for 5 am. Step Two: Go to bed at a decent hour.

"And this is the method I'm looking forward to adopting in just a few short years: Step One: Wait for your kids to grow. Step Two: Go back to being a night person."

Now, I've used the prayer method many times when I had a very important reason to wake up at the right time and it really truly works. I can also testify to the fact that Heavenly Father often uses interesting ways to answer this prayer (thanks to the person who decided to call me at 7am on this lovely Sunday morning so that I could indeed get all my church stuff done before the kids woke up instead of sleeping in next to my warm husband... who is still sleeping, the lucky dog). But I had never thought of using it as a means of running my daily life (oh me of little faith).

This week, along with a lot of other changes I am making, I am going to put this to the test. I will let you know what happens =).

Oh, and another great blog that Becks runs is Something Good where, instead of ranting about how your husband didn't take out the garbage AGAIN, you can brag about all the wonderul reasons why you love him. Today's topic is what makes your husband a funny daddy. So, if you have something good to say about the man you love, get over there and share it.

Deleted Post

I've just deleted my most recent post concerning homeschooling and socialization. I realized, while thinking about it today, that it wasn't exactly what I wanted to say. It was more of a rant on people's misconceptions and it was aimed at the people who have made ridiculous judgments about homeschooling. That is not the group who I intended to write to. What I want to write is a post that creates more understanding for mothers who sincerely want to know about homeschooling but worry about socialization, and that should not be written in rant form. So, maybe in a few days, when I've had time to organize my thoughts, I will write the post I should have written today.

Thanks.
Lizzy

Ok, I'm putting my rant post back up, now that I have written the one I should have written, because I do feel strongly about this. I have had people tell me that public school will "fix" my kids. I've had people tell me that without public school my kids will be socially handicapped. And I've had people tell me that kids need to be bullied to learn how to function properly in the adult world. This rant was written in response to these ridiculous statements.

Yesterday's post led some of you ask me about the socialization worry that people seem to have about homeschooling. Here is my take on the whole thing:

(warning: this post may sound defensive. No one here has given me reason to be defensive. I am a mother and thereby claim the privilege to be Mamma Bear defensive when talking about children) =)
A conversation between myself, my children, and a stranger while watching doughnuts being made at Krispie Cream two years ago:

Stranger: My, you have such lovely children. Hi, how are you, little guy?
Pablo: I'm fine. (He shakes her hand)
Cookie: Are you here to watch the doughnuts being made too?
Stranger: Why, yes, I am. (Stranger Lady continues to talk with my children about various things)
Stranger: My goodness, your children are so polite. It is rare for children to be able to hold conversations like that with an adult.
(We talk for a bit and she continues to converse with my children. At one point it comes up that my kids should be in school and I mention that we homeschool)
Stranger: Wow, that is so brave of you. (then in a loud whisper) But, what about the whole socialization thing?

I get that so often it makes me want to shake some people. This woman had just been talking to my children, complimenting me on their social graces, and yet she couldn't see the ironic humor in what she had just asked. She didn't even know they were homeschooled until I had told her.

Several years ago there were some attempted studies done on homeschooling to try to determine whether it were a good thing or a bad thing. Not being able to prove that it was bad, or at least worse than public school, someone decided to throw in the argument that the only thing homeschool had going against it was the worry that there might be a lack in socialization. Read this to mean that homeschooling might make your kids weird. So, now that homeschooling has gone rather mainstream the only thing people can seem to find to say about it is, "But what about the socialization?"

To this I like to ask the question, "Does public school fix socialization problems?" If so there would be no nerds, no bullies, no lonely kids, no kids coming to school with their heads bent low, their clothes unwashed, and their hair uncombed. Did every kid you know in school have lots of friends, or know how to behave themselves perfectly in new social situations? I don't know what public school you went to but mine even had kids who were so socially handicapped that their one solution was suicide.

Yes, some homeschoolers can be "weird" but it isn't because they are homeschooled, it is because of the child's unique attributes and those of the family they were born into. Whether you are homeschooled, public schooled, private schooled, or have personal tutors, it is really your own personality and your home life that determines your social ability or acceptability.

If you come from an abusive home, a reclusive-sheltering home, have a learning disability, have neglectful parents, live in abject poverty, come from a family of eccentrics, or are just shy it is likely you will have "socialization problems."

Now, though I've seen a few attempts here and there, I've yet to see a public school actively reach out to individual children in these cases. There are programs in place and they are working in small degrees, but I personally never saw a teacher step in and tell a group of kids to be kind to the dirty boy (that is vastly different from telling them to leave him alone). I never saw teachers encouraging the cheerleader to ask the nerdy girl to sit with her. I never saw a principle take a child aside and show them the basic steps to making new friends and then hold their hand through it as the child practiced this skill. (And even when teachers do try this, they aren't the parent and can't tell a child what to do) But I have seen all this and more at the homeschool group activities I've been to.

*Edited to add: Admittedly, not all homeschooling parents teach these social skills. And while public teachers may not teach them there are certainly parents of public school children who teach their children these values and skills in the home. Again, home life plays the key factor. I'm just pointing out that it is the parent and not the institution that teaches these values and skills and therefore it is a bit easier to do when the parent IS the teacher.

It makes me sad when I hear adults say that teasing from their peers can get a child to behave or mature (and yes, I've heard this many times). Sure, teasing can make a child want to change (or run and hide), but if no one is there to love them and show them how to change all they do is get hurt. (I'm NOT saying that public schooling your kids means they will all grow up to be bullies or snobs! I'm just saying that the family life a child comes from makes all the difference in the world. I know that all you who read my blog are great parents!)

Sure, kids will be kids. Kids need to learn to stand on their own. Kids need to learn how to deal with the bullies and the snotty mean kids. But please, do not try to convince me that they can only learn to be decent, outgoing, strong, sociable, friendly, and "normal" by going to public school. At least, not until you can show me a public school without a single hurt and lonely child in it.

Look not to the school, but to the family and the individual.

Are you sorry you asked me? Now, I'm going to go eat some ice cream and cool off =) On the lighter side of things, here are some funny answers to the socialization question.

Identity Crisis

Hi. I'm a homeschooling mother of four, soon to be five, but my oldest (9yrs old) has been in public school for over a year now and I just put my oldest son (7 years old) in public school last week. I guess that makes me a homlic schooler, or maybe a publomeschooler, or.... Well, I'm not sure so you can just call me crazy.

Why do I/did I choose to homeschool? The easy answer is that I was homeschooled myself until 6th grade and wanted to give my children that same advantage. The hard answer is that there are many many reasons and there have been different reasons for each child. With Cookie I wanted to homeschool her because she is so smart and I wanted her to be able to progress as fast and as far as she wanted/could. With Pablo I just wanted the kid to have time to grow up and feel confident before I threw him to the hyenas. And I'm still homeschooling Monster Man in an attempt to keep him from becoming the next Bart Simpson.

Why have I chosen to put some of my kids into public school? Cookie needed to go in last year because for 1 1/2 years she had decided to stop learning from me. Yup, anything I said was poo and she preferred to fight with me every day rather than learn a simple math problem. She actually did not want to go to public school and begged me (literally and quite sadly) to let her stay home. Sorry, but homeschool is about learning and she just wasn't doing it. For poor little Pablo I chose to put him in because I have not been able to get myself to homeschool the way I should since last summer. I know some homeschoolers just let school fall to the side when they are pregnant or going through a life change and that is fine, but not for me (at least, not for this long). I wasn't even getting the bare minimum of schooling in with him. And this guy really wanted to learn. So, acknowledging my lack of ability I asked him if he would be ok going to "Cookie's school" and he said ok. I can still handle Kindergarten and Preschool stuff with the 2 youngest because that is the fun stuff and easy to do so I am still homeschooling them.

What do I think about the change? There are things that I highly dislike about the public school system (and we are in a fantastic public school) but then there are things I don't like about homeschooling. I still say that homeschooling is AWESOME and I hope to do it again with my older kids at some future point. I am glad I chose to homeschool and I know that a LOT of good has come from it. I love knowing that I am in control of my children's education. Even with them in public school it is a choice and not something I HAVE to do. I like having that control and that ability to ensure that my children get a good education no matter what the public system does. I am also glad that there is a public school system in place for me when I can't homeschool. I love all the education options we have today and am grateful for the people who fought to give us these options.

How am I doing with all the changes? I feel guilt. I've cried myself to sleep. I feel grateful. I've felt anger. I feel everything that any regular mom with children in public school feels at times, and the same as moms who homeschool. I've now had the experience of being offended by remarks made by homeschoolers (only one or two) as well as the ones I've had from public schoolers. It has been interesting, though not unexpected. I desperately hope I've never hurt someone elses feelings or seemed judgemental when I was a full blown homeschooler. If so, I humbly apologize!

How are the kids? Cookie is thriving in public school and has done wonderfully there (though I really have a hard time with the kind of books she has come to love. ie: she now reads only fantasy instead of the classics or other good books. Luckily whenever school is out on break and she can't get to the library she is stuck reading MY books and she does like them... if she HAS to.). Pablo is having a tough time but he is getting used to it and already has a best friend (I know he is just starting, and I know I need to be patient, but it bothers me when he comes home and I ask him what he did for math and writing and he says they didn't do any of that... AT ALL. Instead they made straw helicopters. That is great and all but he was doing stuff like that at home all the time, and I sent him to public school specifically to get math and writing. But I'm being patient. Can't you see my patient smile?). Monster Man and Sweet Terror really miss Pablo and get bored at times because he isn't here to invent a new game or to start a new adventure. And I am adjusting, again, and getting better at packing school lunches =).

Bottom line: Public School is NOT evil. Homeschooling is NOT weird. Public school is NOT perfect. Homeschooling is NOT perfect. And this is all because any form of schooling is only as good as the teacher administering it.

And that's all I have to say about that. =)