Friday, November 23, 2007

The three R's

and no I'm not talking about reading, 'riting and, 'rithmetic. I'm talking about Reduce, Reuses and Recycle. There is a fourth R, it's rethink. That is the order in which we should approach waste minimisation. The whole point is to reduce the amount of waste. That can be as simple as installing energy star light bulbs, recycling your newspapers, glass containers and plastic. You could even have a compost heap, put your baby in cloth diapers or just turn off the light when your not in the room. For more ideas go here. For the resourceful moms out there try making a mini green house with your kids. To find our how go here.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

homeschooling

I've often been ask by parents whose children are in public/private school; why are you homeschooling your children? I'm never taken off guard by the question just surprised that they'd ask. I wonder if they truly want to know or if their just making polite conversation. I don't homeschool for just one simple reason.


There are a lot of complicated factors that lead me to this path. But if you really want to know here are my top ten reasons:


1) Schools tend to have an atmosphere that is overly controlling; lining up kids, moving them around like herds of cattle, and a disciplining them inappropriately for the problematic behavior. At home children are able express their individual personalities and only receive the appropriate amount of discipline for the infraction.


2) Schools have an institutionalized environment. At home children are loved and nurtured.


3) Schools spoon feed children what they want them to know. As our children grow they will have the opportunity to experience self-directed learning. They will acquire the basic skill to learn independently.


4 )In the school setting children are exposed to outside influences that may not be safe. Examples of such concerns are bullying, cussing, fighting negative influencing of peers, and illegal drug use. Many times these factors are over-looked or unseen by school officials. At home we have the ability to mold our children and shape them with high moral standards, and to teach them right from wrong. In other words we are able to be their parents.


5) Schools have set schedules. We are able to study each subject when the time is right, travel if need be, hold ‘class’ during the hot summer months and enjoy the out-of-doors when the weather is pleasant. Flexibility is one of the perks of schooling at home.


6) Schools are admittedly producing poor quality students.


7) There is violence in the school. The teachers and staff are unable to protect the students.


8) The courts have ruled that once you drop your child off at the door of the school you no longer have a right to direct your child’s education.


9) I for one don’t want my children taught sexually suggestive materials.


10) I have had more than one mother ask me how can you stand to be around your children all day? Simple, I love my children and enjoy being around them.


If you have any reasons you'd like to share, please feel free, I'd love to hear what you have to say.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Martha Stewart doesn't live here




A friend of mine had a sign hanging in her kitchen that read "Martha Stewart doesn't live here" I read a bio on M.S. once and discovered that she learned all of her canning, gardening and entertaining from her parents. She simply took what she knew and made a business out of it.
Well, try as I may I can not fold a sheet, fitted or flat, and have it look nice in the linen closet. That's why they call it a closet, so I can close(t) the door on the mess and not have to look at it all the time.
Several years ago I discovered The Fly Lady and I tried to fly. Apparently my wings were folded correctly when I put them up and I just couldn't get off the ground. She tells you to get up and get dressed down to your shoes. Well, that ain't gonna happen. I'm usually in my pj's till noon unless we have an early morning field trip. She also tells you to declutter for 15 minutes. I can declutter all day and still there is more clutter! The only thing I could do was shine my sink before I went to bed, but some evil fairies kept coming in at night and leaving dirty dishes and coffee grounds in my sink! Needless to say I gave up.

So, I decide to read Mrs. Clean, the house cleaning specialist. Honestly there is nothing new there. Maybe I'm just meant to have 3 inches of dust on my furniture and my husbands dirty sock laying under the computer table. Maybe I just need to accept defeat and wave my white flag.

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Musing


As I was sitting in the back yard watching the leaves being blow around by the breeze I got to thinking about all my friends. All but two or three of them are people that I have met since being married with children. I know them from church and they live very similar lives. But as I was watching the leaves scatter, I thought about all the places my friends have scattered off to. I have one friend who lived in Hawaii for a while that is currently in Germany. Another friend lived in California before going back to her home state of Texas. One lived in Texas for a while, but now lives outside of Washington DC. Another lives in Texas and still and another in Louisiana. We have lived in Florida and Louisiana before coming here to the Natural State. It’s interesting how the breeze scatters us and yet we are all still friends. Unique and yet still all the same.
I can’t wait to go visit my friends in Hattiesburg for the holidays, but I will be sad not to see all those who have moved off. Here's to those who won't be home for the holidays, you will be missed.

Friday, November 2, 2007

A Step Back in Time

Okay, who knows what was happening in this country between 1861-1865?



If you said the battle between the states, you are correct! And this weekend in Hope, Arkansas (birthplace of President Bill Clinton) the Civil War is happening all over again





We had the best time today, and if I didn't have to get up and leave the house before the rooster in our freezer crowed I'd go back tomorrow. We were able to see how the men and women dressed, what they ate and how they had to live during the war. We have been to a number of different living history museums, but this one was really exciting. The children were very attentive to what the soldiers said, and the soldiers were very accommodating to the kids. You can read more about the weekend here.


I'm off to Costa Rica....

Monday, October 1, 2007

be the change

When I decided to start blogging I wasn’t really sure what I was getting into. I had read several friends’ blogs, but I really didn’t know what it was that I wanted to say. Now, just three years later, I think I know what I want this blog to be about. I have gone back and deleted over 120 post.

Instead of writing about events in my day, I want to express what impassions me in my life. I don’t know if anyone else will care about the things that are important to me, but that’s okay. If something moves me, I know I will have a place to come and shout at the top of my lungs, even if no one else hears what I have to say.


Ultimately I'd hope that others would be inspired to follow Mahatma Gandhi doctrine and “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

“Be the change you want to see in the world.” mahatma gandhi