I must admit that military service is something I have a hard time wrapping my head around. It's something I could never do. Just signing myself away to the government and saying, "Ok, I'm yours - do with me what you will." and then being handed weapons, trained how to use them, and given orders to end the lives of other humans. And what gets me is that every soldier on every side has the same perspective - he is the good guy and the others (as he's been told by his authority figures) are the bad guys. But the guys on the other side - they're not evil monsters. They're people. Just other people. They have people they love, and people who love them back. Perhaps they have been born into a culture that has brainwashed them to hate other cultures and to love causing death - but this doesn't make me hate them, it just makes me so very sad for them. I don't know what the answer is, but it doesn't seem like my country's current course of action is moving the world any closer to peace.
Although I am deeply grateful to the fighters throughout the course of history who have made the ultimate sacrifice for my country, today I keep thinking of the generations of mothers, wives, and families who have had to experience that unimaginably awful knock on the door. When a soldier has died, his problems and pain are over... but theirs goes on, every day, for the rest of their lives, while they continue on without their precious loved ones. I would like to thank them today, and say that my heart hurts for what they've had to endure. I desperately hope that the various colonies of ants on this anthill called Earth can somehow, someday figure out how to coexist without killing each other.
EDIT:
PS. I don't mean to sound un-patriotic, and I mean no disrespect to our soldiers... just sharing my honest thoughts on things.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha....
Great article from The Onion: "Increasing Number of Parents Opting To Have Children School-Homed". (Just in case you've been living under a rock, The Onion is a joke news site - it's satire, not real!) The very last line is the best part...
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Random tidbits from my day...
So I'm kind of an atypical homeschooler. Besides the other stuff I've talked about, I also generally hate cooking and detest gardening. But I DO like making my own bread from time to time (it's practially a law that you must do this if you're a homeschooler), so I did that today. It was an enormously exhausting amount of work to dump those ingredients into the bread machine, but I did it. Whew! *wipes brow*
Ta-da! Be very jealous, because this bread is super yummy and my house smells SO good! I used my favorite recipe out of my beloved bread machine cookbook which I discovered at a used bookstore for $4. Here 'tis (adapted for a 2 lb loaf):
Oatmeal Bread
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups water
2 Tbsp oil
3 Tbsp maple syrup
3 cups bread flour
1 cup wheat flour
2/3 cup oats
2 1/2 Tbsp powdered milk
2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp active dry yeast
Instructions:
Dump the stuff in the machine, in the order listed. Turn on machine (basic 2 lb setting). Go do other stuff for about 3 hours. Take bread out & let cool. Eat bread.
This type of cooking is just perfect for my skill level and attention span. Actually that's my real problem with cooking; I get bored waiting for things to cook so I go do something else to kill time and then forget I was cooking. I could probably do a whole other blog called "Sh*t I've ruined in the kitchen" or something to that effect.
Another cool thing that happened today was that we met this guy while we were out cruisin' around:
He was strolling across the road, and being that we're homeschoolers, and on no one's schedule but our own, we were able to take the time to stop and rescue him from the fate of becoming a turtle pancake. I brought him over to the van to let Max see him up close, and he was fascinated. He noticed the plates on the top of its shell and gingerly felt them as well as the smooth underside. (Don't worry, I made sure he stayed clear of the head area, lest his poor little digits become turtle treats.) He checked out how its legs were all tucked in and also noticed the long "fingernails" and was very respectful of them. For a moment I was tempted to bring Mr. Turtle home, but we don't have anywhere to keep him, plus it just seems mean to capture a wild creature to turn it into a pet - and he'd already had enough stress for one day, wondering if these weird, pale two-legged monsters were gonna eat him. Once we completed our turtle inspection, I gently placed him in the weeds far off the side of the road.
Bye Mister Turtle! Nice to meetcha! Now stay away from the roads ok? I definitely see some more in-depth turtle studies in our near future...
Oh yeah - moments before we discovered the turtle, a deer had jumped out in front of us and ran in a straight line up the road ahead of us. I slowed down to keep a safe distance and we followed him for a few moments before he zigged... then zagged... then did one of those graceful, slow-motion-looking leaps they do, and disappeared into the brush. I have a thing for deer - I just love when I get to have a peek at one! It constantly amazes me that such large animals live so closely among us yet stay nearly invisible most of the time.
Finally we passed a guy walking along the side of the road with a red bandanna on his head. Naturally, Max decided he must be a pirate. When we got home, he excitedly told Daddy, "DAD! We saw a DEER and a TURTLE and a TRAIN (yeah we saw one of those too) and a PIRATE today!!!" Many people think we live in a boring little small town, but they have no idea how exciting this place really is!
Ta-da! Be very jealous, because this bread is super yummy and my house smells SO good! I used my favorite recipe out of my beloved bread machine cookbook which I discovered at a used bookstore for $4. Here 'tis (adapted for a 2 lb loaf):
Oatmeal Bread
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups water
2 Tbsp oil
3 Tbsp maple syrup
3 cups bread flour
1 cup wheat flour
2/3 cup oats
2 1/2 Tbsp powdered milk
2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp active dry yeast
Instructions:
Dump the stuff in the machine, in the order listed. Turn on machine (basic 2 lb setting). Go do other stuff for about 3 hours. Take bread out & let cool. Eat bread.
This type of cooking is just perfect for my skill level and attention span. Actually that's my real problem with cooking; I get bored waiting for things to cook so I go do something else to kill time and then forget I was cooking. I could probably do a whole other blog called "Sh*t I've ruined in the kitchen" or something to that effect.
Another cool thing that happened today was that we met this guy while we were out cruisin' around:
He was strolling across the road, and being that we're homeschoolers, and on no one's schedule but our own, we were able to take the time to stop and rescue him from the fate of becoming a turtle pancake. I brought him over to the van to let Max see him up close, and he was fascinated. He noticed the plates on the top of its shell and gingerly felt them as well as the smooth underside. (Don't worry, I made sure he stayed clear of the head area, lest his poor little digits become turtle treats.) He checked out how its legs were all tucked in and also noticed the long "fingernails" and was very respectful of them. For a moment I was tempted to bring Mr. Turtle home, but we don't have anywhere to keep him, plus it just seems mean to capture a wild creature to turn it into a pet - and he'd already had enough stress for one day, wondering if these weird, pale two-legged monsters were gonna eat him. Once we completed our turtle inspection, I gently placed him in the weeds far off the side of the road.
Bye Mister Turtle! Nice to meetcha! Now stay away from the roads ok? I definitely see some more in-depth turtle studies in our near future...
Oh yeah - moments before we discovered the turtle, a deer had jumped out in front of us and ran in a straight line up the road ahead of us. I slowed down to keep a safe distance and we followed him for a few moments before he zigged... then zagged... then did one of those graceful, slow-motion-looking leaps they do, and disappeared into the brush. I have a thing for deer - I just love when I get to have a peek at one! It constantly amazes me that such large animals live so closely among us yet stay nearly invisible most of the time.
Finally we passed a guy walking along the side of the road with a red bandanna on his head. Naturally, Max decided he must be a pirate. When we got home, he excitedly told Daddy, "DAD! We saw a DEER and a TURTLE and a TRAIN (yeah we saw one of those too) and a PIRATE today!!!" Many people think we live in a boring little small town, but they have no idea how exciting this place really is!
Monday, May 23, 2011
A Little Socialization for Mommy...
A few years ago, in an attempt to learn how to better deal with Max's very intense personality, I read "Raising Your Spirited Child" by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka. I can't say enough about how wonderful this book is - I felt like it was totally written about him. It really helped me understand how he sees the world and why he behaves the way he behaves. What surprised me though, was that it made me understand a little bit more about myself too. I was familiar with the terms "introvert" and "extrovert" but her description really resonated with me. She says that an introvert is a person who finds that social gatherings deplete their energy, and that solitude recharges it, and an extrovert is exactly the opposite. Most people have some combination of both kinds of traits but tend to lean one way or the other overall. I am pretty strongly an introvert. I usually feel completely wiped out after a social gathering - even one that I have found enjoyable. There are a lot of great people in my life who I care about and whose company I enjoy, but it still requires a certain degree of conscious effort for me to be in a social setting. I am most comfortable when I am by myself, or with people I'm very close to (i.e. Shane and the kids). And that's ok. It's just the way I'm wired.
Yesterday, I got together with a fabulous group of women who I've gotten to be friends with over the past year and half. We started out as a book club, but this time around none of us liked the book much and had abandoned it, so we just hung out for a few hours and had some good quality female bonding time. It was really nice to just be in a room with all of these great people who are all at similar stages of life to me, but with different personalities and perspectives. I truly like and respect each of them. Afterward, on the way home, I realized that I actually felt energized instead of drained, which is kind of a big deal for me. I have always been the kind of person who has just a handful of close friends who I'd hang out with one-on-one, versus being part of a group. So the realization that I had just spent time with a group of people and felt comfortable enough to come away from it feeling energized is a really cool thing. I am so very glad these people have come into my life. :)
Yesterday, I got together with a fabulous group of women who I've gotten to be friends with over the past year and half. We started out as a book club, but this time around none of us liked the book much and had abandoned it, so we just hung out for a few hours and had some good quality female bonding time. It was really nice to just be in a room with all of these great people who are all at similar stages of life to me, but with different personalities and perspectives. I truly like and respect each of them. Afterward, on the way home, I realized that I actually felt energized instead of drained, which is kind of a big deal for me. I have always been the kind of person who has just a handful of close friends who I'd hang out with one-on-one, versus being part of a group. So the realization that I had just spent time with a group of people and felt comfortable enough to come away from it feeling energized is a really cool thing. I am so very glad these people have come into my life. :)
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Name These Smart Guys!
Just a bit of internet goodness for ya... I just came across these guys and I WANT them! They are from Jailbreak Collective's "Little Giants" series of action figures of great minds from history. Can you name all four? (Click here for the answers.)
Trying to think of a legitimate homeschool-related use for these to justify buying this set... and a few other sets... love 'em!
Trying to think of a legitimate homeschool-related use for these to justify buying this set... and a few other sets... love 'em!
Monday, May 16, 2011
I did something (apparently) very out of character for me...
So I got a tattoo this weekend. Not on an impulse, it's something I've thought about for years. I've always thought it would be fun to get one, and I knew I definitely wanted something celestial, as I'm a big fan of the cosmos. I went with my amazing sister-in-law, who I adore, on Saturday night and we both got our first tattoos together. We had a great time, and we both love our new artwork. Here's mine:
Just a simple cluster of stars with some pretty swooshy swirls. When I look at this design, I feel like it's totally "me". Which is why I'm surprised by the reactions of everyone who knows me well. The phrase that has replaced "but what about socialization?" as most cringe-inducing to me is now "Wow, I'd never in a million years have thought YOU would get a tattoo." In other words, I am apparently perceived as a total stick in the mud! My brother didn't believe it was real until he touched it. My mom said, "Well, you're just so... traditional." To which I replied, "I am not! I am an atheist homeschooling Libertarian! What is traditional about that!?" Ok, yeah, I know I'm pretty straight laced, and have never remotely been a partier at all. I guess I really shouldn't be that surprised by the majority response... but I honestly didn't expect it. In my own head, the only thing about this that is out of character for me, is that I took a little time for myself and went and did a little something special for me, which IS pretty rare. :)
Just a simple cluster of stars with some pretty swooshy swirls. When I look at this design, I feel like it's totally "me". Which is why I'm surprised by the reactions of everyone who knows me well. The phrase that has replaced "but what about socialization?" as most cringe-inducing to me is now "Wow, I'd never in a million years have thought YOU would get a tattoo." In other words, I am apparently perceived as a total stick in the mud! My brother didn't believe it was real until he touched it. My mom said, "Well, you're just so... traditional." To which I replied, "I am not! I am an atheist homeschooling Libertarian! What is traditional about that!?" Ok, yeah, I know I'm pretty straight laced, and have never remotely been a partier at all. I guess I really shouldn't be that surprised by the majority response... but I honestly didn't expect it. In my own head, the only thing about this that is out of character for me, is that I took a little time for myself and went and did a little something special for me, which IS pretty rare. :)
Sunday, May 8, 2011
My favorite Mother's Day gift, or: What?! Max can write?!
My favorite Mother's Day gift wasn't an actual gift, or even the card, but the envelope that the card came in:
This is the first word my son has ever written! And I didn't even know he could do this! I have encouraged him to try writing letters, and I have various letter tracing workbooks and dry-erase things I have offered him, but he didn't really show much interest so I put them away for the time being and planned to try again later. This morning he handed me my card and I just stared at those three letters in amazement. I asked him if he did this all by himself and he said yes, and Daddy confirmed that he did not help Max write it. Then, inside the card:
He signed his own name too! (Daddy signed Emmett's name for him.) Finally, because of my praise & excitement, he wanted to "draw more letters" so I gave him some paper and he sat down to write. I left the room to get ready for our traditional Mother's Day brunch with my in-laws, and I came back a few minutes later to inspect his progress. He had written "Mom" and "Max" again, and then showed me this, saying, "Look, I wrote Emmett!"
"EMET." Not a bad first attempt, both at writing the letters E and T, but at attempting to spell his brother's name. All by himself. Dad wasn't even in the room with him either. We were both floored.
Now here's a little confession. I do have occasional moments, where my confidence wavers just the tiniest bit, and I wonder to myself, can I really do this? Am I organized enough, self-motivated enough, clever enough to educate my kids? And then crazy awesome moments like these happen, where the kid just knows stuff - new stuff - that he has seemingly plucked out of thin air. And I realize that I doing just fine, and that I couldn't keep him from learning if I tried.
Here we are at breakfast this morning. Emmett was thoroughly amused with his spoon - it was either take the pic with the spoon in his mouth, or of him screaming if we took it away... so we went with the first option. This is an exceedingly rare photo, with all four of us in it at the same time... I think this makes a grand total of three in existence. I really need to get around to doing a family portrait one of these days.
Anyways, to all of you amazing Mamas out there - HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! YOU ROCK! :)
This is the first word my son has ever written! And I didn't even know he could do this! I have encouraged him to try writing letters, and I have various letter tracing workbooks and dry-erase things I have offered him, but he didn't really show much interest so I put them away for the time being and planned to try again later. This morning he handed me my card and I just stared at those three letters in amazement. I asked him if he did this all by himself and he said yes, and Daddy confirmed that he did not help Max write it. Then, inside the card:
He signed his own name too! (Daddy signed Emmett's name for him.) Finally, because of my praise & excitement, he wanted to "draw more letters" so I gave him some paper and he sat down to write. I left the room to get ready for our traditional Mother's Day brunch with my in-laws, and I came back a few minutes later to inspect his progress. He had written "Mom" and "Max" again, and then showed me this, saying, "Look, I wrote Emmett!"
"EMET." Not a bad first attempt, both at writing the letters E and T, but at attempting to spell his brother's name. All by himself. Dad wasn't even in the room with him either. We were both floored.
Now here's a little confession. I do have occasional moments, where my confidence wavers just the tiniest bit, and I wonder to myself, can I really do this? Am I organized enough, self-motivated enough, clever enough to educate my kids? And then crazy awesome moments like these happen, where the kid just knows stuff - new stuff - that he has seemingly plucked out of thin air. And I realize that I doing just fine, and that I couldn't keep him from learning if I tried.
Here we are at breakfast this morning. Emmett was thoroughly amused with his spoon - it was either take the pic with the spoon in his mouth, or of him screaming if we took it away... so we went with the first option. This is an exceedingly rare photo, with all four of us in it at the same time... I think this makes a grand total of three in existence. I really need to get around to doing a family portrait one of these days.
Anyways, to all of you amazing Mamas out there - HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! YOU ROCK! :)
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