What Do You Think?

When giving directions to your house, you'd only have to say that it was the bright yellow one with two different shutters. Here when *we* give directions, we have to tell people we live on "X street," but not the "X street" in this part of town or the "X street" over on the other part of town. You know, the "X street" near this and that landmark. Um... tell you what... just drive with your cell phone on and call me when you get into the city. Then I'll tell you street by street where to go. Good luck.

Oh, My Goodness, I've Been TAGGED!

Daja at http://www.gombojav.blogspot.com/ has tagged me with about a million Christmas questions! Wow, I hope I know the answers to them!!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Usually I'll use the old paper that comes in my CBD orders. It's rather like a long paper bag-material. I use that and some tape. I also recycle gift bags AND I have a bit of wrapping paper too.

2. Real or fake tree? We have a fake tree, about two feet high, that we bought at a thrift store YEARS ago for three dollars. It fell apart and D made a stand for it out of wood. I just can't see buying something new that we would only use two weeks a year, you know.

3. When do you put up the tree? Oh, boy, I stink. Usually right before Thanksgiving. But I haven't gotten to it yet this year.

4. When do you take the tree down? I like to do it the second all the presents are unwrapped. But usually D will make me wait until Jan. 1st.

5. Do you like eggnog? I'm not sure. I remember having some as a child and liking it, but then buying the stuff in the cartons at the store and thinking it was rank. Haven't tried it since.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I had a Little Professor calculator that would quiz me in math. That was a lot of fun.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes. We set it up except for our historically accurate blonde Baby Jesus. He appears, all pasty white and cheruby, on Christmas morning. Um, I haven't gotten that out either.

8. Hardest person to buy for? My husband D. Daja and I are twins in this respect. This year D is receiving four boxes of pickles from the Van Holten Pickle Company. Little Pepes. I like doing presents for each other with consultation. We got a set of pots and pans for our anniversary one year and it was AWESOME to pick it out in the store together.

9. Easiest person to buy for? Baby J. Actually, I'm tempted to just give him an empty pop bottle this year for Christmas. I need to go get a picture of that sometime... he has an empty Diet Pepsi container that he enjoys more than the entire roomful of toys he has downstairs. He likes to pop people on the head with it and laugh at that hollow sound.

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I'm allergic to wool and would get beautiful, specially monogrammed sweaters (probably very expensive) from my Nana. My dad and I endured this for YEARS until someone dropped her a clue that we found these presents very, very itchy. Actually, I think I'd have LOVED the sweaters she bought if they weren't so scratchy.

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Well, I need to mail some... I need to buy some first... and some stamps... seriously I don't know if I'm getting 'round to doing Christmas properly this year or not.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? It would have to be that Christmas Story one with the leg lamp. You know.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually really early. I haven't gotten anything yet! I hope we get around to it before Christmas. This made-in-China thing has really thrown me for a loop. Far better for baby J to continue nibbling on his rattle made in 1973 before the lead paint thing ever happened. Only problem is, this rattle is deadly! He has seriously hit himself and others very hard with it and maybe they're dangerous that way and don't make 'em anymore. But they are VERY easy for babies to hold.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I don't think so, but I'm guilty of buying stuff cheaply after Christmas (like candles and stuff) for presents the following year. Or putting it in a "name brand" bag and cutting off only part of the tag so it looks like I cared enough to spend my food money on it. But if my own kids wear thrift store clothes, do you think I like YOU that much?? Just saying.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Sugar cookies. We literally take those old ice cream BUCKETS, fill 'em with cookies, and go driving at night to look at lights. The kids wonder why they have big tummyaches later, but the family bonding is worth it! Wonder what we'll do next year when everyone doesn't fit in the van??

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear. Don't really care too much though on this issue.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Joy to the World. Except I used to be crazy when I was little and sing it at times OTHER than Christmas, annoying all of my relatives.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I'm due in a little over two months. 'Nuff said.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes. It is taking up valuable space in my head. Don't ask me to recite any Bible verses, though.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Toilet paper tube angel. If it makes it through another year... it looked pretty sad last year, but it's just so cute...

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? One Christmas Eve, the rest in the morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Santa fights. For example, when G was in kindergarten, he made sure to tell all the children that there was NO SUCH THING as Santa Claus, and his teacher went and lied and said there was, too, and that *I* should somehow correct this situation. Um, I don't care if other parents lie to their kids but don't expect me to tote YOUR line on this one. Too stinkin' bad. G made sure to tell the other kids their moms and dads were lying to them when they said things like, but my mom said... Oh, well. Guess they shouldn't have lied, then. The teacher wanted me to feel guilty because some of the little girls were crying. Um... who set this situation up for a showdown? My kid was just telling the truth. Although it *did* kinda sadden me when he got older that he and some other boys told the little kids that Santa exploded and his guts flew everywhere. But only because it wasn't true.

23. What I love most about Christmas? Family time.

Gross, But I *Suppose* It's Ethical

Use blood from a woman's period as a source of stem cells. Hm. I can't imagine how this would work out because I always thought that this was blood that was sluffed off and discarded each month as useless by the body.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21996417

I can't imagine what scientists thought this one up or how they all got on the subject. Were they all sitting around in a room and going, "Poop!" No. "Pus!" No. "Menstrual blood!" Yeah, let's try that...

I mean, there are some things we shouldn't think too much about if we can help it... but on that note...

http://www.tamponcrafts.com/

I've seen this on at least two other blogs and it is SOOOO disgusting that, um, yuck. I'm pretty sure that the regular readers of my blog won't be making the tampon angel tree-topper this year.

This is the Culprit.

This little sweetie is breaking my heart. He is snuffly. He NEEDS a nap. He refuses to sleep unless I hold and rock him constantly, but he uses that opportunity to climb and fuss. I tried to feed him and he threw all his food on the floor and cried about how he has no food. Sigh. Got him to drink a little at least and have set him in his playpen for a nap. That was two hours ago. I still check on him and get him occasionally to try to calm him down, and then I set him back. He NEEDS a nap. He is still screaming at the top of his lungs. I feel like a big meanie. But when I get him he still cries and tries to climb and jump on me. He's been more or less like this all week. I wound up yesterday holding PERFECTLY STILL for over an hour so he would finally fall asleep. That's hard to do when you have bunches of other kids who need to be homeschooled and, you know, fed and stuff. OK. I'm going upstairs again to get him. I guess he wins and I'll get him MORE food to throw so we can start the cycle over again.

Super Boy and Baby Boy Wonder to the Rescue!!

Parental References

http://www.hslda.org/hs/state/nv/200711280.asp

One thing I find frightening is that even WITH good legal help in standing for our fourth amendment rights, attorneys ask parents to submit "reference" letters stating that they're good parents, and doctors' reports to investigating social workers. I can't say I'd say "no" to a lawyer trying to help me out, but it makes me nervous that *this* is how we're supposed to get the social services people off our backs.

In the old days, Pa would have met the social worker at the door with a shotgun and the jury would have found him innocent of manslaughter because he was protecting his family and his rights. Doggone it but we can't move back to those good ol' days, can we? We're reading "Little House on the Prairie" and just looking at how these folks lived, with no police, fire protection or nearby hospitals is just amazing. I kinda like having the police, fire and hospital if I need it but maybe the social workers could all go away without any real societal chaos, don't you agree?

It's the Gender Bender!

One of my bloggy friends, BabyLady, has posted about crossdressing in her blog. http://babyladymemoirs.blogspot.com/2007/11/teaching-gender-bending-in-schools.html

She links to the following news website you might want to check out:
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=58914

Cross-dressing day at a local high school. Ah, well. I'm not really surprised. That's bad of me. I don't think that the morality taught in any school district is going to get BETTER any time soon unless our educators "make good choices" and administrators get a life or become more *locally* accountable.

In sixth grade, Patrick was asked to make an "altar to the dead" in Spanish class. The teachers figured they were just teaching about a different culture and probably really WEREN'T thinking of how to offend the local Christian populace. Actually, I don't think many parents even heard about it. It was only through a friend that I learned about this construction project myself. Patrick really didn't think twice about it, and didn't tell me about his involvement.

Well, *I* got involved. I know one parent who pulled her children shortly after, but that was one of those "it was a long time coming" situations and likely they'd have been gone soon after anyway. But Patrick sure got a practical education on the first commandment and how to follow it! He learned from this situation so that the following year, when he was instructed to WRITE A PRAYER to the sun-god Ra, he had the sense to refuse. I told the principal that it was just *fine* with me if they did that, so long as I or another teacher got some time to come in to the school and tell the children about Jesus and give them a writing assignment: the sinner's prayer. You know, I'll be "tolerant" if you will... (Somehow it never works that way, and Patrick is just allowed "alternate writing assignments" when he objects. Sigh.)

I did click on the website outlining the teaching about crossdressing. Interestingly enough, it cites kilts, earrings, and the outfits worn in Jesus' time as "girls' clothes" and questions why, if it was ok for men to wear stuff like that in those other cultures, boys are discouraged from wearing dresses here.

I think even a layperson with no specialized training in history can see right through this one. All that stuff, in those cultures and times, is BOY stuff and not GIRL stuff. It would actually DISPROVE the point they're trying to make if the cultural significance of each outfit were explained historically. If you're going to go into the "marketplace of ideas" and slop around ideas like crossdressing, can you at least think of a logical argument without resorting to manipulating historical data to support your thesis? Or maybe a testimonial from the average guy? Some 400 pound man with a beard and a push-up bra telling the audience he feels pretty in them-thar clothes would suffice. Then let these young people decide for themselves. I mean, that's fair, right??

Of course, we're talking about high schools here. I might find it in my heart to be shocked when they move these "informative lessons" down into the kindergarten grade. I've read the end of the Bible and I know that much worse than this is coming our way, *sometime* soon. Get ready. And wear some gender-appropriate clothes for this battle, would ya??

Most Days Are Like This.

Woodjie REFUSES to sleep in his crib. He'll conk for 20 minutes or so when you're holding him or at lunch. Sigh.

How Do You Teach YOUR Children?

http://www.hslda.org/docs/link.asp?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Etimescall%2Ecom%2FcommunityTC%2Fschools%2Dstory%2Easp%3FID%3D4863

Whoo, that's a long link. Found it through the HSLDA website. Parents have *many* reasons they homeschool their children. That's a statement that demonstrates a keen grasp of the obvious, is it not? But true nonetheless.

How do you educate your children and why do you do it that way?

I send Patrick on that school bus each weekday morning. He's in eighth grade advanced math class, gifted English, symphonic orchestra and ninth grade Spanish. Patrick knows *very well* how we stand on moral issues, etc. in our home as a result of discussion, discussion, discussion. He's exposed to all kinds of weirdos in that school, but thankfully most of them aren't in the gifted classes and hanging out with him all day. He likens school to a prison, what with the not being able to leave, schedules, rules, etc. etc. but he also knows that *MOM* would work his little rear off even worse than they do at school if he had to stay home. (He's right, you know. But he'd be allowed to go potty any time he wants during the day without having to raise his hand to ask permission.)

G is in seventh grade and in a special ed class for his autism. Frankly he would be very difficult to educate at home for a variety of reasons. *Right now* we feel he is in the right place and has an excellent case worker. He's pretty jealous of the field trips we take, but I'm not sure he would be able to get his work done in order to participate if he were home. He has an aide at school for some of his classes to help him.

Elf is seven years old. He is also on the autism spectrum. We pulled him out of public school after the school continually locked the child in a closet (yes, they did) and made it clear to us that his needs would not be met at that school. Of course, they would never put it that way. They would call the closet a "recovery room," and give all kinds of "help" that would fit their budget, but would not be truly helpful!

I've discovered since pulling him that there is just SO MUCH GOOD STUFF out there curriculum-wise. I had no idea how to teach him (in terms of, "What do you need to know to complete first grade?") or do anything when we pulled him. We just did the worksheets from Sam's Club. You know, those big workbooks? He learned to add and subtract, and some English concepts. We used flashcards. We used a dry erase board and it was very cheap. Basically, all the stuff that you would do with a first grader for homework is what we worked on. You know, get a penny out and talk about how that is worth ONE penny and the nickel is worth FIVE. Get a clock out and talk about time. What's strange is that the Emperor would sit at the table with us and pick up on most of it when he was in preschool.

Now we're very attached to the Bob Jones stuff and the Emperor has joined our homeschool. It's horrendously expensive, and I wind up spending most of my "fun" money on this stuff. I just have to have the teacher's manual and the workbooks. They're so awesome!! I like how they use the King James version of the Bible and I've noticed I've learned several verses and facts along with the children. Emperor is "supposed" to be in kindergarten, but we have him doing the second grade work with the Elf. I am more forgiving of spelling and handwriting for him than Elf right now just because they started school two years apart.

So we didn't start out thinking that we'd homeschool, but now that we are there are just so many reasons that I feel good about it. Especially in the younger grades, it has an unbelievable effect to be able to teach them according to your own worldview. I feel we missed a lot of that with Patrick and G. I read to them a little from the Bible each weekday, and we pray, but if you homeschool you know it isn't quite the same. Although D feels the public school is the best place for Patrick and G right now, we still want to be very involved in shaping these young men.

Cookies-n-Pie

We made cookies for an after-lunch snack and some pudding pies for the whole family after dinner. Then we sat down to read some of Little House on the Prairie. In this chapter, Laura and Mary get a tin cup, a candy cane, a small cake AND a penny for Christmas. Did you notice anything strange about my oven? It's a "custom" drop-in model that cost us well over $1,000 TEN years ago!! It is 27 inches across instead of the standard 30 and we got NO choice as to colour. Not as much fits inside. And standard trays do NOT work. Today D was a little miffed as he bought me a beautiful tray set, and I gave the large tray away because it didn't fit. When we were shopping for houses (before the market went yucky), I would bring my tape measure when we were thinking of making an offer. That oven had better measure 30 inches across!

Gingerbread House!

Well, Patrick was able to make the windows and door. He was also able to get things to STICK to the frosting on the side of the house. Elf and I each "decorated" a side of the house with frosting, and it's a melty, gooey mess! The roof is the easiest to decorate. The children actually think they're going to want to eat this house when we're done with it at Christmas, but the taste I got of the frosting was like sugar-glue.

We Love the Prophet Muhammad SO Much We Named This Bear After Him

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/africa/11/26/sudan.bear/index.html

Anyone who doubts the "tolerance" of Christianity need only go to a Muslim country and say the wrong thing on the wrong day to the wrong people. Here a bunch of children named a class TEDDY BEAR after Muhammad and the teacher's up for 40 lashes under Sharia law. You know, it's insulting to name a teddy bear after Muhammad, although about half the boys out that way are named for him. Honest mistake on the part of the teacher not understanding the culture, but whatever. It just goes to show you how understanding and full of grace folks are sometimes.

Here in America, intolerant and hateful Christians want to be able to tell you what they think is wrong and right. They also want to opt out of governmentally funding stuff they think falls into the "wrong" category and they're willing to vote accordingly. That is seen as the ultimate wrong by most liberals that *I* see in bloggy-world, and they reason the Christians are trying to usher in some sort of THEOCRACY of hate doncha know.

These people have obviously never travelled very far. And they don't know what the word "theocracy" means.

It's too bad this teacher can't take the American way out: confess the problem (even if there IS no problem!), vow "tolerance" in the future and run into some sort of rehab program where representatives from the aggrieved ethnic group get to teach you all about their culture.

Sigh. Is there no place on earth that has some sort of middle ground? You know, where "justice, mercy and grace" can all coincide?? No fair picking a place out of my price range either! ;]

Before... After!

Mom gave ALL the boys the obligatory haircut on Friday. The kitchen is still a little hairy.

Babies are NOT Ecologically Friendly.

I can understand and respect a couple's decision not to have children. Not everyone is cut out to be a great mom or dad, and not everyone *wants* to be. But... that being said... would you kill your child to save the environment?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.html?in_article_id=495495&in_page_id=1879

Here's the story of how one woman killed her baby ten years ago so she could be more ecologically in tune with her environment... Ommmm... (meditating to be in tune with imaginary earth goddess) .... Ommm.... and then she goes to take a flight halfway around the world to South Africa, burning about 98 million gallons of jet fuel. Makes sense, right?

On Kelly's blog, http://heartsforfamily.blogspot.com/, we're talking about following God vs. using "common sense" in planning our families. I'm not authorized to speak for God, but I would imagine that He would want us to trust Him AND use our common sense. You know, if you're 850 pounds and just had your second heart attack, maybe carrying a baby to term shouldn't be top on your list of "things to do" in 2008.

And honestly, there are a WHOLE bunch of people out there for whom "following God," or even acknowledging Him as most conservative Christians see Him to be, is not a priority at all. So the discussion is rather moot for those folks.

But even if you don't believe in the same God I do, I think we can pretty well all agree that killing a child is a "not very nice" thing to do. That's even worse than squashing a worm, you guys. Or even throwing away a few bags of used disposable diapers (the horrors!).

It ALL Makes Sense Now.

The Saudi Arabian government wants to clarify a few things in response to world outcry on a recent story:

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/11/24/saudi.rape/index.html

So, the lady who accused several men of brutally raping her and her male companion deserved a harsher sentence against herself when she appealed the men's judgment. Because... she asked for it. Yep. Now it comes to light that she was in a compromising position with the male companion, so that instigated the crimes. It was all her fault, and the man got raped too. That's justice for ya. Unrelated men who have nothing to do with anybody are *really* good, levelheaded judges about situations like this and the government is totally right in what they're doing.

Applying this to my own life, next time the cashier at my local Hy-Vee food market overcharges the lady in front of me by 50 cents, I will feel justified in stealing about $50,000 worth of food and goods from the store and then torching the place when I leave.

I'm glad the Saudis cleared that one up! Whew! And here I thought an injustice had taken place.

Elf sings Jesus Loves Me

Here is Elf singing

Elizabeth Edwards on Education

http://momocrats.typepad.com/momocrats/2007/11/elizabeth-edwar.html

Found this little link on the http://whyhomeschool.blogspot.com/ Why Homeschool Blog about Elizabeth Edwards homeschooling her children.

Now, I'd like to say in theory that I support ANYONE who wants to start to homeschool regardless of political affiliation. And I suppose it would be the decent thing to never criticise someone going through cancer treatments. But do you know what? I'm going to do it anyway!!

This lady makes me *sick*. She "homeschools," but is very careful to hire a tutor and give all voters the impression that parents can't possibly do this work on their own. Have to keep that public school teacher-union vote happy, you know, and imply that only the professionals have any right teaching, even of her own children! She's careful to let it be known that she is entirely using the public school curriculum, complete with a special teacher and a special school room. God forbid the children get an original or offbeat idea into their little heads. The state knows what is best to teach the children. Heil Hitler.

They even follow a school schedule for the most part and pack their lunches!

They're careful to make sure their children have time to "socialize" with the public school students. We don't want any public school parent getting the impression that the Edwards family think they are so above public school children. I'm sure, however, that the Edwards family is able to purchase a home located in a very good school district and the rest of us can just rot. Read her tripe answer to the question of whether homeschooling is a "good thing" or not and tell me if you find a clear answer:

"I don't have an easy answer on this...and the way I feel about homeschooling is the way I feel about charter schools in that there are some great charter schools. We have a charter in my original hometown and it's always on the list of the best schools in the country. And then you see charter schools where they are simply not prepared to meet the needs of students. And I think you probably have that same expanse in public schools. You'd probably get the same experience in homeschooling. Some homeschooling experiences being truly spectacular and some that are considerably less so. You have to be impressed when your spelling bee winners or your geography bee winners are increasingly those kids who are home schooled. I've noticed that in the last several years."

"I'd like to think that people who are doing [homeschooling] think 'you know I have a unique ability to create learning experiences for my children'. And I think because of traveling [John and I] do have a unique opportunity with our kids this year. I'd be concerned if I were the one teaching my children math, and I'm highly educated and actually did great on the SAT's but, I'm many years away from that and maybe I could teach myself to do it but, the answer's too complicated because you're talking about too wide a range."

OK, too wide a range. Too complicated a question. You want to homeschool, Mrs. Edwards, but don't want to praise or defend the laws that give you the freedom to do so.

Illegal Immigrant Saves Boy

http://www.kpho.com/news/14678583/detail.html

An illegal immigrant assisted a boy involved in an accident with his mother. The mother later died. I'm glad that he had the human compassion to help, and the story DOES serve as a reminder not to demonize all illegal immigrants. To my mind, "demonizing" is when you paint someone as being all bad or evil for some reason or another. I would like to think that most people who argue that the government should do something about illegal immigration are NOT "anti-Mexican" per se. Maybe they don't want their culture eroded. Maybe they don't want an influx of people without health checks from a place where TB is rampant. Maybe they're just plain old concerned with border safety or American economics. But I don't think most people "demonize" illegal immigrants.

However, I disagree with the notion that they are all not criminal. You know, because it's a crime to come in the country illegally. That makes it a *criminal* activity, and "one who commits crimes" ought to be considered a criminal. (WOW, I went through four whole years of college, so I can make these logical deductions!!)

Disney, June 2006

We had SO much fun with my parents last year! But it was a little hard to get up in the mornings for certain family members.

Public Schools: Racist and Sexist... Against White Boys!

http://www.city-journal.org/html/16_3_schools_boys.html

Thanks to the Why Homeschool blog for posting this link. The article has some swear words in it, but I think you're mature enough to handle it and ponder the "meat" of the argument. Boys tend to be shunted for displaying "boy-like" behaviour, such as questioning the usefulness of assignments or being a bit sassy toward their teachers.

I saw a LOT of this with the Emperor. The child came to kindergarten knowing how to add and subtract columns of numbers WITH the borrowing and carrying, thank you. He could read tolerably well and knew a bit of multiplication. They had the boy COLOURING SHEETS and tracing giant P's all morning. They went over what a "square" and "triangle" looked like, and the sounds each letter makes. The poor child.

He has a hard time controlling his impulse to jump, roll and be silly as it is without being subjected to *that* all day. He would get into trouble constantly for not lining up properly or not obeying immediately. This six-year-old boy has a hard time being sent to the restroom under no supervision, with 20 other boys and a sink in the room. Imagine. I got phone calls and reports about his "bad choices" constantly. I felt like smacking each of these smug, young little female teachers upside the head by the time we pulled him out of public school.

But did any of the teachers bother to notice that the child was adept at mathmatics? That he could read well and recite long verses from the King James? No. They noticed when he needed a suspension for this or that, though.

One thing I'm not sure on is the argument that the public schools are racist only against WHITE children. Actually, in my extremely limited personal experience with black children, the ones who NEED special ed usually don't get it because schools are concerned with their racial ratios in these programs. Um, whatever happened to "put the kids in that need it"? I still remember one child who DEFINITELY needed some remedial lessons in Patrick's kindergarten class. The teachers just told me that her total lack of command of the English language, inability to write and ignorance even of the different letters of the alphabet was a "cultural difference" because she was black!! (Am I the only one who thinks such thoughts are racist in and of themselves??)

We have an older child with autism who is in public school special ed. They tried to reason that my child's poor grammar was due to a "cultural difference" as well. They're clever enough to act STUPID about the fact that my child has autism and until recently, not only would he use phrases like "don't got any," but he would also search for ways of communicating what he wanted to say by describing the object. "That thing that is cold and you open it and get food" would be the refridgerator. It's a symptom of AUTISM that these words would not be in his vocabulary at age nine, don't you think? (As an aside, thank God he can speak, because plenty of autistic children are non-verbal.)

In short, I *DO* see what a blessing the special ed programs are for kids who really need them. But I also agree with the article's general premise that schools are stacked against boys because of their innate nature.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Lori recommended this book, so I checked it out of the library. (Her blog link is to the left!) We read some of the stories and sang "Over the River" together. I'm beginning to learn to use the computer to find books, although I am still a little mad that the paper card catalogs are gone. There is something to be said about finding something TANGIBLE in the card catalog. Mind you, the computer is plain old easier, and it tells me whether the book is checked out and even which branch of the library system to find it in. OK, computer catalogs are better. But they're not as pretty as the old catalog files.

Homeschool English

We're using Bob Jones Grade 2 English curriculum. We've just started the third unit, and it deals with parts of speech. Nouns come first. Singular and plural nouns are illustrated here. Elf and Emperor had a nice time cutting out all the fish and taping them when it was time. I hate glue. It gets everywhere and never dries. I waste money on tape, and it doesn't look as nice, but it's very convenient for the boys and for me as well.

Baby Blue Eyes

SOMEBODY's been walking all over the place and climbing on the furniture. By the way, I am NOT allowed to leave the gated area or he'll cry. I am NOT allowed to put him down or he'll cry. NO trips to the restroom. NO homeschooling. NO, he refuses to play by himself. Seriously. This little smile is because for some reason he loves the camera and all the attention he gets when his picture is taken.

How We Check Diapers (In Two Easy Steps!)

Cloudy Day

I did this several years ago. The white clouds hide imperfections in the walls in Emperor and Elf's room. Now there are several pictures and artwork items on the other walls, floating in the middle of the sky.

It's Important That You See This.

Elf and Emperor think so. I have been pestered for DAYS to upload this picture because it contains information vital to six- and seven-year-old boys.

Christians and Womens' Rights

Honestly, I'm tired of Christian ladies being *overly* concerned about modesty. I'll give this disclaimer, though: Modesty is important. We don't need to shake it if we've got it or incite men to lust on purpose. Twelve inches of cleavage should NOT be flopping out of your shirt, and I reeeeeallly don't want to see your butt cheeks hangin' out of your shorts. If I'm not meaning to look and my eyeballs go, "YIKES!," just imagine what the poor, shall we say, "lonely," fellow going about his daily business is going to think. And think. And think.

But really. When I hear talk about how all women should not have shirt sleeves any shorter than midway up the arm, or they ought all wear skirts that go below the knee, I wonder if anyone really stops to think what legalism, in its purest form, will do to their fellow human beings:

http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/271197.aspx

Go ahead and read this story about a Saudi Arabian rape victim. If this case defends the modesty of a woman, then I am the most firebrand feminist you will *ever* meet. The very idea that a woman is some sort of property that needs punishment when outside societal norms is horrid. I don't wonder if the Saudi people have made it clear in their own minds what exactly a woman IS. If she is responsible for her own decisions and can MAKE decisions in her own right, she ought to logically have more rights. If not, it should be HER MALE RELATIVES who get the beatings and whippings for allowing her to wander about alone. I know if I allowed my 11-month old to wander out unattended that I would be the one facing legal consequences, not the child I was supposed to protect. I guess what I'm trying to get at is that inconsistent people and societies make me barf.

Watch as America does nothing. Watch as we could care less. But, you know, Saddam Hussein was a horrible dictator and he needed to be removed at the expense of several thousand American lives. I'm sure the US will never so much as impose economic sanctions against Saudi Arabia, ever, no matter what they do to their people or ours for that matter. They just have too much oil and that means they can do whatever they bloody well want.

Another thing: Have you noticed that *most* of the people you hear about speaking against female genital mutilation or the state of women in Muslim countries are liberal? Where are the Christians speaking out against the atrocities? Are we so concerned about whether our daughter wears pants or skirts, or whether nail polish is allowed in our home, that we lose sight of what's important in terms of basic human rights?

Don't get me wrong. It's important to have standards in our homes. It's important to pursue godliness and purity. Christians probably should look and act differently than those around them. I'm saying a major way we can do that is by our prayers and speech for the defenseless. Am I looking in the wrong places? Why aren't I seeing more of that?

Look At Me!!

I can climb furniture! And jump off the back of Dad's chair and clonk my head and get mad at *YOU* that I got hurt. I like to stand on the coffee table and, before my mom can catch me, flip backwards and hit my head several times before I get angry and cry. I have lots of little bruises and marks all over and they're all Mom's fault for not watching me closely enough. You know, she goes to the bathroom or makes lunch for everyone and she leaves my brothers in charge. Sometimes Mom takes no chances on injury and puts me in the playpen and I scream so loudly that the neighbours are upset. NO ONE can win because *I* am in charge. I refuse to sleep in my playpen, too. My dad spends every night sleeping with me on the basement floor because I'm spoiled! I win!!!!

Sleeping, With Corn Pops.

These Are The People in Your Neighbourhood...

Sex offenders find it difficult to obtain housing and often list addresses as, "woods behind Wal-Mart" or the local homeless shelter as their dwelling place. There are concerns that the lack of a solid address will lead homeless sex offenders to re-offend because no one is really able to track them.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-11-18-homeless-offenders_N.htm

Hm.

So... it's better to have a sex offender live right next to a preschool, so that we know where he is, rather than "on the street" only God-knows-where and doing God-knows-what. I see both sides of the argument. But I would be more concerned about the TYPE of sex offender and where they live. Some 19-year-old who had sex with someone who was 16, thinking she was 18, is surely stupid. But I don't really fear for my childrens' safety around him. I wouldn't care if he were working as a bus driver or cashier at Wal-Mart. Someone aged 47 convicted for 3 counts of sodomy and molestation on a three-year-old deserves to be burned at the stake and nevermind the parole.

I do appreciate the web-pictures of local offenders, but as D has told me, they mostly have cars so don't feel *too* safe. I would rather have them tracked than not. I guess the real question in my mind is why medical science hasn't found a way to help these people to NEVER re-offend. You would think there would be some medication or method that would at least help most people.

Sigh. OK, Ok, ok...

The children insisted on posing with funny faces and showing "belly button pictures" for Mom's blog. Now they would like some comments about their belly buttons as well. Sigh.

The Contents of My Floor

Every now and then I catch five minutes of daytime junk tv. One show had people going into houses to see how clean they REALLY are. What they did was they vacuumed, and reasoned that what you get IN THE BAG is what is still on the floor. We know all vacuums can't pick up everything. So here are the contents of my kitchen floor. Dirt. Corn pops. Kix. Doritos. Bits of plastic and hair. Yum!

Sad and Evil? Yes. Criminal? No.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21882976

A girl who is too young to post according to MySpace rules is allowed to have an account by her parents. The kid has mental problems and is on medication, but they allow her to continue chatting with (what they presumed was) a boy online. They did this knowing she was unstable to begin with, and was developing an attachment.

Then the "boy" (who turns out to be an ex-friend's parent!) says mean things about the kid and she commits suicide. Who is to blame?

Well, it must be the people who made the fictitious boy up and "chatted" with her. It can't be the parents who were negligent in their duty to protect their child from what they were SUSPECTING ALL ALONG was too good to be true. (And hello, even if it *were* true, how many romances begun at age 13 last very long? If your child is NOT balanced, how is allowing this relationship going to help??)

The child can't be to blame, because we all know that 13-year-olds are absolutely and completely without any sort of brain in their head and shouldn't be held remotely responsible for *anything.*

The story is sad. What happened to her was mean. But hello, it wasn't *criminal.* For crying out loud, who doesn't have an alternate online identity? I'm sure lots of people do. My real last name does NOT begin with C, incidentally. I do live in Missouri, and yes, these are actual recent pictures of my children and home you see online, but I'm not telling you my town or their real names. And sometimes I even post anonymously on other blogs! The horror!

If it comes to the point where we cannot have any anonimity at all online, I think we'll lose out on some valuable discourse and news sources. I know there is a line past which bad behaviour can be called harassment, and police should have full authority to look into that. There are security issues as well, and idiots posting that George Bush needs to be shot with a such-and such type rifle next Tuesday at 3 p.m. probably *do* need a little monitoring from your local police.

But this is just too much. The whole situation is sick, sad, and demented, but in terms of CRIMINAL action against these people, it's just too much. I can see where the parents are hurting and want some retribution since they lost their precious child. But wow.

Mandatory DNA Testing on Newborns?

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4278228a19716.html

Well, I can't say I would blame a man who isn't married or has suspicions wanting a DNA test before he forks up gazoodles of dollars and years of his life supporting a child. It's sad, though. Don't we test these kids enough?? Soon children will require blood transfusions before leaving the hospital, they suck so much out of 'em.

Spongebob to the Rescue!

Nothing like saving the Krabby Patty formula from the evil clutches of Plankton after a hard day's work in homeschool.

NO.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21856464

Do you want cops to search for drugs and firearms in your home? They're kind enough to show up on your doorstep if you live in a "high crime" area of Boston. Nice of 'em. Sure saves a lot of effort for finding, you know, probable cause and having a judge issue a warrant. These things are a bit of a nuisance and prevent the police from doing their job, which is snoop through people's property in "high crime" (Ok, do you think I'm wrong for thinking "probably black?") areas.

Yeah.

This would be one of the few times I'd agree with people who say that the police are unfairly targeting minority areas, etc. And that they have way overstepped their bounds. I cannot IMAGINE them getting away with this right after the Revolutionary War. And it shows a real lack of respect for the people in the neighbourhood, who should be given the same constitutional rights as the guy living in a mansion a few miles away.

Chess Champ!

Patrick took fourth place in his first chess tournament today.

Homeschool Social Studies

Last week and this, we're studying about the Pilgrims in Social Studies. Their history, beginning in England and ending with the first Thanksgiving. I got this little treasure box Bible study from a church store a few years ago. I thought it would be an interesting thing to do instead of Bible reading for one week each year. (Christmas is another time we skip our Bible reading... or rather, we read the nativity story in the Bible that day) It contains Bible verses and Bible truths as well as four "treasures" (pictured) to illustrate the lessons. There are also several picture cards containing the Mayflower Compact and various scenes (such as "The First Sermon Ashore") of Pilgrim life.

G Has the Magic Touch

J will NOT take a nap during the day no matter what. Until G held him and watched a bit of tv with him. This is his first real nap in almost a WEEK. Yes, he is 11 months old and too young to give up naps. We got almost a full hour of him being still and quiet today, though. Yay!

The Emperor's Bracelet

Elf has a medical bracelet he wears all the time. I don't think we've taken it off in the year and a half or so we've had it, except to repair a link. Emperor has his leather bracelet with his name on it. D makes things out of leather and this was specially made for him. It even has a nickel-free snap because Emperor is allergic to nickel.

Dare To Compare!

D has insisted that we post pics of HIS belly button and Woodjie's for everyone to compare. He says, "Let the controversy begin!"

Patrick

THIS is the sort of quality picture I get from my oldest child now. Do you wonder why we're probably not sending out the photo Christmas cards this year?? Do you wonder why most of the pictures I post are of my three younger children and not my two oldest? There's generally a good reason for that. I also don't post about my oldest so much b/c they're teenagers and I think want a certain amount of privacy in their family life. It's cute to post about a three-year-old and a temper tantrum, but when the kids are 12 and 14 posting about the daily difficulties opens you up on a different level. Just saying. If you don't know what I'm talking about, it only means your children are younger, you never had children, or you are so old you've forgotten what it's like. But we love these big boys even if they do eat $9,000 worth of food each week, and then require new clothes and shoes every season.

Snake Plus Jesus Equals?

OK this blog is an anti-church sort of website, but I *did* find the article interesting:

http://www.venganza.org/2007/11/11/snakebite.htm

When Christians do stupid things, Christians get called stupid. Well, there you go. I'm sure there are a lot of not-so-smart atheists, Buddhists and agnostics out there too. I just haven't seen a funny website about them today.

This Doesn't Sound Fair.

Now, when **I** was a kid, the rhyme about "Eeeny meeny miny moe" wound up with you catching a TIGER by the toe. I had no idea about the racist roots of this rhyme until I was in my 30's. None at all. What if I were on a job and *somehow* used this rhyme to pick something out? I mean, not likely... we've all grown out of those rhymes and stuff... but what if?

http://www.myfoxnewisconsin.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail;jsessionid=F0AF4

I guess I'd be fired. Though the article did NOT say whether she used "tiger" or the racist word for black person in her rhyme. That would make all the difference to me.

They All Look Alike

.


Men, that is.

http://www.wftv.com/news/14620619/detail.html

LOL this is too strange. The poor fellow.

Baby Food.

I take some sweet potatoes and boil them in a big pot for about half an hour. Then I cut them down the middle and scoop them out of their skins. Then I mush them and put them in a container for the fridge. When J is going to eat sweet potatoes, I scoop some out of the container, into a small bowl and add a little water and a bit of sugar and microwave it for a few seconds. Yum! And cheap!

It's Been On My Mind.

I've been thinking this for a while now.

Over at Virginia's blog (http://amazingsix.blogspot.com/ ), she's been talking a bit about those mixed homeschooling/ being away from the children so much feelings. I have the same sort of feelings with my older children. I know that G frankly has his days where he WILL be disruptive and the environment makes little difference. In fact, it might *help* to have his friends around because who wants to have his friends watch while he gets in trouble for silly things?? So bringing him home would really be difficult for the family. He does get some "special services" at the school, too. Yet other times I wonder how well we are equipping him for life in terms of his walk with God. We're doing the best we can... but I wonder how to get God's healing and light into our family because there is a lot going on. It's prayer, but it's more than a prayer. Something spiritual needs to start happening here. Right now dh says the kid is going to public school so I suppose the whole argument is hypothetical for the time being anyway. But I am in prayer about it. G is having some trouble and could use your prayers as well.

Strangely, I also have those mixed feelings about homeschooling the children I have at home. I *really* want them to be able to function in the "real world" someday, and I spend a fair bit of time teaching behaviour and correcting, and teaching and correcting and blah blah blah. If they were in public school -- and we have tried it with both of these boys -- I can tell you from personal experience that they would be in trouble constantly. Suspended for dopey things. Not controlling their behaviour, or thinking about what they do before they do it. Elf flipping out because there are too many things going on and he feels out of control. And the public school locking him in a closet constantly. (It's called a "safe room," and of course it can't be abuse when *they* do stuff like that... just let a parent try that one though!!)

So I'm certain that it's best for these boys to be home with me. Yet I remember my high school days, where "DR." P would teach us basic science and we would have the best equipment and a large campus to roam. The English curriculum was such that I read some of the same books in college I did in my sophomore year. In short, the teachers were *smart* and the children were *smarter* than I ever will be. There is no way I will be able to compete teaching-wise academically with the high school environment I had.

I need to get over that. First off, because I'm teaching these boys the word of God and that's something that will count for eternity. Second, because as great as that high school was academically, the school district we live in now isn't as good!! It has some specialized curriculum that Patrick is a part of, but for the most part the average student would, I believe, have a crappier education than I could provide if I had $500 a year to work with.

So there.

Now I just need to remember this when I wonder what on earth we accomplished in the course of a day. Bless you all for reading LOL!

The Small Elfling

Can you see his crinkly little elf-ear in the picture?? We started to call him Elf after the Emperor caught up to him in size and Elf thought it was unfair... how could this happen to him? The truth is, he has asthma and those kids (according to our allergist) will naturally wind up to be shorter in most instances. Poor little Elf. He *really* wants to go outside but has not been allowed out of doors since we went to the woods a couple weeks ago. It seems every time he is allowed to run and play, he gets a bad bout with his asthma. Dad said no to raking in leaves and jumping in them, and he has Elf's best interests at heart. But it makes me sad to see a sad little Elf say, "Oh, pleeease? Just for a little while?"

It's a Food Chain.

I didn't know how to help Elf and Emperor make a "food web," you see.

I'm Sorry, But I'm Obligated to Do This.

It's an unwritten rule that every parent MUST have at least a dozen "messy spaghetti" pictures of their small children. And I think the modern version of the rules calls for blogging about ten of them over the toddler years. Consider yourself warned.

This Child is Driving Me Crazy.

Actually, they all are. But this one will not keep his hands to himself in the grocery store or other public places. I almost have to get violent with the boy to get his hands off of the other customers and the employees, no matter where I go. I have just *had* it with him and I sure let him know today when we got home from the grocery store that I was NOT impressed. I'm so steaming mad at him... and he knows it... and he knew it in the store, but it wasn't important enough *then* for him to quit it. Now I've vented and he's crying on the couch. I sure yelled at him and told him he wasn't being a helpful big boy... that he can't be running away all the time and acting like a baby... sigh. Hopefully next time he exhibits a little more self-control. Because yes, I pulled all the tricks with him... got him to help push carts, load things, try to distract him ... I even fed him there. At this point given his age it's just plain old disobedience and he's lost his star for the day. Yep, he's a sad boy right now.

Smelly Toe Picture

Woodjie GENUINELY has very smelly feet. If he's wearing little footie pajamas, you can smell his feet from three feet away within a few hours of a bath. Pfwwwew! It's going to be a very smelly winter. If his feet are washed, left out and aired, it's not so bad... but we can't do that in the cold. Look at his second toe. BOTH his second toes were BLACK when he was born, because his feet are always aligned like this with that toe OVER the others and I guess the circulation got cut off those little toes on both feet. I made the nurses at the hospital document it. I insisted. His feet still *are* a little strange-looking.

Does This Make Any Sense??!

http://www.krqe.com/Global/story.asp?S=7349865&nav=menu588_2

Poor, helpless college "girls" need federal money for their birth control so badly... it isn't fair!! (pout)

"So they don't have to make a choice between their birth control and their cell phone bill or their birth control and their gym membership and their birth control," Ortiz said. "These are choices women that women shouldn't have to make."

Um... Is THIS what being "pro-choice" is all about?? It's about *you* choosing to take *my* money to fund a "choice" I personally find immoral? Wow.

I can disagree with these people about what's moral, but I thought that the "right to decide" was all about, you know, having the right to decide. I *thought* that the liberated woman wanted to make her own choices and maybe even be treated as an adult in her own right. When big Papa government is paying for her lifestyle, I'd view her as ... um... not fully adult for some reason?? Sort of like a little girl on Daddy's allowance?

Can I just say this is one thing that makes me barf-o sick about "today's feminists" as a group? I could actually RESPECT a woman who wants to make her living by doing the same job as a man for the same pay. Or a woman who wants no-one to make laws that would curtail her rights to join the military or wear a buzz cut.

Do I agree with all of that? No. But I can respect that sort of thinking when it's consistent.

Just don't expect me to "respect" that poor little Miffy gets the gym membership, the cell phone, the boyfriend paying for the dates AND all the premarital sex she wants because she gets a stipend from the federal government. Not gonna happen. And I'm not understanding where the argument that more birth control means fewer abortions comes in. I thought the sex itself led to pregnancy - silly, silly me, somehow thinking that that produced my five and a half children! - and that people could choose to have sex or not. Is it not remotely possible that these young "ladies" are not bitches in heat who absolutely need the sex right then? Crude of me... but I'm pretty sure that college-age women can do some basic math, and decide whether the gym membership or the sex is more important that month.

I'd go for the cell phone personally. It can do more things than a college-age man can, just not the *same* things. It has an "off" button too.

Do You Live Within Your Means?

If you're an American, I'd submit to you that you're NOT, whether you like it or not. We have so much stinkin' debt it isn't funny. And Bush is running about like a liberal tooth fairy granting Medicare drug programs to old people because they VOTE. It makes me sick.

Yes, the war spending makes me sick, too. I'm a very conservative Republican, but maybe I'm SOOOO conservative that I'm hard to recognize. You know, old-fashioned values like living within your means MEAN something to me. I don't wonder if Ron Paul will shake up this election, and I hope he does. There are some things I like/dislike about most current presidential candidates, and I suppose the best we can hope for is that the next president is a man. Sigh.

I was reading this article about GAO head David Walker "sounding the alarm" to our fiscal crisis. No kidding. This is something we should have been thinking of in 1960, let alone today!!

http://www.newsweek.com/id/70378/page/1

quote:

Just for perspective, can you compare the size of this fiscal "tsunami" [to the size of particular spending programs]?

Well, you could decide not to renew the Bush tax cuts, you could eliminate all foreign aid, eliminate all earmarks, eliminate NASA, eliminate the National Endowment for Humanities and eliminate the entire Defense Department tomorrow, and you still wouldn't solve the problem.

/quote.

Yikes.

Robots' Tea On Tuesday

We made purple blueberry muffins again, without doubling the recipe this time. We also read about what robots can do as well as imaginary stories about robots.

Patrick Thinks School is Like Prison.

I wonder why?

http://wcbstv.com/technology/surveillance.demarest.cameras.2.565939.html

I mean, the arrival at a certain time. The herding from class to class upon the bell ringing. The loss of freedom of speech and a dress code tailored so as not to offend. The inability to go outside or even use the restroom without permission. Being watched constantly by camera.

And now... the police are watching as well. OK, I have to agree with Patrick. Though he says he doesn't want to homeschool b/c mom will be even more demanding. He'll never go anywhere and see any friends. Well, he's probably right. Especially because if "Mom" is also "teacher" he'll be disciplined more harshly. In public school, "OK" is a proper and respectful form of responding to a teacher, but it sure wouldn't work here. Most of the time we expect a "Yes, Ma'am" or "Yes, Sir" as a response even in ordinary conversation. Yep, we'd be even MORE dictatorial but we'd do it with love. *smooch*

The PaPeRo Robot

Elf and Emperor saw this robot in one of the robot books we checked out from the library for homeschooling and instantly fell in love. All things PaPeRo must be discussed in the home, 24/7, with short breaks for eating and sleeping. The PaPeRo can be your friend. We've learned from the website that these little machines can be programmed to do child care, talk on the phone, talk to more than one person at a time, change your tv station, dance, recognize people and carry on conversations and develop its own personality. All for about $41,000 US dollars. Come on, you know you want to buy us one for Christmas! Check them out:
http://www.incx.nec.co.jp/robot/english/papero2005/index.html

Emperor, Learning.

We were working on some homeschool stuff when I took this picture. So glad to finally be able to put the belly button further down on the page... I had promised D I'd leave it up until Monday morning to give everyone a chance to post flattering comments (sigh). Look in the corner and you'll see how well I organize. A sewing project I finally finished, for a skirt that is going to be too small for me even after I deliver, some canning jars, some parmesan cheese and chips, some buns and an extra paper bag. I have quite a few little spots like this in my house, but I suppose at least I know where to find everything.

Vaccines Are Almost a New Religion.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21691162

Well, I can't say I'm exactly ANTI-vaccination for *every* vaccine every time, but I can sure tell you that I don't buy every stupid thing the people who manufacture the stuff are going around saying, either. I had every conceivable vaccine available while I was growing up, and probably a few more you never heard of because I travelled to Australia for a couple years with my family when I was nine. It didn't stop me from contracting measles and being placed under quarantine while in college.

One physician told me that what I had been through was "statistically insignificant." I wonder if parents ever hear, "Oh, sorry your son died from that vaccine, but such things are statistically insignificant. Autism? That's probably statistically insignificant, too." Nothing like trivializing someone's personal experience to buy you some scientific credibility.

It just gets me mad. The link above is to an article about how the effects of a vaccine seem to be still "working" in people 30 years later. Of course, this is a LAB test and no-one was actually exposed to smallpox I wouldn't imagine. I'm a bit confused. How can it still be producing immunity in your body years and years later? AND at the same time, how can it be that I got all my shots but still got measles? Those two things do not seem to go together.

No doubt there is some complicated mathmatical formula for it that I'm too dumb to understand. Dopey people like me would like labels like, "WORKS" or "DOESN'T WORK" on our vaccines. Or even "WORKS SOMETIMES" would be more clear than what I am getting in the media.

I think there should be *reasonable* warning labels on the vaccines that parents have to sign as well. Like, "This vaccine should protect your child against the icky-blech under most laboratory circumstances. It's 89 percent effective in clinical trials. Of course, you also have a .5% risk of death and a 2% risk of severe rash if you take this vaccine. It will be free to you under your insurance, but because everyone is getting this vaccine, expect to pay higher premiums because it costs $750 a shot. Oh, and suburbanites like you really only have a .01 percent chance of contracting the disease in the first place if you don't travel overseas or hang out in soup kitchens."


I know the scientists who feel the world would be taken over by (name of disease of the week) if everyone didn't get vaccinated don't like for parents to question the safety of the vaccines. But they ARE asking questions. It's a given now. Get used to it. Make some safer vaccines WITHOUT THE USE of aborted fetal-cell lines if you want parents like me to sign up for shots. And no fair using monkey cells and the like either... we want pleasant-sounding ingredients like "aloe leaf" or "blueberries." And they have to work.


If the manufacturers were more open about the making of the vaccines and the risks people take when they get them, I think parents would feel better about the whole process of getting their children vaccinated. I know that I felt better about giving my child the Hepatitis B vaccine when our family doctor didn't push the issue, but made sure to find out if the vaccine he had in his office were thimerosol free. (I felt slightly better about giving it than not, though I'm not 100% happy about giving it AT ALL if that makes sense.) I feel I can trust him more when he doesn't fight me on things like the chickenpox vaccine or rubella.


When I go to the doctor's office, I'd like REAL information about how likely it is that we'll come into contact with pertussis as opposed to the risks of the vaccine. I don't want to hear about how deadly pertussis ITSELF is as opposed to the "small risk" of the vaccine. And I could care less about herd immunity because I don't want MY child to die or suffer an "adverse reaction" to a shot for something he isn't likely to contract. If it's not a prevalent disease, you can take your chances just like my child if you can't get the shot.

www.cdc.gov/vaccines

Type in "aborted fetal cell lines" and see what happens. Bless you all!

You Knew It Had to Happen Sometime

D has specifically asked me to publish this belly-button-lint picture to my blog. Enjoy!

It's a Small World, But You're FAT!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21713571

Disney is revamping its "Small World" attraction because plump guests keep bottoming out the boat in a couple places, and it's embarrassing to them to ask people to get out in the middle of the ride. The new song upon reopening will be, "It's a Small World After All... because your bottom takes up so much space."

Parental Rights?

http://www.hslda.org/parentalrights/default.asp

Michael Farris argues that should a UN treaty be ratified in the US, we would lose our rights as parents when the government feels we are not acting in the "best interests of the child:"

In 2002, I published a novel, Forbid Them Not (Broadman & Holman), with the premise that a thinly-disguised Hillary Clinton had been elected president. The first act of her new administration was to secure the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). I do not claim the gift of prophecy, but there is a looming possibility that I may be proven right.

If this treaty becomes binding on the United States, the government would have the power to intervene in a child's life “for the best interest of the child.” Currently, the government can intervene in this fashion only by going to court and proving that parents have been abusive or have neglected their children. (This standard also applies in divorce cases on the presumption that the family unit has been broken.) This means that whenever the UN-dominated social services system thought that your parental choices were not the best, the government would have the power to override your choices and protect your child from you. If this treaty becomes binding, all parents would have the same legal status as abusive parents, because the government would have the right to override every parental decision if it deemed the parent's choice contrary to the child's best interest.

Specifically, spanking would be banned under the express terms of the UNCRC. Moreover, children would be required to be taught in a religiously “tolerant manner”. (The American Bar Association, which supports the treaty, has already opined that teaching children that Jesus is the only way to God violates the spirit and meaning of the UNCRC.) The ability to homeschool one's children would become not a right, but a UN-supervised activity that could be overturned if social services personnel believed that it would be “best” for your child to receive another form of education. These are not idle speculations, but the proven result of the UN's own interpretation of the treaty as they have reviewed other nations' compliance with the treaty's provisions.

Here's the difference: No other major nation in the world has a constitutional provision that makes a provision of a treaty automatically part of the “highest law of the land.” This is the Constitution's Achilles heel. In every other nation, the UNCRC is a political liability—if ratified in America, it would be an enforceable and binding law.

/quote.

Farris states that the ONLY thing that would protect parents would be a constitutional amendment. And that would be tough to do because no-one wants to sponsor a bill that detractors would say is a cover for abusive parenting.

Do you think a UN treaty couldn't happen? I don't. I'm very concerned at the erosion of parental rights in places like Germany, Massachusetts and California. We need to be praying for our brothers and sisters facing persecution there. They may not be having their arms chopped off with machetes like those in the Sudan, but they ARE suffering government harassment. We need to stand by them in prayer and in our voting. Let's not just be prideful, roll our eyes and sneer, "Well, that's just California and you know how they are there..." No. How they are there is how they will be "HERE" in five years. And I know there are some servants of God who actually live in places like that! (Like my buddy Daja LOL!)

Please everybody keep watching, praying and voting.

Let's Put Condoms in the Nightstand Drawer Instead.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/69049

You know, that pesky old word of God just might convict somebody. And if we allow the Bible, we'll have to cater to "everyone," so we're just going to make condoms and various "sex toys" available to our customers instead. I mean, everyone believes in that, right??

Robots and More Robots.

I got some books about Robots last night at the library, and the boys have NOT let me alone about it. Homeschooling just did NOT work unless I promised that they could do some ROBOT stuff today. OK.. ok... ok. Here are the robot sandwiches. Later we will model grocery bag robots. Maybe I can squeeze in some robot math today??

Can I Please Have a Job??

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21708938/

Duh, people who eat for emotional reasons tend to lose less weight than those who don't. Can I please have this job? I can make up statistics that are true like this without a problem. I'll interview all my imaginary friends and it'll be just as obvious and scientific as articles like these. Plus my kids will go to a good college.

Deal?

The Emperor's Obsession

He's been waking up early to play Game Boy. We've told him we really don't care so long as he is ready for classes and goes to bed nicely at night. Well, until recently it hasn't been a problem, but we've been finding the hall light on at 2:30 some nights and little beepbeepbeep sounds from the downstairs couch. Then, right at 5 when everyone starts to stir, he conks out! Here I'm taking a picture of the Emperor, but he's crying about how mean Dad is being. Yes, he's so tired he doesn't know who is snapping the flash obnoxiously. Serves him right for the hall light getting into my eyes through the vent system so early in the morning!