New Pages for Kiddos

Kiddos came to us today asking for a web page. They wanted their own pages so they could show what they like to do. You know games they enjoy playing, books they enjoy reading and so on. So to honor their request I have allowed them to each have their own page on my blog. I hope you enjoy looking at N’s Top Ten Wish List and S’s Top Ten Wish List.

I Don’t Want to Homeschool for Religious Reasons. (That’s not normal for this region).

I have a confession–when I think about homeschooling it isn’t for religious reasons. Not once have I researched Bible curriculum. I have looked for other curriculum–I have reading and writing covered. Science is pretty much taken care of through books at home and at the library. Grammar…check. Math…I will need to add to…mostly finding alternate ways to present the concepts being learned. I will also want more manipulatives…as we are hands-on learners.

My main reasoning for wanting to homeschool is my kiddos are having a hard time adjusting to school. One keeps getting into trouble and the other keeps daydreaming. Both are bored.

Currently they are at a Christian school but will moving them to a public school be any better?

My kiddos used to love to learn. We would make weekly trips to the library and they would head to the science section and grab tens (yes tens) of books…each. We would watercolor and make paper-maiche. We would have fun and we would learn.

Now we don’t have time. Sure we still go to the library but the books don’t all get read and the experiments aren’t being done. We don’t have time. By the time we get home from school and have a snack, it’s time for homework. That doesn’t include the non-homework that is expected to be done at home such as Bible Verse Memorization (and it’s not just one verse…it’s like 10 verses), spelling words, addition/subtraction facts for one kiddo and multiplication facts for the other. At this point kiddos are schooled-out. They both hate it. They hate going to school.

Is this what I want for my kiddos? Can I do better? Can I re-instate a love of learning? Can I make learning fun? Will I regret taking the narrow road by teaching them myself or will I keep them in school while dreaming of homeschooling and regretting I didn’t take the plunge. Do I have what it takes to teach my kiddos and be around them everysecondoftheday? Can I handle teaching them with a toddler to also keep entertained? (Although youngest loves to be involved with what we are doing).

Also, what about the teachers who took the time and spent the money to go to college and learn to teach? What am I saying when I remove my children to homeschool? Can I really do it better than them? Is it so much about doing it better or being able to provide the one on one time they need? Am I strong enough to stand up to my educator friends and family by going out of the norm?

AAAAGGGGGHHHHH! So many questions and concerns. Someday I will make a decision and I pray it is the right one.

October’s Feature Author

Don’t forget to check out my Feature Authors Page. This month’s feature author is Tosca Lee author of Demon: A Memoir. On this page you will be able to read the first chapter of her book. If you’ve been reading my blog you will know that I absolutely loved this book. This is my review of Demon.

As a member of the FIRST blog alliance I post the first chapter of the author’s latest book on the first day of the month. Another perk is I have been able to read and review the books! I love my life! If you are interested in joining click on the FIRST button in my blogroll.

My First Attempt at Quiche

This evening I attempted to make Quiche. I don’t know what it’s official name is but I put broccoli and ham in it. I looked up some recipes online but they seemed too difficult. I knew my mother-in-law’s quiche was good so I tried calling her…no answer. Great…what am I to do? Guess what? She showed up at my house.

Mother-in-law was in a hurry and didn’t really want to take the time to write down her recipe. She did however want to give me all the needless details about how she blanches her broccoli instead of steaming it all the way and so on. I just needed the basics and had her write them down.

This is what I had to work with:

Notice this doesn’t look like a normal recipe, it is a list of ingredients. I am supposed to figure out the rest. Normally I would be able to follow that without it being in true recipe format…today I was in a hurry. I put the broccoli and ham into the pie crust. I knew the eggs went in last so I added the cheese. I now have a pie crust filled with ham, broccoli and cheese. Looking good. I go to beat the eggs so I can pour them on top. Wait…didn’t mother-in-law say something about mixing flour with the cheese? Hmm…let me look at the recipe…oh yes, there’s the flour. No problem…I’ll just put it on top of the cheese and mix it all together. Okay…back to the eggs.

The eggs are poured in and I am now able to put the uncooked quiche in the oven…after I add the milk. Great I forgot to add the milk to the eggs before I poured them into the crust. Have you ever tried mixing milk into a full uncooked quiche? It wasn’t easy but I did get it done. Finally I can put the quiche into the oven. Some time later I realized I forgot to salt/pepper it. Oh well I tried. Hopefully it will taste good.

My first attempt at quiche ended up being a success. Everyone enjoyed it…well hub and I enjoyed it. Kiddos all of a sudden decided they hate quiche and threw a fit eating it. They finally gave in and ate all of it. Go figure!

Was it worth making it? Will I ever make quiche again? Of course I will! Next I want to try Best Friend’s mom’s recipe.

Books I’m Reading and Wanting to Read

I am currently reading two books and working on more. The first is Scoop (The Occupational Hazards Series #1) by Rene Gutteridge. I’m about a 1/3 of the way through and have actually laughed a couple of times. That is a good thing because I tend to be too serious.

The second book is Hollywood Nobody by Lisa Samson. Hollywood arrived in the mail today and I was so excited I had to start reading it. I am loving it so far! Lisa Samson and this book will be on my feature author page in November so I’m happy to be reading it. Don’t worry, I’ll have a book review before then.

I am waiting for Woman’s Inhumanity to Woman by Phylis Chesler. A friend of mine is reading this book and kept talking about how excellent it is so her, another friend and I will be reading it together and then discussing it. It should be interesting. Our next book to read will be The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan. That book will bring some interesting discussion. I have been wanting to read Mystique for several years. I tried reading it when my youngest was a baby but kept falling asleep due to the fact I had a baby and was getting no sleep. Now that kiddos are a little older my interest has been awakened. (Ha. Ha.)

Let’s see…I don’t see any other books in my immediate future. I do want to read Uglies (Uglies Trilogy, Book 1) at some point in time. I checked it out from the library a few weeks ago but didn’t get around to reading it.

Oh! I know what I want to read! Best Friends kiddo is reading the Dear America books. One of the books K has read is My America: Our Strange New Land, Elizabeth’s Jamestown Colony Diary, Book One (My America). K enjoyed it so much that I wanted to read it also. I love finding someone who loves to read as much as I do especially someone as young as K.

I am all about reading. I am starting to see my kiddos start to enjoy reading. They love reading the Bone graphic novels. So does R (Best Friends kiddo). When R is over at our house, it is not unusual to see them sitting around reading Bone. (This is of course after they have all gotten hurt or in trouble and have to settle down). Anyway, back to books and reading.

I love to read. If I do not have a book started and another planned I don’t know how to act. I start to get panicky and start looking for something to read. It’s like the world is falling apart. Books and reading are a part of me. Books are my passion. I don’t think I can go a day without reading…as a matter of fact, I will schedule it into my day if I have to. That is how important reading is to me.

I am always looking for new reading material so feel free to leave suggestions.

Local Homeschool Support Group

Homeschooling: Homeschooling (also called home education and sometimes spelled home schooling) is the education of children at home and in the community, in contrast to education in an institution such as a public or parochial school. In the United States, homeschooling is the focus of a substantial minority movement among parents who wish to provide their children with a custom or more complete education which they feel is unattainable in most public or even private schools.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeschool

Support Group: An organized network of people with something in common who give and receive help, advice, friendship and emotional support.
naam-alzheimers.lle.org/Glossary.htm

If you put those two definitions together it says to me that a Homeschool Support Group is a network of homeschoolers who give and receive help, advice, friendship and emotional support.

I tried to join our local homeschool support group and they rejected me. They wanted to know how I found out about them. I had initially told them where I was from and interested in homeschooling. (I have an earlier post Quandary that some what explains my situation). Telling them where I was from should have let them know how I found out about them. I mean…HELLO…it’s a small town…I’m going to hear about the homeschooling at some point. I very nicely gave them the information they asked for even though they sounded quite rude. It was like they were a secret group and didn’t want to be found out about. Then–since I don’t currently homeschool–I wasn’t allowed in; they would answer my questions but wouldn’t let me in their group.

Am I wrong in assuming a homeschool support group should let potential homeschoolers start getting involved in order to see if this is something they are willing to get into? Especially, since my research suggests joining a group and seeing how it goes. I am not about to pull my kiddos out of school unless I KNOW it is what I am supposed to do. I was and am still shocked. My husband was upset…he was in the group when he was younger because he was homeschooled. His mother is one of the original founders and they rejected her son and grandchildren. Yeah!!! That makes the homeschooling look good. Oh yeah! Makes all of my friends who were considering homeschooling want to rush right out and join.

I am upset and saddened by this experience and I am venting my frustrations. If I decide to homeschool my kiddos I will have to do it alone or join a group in another town that is at least an hour away. That is ridiculous considering there is a group just minutes away. For their “protection” they have chosen to not let us join since we don’t homeschool. Oh, they are willing to answer any questions we have but most of my questions have already been answered by others. I just want to see what the group is like. Do they still run the co-op that was started by hubby’s best friend’s mom? What classes do they offer? May I sit in on the classes and get a feel for what it’s like? Who would my kiddos be interacting with? There are some things that can’t be answered through email. Some things have to be done in person. I would not send my kiddos to a school I had not checked out. I would visit with the principal, visit with kiddo’s teacher and tour the school. I would see what they had to offer and decide if that was what we were looking for. If it was great. If not we would keep searching.

The homeschool group did not give us a chance to check them out. We were blown off at the beginning. What statement are they sending to others. How do they want others to view them? How can they honestly go around promoting home education when they won’t even open up and let others see them?

That is not what I am looking for in a group. I want to be part of a group that welcomes people with open arms and are willing to serve them their last cup of coffee. I want to build relationships–I am a relational person and expect that from others. If you can’t give me that personal touch and show me you are interested in me I will go elsewhere.

I would hope that the attitude I encountered isn’t typical of the homeschooling community. If this happened to me it has to have happened to others. How many out there are struggling? How do they do it? Do they still homeschool or have they given up? Do they travel to another town for support?

By the way, hubby was a part of this group when he was younger and says they were weird then also.

Demon: A Memoir Book Review

Much to Best Friend’s happiness I have finished Demon: A Memoir by Tosca Lee so she can now read it…only hubby has picked up the book and is now reading it. Since he’s my husband, he gets to read it before her. Oh well.

From the back cover:

Recently divorced and mired in a meaningless existence, Clay drifts from his drab apartment to his equally lusterless job as an editor for a small Boston press–until the night Lucian finds him and everything changes with the simple words, “I’m going to tell you my story, and you’re going to write it down and publish it.”

What begins as a mystery soon spirals into chaotic obsession as Clay struggles to piece together Lucian’s dark tale of love, ambition, and grace–only to discover that the demon’s story has become his own.

And then only one thing matters: learning how the story ends.

My thoughts:

This book had me from the beginning. I read about the book on Camy Tang’s blog. She featured the book and an interview with the author on her blog and I knew I had to read it. Actually, I was scared to read the book because I’m a chicken when it comes to anything that might be suspense. I have to say again, this book had me from the beginning. It was very hard to put down. It made me think and stretch my imagination. It made me rethink everything I thought I knew about angels and demons and ultimately God. The images I had in my head based on her words are unbelievable…remarkable.

The images…scenes…wow! My mind is still reeling. I am still digesting the fall of the angels. Creation was one of my all time favorites…I think that is when I started underlining. I love the way the author, Tosca Lee, was able to use mere words to create paintings in my mind. There were several times during Lucian and Clay’s conversations that I would have to pause and reread what was written so that I could think it about it some more. I would go to bed at night thinking about Demon and wake up in the morning still trying to dissect it.

Lucian’s tale not only became a part of Clay but ultimately a part of me. I am still pondering this tale and am very glad to have read it. This book is not for those who will not stretch their minds. Sadly, I know a few people like that. This book is for everyone who will read it as a work of fiction based on the Bible. To see God’s plan of salvation through the eyes of a demon is amazing. I challenge everyone to read this book. Hopefully, you will be deeply affected by it like I was.

Sushi for One? Book Review

I have finally gotten my hands on Camy Tang’s book Sushi for One? (The Sushi Series, Book 1). Everyone… I asked my library to order this book because I thought others would also enjoy it. I was ecstatic when I found out they ordered it and kept it for me so I could be the first to read it!

From the back cover:
Lex Sakai’s family is big, nosy, and marriage-minded. When her cousin Mariko is gets married, Lex will become the oldest single female cousin in the clan.

Lex has used her Bible study class on Ephesians to compile a huge list of traits for the perfect man. But the one man she keeps running into doesn’t seem to have a single quality on her list. It’s only when the always-in-control Lex starts to let God take over that all the pieces of this hilarious romance finally fall into place.

My thoughts:

I loved this book. I was actually sad when it ended. I mean I read the final sentence and was sad that I wouldn’t be able to look into these characters lives any more. I was totally immersed in what was going on with them that to end it is ending a part of me. That’s how much I was drawn into the book. While I was formulating my review in my head I was reminded of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice (Penguin Classics). Not that Sushi for One? (The Sushi Series, Book 1) was similar to Pride and Prejudice (Penguin Classics) but because I had the same feeling when it ended. These were characters I had fallen in love with and wanted to see more into their lives.

The back cover blurb does not give Sushi for One? (The Sushi Series, Book 1) enough credit. This book is so much deeper than that. Sushi for One? (The Sushi Series, Book 1) is not just a cute, light read. It may be chick-lit but it’s chick-lit with power. Camy Tang dealt with some deep truths in what it means to be a Christian. There are Christians by name and then there are Christians who actually try to live the way Jesus taught. We are not perfect. Lex was definitely not perfect yet she strived to live what she believed. She didn’t settle for anything even when she was desperate.

Camy Tang’s first novel is a must read and I can hardly wait until her next novel, Only Uni (Sushi Series), comes out in February 2008.

Issues

I went out this evening with a friend of mine. I wanted to get away and her name popped in my head so I called her. She was available and we hooked up for pizza. For some reason I opened up to her about something I wasn’t going to mention at all. She pointed out how I have had difficulty with this for quite some time. I knew she hit on something when I was having a hard time breathing and was shaking on the inside.

Neither one of us know exactly what my “issue” is but there is an “issue”. My prayer is that God will reveal it to me so that I can overcome this hindrance and move on to becoming the woman I am meant to be. Somehow “change” is involved…I think. I really don’t know what my “issue” is or how to deal with it. I know this is bigger than I am and it has been going on for some time.

Do I feel that work I have done is insignificant? Do I feel replaced? Am I having a hard time giving up control? What is my problem? What is going on?

I am grateful to my friend for bringing this to my attention because now that it is out in the open I need to deal with it. I can’t hide behind it anymore. It has been exposed and I can either ignore it and do nothing or deal with it head on. I would rather deal with it and move on.

On another note, it really irritates me when I am trying to concentrate to have noise. I need silence in order to concentrate. Hubby is watching In Living Color and has the volume turned up very loud. Now mind you he is sitting three feet away from the t.v. and does not need it that loud (that’s just my opinion though). So I am sitting with earplugs in my ears (thanks Mike) trying to tune it out. Let me tell you that it is hard to think with ear plugs in your ears because I can’t hear the words in my head. Yes, I actually hear the words in my head as I type them. Odd…but that’s how it is…remember this is my personality.

Yes, I have a problem. I know this. It was mentioned earlier in my post. I have an “issue”. Well to be honest, I have several issues. I am sensitive to sound and that makes it difficult when you live with kiddos and a husband who love to have loud anything. Nothing is quiet. I crave quiet…oh well.

Me

My mom has gone to visit my brother. She will be back some time Sunday and then Monday I will take her to the airport. I have enjoyed her visit. I hadn’t seen her for two years so it has been nice having her around.

I have learned a few things about myself:

• I like my routines.
• I am a very structured person.
• I like silence. When I am reading my blogs or checking me email I don’t want people talking to me. I like going into my “zone” and not coming out until I feel like it.
• I need “me” time. When the kiddos are in bed, I like to unwind and do whatever I want. Usually that is reading a book for a bit before I go to bed.

I did not have much of that these past few days. I have had trouble adjusting and it has affected my mood. I guess that means I need to grow in this area. I guess that means I am not a very social person. I can honestly say that being around people is draining and exhausting. I love people but I can only handle them for so long.

What exactly does that say about me?