homegrown mosaic

DIY Friday-Lavender Vinegar Toner.

2012-01-27T07:30:00.000-08:00

Okay, here is my first installment of DIY Friday( which will happen on the 3rd Friday of each month) and I'm really excited to share with you all. I've been on a strict budget and had to give up many luxuries, that felt like necessities, like face toner, deep conditioner, fancy creams.....oh, the list could go on, but I won't bore you. Honestly, at my age( and no, I'm not telling you), this is not a good thing. Not good at all. So in desperation, I came up with an inexpensive and quite effective face toner. It wasn't easy nor pretty, but after 2 fails, I finally ended up with a winner. I've been happily slathering my face with this toner for 3 months and my face is loving it.

Funny thing, I've never been a big fan of vinegar, especially the smell.. YUCK! But that was before I started infusing vinegar with herbs, like Lavender. Infusing vinegar is extremely easy and quick process: Clean/dry jar( I really like Bell Jars and they are easily found at any grocery store), Herbs of choosing( dry ), and white vinegar. Combine herbs( about 1/2 way to the top ), add vinegar, put top on tightly and shake it like it's your job. Two weeks later and your infusion is ready for use. That's. It....easy-peasy, huh?

As I said in a prior post; what works for me may not work for you. This recipe is just a guideline or a starting point for you to become your own kitchen chemist. Have fun with this and experiment until it's perfect for YOU. Add things or delete others, it's all good, this is for you and your skin. My only concern is to be very carefully when adding H2O. If you choose to add water just remember this basic biology: All living things need water, even icky, smelly bacteria. If you are determined to add water then you need to look into preservatives. Just FYI. Now let's get down to the fun stuff.

VINEGAR INFUSED LAVENDER TONER

1/2 Tablespoon of Castor Oil ( or any oil that works great for your skin )
3 Tablespoons of Witch Hazel(really good for acne prone skin and easily found in drugstores)
1/4 teaspoon lavender essential oil ( can be found at health food stores )
Vinegar/Lavender infusion.

I add the castor oil, witch hazel and essential oil. Once that is all combined, I fill the rest of the bottle with the lavender infusion. Shake well before each use. Remember this is a facial toner and should be used on clean skin. That's it!

But, wait, there's more....if you don't like it on your face you can use it to clean your hair( psst....this is what I do, but more on that later...) Yes, it's true!! Folks do not sleep on the mighty powers of infused vinegars. You will be amazed!!

Enjoy and please post back to let me know how it turned out for you!!

DIY Fridays

2012-01-23T21:33:00.000-08:00

I wanted to introduce a DIY monthly post that I will introduce on Friday. I will cover do-it-yourself, inexpensive recipes for hair and body. I wanted to share because for financial reasons, our family had to start implementing some serious cutbacks. In an effort to cut back, I've reluctantly given up most of my beauty staples: toner, cleansers, deep conditioner and moisturizer.

{ wiping away the tears...bahwaaaa }

So for the last 4 months, I've been playing kitchen chemist and coming up with concoctions of butters, oils, herbs and vinegar.....Yes, vinegar!! It's not just for salads anymore!! I can honestly say, I've officially converted to the granola side of the fence. It's crunchy, delightful and it feels so freaking right!! Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not going green for any other reason than lack of moola, but that's reason enough for me. Thankfully, I'm extremely happy with the results. My skin looks great and my hair feels lovely.

FYI: I'm not a professional, herbalist, or aromatherapist. I'm just a mom who homeschools her kiddos. My time and money are limited, but I still want to look cute. Let's be honest, when you look good, you feel good. The more I use my natural concoction, the better I feel. Seriously, that's all the convincing I need. The first recipe that I tried was lavender vinegar toner. I'm so pleased with the results that I wanted to share with my peeps. All of the recipes are really simple and most of the items you need can be found in your home or at your local grocery store.

The first thing we will learn is how to infuse white vinegar and oils with herbs.

What you'll need for Friday:

Clean bottle( up cycle spaghetti sauce jars work great )
White Vinegar
Oil of choice( Soy oil is great and inexpensive)
Herbs of choice.( or citrus peels: oranges, lemons or grapefruit )
2-6 weeks.

Here is also a great book to inspire you until Friday:

Naturally Beautiful; Earth's Secrets and Recipes for Skin, Body, and Spirit by Dawn Gallagher

Can't wait until Friday.

Choose Joy.

2012-01-21T21:28:00.000-08:00

I'm so glad 2012 is here. I feel renewed and, in many ways, relieved. 2011 wasn't bad , but it was far from good. Friends who passed away, friction between extended family members, doubt of my ability to educate my own children and an overall feeling of helplessness. Towards the end of the year I found myself in a nasty funk that I seemingly could not shake off. I was in a terrible fog that blinded my ability to see the glass half full. I pushed emotions aside for another day, hoping that they would miraculously vanish from my spirit. Let it be known, pain doesn't go away when not addressed, it festers. I was consumed for months with this funk and decided I had to deal with my issues head on. Pain sucks. Addressing the pain sucks even more, but ignoring it was no longer an option.

Although, I'm finding my joy again, I learned a very valuable lesson in the process: Pain in inevitable, but suffering is optional.

Our life is not exempt from painful events. I don't want the pain to define me. I want my actions of how I choose to deal with the pain define me. Pain can touch every aspect of our lives and tarnish how we perceive our world. The great thing about addressing pain is that we still have the POWER to choose to see things in a positive light. Yes, even terrible events like someone dying. I can feel blessed for time, even a small amount, spent with an incredible human being. I'm not a Pollyanna, but I've come to terms with the fact that pain is a part of life. A necessary evil, I guess. Pain has given me the ability to truly appreciate the subtle joys of everyday life. And right now, at this very moment, I CHOOSE JOY!!!!!

What do you choose?

Quote of the Week

2012-01-09T00:38:00.000-08:00

"Children seldom misquote you. In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn't have said." Unknown

Quote of the Week

2012-01-02T02:40:00.000-08:00

"A person who won't read has no advantages over one who can't read." Mark Twain

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

2011-12-24T14:31:00.000-08:00

Have a very blessed Christmas and a loving New Year. Thanks to everyone for their kind words and concerns during my self imposed sabbatical. I am slowly trying to put everything that happened in 2011 into some perspective. It's been difficult and time consuming( hence, the sabbatical) but I finally see the light at the end of this tunnel. . I'm slowly finding my footing for blogging again, but unfortunately, it's has not been a priority( that whole perspective thing coming into play again...lol). I'm taking the time to relish ( heck, I would be happy to just recognize) the extraordinary beauty of every day moments, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. I don't want to take these things for granted anymore. My spirit needs it.
I hope you find what your spirit needs in 2012 and pursue it with utter conviction. It's worth it.
Thanks again for a wonderful year! Oh, and don't forget to relish in the many beautiful possibilities for 2012!!!

2011-09-24T10:58:00.000-07:00

I have so much to talk about and share. Unfortunately, time has eluded me and blogging has not been a priority. Hopefully, sometime next week,( let's be realistic, sometime before the end of this month...) I will start posting again. Still trying to figure out our ( my ) rhythm for the school year, but that's a continuous act of tweaking our schedules/lives. I'm learning to go with the flow, but I'm often plagued with my own self doubt. I know most moms know what I'm talking about, but for us homeschooling moms self doubt can be enormous.

Thankfully, I finally feel like I can catch my breath and blog again. I miss this space and I miss you guys too.

Quote of the Week

2011-08-15T05:56:00.000-07:00

"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear." ~Martin Luther King

Quote of the Week

2011-08-08T07:32:00.000-07:00

"Be true to yourself. Be who you are in your heart. Don't hang out with idiots. If you surround yourself with good people, you'll go far. If you start hanging out with knuckleheads, you'll be right in the knucklehead section the rest of your life." ~Kid Rock

Quote of the Week

2011-08-01T01:23:00.000-07:00

"Always remember that you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think." ~oh, the wisdom of Winne the Pooh

Quote of the Week

2011-07-25T05:42:00.000-07:00

“I see my children as little people, not necessarily people to control. You’ve got to help them develop and become individuals. You have to find out who they are but enforce boundaries to keep them safe.” Jada Pinkett Smith

Quote of the Week

2011-07-18T05:56:00.000-07:00

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." ~Eleanor Roosevelt

Quote of the Week

2011-07-11T07:54:00.000-07:00

"If we have no peace, it's because we have forgotten that we belong to each other." ~Mother Theresa

kid music that won't make.....

2011-07-06T03:46:00.000-07:00

....you want to barf!!! I'm sure by that first statement you can kinda sense that I'm not a huge kiddie music fan. I can't grasp the concept of Kids Bop or ~~dumbing~~ numbing down music for 5-10 year olds sect. And to top it off, I think most of childrens music is just awful. Thankfully, I found two children CD that make my heart happy and my children dancing about the house. Seriously, I'm having a hard time saying that these Cd's are kids music because there that good! Yes, I know that they are geared toward children, but these tunes a freaking catchy. Not the nauseating,completely irratating "purple-dragon-( he was a dragon, right? ) Barney-type" of catchy, but the "this-is-a-really-cool-music" catchy.

Here Comes Science is absolutely brilliant. I feel brilliant after listening to it. I know I'm not, but for those few minutes, I'm brilliant. This is a children's DVD/CD from the musical group, They Might Be Giants. The songs are extremely catchy and filled with an abundance of scientific knowledge. I really enjoy the entire CD/DVD but my faves are: Meet the Elements and I am a Pathologist. I'm very impressed with both the CD and DVD. If you don't have it then you need it.

Family Time is such a beautiful and heartfelt children's CD. I've been a fan of Ziggy( Bob Marley son) since he was with the Melody Makers. When he went solo, I kinda lost sight of what type of music he was making. Thankfully, we've reconnected with his latest ( actually 2009.... I'm always late.) endeavor, Family Time. Family Time is a children's CD that adults alike can appreciate and enjoy. I love all of the songs on his CD, but if I had to pick two faves it would be: Family Time and I Love You, too....okay, just one more, Future Man, Future Lady. Seriously, his entire CD is amazing. Love it.

I hope you enjoy these two gems as much as we do! What are you listening to lately?

reluctant referee.

2011-07-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

That was me at the park a week ago. It's taken me this long to post because I had to digest all the information and re-analyze everything that actually happened. Seriously, I had to figure out why my feelings were so freaking intense.

Before I tell the story, let me give you a little background on my mini sensei. My DD has a speech disorder which most people have never heard of. It's called Mixed Expressive-Receptive Language Disorder{ which is also referred to as MERLD }. In laymen terms, it basically means that she has difficulty with verbal expression( Expressive-duh!) and difficulties in her ability to attend to{focus}, comprehend {digest the information} and retain spoken language {talking}( Receptive). Only 3-5% of children have mixed expressive/receptive speech disorder. My daughter was diagnosed when she was 4 and has steadily improved with speech therapy over the past 4 years. It's been a tough road for us, but she has been seemingly oblivious to it. Yet, as she get older, her frustration is becoming more apparent. She often looks defeated by her inability to keep up with the rapid fire pace of most 8 year old. Her armour is cracking and my heart is slowly breaking for her.

{Okay, back to the story:}

We went to a new park last week and that's when my referee statues came into play. My daughter is a defender of the downtrodden and when she saw a little boy being bullied by older boys she decided to come to the little guys aide. She joked ( I think?) about how they should karate chop the boys, who she later found out were the little boy brothers. She followed the little one to a slide that was being 'guarded' by the big brothers. Watching intently, I knew this could end badly, but I didn't want to intervene, at least not yet. As they approached the slide, I felt my entire body tense. My instincts were to protect her and leave, but I wanted to see how she would handle herself. Words were exchanged and in the end the obnoxious boys started loudly chanting, "You have a girlfriend! Yoouuuuuu have a girlfriend!!! Oh, you're in looovvve!". Not a big deal unless you're an eight year old little girl :/ She walked away and I could see the embarrassment on her face. Finally, the boys stopped their annoying chants, and as if on cue, DD turned around and with all the vigor she could muster, she hurled her best insult:

"I'm his not boyfriend!!"

I cringed a little, not out of embarrassment, but she was so freaking close to telling those jerks off. I intently watched as she walked across the playground, preoccupied with her own thought. I saw her softly knocking on her head with her hand and quietly telling herself, "Come on brain, think...think...think! Come. On. Brain!" I felt a knot in my throat, my eyes fill with tears and I thought.....'Damn it, I waited too long.' Now it was time for me to intervene and go home. I could feel myself becoming angry and I desperately tried to compose myself. I had a glorious vision of doing a Three Stooges slap across those boys little mean faces and instantly felt more relaxed. On the way to the car, I asked my daughter what those little boys said to her. She hesitated, searched for the right words and she finally clumsily blurted out,"They called me frog girl?" Frog girl? really? Geez! I guess that's like the B-word for the 9 and under age group. Not as bad as I had thought, but the intent to harm her feelings was very clear.

I look back on that day and I clearly remember her frustrations as she desperately tried to negotiate with her brain. I finally got a glimpse of her inner and daily struggles with a task as simple as talking. Yes, I was irritated at the boys, but it was her inability to coordinate her brain and speech to 'work' so she could speak properly; that's what really tore me up. Ironically, prior to that incident, I thought she was seemingly oblivious about her MERLD, but on that day it was painfully obvious that she's fully aware of the seriousness of her speech disorder.

I still wonder if I should have intervened sooner. Thankfully, I've finally come to terms that my daughter didn't need a protector that day. She needed me to be their for her, but in a different capacity: Not as protector, but as mommy, the comforter. I realize now, my DD is a tough cookie. She wakes up everyday knowing full well that nothing will come easy to her, not even talking. She knows that she has to work harder in school and in life. It's a fact and yet she is the most loving, most generous and the happiest little girl I've ever encountered. She wakes up everyday with a smile on her face and a thirst for life. Seriously, is there any greater strength? I don't think so.

To the parents out there, How did you or do you handle aggressive behavior towards your children? I would love to hear you opinions on this issue.

This is an amazing video that will give you an ideal of what the expressive part of MERLD looks like. My daughter also has the extra bonus of receptive speech disorder too.....

Kids and Classical Music

2011-06-30T15:44:00.000-07:00

Our house is ALWAYS filled with the rhythmic sounds of music. We don't discriminate at all when it comes to our tunes. World music, reggae, alternative, heavy metal, jazz, folk, rock n' roll, and even classical music find their way into our musical heart and in our home. Yes, I did say classical. Everything from Liszt to Bach; We rock'um all!! I'll admit, I like classical music alot, but I don't love it. Now my daughter, she loves it. She may not know the name of the composer or the symphony, but she does know what she adores. One symphony that she adores is Beethoven's no.5 . She will request to hear it by name and will confidently tell us it's number 8( it's a disc ). As the music plays, she will quietly hum the tune. She tells me that she can see the music in her head. I believe her. I'm jealous. I wonder what it looks like? Is it colorful? I wonder if it looks the way it makes me feel? But I digress. I'm happy for her because those moments she is content to be still. She is content to feel the music, see the music and be swept away in its beauty. Lucky, lucky girl!

I found some really cool websites that might be helpful for you mini composer:

Classics for Kids Love, love, love this website. You can even compose your own music!!
DSO Kids Home Has fantastic online games to play like, Beethoven's Baseball
Sphinx Kids! Practice Room This site is extremely cool because they taught about minority composers.

I also read a fantastic article on how-to introduce your little ones to classical music. Great article with tons of fantastic ideals for piquing the interest of your bambinos. My son is not a great classic music lover, but he LOVES Tom and Jerry. Ton of the old cartoons like Woody Wood Pecker, Bugs Bunny and Disney have a ton of cartoons which incorporate classical music.

Here's a little something to get you in the mood: Tom and Jerry Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody No.2

Happy Daddy's Day!

2011-06-19T12:33:00.000-07:00

"A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty." -- Unknown

Quote of the Week

2011-06-16T08:24:00.000-07:00

"The smallest good deed is better than the grandest good intentions." Duguet

10 Day Reboot Camp

2011-06-13T16:54:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to motivate myself to get active and eat better, but it's been extremely hard for me. My motivation was zilch and the ideal of starting an intense exercise program at the start of a hot summer did not help any. Thankfully, I saw this in my favorite magazine, Whole Living. Finally, something that I felt good about doing. I was immediately excited. Dare I say, I'm inspired.

So, last night I went to bed at 11pm ( which is tough to do for a night owl like me ) and woke up early. I did 10 push-ups {not the sissy girl push ups, but hardcore USMC 4 count push up. And yes, I was dying!!}. I also attempted to do the yoga exercise suggested in the magazine, child's pose to plank. Um, yeah, my version looked nothing like what they intended, but I did do 10. Well at least I think I did 10. Ten very sloppy, awkward poses, but 10 nonetheless. I ended my first day with 30 mins on the treadmill at a respectable slow pace.

I feel good, seriously, I feel really good and it's only day 1. This is a dang good start now I just have to keep this momentum up for 9 more days.

Hopefully, this 10 day reboot camp will help me rekindle my love for fitness and in the process I may find my abs. My long lost abs....miss you.

The End.

Loving Day.

2011-06-11T22:26:00.000-07:00

Happy Lovings Day.
From our family to yours.

you know it's time to start to exercise when.....

2011-06-08T11:34:00.000-07:00

At the sight of my belly, my son says, "Mommy, your belly is freaking me out!"
When your daughter sees an infomerical for getting in shape and automatically says, "Mommy, you should get that because it will help you get back in shape!"
When I exclaim that a pair of pants still fit and my husband says, "Really? Wow!"

Okay, people, I get it. Mommy and Mr. treadmill need to get reacquainted ASAP.

Hello. Remember Me?

2011-06-05T12:12:00.000-07:00

I know it has been way too much time that lapsed since I last posted. It was just suppose to be a week that turned into a month....whoopsie!

Although, my lack of posting should not be equate to lack of living life and getting stuff done. { Important stuff, like finding out where I can get jelly beans after Easter!}

I also did stuff that was strictly for me, like watching this amazing documentary about my fave singer/songwriter and reading this. I'm finally taking time to really practice my photography. Seriously, I would love to be a bonafide photographer who takes pictures of people other than her family. {That, and my kids are about to revolt if I stick the camera in their cute little faces one more time.} I'm also trying to grow as a parent. That's the big one!! Honestly, parenting doesn't come naturally for me, so I often struggle to find a balance. The balance the sets the tone for a happy home. It's freaking HARD work, but its my responsibility as a mom. It's a constant battle of counteracting how I was raised and implementing how I want to raise my kiddos. { I'll touch more on this at a later date...}

Okay, I'm done with my yammering for now, but I'm back!! I hope your summer is going well and you are living life to the fullest. Be blessed!

Quote of the Week

2011-05-30T05:35:00.000-07:00

"Let's begin the process of removing those things that have prevented our children from learning. Let's replace systems and techniques and methods that have not been successful keys to opening our children's minds. Let's allow our children the privilege of learning in sync with the way they were designed . Let's untie their feet...and let them dance" ~Carol Barner

Quote of the Week

2011-05-23T08:19:00.000-07:00

"The worth of a book is to be measured by what you can carry away from it." James Bryce

Quote of the Week

2011-05-16T05:31:00.000-07:00

"Forgiveness is a choice. Forgiving does not mean forgetting, excusing an action, or even reconciling with someone who hurt you. Forgiveness is a choice we make to feel better ourselves." ~Christine Carter

Quote of the Week

2011-05-09T05:27:00.000-07:00

"Eating a warm meal nourishes the body. Preparing it nourishes the soul." ~unknown

Quote of the Week

2011-05-02T05:32:00.000-07:00

"Music is a revelation; A revelation loftier than all wisdom and all philosophy." ~Ludwig Van Beethoven

Quote of the Week

2011-04-25T08:27:00.000-07:00

"There is no dignity quite so impressive, and no one independence quite so important as living within your means." Calvin Coolidge

Quote of the Week

2011-04-18T05:29:00.000-07:00

"This world is not the conclusion. A sequel stands beyond-invisible, as music- But positive, as sound." ~Emily Dickerson

Random Chatter

2011-04-16T10:59:00.000-07:00

Black in Latin America
Black Confederate Soldiers?
Time Magazine very interesting article on the Civil War.
Little boy+loving mom + pink nail polish = crazy controversy. Several points of views: Pro's and Con's

{SIDE NOTE: Personally, I think the controversy is absolutely ridiculous. Seriously. It's nail polish, not child abuse. I really did love the ad and the obvious love that this mom has for her little boy.
In fact, my daughter wore boy briefs when she was first being potty trained because they didn't have 'girl' 'Thomas the Train undies. In the end, the undies didn't make her masculine or confused. Seriously, it's not a big whoop. That was 4 years ago and now my daughter is the biggest princess wearing, girlie-girl you will ever meet!! So, let's all take a deep breath and relax. Our kids are unique human beings and should be respected as such. I'm officially done with this nonsense...The End! }

I've been kicking the ideal around for several months to school year round. I know that sounds crazy and slightly cruel, but really, there is logic to this seemingly bizarre ideal. All the why's and how-to's are here.
Multiracial kids challenges
Can't wait to read this article, Choosing Biracial, by fellow blogger, amazing writer and mom of two biracial lovelies.

Quote of the Week

2011-04-11T08:20:00.000-07:00

"One day in retrospect, the years of struggle may strike you as the most beautiful." unknown

William Edouard Scott- 1884-1964

2011-04-06T08:54:00.000-07:00

Full Moon", Haitian Rhythm

Rainy Night, Etaples

Douglass Appealing to President Lincoln

Haitian Market

Inside the Wabash YMCA

William Scott was an Indianapolis native and a graduate of Emmerich Manual Training High School. He briefly attended Saturday school at the John Herron Art Institute. He became the first African American to teach in the Indianapolis Public Schools. He studied first at the Art Institute of Chicago and then in France. Shortly after Scott arrived in France in 1909, the celebrated African American expatriate artist, Henry Ossawa Tanner, invited him to stay at his summer home in Normandy. A few years later, Scott depicted the area around Tanner’s home in Rainy Night, Etaples. Tanner’s influence is evident in the painting’s blue-green palette, subdued tonality and dramatic lighting. The loosely brushed, spontaneous composition demonstrates the restrained impressionist technique that dominated Scott’s European work. The building in the painting was identified as the town hall in Etaples, France.

He returned to the United States in 1914 and devoted himself to documenting the life experiences of black people, traveling and sketching throughout the rural south. During World War I, Scott went back to France and sketched images of African American soldiers. Both sets of drawings appeared on covers of The Crisis. In 1931, Scott was awarded a Julius Rosenwald Fellowship to study and paint in Haiti, where he adopted a more expressive style and brighter palette. He created over a hundred works during his thirteen months in Haiti and exhibited them in a Port-au-Prince show promoted by the Haitian government. The exhibition was an enormous success, and the president of Haiti purchased twelve works. When he returned to the U.S., a versatile painter Scott achieved great fame as a mural artist. His murals can be found in schools, government buildings, funeral homes, churches and numerous public buildings. Scott painted for the Federal Art Project, creating public murals for the 1933 Chicago Worlds Fair. In 1943, he was the only black artist chosen to create a mural for the Recorder of Deeds Building in Washington, D.C. Scott was one of only a few African Americans to make a living exclusively as an artist. By the end of his life, Scott had created over seventy-five murals celebrating black history and culture. {information found here }

Quote of the Week

2011-04-04T08:21:00.000-07:00

" The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When thoughtfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers." Thich Nhat Hanh

5 annoying questions{ homeschool edition }

2011-04-01T14:12:00.000-07:00

{ girl, I feel your pain! }

I make an overt attempt in my daily dealings to keep things light and bubbly. It doesn't always turn out that way, but at least that's my initial goal. The questions below do not help me to stay in my happy, happy place with all my happy, happy thoughts.happy place with all my happy, happy thoughts.

{ note: I'm fully aware that most who ask these questions do so without malice, BUT I'm still annoyed.. very,very annoyed.}

1. What about socialization?
Yeah, what about it?! Seriously, this question annoys me the most!
Here's the perfect response. Now, I just have to figure out how to say all these lovely things without any hint of snark.

2. How long do you plan on doing this?
Dang!! My Magic 8 Ball is in the shop, I'll have to get back to you... { okay, I'm showing my snark again }. If you want a better way to deal with such questions, read this heartfelt post.

3. Are you qualified to teach?
My children? Yes. Your children? No. This article may shed more light on the subject.

4. Really? Homeschooling? But why?
Every person who homeschool has their own version of why, but I like how she said it best.

5. Aren't homeschoolers weird?
I love how she responds to many misconceptions about homeschoolers and homeschooling. Fantastic post that, unlike me, isn't snarky at all. The public school parents' guide to homeschool parents.

So what questions have annoyed you lately AND how do you respond to annoying questions?

The Art of Letting Go..

2011-03-30T01:05:00.000-07:00

Years ago when we decided to homeschool, we were inundated with negative opinions and concerns of raising socially and academically inept children. These comments were made by concerned family members and friends. Initially, I was completely taken aback by their opinions and statements.   Everyone who had decided to share their concerns were the same folks who knew about the struggles we endured with the school district and the battles we fought to get appropriate accommodations for our daughter. It made no sense to me why anyone who was aware of our situation would balk at the fact that we would want to homeschool. That has truly been the toughest issue for me. Knowing that the people who we love, respect and care about the most, are the same ones who are the most vocal about their disdain towards homeschooling. That’s still a hard pill for me to swallow!   As time passed, I found myself becoming more and more defensive about our decision. My defensive stance became my armor and those that questioned our decision to homeschool became my enemy.    Eventually, my stance softened, but my resolve was still the same. I wanted, no, I NEEDED those we loved to understand and accept that homeschooling was right for us.   I felt compelled to educate them on how homeschooling has evolved and grown. I scoured the internet for information and checked out every homeschooling book I could find. I would often send out mass emails with a hyperlink of an article of the latest homeschooled graduate to be accepted into an Ivy League college.   I talked endlessly about charter schools that encouraged parents to homeschool in a style that suited both their family and child. I did everything I could to help them have a positive outlook on homeschooling. Looking back, I realized I didn’t change one persons opinion. Those who thought it was a bad ideal from the beginning refused to believe anything differently.
My frustrations turned to anger. My anger slowly turned into this realization: I can’t change the opinions of those who don’t want to think differently. I can’t make them see through my eyes or experience our journey. They won’t allow it and now I’m tired of trying to convince them. In hindsight, I see that I was putting good energy into a negative source. I ended up feeling drained, lonely, frustrated and angered. Those are not adjectives I want associated with who I am or who I want to become. I allowed others negativity to grab at my being and take a part of my spirit. I was dragged into a war of words that I has no intentions of participating in. I felt a need to defend our stance and yet my words would often elude me. Even if the words poured out eloquently, I never felt better or even validated.    The effect was just the opposite: Their words invaded my thoughts, my spirit and I started to have misgivings about our decision too. I found myself doubting a decision that has proven to be exactly what our children needed. My kiddos thrived both academically and socially, yet the naysayers persisted. The comments moved from academics to socialization and back again.   I know now it’s not about socialization or academics, its about holding firm to their belief that they are right and we are wrong.   Even though this type of chatter drives me bonkers, I’m slowly learning to silence those opinions because they are not mine to bear.   It’s not about homeschooling. It’s not about me nor my family. It’s not about my teaching abilities or lack thereof. It’s not even about our children's education or lack of socialization, It’s. All. About. Them. Their opinions. Their hang-ups. Their negativity. Their misconceptions. Their issues.

This realization has given me a sense of peace and clarity. Even with my new found inner peace, I still feel obligated to give my own opinion(s) when they choose to share their unsolicited views on the harms of homeschooling. I just hope they realize that my words are not meant to be snarky. it’s not a personal attack.   Seriously, It’s not about them, it’s all about me!

Quote of the Week

2011-03-28T05:49:00.000-07:00

"One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest." ~Maya Angelou

..remember

2011-03-24T22:00:00.000-07:00

compliments of Kind over Matter

Have a fantastic weekend. Enjoy all the moments!

Quote of the Week

2011-03-21T08:27:00.000-07:00

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." Plato

My Matchbox boy...

2011-03-16T02:45:00.000-07:00

....can read!!! { doing my happy mom dance }

St. Patrick Day Activity

2011-03-15T10:17:00.000-07:00

I loved this ideal and hopefully, you'll love it too!! Enjoy!

Quote of the Week

2011-03-14T05:57:00.000-07:00

" Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world." ~Harriet Tubman

Mother-Daughter Book Club

2011-03-13T13:30:00.000-07:00

I've really been making an effort to get out of my cushy introverted comfort zone. It's been a struggle, but I'm trying to accommodate my social butterfly aka mini Sensei. Seriously, this child relishes in any and all attention.  In the past, although I've tried, we seemed like nomads with no place that felt like home. Seemingly,  all the cool activities seemed non-existent or just hidden really, really well. Everything from co-ops, homeschool classes and park days. Okay, I'm exaggerating ~~no, I'm not~~  . Honestly, everything we encountered ended up being duds. Big, fat stinky duds!! Once again, I felt like the elusive ~~black~~ blue unicorn with my two fuzzy sidekicks in tow.

Instead of getting frustrated and giving up, I've decided to take matters into my own hands.   A pro-active approach and a positive attitude was all that I needed. So, instead of sitting back and waiting for something to just fall into my lap, I decided to start our own club. A kick butt book club just for 'the girlies'.

  The ideal of a Mother and Daughter book club has always resonated with me and I've wanted to start one for years. I didn't do it sooner because mini sensei was only 4 years old and couldn't read. She's now 7 and reads for pure enjoyment. Yes, the time is now.   I wanted to keep the group small so I approached two of my girlfriends who also homeschool and I shared my ideal with them.  They both loved the ideal and our first Mother&Daughter bookclub meeting will commence on March 31st. Woo-Hoo!!

This is a perfect fit not only us moms, but our girls too. All of our daughters were late talkers and still struggle with speech issues. Our girls get along amazingly and the book club seems like an natural extensions of their friendship. Although, having speech issues is not a requirement to join, it does help to create a nurturing environment for our children.

I would love to take all the credit for the fabulous ideal, but I can't. I read this book three years ago and have been intrigued ever since. I love the philosophy behind the book and all the great advice. I recently read, Mother and Daughter Book club:Book by Book: The Complete Guide to Creating a Mother and Daughter Book club by Cindy Hudson, and instantly fell in love with it. This book is an amazing source of inspiration and chalk full of how-to information and guidance.  My final source of inspiro, is Five in a Row. The simplistic genius behind this program makes it a perfect addition  for our book club.  All the above books are great to get started, but the first two books are essential, in my humble opinion. The Mother Daughter Project is the 'why-to' start a mother/daughter book club that you need to get you motivated and Book by Book is the 'how-to' nuts and bolts to keep you motivated and to give you direction. Both equally important, but for different reasons.

Unlike some book clubs, we decided early on to figure out the books in advance. As our girls get older, I'm sure this will change, but for now this just makes it ~~easier~~ more convenient.

The Books:

The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf. You can also watch a fantastic Disney movie version of the book here. It's really, really cute and just adds another layer of interest for the book.
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
Hope by Isabel Monk
Ask Mr. Bear by Majorie Flack
Mirette on the High Wire by Emily Arnolc McCully
Whoever You Are by Mem Fox
Mrs. Katz and Tush by Patricia Polacco
Stellaluna by Janel Cannon
The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Great Bridge by Hildegarde Swift and Lynd Ward
One City, Two Brothers by Chris Smith and Aurelia Fronty

I think the books are a great mix of multicultural themes, well known classics and character building themes. I'm currently working on a craft for The Story Ferdinand and some fun games to play that deal with the story/theme.

I'm not sure if you can tell by this post, but I'm crazy excited! Okay, more excited than crazy, but you get the vibe, right?! Once again, I think I'm more excited than the kids.

Childs Play.

2011-03-09T02:49:00.000-08:00

"As great scientist have said and as all children know, it is above all by the imagination that we achieve perception, and compassion, and hope." ~Ursula K. LeGuin

{mini sensei enjoying playtime with Olivia}

I love it when my kiddos imagination take over. It gives me the warm fuzzies{ and, yes, I just made the word up..} and joy beyond belief.

Quote of the Week

2011-03-07T05:36:00.000-08:00

"My heart, which is so full to overflowing, has often been solaced and refreshed by music when sick and weary." ~Martin Luther

hot like lava...

2011-03-04T09:33:00.000-08:00

{just add lava...}

This was great fun for both my kiddo's and my honorary 3rd kid{ ie.,my sweet hubby }. We found this delightful volcano kit at Lakeshore for about $13. Beware of the volcano eruption powder that comes with the kit because it was a disaster for us. It was hard as a rock and had to be chiseled out with such force, I was afraid I would injure myself{ or anyone is a 10 mile radius}. Once we chiseled off the appropriate amount, the eruption powder refused to erupt. No bubbles, no fizzles, just a goop-y mess. Luckily, we were able to pour out the goop and restart with the standard baking soda and vinegar combo. Thankfully, it worked like a charm. The kids had a blast and I have to admit that it was pretty cool, too.

Serious, scientific and lava-licious fun!!

My furry BFF.

2011-03-03T15:43:00.000-08:00

{minus the eye boogers..ewww}

Quote of the Week

2011-02-28T05:35:00.000-08:00

"Music is the movement of sound to reach the soul for the education of its virtue." ~Plato

Our World - Africa is not a country Edition

2011-02-27T07:43:00.000-08:00

We've finally started to put a dent in our Geography unit studies, thank goodness. Even though, I find geography as important as other curriculum, I've yet to implement it into our homeschool day. Thankfully, things are about the change for the better!! I've made it a priority to do some form of geography at least once a week. I'm glad I did because we are so enjoying learning about other countries and cultures.

Our focus for the last 2 months has been ensuring that my mini sensei has a strong foundation in her basic geography knowledge. It took us about a month, maybe two, for her to have a solid grasp on this information. During that period, we learned and reviewed directional skills, map reading, continents, oceans and the functions of globes/maps. It has been time consuming, but it has all been worth it. But let's be real, 60 days in and we're both kinda over it. Now it's time for the fun stuff!

I designed a schedule that would be simple and fun as possible. Sticking to a simple theme we are going in alphabetical order( Africa, Antarctica, Asia...) for each continent and we'll discuss the characteristics of that particular continent. We will learn general information about each continent for about 2 weeks. Then we will pick out several countries to study from that continent. I'm stoked to finish the study of the continent of Africa, so we can move on to the countries that lay within that vast continent. Collectively, mini sensei and I, picked out 3 countries to focus our studies on: Egypt, Kenya and South Africa. The country we will focus on first will be Egypt. We are both super excited! Okay, I'm more excited than she is, but her excitement is growing. I can't wait to learn more about all the different cultures, their foods and traditions. I can't help it, I have to say it again.....wait for it..... Homeschool ROCKS!! Wooo-Hooo!!{ doing my rock n'roll hands}

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The Nuts and Bolts

There are so many fantastic, helpful and free sites online that if you try hard enough you will find the information you seek. Here are some of the very best {imho} below:

Homeschool Creation. This is one of the best put together homeschool blogs I've ever encountered. I love this site and I think I would have been forever lost without it. Seriously, I had no ideal where to start and this site guided me. Free printable too and a book list.
Nurturing the Tender Years is another terrific homeschool blog with tons of really cool ideals.
African-Geography. Fantastic source for reviewing information in a game format.
The Savanna. This is such a cool game that even as a parent you might find yourself competing to play.
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The Books
We found several really great books at the library:

Africa by Madeline Donaldson
Africa is Not a Country by Margy Burns Knight
Atlas of Africa by Karen Foster

All were really good, but our fave was Africa by Madeline Donaldson. Simple, chalk full of information, age appropriate reading that was easy to comprehend.

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Final Tidbits

The map in the picture is from Leapfrog to be used with Tag reading system. The multicultural cuties( my nickname for them ) that are on the continent of Africa are part of a 12 pc. set from my beloved Lakeshore.

{side note: The multicultural cuties, I first saw here, so I can't take the credit for this ingenious ideal.}

I really do hope that this has helped you and if you have ideals for Egypt, please share.

Julien Hudson 1811-1844

2011-02-24T05:12:00.000-08:00

Julien Hudson-self portrait-1839

Julien Hudson was born January 9, 1811, in New Orleans. The son of Desirée Marcos, a property-owning free woman of color, and John Thomas Hudson, an English merchant, ironmonger, and ship chandler. Hudson took up his career in painting after a brief stint as a tailor’s apprentice in the mid-1820s. He trained first in New Orleans with itinerant miniaturist Antonio Meucci and later in Paris with well-known artist Alexandre Abel de Pujol. In 1831 he opened a studio on Bienville Street and advertised his services as a miniature and portrait painter, and drawing instructor. His Self Portrait shows him as a fashionable young man in a black frock coat and patterned red waistcoat. Little is known about Hudson’s personal life, outside of scattered details found in a handful of public documents and a pair of early-twentieth-century reminiscences by former student George Coulon and prominent Creole of color Rodolphe Desdunes.

Jean Michel Fortier -1839
{commanded the Corps of Free Men of Color at the Battle of New Orleans}

Portrait of a Black Man-1835

Hudson’s story is alluring, frustrating, and poignant. An artist who died young (at age 33 in 1844) and left a fragmentary body of work. Only four of Hudson’s signed oil painting Hudson have been identified. Of these, the Louisiana State Museum has the Self Portrait, a widely published and exhibited piece, and a portrait of Jean Michel Fortier III. he offers a path into a unique historical moment in a city that has always provided ample fodder for commentary, invention, fantasy, and fascination. His artistic reputation rests upon a handful of secure paintings and a group of attributed works. Only one work can be more or less traced from the easel to its current location. Another passed through the hands of one of Louisiana’s most important early art collectors. And one—and possibly two others—may have intersected with one of the most powerful free families of color in the state. Nothing can definitively be proven about these works or their histories, ensuring that the aura of mystery surrounding them—and their maker—will undoubtedly persist. {articles can be found here and here}

Quote of the Week

2011-02-21T08:25:00.000-08:00

"In between goals is a thing called life, that has to be lived and enjoyed." Sid Caesar

Harriet Powers-Textiles-1837-1911

2011-02-17T07:46:00.000-08:00

Harriet Powers

Harriet Powers is one of the best-known southern African American quilt makers, even though only two of her quilts, both of which she made after the Civil War (1861-65), survive today. One is part of the National Museum of American History collection at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. The second quilt is in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts. The cotton quilts consist of numerous pictorial squares depicting biblical scenes and celestial phenomena. They were constructed through appliqué and piecework and were hand and machine stitched.
Powers was born into slavery near Athens on October 29, 1837, and lived more than half her life in Clarke County, mainly in Sandy Creek and Buck Branch. The first of the Powers quilts was displayed in 1886 at a cotton fair in Athens, Bible Quilt,

Bible Quilt 1886

where Jennie Smith, an artist and art teacher at the Lucy Cobb Institute, a school for elite white females in Athens, saw it. She asked to purchase it from Powers, but Powers declined to sell it. Smith remained in touch with Powers, however, and five years later Powers, having financial difficulties, agreed to sell the quilt for five dollars. At the time of the sale Powers explained the imagery in the squares, and Smith recorded the descriptions along with additional comments of her own. The history of the second quilt is less clear. One account indicates that the wives of Atlanta University (later Clark Atlanta University) faculty members saw the first quilt in the Cotton States Exhibition in Atlanta in 1895 and decided to commission a second quilt by Powers. Another account suggests that the second quilt was purchased by the same faculty wives who may have seen it at the Nashville, Tennessee, Exposition in 1898. Regardless, the faculty wives presented the quilt to the Reverend Charles Cuthbert Hall of New York in 1898, while he was serving as the chairman of the board of trustees at Atlanta University. Subsequently, the folk art collector Maxim Karolik acquired it from Hall's heirs and donated it to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
Powers's quilts are remarkable for their bold use of appliqué for storytelling and for their extensive documentation. Her use of technique and design demonstrates African and African American influences. The use of appliquéd designs to tell stories is closely related to artistic practices in the republic of Benin, West Africa. The uneven squares suggest the syncopation found in African American music.
Only one image of Powers herself survives. The photograph, made about 1897, depicts her wearing a special apron with appliquéd images of a moon, cross, and sun or shooting star. Such celestial bodies appear repeatedly in her quilts and are often carefully stitched in complex ways, indicating their importance to her. These images may have related to a fraternal organization or had religious significance to her. Powers's interpretations of both quilts have survived, though they are likely influenced by their recorders. Powers herself probably was illiterate and may have used the quilts as visual teaching tools for telling biblical stories.

In January 2005 Cat Holmes, a doctoral student in history at the University of Georgia, discovered the grave of Harriet Powers, as well as that of Powers's husband and daughter. The headstone, which was uncovered at the historic Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery in Athens, reveals that Powers died on January 1, 1910.

She was inducted into Georgia Women of Achievement in 2009. {article found here}

Suggested Reading:

This I Accomplish: Harriet Powers Bible Quilt and Other Pieces by Kyra E Hicks
Stitching Stars: The Story of Harriet Powers by Mary E Lyons
The Quilt by Ann Jonas

Quote of the Week

2011-02-14T05:59:00.000-08:00

"Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing." ~ Abraham Lincoln

Freedom Riders

2011-02-10T04:19:00.000-08:00

I'm going to be completely honest for a moment: I'm not a big fan of Black history month. Now before you start giving me the stink eye, let me clarify. I, personally, think it's a shame that we try to celebrate ALL the accomplishments of black Americans in only 28 days. It can't be done. Or, better yet, it can't be done correctly. Growing up, I only remember 4 { maybe 6, on a good year}great black Americans being discussed in class. Yearly, they seemingly just rotated the order in which they were presented, but it was always the same 4: George Washington Carver, MLK, Thurgood Marshall and Harriet Tubman. No offense to the great Americans I just spoke of, but really? Only 4? That's it?

Seemingly, blacks went straight from slavery to the Civil Rights movement.

That being said, I'm a firm believer that black American history is American history. I'm not blinded by my own idealism. I'm fully aware that most of history books are not integrated and often blatantly excludes most, if not all, minorities and women. I'm sadden by those omissions, but instead of having that damper my love for history, it only ignited my fire! I knew more accurate, historical and colorful information was out there, but I had to search for it. I would have to dig deeper, look farther and investigate on my own.

The story below is about the Freedom Riders. It's a remarkable story of the efforts and sacrifices of AMERICANS, of all nationalities and genders, who took a courageous stand for what was right.
enjoy.

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Activists Test Supreme Court Decision
The 1961 Freedom Rides, organized by CORE, were modeled after the organization's 1947 Journey of Reconciliation. During the 1947 action, African-American and white bus riders tested the 1946 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Morgan v. Virginia that segregated bus seating was unconstitutional. The 1961 Freedom Rides sought to test a 1960 decision by the Supreme Court in Boynton v. Virginia that segregation of interstate transportation facilities, including bus terminals, was unconstitutional as well. A big difference between the 1947 Journey of Reconciliation and the 1961 Freedom Rides was the inclusion of women in the later initiative. In both actions, black riders traveled to the American South--where segregation continued to occur--and attempted to use whites-only restrooms, lunch counters and waiting rooms.

The original group of 13 Freedom Riders--seven African Americans and six whites-- left Washington, D.C., on a Greyhound bus on May 4, 1961. Their plan was to reach New Orleans, Louisiana, on May 17 to commemorate the seventh anniversary of the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision, which ruled that segregation of the nation's public schools was unconstitutional. The group traveled through Virginia and North Carolina, drawing little public notice. The first violent incident occurred on May 12 in Rock Hill, South Carolina, where John Lewis (1940-), an African-American seminary student and influential member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), a civil rights organization; white Freedom Rider and World War II (1939-45) Navy veteran Albert Bigelow (1906-93); and another African-American rider were viciously attacked as they attempted to enter a whites-only waiting area. The next day, the group reached Atlanta, Georgia, where some of the riders split off onto a Trailways bus.

Massive Violence in Alabama

On May 14, 1961, the Greyhound bus was the first to arrive in Anniston, Alabama. There, an angry mob of about 200 white people surrounded the bus, causing the driver to continue past the bus station. The mob followed the bus in automobiles, and when the tires on the bus blew out, someone threw a bomb into the bus. The Freedom Riders escaped the bus as it burst into flames, only to be brutally beaten by members of the surrounding mob. The second bus, a Trailways vehicle, traveled to Birmingham, Alabama, that day, and those riders were also beaten by an angry white mob, many of whom brandished metal pipes. Birmingham Public Safety Commissioner Bull Connor (1897-1973) stated that, although he knew the Freedom Riders were arriving and violence awaited them, he posted no police protection at the station because it was Mother's Day.
Photographs of the burning Greyhound bus and the bloodied riders appeared on the front pages of newspapers throughout the country and around the world the next day, drawing international attention to the Freedom Riders' cause and the state of race relations in the U.S. Following the widespread violence, CORE officials could not find a bus driver who would agree to transport the integrated group, and they decided to abandon the Freedom Rides. However, Diane Nash (1938-), an activist from the SNCC, organized a group of 10 students from Nashville, Tennessee, to continue the rides. U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy (1925-68), brother of President John F. Kennedy (1917-63), began negotiating with Governor John Patterson (1921-) of Alabama and the bus companies to secure a driver and state protection for the new group of Freedom Riders. The rides finally resumed, on a Greyhound bus departing Birmingham under police escort, on May 20.

Federal Marshals Called In
The violence toward the Freedom Riders was not quelled; rather, the police abandoned the bus just before it arrived at the Montgomery, Alabama, terminal, where a white mob attacked the riders with baseball bats and clubs as they disembarked. Attorney General Kennedy sent 600 federal marshals to the city to stop the violence.
The following night, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-68) led a service at the First Baptist Church in Montgomery, which was attended by more than one thousand supporters of the Freedom Riders. A riot ensued outside the church, and King called Robert Kennedy to ask for protection. Kennedy summoned the federal marshals, who used teargas to disperse the white mob. Patterson declared martial law in the city and dispatched the National Guard to restore order.

On May 24, 1961, a group of Freedom Riders departed Montgomery for Jackson, Mississippi. There, several hundred supporters greeted the riders. However, those who attempted to use the whites-only facilities were arrested for trespassing and taken to the maximum-security penitentiary in Parchman, Mississippi. During their hearings, the judge turned and looked at the wall rather than listen to the Freedom Riders' defense, just as had been the case when sit-in participants were arrested for protesting segregated lunch counters in Tennessee. He sentenced the riders to 30 days in jail. Attorneys from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), a civil rights organization, appealed the convictions all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which reversed them.

Relief at Last
The violence and arrests continued to garner national and international attention, and drew hundreds of new Freedom Riders to the cause. The rides continued over the next several months, and that fall, under pressure from the Kennedy administration, the Interstate Commerce Commission issued regulations prohibiting segregation in interstate transit terminals

{Above article can be found at History channel website}

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MORE INFO:

If you would like more information you can also read, Breach of Peace, which has personal accounts from those involved.
PBS also has a new documentary coming out May called, Freedom Riders. PBS, once again, has done a phenomenal job. Please, please, check the PBS link out to learn more about this amazing program.

Quote of the Week

2011-02-07T08:30:00.000-08:00

"The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak." Hans Hofmann

curriculum...the good, the bad, and the not working.

2011-02-03T00:47:00.000-08:00

Several weeks ago, I wrote this and at the very end of that post stated I would discuss our curriculum. Yeah, not the best ideal because we really don't follow a curriculum. At the beginning of the school year I posted this about our curriculum and sadly, it hasn't worked. We no longer use, Miquon Math, ECIS, or AVKO. I loved the concept of all the curriculum above, but they just didn't work for us. Maybe next year. Or maybe not.
We tend to be rather random and need curriculum that moves us, figuratively and literally. One thing that my rugrats loves are thematic unit studies. Thematic Units tend to tap into their natural enthusiasm to want to learn and explore. We've done several themes { human body, solar system and the earth/continents/oceans } so far this year. My kiddos tend to blossom with these lessons and they actually retain much of the information. Now, we do have a math and English curriculum, but everything else is pretty much willy-nilly. Now, some might think we are potential, would-be unschoolers, but I would have to disagree.
We are more of a child-led, workbox using, need-to-have-a-daily-schedule-or-we-will-lose-our-mind type of homeschoolers. It works for them. It works for me. It's a win-win.
MATH
We currently use Math U See and absolutely love it. Mini Sensei just completed MUS Primer and has been promoted to MUS Alpha. We haven't actually delved into Alpha yet, instead we are reviewing the information she learned in Primer until we are both confident that she has mastered all the lessons. It's hard for me to slow down at times, but I have to remind myself that this is not a race.
I'm actually really impressed with MUS and how the math is taught. Although, it's difficult to find worksheets to reinforce what has been taught in the MUS manner. I didn't want to confuse my daughter, so I ended up just making extra copies of the worksheet from her Primer book. It was a bit repetitive at times, but the math facts are now ingrained in her little noggin FOREVER!!    I also love that each lesson is taught by former math teacher, Steve Demme.   He really does a fantastic job of explaining the material so it's easily grasped by the student. My mini sensei loves{read again: LOVES } the manipulative blocks and looks forward to doing this program daily. Seriously, it's the coolest thing to hear your once reluctant math student enthusiastically exclaiming, "I love math!"

Yup, it's that good.

ENGLISH
My son, who is in K, has been doing HeadSprout since August and is doing quite well. He is a hyper guy who has the attention span of a gnat. It's hard to get him to settle down and focus on anything that doesn't include wheels. Yet, this program grabs his attention and keeps it. I'm happy to report that my little matchbox boy can now read!!   I've learned that with my matchbox boy{ my daughter did this same program last year} that I had to be in the room with him to make sure he stayed on track. Thankfully, this program also allows you to repeat a lesson if you think its needed. And yes, It's needed often.

As for my daughter, we are using enchanted learning, some worksheets from here and educational games from Lakeshore. We were using AVKO, but it was a bust, at least right now. I just ordered AAS, so I'll update you how that works out for us. My goals for mini sensei is to build up her fluency when reading and helping her to use appropriate grammar when writing. These goals are often difficult for her because of her speech issues and her APD.  Although, I will always acknowledge her difficulties, I will never make excuses for her not trying. She knows that just because it's hard, doesn't mean it can't be done. It can and it will, but in due time. She's a smart cookie and has done extremely well thus far.

THEMATIC UNIT STUDIES
{*A unit of study that has lessons focused on a specific theme, sometimes covering all core subject areas.}

We started doing thematic unit studies about two years ago, when I first started homeschooling my daughter. We focused on the Chinese New Year. We studied everything from Pandas, endangered species, cultures, religions and geography. We made lanterns, discussed traditions, cooked Chinese food, ate with chopsticks, learned to speak Chinese really badly{ my fault, not hers } and went to a Chinese New Year Parade. It lasted for over a month and it was a blast!  She absolutely thrived and she learned!!

That was my epiphany moment.

This year we've done the Human Body and the Earth.  I'm currently finishing up the planning for our thematic unit study of the continent of Africa and several countries within Africa. Both were huge hits that piqued their interest and kept their attention. Anytime we decided on a Thematic unit study, I just google, thematic unit study for___________? and get tons of hits/information/ideals. It's very time consuming and labor intensive, but the outcome is well worth all the effort. Some of my fave sites are homeschool share and CurrClick.

Well, that's all I got folks{ ....using my best Bugs Bunny impersonation..}. Nothing really profound or earth shattering, just things that work for us.

So tell me, What works for you and yours?

Quote of the Week

2011-01-31T08:29:00.000-08:00

"Do not covet your ideals. Give away everything you know and more will come back to you." Paul Arden

William Edmondson, Folk Artist ca. 1870-1951

2011-01-30T12:47:00.000-08:00

Angel

Mary and Martha

William Edmondson in his studio

Born around 1870 in the Hillsboro Road section of Nashville to "foreparents [George and Jane] who were Edmondson and Compton slaves," William Edmondson was one of six children reared by his mother after the death of their father.

After many years of working for the Nashville, Chattanooga, and St. Louis Railroad and the Women's Hospital (Baptist Hospital), Edmondson entered the art world by divine command, according to an article in the Nashville Tennessean: "While he lay asleep, God appeared at the head of his bed and talked to him, like a natural man, concerning the talent of cutting stone He was about to bestow. He talked so loud He woke me up. He told me He had something for me." Edmondson was instructed to make chisels and other sculpting tools.

This primitive artist, who began his career by working on tombstones, worked exclusively in limestone, usually from demolished city buildings and curbs from rebuilt streets. Wrecking companies often diverted their trucks to Edmondson's backyard to leave piles of stone at lime or no cost. During fifteen years or more of sculpting, his backyard became filled with "miracles" that were not tombstones but preachers, women, doves, turtles, angels, rabbits, horses, and other "critters" and "miracles."

Five years after he began to sculpt in limestone, Edmondson's competence in art was acknowledged by the art world. Sidney Hirsch, Alfred and Elizabeth Starr, and Louise Dahl-Wolfe were instrumental in uncovering Edmondson's gift of sculpting stone. Dahl-Wolfe, a photographer for Harper's Bazaar magazine, brought Edmondson to the attention of Alfred Barr, the director of the Museum of Modern Art. Barr and some of the trustees expressed interest in a type of painting and sculpture they classified as "modern primitive" and which they applied to Edmondson's art. Thus, Edmondson became the first black American to be accorded a one-man show at the Museum of Modern Art.

Edmondson soon was widely recognized and honored for his sculpture. In 1938, his sculpture was included in "Three Centuries of Art in the United States." On February 11, 1941, he was honored with a one-man show at the Nashville Art Gallery. In 1951, Edmondson was posthumously honored by the Nashville Artist Guild. Edmondson's pieces were included in other exhibitions: Nashville's Peabody College (1951); New York's Willard Gallery; Cheekwood (Tennessee Botanical Gardens and Fine Arts Center) and Lyzon Galleries in Nashville (1964); City College of New York and the LaJolla Museum of Contemporary Art (1967); Willard Gallary and Newark Museum (1971); and a one-man show at the Monteclair Art Museum in 1975. The June, 1981, opening of the Tennessee State Museum featured an exhibition and illustrated catalogue of Edmondson's sculptures.

Poor health caused Edmondson to cease sculpting in the late 1940s. On February 7, 1951, he died and was buried at Mount Ararat Cemetery in Nashville.

{information found here}

Quote of the Week

2011-01-24T02:57:00.000-08:00

"Rivers know this: There is no hurry. We shall get there someday." ~Winnie The Pooh

Quote of the Week

2011-01-17T05:42:00.000-08:00

"Whenever you find you are on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect."~Mark Twain

Class Dismissed - Teaser Trailer

2011-01-14T05:14:00.000-08:00

This looks for interesting. Check it out and tell me what you think?

25 things that make me a better mommy.

2011-01-12T09:28:00.000-08:00

music. good music. obscure, odd music.
exercise. I have to reunite with my treadmill.
laughter. you know the laughter that makes you snort...just a little, but a snort none the less.
breathing. deeply.
reminding myself that certain moment will pass.
appreciating all the blessings in my life. The smaller the better.
no insects in the house...woohoo!
laundry that took only 2 hours instead of the normal 4....woot-woot!
a good glass of wine.
dark chocolate. LOTS of dark chocolate.
relishing in the fact that my husband loves me without any reservations.
my big sis.
my kids.
homeschooling is right for us...( even when I think it's not.)
talking. No. talking to someone who understands me. I'm lucky to have a fantastic friend who homeschools too. Every other Sunday, we dish, plan, dish some more, eat morsels, dish some more, compare, relate, laugh, snort( yes, I tend to snort when I laugh.) and dish a little more. Our bi-weekly meetings refresh my spirit and keep my sanity in check.
books. books on nook to be precise{..thanks, hubby}
kisses. big, small, stolen or requested.
hugging my husband like my life depended on it and having him hug me back with the same intensity.
my children's laughter.
lip gloss. Seriously. It will change my mood.
jeans that fit my butt, as well as, my waist that cost less than $60. A girl can dream.
a good comedy. I'm partial to the absurd.
crafting. I enjoy making things. It definitely brings me joy.
pictures of beautiful people. And by beautiful people, I mean my children.
sharing. tidbits. recipes. smiles. laughter. hugs. advice. special moments. secrets. funky dance moves. playful winks.

So, what helps you to be a better mommy?

{home}school:100 days-what i learned.

2011-01-11T08:38:00.000-08:00

Wow, I can't believe we are about 100 days into our homeschool year. I've been surprised by how smoothly it's going(..gosh, hope I didn't just jinx myself..LOL!!). We've had some ups and downs, but overall the journey has been smooth. But, I must admit that when it does get hectic, most of the time, I really only have one person to fault: ME!!
That little tidbit of information was hard(..and I mean SUPER, DUPER HARD.. ) for me to swallow, but once I embraced it, I realized how much I influenced their behaviors. When I start to freak out, they freak out right on with me. If I change my approach to something more positive, I will get positive reaction from my kiddos. I have learned a ton in the last 100 days about not only my children, but myself. In no particular order, here's what I learned thus far:

LEARNING IS A PROCESS, NOT A RACE: Learning is often a slow and painful process. I would catch myself cringing because what I thought would be easy to learn was often torturous for my kiddos. I had to find a way to relax and remove my perception from the equation. Once I grasped that learning, in general, is a individual process, I eased up on the stress. Learning is not a race, it's a journey. I've learned to slow down. When my kids struggle with a new concept( or old one ), I give them time to process the information. I want them to have those light bulb moments. If they don't, I literally tell them to shake it off and come back in 5 minutes. If it is still causing concern, we will walk away, discuss a bit and address it at another time. That's it! Simple, huh? I don't fret because I know in time they will get it.
TAKE WHAT WORKS FOR OTHERS AND MAKE IT WORK FOR YOU: Before our school year started, I was so inspired by this and this and this. Workboxes are a system created by Sue Patrick for her homeschooling family. Workboxes became my new obsession! I immediately purchased everything necessary to implement this new, seemingly life altering system. I was going to have children who worked independently and silently(...my plan, not theirs....). Okay, it wasn't life changing, but it definitely impacted how smoothly are day went. The system does foster some independence, but since my bambinos are still young( 6 and 7 ), I find myself still helping out tons. But, I will admit that my mini sensei rarely ask for my help now, so there is some merit to these madness. There are some cons, but not many. One of the cons is that the workboxes can be very time consuming for the homeschooling parent. Every night, I have to plan our entire day down to the pencil and the paper. I'll admit that it sucks at times, yet I know it needs to be done. I'm more organized, focused and mentally prepared for our day. That's pretty much it for the cons. The Pros are that you are prepared for your day, your kids know what's expected of them and we tend to zoom through our day. I must admit that we did tweak the system, so that it was more conducive to our way of homeschooling. We only have 6 workboxes per child, instead of the suggested 12. The kiddos do not have scheduled breaks. They take them when they need them. We also do not assign every assignment to a box. We have group activities that include World Geography, History and Science which are not in the workboxes. We really dig this system! And, although my children aren't quiet nor do they work independently, they do look forward to their day.
FIND WHAT PIQUES THEIR INTEREST AND RUN WITH IT: I've heard this before and in all honestly, I thought, "Hogwash!". I mean, really, my kids love Phineas and Ferb cartoons, but I wouldn't indulge them with a marathon worth of P&E on the daily. Yet, I do feel compelled to indulge them when their interest are more of an academic nature. My son loves this and this, so I tweaked our lesson plans to include them. My hubby loves to remind me how forcing our son to watch Star Wars is actually paying off. Um, sure honey, whatever you say!! May the force be with you!
TIME AT THE PARK IS MANDATORY: Read the last part slowly..man-da-tory!! Honestly, there are days, when the kids are restless and everyone is slightly irritated due to lack of fresh air. Trust me, on days like these nothing will calm the beast of boredom like a day at the park. Two hours of running free and wild at your park is just good for the soul. And if I really want to drive them crazy with joy, bring food. Food, glorious food. Full bellies and fresh air...win-win!!
JUST BECAUSE YOU PLANNED IT, DOESN'T MEAN THEY WILL LOVE IT: This was a rude awaken for me. I had visions of my children being enthralled with any activity I planned. Um, no! I've been told on several occasion that my activities are**cough** kinda boring! Really? Boring? My ego was bruised, but it taught me a valuable lesson; Regardless of how much time and effort I put into an activity, I need to get input from the kiddos before preceding further. Lesson learned.
TAKE INFORMAL NOTES: This, by far, has been the most beneficial for me. It's a great source of information that I would have otherwise forgotten or overlooked. I just jot down things that I think are helpful like, "Having trouble completing lesson 8. Concept not fully understood. Stay on lesson until mastered." I also date the sheet and put an example of the concept not learned. Later, I can look back to see things that I might have missed. It also gives me an opportunity to see all the amazing progress my children make!! Taking notes has allowed me to see progress, tweak curriculum, try different approaches and/or extend the lesson until concept is learned. It's truly an invaluable tool.

Well that's it for now. Next up: Curriculum

By the way, What have you learned in the past 100 days???

Quote of the Week

2011-01-10T01:00:00.000-08:00

"All people---African, European, American---worry about being different. But I've learned that the traits we'd rush to get rid of are the very ones that others desire. People always covet what they don't have. That's why we should look at ourselves every now and then and say,"I'm proud of myself. I like the way I'm made." ~Freida Pinto

cultivate.

2011-01-06T19:46:00.000-08:00

cultivate.
transitive verb

1: to prepare or prepare and use for the raising of crops; also : to loosen or break up the soil about (growing plants)
2a : to foster the growth of b : culture 2a c : to improve by labor, care, or study : refine <cultivate the mind>

Yes, yes, and yes!!

So what's your word of the year?

Quote of the Week

2011-01-03T05:28:00.000-08:00

" Without music, life is a journey through a desert." ~Pat Conroy

Bonne Annee!

2010-12-31T22:06:00.000-08:00

{...that's french for happy new year...oui,oui...}

Wishing you blessings in the New Year. Be Well. Be Good. Be Happy.

Quote of the Week

2010-12-27T05:27:00.000-08:00

"Where words fail, music speaks." ~Hans Christian Anderson

Wishing You All....

2010-12-24T21:32:00.000-08:00

....a very Merry Christmas!
{love}
The Zebra crew.

Quote of the Week

2010-12-20T06:06:00.000-08:00

"A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones that need the advice." ~Bill Cosby

Santa Baby- Mom Edition

2010-12-18T11:02:00.001-08:00

Just a little list of the things that make me swoon. Just a little.

Nook Color:

My obsession with books is slowly moving from the collection phase to the hoarding phase. This sweet e-reader will help me help myself.

Breville Pie Maker:

I’m crushing on this pie maker something awful!! This is so beyond a want….. I need this!

Pretty, Shiny Things:

This lovely piece was made by my very talented sister/girlfriend, Robin. You can check out more of her goodies here

Golden Rules:

Love the sentiment behind the sign.

Mommy Needs a Break:

I lost my craft area when we decided to homeschool both kiddo’s. Since then, I’ve been like a nomad looking for a home. I need a space to craft and create. It’s been hard and I’m willing to take my crafty goodness to the closet. Seriously!! I’m willing to take over a small part of our overly crammed master closet. Just one wall, a table and a chair. I’m not picky, but I need a space to do what makes my spirit happy. You know the old, wise tale: “If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” Truer words were never spoken. Oh, and can I get some more time. Seriously, 24 hours is just ain’t cutting it for me anymore.

So what are you feigning for the Christmas season. Let’s pretend that Santa is trying to impress you with a goody that would make you heart flutter, what would it be? Remember the sky is the limit!!

Quote of the Week

2010-12-13T06:07:00.000-08:00

"No matter how calmly you try to referee, parenting will eventually produce bizarre behavior, and I'm not talking about the kids. Their behavior is always normal. " ~Bill Cosby

Oh, the places I go...

2010-12-11T07:50:00.000-08:00

Just looking at this picture makes me drool. I am so making this next week.
I'm doing this in 2011 even if it starts to become tedious. I've started before and by March, I'm over it, but next year will be different. Her ideals inspire me to try again.
Oh, and since I'm going to be doing 365, I would love any of these great prizes here.
This site makes me want to get married again. Same man, new dress!!(..a girl can dream, right?)
Oh, I'm so ~~stealing,~~ **cough** using this ideal to help create some inexpensive, yet uniquely personal,Christmas gifts.
Girl Power!! Oh, how I love the Corps!!! Semper Fi!! More pictures here

I need to make these puppies quick before I eat all the toffee candy bars. I've never had a toffee candy bar before and now I can't imagine my life without them. I love you Toffee!
In need of some new Christmas music? Lucky for you. Pink Martini has you covered. Honestly, Pink Martini will never do you wrong!!
I absolutely adore this book. As a homeschooling mom, this is my go to book for all subjects. Absolute must have.
I found this rather interesting.
I. Want. This. ( you listening hubby?)

Yeah, I know, I spend waaay to much time online! So what have you been up to this week?

Santa Baby- The Mulitcultural Edition

2010-12-09T13:00:00.001-08:00

Here’s a quick list of some of the things you might want to include on your Christmas list. And, of course, most items will have a multiracial/cultural/ethnic vibe. Enjoy!

For the Girlie Girls:

This lovely doll is called Bella by Vanange dolls. She comes with a book( definitely has a Christian vibe, but not over the top ) and the price is comparative to an American Girl doll. Thankfully, that’s where the similarities end. Bella is biracial with a black mom and a white dad(….and, no, this is not a typo..LOL!!). Each doll comes with their own unique story and each doll is somehow connected. Oh, yeah, this cutie below is named Marybelle. Marybelle is Bella’s first cousin and best friend!! Seriously, this doesn’t get any better!!! I. Just. Love. it!!

And to sweeten the deal the company is offering all the dolls half off. Don’t worry, I’ll do the math for you, it’s $49.99 and trust me, well worth the price.

For the Girl Who Love Geography:

Ling comes from Karito Kids and is another absolutely gorgeous dolls. I’m also a huge fan of the company because with each purchase of a Karito Kid doll your child actually gets to help another child by selecting a charity in which to give a donation. Is that the coolest concept or what?

For the Girl Who Dreams Big:

I love these paper dolls from Eeboo.

I just about fell out of my seat when I saw this at Dolls Like Me. This is an action figure of Asian Space Shuttle Commander, Dr. Amy Taylor. Seriously, how cool is this!! Oh, and did I mention it’s on sale.

For the Boys:
I hate to tell you, but if you have a biracial or multiracial little boy, your pickings will be slim. On the upside though, most boys( okay, my boy) loves action figures like Iron Man, Batman and Spiderman. Thankfully, they all wear mask, so race is an non-issue. My little guys preference is cars and you can’t go wrong with Matchbox.

This cutie pie is Bur Bur, a biracial little boy who loves to hang out and play baseball with all of his buddies. Bur Bur originally started out as a series of books by JoAnne Pastel and Kakie Fitzsimmons- both moms of multiracial, multicultural kids. You can check out their site here.

Okay, sorry boys, but that’s all I got!! I know, poor boys!!

Now on to the non-gender toys( my fave )
For the poet:

For the Book Lover:

For Family Game Night:

For the Budding Artist:

Whew, well that’s it. I really hope it helps those looking to put a little culture into your Christmas bag. Happy Shopping!!

Quote of the Week

2010-12-06T08:28:00.000-08:00

"Realize that true happiness lies within you. Waste no time and effort searching for peace and contentment and joy in the world outside. Remember that there is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving. Reach Out. Share. Smile. Hug." ~OG Mandino

Quote of the Week

2010-11-29T06:10:00.000-08:00

"Dreams are the touchstones of our character." ~Henry David Thoreau

Quote of the Week

2010-11-22T05:30:00.000-08:00

"Music causes us to think eloquently." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Shanti Generation

2010-11-17T05:43:00.000-08:00

One of the obstacles that I deal with at times is learning how to calm my spirited children down. My daughter has several learning disabilities that often make it hard for her to focus on just one thing. Her mind wonders and she often lacks the language skills to speak her thoughts, so she's in constant motion. My son vibes off her and when they both get going it's a daunting task to restore some sort of order. I realized a crucial aspect in the process of trying to wrangle my children in: Loudly asking ( okay, yelling ) for them to calm down their exuberance tends to only intensify the madness. In an attempt to find another, more successful, method to bring ~~sanity~~ serenity into our home, I've found myself turning to yoga. I'll confess, that I turned to yoga out of sheer desperation. Honestly, I don't like yoga and yoga doesn't like me. It's my dysfunctional limber gene( it is a gene, right?)that makes stretching for anything past my knees absolute torture. I knew I had to put my personal dislike for yoga aside and search for something that would help bring peace to my rugrats. I looked for a local yoga class that they could attend but found nothing in my area. I then searched out the next best thing: DVD's. Now there are tons of DVD's for yoga, but most are geared towards adults. I narrowed the search to yoga for kids. It became very apparent that the pickings were slim. I was lucky enough to find some copies at our local library. The kids barely paid attention. I found myself quickly running out of hope. Thankfully, I stumbled onto this site and found this incredible DVD, Shanti Generation. I wanted to be excited, but I found myself more apprehensive. When it arrived, I was immediately drawn to the fact that the packaging was made out of 100% recycled material. I hadn't even viewed the disc and I was already impressed. Once I popped the disc in all apprehension faded away. I could actual see my daughters demeanor relax when she heard Abby Wills voice. Yeah, that's a sure sign of good things to come. Below is a review from their site that describes the video so much better than I ever could

"Peacemakers is smart, informative and cool, with five comprehensive asana sequences, a library of poses, and separate portions on breathing and meditation. Shanti Generation Co-founder and creator , Abby Wills leads the students in on-camera introductions and off-screen instruction. You won’t find bright colors, pop music or a bubbly tone here. Wills’ approach is calm but serious, and the camera’s focus on the student (not the instructor) connects the at-home viewer to the peacemaker’s experience. The Shanti Generation DVD is as comprehensive as any yoga DVD I’ve seen. I really appreciate the introductory explanations to each chapter, as Abby respectfully speaks to her pre-teen and teen audience in a tone that could be heard in any adult studio class. The students on screen describe their individual connection to yoga in a special chapter called “Meet the Peacemakers,” a particularly important feature for teaching the benefits of yoga to this age group. Although the asana sequences at times move fast, and perhaps don’t explain every pose in detail, any teen can follow this DVD and will easily learn the techniques with repetition or the help of a more experienced yogi, teacher or parent. In a market saturated by younger kids’ yoga products, it’s a treat to find an enticing and valuable yoga resource for this age group. Ms. Wills calm yet present voice and her ability to connect with the audience provides the perfect opportunity to build healthy habits and life-long wellness among older kids." written by Amy Bevab

After incorporating this disc into our weekly homeschool schedule, I've noticed a huge difference in my kiddo's behavior, especially my daughter. It's so great to have tools to help my daughter find her center and calm down without causing her more stress. There is a clarity in her action when I remind her to just, "breath". When she can't focus, I tell her to find a quiet spot and mediate. It's a work in progress, but at least there is some progress. I even find myself doing the video with her trying to match my labored movements with her graceful ones. I do it not because I love yoga, but I love what it is doing for my babies. Namaste..

Quote of the Week

2010-11-15T05:56:00.000-08:00

"I’ve learned that making a living is not the same thing as making a life." ~ Maya Angelou

Quote of the Week

2010-11-08T08:30:00.000-08:00

"Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family: Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one." ~Jane Howard

vacay our way.

2010-11-06T07:25:00.000-07:00

...staycations ROCK!!

Tiny Captures.

2010-11-04T09:36:00.000-07:00

*photo taken by my son, age 5*

One of the most rewarding times I’ve encountered with my children often happens when I give them my camera. There is a freedom a child gains when she is able to record the World the way she sees it. A world that is not complicated or messy. I want my kids to use the camera without the complication of instructions or too much structure. I just hand the camera over and say, “Photograph what you see.” These words inspire my children to take a million pictures of everything and nothing. My kids faces light up when they see me pull out my mini camera because they know they will have at least 20 minutes of uninterrupted time of capturing their world, their way.

my sons legs in desperate need of some lotion.

As time progresses, I realize that maybe it’s time for them to have their own camera’s, but I’m torn. Two years ago we purchased this camera for my daughter. It’s a camera that is more for capturing their attention rather than capturing their moment. Honestly, the picture quality is craptastic( and, yes, I made that word up.)and not worthy of printing. Ever! Picture quality is the biggest issue I have with cameras’ geared toward children. Kids want what we want out of their camera; To see the pictures they’ve taken and re-experience the moment again. Our experience, our moods, our moments captured by a photograph. Tiny hands deserve a camera worthy of their moments too. So I started on a trek to find the very best and the most affordable camera for our children. Of course, I had to share with my peeps.

First, just a couple of things you should look for when purchasing a camera.

Expandable memory is a must.
Ease of use.
Large LCD screen.
Zoom capability.
Wrist strap.
under $100.

Now that the MUST haves are out of the way, let's talk about the good stuff......The Camera! I've looked high and low for camera's that are reasonable priced, yet function at a much higher quality than your average run of the mill kiddie cameras. Price range is $45-$80, depending on the quality and options of the camera. This price point may seem high to some, but honestly, kiddie camera will run you about $60. Honestly, if I had to do it all over again, I would have never purchased the kiddie camera in the first place. It's not a camera, it's strictly a toy that takes bad pictures. As for durability, my kids always use the wrist strap and have never dropped the camera. But they are still kids and supervision is the key.

In my search, I found the best prices on Amazon.com, but EBay is an awesome source too. I would also keep an eye out for Christmas Specials that are now on the horizon. Trust me, you can find a great camera for your munchkins that wont break the bank.

Here are some of my faves;

If those prices are still too pricey for you, look into getting a refurbished camera. As with anything used, refurbished or not, make sure you get a warranty. Heck, if all else fails, upgrade your own camera and give your bambinos your oldie, but goodie .

Now go out and capture those beautiful memories.

oh, the world through munchkins eyes

ps. I would love to see what your babies capture, so please share.

pss. Target is having a sale(10-31 til 11-6) on a Kodak C143 12MP digi camera that comes with a 4GB memory card and case for $69.99. That's a great deal people!! Now go get those cameras, and thank me later.....

Nancy Elizabeth Prophet(1890-1960)

2010-11-02T04:20:00.000-07:00

A hard-working sculptor who earned many prizes but never made much money, she was half African American and half Native American. At age twenty four, she enrolled in the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence and while a student, married Francis Ford, but they later divorced. She studied sculpture but early on focused more on painting and drawing, especially portraiture, from which she tried unsuccessfully to make a living. Being black, she felt much discriminated against, particularly when a gallery agreed to show her work if she did not attend the opening. Hoping for a more tolerant social climate, she moved to Paris in 1922, but she nearly starved to death trying to succeed as a sculptor. A benefactor gave her money, but her drunken husband and ill health were a deterrent to any success. In 1925, she was hospitalized briefly for malnutrition, but finally enjoyed moderate success with a patron, W.E.B. DuBois, who sponsored a trip for her back to the United States where she found some collectors and several museums.She returned to France, and had more success there. In 1932, the Whitney Museum bought her best-known work, a cherrywood head of a Masai warrior. Much in need of money, she accepted a teaching job in 1934 from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. There she got a reputation for her eccentricities because she covered her work in progress with black cloths and was highly verbal in her criticism of her own work. In 1944, she left Spelman College and returned to Providence, Rhode lsland where she worked as a domestic servant for twenty years. A few of her sculptures are in that area, but she was so poor her last employer paid for her funeral.

information found at askart.com

Quote of the Week

2010-11-01T05:47:00.000-07:00

"There is no agony like bearing an untold story inside of you." ~Maya Angelou

freaking frustrated...

2010-10-31T18:45:00.000-07:00

...going around in circles...

What do you do when the ones close to you still don't get why you homeschool? Well, my mother in law is that one. I'm beyond frustrated because I work my arse off to give my children a well rounded academic school curriculum and school year. I spend months finding the appropriate curriculum and hours implementing it. I review what we've done in the past and figure out ways to improve how I taught it. I'm constantly reading books on learning styles, learning disabilities and how to make schooling interesting. I'm really trying striving yet my MIL has absolutely no interest in the kids academics or their school life. Zilch!! Nada! And to add insult to injury, she'll often throw in tidbits like, "Does the little girl next door go to school? Does she like it?" or "Look, your school matchbox boy!! Oh, sorry, you don't go to school!"

ARRGHHHH!!

At this point, I'm torn. I want to sit down and have a heart to heart, woman to woman, mom to mom. Then I remember: Wait, I did that already! I also asked my hubby to speak to her. Unfortunately, she's very passive/aggressive and feigns a convenient case of amnesia. I'm official annoyed!

I'm sure once I calm down, I'll remind myself of how good she is to me 95% of the time. I'll remind myself that she is 67 years old and lives in a completely different era. I'll remind myself that maybe she doesn't even realize she's being a sow when she's being rude and utterly insensitive. I'll remind myself that this too will pass, but it's just not moving along quickly enough.

I just want her to acknowledge the good that homeschooling is. It's not for everyone, but its the right choice for our family. In the end I know her approval ( or disapproval ) doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things, but it sure would make me feel better.

I would love to hear your opinions and/or suggestions on how I should handle this manner.....puh-leez, because I'm all out of ideals!!

Norman Lewis 1909-1979

2010-10-26T07:20:00.000-07:00

Norman Lewis, born in 1909 in New York, was the first major African American abstract expressionist. Lewis, like fellow artist, Jacob Lawrence attended the art workshops in Harlem. At the art centers Lewis studied African art and was introduced to Howard University professor, Alain Locke's ideas about art, which Locke believed, should derive from African themes and aesthetics. However Lewis saw limitations in the New Negro ideals and questioned its effectiveness in expressing his own identity and interests of the African American community. Lewis later moved from abstract figuration to modernism, as exemplified by artists Wassily Kandinsky and Pablo Picasso. His paintings from this time are devoid of realistic imagery and focused more on conceptual expression, often referring to African American settings and culture. Lewis, always active in the art community, in the 1960s was a founding member of the Spiral Group, a group of African American artists who sought to contribute through their art to the civil rights movement.

info found at pbs.org

Caviar Taste, Sardine Budget...

2010-10-25T22:16:00.000-07:00

she's expensive, but well worth it!

First, I hate Caviar and Sardines, but you get my point, right? It's been over a year since I received my final paycheck from my 18 year gig( paying job). It was fun while it lasted, but in the end it was more important for me to be home with my kiddos. Thankfully, all the stars aligned correctly and I was able to 'retire'( yes, folks, retire) with little damage to our families financial bottom line. Unfortunately, the new bottom line does not include music, clothes, shoes, salon visit, pedicures, Sephora's 'just because' escapades, or my beloved crafts. It's often a struggle, but the payoff is priceless. The payoff is being home with my babies and homeschooling. It's completely worth it and yet if I said it wasn't a struggle I would be lying. I miss it. Work and the things that it afforded me.  I break out into a cold sweat every time I pass William Sonoma, Target or Michael's, but I do feel like I'm approaching a crossroad. I'm becoming creatively frugal{ and yes, I just made that up.}

***{ intrigued, aren't you?} ***

Okay, for the 3 people that are actual intrigued by my prior statement, here are some of my best tips for the monetary things I yearn for:

Music: I'm a music freak. FREAK!! Music moves me beyond words and I can't imagine my life without it. Due to the fact that I'm not a top 40 music lover, I won't hear the music I like unless I buy it. Buying music has been the hardest habit for me to break, but Amazon has made it easier. Okay not easier but less painful. Weekly they have free songs and even free albums.  If you can't find free music you like you can buy some of the $5.00 albums or deal of the day which will set you back about $3 for an entire album. Yes, I've found my music Nirvana, so to speak. You can also check out last.fm to check out new music too.

Clothes: I no longer buy clothes unless I have a coupon or it's on sale. A spectacular sale! Less than 40% off and I'm not even stopping. It's sad, but true.  I would love to do second hand clothing, but it's something about the smell of someone else's clothes on my body that give me the willies. ...Yes, I'm a little weird.....{shrug} I've also learned that if you join mailing email list, you will get specials that other do not. Gap is great for this and their jeans fit me like a dream. I've also found that Forever 21 is fab for accessories.   I also buy most of my clothes off season.

Books: Perusing Amazon on the daily has become my Achilles heel. Especially now since I'm homeschooling, I can find a million reasons to justify a purchase. And I still do, but not as often as I did in the past. I also try to buy used books or go to the library. At first, the library was a big joke because what I paid in fees I could have just purchased the books. Seriously. Weeks late. Thankfully, I found a system that works for me. I signed up online with Elf and with my local library. I also wrote down my library card number and taped it to my computer. Now, I get a Elf warning 2 days prior that my books are due and if its a hectic week, I will just go online and extend to due dates. Fee's diverted, budget intact. Happy mom. Yeaaa Me!!

Crafts: I've gone digital for all my scrapbooking needs. Less expensive and can be used over and over again. My faves are Designer Digital, 2 peas in a bucket and Jessica Sprague. All have weekly specials and often have freebies or free classes.

Homeschool: I've become a huge fan of Currclick and Intellego. Both are downloaded curriculum, but Currclick is a one stop shop for all your curriculum needs. Intellego is a secular source that deals with all modalities when it comes to education. The best part, the most expensive curriculum I've seen is no more than $30 and Currclick often has freebies.

Coupons: coupons.com....'nough said.

Quote of the Week

2010-10-25T08:33:00.000-07:00

"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." ~T.S. Eliot

Jacob Lawrence 1917-2000

2010-10-19T07:35:00.000-07:00

play.

war

building.

long stretch.

seamstress.

jacob lawrence 1917-2000

Jacob Lawrence, one of the most important artists of the 20th century, was born in 1917 and is best known for his series of narrative paintings depicting important moments in African American history. Lawrence was introduced to art when in his early teens, Lawrence's mother enrolled him in Utopia Children's Center, which provided an after-school art program in Harlem. By the mid-1930s, he was regularly participating in art programs at the Harlem Art Workshop and the Harlem Community Art Center where he was exposed to leading African American artists of the time, including Augusta Savage and Charles Alton, the director of the Harlem Art Workshop and, later, professor of art at Howard University. At the community art centers, Lawrence studied African art, Aaron Douglas's paintings and African American history. With the help and encouragement of Augusta Savage, Lawrence secured a scholarship to the American Artists School and later gained employment with the WPA, working as a painter in the easel division. Lawrence began painting in series format in the late 1930s, completing 41 paintings on the life of Toussaint L'Ouverture, the revolutionary who established the Haitian Republic. Other series followed on the lives of the abolitionists Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, and John Brown. The Migration of the Negro, one of his best known series, was completed in 1941. The most widely acclaimed African American artist of this century, Lawrence continued to paint until his death in 2000.

all info found at pbs.org

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If you would like to incorporate Jacob Lawrence art into a unit study I found a fantastic blog to check out. I really love how she incorporated all aspects of his art.

Quote of the Week

2010-10-18T06:16:00.000-07:00

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." ~Henry David Thoreau

Horace Pippin (1888-1946)

2010-10-12T06:29:00.000-07:00

Horace Pippin

harmonizing 1944

john brown going to his hanging 1942

domino players 1943

Horace Pippin, a soldier in World War I and later a painter, was born on February 22nd, 1888 in West Chester, Pennsylvania, but his family moved to Goshen, New York when he was three. His grandparents were slaves, and his parents worked as domestics. Pippin attended public schools and therefore segregated schools while living in New York.

By the age of 10, Pippin became disenchanted with school and left to work menial jobs. When World War I began, Pippin quickly enlisted with the all-black 15th New York National Guard Regiment which was renamed the 369th Infantry Regiment when it arrived in France in 1918. Pippin fought in the war with his unit, and was awarded the Purple Heart for the injury he received. He was shot and crippled in his right shoulder by German soldiers. Pippin later remarked that the war supplied him with the inspiration and imagery that allowed him to paint.

After returning to the United States, Pippin married a widow, Ora Jennie Featherstone Wade, and together they returned to West Chester, Pennsylvania. Pippin worked odd jobs including in an iron foundry and helping his wife deliver the laundry she did. He sometimes sang in a choir.

Eventually, Pippin began exploring art. In 1929, he began work on his first painting, which would consume three years. By holding small paint brushes in his right hand, and guiding the wrist with his left, Pippin painstakingly applied paint to the canvas. He also did wood burnings by applying a hot poker to wood panels. In 1937, Horace Pippin entered two of his painting in a local art show and quickly began to gain attention. At the height of his career he produced about four paintings a year. Pippin’s paintings were displayed in prominent galleries in New York City.

After a one man show in 1940, Pippin’s fame skyrocketed. Unfortunately, this fame was accompanied by a decline in his personal fortunes. His wife suffered a breakdown and spent the rest of her life in a mental institution; the loneliness drove Pippin to heavy drinking which probably took his life. On July 6th, 1946, Pippin was found dead in his bed in his West Chester home. His paintings remain popular American folk art, notable because of Pippin’s line use and flat shapes, and because he lacked any formal training.
Sources:
Rayford Logan and Michael R. Winston, eds., Dictionary of American Negro Biography (New York: W. W. Norton, 1982); Meet Horace Pippin, http://www.nga.gov/education/classroom/counting_on_art/bio_pippin.shtm

info found at Blackpast

Quote of the Week

2010-10-11T08:27:00.000-07:00

"Nothing has a stronger influence psychologically...on children than the unlived life of the parent." ~Carl Jung

I just scared the beegeesus out of my kids!!

2010-10-06T14:19:00.000-07:00

I love rainy days!!  We normally chill out, collect rain water in pretty cups, and read books together while we snuggle under a big, cushy blanket. Today, I tried to mix it up a little by introducing a new board game.  The game is called Safetyville by Kidz Idz.  Now this is not a game I would normally buy, but it came free when we purchased id cards for our kiddos. I thought today would be a perfect day to break it out and give it a whirl.

The concept of the game is to teach children what to do in different, often frightening, scenarios. Although I'm not fond of the concept, I do understand the necessity for it. As parents, we have a responsibility to our children to prepare them for everything in life including the unpleasantries. That being said, I'm still extremely conflicted.

On one hand, I understand the need for a game like this one.  The adult in me realizes that this game may help facilitate a dialog that might not have occurred. It sucks that you have to discuss/explain to your child that some adults want to do them harm, but it is a fact. A fact that might one day save their lives.

On the other hand, when your daughter starts to cry in the middle of the game and says through her tears,"I don't want anyone to take me away from you and daddy", I seriously have to wonder,"Why am I doing this to my child?"

I sincerely believed that a board game would be a non-threatening, albeit fun, way to approach a very scary subject with children. I was wrong. Terribly wrong! Yes, it's a game, but the subject matter is still extremely scary. And for a sensitive soul like my daughter, I feel like I shattered a bit of her innocence and replaced it with fear. My intent was not to scare the beegeesus out of her, but to prepare her.  I guess to prepare her for the worse in folks I've inevitable shattered some her child-like innocence.

I think I will always be conflicted sharing the ugliness of our world with my babies. And, yes, they will always be my babies. It's a fine line we walk as parents to try to prepare our children and keeping their childhood innocence, even a little bit, intact. I'm not sure if you can do both anymore. You almost have to choose to either prepare your child or shelter them. I'm still debating which one is best.

Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

James Van Der Zee (1886-1983)

2010-10-05T07:55:00.000-07:00

Born June 29, 1886 in Lenox, Massachusetts, the son of Ulysses S. Grant's maid and butler. After attending schools in Lenox, he went to New York City in 1906 and held a series of jobs as a waiter and elevator operator. From 1909 to 1915 he played in Fletcher Henderson's band and the John Wanamaker Orchestra (and in an orchestra that accompanied silent films).
Attracted to photography, Van Der Zee got a job as a darkroom assistant, and after learning the fundamentals of photography he opened his own studio in Harlem in 1916. On the upper end of Manhattan, Harlem was only then becoming a haven for African Americans and during the next five decades he would photograph African Americans of all social classes and occupations. He took thousands of pictures - mostly indoor portraits, though he occasionally went out and photographed the Harlem scene.
Although Van Der Zee photographed many of the African American celebrities who passed through Harlem, most of his work was of the straightforward commercial studio variety - weddings and funerals including pictures of the dead for grieving families, family groups, teams, lodges, clubs, or people simply wanting to have a record of themselves in fine clothes. He often supplied props or costumes and in his developing - which he did himself - he would add pictorial touches with an air brush or double-printed images.
Forgotten for many years, Van Der Zee had retired and was reduced to poverty when in 1969 the Metropolitan Museum of Art mounted an exhibition called Harlem on My Mind that brought him and his work renewed attention and rewards. He took up photography again in 1980 until his death.

***information found at Biography

Quote of the Week

2010-10-04T06:18:00.000-07:00

"A truly good book teaches me better than to read it. I must soon lay it down, and commence living on its hint. What I began by reading, I must finish by acting." ~Henry David Thoreau

Quote of the Week

2010-09-27T08:26:00.000-07:00

"Happiness is a continuous creative activity." ~Bata Amte

Quote of the Week

2010-09-20T05:58:00.000-07:00

"It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength." ~Maya Angelou

a little music+a little reading=

2010-09-19T01:09:00.000-07:00

a very happy girl.
My family loves music and I've finally taken the time to put together a list of songs that the entire family could enjoy. The playlist is a combination of songs that my kiddos would enjoy and wouldn't make my ears bleed. Thankfully, my kids aren't big on music strictly geared to kids, so it was a little easier to accomplish the latter. It's definitely a work in progress, but I think it's coming along nicely.

If you would like to take a listen to the playlist:

go to the bottom of page
click the play button.
enjoy!

I hope you enjoy the tunes as much as we do. If you have any music suggestion, I'm open to suggestions.

Showing some blog love......

2010-09-17T05:32:00.000-07:00

....to some of my homeschool blog peeps. Um, they don't actual know me, but in my head, we are the best of buds!! This is just my way to share the links and post that I really enjoyed this week. Hopefully, this will be a weekly series of my fave homeschooling post, but I can't promise anything. Nothing earth shattering, but things that moved me to tears, laughter or just to ponder.

If you have a link, site or post you enjoyed this week and would like to share, please do not hesitate to leave the link. Hope you enjoy this weeks blog love and have a fabulous weekend!

She totally cracked me up with her homeschool observations.
I thought this was really interesting. Not something I would have thought of as important, but she has some really valid points.
I love, love, love this ideal and I'm so ~~stealing~~ using it in our curriculum.
I laughed until I cried. Such a funny commentary on the "not so good" homeschool days. Yes, they do happen.
I think we should all do this because its good for the soul. ( and a great keepsake...)
This homeschooling mom is amazing. She ridiculously talented, a fantastic writer and seemingly never tires....EVER!! Seriously. Check her blog, and you too, will feel inadequate next to her. And to top it off, she is a sweetheart.
Martha does it again. Great ideal for easily distracted siblings......( yeah, that would be my kids...)
This just frustrates me to no end. Argh!

She Blinded Me with Science.....

2010-09-14T09:29:00.000-07:00

I love how my daughter is so enamored with her new microscope. I wish I could take full credit for this fantastic ideal, but this is not something I would have purchased on my own. For some odd reason, I thought a 5 and 7 year old would be much too young for such an expensive "toy". Boy, was I wrong. Dead wrong!!! Thankfully, when I purchased this curriculum for Biology, it came with the package. My mini sensei absolute adores her microscope. She says it helps her,"Discover things." How cool is that?

My son digs it too, but not nearly as much as his big sister. It's so cool to see her eyes light up and to hear the excitement in her voice when she discovers something new.

Seriously, this is when homeschooling is the coolest thing since slice bread.

Quote of the Week

2010-09-13T08:25:00.000-07:00

"The most important work you and I will ever do will be within the walls of our own home." ~Harold B. Lee