Happy Birthday F

I was going to post a baby picture of F but he vehemently objected. "I'm not a baby mom, duh." So here is something he finds hilarious. I can't hear a thing. He assures me it's like fingernails on a chalkboard.

Created by Train Horns

This explained sound waves better than anything I could say.

Family Friday

What's going on around here? A long week. Dh has a nine day stretch of work ending next Wednesday and featuring two ten hour days this weekend. Mayhap's he'll be a little crabby? The teens are running around doing teenish things, movies, staying at friends, track, soccer. Grade cards came last week. Straight A's across the board. I'm not sure if that really says anything about my kids or about the system. Home schooly boy? Here he is displaying his play-doh solar system.


The tangled up rabbit dropping thing is the asteroid belt (which twisted in the picture) which he insisted must be included. He learned that anyway. Tomorrow is his birthday. Eight!!! My sweet little boy is turning all mannish, eschewing things that are sissy, pink, lame or stupid. We are having a non-party birthday party which means about six of his friends are coming for cake, video games, movies, trampoline jumping and general mayhem with no real planning from me.

What else? I've been doing some hit or miss first grade stuff with Mel as she feels like it. She would be a dream to homeschool since she doesn't know she's not supposed to be interested. She wants to go to Kindergarten though. She, quite frankly, is the little queen bee of pre-school and likes having minions. We'll see.

Wacky Wednesday

From L, while sitting on Ad's tiny trike.
"Look mom, I didn't get a scholarship so I'm going to clown school."

"Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes... the ones who see things differently -- they're not fond of rules... You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things... they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do."
Steve Jobs

Tightwad Tuesday

It's time for Tightwad Tuesday with Canadagirl. I've still got 5 hours of Tuesday left. My tip for this week is so boring but....stay home. Really, people spend so much time chasing around to keep their kids or themselves entertained, enriched, enlivened. Not that some of that isn't fun, heaven knows I get crazy busy, but if you just slow down and stay home...how can you spend any $$$. Here's what my littlest two found to do for free today.

It's not just my little kids. Two of my teens are reading, three are watching Animal Planet, one is studying and one is sleeping. No cash involved. Many people spend mega bucks on cable, computers, movies, music, books, hobbies, toys for the kids and still run around 'looking for something to do'. Try staying home for one week and use the stuff you've got, and enjoy the moment.

Monday Again

This week the good eats include
Mon-turkey, dressing, broccoli, biscuits
Tue-mac&cheese 2/ham, carrots
Wed-turkey&noodles, mashed potatoes, corn
Thu-grilled burgers, fries, relishes
Fri-pizza
Sat-burritos
Sun-soup&sandwiches

Pics

An Irish Blessing for You (and Tightwad Tuesday)

May those that love us, love us.

And those that don't love us,

May God turn their hearts.

And if He doesn't turn their hearts,

May He turn their ankles

So we will know them by their limping.



This week (as my garbage disposal died quite loudly in the middle of the Sunday morning chaos) I learned the value of registering your appliances so the warranty is in effect. The grinding and choking of the disposal was followed by the reset button falling out. Hmmmm. I detect a problem. Luckily(get that St. Pat's tie in?) I had sent in the registration and will be getting a new one installed this week at no cost to me. I always feel like it's such a pain to send in those little cards or go on line, I don't know why I feel that way, but I'm sure glad I did.

Menu Plan Monday

This week
Mon-spaghetti, salad, garlic bread
Tue-salsbury steak, mashed potatoes, carrots
Wed-chicken alfredo, green beans, rolls
Thu-macaroni&cheese, sausages, broccoli
Fri-tacos, corn
Sat-pizza, ice cream
Sun-chicken&dumplings, carrots

Family Friday

A full week this week. I took F and the little girlies to the Botanical Conservatory, I taught at Kid's Klub, C had two swim meets, Cub Scouts, figuring out Girl Scout cookie money. mud-rain-muck, repeat. So I guess that's a usual week. No more basketball this weekend so if I can pick up the boys' glasses and some groceries, go to a church dinner Saturday night, church Sunday and a Girl Scout meeting Sunday I'm home free to start again.

Breathe

Another day skipped. Argh! Good intentions and all but I got way laid with teen temperament, pre-teen meltdown, kids' klub, mother's meeting, teaching and volcano creation. Yes, my dd volunteered to make the volcano demonstration for science class. The volcano wasn't bad, it was all the 'help' that slowed us down. I also need to be thinking about an 8th birthday party. And of course I'm endlessly befuddled about the 7 and 8 yo love of using the words poop, pee, stinky, fart, etc.

I'm Late, I'm Late

Ok, by passing Menu Monday and moving on to

I'm here to sing the praises of the drying rack.


It's easy to dry your clothes on the line in nice weather, but what about in the winter? The drying rack is my answer. It takes awhile but they do dry and I'm probably humidifying the air too. Jeans and towels get hung over night and finished lightly in the dryer ( 10min maybe). Dh's dress shirts get hung to dry on hangers. It works for us, uses less electricity, saves wear and tear on the dryer and will hopefully make my rather elderly dryer last longer too.

Just One Of The Things

That makes small town life so amusing

Show me a city that has Nut Frys.

Wacky Wednesday

So I never gave much thought to homeschooling until I started this with F. Heck, the questions and comments are nearly as bad as the large family ones. Evidently this has been all over the web, but I came late to the party.


The Bitter Homeschooler's Wish List

by Deborah Markus, from Secular Homeschooling, Issue #1, Fall 2007

1 Please stop asking us if it's legal. If it is — and it is — it's insulting to imply that we're criminals. And if we were criminals, would we admit it?

2 Learn what the words "socialize" and "socialization" mean, and use the one you really mean instead of mixing them up the way you do now. Socializing means hanging out with other people for fun. Socialization means having acquired the skills necessary to do so successfully and pleasantly. If you're talking to me and my kids, that means that we do in fact go outside now and then to visit the other human beings on the planet, and you can safely assume that we've got a decent grasp of both concepts.

3 Quit interrupting my kid at her dance lesson, scout meeting, choir practice, baseball game, art class, field trip, park day, music class, 4H club, or soccer lesson to ask her if as a homeschooler she ever gets to socialize.

4 Don't assume that every homeschooler you meet is homeschooling for the same reasons and in the same way as that one homeschooler you know.

5 If that homeschooler you know is actually someone you saw on TV, either on the news or on a "reality" show, the above goes double.

6 Please stop telling us horror stories about the homeschoolers you know, know of, or think you might know who ruined their lives by homeschooling. You're probably the same little bluebird of happiness whose hobby is running up to pregnant women and inducing premature labor by telling them every ghastly birth story you've ever heard. We all hate you, so please go away.

7 We don't look horrified and start quizzing your kids when we hear they're in public school. Please stop drilling our children like potential oil fields to see if we're doing what you consider an adequate job of homeschooling.

8 Stop assuming all homeschoolers are religious.

9 Stop assuming that if we're religious, we must be homeschooling for religious reasons.

10 We didn't go through all the reading, learning, thinking, weighing of options, experimenting, and worrying that goes into homeschooling just to annoy you. Really. This was a deeply personal decision, tailored to the specifics of our family. Stop taking the bare fact of our being homeschoolers as either an affront or a judgment about your own educational decisions.

11 Please stop questioning my competency and demanding to see my credentials. I didn't have to complete a course in catering to successfully cook dinner for my family; I don't need a degree in teaching to educate my children. If spending at least twelve years in the kind of chew-it-up-and-spit-it-out educational facility we call public school left me with so little information in my memory banks that I can't teach the basics of an elementary education to my nearest and dearest, maybe there's a reason I'm so reluctant to send my child to school.

12 If my kid's only six and you ask me with a straight face how I can possibly teach him what he'd learn in school, please understand that you're calling me an idiot. Don't act shocked if I decide to respond in kind.

13 Stop assuming that because the word "home" is right there in "homeschool," we never leave the house. We're the ones who go to the amusement parks, museums, and zoos in the middle of the week and in the off-season and laugh at you because you have to go on weekends and holidays when it's crowded and icky.

14 Stop assuming that because the word "school" is right there in homeschool, we must sit around at a desk for six or eight hours every day, just like your kid does. Even if we're into the "school" side of education — and many of us prefer a more organic approach — we can burn through a lot of material a lot more efficiently, because we don't have to gear our lessons to the lowest common denominator.

15 Stop asking, "But what about the Prom?" Even if the idea that my kid might not be able to indulge in a night of over-hyped, over-priced revelry was enough to break my heart, plenty of kids who do go to school don't get to go to the Prom. For all you know, I'm one of them. I might still be bitter about it. So go be shallow somewhere else.

16 Don't ask my kid if she wouldn't rather go to school unless you don't mind if I ask your kid if he wouldn't rather stay home and get some sleep now and then.

17 Stop saying, "Oh, I could never homeschool!" Even if you think it's some kind of compliment, it sounds more like you're horrified. One of these days, I won't bother disagreeing with you any more.

18 If you can remember anything from chemistry or calculus class, you're allowed to ask how we'll teach these subjects to our kids. If you can't, thank you for the reassurance that we couldn't possibly do a worse job than your teachers did, and might even do a better one.

19 Stop asking about how hard it must be to be my child's teacher as well as her parent. I don't see much difference between bossing my kid around academically and bossing him around the way I do about everything else.

20 Stop saying that my kid is shy, outgoing, aggressive, anxious, quiet, boisterous, argumentative, pouty, fidgety, chatty, whiny, or loud because he's homeschooled. It's not fair that all the kids who go to school can be as annoying as they want to without being branded as representative of anything but childhood.

21 Quit assuming that my kid must be some kind of prodigy because she's homeschooled.

22 Quit assuming that I must be some kind of prodigy because I homeschool my kids.

23 Quit assuming that I must be some kind of saint because I homeschool my kids.

24 Stop talking about all the great childhood memories my kids won't get because they don't go to school, unless you want me to start asking about all the not-so-great childhood memories you have because you went to school.

25 Here's a thought: If you can't say something nice about homeschooling, shut up!

Tightwad Tuesday

I was trying to think of a topic for this week's Tightwad Tuesday and settled on TV via Internet. I was probably one of the first people to watch Hulu. Way back when it didn't have alot of choice. It did have old shows I remembered from my childhood which hooked me . Does anybody else remember Alias Smith and Jones? Anyway, the point is, between Hulu, Spreety, Joost and the network sites I hardly turn on the TV. Frankly the shows I like usually aren't on at a convenient time anyway. Is television a great way to spend your time? Probably not, but you know, after you've reread War and Peace and brushed up on your Calculus skills you need to kill some time, right?

MPM

This week
Mon-roast, carrots, potatoes
Tue-lasagna, broccoli, garlic bread (using 1 hr french bread)
Wed-stew, biscuits
Thu-chicken alfredo, green beans, oranges
Fri-hot dogs, french fries, grapes
Sat-tacos, corn, apples
Sun-broccoli, ham&cheese baked potatoes

Tonight is L's last basketball practice and there are two more weeks of swim team. Of course I have soccer, baseball and track forms on the fridge. ~sigh~

Fabulous Friday

It is fabulous, except for the weather of course. Today I get to serve pizza to 80 middle school band and choir members. Won't that be fun? It makes you appreciate your own kids and also makes you hope that they wouldn't be acting that way if you weren't there. I hope to have some time to fiddle more with my sidebar. This homeschool thing has opened up a whole new avenue of time sucking on the computer. This weekend is the usual busy stuff. Basketball game, Girl Scouts, church and dh's birthday!
I leave you with this. Imagine the burlesque music in the background. We imagine she'll pole dance at the swing set next.

Wacky Wednesday

Apropos of Ash Wednesday I'll relate this week's embarrassment from church.

Minister "Do any of you children know what transfiguration is?"
My child "A class at Hogwarts."
~sigh~

Menu (and schooling) Monday

Mon-left over pork roast in fried rice, egg drop soup, mandarin oranges
Tue-pancakes&sausage at church
Wed-breaded fish fillets, mac&cheese, carrots, applesauce
Thu-lasagna, garlic toast, broccoli, pears
Fri- tomato soup, grilled cheese, relishes, strawberries
Sat-hamburgers, french fries, corn, sundaes
Sun-dh's birthday-probably roast, potatoes, carrots, cake
School turned out well today. It was a bit of a rough start, but the startling conclusion that he could still be there at 9:00 if he didn't finish the five sentences finally sunk in and he was happy as lark the rest of the morning.

Family Friday

Kind of a sad day around here today. L has a friend who is moving away today. Separating 10yo girls from their friends is always sad. F is sad, anxious, and excited about his last day (for this year anyway) of public school. We'll jump in Monday with the "get F to pay attention" program. Actually I think that will just flow from 1) Not talking cars, pokemon and video games with the boy sitting next to you and 2) being able to fidget, stand, walk around or whatever else while doing his work. I think he expends tons of energy just being still enough not to get in trouble at school. We shall see. I'm off for Ad's and my last pas de deux grocery trip. I'll either have to change my shopping time or take F with me. I'm thinking I'll just go on Thursday evenings. There'll be lots more people to haul in groceries that way too. The weather has gone all wintery again after a couple tantalizing days above freezing. I say again how can the shortest month seem the longest?

Wacky Wednesday

Overheard as L talked to friends
"Yeah, my mom is a real bear until she's had her coffee. Like one that got poked with a stick, or ate that Grizzly man or something." I bet her friends will just be dying to come over here now.

Tightwad Tuesday

Canadagirl's tightwad post about colored baths made me think of my tightwad tip for this week. Foam bath stickies. All you need is craft foam. You know, the cheap stuff from Walmart. I cut out all sorts of shapes and even traced animal outlines. The little girls stick them to the sides of the tub and have great fun. We do baths almost as much for diversion as for hygiene in this house. (You know, if you've got a crab, stick it in water.) The only limit is your imagination.

Menu Monday

Lots going on here which is why I haven't posted. Let's start with this.

Mon-spaghetti bake, salad, fruit salad
Tue-crockpot sausage/hash brown casserole, oranges
Wed-pork bbq sandwiches, carrots, baked apples
Thu-turkey, dressing, broccoli, cherry salad
Fri-turkey salad sandwiches, relishes, ice cream
Sat-pizza rollups,grapes, cookies

Now, what's been taking up last week? Swim meets, pine wood derby making and racing, basketball games, Boy Scout meetings. Whew! We've also decided that I will be home schooling F starting next week so lots of web surfing getting myself ready for that. Why F you ask? Well, have you ever seen the movie Over the Hedge? You know the chipmunk Hammie? That is my F. Easily distractible, very interested in having a good time, not very mature, in need of direction but sweet for all that. F likes school because of all his buds. He has lots of friends but the 'school' part is not so interesting. He is getting A's and B's but Phil and I feel like he's not getting the math basics. He's skating through and beginning to feel lost. His confidence in math is shaky. It seems like a little concentrated one on one teaching without his distracting friends would benefit him before 3rd grade when things start getting more rigorous. The plan right now is for me to finish 2nd grade with him and continue through the summer so he won't lose what he knows. His standardized scores are just below the district norm and that is not good enough for dh and I if he is capable of doing better. Hopefully he will 'catch' up and be able to return to public school for 3rd grade but we'll cross that bridge when we get there. If he doesn't make progress we could keep him home, send him to Catholic school or another over the county line grade school to repeat 2nd grade with a different group of kids. Let's hope this works. At least it's 2nd grade which I hopefully have the brains to teach and not advanced chemistry or something.

Wacky Wednesday

This week's kidism.
Me "Hey you pesky baby, get out of there. You're sure alot of work but I guess we'll keep you."
Mel"Moooom, of course we'll keep her, she's our baby. What are you, a monster?"

Makes me wonder what her brothers and sisters are telling her.

Tightwad Tuesday

Today, Bake Your Own Bread. Now I know what you're thinking. Who's got time. I forget to start it. It takes too long. Here's a recipe to save you. Ask me how I know it's good to have a quick recipe.

One-Hour French Bread
1½ cups warm water
1 tablespoon honey
1½ teaspoons salt
1½ tablespoons Active Dry Yeast
3 - 4 cups flour (any combination of white and whole wheat)

Combine water, salt, honey, and yeast in a medium bowl. Let sit 5 - 10 minutes, until bubbling. Add flour, stirring with a wooden spoon, until dough is no longer sticky (I'll sometimes dump the dough out onto the cutting board with what flour is in the bowl and roll it around,adding a bit more flour, until it's not sticky). Roll dough into a 12 - 14" roll (or you can divide it in half and roll it into two long skinny baguettes). Place dough roll(s) on a cookie sheet (this won't work in a bread pan), greased or sprayed with non-stick spray, cover, and let sit 20 minutes. Preheat oven 375º Make diagonal slits, 1/2" deep, on top with a razor blade. (Optional: spray with salt water). Bake 20 minutes.

I also have made this into hamburger rolls and shaped it around a cheese stick and served it with pizza sauce for dipping and shaped it into pretzels, salted the top, and let them dunk that in cheese sauce.

Nothing Nice To Say

So, I haven't posted. This is not a political blog. I try not to say much in that realm. I definitely try not to say anything that isn't nice. Soooo, just go check thisWashington Post link and we'll leave it at that.

Friday

Fun Friday? Family Friday? Ferocious Friday?
I hope we have some fun this weekend. S is having friends over for a pizza/xbox/laser tag extravaganza. My job is to keep the snacks coming and the siblings going.
Family Friday?
I got L,F,&A Space Chimps to watch. This will hopefully divert them for an hour. L has a basketball game tomorrow. At 12:45. What a lousy time. I'd rather do it early and have the rest of the day. On the bright side it's supposed to warm up. Oh, but wait, that means there'll be mud, lots and lots of mud as that foot of snow melts. Oh, and there are Girl Scout cookies to deliver.
Ferocious Friday?
I did the grocery shopping. About half is in. Ack! How can I spend so much? How can they eat so much? I did run into my dad at the grocery store. That was nice. Dh is working this weekend so I'm on single parent duty. I'm seeing what I refer to as a quiet Sunday and the kids refer to as a boring day in our future. I remember hating Sunday when I was a kid. Now I get it.l

Wacky Wednesday

This week's strange kid utterance comes from L. This morning, as they were playing, I called to her (ok shouted) to feed the dog. Her reply "Well, that spoils the moment doesn't it."

Tightwad Tuesday

Soup-it's what's for dinner. Really, people don't seem to eat much soup and yet it is cheap, filling, nutritious and can be quick. Most people I know consider it a possible weekend lunch or something to have when you're sick. My family eats soup weekly if not more often. It stretches a little bit of meat a mile and if done in the crockpot it's easy peasy. We even have potato or broccoli soup so no meat is needed at all. Here's my minestrone recipe which is well, very good, if I do say so myself.
It is supposed to make 2 batches but it's one for our family with some left for the next day's lunch.
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 cups tomato juice
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) beef broth
3 medium carrots, chopped
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar, optional
1/8 teaspoon pepper
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS (for each batch):
1/2 cup water
1 cup uncooked small pasta
In a Dutch oven, cook the celery, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
Stir in the tomatoes, beans, tomato juice, tomato sauce, broth, carrots, zucchini, Italian seasoning, salt, sugar if desired and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until carrots are tender.
Transfer 6 cups of soup to a freezer container; freeze for up to 3 months. Add water and pasta to remaining soup; bring to a boil. Cover and cook until pasta is tender.
To use frozen soup: Thaw in the refrigerator; transfer to a large saucepan. Stir in water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Add pasta; cover and cook until tender. Yield: 2 batches (6 servings each).

Fifteen

S turns 15 today. How did that happen?

No pictures of him now He's far too cool. He's 6'2" of cool wisea**. He really is funny. And unfortunately has my inability to leave no smart comment unspoken. He's smart, the kind of smart where you just show up and get mostly A's. Why study if you don't have too. Quoting him "Even D's get degrees."

He's chomping at the bit to get a driver's permit, a job and 'a life'. But know what, he plays with his baby sister and still kisses the top of my head if no one is looking. What a reversal of places that is.

Freaking Friday

No not freaky, freaking. Schools are closed once again. I have a freaking out 16yo who left a project at school and doesn't know how she'll finish (it's due Wednesday, but my straight A's dd can freak out like no one else), I've got two teen boys who would have stayed in bed if they had known, one 10yo who can't deal with my new way of making pancakes (square not round 'cause I bake 'em, seriously, why didn't I think of this before), a 7yo already glued to his ds and a grumpy 5yo who WANTS TO GO TO SCHOOL! Oh, and Miss Clingypants who is having a phase, and the eight other people in this house must entertain her or she needs her mother!!! Overall it'll be fine having them home, it'll sure make shoveling easier, but now they will have to go to school until May 26th. I'd much rather have them home in May when it's nicer weather and I know we'll be at some baseball game way too late at night for school to be fun the next day. Ah well....

Love Thursday

Love is having sons who will shovel out the driveway (though they don't want their pictures taken doing it.) Sisters who will change a diaper, brothers who will read you books and a mom who has the good sense to start on the wine at 2pm if that's what it takes to stay pleasant.

Wacky Wednesday

The high school counselor will be meeting with S next week to pick classes. He told me last night he had figured out his answer to the inevitable question of what he wants to do after high school. His answer "I am going to study necromancy, raise an army of the undead and then bring back my cat whiskers." I nearly drove into the ditch. I'll be waiting for the call from the counselor.

Tightwad Tuesday

Confession time...I don't buy paper towels.
I started thinking about this last night when I had to tell the other Cub Scout moms I couldn't bring in old paper towel tubes because....we don't use paper towels. Gasp.....crickets.... It was as though I had suddenly grown two heads. Honestly, dish cloths and old towels fill this spot really well. I just pitch them in the wash. Is it really that odd? The other moms said "Geesh, they're only a buck at the dollar store." So I did some quick (for me math). Say 7 rolls/week at $1 times 355 (maybe there'd be 10 days we were neat?) comes to oh, duh, $355. I can do some wash for $355. And yes, I totally believe we could go through that many if their tp usage is any indication.

Menu Monday

Monday-hamburgers, home fries, applesauce
Tuesday-baked chicken, rice, green beans
Wednesday-cheese manicotti, broccoli, garlic bread
Thursday-pepper steak, rice, oranges
Friday-bbq pork ribs, corn, grapes
Saturday-pizza
Sunday-Superbowl snacks, nacho dip, relishes

Friday-Migraine Edition

I had a headache last night and this morning (thank you God for Imitrex) so today you just get pictures.
These look cute under a Sunday dress.

How to reuse your brother's shirt sleeve. (Because if you're 14 you must show off those arms when you work out.
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Jammy pant cuteness. She dumped juice on the red onesie that looks best with them.
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Manic Crafting

I've been on a crafting jag lately. It'll pass but I might as well ride the wave while I can, LOL. I've made the before mentioned 'crazy legs', crocheted longies, pj pants a hat and thumbless mittens, made a skirt and hat and I found a scarf pattern and ski mask pattern I want to try. I also need to make up some baby gifts for a spate of coming little ones in the spring. I'm going to make either this

or

Monday Menu

Menu for 1/19 through 1/24
1/19 -spaghetti& meatballs, salad, one hour french bread
1/20-chicken macaroni, broccoli, tangerines
1/21-hamburger stroganoff, green beans, banana pudding
1/22-baked chicken, corn, biscuits
1/23-macaroni&cheese w/ham, peas&carrots, apple salad
1/24-chicken fajitas, corn, no egg spice cake

Otherwise, still cold and snowy. Kids have been home for five days and are now begging me to take them to the 'big hill' so I'm off. I finished some craft projects so I'll get some pics of them tomorrow. The crocheted longies came out cute even if I do say so myself.

Risky

So how geeky and lame do you have to be to spend a whole evening playing Risk with your kids?

Crazy

I am pretty much creatively challenged but even I could make these. They are knock off baby legs, which I made for Ad but this pair has been commandeered by Mel. She insists on calling them Crazy Legs. Don't they look great with that red velvet Christmas dress we still insist on wearing? Mel is a dress girl but usually ends up with her warm tight's crotch hovering near her knees. These are actually a good compromise. I added some ruffle to the bottom of the pair Mel is wearing. Ad's pair has little hearts all over them and are just finished at the bottom and are sweet, sweet, sweet. Of course now L wants some and I'm not sure I will be able to find knee socks big enough. Knee socks must be very out since I had trouble finding these.

Riches

This poem sure captures what I feel. Friends living exciting live that matter and me just the nutty woman with too many kids.

Riches

By Jennifer Derrick
I.
It's easy to feel common, like
my existence is less rich than his:
my cousin who speaks Russian fluently
pores over geography for his PhD dissertation
has been the first American
in a certain tucked-away site on the Chechen mountains.

II.
My friend lives in Seattle
between the Olympics and Cascades.
Camping countless nights under dense green canopies
seeing multitudes of starfish drawn toward the ocean's depth
she has traveled terrain so steep and silent
that when she stopped running
all she heard
was her own blood pulsing through her veins.
This is what she said:
you can be in the most beautiful place in the world
and still feel utterly lonely.

III.
The delight of these little daughters who want
to be so close to me
makes me realize, again, this rich experience—my life.
Two umbrellas twirling in the gentle rain
four little hands and four small feet
after dinner, walking up the cobbled street
listening to the echoes of their song
I stand and watch and smile.

Not Menu Plan Monday

Ok, it's not Monday, so sue me.


I could have had an iphone, a massage for three weeks, cool new clothes. Instead I opted to feed my kids. I won't be sure that was a good decision until after the weekend.


Here's the line up
Sun-roast chicken, dressing, green beans, cake
Mon-Shepherd's Pie, carrots, pears
Tues-hot chicken salad, relishes, applesauce
Wed-tacos, corn,grapes
Thur-sausage&pepper pasta, broccoli
Fri-chili, cornbread,oranges
Sat-chicken fingers, fries, salad

Random Thoughts

SCHOOL IS CLOSED! That is just cruel. I only sent them off yesterday. (yes, they went back on a Tuesday. Why?) So much for that cup of tea and uninterrupted web surfing.

I'm going to Karen's because I need it straight from the bottle about now.

I need time to calmly refute many of the comments aboutchildren as a financial burden. This one always gets me exercised. People assume I'm making my children live like paupers or waifs because we don't spend crazy gobs of money. Does this child look deprived?

I have a bag of carrots and cauliflower laying neglected in the freezer so I'm making this soup for lunch. And the snow bound kids can eat it or make friends with the peanut butter. Pffft.

See, I haven't wasted my time here at the computer after all.

Twelfth Night (no Shakespeare)

It's the 12th day of Christmas. A day we celebrate in this house because either, I'm continuing useless customs passed on by my immigrant ancestors or I just like to party. There will be cake, and small presents and merry making. Then I'll haul all the stuff back to the basement while the kids go back to school tomorrow. Let's not think about that part. Below, a piece of tripe on the 12 days of Christmas. Enjoy or not, depending on your bent. I'm going off to have cake, yeah, for breakfast. I'm making merry darn it!



The 12 Days of Christmas, Deconstructed


On the 12th day of the Eurocentrically imposed midwinter festival, my potential-acquaintance-rape-survivor gave to me:
· Twelve males reclaiming their inner warrior through ritual drumming.
· Eleven pipers piping (plus the 18-member pit orchestra made up of members in good standing of the Musicians Equity Union as called for in their union contract even though they will not be asked to play a note...)
· Ten melanin-deprived testosterone-poisoned scions of the patriarchal ruling class system leaping,
· Nine persons engaged in rhythmic self-expression,
· Eight economically disadvantaged female persons stealing milk-products from enslaved Bovine-Europeans,
· Seven endangered swans swimming on protected wetlands,
· Six enslaved fowl-Europeans producing stolen nonhuman animal products,
· Five golden symbols of culturally sanctioned enforced domestic incarceration,
Note: after member of the Animal Liberation Front threatened to throw red paint at my computer, the calling birds, French hens and partridge have been reintroduced to their native habitat. To avoid further animal-European enslavement, the remaining gift package has been revised.
· Four hours of recorded whale songs,
· Three deconstructionist poets,
· Two Sierra Club calendars printed on recycled processed tree carcasses
· And an Animal Rights activist chained to an old-growth pear tree.

One Scene From Christmas

Wishing You All

Recipe For A Wonderful New Year

Take twelve whole months.
Clean them thoroughly of all bitterness, hate, and jealousy.
Make them just as fresh and clean as possible.
Now cut each month into 28, 30 or 31 parts,
but don't make up the whole batch at once.
Prepare it one day at a time out of these ingredients:
Mix well into each day one part of faith,
one part of patience, one part of courage,
and one part of work.
Add to each day one part of hope,
faithfulness, generosity, and kindness.
Blend with one part prayer, one part meditation,
and one good deed.
Season the whole with a dash of good spirits,
a sprinkle of fun, a pinch of play,
and a cupful of good humor.
Pour all of this into a vessel of love.
Cook thoroughly over radiant joy,
garnish with a smile,
and serve with quietness, unselfishness,
and cheerfulness.

Enjoy!!!



Wishing everyone a happy,
prosperous and frugal New Year!

Here

We're still here. A wonderful holiday followed by a not so wonderful virus. I have downloaded nothing. I'm just now keeping my head above water. I'll post tomorrow. Maybe.

Small World

Seen in Bejing



I was sent this interesting article.
Who knows?

"There is so much we do not know, about the history of this world of ours. There is so much to discover, both about the most far off places and those that are under our own noses. And between the "heres" and "theres", between the "nows" and "thens" there are ties, lots of them, hidden and manifest, connecting each of our small worlds to the wide world, that is - when all is said and done, a single, unique world.
Let's remember, let's rejoice and let's give thanks for all this.
Merry Christmas. Happy New Year." Viviana