Reflecting a Bit: Part I

This past birthday, I turned 40. It should have been somewhat bigger of a deal, I suppose, but it wasn't. Our culture makes a big deal out of changing decades. I'm not sure why.
One thing that has been happening with me, however, is that I am much more reflective about what I am doing now and what I want to be doing in the future.

Another thing that is different--very different, if you know me at all--is that I notice that I am talking less. In general and in particular. I have fewer opportunities for adult conversation, so that's the general part. In particular, though, I'm finding myself not saying things that are right there on my tongue and ready to go. Some of it is maturity--I'm thinking more before I speak. But a lot of it is a realization that no one really wants to hear what I have to say. Don't get me wrong, I didn't previously believe people wanted to hear me talk. I never thought about it at all. I just had an idea, thought, or opinion and shared it.

Now I have had enough experience to know that no matter how much I want to share my experiences with someone, hoping to steer them away from pitfalls, they don't believe a word I am saying. And if I'm really honest, I was exactly the same. One key difference is that no one tried or is trying to mentor or teach me anything. (Something I still lament.) But to be fair, I probably wouldn't have listened to anyone until about the last 3 years or so.

That's enough reflecting for now...

To Chris

Geek Alert

You have been warned.
This book is a late addition to my Christmas wish list (along with the time and solitude to read it!)

I have been over the moon about the textbook Explore Evolution, by Stephen C. Meyer, et al. (All the poor homeschooling moms in my hui have had to listen to me go on and on about that book.) It is an excellent biology supplement that takes each issue in the arguments for neo-Darwinism point by point. It presents both sides of the arguments plainly and without bias. The glorious problem in that, though, is that the only reasonable conclusion to be drawn is that there is an intelligence of some sort behind the beginnings of life on earth. By making the argument about the facts and not beliefs, Meyer et al succeed in providing the one critical flaw in Darwinian theory. A flaw that Darwin himself pointed out in his well known On The Origin of Species:

"If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely breakdown. But I can find no such case,"

The text is beautiful and well organized. There are also a DVD and different powerpoint presentations geared to middle, high school, and college students. It is precisely the type of book a Christian needs to truly teach their students the controversy that surrounds our origins. This controversy must be taught to our children if we expect to have them prepared for life.

One of the most debilitating problems in Christianity today, in my humble opinion, is that Christians have all but left science. True, many who are Christian and scientists have been bullied out. However, the Christian response has been shameful...even sinful, if you ask me. Post Enlightenment Christians have taken the bullying and left the secularists and atheists to answer one of the most important questions of humanity: where did I come from? It is this compartmentalization of our lives that has contributed to sappy Christian music, bad curriculum, and an almost total lack of science curricula for those of faith.

Before I became a Christian, I was turned off--even nauseated--by so much of the feel good mindlessness that I thought was Evangelical Christianity. It seemed the prerequisite for faith was an absence of thought. What a blessing to stumble into a branch of Christianity that is rich in study--producing and intellectual faith. However, on the issues of Darwin's theories, there was still a deafening silence. What a refreshing blast of (good) music to read Explore Evolution! What could be more worshipful than hard evidence of a Creator?

Ok, I should end my rant here. As my poor children can testify, I can really go on FOREVER about this. Please do at least check out the websites linked in this post. And remember to pray for my kids, because next week we delve deep into DNA, molecular machines of incredible complexity, and some really great experiments. I can't wait!!

So Many Thoughts...

...so few of them publishable. ;-)

What a dreadful year it has been! It really began when Teen-A-Thon (She's 20 now, so I'll have to rethink that moniker) and I took a trip to Pennsylvania. We were trying to secure a shot at life for the oh-so-adorable boy she had placed for adoption. The wheels of "justice" had to move slowly so the DNA contributor was afforded every possible opportunity to exhaust many public and private resources. You know, he had rights.

We flew home without success. The loser had phoned in to the court, and the judge (wisely so, but still!) wanted to afford him every opportunity that the law provides to be heard. T-A-T (I'm tired, work with me, here) and I were deflated. We knew it could go either way, but somehow we were both optimistic. While in the air, the results of the 2008 presidential election came in. When our plane landed, I had received a text from Dad-A-Thon. It read "Welcome to ObamaLand." We were just exiting the gate area into the warm open air of Oahu and I shouted, "SH*T." T-A-T didn't say a word. She knew what it meant. We were defeated times two.

And thus, the year has gone. Bad timing, negative complications, and many other things from which we previously enjoyed a respite. It would appear they had only been on pause, waiting to pounce. And pounce, they have indeed.

That's actually nothing. What is really bad, and seriously depressing, is that cancer is the theme of 2009. More of my peeps than I would have ever imagined have been diagnosed with cancer this year. And frankly, I'm pissed. It's not as if my friend with breast cancer who is, by the way, widowed due to her husband's BRAIN CANCER, is the only one. No, there is Kimmi Dee with whom I grew up. And Peg, whose breast cancer was discovered at her 40 year old mammogram. There is Jane who taught at our church's school. And Kim who is our Pastor's secretary. Yes, and Chris, together with whom we homeschool and have reared our kids for the past 9 years... Seriously. It's gotten out of hand.

The economy is in the dumpster. Which affects business. Which affects Dad-A-Thon. Who affects me. Who affects the Kids-A-Thon (bless their hearts).

I'll be happy to see 2009 go. And praying that 2010 has a decent upswing...

Decor

I figured I'd better skip the whole fall theme and head straight to Christmas. Odds are I won't be getting to this blog much more than I have been...

What's in a Name?

One of the challenges of being a stay at HOME mom, or a HOUSE wife and HOMEschooler, is that when it's time to relax, I want to be anywhere but HOME! My husband, who is rarely here for more than a few hours at a time, loves us to stay home when he can. I really hate that that is such a conflict...

Long Lost Blogging

I confess that I have been lured away from blogging to the much more convenient worlds of Facebook and Twitter. They provide a much quicker (and shorter, less intimate, etc.) outlet for my selfish need to blurt, share thoughts, or just hear from other folks.

I kind of like all the neat compartments my life can have with these different areas of "interaction." Sometimes it is awkward though, as I restrain myself from saying what I really think (or maybe change the way I would say it) because I know who will likely be reading it. That is both a good and a bad thing.

It's interesting though, to find other people's thoughts and feelings (or just ways of wasting time) posted in a virtually public arena. It's as if we are all crying out for interaction--but only on our own terms. Too busy to have a real get together, we do the much more convenient thing and make a post to one of the many sites. (I have thought of inventing a way to combine them all into one and call it "MyTwitFace." I wish I could claim that as my own name, but it was PalmtreePundit's.) These sites allow us to feel connected, though we really are not.

Interesting, don't you think?

My Baby is a Teenager

She had a great day. And I marveled at the idea that she is becoming a woman before my very eyes...

Why We Love Earth Day

Fourteen years ago today Boy-A-Thon was born. We were young and scared, but very much in love with that little guy. This is a picture of him at Bishop Museum on a "dinosaur dig."

It is all too appropriate that he was born on Earth Day. He loves animals and is mindful about caring for the planet God has given us. Now he is taller than me by nearly 3 inches, helps me around the house and is quite the budding drummer.

Happy Birthday, Boy-A-Thon! We love you dearly and are so proud of you.

I Think I'm Gonna Hurl (yes, this is the second time I've used that headline)

“It’s a unique time in Washington and this photo helps capture all of the reasons why,” Graff said. “It’s not a normal way to look at a president of the United States but this is not a normal president.”

I couldn't agree more with that statement,though most assuredly, the person making it and I couldn't have more different meanings.

If this is the new normal, I am confident the hurling will continue. This is an article on a NEWS website and is written about the news coverage of The One's abs and pecs, the first dog, and the sleevelessness of FLOTUS' dresses.
SERIOUSLY. The only thing more asinine than reporting on those frivolous topics is reporting about that reporting!! And calling this reporting is being kind here, by the way. At least make it an opinion piece, and make some kind of statement.
If this is what we have in Washington to "keep 'em honest" we're all in deep kim chee.

The Change I Was Afraid Of

I learned of Barack Obama's election as president after my plane landed and I turned on my phone. I had one text message. It read: Welcome to Obamaland. My response was a one word expletive. I didn't yell it, it just kind of rolled out like a cup of poison would fall from the hand of the one who just drank it and died. That is dramatic, but that is how I felt. On some level, right then and there, I knew we were in for some bad turns.

Our nation has joined a cult. And like any cult, you don't find out what it is you are in, until you are in. No one really knew who Barack Obama was or what he stood for. Though he was a senator, his record was blank (voting "present" will do that). We knew he was pro-abortion and wanted to "spread the wealth around", but we really didn't know much more than that. Now that we're in, we are learning just what it is we have (been) signed onto. And again, like a cult, any disagreement is quickly beaten down. Those who adore the leader take care of that task for him, without having to be asked to do so.

The TEA parties held thoughout the nation this past April 15 are the first, I fear, in what will be a long and progressively uglier scrap over the next four years. The MSM's utter digust of the people's right to gather and protest the Beloved Leader was truly disheartening to me as an American. The irony of community organizer types to loathe the very idea that people would gather in protest is stunning. From the verbal battering by CNN's Susan Roesgen to the truly back alley gutter language used openly by Anderson Cooper of CNN and David Schuster of MSNBC, we have crossed over to a new place of language use. Read this article from Greg Hengler at Townhall.com. The author makes important points about the type of language used in civil discourse and debate. It is also important for you to see with your own eyes and hear with your own ears what was allowed on air by CNN and MSNBC. I had no idea what either reporter was talking about, but have now been "re-educated" by those two informative news outlets.

Hey! Hey! Oy Oy Vey!

Our Omniubus I group will be having a Seder next week. I have wanted to do a Seder for years, and finally will get to do it. A sweet neighbor of mine who is Jewish loaned me a bunch of her stuff, so it's a go.
While hunting around on the internet for recipes and such, I came across this. I loved it and hope you will too :-)

TOTUS

If you haven't yet checked this out, you must. It's at least a little levity. I tell ya, it's getting downright gloomy to think of four whole years of this.

The Ends Justify The Means (Or How our President Needs a Vocab. and History Refresher)

The President has reversed the prior administration's ruling on federally funded embryonic stem cell research. This has many people thinking we can finally have the research we need on embryonic stem cells. Interestingly, though, private funding--those who choose to have their money used for this purpose--was never affected by the Bush Administration's ban. Only those labs seeking taxpayer money were limited. Anyone who felt so strongly about this issue that they were willing to put up their own money, was always able to do so. The issue here was and is taxpayer money--yours and mine. So now, those who believe the ends justify the means have gotten their way, and we all get to pick up the tab.

On to the vocab section...
The President said:

"Medical miracles do not happen simply by accident. They result from painstaking and costly research from years of lonely trial and error, much of which never bears fruit and from a government willing to support that work," Mr. Obama said as he signed an executive order and a memorandum overturning Mr. Bush's 2001 policy.

Point of order, Mr. President. A "miracle" is not something that is painstakenly ground out through man's sweat and government funding. A "miracle" is

mir-a-cle   /mir-ə-kəl/ [mir-uh-kuhl]
–noun 1. an effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause.
2. such an effect or event manifesting or considered as a work of God.
3. a wonder; marvel.

As such, then, it is not possible to use the word "miracle" and have it be an accurate description of the events Mr. Obama sees on the horizon of stem cell research. Now, I don't want to be a Keith Olberman, here, but words mean things. And words from presidents mean a lot.

Time for history. (And a shout out to the importance of worldview.)
Values and beliefs determined by the culture create people like OJ Simpson. He has surrounded himself with his own culture and everyone in it believes he is innocent. -Ish. The problem in that example is obvious--the guy is guilty and has delude himself and his hangers-on that he is not. The same thing happens in any belief system that is not rooted in timeless truth. Everyone agrees about what is right, wrong, good and bad. The only problem is, it doesn't have anything to do with what is actually right/wrong/good/bad. It is based on the majority opinion.
"Majority rules", seems downright American. And it is. But think about what that has meant for our nation. Slavery. Women not able to vote, or be landowners. A husband's right to hit his wife. School segregation. These were all held as majority opinions. It was the minority who based their arguments on fundamental rights given by their creator, who caused the majority opinion to change.

And though majority opinions do change, the actual rightness or wrongness of something does not. When we have a sitting president who bases his decisions on the popular attitude of the times, we are making huge strides backward as a nation. Not very progressive, is it?

Of course, I have to end this post with the verse that begs to be shared:

Ephesians 4
13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

Breakfast of Champions

I've been down with the flu all weekend. Boy-A-Thon has two physics experiments--one of which needed to be completed by this morning. Since Dad-A-Thon is extra busy building the dream this meant Boy-A-Thon would not have adult supervision to do his experiment. His online teacher stressed the that the students were, under no circumstances whatsoever, to perform experiments without an adult present. Boy-A-Thon (bless his heart) is a rule follower. This made for an interesting start to our day. Because my counter is black, it's hard to see, but we started our day with fruit, cereal, a stopwatch, 5 washers, string, a pen casing, ruler and some note paper.

None of us really wants this to be Monday, and I am modeling procrastination right this very minute as I blog before I start Girl-A-Thon's math...

Funnier if it Wasn't True

"It is right for us to rescind this policy and restore critical efforts to protect and empower women and promote global economic development."

Does anyone else see the problem with the worldview that allows someone to make that statement?

That statement finally shows the real issue behind the frame of mind that justifies aborttion. Abortion has so little to do with women's rights, and so much to do with economics. In fact the president's perspective is so very American. An inconvenient life is rightfully destroyed, when it is economically challenging to support it.

New Toy and a Countdown

We are fortunate enough to be going skiing again this year. (Thus the Deer Valley ski report to the right.) Last year it was just Dad-A-thon and the kids, while I satyed home with a very pregnant Teen-A-Thon. What a year it has been!

Because of the craziness of this past year, I am especially looking forward to a vacation with the four of us. I've missed how much fun it is to just hang together. I know--homeschooling gives us time together, but that's work. This will be all play. And I think I'm even a bit more excited than the kids are about it!

And It Begins with an O(bama)

Wow. Am I the only person who's more than a little bit concerned at the expediency with which Obama is shutting down these prisons? The guy has basically had two months to review and digest the masses of intelligence that have been collected since 9/11. And with that level of expertise he's willing to shut everything down that has kept us safe for nearly 8 years? That's kind of scary, no?

You gotta love the naivete of this:

The official said "there are serious concerns as to where the detainees will be held" and that sending them "into the U.S. federal court system may lead to some of them being released" because the military commissions have different guidelines regarding evidence.

White House officials declined to comment on the status of the orders.

I'll bet they declined to comment.

So. Just to recap: our new president has already stopped military prosecution of enemy combatants, is now set to close the military prisons, and is seeking to prosecute these terrorists in our federal court system. Just for you slow kids in the back, that will extend to these people the same rights as a U.S. citizen. (Yes, meaning they will have court-appointed (read: paid for by you and me) attorneys, and they will have the right to sue to federal government under any of the plethora of "you made me feel bad" laws.

Dennis Prager nailed Obama's worldview today when he said that his thoughts on our enemies are child-like. Below, Prager quotes from the inaugural speech and then points out the dangers of having a child's mind in the oval office:

“Our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.” Only the very, very naive could say something so wrong. It is hard to identify a time in history when any people’s security emanated from the justness of their cause. That is a fairy tale. Did the justness of the Jews’ cause give the Jews security in Hitler’s Europe? Or the Ukrainians or Armenians or Cambodians or anyone else? Powerful armies give decent peoples their security, not the justness of their cause. If President Obama believes that in this world good people are secure thanks to the goodness of their cause, America is in trouble.

Lamenting a Childhood Dream

When I was in high school, I decided I wanted to have six children. In fact, I talked about it like it was a given--just part of my grand plan. (A friend in college nicknamed me "Six" because I held tightly to that plan.) I had met this brother and sister and they came from this wonderfully warm family with 14 kids. They actually ate in shifts. But they ate at the dinner table every meal. Somehow, they all had these strong individual relationships with their mom and with their dad. (To this day, I am trying to figure out how that was accomplished!)

Well, obviously the nickname I should have had was "Two". My plan had to give way to God's plan on that and so many other things over which I foolishly believed I could control as an adult.

I bring this up, because I've recently re-connected with the girl from my hometown and she has seven beautiful children. As I perused the pictures on her Facebook page, it actually stung a little bit to see the huge gatherings of family. As she said--it's always a party. And when her family of origin gets together with all of their kids, it's quite a wide angle lens moment. (Each of the 14 have had large families, too.)

It is really something to be around a healthy, strong family. I craved that for myself when I was a teenager. And I thought that the key was in the numbers. In my lingering foolishness, I do wonder what a gaggle full of Kid-A-Thons would be like. And then realistically, I know that it's an issue of quality not quantity. And for me, having to figure this all out as I go, two have really got me maxed out.
I guess God does know what he's doing after all ;-)

Sweet Sarcasm

This is why I love Ann Coulter

Stop What You are Doing

And go read this.
(Hat Tip: Palmtreepundit)

Tacky Tacky Tacky

I wish Gigi* was here. She'd have the perfect disapproving glare for our president-elect. She was always a stickler for appropriateness. Clearly some of that has rubbed off on me, as I literally physically cringed when I read this article.

Here's the gist: GW had the five living presidents over for lunch. It was a nice gesture and his last hurrah as host in the White House. (Yes, he is still president, and it is still his home.) It was a nice photo op, GW made a pleasant statement, and there were no questions taken from the press. Apparently "The Office Of The President Elect" does not have an etiquette staffer because after the President of the United States ended the time with the press, Barack Hussein Obama just couldn't help himself and had to illustrate his winning rhetorical skills. (Yes, that is sarcasm you smell cooking. Mmmm, yummy.)

George W. wrapped it up with:

"Thank you all." Done, finished, over and out.

Junior White House staffers immediately bellowed "Thank you! Thanks, guys!" in an aggressive call for the press to vamoose. The giant "scoop" television lights that illuminated the members of the world's most exclusive club were quickly shut off as reporters and photographers began heading for the door.

But just then, the man who takes over the house on Jan. 20 on a long-term lease -- four years, with an option to renew for four more -- decided that the show wasn't quite over.

With a wave of his right hand, he froze the press corps in place. Still in the dark, and with Mr. Bush fidgeting next to him, Mr. Obama stammered at first, taking the floor in a room that, for eight years, has fallen silent after the president has spoken and his staffers have called out, "Thank you!"

"The, uh, uh, I, I, I, I, uh, I just want to thank the president for, uh -- I just want to thank the president for hosting us," he said, gesturing to Mr. Bush, whose fixed-on smile looked a bit like a grimace as the lights were turned back on. "This is an extraordinary gathering. All the gentlemen here understand both the pressures and possibilities of this office. And for me to have the opportunity to get advice, good counsel and fellowship with these individuals is extraordinary. And I'm very grateful to all of them. But again thank you, Mr. President, for hosting us."

Now I realize that I am being at least a little bit harsh on a newbie, but he is about to be the most important leader on the planet. And he is representing our entire nation. I'd like to think that someone could clue him in on when to just be quiet.(And no, the irony is not lost on me making that statement ;-)
(FULL DISCLOSURE: I am already thinking "tacky-tacky" because my friend was at the gym when the Obamas were working out during Christmastime. Mrs. Obama was dressed in a jog bra and biking shorts. That is specifically forbidden attire for the military base. And frankly, that is not appropriate public attire for the First Lady of the United States. Even in Hawaii.)

*Gigi was my grandmother.

Waaaah. (Big Spoiled Baby Alert)

Remember how thrilled I was with my excellent customer service from Williams-Sonoma? Well...I spoke too soon. As I was puttng away Christmas decor, I realized I still had not received my replacement plates. So I called, and guess what? They're out of stock. (No kidding. I actually knew that, but was assured that my replacements were on their way and would even arrive before Christmas.) When Christmas came and went without the plates having arrived, I wasn't too worried--figuring they wouldn't be priority shipped during the holiday season.

So my consolation prize is a refund. And I can hope that they will have the plates again next year, as I now only have 11. (Here I thought I was so smart ordering a couple of spares in case I broke them. Now I don't even have 12.) eBay here I come!
UPDATE: eBay has none :-(

Oprah Who?

For some years now, I've been trying to figure out why I don't watch Oprah anymore. I guess more truthfully, I should say that I don't want to watch Oprah anymore. There are only so many subjects to cover in a talk show, right? However, I have thought there were some other--deeper--reasons, I just couldn't quite put my finger on any of them. Today, The New Republic (TNR) helped me figure that out.

Oprah has again been had by the author of a book that is touted as fact but is purely fiction. This time, however, the subject is surviving the Holocaust. Oh sure, it's a love story, but what makes this story truly heart gripping is the setting. And the near impossibility of the events taking place. That's what really grabs your heart. The Rosenblats have become quite the cause celebre by spinning this yarn:

Herman entered a competition in a newspaper to award the most romantic story. Not surprisingly, he won. His story then made its way to the pages of Chicken Soup for the Couple's Soul. Oprah Winfrey featured Herman and Roma on a special 1996 Valentine's Day show, and again in November 2007. (A spokesperson for Oprah had no comment about whether they fact-check guests' stories). Herman signed with the Ambassador Speaker's Bureau, a conservative agency that represents clients like Alan Keyes and Stephen Baldwin (the evangelical brother of Alec and Billy). He also signed with literary agent Andrea Hurst, and in December of last year, sold the rights to his memoir to Berkley Books.

There is also a movie in the works...

I am not Jewish, nor do I have any close relations who experienced the Holocaust. However, there is something about that horror that all humanity shares. Thus, all humanity should be outraged by such deception. Anyone who tugs at a person's emotions just because they have the sheer power to do so, is sick. A child of the authors say as much about his own parents:

Gabriel Sherman writes: "When I asked Ken [Rosenblat] how his parents could have lived a double life for some 15 years, he explained that for his mother, who survived the Holocaust as a child by hiding as a Polish Catholic, living with an assumed identity was almost natural. 'My mother lived a life of hiding. It was natural for them to lie, to cheat, and this is something that they lived with,' he told me."

And that is a big part of why I really don't like Oprah anymore: she loves to tug at the audience's emotions because she can. (There's also the weird new age religiosity stuff, but that's for another time.)

I used to watch her show with my college roommates. We even scheduled classes around the time the show aired! Later when I was a young mother home with two babies, I hoped I'd get a chane to see the Oprah show and fold laundry. On the days when I did, it was great. What I have realized, is that there is a common thread in the times in my life when I watched that show. In college I was a teenager and young adult with lots of hormones, emotion, and not a lot of brains. As a young mother, I was sleep deprived, and really just a pool of emotions. The Oprah show fed my desire to wallow in feelings and to not think seriously or critically about ANYTHING.

Thankfully, I am growing in those areas. Yet sadly, a woman old enough to be my mother is not. And even more sadly, her iconic status among women remains. That's where the comments of a TNR reader finalized my understanding of it all:

Add to this the mindless elevation of victimhood in this country, the mindless celebration of victimhood on talk show after talk show after talk show--the proclaiming of one's wounds, of being praised and respected for the mere fact of one's wounds (not for the manner in which one has responded to them)--add this into the mix, and the credulous celebration of the Rosenblats' fabricated suffering (like the credulous celebration of James Frey's fabricated suffering) seems as much a reflection of the corruption of our culture as of the liars themselves.

I would refer you to a line from Norman Manea (who was imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp as a child, and then, as an adult, was a dissident under Ceausescu):
______________________________________________________________________________

"Suffering. . .corrupts," writes Norman Manea, "and suffering peddled publicly corrupts absolutely."

______________________________________________________________________________

The issue here, frankly, is reality. We are so corrupted as a culture that reality has no bearing on things. Feelings trump all else. This is dangerous territory in that we stand to lose sight of the realities of the Holocaust, and every other real thing that happened if we as a culture prefer to deal only with feelings.

The TNR writer tried over and over to get real answers--truthful answers--from those affiliated with the Rosenblats. He and others were excoriated for doubting the words of someone who had endured such suffering. The feelings about the story had trumped the reality of it.

You'd think there'd be a long list of embarrassed folks, right? WRONG. Oprah is still supporting the story. The movie will be made. And the ability to determine truth from fiction will be whittled away all the more.

Strange times, folks...educating ourselves and our children is all the more important.

If you want to follow the TNR story start here, then go here, and here. It's long but a fascinating look at the ethics of those who shape our culture.

So....Yeah...Whatever

That's TeenSpeak for any of you who are new to the language. If you try hard to remember your own teen years, you may have a better chance of translating.

Civics Test

Take this to see how well you know the goings on of your own nation.

Excellent Customer Service

UPDATE:

This is the adorable plate.


It is said that when a person has a great experience with a company, that person will tell three friends about that experience. On the other hand, when a person has a bad experience with a company, they tell, on average, ten people about it. Ever since I learned about that statisitc (I have no idea if it's true or where it came from) I have tried to be fair and tell the good along with the bad--and the ugly, for that matter.

This is a time of telling the good.

I saw and fell immediately in love with the Williams-Sonoma 12 Days of Christmas decor this year. The design looks old, yet timeless, and has easy care instructions. That's what I call a perfect match. (I think Dad-A-Thon calls it a perfect storm, but I digress...) I ordered some of their adorable plates and they arrived yesterday. Sadly, 3 were broken. So I called the local store hoping to stop in and replace them. Nope. Sold out. I told you they were adorable. In fact, they are so adorbale (and sold out) that I can't even find them on the Williams-Sonoma website to show you a picture.

Well, I called WS Customer Service, and guess what? I actually got customer service! Yes, seriously, I did. They are sending me 3 replacement plates right away. WooHoo! So, I just had to tell you and hope that more than 3 of you read this post. :-)

Not A Typical Teen

There are certain names of towns that are regularly in the headlines. Usually those headlines are at best, negative, and at worst, criminal. I was so very pleasantly surprised to see this headline today:

Wai'anae teen rescues 62-year-old neighbor

Give it a read. It's an encouragement, and it has interesting chracters, to boot ;-)

Merry Christmas

Lots of thoughts to blog about...not enough time to put them down with any coherence. I did seem to have time to decorate the blog for Christmas, though...hmmm...priorities, I suppose.

Need More Cowbell

A childhood friend sent me this link to blast me to the past. Journey has a big part in any GenXer's life, believe me. My friend is single, so I got to have him share in the weirdness when I told him that Boy-A-Thon is very much into classic rock and the hair bands of the 80's and that he plays all the songs from our teen years on his guitar.
(For the record, it is very strange to have songs that elicit memories from your teen years being played by your son.)

This walk down memory lane had me thinking that I really needed more cowbell. Showing this to Boy-A-Thon, we were nearly all wetting our pants.


More Cowbell - Funny bloopers are a click away

I Simply Must Say Something Positive

So, I will share with you the overwhelming warmth and joy I feel right now as I watch my daughter. She is listening to The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis as part of her Omnibus I studies. While she listens, she is knitting. Earlier today, she called me in to her bedroom where she was reading. She had the giggles because she had put a ribbon bookmark on the cat's head. He sat there regally, as if all other cats shoud have a bookmark on their heads, too. It was kind of funny, but mostly it was adorable. I am so incredibly grateful for homeschooling. I get to see these aspects of my daughter's personality, and she gets to stay a little girl at the age of 12.

Hello...Complaint Department?

BEWARE.

I am extraordinariy cranky today. A mood like this strikes very rarely. Kind of like a perfect storm, if you will. When it strikes, it makes up for the past days of calm.

First, there is the fact that Lazy-Loser (heretofore "LL") has been given yet another extension to ensure that his right to parent is preserved. I suppose I shouldn't be angry. After all, he has mounted the huge sacrifice and parental effort of 2 phone calls. Surely he should guide and nurture a child with drive like that.

Then, we have voted ourselves a nightmare of a congress and president. He's already got big plans for us all. Apparently taking our money won't suffice. We'll have to have the use of our time directed by Dear Leader, as well.

Add to that a vehicle was stolen from our company again. (For the record, that event happens with enough frequency that it doesn't usually phase me. But today I actually saw the vehicle on the side of the freeway. However, by the time help arrived to the area it was gone again. Of course.)

Finally, I had a day filled with left lane issues.
(A little explanation is in order for you mainland folks--there is a universal problem with drivers in Hawaii. You know how the left lane is "the passing lane" or the "fast lane"? Well, in Hawaii it's just one of two lanes in which you may choose to drive 10 mph below the speed limit--usually side-by-side, thereby controlling the flow of traffic for an entire freeway.)

Well, you've been warned. If you see me today, probably best to cross to the other side of the street. ;-)

Well....Hell.

That's what G-Ma Peterson would say. And I think that pretty much sums up my thoughts as well. However, PalmtreePundit has the right response to the election.

Count Your Blessings

And hold those you love close.
Think about this and pray for our military families.

The Right to Choose (Provided, of course, that you make the Right Choice)

I guess I'm kind of a delayed reaction person... (That's a nice way of saying I'm slow.)

As you may or may not know, Teen-A-Thon gave birth to, and placed her adorable baby boy for adoption early this year. I can't begin to adequately chronicle what that was like for her or for our family, so I have not tried. The emotions that come with seeing a young girl holding a positive pregnancy test are vast, let's just put it that way. Add to that the various health scares, a very long, hard labor that ended in an emergency C-section in the wee hours of the morning, and let me tell ya, Teen-A-Thon has had quite the year.

Here we are today, and we must go to great lengths to ensure that the choice that Teen-A-Thon made is respected by the law. I can't help but get a little frustrated as I realize that, had she made a different choice for her baby, we'd have the law completely on our side instead of having to wrestle with it. And that, my friends is what has caused me to realize that the issue is not choice. I do think (hope?) the issue was once choice, or at least I think (hope?) that's what abortion proponents believed. But that is simply no longer the case.

Because she chose life, her choice is totally disregarded. If she had chosen death for the baby, no father notification would have been necessary, and her choice would be upheld without issue. However, that is not the case. With one 11th hour phone call, her choice is completely overlooked and the birth father's rights supercede hers, those of the family who has cared for the baby from birth, as well as the rights of the baby himself! The message to women is clear: choosing death is not only legal, it's easier and a heckuva lot cheaper. Oh, and upheld by the law.

One last minute phone call warrants greater legal consideration than the choice this young woman made? Seriously? After all the pain, sacrifices, heartwrenching decisions and prayer Teen-A-Thon put into placing her baby for adoption...she poured over profiles of adopitve families, finally deciding on the one family she knew would love and care for her baby. It's truly stunning to think that one phone call would be regarded in the same light, much less in a favored light.

So, I've come to realize that the political question is not whether our country values choice--we know it does(Roe v. Wade isn't going anywhere). The question on a political level is whether it values life.

By the way, the father has done nothing since the phone call months ago. Yet, in the event that he pulls another last minute stunt, the court system behaves as though he has. Therefore, we have to behave/plan as though he has. All of this time/effort/money/stress/even taxpayer money because of the grand show of love and dedication to fatherhood in one phone call. Amazing.

Real Issues

I'm inclined to agree with the Palmtree Pundit. There are bigger issues than a $150,000 wardrobe (which, by the way, is loaned to Mrs. Palin).

Furthermore, is it just me, or do the rest of you find this megabucks election a little odd in contrast to the collapsing economy? I mean the headlines are so weird:
Stocks Mixed as Investors Worry About Economy
and
With $605 Million Already Obama Seeks Only $10 More From Each Of Us

No one has any money except those supporting Obama. That's either contradictory, or a little suspicious...;-)

You've Probably Seen This Already

But it's funny so I'm posting it anyway.
All the plumbers in the house...

New Look

Well, I kinda like the new wallpaper here. I'm not fond of the diamonds on the side, but I L-O-V-E LOVE the red white and black action. What do you think?

Found Some Time

And I need to use it here to apologize. Publicly. To the National Organization for Women (NOW). For a while now, I've been criticizing NOW for being dishonest. I've been known to say things like, "How can they call themselves the National Organization for Women, when they spew such vitriol and hate toward Sarah Palin?" (You know, I was surprised by that because she's a...woman.) I've pondered the hubris of co-opting the idea that you speak for all women, when you actually only support a sub-group of women whose politics are of a particular bent.

I came to realize my thoughtlessness, when I recently saw a "NOW:Keep Abortion Legal" sticker. That's when it hit me...NOLLHMAW would not fit nicely on a sticker, if you wanted to put anything else on the sticker...or T-Shirt for that matter. And let's face it, it's just not a catchy acronym. Therefore, I publicly apologize to NOW for not coming out of the closet as the National Organization of Left Leaning Hate Mongering Angry Women (NOLLHMAW).
(It really loses it's flow in the honest portrayal, doesn't it?)

No Time to Blog

But I have been keeping up with a few things.

Ann Coulter's October 15th post makes a scary observation. It seems that the Bradley effect may actually not be that people are racist, but fear being thought of as racist, thus causing them to lie to a pollster.

Charles Krauthammer is almost always right. This article is no exception.

And then, reason and logic have become casualties in the quest for winning in forensics, and bettering "race relations".
(hat tip: Uncle Doctor)

Sarah's Big Night

And the most important question I want answered......

What will she wear? ;-) Can you even imagine trying to get dressed and "ready" for this event?

Seriously, though, I am hoping that the good ol' boys who manage the GOP candidates don't tone her down. I hope she stays the Sarah we all loved from the get-go. If she gets too Washingtonized that'll be the death of the McCain -Palin campaign, IMHO.

Will you be watching live? I'll be recording it, to watch as a civics lesson with the Kids-A-Thon

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World

First, there is PETA. Not that they've been beacons of intellect (with Pam Anderson as your spokesperson, the bar is pretty low), but this is down right diagnoseable. PETA has requested that Ben & Jerry's ice cream start using human milk. No, I'm not making that up.

Next is the fashion trend of being homosexual. Yes, it's cheaper than the new Prada bag, and far more forward thinking. Newsflash to no one, Clay Aiken has announced he is gay. And fresh from the "Someone Please Save the Young Girls In Holywood" file, Lindsey Lohan says she is dating Samantha Ronson. Although, she's not exactly sure how long she's been dating her, it's been "a very long time." I wonder how long that is in real people years?

Jesus come quickly.

A Chuckle for the Campaign Season

As Nan-A-Thon said, "I don't care who you are, that's funny right there."

Strength and Grace

This is what they really look like.

SNL's Palin

They've done better work. But there are a few funny moments.

ABC Edits and Chevy and Matt are Disgusted

It seems that ABC edited a decent chunk of Charlie Gibson's interview with Sarah Palin.

Bottom line is that ABC did its best to characterize Palin as not ready for the job of VP and as a Christian Whack Job. If you saw the interviews, you know they didn't succeed among thoughtful and fair minded folk. There were some semi-awkward moments, which now make more sense when you realize they were edited to cause viewers to give pause to thoughts of Palin as VP.

The gist of it is here.

The full transcript is here.


Indicating their utter cluelessness to the lives that most Americans live, Chevy Chase and his wife add their $.02 to the Palin discussion while plugging their "charity" (The Center for Environmental Education, of the "famous" Green School Network) here (Note the arrogance):



I saved my favorite for last. Matt Damon is so stunned by Palin's appeal, that he can barely contain his digust. It's obvious he thinks anoyone who is pro Palin is an idiot. Inititally, he looks like someone killed his dog, then later, like he wants to spit.

But Seriously...

You gotta love a woman who dresses like this

And this

And the Ugliness begins

Well, on the plus side, the news about Sarah Palin's daughter does prove that Mrs. Palin is in fact a mere mortal.

As a "mom" of a teenager who recently gave brith, I can say that the issue just doesn't freak me out like I guess it should. These things happen. That is not to minimize it in any way, but really, they do. Mrs. Palin stated that her daughter will be keeping the baby and that she and the father will be getting married. That should be the end of that story. But we'll see...

Christians Praying for Muslims

This year, the Muslim holiday of Ramadan coincides with the 30 days of September. Here is a link to pray for a Muslim country and its people each of those 30 days. It's a great site with a map as well as political and demographic information, too.

Day one is Tajikistan.

A Note of Praise

The events of this past week--especially Thursday night--are something of which every American ought to be quite proud. Why would I say that, when I am personally diametrically opposed to nearly everything the Democrat party believes in? It's simple, really. You see, no matter where any of us fall on the political spectrum, the fact that 45 years after Martin Luther King, Jr. told America about his dream, that dream is realized. It is not realized because a black man is running for president of this country. It is not realized because of who Barack Obama is. It is realized because of what America is.

America has learned from its mistakes, made the necessary changes and moved forward. Has it been easy? Has it come without pain? Has it been perfect? Not at all. But to think that in 45 years we have gone from the norm being segregated seats on a bus, to the very idea of segregation being absurd, well, that's nothing short of miraculous. And it is something that every American should be proud of.

I hope that you have followed the political talk about Obama and his acceptance speech. Notice that the discussion is about issues, opinions, and the content of his character. Count yourself lucky. You've wtinessed a dream come true.

Classic(al) Rock

One of the syllogisms Boy-A-Thon had to write in Logic class today was a modus tollens. This syllogism follows the pattern:

If P, then Q.
Not Q.
Therefore, not P.

His work:

If I'm back in black, I'll hit the sack.
I won't hit the sack.
Therefore, I'm not back in black.

I love my job!

Maybe I'm wishing for the moon...

...but I'd really appreciate it if the pace and reasoning of the law as it pertains to adoption would be logical and focus on the best interest of the child. That would sure be nifty, neet-o, and WooHoo worthy.

The Ten Commandments

Girl-A-Thon had to watch Cecil B.DeMille's 1956 epic movie for school. The assignment was to watch the film (all 4 hours of it!) and keep track of the differences between the film and the bible text. There were so many, she had to reload her mechanical pencil with lead. The final count was 48 discrepancies.
The film really was a hoot to watch. It is super cheesy with Neferteri calling Seti (The first Pharoh and Ramses' father) "a silly crocodile", and him replying, "Hush, kitten." I'm not particularly strong as a biblical scholar, but I'm pretty sure that was not in the original Aramaic text.

Family Driven Faith

That's the Title of the Book I'm reading. (Seriously, I should have finished it a long time ago, but I only read it on the elliptical, and well, I haven't exactly been consistent with that lately...and a friend recommended another very good book, and...and...)

There are so many goodies in this book. I will share a couple. (I don't agree with everything the author has to say, but then, when do any of us?)

Writing about the rate at which Christian kids leave the faith once on their own (75% after their freshman year of college) the author states that the current thinking in which we parents outsource the discipling of our kids to "the professionals" of the church youth group:

Talk to a college pastor about the freshman fallout rates, and he will tell you, "We do the best we can, but by the time we get them from the youth ministry, it's too late." Talk to a high school pastor and he'll tell you, "We have to do a better job in our junior high ministry." Of course, the junior high pastor is going to blame the children's minister, who will, in turn, pass the buck to the preschool minister. I believe there is a more fundamental question that we must ask. Could it be that we have established systems designed to meet the wrong needs and attack the wrong problems?"

(emphasis mine)

Well, since most youth groups are really competing as an entertainment entity, I'd say, yes, we are after the wrong problems. Last time I checked, kids in this country are not exactly suffering a lack of entertainment options.

And this, about the whole idea of outsourcing that which God has called parents to ensure:

"...you visit a church, your teen goes off to the youth service, your little one goes off to children's church, the baby goes to the nursery, and you and your spouse get a great seat in a plush auditorium with first-class music, professional drama, a relevant, encouraging, application-oriented, non-threatening talk, and you get it all in just under an hour."

Now, in Hawaii, if you get air conditioning you've scored, but you get the basic idea. The problem here is that the family is not together at all--even in church.

Both of these examples highlight the point the author makes which is this:
We can't very well be surprised at who our children turn out to be once they are out on their own, when we have had little or no time/influence with them while they were in our care.

Did you hear?

...How many times John McCain mentioned homeschooling as a successful educational choice? Well, I did, and I really appreciated it :-)

That's while he was chatting it up with Pastor Rick Warren, that is. He asnwered his questions so succinctly, that Pastor Warren had to fill the extra time. Obama, on the other hand was his usually wordy self (without saying too much).

Look What Those Russians Started

I'm telling you, people are getting a little too goofy for me. This likely will not make mainland news, but it sure is a big deal here. Interestingly enough, there is another group who is already occupying part of the lawn of palace. They've been there on a permit. As people grow in both ignorance and boldness, it makes me nervous...
Especially when there are witnesses who state that

...three men shoved aside a palace employee as she attempted to allow someone onto the grounds. The incident occurred near the diamondhead-side gate.

A witness, attorney James Wright, said the men struck the employee and slammed her into a gate in front of a police officer. All the officer said is "this is not HPD jurisdiction," Wright said.

Wright said the woman was attempting to escort him onto the grounds when three men began to assault her.

"They hit her and hit her and hit, and the police sergeant stood there and did nothing," Wright said.

While they were not punching her, "they were slamming her against the post and then slamming the gate on her," he said. "And the police officer did nothing to protect her. The cop literally walked away while she was still being pushed around."

(I apologize for the dreadful sentence structure.)
Additionally, one of the group's members claims to be a federal marshall and says that the palace is "now under federal protective custody."
Now, I may be new to the study of logic, but isn't that a bit odd to be seeking protection from the "great overthrower" against whom you are now rebelling?


Check out the entire article with video.

Breakfast of Champions?

That results in this body??



Ok, well that diet paired with swimming nearly four miles in each workout and practicing twice a day with hardly a day off, that is.

(Thanks to PalmtreePundit for the resources)

I Can't Believe I Forgot Joe's Liquor!

This place is in the memories of many former Sweetwater County teens...mainly because Joe's NEVER asked for ID. And yes, that sign does say "Drive-In".

My Wyoming: The Promised photos

Hail!

Rainbow trout fish fry.
There is a town...and a river runs through it...

Oh beautiful for spacious skies...

Serious windmills
No, I'm talking HUGE Windmills. Below are the parts with Dad-A-Thon standing nearby. That is ONE of the three blades.

Close up of the blade where it attaches to the center.

The center motor piece.

Then there are the other pics that warm my heart and let me know I'm back in the country:

To Tell or Not To Tell?

Long ago, I freely shared information about one of my children with people. I was an open book. You asked me, I told. I did this, because I thought that most people would like having as much information as possible when dealing with a child with "differences".



Oh how young and naive....



Yes, people did like having the info. However, instead of this informing and increasing their patience and understanding, it informed them and they never looked at my child with unbiased eyes again. That was painful. Excruciating, actually. And maybe it's my Italian bloodline, or just a hard heart, but I don't like getting burned--at all.
Now, my child never has felt any pain from this, nor is it likely he ever will. He is truly beyond all of it. He sees people for who/what they are. It doesn't offend him personally if someone cannot give him a fair shot. He sees it all as a defect in the other party. And frankly, he is spot on.



I, being a lesser developed soul, have been absolutely heartbroken by such events. Which brings me to the title of this post. At this point--and believe me, it has been a journey and a half to get here--my son is what most people would condsider just "a bit odd". So I am regularly tortured with the dilemma of whether or not to explain his oddities or just move on, knowing that there is that looming question mark.
I've often thought of consulting friends, but most either know how far we've come and rejoice with us, or only know him as he is now, neither of which offer a truly independent opinion.

So, here I am left wondering...I think it is a state that I shall likely live in perpetually....

What would you do?

Boys Will Be Men

Here are some good quotes from Future Men, a book by Doug Wilson that I finished recently. It's short and very interesting. He wraps every chapter up with a keeper.
In the chapter titled "Contempt for the Cool",Wilson contrasts the difference between pop and classical music:

The Music of Bach is of course demanding to perform, but it also makes demands on the listener. This is why the undisciplined mind avoids such music; it invites thought, contemplation, discipline, lots of icky things."

Another laugh out loud line is this from the chapter titled "Christian Liberty" where he discusses, among other things, the fine balance of the freedom of drinking alcohol:

Christian liberty is nothing other than slavery to God. The only alternative
to this is slavery to man and his desires, and this includes the young man in
question and his desires. But with all this said, wine was given to
gladden the heart of man (Ps. 104:15) and one of the duties a father has is that
of teaching his son to drink [responsibly].

And last but not least, a quote from the chapter "Girls and Sex":

There is no way that young men can watch, and be entertained by, movies whch
include displays of nudity, steamy sex scenes and so forth, without being aroused
by them. A boy who tells his mother that he can "handle it" is using what
astute theologians in former ages used to call "a lie."

It's a great book with so many goodies. You can buy it here.

TheGirls Are Back In Town

This is a small gathering of my crowd in high school. Have these gals aged well, or what?

Not Important Enough for the Nobel Peace Prize Committee

Shame on every member of that committee.


Watch this to see why. Have Kleenex handy.

Friday Fun

This is clever. (Hat tip: Palmtree Pundit)

Here is my prayer for the day, based on my personality type:

ENFJ: God, help me to do only what I can and trust you for the rest. Do you
mind putting that in writing?

You can find the whole list here.
There is also an online personality test with fun anecdotes here

The Weather is Normal

Just thought I shoudl tell you that since I did so much complaining before. It's been 81-86 for the highs and 46-50 at night. Yes, that is normal.

That's Why They're Denied Driver's Licenses

Dogs are 8 times more prone to epilepsy than humans. We discovered this last Saturday evening when Nan-A-Thon's little yorkie had a series of seizures. The girls brought him inside and it was clear he wasn't quite right. He walked like he'd been shootin' whiskey, as we say around here, and his tongue was so purple it looked black.
I was holding the dog in my arms. Auntie-A-Thon took one look at him and said, "He's not getting any oxygen!!" Before I knew it, Auntie was performing mouth to snout. It took one other try and then he was breathing on his own. (I'm pretty sure that wouldn't have crossed my mind...and if it had, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have done it. Well, maybe I would have...)

We left the kids at home, and Nan, Auntie and I made an emergency run to the vet. We got exceptional vet care. If you have an animal emergency, being in a place where people spend as much money building barns as they do houses is a good place to be!

All's well that ends well, and the dog is fine. Apparently yorkies can have seizures when they are overstimulated. I guess a house full of pre-teens and teens with water balloons is a bit stimulating for the little guy.

So Much To Say

So little of it appropriate.

So, instead, I'll tell you that I am planning to go on a little photo safari of the area in which I grew up. There are some great old signs (most in need of repair) and some funny places. Lots of wide open spaces--which I had been desperately craving--and some great characters in town.

On another note, I am getting to exercise regularly and am reading a book I have wanted to get to for about 2 years. It's a quick and good read. I'll post about it soon.

Auntie-A-Thon Says Hi

Auntie-A-Thon (who, by the way wins EVERY auntie contest becuse she is in fact a child in an adult body) wanted me to tell you all "Hi". There she is chatting up Girl-A-Thon before we left for her surprise birthday party. Notice the similarity in size between the two. It's just not fair. My sister is adorable AND pocket sized!

She and I have marginally different styles ;-)

UPDATE: Auntie-A-Thon did not liek the picture and would like me to tell you all that she does not have a flat face ;-)

How Do You Spell LOVE in Green River, Wyoming?

D-U-A-L-L-Y.

Unfortunately, I did not have my camera with me for pictorial proof. But I saw someone's token of devotion in a shiny white dually with the vanity plate that read "4-Reba". Yes, I am from a place where people name their beloved baby girls Reba. On Purpose. Not on a dare. And though I am sure that Ray Jack or Billy Dean or whomever loves Reba so much he just had to give her her very own personalized ride, I must state that for me, the sign below (at the local carwash) says it all.

UPDATE: This is a dually. It's a pickup truck with four wheels on the back axle (two on each side).

A Busy Few Days

In the past few days, we have had some fun. I climbed "Man's Face" with Boy-A-Thon. Man's Face is the same mountain I climbed as a little girl in the summertime. I used to pack a lunch and a jar or two (for blue belly lizards and horny toads) into a backpack, sling a BB gun over my shoulder and head up the hill with my best friend, Keith Hodges. It was really something to share that with my son. Of course, we didn't pack a lunch, we brought water bottles. And my son did not recevie a BB gun for his 5th birthday, so that was missing too. Regardless, we both had a great time. (Note: climbing at 38 is significantly different than climbing at 8! At 38 you end the climb with elevated iced knees and Motrin!)

Did I Tell You?

I have a great husband. He made a surprise trip to see Girl-A-Thon for her birthday. She opened a big wrapped box to find her daddy. He had to take a last minute business trip and was able to sneak over to our neck of the woods for 3 days. What a treat. It had been three weeks since we had seen Dad-A-thon, so we were all thrilled.

Paradise--In Spite of the Weather

You know how you're always wishing you had just a little more time in the day? Well, it is all here in Wyoming. The time really does pass WAY more slowly here. So, I find myself with time to exercise, time to get my makeup on without rushing, time to curl Girl-A-Thon's hair in the ringlets she's decided she wants, and time to help spring clean my mom's house. The kids are digging it because they have time to play, read, and rest. Nan also has two little dogs that love attention, and I have two kids that love little dogs. We are doing a miniscule amount of schoolwork here, and it seems to take 30 seconds of our day. Boy-A-Thon has been playing video games sans time restrictions, and has been running around outside in the "Ninja Obstacle Course" he and his cousin have created in Nan's back yard. (Boy-A-Thon doesn't seem to get that it is COLD outside.) The only bummer so far has been that I still won't let the boys climb the mountain. The wind has been gusting up to 45 mph, and I just don't want them blowing down. :-)

A Nice June Snow

Yes, snow is predicted for the weather here tomorrow. (Does it start to make sense now why I had to move away?) It is currently 36 degrees and was raining earlier. If it continues to rain as the temp drops we will indeed get snow tonight. Whether it will be there when I wake up is another story. It hailed a few days ago when Teen-A-Thon was still here. It was the first time any of the kids had seen--or heard--a hailstorm. The kids thought that was pretty wild.

Anyway...the pies were excellent. Girl-A-Thon and I made them with Splenda, as my mother (a tiny pie person) is diabetic. We've been enjoying dinners together at the dinner table each night which is a different routine for the folks who live here all the time. Everyone seems to like it, though. I know I love cooking for my family--it's a love language of mine, for sure.

From The Road

Well, we have settled a bit and are in Wyoming for the rest of the month. We began this trip in Pennsylvania where we attended a very special baptism. The relationship I have been able to witness between a birth mother and adoptive family is truly amazing. I would never believe it is possible. All of the people involved are truly exceptional, and I suppose that is what it would take to make that relationship work. I've known great adoptive families, but with birth mothers who are, at best, psycho. So it is refreshing to see a truly good scenario. It's a God job, as Connie would say.

We then went to Washington, D.C. for what proved to be way too short of a time. Translation: we'll be back--next time with Dad-A-thon. Through the activities we did with many other homeschool families, we got to meet some great folks. At the end of each day, we were exhausted, and I learned again and again that I really like my kids. It is wonderful to see the fruit of the labor of parenting. The kids are enjoyable people. (WooHoo!)

So now we are in Wyoming, where the weather has decided to stay cold. We should be in Yellowstone National Park, but when I checked the weather forecast, it said the the highs would be 42 and the lows would be 28. Umm...yeah...I don't do that anymore. So, I nixed the camping trip to Yellowstone. My brother, his family, two other women and 10 Girl Scouts are there now. (Sounds like the third circle of hell, doesn't it?) It snowed the day they arrived and the park was closed for 3 hours as they removed snow. Clearly, my decision was a good one.

We are at Nan-A-Thon's where we are enjoying a much slower pace of life. I swear time really does pass more slowly here. I am thrilled, because they had rhubarb the size of a toddler's arm at the grocery store, and two quarts of strawberries for $2.59. The peaches were ripe and cheap, too, so...because I am a big pie person, I'm baking pies today. Wish you were here to share them with. I've got Grandma Peterson's crust recipe, and I'm ready to roll (out pie dough, that is).

My plan is to share my thoughts on "returning home", plus the experience of my 20th class reunion. Just thoughts, and hopefully lots of photos. This really is a beautiful place (even if it is a desert).

We are Mediocre!!

I know it doesn't sound like anything to boast about, but here in Hawaii, the public schools are bragging about "Adequate Yearly Progress" (AYP). There is a big sign on the front fence of one of the elementary schools stating "We Made AYP!!!"

The celebration of mediocrity in schools is what has driven so many families here to private schools (ka-ching!) and homeschooling (not exactly free). It is sad, because according to the Honolulu Advertiser, Hawaii spends an average $9876 per student to be mediocre. Couple that with the latest info on the public schools from Honolulu Magazine, and you'll see that even on a survey of satisfaction and success, the surveyors had to grade on a curve in order to get the majority of schools to pass! The highest score was Momilani elementary at 89.40%, and thus that was an A+. The lowest score was a tie between Aiea Intermediate and Hale Kula with 63.68% each. Those were given grades of C+. For the record, in this house, an 89% is a B and a 63% is an F.

The quotes from school officials are truly insane, but I do encourage you to read the article. My favorite is this, "We've raised the bar, and the kids have met the expecatition."

Fun Post

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 7 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

(Hat tip to Erin)

"It's a Werewolf Love Story"

Spoken by Teen-A-Thon while describing a book she is hoping to read next. I am not joking.

My reply to her?

"You are so eighteen."

I love the "Interline"

We homeschoolers are nothing if not obsessive planners.

As Boy-A-Thon and Girl-A-Thon each continue to develop their interests, I am eyeing colleges. Yes, it long way off, but I know that the time will whip by. Further, one of the (5,472) reasons we homeschool is to have felxibility with tailoring their educations. (This relates to the title, I promise)

All of that is to say that by Googling, I came across an email for Dr. Mary Schweitzer. You may not recognize her name, but you probably do recall the news that soft tissue was found in a T Rex bone and there may be enough cell structure left to find DNA. Well, she's the one who found it. And guess what? I shot off an email to her to ask her to advise us for Boy-A-Thon and she said she'd do it!
I love the "Interline"