That's No Lady!

"Sweetheart! Please put your knees together and pull your dress down! Young ladies do not sit like that."
"I'm not a young lady," Sweetheart replies very matter-of-factly. "I'm really very old."

Stream of Consciousness about Art Lessons

Woke up late.
"Everyone, get dressed! Don't forget your pencils!"
Pick up a girlfriend's daughter.
Drop off my own daughter.
Quick hug.
"Goodbye!"
Pull in the library parking lot.
"Shhh!"
"Did anyone see the lunar eclipse?"
Nods.
Drawings of the lunar eclipse.
"Time to paint."
Painting by Renoir.
Only three colors...yellow, blue and the resulting green.
No brushes.
Only fingers.
Two practice paintings.
Clean canvas.
Swirling blues.
Spiky greens.
Grass.
Sky.
Water.
Texture.
A few mistakes.
Learn from them!
Dabbing with a towel.
Lifting off color.
Wonderful depth!
Pleasant surprise!
Sweetheart does wonderfully!
"That's really good!"
"I hate mine."
"Yours is better!"
"I'll never be an artist."
Encouragement.
Smiles.
Reluctant sharing.
Washing hands.
Cleaning up.
Admiring work.
To the craft store...buy some frames.
On the wall.
Lovely.

Now Playing...Songs by which to View a Lunar Eclipse

"Total Eclipse Of The Heart" - Bonnie Tyler
"Moon Over Bourbon Street" - Sting
"Walking On The Moon" - The Police
"Moon At The Window" - Joni Mitchell
"Moon River (from "Breakfast At Tiffany's")" - Barbra Streisand
"Somewhere Out There " - James Ingram
"Moon Love" - Nat King Cole
"That's Amore" - Dean Martin
"Eclipse" - John Denver
"Moon On My Shoulder" - Lyle Lovett
"Shine On Harvest Moon" - Leon Redbone
"Mr. Spaceman" - The Byrds
"Spaceman" - Harry Nilsson
"The Moon And St. Christopher" - Mary Chapin Carpenter
"The Color Green" - Rich Mullins
"Blue Moon Of Kentucky" - Patsy Cline
"Mississippi Moon" - John Anderson
"St. Judy's Comet" - Paul Simon
"Song About The Moon" - Paul Simon
"Ticket To The Moon" - Electric Light Orchestra
"Moonshadow" - Cat Stevens
"Moondance" - Van Morrison
"How High The Moon" - Ella Fitzgerald
"Moon Country" - Hoagy Carmichael
"Tropic Moon" - Bruce Cockburn
"Man On The Moon" - R.E.M.
"Moon Song" - Louis Armstrong
"Bad Moon Rising" - Creedence Clearwater Revival
"Harvest Moon" - Neil Young
"Blue Moon" - Elvis Presley
"Moon River" - Henry Mancini
"Moon Is Up" - The Rolling Stones
"Moon Pretty Moon" - The Statler Brothers
"Moon Over Rio Grande" - Michael Nesmith

You can listen to these songs by listening to my Moon Playlist on Rhapsody.

100 Things About Me.

Okay...I've seen this done on other blogs, and I...well...I know it may be dangerous, but I'm willing to give it a try.

One Hundred Things About Me

1. I am a Christian. This doesn't mean I'm a wacko or a hypocrite or a judgemental beast. It means that I love God with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength and that I try my bestest to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.
2. I recognize that I am a flawed human being. Don't bother pointing it out.
3. I believe the best witness is living a loving life--I really do try.
4. I love my husband more than anyone else on this ball of spinning dirt, even if he does have bad personal habits.
5. I have five children whom I love more than anyone else on this ball of spinning dirt, except my husband.
6. My children make me laugh and cry hysterically. Sometimes simultaneously.
7. My best friends live too far away. They need to move closer.
8. I like to cook, but I hate to clean up afterwards. That's why I had kids (just ask them).
9. I own a free-range one-eyed chameleon named Wilma. I feed her live crickets and mealworms with tongs that look like huge tweezers.
10. I get sleepy after I eat.
11. I have had three home-births. Okay, two home-births and one cabin-birth.
12. I really wanted to be voted Best Dressed in high school. I wasn't voted anything.
13. I like my closet to be color-coordinated. It's mostly black and brown.
14. I have a jones for good photos.
15. I never seem to have time to eat breakfast. I keep boxes of Luna Bars in my closet.
16. I loathe washing dishes. That's why I had kids (just ask them).
17. I don't mind folding laundry. As long as it's clean.
18. I have a twisted relationship with Wal*Mart. They take all my money, I bring home all their crap.
19. I'm wearing a t-shirt that says, "Please wipe nose below the dotted line."
20. I have breastfed all of my children. Not at the same time.
21. I rate pretty high on the crunchy scale.
22. My favorite author is Anne Tyler. Did you know she was homeschooled?
23. My children have all been homeschooled from the start. Houdin, the 13 year old, went to a private school for one year so he could learn how to read, because I thought I was failing him. He didn't learn to read there.
24. I love get-togethers--sorry P.
25. I wish I could play a musical instrument. I took guitar lessons for a while, then I found out I was pregnant, and it wasn't long before the guitar wouldn't stay on my lap. Plus, my husband's better than I am and it makes me sick.
26. Nothing gets me out of a funk like a hip song with a great beat.
27. I dance a lot, especially when my kids roll their eyes and say, "Mo-o-om!"
28. I have a hard time finishing projects. I'm lucky to be married to a man with a good follow-through.
29. I don't like to drive. Unless there's good music on and I'm in a good mood.
30. I listen to Delilah. Sometimes I even cry when I listen.
31. I have Delilah's number programmed into my cell-phone.
32. I keep about thirty journals. They all have about five pages written in them. Okay, a few of them are full. But most of them aren't.
33. I once met Christopher Reeve while he was filming Somewhere in Time at the Grand Hotel on Macinac Island. He signed my chocolates box, but my mom threw it away.
34. I spent three years living in a cabin with an outdoor tub, gas lights and an outhouse.
35. I love long baths with candles. The outdoor tub is the best, with candles AND stars.
36. I get bad migraine headaches. The worst one I ever got was while watching Titanic in the movie theater. Now, if I get a really bad one, I call it a Titanic headache.
37. My favorite drink is Dr. Pepper, followed closely by ice cold water.
38. I've only been drunk once. Drunk, but lucid. That was enough for me.
39. I tried smoking once...one puff. That was enough for me.
40. I used to use chewing tobacco. Why? Because I thought it was cool.
41. I've never flown in an airplane.
42. I love road trips.
43. I want to go to England someday. But not on a road trip. I'll have to fly in a plane for that.
44. I cried the day Rich Mullins died.
45. The saddest song I've ever heard is Wildfire.
46. The second saddest song I've ever heard is I'll Be True to You.
47. I hate to walk around the house without slippers. The crud on the floor drives me bonkers.
48. I love autumn.
49. I always wanted to be a writer.
50. I wrote a novel when I was 13.
51. I love to take pictures.
52. I like my 35 mm for different reasons than I like my digital.
53. Feet fascinate me.
54. My favorite childhood books were the Black Stallion series.
55. I love fried foods.
56. I love anything dairy-based.
57. Cheese is my friend.
58. I have a disease which causes me to acquire animals.
59. I have four dogs.
60. I have too many cats.
61. I have four birds.
62. There are animals in every room of this house except Houdin's room, the laundry room and the first-floor powder room.
63. I've met some kind of famous people, including:
64. Kirk Cameron
65. Dirk Bean, one of the Survivors
66. Uncle Owen
67. Jane Goodall
68. Tamora Pierce
69. Phil Keaggy
70. D.C. Talk
71. I have a friend who's brother is a very famous actor. I'm not telling.
72. I was once a midwife's assistant and attended births for about twelve months.
73. I've always wanted a tatoo. On my ankle.
74. I have three earrings in my left earlobe and two in my right.
75. I make a yummy cheesecake.
76. I also make a yummy alfredo sauce.
77. When I'm bored, I bite my fingernails.
78. I like to bake bread, but I don't do it often enough.
79. I don't really talk about politics.
80. Rude people really irritate me.
81. I've always wanted a horse.
82. My favorite gift is a good letter.
83. I wish I were rich.
84. I like quiche.
85. I'm more of a morning person than a night owl.
86. I get sleepy when I read. I once fell asleep sitting up with a book propped on my chest while reading to my children.
87. My hair is naturally curly.
88. I have only dyed my hair once. Burgundy. I hated it.
89. I love cooking for other people.
90. I like children's literature more than adult fiction.
91. I'm a meaner mom than I ever thought I'd be.
92. I'm a certified Natural Family Planning instructor.
93. My house is never clean enough for me.
94. I like knitting for kids.
95. I don't know how to sew but really wish I did.
96. I love Barry Manilow. I used to belong to the Barry Manilow fan club and am sorry I still don't.
97. I'd love to learn to spin wool.
98. I would love to be able to draw well.
99. If I had a ton of money, I'd pay off all of my debts, pay off my best friends' debts, pay off my in-law's debts, and buy really great Christmas gifts for everyone I know.
100. I can't believe I finished this, even if it is the most boring thing in the world.

Funny Things Kids Say

Me to Monet: Please don't hit anyone else with a mallet.

*****

Bard: Maybe Dad should just be Superman for the costume party. He could wear pants with the underwear on the outside. He could wear a pink towel and cowboy boots, like Monet used to and everyone thought he looked cute.

Monet: Did I really do that?

Bard: Yeah...well...you didn't wear underwear on the outside...well...you never wear underwear.

Monet: Yes, I do!

Bard: Are you wearing any right now?

Monet: I only wear them on special occasions.

*****

Bard to me while I was feeding Wilma the One-Eyed Chameleon: Do chameleons get their tongues stuck together because they're too sticky?

Me: No. Their tongues aren't actually sticky. They're barbed.

Bard: I wish I had a barbed tongue.

*****

Me: Children, don't eat glass.

Monet: Not even if you're a rockbiter?

Me: Not even if you're a rockbiter.

Bard: Rockbiters don't eat glass. They eat rocks. Hence the name...Rockbiter.

*****

Monet: Is there some kind of contest when you die to tell whether you can get into heaven or not?

Me: No, it's not like that. It's like...

Houdin (interupting): Welcome to This Was Your Life. And now, here is your host...Jesus Christ!

*****

Bard: Do you want to be clubbed in the head with a horse?

Sweetheart: Not really.

*****

Academic Update

Each child works on their handwriting and spelling daily, and I can see a marked improvement in all of their handwriting. We have been using the Getty/Dubay Italic Handwriting course from the beginning but have never gone at it with such fervor. My inspiration was a book I saw at the library called Italic Handwriting for Young People by Fred Eager. He gave samples of student handwriting before and after the course. Most of the samples were within a two-month time period, and the results were very impressive. Since we've been doing the handwriting on a daily basis, and I've been insisting that ALL writing that they do be in Italic, their handwriting has improved dramatically--all of them. Even Sweetheart.

Yesterday, I assigned a paper to each of the older kids. We based the paper on this writing evaluation. The expository prompt that I gave was, "Do you like being homeschooled? Why or why not?" By definition, expository writing is:

• A setting forth of meaning or intent.
• A statement or rhetorical discourse intended to give information about or an explanation of difficult material.
• The art or technique of composing such discourses.

While I don't normally "grade" papers, I've found that the kids respond much better to receiving some kind of evaluation of their work rather than self-evaluation or simply being told that they "did well." For this expository writing, I will grade it on the same six-point scoring system that was used for the original project.

Bard went right to her paper, beginning with a proper outline.

Houdin balked, cried and gave many suggestions for alternatives.

Here's my problem:

We have come to terms that Houdin would be, in a public school setting, labeled with Attention Deficit Disorder. Since we homeschool, his learning can be tailored to his abilities. At the same time, I believe that, in a home learning setting, he can receive the amount of attention and assistance he needs to receive. Sometimes, however, it's just about impossible to deal with him.

I've been wondering if I could have him learn with another homeschooling family for a while, or if I could find a tutor for him. We just seem to clash so wildly.

Any suggestions?

If they were in public school, or, typical course of study...

Typical Course of Study

Bard has been asking what she'd be learning if she were in a public or private school setting. I came upon several resources that were very helpful in gauging their progress, if progress is gauged by the public school guidelines. ;-)

Others I found helpful were:

Ninth Grade Language Arts Checklist
"These are the skills and content knowledge required of all ninth grade language arts students in the State of Ohio."

Recommended reading list for 9th and 10th grade students

What Your Child Needs to Know, Grade 9 Math Guidelines
This site also offers activities based on Family Math

This was especially enlightening. From the website:

"Eighth graders respond to an expository prompt. The purpose of expository writing is to explain, clarify, or provide the reader with information. Well-written exposition has a clear, central focus developed through a carefully crafted presentation of examples or definitions that enhance the reader's understanding. Papers are scored holistically using a six-point scoring rubric."

On the bottom of the page, you will see a table that says "2002-2003 Anchor Set - Grade 8." These are sample essays of eighth graders in the Tennessee public school system. A score of 1 is the lowest, 6 the highest.

Confessions of a Barmy Blogger

My oldest daughter, Bard, has created a blog. On it, she confesses that she was once horrible and torturous to her babysitters. Well, it's not a confession, really...it's more of a plea for forgiveness.

The Barmy Blogger:

"Why am I publishing this on the World Wide Web? Because I feel like it. And I haven't told anyone, and it's about to make my head spontaneously combust (although it wouldn't be spontaneous, because it's caused by *something*), or cause me to lose what little sanity I still claim to be my own.

Which is really only enough to make adults think I have a good head on my shoulders. If they are only around for a little while.

And I only do that so any fomer babysitters of mine might hear about how I've changed since they knew me.

I really have. I was just plain evil when I was little. Now I'm slightly...

Well, I think you've probably figured that out by now.

Babysitters, I promise I've changed. I haven't locked anyone in a bathroom for years. Or screamed. Or thrown anything. I'm really quite timid, Just give me a laptop and some food, and I'm happy.

I don't even really need the food. Or a laptop, even. Just something with an internet connection hooked up. And sound, for when I want to watch Potter Puppet Pals, or some other toon. Just forgive me.

Please?"

Eliminate This!

I was reading Carol's Storybook where she wrote:

"I would like to eliminate the following words from my vocabulary:
1. mess
2. NOW! (as in you do this NOW!)
3. I'm tired.
4. Shut up!
5. Just a minute.
What are some words that you wish you would never say?"

1. crazy (as in "you are driving me crazy")
2. nervous breakdown (as in "I'm going to have a nervous breakdown")
3. losing my mind (as in "I think I'm about to lose my mind")
4. Oh. My. Gosh. (as in "Oh. My. Gosh. You are driving me crazy and I think I'm about to lose my mind")
5. I've had enough (as in, "I've had enough, and I think I'm going to have a nervous breakdown")

*before I get e-mails telling me that our lives are dictated by our words, I have to remind you that this is a list of words I *want* to eliminate from my vocabulary, not words I aspire to use more often.

Makes Sense...or not

Monet: I can't wait 'til we're rich.

Me (looking around at all of the housework that needs done and the kids who aren't doing any): Um...we can't get rich if we're lazy.

Monet: Oh. Well, we should hire some servants, then.

I grab a pencil

Monet: Why are you writing that down?

Bard: Because she's going to blog it and make people think you're really stupid.

Bubble and Squeak

I always wondered what Bubble and Squeak was...now I know. I think I have a new favorite food...

CookingByNumbers.com: "Get C00king!
Bubble and Squeak - Serves 4

Ingredients
25g/ 1oz Butter
250/9ozg leftover vegetables Vegetables
450g/ 16oz Potatoes

Method
method: 1. Cook and mash the potatoes.


2. Mix the potatoes and the cooked veg together. Season generously with salt and pepper.


3. Form into little burger shapes and fry in the butter over a medium heat until browned then flip and do the same to the other side."

CookingByNumbers.com

CookingByNumbers.com

I'm sure there are other sites where you can list the things you have in your fridge and it will tell you what you can make, but I wanted to share this one because I think this guy's verbage is a hoot. :-)

In his recipe for "filled baked potatoes," he gives the following directions:

1. Wash the potato to remove any mud etc. Prick with a fork and impale on a skewer.

2. Cook in a hot oven at 210*C for about an hour. It is cooked when the skin is crisp and the potato is creamy inside.

3. Cut in half and add a knob of butter.

4. The potato with any filling you like. A few sugestions are: Baked beans and cheese, sour cream and chives, chilli, salad cream and salad.

I'd never thought of using words like "mud," "impale," and "knob" when cooking. ;-)

Check it out. His recipes actually look kind of fun and some are simple for kids. And if you go to this part of the site, he gives pictorials of different kitchen skills like chopping an onion, peeling a tomato, cooking rice and couscous, and making a white sauce.

The site's a little squirley (I entered that I had potatoes, and it gave me recipes for potatoes, but it said I was missing a key ingredient...potatoes), but I just like reading the recipes to see him use words like "give it a go" and "smashing taste sensation." It just conjurs up images of Hugh Grant in the kitchen. ;-)

Hind's Feet: 09/19/2004 - 09/25/2004

Hind's Feet: 09/19/2004 - 09/25/2004: "Verses for home schools..
'May my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distil as the dew, as the gentle rain upon the tender grass, and as the showers upon the herb.' - Deuteronomy 32:2"

testing

A Verse for Learning

Thank you, Hind's Feet, for this verse:

'May my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distil as the dew, as the gentle rain upon the tender grass, and as the showers upon the herb.' - Deuteronomy 32:2

A Date with a Bohemian

Here I am, blogging along, minding my own business, when who should darken my door but...my HUSBAND! What on earth is HE doing here?

I mean, yeah, he lives here and all, but he's home two hours early and I haven't...well, I haven't done much of anything, really.

Okay, that's actually not true. I Freecycled for an almost-new set of box springs so that I don't have to sleep six inches lower than Bo. And, will wonders never cease, this amazing man of mine is home not just on time, but EARLY so we can take a trip to the Big City to pick up my new find.

Here's the truth: sometimes you get really crappy stuff on Freecycle. I'm not even exaggerating. I seriously mean that it's crappy. As in, covered in crap. I freecycled for a recliner and my dad swore someone must have died in it. It took him three hours to hose it down. Yes, I did say hose it down. Now it's a nice chair. It just had a crappy job.

So when you're heading to some stranger's house to pick up something for free without even seeing it first, yes, of course, there's risk involved. But it's FREE, see. So, if it's truly beyond-repair-crappy, it can go to the landfill. Some would argue that you could Freecycle it again, but that's just cruel.

I've picked up some great thing through Freecycle! Really! I LOVE my Freecycled couch. It's the same couch that's in the banner above. We have a way-cool piano that we Freecycled. I have an awesome working second refrigerator. Freecycled. Lewis, our black lab brat (also in the banner above)--Freecycled.

My Awesome, Comfy, Freecycled Sofa

So it's a hit and miss thing, really. And I think you can get a vibe from someone's post, too. Okay, my prejudice is showing, but I do appreciate an attempt at good grammar and at least a modicum of properly spelled words (don't check my entries for grammar errors--they're all stream of consciousness, so cut me some slack. And did I spell "modicum" right?).

Since we're on the budget dating system, leaving the kids with Papa and Bard, a hop in the pickup truck to freecycle a set of box springs (box springs...is/are that/they plural??) and a shared dinner out is about it for the budget. That, and a 69 cent DVD rental.

That was the plan.

Don't you just love it when the plan actually works?

The box spring/s was/were awesome, I was able to talk Bohemian into a stop at the pet shop where I only broke down enough to buy crickets for One-Eyed Wilma my free-range chameleon and a hermit crab for Sweetheart. Don't ask me why little miss Tu-Tu wants a hermit crab. She just does.

And then we actually ate dinner together. The only interruption was the Red Sox/Yankees game and a very attentive server.

Then home for unloading the box spring/s, blogging, playing with Hermit (what else would a five-year-old name her hermit crab?), prayers for the kids, and, finally, at 1:00 AM, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

Actually, that wasn't the final part of the date. After the movie, we both lay in bed talking until I could no longer keep my eyes open. When the time between Bo's questions and my answers grew to 45 seconds, and my answers began to have nothing to do with his questions, he let me sleep.

That was my date with Bohemian, the love of my life.

Scrabble Chaos

We just finished playing Scrabble with modifications. Any word counts, including names and slang, you can trade tiles with any player, and younger players don't have to play off of an existing word.

It took forever.

Sweetheart quit because she couldn't spell her name yet again, Monet took forever, and Baby wanted to nurse or blow her nose every 45 seconds. I finally had to modify the modifications. After one minute, you forfeit your turn.

I have to go now. Baby is screaming to nurse (it's naptime...and she could probably use one, too) and there's pink lipstick on my keyboard, thanks to Sweetheart.

Okay, I take it back...

Here are the things I've done today:

FreeCycled for a brand-new, in-the-box, desktop 3-gallon aquarium which will be a Christmas gift.

Saw Bard and Bohemian off--him to work, her to choral practice.

Had a long talk with Houdin about how his brain functions and how he and I could learn to get along better.

Made my bed.

Cared for all of my animals.

Spent time working on finger-training one of our budgies.

Read the mail.

Nursed Baby all day long every 45 seconds.

Getting Nothing Done

There's not much more to say about it than that. Baby's got a cold, the house is quiet (though I'm not sure why...the kids are all still here--aren't they???) and I can't seem to leave my bedroom.

So, aside from nursing Baby every 45 seconds and reading blogs, I'm really getting nothing done.

dooce: I want my baby back, baby back, baby back

dooce: I want my baby back, baby back, baby back: "When you?re childless and young and hopeful you have this idea of what your children are going to be like, and you make mental notes when you see other kids in public. You say to yourself, ?My kid will be cute like that,? or ?My kid won?t ever throw a tantrum in public like that little demon.? I had always envisioned a sweet little princess who looked just like me sitting quietly in a high chair, her pressed velvet petticoat creased perfectly as she sat and waited to be handed things in a timely manner. And then you grow up and have kids and realize that YOU HAVE NO SAY, and the only clean thing she can wear is that over-sized red shirt that she will smear pears on before you leave the house, and that demon you once witnessed looks more and more human in hindsight."

How Crunchy Are You?

"So you think you're crunchy? Well, how crunchy are you?"

The crunchy factor indicates how much of a natural mama you are--you know, crunchy,
like a "granola girl." :-) Take this fun little quiz, and then see my score below!

Do you have homebirths?
15 points for “yes” (unassisted)
10 points for “yes” (with a midwife in attendance)
5 points for alternative birthing center
2 points for “thinking about/would like homebirth”
0 for “no” (wouldn’t consider it).

Will you circumcise future sons?
5 points for “no”
-5 points for “yes”.

Do you use cloth diapers?
20 point if you do Elimination Communication (no diapers)
15 points if “yes” (wash and make your own)
10 points if “yes” (wash your own)
5 points if “yes” (diaper service)
2 points if “thinking about it”
0 points if “no” (wouldn’t consider it).

Do you observe your fertility signals using Natural Family
Planning/Fertility Awareness and use that for birth control/trying to conceive?
10 points for “yes” (observe and use for birth control/ttc) or you use ecological
breastfeeding/lactational amnorrhea
5 points for “yes” (observe for trying to conceive)
2 points “thinking about it”
0 points for “no” (wouldn’t consider it).

Do you breastfeed exclusively for the first 6+ months?
10 points if “yes”
5 points for “no” (use occasional bottles of expressed breastmilk)
2 points for “no” (use occasional bottles of formula)
0 for “no” (don’t breastfeed by choice).

Do you co-sleep/family bed?
10 points for “yes” (all night every night)
5 points for “yes” (part/all of most nights)
2 points for “thinking about it”
0 points for “no”.

Do you use a sling/soft carrier?
5 points for “yes”
2 points for “thinking about it”
0 points for “no” (wouldn’t consider it).

Do you believe in/practice child-led weaning
(even if that means breastfeeding for several years)?
15 points for “yes” (complete child-led weaning)
10 points for “yes” (up to 3 years)
5 points for “yes” (up to 2 years)
2 points for “thinking about it”
0 points for “no” (you’ll wean the baby at 1 year or earlier).

Do you tandem nurse/nurse during your pregnancy?
10 points for “yes” (nurse during pgcy and tandem nurse)
5 points for “yes” (nurse during pgcy, but wean before birth)
2 points for “thinking about it”
0 points for “no”(wouldn’t consider it).

Do you eat organic/whole/natural foods and limit your meat?
15 points for “yes” (grow own/buy organic, shop only at health food store,
grind own wheat, vegetarian, etc.)
10 points for “yes” (grow some of own food, buy organic,
use whole wheat flour, bake own bread, eat some meat occasionally)
5 points for “yes” (try to buy natural, whole grain foods, etc.)
2 points for “thinking about it”
0 points for “no” (wouldn’t consider it).

Do you use herbal/homeopathic remedies?
10 points if “yes” (very rarely see a regular doctor)
5 points if “yes” (but use a doctor occasionally)
2 points if “thinking about it” (see a doc for now)
0 points for “no” (wouldn’t consider it).

Do you homeschool?
10 points if “yes” (currently homeschool)
5 points for “yes” (will homeschool)
2 points for “thinking about it”
0 points for “no” (wouldn’t consider it).

What's your take on childhood vaccinations?
15 points for no vaccines
10 for delayed, selective vaccination
5 points for selective, on schedule vaccination
2 points for thinking about not vaccinating
0 points for vaxing on schedule.

Would you/have you ever breastfeed/fed someone else's baby
or have someone else bf your child?
10 points if yes (have or someone has bf your baby)
5 points if yes (would)
2 points if maybe 0 if no (wouldn't consider it).

Do you use cloth/re-usable products for mom?
10 points if yes (make own)
5 points if yes (buy own)
2 points if thinking about it
0 points if no.

Ratings
120 – 140 Super Nutty, Ultra-Crunchy Granola Earth Mama
90 – 119 Mmm! Love that whole-grain crunch!
60 – 89 Pretty Crispy
20 – 59 Sprinkled with Granola
5 – 19 Instant Oatmeal
0 - 4 Jell-O

I scored 132--Super Nutty, Ultra-Crunchy Granola Earth Mama . :-) My "low score" (the highest you could score was 140) came from diapers (don't currently use cloth, though I have in the past), tandem nursing (never had that situation arise), and I use cloth pads exclusively, but I don't make them (never learned to sew).

This was so funny, because I've been doing most of this on my own since my babies were born and had the inclination to do such things before my babies were born, just because it "felt right," but I've never really had a support system with any of it except for my MIL (Thank you, K!). I never really knew that there was a definition for a person who did all these things...and now I'm crunchy!

For instance, I decided to homeschool my future children when I was in high school, which was in the mid-eighties. At that time, I read an article about homeschooling and how a California family was being taken to task for truancy because they were teaching their children at home. When I read that article, I knew that I would let my children learn at home.

As for cloth pads...again, they just feel right. I love the Luna Pads, especially the organic cotton ones. Bard uses them, too.

We do try to grow our own organic foods, but this summer, with building the house, I just didn't have the time or energy for a garden. I really missed it, though. We used to order almost all of our food from FORC (which is now United or Northeast or something) but it just got so expensive. We do drink raw milk when possible (about 60% of the time) and have a local source for it, and we drink goat milk when our goats are freshened.

As for NFP, Bohemian and I are certified instructors. :-) This, again, came from information from my MIL, and we've been using fertility awareness for 13 years now, both to achieve and avoid pregnancy. A friend of mine, Merryl Winstein, wrote the most bestest ever book on Fertility Awareness called Your Fertility Signals. It's so easy to understand and very well-written. Also, there's a fantastic site now called Ovusoft which is a co-project of Toni Weschler, author of Taking Charge of Your Fertility. She and a team of people have created a software program called TCOYF which helps to track your fertility based on the signals outlined in Weschler's book. The amazing thing to me, however, is the wealth of information on the site! There are hundreds of fertility charts from women in all different phases and situations with their fertility as well as thousands of posts in the online community! When I first began searching for information about NFP, there was NOTHING available. We actually had to seek out a nun to teach us NFP, and then we went and taught everyone who wouldn't tell us to go away (and several did). :-) Now, with sites like Ovusoft, there is a TON of support!

Now, about the diapers...what the heck is Elimination Communication??? I'll have to research this one!

Amazing...I finally got a high score on a test for which I didn't study. ;-)