What *WAS* I thinking?

I *AM* spending the day cooking and cleaning and preparing. Sheesh!

Thank You

Today is Thanksgiving.

So often, I spend Thanksgiving day cooking and cleaning, preparing or traveling. While that can be fun and, at least in retrospect, is rewarding, while I'm in it, I often feel overwhelmed, overworked and overspent.

But there is always some shining moment in the day, like a baby girl devouring a great big turkey drumstick. Or the kids putting on a Thanksgiving presentation, with Bard reciting a poem by Jack Prelutsky and Houdin dressed like an indian, his face covered in orange Mary Kay foundation (who would actually WANT to be that color???) Or my father-in-law waking us up before the sun even rises to go on a Turkey Walk by strolling through the house at some non-human hour making some non-human noise that's supposed to sound like a turkey gobbling.

This morning, while I was snuggled cozily in my bed after a crazy night of eating individually holiday-wrapped Reese's Cups and watching Shrek 2, the last thing on my mind was waking up. And then, at some non-human hour, the phone rang. It was so early that the sun had just peaked over the frosty hillside. With my sleepy head pressed against the phone receiver, hoping I had the right end to my ear, I could hear that non-human noise.

"Gobblegobblegobblegobblegobble. Gobblegobblegobblegobblegobble."

It's Thanksgiving. And even though our budget or our work schedule can't handle a trip to Illinois to spend the weekend with the rest of our family, my father-in-law, God bless him, has brought a piece of it here.

Today, we'll be pulling our Christmas decorations out of the fruit cellar, taking down the fall foliage that remains from our Family Gathering, and preparing for our Thanksgiving meal, which will be on Saturday this year so that another family whose budget is a bit tight--and whose man-of-the-house will be working today--will be able to join us for in breaking bread and giving thanks.

While my heart longs to be with the rest of my family (it's my husband's family, yes, but it's the only family that I have and couldn't ask for a better one), I'll thank God for my husband and kids, and I'll thank God for His many blessings. Yes, it's easy to complain about the budget, the work schedule, the preparing, the cleaning or the traveling (or, as this year, the lack thereof), but I know that it's more lovely to give thanks.

On this day, I thank God for family, for love, for forgiveness, for eternity, for God's salvation, for His perfect timing, for free will, and for the chance to start a new life with every single moment.

Thank you for reading. Thanks for the inspiration you give me. Thank you for your insight and your wisdom and your companionship. Thank God for you.

Have a truly thankful day.

You Are Mashed Potatoes

Oridnary, comforting, and more than a little predictable You're the glue that holds everyone together.

What Part of Thanksgiving Are You?

I'm so cool, too bad I'm a loser...

The Barmy Blogger: Oh it's Saturday, it's Saturday, a hun-hun-honey and a ha-cha-cha!: "I'm probably dying. Prob'ly (I love typing it like that) no one will even come to my funeral.Or maybe everyone will come, just like the people did for Tom and Huck and Joe. They'll all realize how great I was, and how they didn't appreciate me. Why, just today my own mother and father ignored me.Man, if my being tired doesn't get me killed, that last comment will. It's been a good life, anyway. "

I'm probably boring. Prob'ly, no one will even come to my blog. Or maybe everyone will come, just like the people did for Bard's Blog. They'll all realize how great I was, and how they didn't appreciate me. Why, just today my own daughter ignored me.

Man, if my being a loser doesn't get my blog rolling, that last comment will. It's been a good blog, anyway.

The Very, Very Pitiful Mom

Who's behind?

That would be me. I'm falling far behind on my NaNo, according to my little NaNometer. Sigh. I'm losing my momentum. There is still plenty to say...much, much more to say.

File Under: Something You Should Never Have to Say

"The cat does not need it's butt wiped."

Stream of Consciousness About the Trip to the Art Museum

• The impressionist paintings were awesome.
• I could stare at a Van Gogh all day.
• I think Van Gogh is my favorite. Along with Mary Cassatt.
• I couldn't believe that I was standing in front of Water Lillies.
• Some art is really bizarre.
• I'm not sure why a wax leg with real human hair sticking out of the wall is considered "art."
• I signed the guest book with a nice, long story.
• The art presenter didn't know anything about homeschoolers.
• The kids recognized a bunch of art.
• We saw an Andy Warhol.
• We saw Picassos.
• We saw a work by Chuck Close.
• There was a really awesome one there called Lot's Wife.
• They had good food in the cafe.
• Food in the cafe is expensive.
• It's expensive to park at the art museum.
• Monet hit one of the other girls while we were in the room of ancient artifacts.
• Monet apologized, but he refused to move because he "wanted to be alone."
• We ended up leaving because of it.
• I missed looking at some of the cool stuff, because of Monet's temper, Houdin's moodiness and Bard's insatiable curiosity (read: I couldn't find her).
• Sweetheart and Baby were darlings.
• I want to go back.

I'm a Princess

I'm sure it's no big surprise to you that your
romance is The Princess Bride. A heartwarming
tale of "Twue Wuve" that has giants,
Spainards and swashbuckling. You really do
think that love can overcome anything. You may
be a touch naive but your heart is certainly in
the right place. You've probably got one of
those relationships where proper nouns have
been replaced with "Snookums" and
"Pookie Pie". Eww. Beware a cuteness
overload.

What Romance Movie Best Represents Your Love Life?
brought to you by

Stream of Consciousness About NaNoWriMo

Finding the time to write is hard.
I started with one concept, and gave it up because I really felt I needed to pursue a different path.
I can't believe where it has taken me.
Somehow, the adventure has been life-changing.
So many things have happened in these past fourteen days.
Of course, I've been neglecting my blog, but that doesn't mean I don't love it.
Be patient with me, little blog! I hope you don't worry that I'm seeing other blogs. You have a very special place in my heart, and I'll come back to you. I promise.
NaNo is almost half way over.
I'm not quite at my word count.
When I do sit down to write, it's difficult to begin.
Once I get started, the words just flow.
I can usually do about 3,000 in one sitting.
Bard is doing NaNo, too. Her regular blog is here. Her NaNo blog is here.
Because I'm writing about my own experiences, I have a hard time determining which are interesting because they're interesting, and which are just interesting to me. Feel free to go over there and be my critic. But don't make me cry. Yet. Let me get the whole thing hammered out first. Then you can make me cry. I've been crying enough lately...
I haven't really been reading other people's blogs or nanos lately. I'm trying to stay focused.
Bohemian has been a wonderful support system. I just wish The Baby would go to him more. She's very attached to me.
Because I've been working at the local cheesehouse through the week, part time, just through Christmas, it's been difficult to keep the house clean *and* get the NaNo done. Bard has been a very great help with this. Thank you, my dear eldest daughter!
It's time to go write.

Why I Haven't Been Writing...

I have a good reason. Really. I haven't been writing because...well, because I've been writing.

It's NaNoWriMo time. And it's almost half over.

So, if you want to know what's been on my mind, you can check it out. I'd love some feedback.

http://experiencepossessed.blogspot.com

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."