The Thomas Institute

Win a Computer Programming Course from Homeschool Programming and Freely educate

2011-07-27T23:34:00.000-07:00

Using KidCoder and TeenCoder, students in grades 4th-12th learn Windows and Game Programming using industry-standard Visual Basic and C# languages. The self-study courses may be completed by your student at his/her pace. All courses come with fully coded activity solutions; no teacher expertise required. Each course includes a perfect-bound 8.5 x 11" textbook and enclosed CD with professional setup program.

Freely Educate is giving away two copies of either KidCoder or TeenCoder. They look like really great courses for budding programmers or kids who just want to do more with their computers. Check out Homeschool Programming for more info on these curriculum!

Christmas Card Repurposed into Small Collage

2011-01-30T20:07:00.000-08:00

Elegant Pearl Christmas Card

For hundreds of Christmas card designs, click here.

View the entire collection of cards.

Darling Personalized Signs Giveaway

2010-09-23T19:42:00.000-07:00

I Sound Like My Mother is giving away a personalized sign donated by Signs by LC. Go and comment for your chance to win--after all, it's nearing the end of September and therefore not too early to begin thinking of Christmas gifts!

Great Giveaway from UPrinting and Freely Educate

2010-08-27T06:53:00.000-07:00

Freely Educate is a great blog you should already know about! Every day there are links to wonderful, free educational sites.
Today, Freely Educate has a giveaway of free large canvas prints from UPrinting, which could be used for a favorite photo, but also "would also be fabulous in the school room, if you printed copyright-free maps, for example (think colorful Old World maps!), classical artwork or old documents, such as the Declaration of Independence."
This post gets me another chance to win. Maybe you will, too!

The Field Guide to Homeschoolers

2009-06-10T21:00:00.000-07:00

Dana is hosting this week's Carnival of Homeschooling
<http://principleddiscovery.com/2009/06/09/field-guide-homeschoolers/>
at Principled Discovery <http://principleddiscovery.com/>. She did an
excellent job--go and check it out!

Half Price Books Summer Reading

2009-05-29T08:13:00.000-07:00

How kids 12 and under can participate:
Download Reading Log1. Get a Feed Your Brain Reading Log
<http://www.halfpricebooks.com/pdf/FYB09/generic-log-C.pdf> at Half
Price Books.
2. Check off each day for five days that they read for 15 minutes or more.
3. Fill out a reading log, and have a parent or guardian sign it.
4. Bring the completed and signed log to Half Price Books.
5. Get a Feed Your Brain Reading Reward: $3 Shopping Card at Half Price
Books.
6. Repeat steps 1 through 5 every week through Friday, July 31, 2009.

B & N Summer Reading

2009-05-28T23:00:00.000-07:00

I was in Barnes & Noble earlier today and got information on their
summer reading club. Elementary school aged kids read any eight books,
fill out a form and get a free book. They can do that twice. The form
requires a sentence on what they liked best about the book and the list
of free books is limited, but broadly appealing.

Mu Eta Sigma National Math Honor Society is Born

2009-03-05T20:16:00.001-08:00

/From my email inbox:/
...Setting out to find an organization that would recognize our mathematically accomplished homeschooled high schoolers, we contacted the most prominent national math honor society available to high school students. The organization subsequently replied that it was limited to only those students that were associated with a high school or a 2 year college. Rather than become frustrated that there was no place for homeschooled students to go, Mu Eta Sigma was born. As parents of home schooled high school students, we now have a National Math Honor Society, specifically for those students that deserve mathematical merit.

The Road Less Traveled

It would have been easy to become discouraged when we found no option to join the most well known national math honor society. But as homeschoolers experience every day, cutting a new path is more rewarding. We hope by sharing our newest endeavor with you, that you will check out www.mathhonorsociety.com and consider membership for your mathematically inclined student. When we band together as homeschoolers to acknowledge the skills God has given us, and go into the
community to serve others with these skills as well, we will all be better for it....

Pinewood Derby Results

2009-01-22T08:21:00.000-08:00

I had my Pinewood Derby yesterday, and I won third place in the Bears, for fastest! And I won a ribbon for participating in the race. Here's a picture of my Pinewood Derby car. I called it the Running Dinosaur because, well, it has pictures of running dinosaurs on the side. And another reason why, is because, after the race I was confident in that name because the Running Dinosaur won first place in some of the Bear races, two times in a row. That's how I was able to make third place for fastest in all the Bears. And I'm proud of that!
Dictated by Thomas.

Note from Me: All the boys in our Cub Scout den won an award of some kind! I love it when that happens!

101 ways to add spice to your homeschooling

2009-01-05T22:10:00.000-08:00

Maria Miller, the author of the Math Mammoth series, sends out a free newsletter. The most recent one links to Mosaic, a free curriculum.

Perusing the site, I came across a list of 101 ways to spice up your homeschooling.

Thomas' Cake

2008-11-19T20:46:00.000-08:00

Last night was the annual Cake Bake pack meeting, where the Cub Scouts are to make and decorate their own cakes. The theme was "Down on the Farm" and everything has to be edible. Thomas chose a picture that he had taken at an old tractor meet. Then we went to Kroger and had their cake decorator print the photo out on edible paper, with edible ink. He took it home and put it on the cake and added the other decoration. It drew a lot of attention, but didn't win anything.

Thomas just wanted to get it home to have a piece!

Obama Bumper Stickers

2008-10-21T09:20:00.000-07:00

These are the bumper stickers on my car. I have to say, I'm pretty
proud of them (I did write them myself).
And the best part is, the car hasn't been keyed yet!

Don't forget: Vote early, vote often!
Karen

Taxes, Explained

2008-10-14T21:15:00.000-07:00

/Suppose that every day, the same ten men go out for beer and the bill
for all ten comes to $100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our
taxes, it would go something like this:

The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3.
The seventh would pay $7.
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.

The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.
So, that's what they decided to do.

The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the
arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve. 'Since you are
all such good customers,' he said, 'I'm going to reduce the cost of your
daily beer by $20.' Drinks for the ten now cost just $80.

The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so the
first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But
what about the other six men - the paying customers? How could they
divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his 'fair share?'
They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted
that from everybody's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would
each end up being paid to drink his beer. So, the bar owner suggested
that it would be fair to reduce each man's bill by roughly the same
amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.

And so:

The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings).
The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28%savings).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% saving s).

Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued
to drink for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to
compare their savings.

'I only got a dollar out of the $20,' declared the sixth man. He pointed
to the tenth man, 'but he got $10'.

'Yeah, that's right, exclaimed the fifth man. 'I only saved a dollar,
too. It's unfair that he got ten times more than I got'

'That's true' shouted the seventh man. 'Why should he get $10 back when
I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!'

'Wait a minute,' yelled the first four men in unison. 'We didn't get
anything at all. The system exploits the poor!'

The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up. (Or they call in
President Obama's tax plan to beat him up--added by Karen.)

The next night the tenth man didn't show up for drinks so the nine sat
down and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill,
they discovered something important - they didn't have enough money
between all of them for even half of the bill!

And that, ladies and gentlemen, journalists and college professors, is
how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the
most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for
being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they
might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

>From http://weekendpundit.org/2008/09/how-our-tax-system-works.html
by way of
http://whyhomeschool.blogspot.com/2008/10/how-to-explain-current-us-tax-system-to.html

Wondering about the Bail Out and the Crisis?

2008-10-01T09:47:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends and Family,
If you read or listen to the experts you will certianly be confused
about the current economic crisis--whether it is one or not, and what to
do about it if it is.
Recently, I came across a graph that shows that it will be 2011 before
all of the ARM loans reset
<http://www.econbrowser.com/archives/2007/10/distressing_pic_1.html>--which
means that we will continue to have very high rates of defaults and
foreclosures--which is at the core of the crisis. So, why is Congress
talking about giving billions to the banks, while slipping in as many
pork barrel projects as they think they can get away with? Why isn't
Congress instead talking about simple, understandable ways to prevent
the defaults?
Please go here and look at Dave Ramsey's very simple 3 step plan
<http://www.daveramsey.com/etc/fed_bailout/3_steps_to_change_the_nations_future_10928.htmlc?ictid=sml>
that would help solve this crisis without being a Wall Street bailout.
If you agree, there are links to email your Congressmen and women.
Sincerely,
Karen

Our PA Vacation Digs

2008-09-11T21:08:00.000-07:00

We stayed at a campground called Countryside Family Campground that was the kind of place that people from New Jersey have been coming to over Labor Day weekend for decades. One night there was a flashlight candy hunt, another there was karaoke.
The first picture is of the 5th wheel that we stayed in. Beautiful, wooded surroundings.

The second shows the "living room" of the 5th wheel.

The third show Rudy, Gerry, the owner, and Thomas all fishing in the pond for the flashlight that Thomas dropped into it just as we were to leave.

Our PA Vacation--Part 3, Con't

2008-09-11T20:53:00.000-07:00

We only had a short time to see the museum, then we got on a steam train for a short excursion to the town of Moscow. Gerry and I had ridden this same excursion ten years ago on our honeymoon.
"Phoebe Snow" and entourage was also on the train with us (first picture) as were Gerry's parents.

That's three generations of Stuteville boys in the second picture.

After the excursion ride was Thomas' big moment--he was one of the last handful of people let into the Big Boy's cab (third picture). We found out later that you don't normally get to do that. But we had planned our trip for Railfest and this was one of their special events for that.

Our PA Vacation--Part 3

2008-09-11T20:51:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, we went into Scranton to Steamtown, a train museum. This was the day Thomas had been waiting for, for months now--you see, there is a Big Boy at Steamtown.

Our PA Vacation--Part 2

2008-09-11T10:57:00.000-07:00

On Friday, we drove from Columbus, Ohio up to Cleveland and then east across PA to the Scranton area, where we were staying. Interstate 80 across the middle of PA is very rural. I had this stereotype of the NE being so much more densely popluated than I saw traveling this route. I found it amusing to note how even highway off-ramps are named after people in PA.
This picture is, I believe, of the Ohio River.

Our PA Vacation--part 1

2008-09-11T10:44:00.000-07:00

We had such a great vacation I thought I'd share an overview and some highlights.

On Wednesday, Gerry worked most of the day, but we left home about 5 and drove to Little Rock, Ark. On Thursday, we drove from Little Rock to Columbus, Ohio. On the way, we stopped at a tourist info center in Tennessee that housed the West Tenn Cotton Museum and the sharecropper's shack that was home to the Blues artist Sleepy John Estes.

A Really Good Movie

2008-07-11T09:06:00.000-07:00

Recently, I watched the film "Mr. Magorium's Magic Emporium," which
stars Dustin Hoffman, Natalie Portman, and Jason Bateman. It was the
best movie I have seen in years! It's rated G and there's lots of
reasons for kids to enjoy it, but adults will love it, too. Dustin
Hoffman is just perfect in it. The little boy is absolutely perfect.
The message is lovely--about the magic that happens when you believe in
yourself--and, oh joy!, there's no parent/family bashing!
Thomas's review of the movie: it was "hilarious and tragic."
Show Hollyweird there's a market for movies that are not full of sex and
violence. Watch this movie. Buy this movie. You'll be glad you did.

Popular Draw Write Now is Half Off

2008-06-24T11:21:00.000-07:00

Draw Write Now Boxed Set

Save money by purchasing the Draw Write Now series as a boxed set. You'll receive all eight award-winning books with 168 drawing lessons in a beautifully illustrated, sturdy library case. This boxed set is a wonderful addition to your family or classroom library. It`s a great gift item, too!

This is a limited time offer! Be sure to act now so you don't miss this one-time opportunity.

Special Offer $48.00 - Save 50% Retail Price $95.99

Click here to order.

Book Peddler Has Draw Write Now Half Off!

2008-06-24T10:38:00.000-07:00

Draw Write Now Boxed Set

This is a limited time offer! Be sure to act now so you don't miss this one-time opportunity.

Special Offer $48.00 - Save 50% Retail Price $95.99

Click here to order.

Congratulate Us!

2008-06-08T08:23:00.001-07:00

I'm a grandma and Thomas is an uncle!

American Revolution Heroines

2008-06-02T12:06:00.000-07:00

I thought those of you with daughters might be interested in this--it's
a site called "Heroines of the Past."
Check out the current newsletter at http://amypuetz.com/hotpJune08.html
for stories of brave girls and women from the American Revolution.

Father's Day Blogging Giving Away

2008-06-02T07:52:00.000-07:00

Jen, at Diary of 1, is hosting a free giveaway just in time for Father's
Day. If a special father in your life loves sports, check out her
giveaway or check out her business and support a fellow homeschooling mom!

http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/06/01/june-random-stuff-blogging-ranching-giving-away/
http://www.teammascot.com/

One new homeschool resource every day--FREE

2008-05-27T09:37:00.000-07:00

http://homeschoolfreebie.wholesomechildhood.com/
This site is by the same people that do the weekly free radio shows at

http://www.homeschoolradioshows.com/
HTH,
Karen

Warning: This Post is a Rant/Vent!, or, Why You Should Have a Will

2008-05-21T19:45:00.000-07:00

I have not been posting because I got so busy and something had to go. Everything's finished for the school year now, so I have some time.

About six weeks ago, my mother's husband died. His son, D, has retained an attorney and is evidently going to sue my mother for what he perceives as his share of the estate. This upsets me for many reasons. In no particular order:

he called up my mother this past weekend to small talk and he had already hired the lawyer. So he didn't have the respect enough to say something to her, adult to adult.
the fact that he hired a lawyer without speaking to her about any kind of settlement of the estate implies that he thinks she intends to cheat him.
his father was a miserable, mean, demanding bast**d on his best days, and during his illness at the end, everyone, including his son, marvelled and wondered at my mother's staying with him. He could not have found anyone at any price to stay with his father if my mother had left.
D's young son is, shall we say, difficult. My mother loved him like her own flesh and blood grandson. I loved him like my own flesh and blood nephew. Evidently, though, keeping people in his son's life who willingly spend time with him isn't that important.
when my mother and D's father got married, my mother had financial assets and he had only debts. Due to my mother's untrained financial genius and the assets that she brought to the marriage, the amount of the estate today is a large sum. Texas law says that the son should get half of what was his father's. But his father didn't have anything on his own, and what he had with my mother was due to my mother's seed money. My mother has hired an attorney of her own, and I think he's a good one, but some of the paperwork required to prove the above is no longer extant. The bank, for instance, doesn't have check copies that far back.
no, there's no will. Anytime my mother brought it up, it caused a scene (see number three above) because he was "going to get better."
my mother is very generous and before she knew that D had hired a lawyer, had mentioned to me an amount of money that she was going to settle on D just because she wanted to and thought it would be right. It was enough money that, I hate to admit, I had several moments of jealousy over. Of course, now that she's been stabbed in the back, she's not feeling so generous. If she's able to find all the documentation, he'll wind up with nothing, or next to it. Even if she can't find all the documentation, she's already found enough to put his "share" below what she was going to give him.

There are a few other details that will make it grossly unfair if D gets very much of my mother's money, but I don't want to go any further. I think I've spewed enough bitter resentment for one day. I feel better getting it out. I've been on the verge of writing up a version of this to send to D--I want him to feel shame!--but I would hate to somehow give him any kind of ammunition.

And just because when it rains it pours; yesterday the water heater went out and today the air conditioner went out.

When 7 Year Olds Talk Politics...

2008-03-28T19:23:00.000-07:00

I was taking Thomas and another boy to a Cub Scout event last night. When we got in the car the radio came on automatically--set to conservative talk radio. The boys picked up on the names of the presidential candidates, which was the topic of discussion. I had to lean over and turn the radio off so that I could hear the following conversation.

Thomas: My mom's a Republican.
J: So's my mom. She's voting for this guy, I don't remember his name, but he's going to lose.
Thomas: My mom voted for John McCain. Lots of people voted for Mike Huckabee (Thomas just likes to say his name! LOL!).
J: My mom voted for (garbled pronunciation of Barack Obama).
Thomas: Well, we're Republicans because it's not the government's job to take money from people to give it to other people.
J: Why are we talking about this?

Bad Firefox, Bad!

2008-03-27T08:12:00.000-07:00

Uuuurrrggghhh!!!!!!!!
Firefox downloaded an update overnight and when I got online this morning found that this so-called "important" update involved wiping out all of my bookmarks and username/password information!
Makes me so mad! If one of those smart guys who wrote the blinking update were sitting here, I'd punch him!

Update: Somehow, even though Firefox had told me it was done with the install, it evidently wasn't. When I went to explain what had happened to Gerry after work, everything was back to normal.

So--nevermind.

St. Patrick’s Day Notebooking Project

2008-03-10T20:42:00.000-07:00

Cover: 2 pieces of green construction paper. Write "My St. Patrick's
Day Notebook" in the middle of one page. Sign it at the bottom.

Read some about Ireland, St. Patrick, and St. Patrick's Day. There is a
very short overview at

http://www.lessonplanspage.com/SSOStPatricksDayHistory2.htm . I printed
the page and we read and discussed the overview. At the part about the
St. Patrick using shamrocks to teach the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, I
stopped and expanded on that.
What does trinity mean?
Who is in the Holy Trinity?
What is associated with each part of the Holy Trinity?
From a 3^rd piece of green construction paper cut out 3 small squares
(about two inches on a side). Then cut hearts out of the squares.
Then fold the hearts in half and on one half of one heart write God, one
a second write Jesus, on the third write Holy Ghost. Glue these down on
the cover page with the title, but put glue only on the unwritten
halves. Put the points together, to make the shamrock shape. Add a
stem with marker.

On the back of the page of printed overview, draw two large, overlapping
circles (a venn diagram). Label one real and one made-up (or use fact
and fiction). Then say the words listed on the overview and ask into
which category it belongs.

Print off the map of Ireland at

http://www.edhelper.com/geography/Ireland_map.htm and then go to the
Wikipedia page for Ireland at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland .
Label the two parts of Ireland and mark and label the two capital
cities. Color the map.

Go to Learning Pages http://www.learningpage.com/free_pages/home.html

(Learning Pages requires a free membership) and print off the Four Leaf
Clover Math at

http://www.learningpage.com/pages/memberpdfs/monthly_sets/spring_fun/luckyleprechauns/LPsf7ll_09.pdf

. Color and cut out the shamrock squares. Turn them face down on the
table, pick up two, and then add and subtract the two numbers. Multiply
and divide, if appropriate. Learning Pages has many other pages for the
notebook. Print what is right for you.

Using the page of contruction paper that you cut squares out of, cut
out a large pocket and glue it (put the glue only on the edges and only
on three sides) to the blank piece of cover page. Slip your shamrock
squares inside and add a title, "Shamrock Math Inside."

Go to Enchanted Learning (has many great activities and notebooks, but
requires a subscrption for most of them) and save letterhead at

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/stpatrick/letterhead/color.shtml

. Then you can insert that image into a Word document and print out as
many copies as you want. Use this page to write or draw the ending to
the following sentences: (choose one or more)
My favorite thing about St. Patrick's Day is
If I caught a leprechaun, I would wish for
St. Patrick's Day is fun, but it also reminds us of the
importance of
Or write your own legend about St. Patrick, leprechauns, or four-leaf
clovers.

Or write a recipe for corned beef, or other Irish specialties. (If you
write the recipe, go ahead and make it, too. Take a photo of the
finished product and glue that to the page. You could also add your
critique of the recipe.) Here's a recipe for Irish Soda Bread:

http://www.dltk-holidays.com/patrick/irish_soda_bread.htm

Have a St. Patrick's Day party. Include photos of the party in your
notebook.

Tonight, My Prayers Are For...

2008-02-28T21:47:00.000-08:00

...C, a vibrant thirty-something young woman, a firefighter, who fell off her horse a couple of weeks ago. She died today.
C was my SIL's best friend--only close friend, really--and even though C's family and friends have known for about a week that this day was coming, that doesn't make it any easier. My heart just breaks for all the people that loved this young woman.

...H, my mother's husband, who has had emphysema for quite a number of years. It is beginning to tighten it's actual stranglehold on his breathing and general health, and it's figurative stranglehold on his and on my mother's lives.
He is having a hard time getting enough oxygen into his body, and was hospitalized a couple of days. He's back home now, with liquid oxygen and home health nurse service. My mother has been shocked by his deterioration. I think she is just barely beginning to see that her life over the next few years is going to be radically different from how she envisaged it.

...great thanks giving for Gerry's newest doctor, who is going to work with him, instead of merely issuing orders. I think she's going to be a blessing to our whole family.

...me to win the lottery (Um, is it okay if I sneak that one in?)....

How I Learned to Love Men

2008-02-21T12:41:00.001-08:00

rabbi-philosopher asks:

Karen, saw your comment in Dr. Helen's Pamaja Media article where you noted you went from being a male-bashing feminist to a supportive of scouts, home school mom.

How'd you make the jump?

The short answer is, I grew up.

The long answer follows. When I was in my early 20's, I was still childish in many ways and clung to that ubiquitous teenage sin of blaming the parents for life being such a hell on earth (as I'm driving the car they gave me to the college that they're paying for, yadda, yadda, yadda!). Then, I proceeded through some terribly demeaning "relationships." Gradually, I grew out of my resentment of my father and began to discover him as a person. I saw what a good and decent man my brother was becoming. He and my father showed me every single day that men were not this monolithic "dog" stereotype of the women comics. I quit pursuing any kind of romantic relationship, because maybe it was me--not Men.

In my 30's, I met the man who would become my husband, and out of "nowhere" came the desire to be a wife and mother and to homeschool. My husband is honorable, smart, funny, generous and can solve any problem with a matchstick and rope, a la MacGyver! LOL! Of course, I wanted my son to have those same qualities!

As I became involved in the homeschooling community, I began to see the books and articles about how feminized our education system has become. I looked back on my years teaching and saw how that's true. I began to see, within the homeschooling community, example after example of girls-only clubs, outings, enrichment opportunities, etc. and wondered where were the boys' options.

At the same time, and intertwined with all the above, I moved intellectually from Left to Right and became a Christian. I turned my back on Feminism, which had taken women and society from "women must be housewives" to "women must never be housewives."

I began reading Instapundit, The Volokh Conspiracy, Samizdata, Dr. Helen, of course, and similar others, and moved philosophically again, from Conservative to libertarian, where I "live" now, always seeking the most personal freedom, the least government interference, and always being fully cognizant of what a freak I am! LOL! And, above, below, throughout--there was 9-11.

So, here I am, 180 degrees from where I was twenty years ago. I used to say that to give a man a gun was to cut his IQ in half. Now, I take Thomas to Cub Scout events so that he can learn how to shoot well.

Does this answer the question? I don't know. I don't feel fully satisfied with what I've written. My Mother has asked me several times how I "made the jump" from Left to Right and I have never been fully satisfied with the answers I have been able to give her.

What do you think?

Thank you for your question, rabbi-philospher, and for taking the time to visit my blog!
Karen

History for the Ears, Today Only

2008-02-18T17:19:00.001-08:00

I have bought radio shows from these people before. Their shipping is quick and the product first rate. This is a homeschool family and this offer is really outstanding. Revolutionary War, Civil War, and World War II stories, plus stories about the Presidents and inventors make this a complete social studies curriculum for the ears!
Karen

Happy President's Day!

Since everybody and their brother has a sale going on today, we decided we would too... only OURS is definitely THE BEST!

So check this out:

http://www.homeschoolradioshows.com

Is that not amazing? FIVE of our classic American History Collections... at just $5.40 each. TOLD you it was the best!

But this is only available TODAY, Monday, February 18th. Time runs out at midnight CST, so do not tarry.

Want Free Health Care? The Prepare to Give Up Your Rights

2008-02-12T07:42:00.000-08:00

You know, of course, that in Canada they have universal health care. They also, evidently, no longer have (or are in the process of losing) any say in end of life decisions. There is a very sad case wending its way through the Canadian courts in which a Jewish family does not want life and feeding support removed from their father, while the doctor and hospital say the family's wishes matter not in the least.

They are even proud of their eugenics-based "morality" as they have gone on TV to explain it. "Bill Olson, counsel for the ICU director, told the Canadian Broadcasting Company that physicians have the sole right to make decisions about treatment — even if it goes against a patient's religious beliefs — and that 'there is no right to a continuation of treatment.'"

If you've been reading here, then you know that I've recently had major surgery. The bills have been pouring in for a couple of weeks now. Even with insurance, the bills are not negligible. Sure, it'd be lovely not to have those bills--just like it'd be lovely to have cake and ice cream without any calories. Seven years ago, I went through major surgery without health insurance. Those bills were even more "not negligible!" You might think I'd be the poster girl for free health care. You'd be wrong.

"The rage for medical rationing in Canada, of which the Golubchuk case is but one example, derives from a desire not to waste resources on low-quality lives."

Why is there some "rage for rationing" of health care? I thought this stuff was called "Universal" health care. Doesn't that mean there's enough to go around? Do you realize we have a real-life example of free universal health care already in this country? Go to a hospital ER room any day of the week. Note how many people are there that should not be (colds, sprains, etc.). Note how long people wait. Note how much attention from staff these people get. Is this the model of health care you'd like instituted throughout the country?

Next time you complain about a medical bill, think about what you'd have to give up not to have that bill. Speedy access? Doctor choice? End of life decisions?

Because It's Super Tuesday, A Prediction

2008-02-05T08:46:00.000-08:00

Obama will be the next President of the United States.

Not that I'm saying this will be a good thing or that it is something I want. I am just saying what will be.

Here's why: the vast majority of the ideological middle of the electorate wants to like someone. They deplore the rancor between the parties. They imagine all we need is another JFK to unite the nation. They don't know or care about the details, they just want a warm fuzzy feeling about the future.

And who are our candidates? Clinton with gigantic negatives. McCain with huge negatives. And that other guy. Then there's Obama. He's a really, really likeable guy. He's got a good sense of humour. He's totally devoid of details and nothing but warm fuzzy feelings. The Kennedy family and the national media are hard-selling the idea that he is the next JFK.

And even though, to his credit, he isn't "playing the race card" the race issue is still there. Personally, I don't believe America is anywhere near as racist as some types would have us believe. And I think that most white Americans think the same. And, taa daa!, here's a way to prove to the Angry Blacks that We Aren't Racists! Look, look! We have a black president! We can't possibly be racist anymore, so will you shut up already?

Another prediction: the Democrats have bungled their opportunity to prove that they are better than the Republicans in the House. Nancy Pelosi, instead of cleaning up the place like she promised, has instead led a feeding frenzy at the Meet the New Boss, Same as the Old Boss Pork Restaurant. I think this combined with a natural American tendency towards contrariness will lead the House back to the Republicans, although narrowly so.

Taken together then, the good news is that Obama will not have a Congress he can work with and there will largely be gridlock at the federal level. That's good news because the more time the President and Congress spend arguing, the less time they have to screw us over!

Hysterectomy Wrap-up and Recommendations

2008-01-31T10:13:00.001-08:00

Well, Monday marked six weeks since the surgery and also marked the day I could officially begin to reclaim real life. Yeah, I can push a shopping cart again!

Anyway, I feel great and am just SO glad I had it done. I have to say that every woman that I spoke to before the surgery said the same thing. I will join that chorus, now, I guess!

I wanted to record here the things that really helped me, in case they can help someone else. Then, I won't talk about it anymore! LOL

1. Number one in terms of importance is the the book The Essential Guide to Hysterectomy. Get this if you are even just beginning to think that maybe one is in your future. Imagine if your best friend was a gynecologist--that's what this book is like!

2. Best in terms of support after the hysterectomy was(is) the forums at HysterSister.com. Yeah, they have advice for before the hysterectomy, but it is not as detailed, is overly-cautious in my view, and the other pre-hyst ladies' hysteria can be dangerously contagious.

3. Remifemin is really helping with the hot flashes.

4. Medical City was a great hospital. I had a private room. They have room service food. The nurses were uniformly excellent. My anesthesiologist called the night before the surgery (!) to introduce himself, talk about my situation, and ask about pain relief.

5. Texas Oncology has been great, too. My oncologist (don't know if he'd want his name mentioned) is a no-nonsense, but compassionate guy and everyone I've met in the office, his nurses, etc. have all been extremely helpful and compassionate as well. Many have had some kind of similar personal experience.

To read all the posts I've written starting from just before I decided to have the hysterectomy, click on the hysterectomy link below.

Welcome to the Oklahoma Gulag...

2008-01-30T08:38:00.000-08:00

...where petitioning the government is a felony, but harassing and lying
about petitioners is officially protected!

This is literally stomach-turning <http://www.freepauljacob.com/the-story/>.

Science Fair Project Book Suggestions...

2008-01-29T19:09:00.000-08:00

...from a retired elementary school librarian.

From a Veteran Public School Teacher

2008-01-29T09:10:00.001-08:00

"Socialization in public schools is often detrimental to the values parents instill at home. Many young mothers discover their children learn to be disobedient while at school. Contrary to what is commonly thought, socialization should actually be a major reason to homeschool."

Free, Simple, Nature Journal Pages

2008-01-28T20:14:00.001-08:00

LivingBooksCurriculum has a two page template you can download and use over and over to make your own Nature Study Journal, and it's free.

While you are there, sign up for Parent's Journal, LBC's newsletter for future freebies.

Free Charlotte's Web Unit Study

2008-01-28T20:01:00.000-08:00

HomeschoolEStore.com has a free Charlotte's Web unit study this week. It's way over two hundred pages, suitable for many ages, and covers every subject imaginable!

While you are there, sign up for their weekly newsletter and get a new freebie every week.

Keywords

2008-01-21T10:33:00.000-08:00

Have you ever heard of Game Giveaway of the Day? It's a site that gives away downloadable games--a different one every day. I would say that most of them are aimed at teens or older, but every once in awhile one will be aimed at younger kids, or be good for pretty much any age.

A couple of days ago, I downloaded Keywords, my first game download from this site. Unfortunately, it's no longer available for free, but you can buy it here. Gerry and I have already become hooked on it, and Thomas likes to play too, although his vocabulary and typing levels limit his ability to play very well.

Basically, you've got scrolling letters and you make words with them. That's the totality of the game. May not sound exciting, and yet, it is so addicting! If you enjoy Scrabble and those kinds of games, you would totally love Keywords!

Townhall Magazine

2008-01-21T10:11:00.000-08:00

Recently, I received the premiere issue of Townhall magazine. Townhall is put out by the people who bring you the online "magazine" at Townhall.com.

Townhall's obviously written for a younger audience than, for instance, National Review. Visually, there's more white space, photos, illustrations, very large print quotes, etc. Contributors include Mary Katherine Ham and Michelle Malkin.

I really enjoyed this issue, but at a 40$ a year rate, it's not a magazine I'm going to subscribe to. However, if you're not as cheap as I am, you might want to consider it!

Qualified

2008-01-18T08:08:00.000-08:00

In a news conference Deanna Favre announced she will be the starting QB for the Packers this coming Sunday. Deanna asserts that she is qualified to be starting QB because she has spent the past 16 years married to Brett while he played QB for the Packers. During this period of time she became familiar with the definition of a corner blitz, and is now completely comfortable with
other terminology of the Packers offense. A survey of Packers fans shows that 50% of those polled supported the move.

This came through one of my email loops, with no attribution. Too funny not to share, though!

More Fred!

2008-01-11T10:51:00.001-08:00

*HUMAN EVENTS Endorses Fred Thompson *
by Human Events

The 2008 presidential election is the most unusual and most important in many years. It's been more than five decades since such a race didn't feature an incumbent President or Vice President. Since World War II, America has not had a presidential election at a time when the stakes were higher. Conservatives have to win this election, and to do so, we have to identify a candidate around whom we all can rally.

We begin by recalling the profound words of Ronald Reagan at the Conservative Political Action Conference Feb. 15, 1975: "A political party cannot be all things to all people. It must represent certain fundamental beliefs which must not be compromised to political expediency or simply to swell its numbers." We believed that then, and we believe it now. The issue for us -- and for the conservative community -- boils down to which of the candidates is most representative of the fundamental conservative principles we believe in. The answer is Fred Thompson.

Follow the link above to read the whole thing. Karen

Fred!

2008-01-11T09:48:00.000-08:00

I'm one of tens of thousands of Americans supporting Sen. Fred Thompson for President. I'd like you to join with me and Fred and all our friends in changing the political landscape in 2008. Senator Thompson has entered the Presidential race, and to show my support I signed on as a "Friend of Fred Thompson." I'm writing to ask you to consider doing the same.

Senator Thompson has been a prosecutor, a Senator, and yes, he's had a couple of movie roles. More importantly, he's exactly what we need right now - a consistent conservative who can unite our nation and help lead us in fixing our problems, not exploiting them for political purposes.

He's plain-spoken and means what he says. On the immigration bill, for example, Fred calls it like he sees it: "No matter how much lipstick Washington tries to slap onto this legislative pig, it's not going to win any beauty contests. We should scrap this "comprehensive" immigration bill until the government can show the American people that we have secured the borders -- or at least made great headway."

On folks in Washington who want to raise our taxes: "They only want to target the rich. They're off target again, just like they were with the alternative minimum tax. Remember, that was supposed to just target the rich. A word of advice to anyone in the middle class - don't stand anywhere near that target."

On leadership: "We're going to have to be more focused, we're going to have to be smarter and we're going to have to be more determined and we're going to have to be more together as a nation than we've ever been before."

Fred is going to do things differently. He wants to focus on returning to our founding principles of self-governance, free markets and the rule of law. Those are ideas we're all invested in - focused on building a stronger, more competitive and innovative America that remains a beacon for the world today and for the next generation.

I'm supporting Fred Thompson for President and I hope you will too. Visit www.Fred08.com to sign up. Thanks for your interest. I hope you'll join me and support Fred Thompson for President.

You can become a Friend of Fred by going to http://www.Fred08.com/BecomeAFriend.aspx?RefererID=55aac462-3391-4c26-97ba-d18875ab87b8 and clicking on Sign Up.

It Was Cancer

2008-01-04T18:58:00.000-08:00

I ended up spending four and a half days in the hospital, and by the last day, I was really ready to come home. I was already healing well and feeling really pretty good. I have continued to feel better and better.

Today was my two weeks after dismissal from the hospital check-up. I'm to walk, but otherwise continue to take it easy. We discussed the pathology report, which indicated an endometrial cancer, very small, found very early. Because of that, it was very good that I had a total hysterectomy.

I'm having a time wrapping my brain around this, though. I had a cancer. Everybody panic! But it's all gone now. What a relief! I'll have to think like a cancer survivor: frequent testing and check-ups. Everybody panic! The likelihood that it'll recur is very slim. What a relief! But I did have a cancer....

I'm Home!

2007-12-22T11:39:00.000-08:00

I've been home for a day, and everything seems to be going well! It will still be a while before I'm back to posting much around here, but I did want to give a brief update. Thanks for any and all prayers sent my way!

Merry Christmas!

Things are Beginning to Happen--Update

2007-12-11T10:19:00.000-08:00

Update: The surgery has been pushed ahead to Monday the 17th. One less day to get everything done! Aarrgghh! I'll have my pre-op on the 13th, while I'm at the hospital getting the scan done. I'll get all the details then.

Meanwhile, I'm busily scanning Hystersisters.com looking for tips on what to pack, what to expect, tips on recovery, etc. Unfortunately, the book I mentioned earlier has not arrived yet, although I did download an ebook from HappyHysterectomy.com. It's an overview of these same issues, with tips, and reader's stories.

With Cub Scouts and Christmas, too, I'm busy enough that I'm not obsessing--well, not for me, anyway! I'm feeling happy that things are beginning to happen!

Originally: I have a CT Scan scheduled for Thursday the 13th and, best of all, the surgery is now scheduled! It'll be Tuesday the 18th. It will be an abdominal surgery which will probably mean 3 or 4 days in the hospital and around six weeks of no driving and other restrictions. I don't have many more details than that yet, unfortunately, so I am looking forward to the pre-op appointment.

Cajun Dutch Oven Potluck

2007-12-09T07:38:00.000-08:00

Last night we attended Gerry's (Boy Scout) Order of the Arrow Christmas party. It was a potluck. Last year I took chili in my cast iron dutch oven, which was a pretty big hit. Yesterday was not chili weather however--too warm. So, I noodled around on AllRecipes.com looking at jambalaya and gumbo recipes and decided to come up with something along those lines. It turned out to get several compliments, too. So, here's what I did:

1. Poured into the dutch oven a bit of oil and smeared it around.

1 pound smoked sausage sliced thin
2 small onions chopped large
2 chicken breasts chunked small

2. All the above went into the hot pan along with about a teaspoon of minced bottled garlic with a little water. the chicken was partly frozen, so as it cooked it made quite a bit of liquid. I seasoned with garlic salt, onion powder and Cajun seasoning.

2 zucchinis, sliced
2 yellow squash, sliced
2 cans mushrooms, sliced
1 can tomatoes, diced

3. I sliced the above while the meat was cooking, then added the vegetables, covered it and cooked until the fresh vegetables were tender.

1 chicken bouillon cube
1/4 cup cold water
2 heaping teaspoons flour

4. The diced tomatoes cooked down quite a bit so that the whole thing was rather soupy. So, I added the bouillon cube to the hot stuff and then added the flour to the cold water. Stir very well and then add to the soupy stuff (on high). Stir until thickened and adjust seasonings.

Notes: Next time I make this, I need to remember not to cook the chicken so long.
I think this would be good with a can or two of beans. Of course, it would be best over rice, but we can't have rice here.
If you wanted to be even more Cajun, add okra, which is supposed to thicken the juices without the flour and water step.
You could use a bunch of spinach instead of the squashes and Italian instead of Cajun seasoning?

CT Scan

2007-12-07T08:24:00.000-08:00

...is scheduled for next Thursday. Still haven't heard about the surgery date, but I'm still hoping it can be scheduled for the week after that. Cross your fingers!

Sorry for the Amazon Ad

2007-12-06T20:01:00.000-08:00

I've been informed that the Amazon ad to the right of the blog posts was showing not-so-family-friendly books, etc. That was not due to any intent on my part, but I apologize and I've taken it down.

What the Doctor Said

2007-12-06T07:59:00.000-08:00

"Complex hyperplasia with atypia." Which means there's a lot of weird stuff going on in there and it could be (10-20% chance) cancerous.

He's ordered a CT scan to doublecheck on the endometriomas and that is supposed to be scheduled today for sometime in the near future.

He's recommending an abdominal total hysterectomy with removal of tubes and ovaries. I said that I was hoping to keep my ovaries and he said that I could choose that, but it was riskier and might mean another surgery later. Well, I didn't want to go into menopause ten years early, but when it comes to the possibility of cancer, I'm definitely a better safe than sorry type. There are ways to handle surgical menopause, right?

Yesterday, I ordered a used version of this book:

I'll post a review after it comes and I've had time to read it. I hope it comes quickly!

So, I'm still waiting. I'm supposed to get a call today scheduling the CT scan and then I can schedule the surgery. The appointment person I talked to yesterday said she thought we could at least get close to my original schedule of surgery on the 17th, so, come on and ring, phone!

What Will the Doctor Say?

2007-12-04T09:13:00.000-08:00

My next doctor's appointment is tomorrow. This will be my first visit with the specialist recommended by my doctor. I am hoping that I'll get a surgery date. I don't know what else this visit is going to be about. I'm a bit nervous, but mostly I've been feeling like I'm "on hold."

I'll be back tomorrow with news.

The Grinch Says No to Any Soldier Christmas Cards

2007-11-19T18:04:00.000-08:00

Recently, I suggested sending a Christmas card to Any Soldier in care of Walter Reed hospital. Today, I hear that Walter Reed can not accept them and, in fact, returns them to sender. The suggestion is made to try your local VA hospital or Project Valour-IT or AnySoldier.com.

Sorry that I posted bad information. Please feel free to share the above information.

I would like to give a big shout out to Kroger grocery stores. Their in-house canned music carries advertisements for AnySoldier.com and right now, they are running a donation project. When you check out you can rip off a little coupon and have 1, 3, or 5 dollars added to your total, and that will go to AnySoldier.com. I would like to suggest that you think about donating the amount that your Kroger card saved you. Not to pat myself on the back, but I have done this the past two times I've been in there. Sometimes, there are more important things than saving a buck or two.

300$ Worth of Toys?!

2007-11-16T19:01:00.000-08:00

Recently, we received a catalog from All Aboard Toys that Thomas has been studying. This morning he wanted to look at their website and he spent quite a while happily looking at toys for himself. Or so I thought.
"Mom, what's the email and the password?"
"What do you need that for?" This sounds like something I'd better check out! Sure enough, he wasn't just looking, he was ordering all the toys that he wanted and was in the process of checking out. I hit the back button immediately! He had found six toys that he decided he had to have--at a cost of almost 300$!
"Thomas, do you have the money to pay for this?"
"Well, I have two dollars...."

Up In the Air Again

2007-11-16T18:51:00.000-08:00

The pathology results came in and the results were the same as from the previous biopsy: precancerous cells. So, my Dr. consulted with a gyn. oncologist and they decided that with my history the oncologist should do the surgery. My Dr. explained that if the oncologist does the surgery then if there are any problems he can fix them right then and there, whereas she (my Dr.) could not.

Of course, he is a specialist. It seems that specialists are always booked way out into the future. I called his office right away, but wasn't able to make an appointment--they'll call me back. Man!, everything was going to schedule out just right! Now what? Now, I don't know when the surgery will be, or even when I get to find out.

Don't Look Now; There's Bugs on Your Cake!

2007-11-16T18:06:00.000-08:00

This was Thomas' cub scout cake bake cake this year. The theme, of course, was bugs. I was successfully able to stay out of the designing and creating to a much larger extent than last year--although I did have to "talk him down" some in terms of the design. I didn't feel up to helping with something fancy. So, we just made a simple cake and went to the dollar store and found all sorts of bug-themed candy. Thomas crushed chocolate crackers for dirt and placed the gummie worms, spider, and beetles.

Last year, he won second place, so he evidently assumed he'd win again this year. All three of the other boys in our den did win--Thomas did not. There were tears, but I helped him focus on the fun he had making the cake and on feeling happy for his friends. That helped, and then he said, "after all there's next year" and dried up. I love that resiliency!

Supporting the Troops

2007-11-15T12:31:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, our cub scout den went to DFW airport to do a little community service. You see, all the servicemen and women who come back to the States from Iraq and Afghanistan for their R&R period fly through DFW. Everyday there is a plane load of them arriving, usually around 10 in the morning. The USO, the Chamber of Commerce, and the airport do a really good job of getting people out every day to greet those young men and women as they deplane and make their way to other flights.

Well, every servicemember who flies in to DFW will have to fly back out two weeks later and sometimes the soldiers returning to Iraq don't get the send-off they deserve. On this day, if our cub scout den had not been there, the only ones sending them off would have been two USO workers. I was so glad that we had done this.

Thomas was excited to meet "real soldiers" and the soldiers were so sweet in talking with him. They compared patches and uniforms. One special forces major told us a story about being given directions by some boy scouts once!

It was so humbling to see these young men and women going off so bravely to fight in our names--so many of them with smiles on their faces and "thank you's" for us!

Maybe you live a little too far away to participate in a greet the troops activity. Here's something you could do to lift a soldier's spirit: make out a Christmas card or two extra and send them to A Recovering American Soldier in c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center at 6900 Georgia Avenue,NW, Washington,D.C. 20307-5001.

I'm Home

2007-11-10T10:50:00.000-08:00

I'm home and feeling pretty good. The procedure yesterday went well, and I'll have the pathology report probably Tuesday.

Thomas enjoyed his day with his cousins and my SIL even sent dinner home with him! She is so sweet--it's just so wonderful to have her nearby!

My Dr. told me that she had gotten a phone call from the day surgery intake nurse, who was alarmed that my iron level was a 9 (it should be a 12). My Dr. just kind of laughed. That's actually pretty good for me.

The anesthesiologist came in before the procedure and I told him that I was getting anxious and feeling like I was going to puke. He gave me a sedative and anti-nausea medication. I calmed right down! I joked with him and my Dr. about leaving me with a "post-hypnotic" suggestion to lose weight, as I was coming out of the anesthesia. When I woke up afterwards, my Dr. said she did it and that if it works, she and the anesth. were going into a new business! LOL!

I think that having such a good experience with the D&C yesterday is going to help me deal with the upcoming hysterectomy.

Roasted Chicken

2007-11-05T09:18:00.000-08:00

This sounds wonderful! I'm definitely trying this the next time I roast a chicken. (Scroll down to "Thursday.")

Latest, Latest Test Results--Updated

2007-11-05T09:14:00.000-08:00

My gyn. just called. You know it's bad when the doctor herself calls, right? She said the last biopsy I had (Oct. 1) was inconclusive and that I would have to have a D&C. Probably next Friday.

I asked why, if she was doing a hysterectomy anyway, did it matter if there were a problem? She said that if there were a problem it would require a more extensive surgery. And if that were the case, then she could not perform the surgery (it requires three years of additional training!).

So, now, that I was feeling good about things, I have something new to obsess about. As iffy as I have been/continue to be about surgery to begin with, now the thought of not having my dr. do the surgery is...worrisome.

UPDATE: I finally heard from the office manager and the D&C is scheduled for this Friday at noon. My lovely and generous sister-in-law will be watching Thomas at her house and Gerry's going to take the day off. This'll be done under general anesthesia (don't think about it, don't think about it!), so I wouldn't be able to drive myself home. I hate that he has to use up one of his very few days off, but I will probably be very glad that he's there.

Unschooling Voices

2007-11-02T06:25:00.000-07:00

Unschooling Voices is the blog carnival for unschoolers. This month's Unschooling Voices is up at An Unschooling Life. Stop by--you might be pleasantly surprised by what you can learn!

Free Curriculum Resources

2007-10-30T20:10:00.000-07:00

My friend Renee has a list of free unit studies resources over at her new blog.

HomeschoolEStore has a free Wisdom Kids sampler.

Homeschool Radio Shows has a free ebook on how to homeschool through the holiday season without loosing your sanity. Also, note that Homeschool Radio Shows offers a weekly free family-friendly radio show--just sign up for their email list. What a great--and wholesome--way to increase a child's attention span!

Knowledge Quest has two, three week samplers of Tapestry of Grace. One is here and the other is here.

Carnival of Homeschooling

2007-10-30T19:34:00.000-07:00

This week's Carnival of Homeschooling is a real hoot! Heather at Sprittibee has organized a Homeschool High School Yearbook, complete with high school photos, that has to be seen to be believed!

Want to Study with the American Girls?

2007-10-30T06:31:00.000-07:00

Well, now, this isn't really exciting news in our house, but I know it will be in many other houses: Knowledge Box Central is bringing out lapbooks for the American Girls! Their first one is for Kristin, and others will follow.

Their American Girl lapbooks include complete unit studies and can be appropriate for all girls K-12.

Latest Test Results

2007-10-30T06:23:00.000-07:00

Recently, I saw the endocrinologist again. Long story short: my thyroid numbers have all been back within normal for long enough now that he doesn't need to check them again for six more months. Yeah!

No idea why they went high at the beginning of the year, and evidently that's not an important question. "Sometimes they just do that."

Halloween Treats

2007-10-30T06:17:00.000-07:00

The Halloween Carnival of the Recipes is up, and, boy!, is it imaginative! The next Carnival of the Recipes will be a diabetic-themed one, so I'll definitely be looking forward to that one. If you've got any diabetic-friendly recipes to submit, go here.

Carnival of Family Life is Up!

2007-10-29T07:47:00.000-07:00

The Carnival of Family Life is up at Little Legends Blog. This week's Carnival has lots of great entries covering the following topics:
*Family & Parenting
*Money
*Worthwhile/ Good Ideas
*Travel
*Health, Wellbeing & Food
*Relationships
*Halloween

If you've never stopped by this particular carnival, now's you're chance. Obviously, there's a bit of something for everyone!

Fall Campout Pictures, Part II

2007-10-25T07:05:00.001-07:00

The following couple of pictures were taken by Gerry. The first picture shows Thomas (the one in full uniform) and some other boys working a plastic pipe trebuchet. The second picture shows Thomas (standing and gesturing at the back) telling a joke around the campfire. Thomas loves to tell jokes, but he doesn't really understand how they work yet. I sent a Boy's Life magazine with him so he would have some actual jokes to choose from. He says "probably" everyone laughed at his jokes and that he "sure did!" have fun telling them.

Fall Campout Pictures

2007-10-25T06:53:00.000-07:00

Gerry has re-sized the photos for me so that I can upload them now. Thank you, dear! The following photos were taken by Thomas (who is just 7, remember, so be impressed! LOL!) and not cropped or changed in any way except for the re-sizing.

Fall Campout

2007-10-23T20:04:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, Gerry and Thomas went on the Cub Scout Fall Campout. When they got back, I asked Thomas if he had had lots of fun and he said, "Oh, yes!" Then I asked him if he had had ten tons of fun and he said, "Well, not that much fun." LOL

I sent a cheap digital camera along with Thomas so he could take his own pictures. Each time he uses it, he gets better at holding it still long enough for the picture to take, so most of this batch are pretty good. Now, if I could just get him to think about what he's taking pictures of! (Several pictures the inside of the tent and close-ups of bicycle wheels!)

I sent my good digital camera along with Gerry and he got some pictures of Thomas actually doing some things, and I'm grateful to have those photos. But all together, Gerry and Thomas only took about 40 photos. I would have taken probably three times that many. That's not a criticism, dear! I know that you guys were having fun and doing things and that I tend to stand back and take photos instead of participating.

If I can figure out how to re-size the photos, then I'll post some here later.

Carnivals

2007-10-23T07:23:00.000-07:00

The Carnival of Homeschooling is up. Several science posts I'm going to go study here in a minute!

The Kid-friendly Carnival of the Recipes is up. And next week's carnival will be Halloween-themed "Tricks or Treats". You could enter a trick or a treat here.

The Carnival of Family Life is up.

Menu Plan Monday? (Corrected)

2007-10-22T12:08:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to do a Menu Plan Monday lately because it is helpful to know what I can make, even if I change my mind at the last minute, or whatever.

However, I can't seem to get around to making one this morning. My friend IRL, Renee, brought me some beef from a local real butcher (in exchange for some books). So, I have a freezer full of meat, but Gerry was kind enough to put it away for me so I don't even know what we've got! In addition, I haven't been to the Farmer's Market for veg, yet, so I can't say what sides we'll have.

I was reading through some other menus trying to get some ideas when I came across Sara's menu and post. She reminded me of a site I used to visit called Cooking for Engineers. I had forgotten about it, but her post made me remember how much I liked the visual format he came up with. I hate reading instructions! LOL With Thanksgiving coming up, let's look at Michael Chu's recipe for turkey. He gives complete, written directions and then, if you scroll all the way down, you'll see his unique cheater chart. Not sure I'm ever going to actually brine a turkey, but he's got lots of other tips.

Can I come up with some sort of guideline menu for the week? Well, tonight we'll have the pork chops that I had previously set out to thaw and there's a package of broccoli and carrots leftover from the campout. Tomorrow, we could have the last of the salad with a couple of steaks. I'll have to go to the market by Wednesday, so sides will depend on what veg looks good to me at the time! Wednesday I think I'll throw a roast in the crock pot, and Thursday there is still that piece of ham and some frozen black-eyed peas in the freezer. Then, Friday I think I'll get pizza from this wonderful Italian place right down the street from Thomas' Chinese tutor. Hey! What do you know?! A week's menu!

Easy, Cheap Mountains-of-Toys Solution

2007-10-20T10:27:00.000-07:00

Do you have Mountains-of-Toys going on in your home? Do you need to have a garage sale to get rid of outgrown baby items, but don't want to take on the hassle? Are you living frugally and need to make your money go its furthest?

Well, via Flylady, comes word of a new site dedicated to helping every parent get good, quality items for their children while getting rid of the good, quality items their children no longer need. Zwaggle is a swap site where baby bedding, baseball bats, board books, and Bratz babies can be swapped locally, for pick up, or nationally for just the cost of fully-integrated FedEx shipping.

Sounds like a kid-version of Craig's List? While it is easy to use, register, and navigate, it is also a much more closed community than Craig's List. It actually is more like a hybrid of Craig's List and eBay, taking the best of both. While the list of items currently up is fairly small, I think it will grow quickly, especially with Flylady's endorsement. And, if you've got items to get rid of, then this is your moment!

You can check out their blog for more information or read their excellent FAQs (it's a pop-up page that I can't link directly to--just look for the "Help/FAQ" button in the upper right) or see this short overview.

Registration is quick and painless. Follow this link to register and I'll get credit for the referral. You can also just surf over to Zwaggle and type in the referral code "ZTHOM". Thanks!

This is Hard

2007-10-20T05:24:00.000-07:00

Thomas and Gerry just left for Cub Scout campout.

I had decided a few days ago that I wouldn't go on this camping trip. Somehow, I managed not to think about the fact that not going would mean not being with Thomas. Tonight will be the first time ever that we won't be sleeping in the same house (or tent). I hope he gets worn out enough that he'll be able to go right to sleep and not even think about that!

Whew, this is going to be a long day and a half until they come back.

A Special Coloring Contest for a Special Person

2007-10-17T09:23:00.000-07:00

Knowledge Box Central is hosting a coloring contest that will net the three winners 25$. While that's a good enough reason to enter the contest, the best reason to enter is that all the entries will go to the Middle East to lift the spirits of US Air Force Msgt Ennan and his compatriots. Deadline is October 30 and this might be a great activity to consider leading up to Veteran's Day.

A Million Quick Dinners

2007-10-17T09:08:00.000-07:00

Danielle asked for suggestions for quick dinners--and, boy!, did she get suggestions!

A quickie that I used to like (before diabetes) was to mix up a box of Jiffy corn muffin mix and pour over some hot dogs. Bake as the directions say, and then you've got homemade corny dogs. You can also fancy this up with cheese, onions, tomatoes, green chilies, etc. I found out the hard way, this is not a make ahead and re-heat kind of dish! LOL

Also the Carnival of Recipes has lots of breakfast ideas this week, and next week's Carnival is going to be kid-friendly recipes. Share your kid's favorites here.

Carnival of Homeschooling

2007-10-17T06:50:00.000-07:00

Christine has posted this week's Carnival at The Thinking Mother: Carnival of Homeschooling Week 94: Octobers' Checkpoint. There are a ton of great posts, so grab your favorite beverage and start reading!

Not Obsessing Today

2007-10-16T11:53:00.000-07:00

So, I mentioned I was "obsessing over my health and second-guessing myself." I have to admit that the upcoming surgery still scares me. I wish there were some non-surgical way to take care of my problems.

Yesterday, I worked myself into a frenzy of worry. I spent some time on the Hyster Sisters site, but despite having SO much information I felt like there was nothing there that was speaking to me and my needs. (Don't take that as a criticism of the site--more an indicator of my mood.)

Some time before, I had looked at a site called Women to Women. It didn't speak to me at that time, but boy did it ever yesterday! I took their free profile test, but it didn't have any choices for some of my issues. So, I called them. I talked for a long time to a wonderful woman named Sarah who was just really supportive and what I needed then, I guess. I bought their program of supplements and bio-identical progesterone. Because of some of my issues, she was unsure about what to tell me about the dosing for the cream and set up a time for one of their nurses to call.

Today, I awakened with a bit of a stomach bug, but no sign of the frenzy I was in yesterday. (Ain't hormones great?) I thought to myself that even if the surgery is unavoidable, by following the Women to Women plan, I will have done everything possible to both make sure and to get ready. Well, the nurse just called and we talked about my history and gave me the dosing instructions for the cream. Then she said that with my history she didn't think I would be able to avoid surgery. I don't know if this makes sense or not, but that really, really helped me. I feel reassured. For now.

Boy Scout Logo Contest

2007-10-16T10:43:00.000-07:00

All participants get a patch--ooh!, a patch! We'll do anything around here for a patch! LOL Deadline is November 30, 2007.

General information here.

Official rules to download here.

Web page with official rules and entry forms here. Scroll down to "How to Enter" and then click on "Start Here." (Side rant: This is stupid. It is unlinkable. It was hard to find. Why can't the BSA make their web sites easier to use?)

Web entry form for an individual is here.

Mail entry form for an individual is here.

Festival of Frugality

2007-10-16T08:43:00.000-07:00

Ways to live better, for less!

First World Problems

2007-10-15T12:06:00.000-07:00

So, I'm sitting here obsessing over my health issues and second-guessing myself when I came across Cheryl Richardson's newsletter. She quotes Andre Dubus telling her to remember that hers are "first world problems." Wow. It has brought me to a standstill.

I have lived in the third world. I know what that kind of poverty and want is like. And I have to say thank God that I live the kind of life where I can obsess over my period! Thank God that I do not have to work sun-up to sun-down every day; that I do not have to send my son out to pick over garbage piles; that we will have a lovely, filling dinner tonight; that I can take a hot shower anytime I want. For all the myriad of details that make mine a first world life--thank God!

Menu Plan Monday

2007-10-14T12:40:00.000-07:00

Except for the first meal, all the others are no carb meals due to diabetes. The list is in no particular order.

1. Turkey loaf, red potatoes (a splurge allowed because of hard physical work that day), fordhook lima beans
2. Taco salad
3. Smoked sausage and green beans
4. Beef chuck tenders stewed in last week's chuck roast juices, leftover vegetables
5. Roasted chicken covered in sea salt, carrots
6. Pan-fried pork chops, corn on the cob
7. We'll eat out one night due to cub scout pack meeting

For more menus, visit I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Frugal Living

2007-10-14T10:12:00.000-07:00

Want to try harder to live within your means? Get some great ideas from the Festival of Frugality, which is up this week at My Retirement Blog. The post that first got my eye was the one about the cheapest family in America at The Digerati Life blog.

The Cheapest family has their own website, too. I'm going to spend some time browsing it. Look like they have a free newsletter, and an inexpensive kit for teaching kids about money.

Learning Chinese

2007-10-14T08:07:00.000-07:00

Over the summer, I found an ad by a Chinese tutor offering to tutor for only ten dollars an hour. I didn't think I could pass that offer by, and so Thomas has been taking Chinese lessons from a Chinese woman recently arrived in America.

People often act like or say something along the lines of , "that's so impressive" when they hear that Thomas has been taking Chinese lessons. I always wonder why. If I had told them that he was fluent in Chinese that would be impressive--but just that he's taking lessons? Maybe he's taking lessons but doing really poorly--would that be impressive? LOL

People also often wonder why Chinese? There are many linkages to China in our families: my father was a Chinese linguist when he was in the Air Force; I was born in Taiwan, Republic of China; Gerry spent a lot of time at the Radio Shack factories in southern China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. In addition, I feel that China may be extremely important in one way or another in the coming decades. If Thomas has at least some familiarity with the language it may open up whole realms of possibilities for him as an adult.

In college, I took a linguistics class in which we talked about how when a group of people move away from the mainland, the language of the people who moved stays the same, while the language of the mainlanders changes. Thomas' Chinese tutor has shown me that this is so with the Chinese/Taiwanese. The Chinese use Simplified characters while the Taiwanese use Traditional.

If you are thinking of beginning a course in Chinese, then you should give thought to which form of Chinese to learn. Of course, you already have to decide Cantonese (used in southern China) or Mandarin (the majority language), and then if you decide Mandarin, will you go with Simplified or Traditional characters? In other words, is your desire or need for learning Chinese stemming from future interactions with Taiwan or with China?

Unfortunately, I didn't know that when I bought this book: Chinese for Children, Traditional. (I bought it because I had seen several very good reviews of it.) Still, Thomas' tutor has used it in class to help teach about colors, fruit, body parts, and clothing. This is NOT a book you can use to teach Chinese if you do not already know it.

Last May, I went to the big homeschool book fair with the intent to purchase The Learnables' Chinese on computer. Unfortunately, they had Chinese only as a book and cassette choice. I am hoping they make the computer version available soon. I have emailed them, and will update here if/when I get an answer. Update: I have heard from Jennifer Elliot at The Learnables. (That was fast!) She says they are working on the computer program but do not have a date for completion. Darn!

I suppose you've heard, Rosetta Stone is no longer allowing home use through libraries? And, while Rosetta Stone is universally admired, it's 209$ per level cost can be individually prohibitive. Right now, I want Thomas to have fun with Chinese--there's no need to take it too seriously or to rush to fluency. Perhaps I would feel it worth the two hundred dollars if there were.

Free Money, Baby! Updated

2007-10-13T06:53:00.000-07:00

Take your change to Coinstar and get it turned into an Amazon gift certificate for free. Plus, if it's more than 30$ worth, mail in the receipt and you can get an extra ten bucks to spend at Amazon!

Where's the nearest Coinstar?

Update: Thomas and I took right at 19 pounds of coins to the Coinstar machine. It was my first time to use is and I found everything about it easy. We chose the Amazon gift certificate, which waives the almost-9% fee. It took several minutes to dump all that change and in the end that 19 pounds translated into about 100 each of quarters, nickels and dimes, and about 2500 pennies. The dollar total was 66 and a half dollars.

Now all I have to do is mail in the receipt and they will email me a code good for 10$ at Amazon.

A Child's Theology

2007-10-12T06:24:00.000-07:00

Thomas said, "God and Jesus were really good men--I really respect them."

What a Mess!

2007-10-11T06:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, as I was just about to walk out the door for our den meeting, I knocked off a high shelf an unopened glass jar of apple butter. Oh, my, it went everywhere!

I'll probably be finding little glass slivers for a week! How do they manage to hide so well?

"I Can't Wait for Christmas!"

2007-10-09T11:59:00.000-07:00

Can you guess who that's a quote from? LOL!

We were in Big Lots yesterday, which has already got Christmas trees out, of course, AND also an expanded toy section, already. Thomas can't get past the games section. He wants Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em Robots; Electronic Super Kerplunk; and something called Rebound.

Previously, over the weekend, he was at Harbor Freight with Gerry and saw remote controlled airplanes. He decided then and there that that was what he was going to ask Santa Claus for.

For the last several years, Thomas had decided on and begun rehearsing what he was going to ask Santa Claus for by this time of year. This year, he's been back and forth, settling on one thing only to change his mind after something else comes along. I guess this is probably more normal for his age. He started out asking for a log loader for his Lionel train set. But they don't make the one he saw on "I Love Toy Trains" any more, and he doesn't want the one they make nowadays.

In our house, we only ask Santa Claus for one toy, so that there are enough toys for all the boys and girls. Of course, we usually ask Santa Claus for the most expensive item on our lists! And, actually, now that I think about it, we have encouraged Thomas to decide early so that Santa has enough time to find and finance the lone expensive toy.

As for me, I have updated my Amazon wish list (it's the "buy me something" link on the left); it has a lot of books, and especially books for school on it. But what I really want from Santa Claus is an Air Hockey!

Please Forgive Me...

2007-10-09T06:39:00.000-07:00

I mentioned a little while back that I had had a computer disaster. I wanted to explain a bit. When my previous computer blew up it took the hard drives with it. One hard drive had all my digital photos on it. I had not backed them up. The other hard drive had years worth of various documents, plus all of my email addresses and my bookmarks.

The photos will hopefully be retrievable. Gerry is going to send the hard drive to one of these companies that specializes in data recovery, so I am holding off mourning for those photos until I find out for sure whether or not they can be recovered. The email address and bookmark situation is entirely different--it is a situation of mere inconvenience.

But what it means is that I may have trouble remembering your email address or website url, and therefore may not be in contact with you. If this is you, I'm really sorry, but please drop me a line so I can get back the information I lost.

Thank you!

Another Chicken in a Pot

2007-10-08T07:04:00.008-07:00

Recipe adapted from the original by Jennifer J. Gehman and published in Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook, copyright 2000.

1/4 to 1/2 of a pound bag baby carrots
1 small onion, diced
1 to 2 cups leftover cooked fresh green beans
1 pound chicken breasts, cut up
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp. dried basil

Layer carrots, onions and chicken in that order. Add spices, then broth. (Could add white wine if you like the flavor.) Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 3 1/2 to 5 hours. About 30 minutes before end of cooking time, add the room-temperature-green beans.

Update: So, I made this last night and when I tasted it, it was very bland. I decided to try to fix it. I melted some butter in a sauce pan and added a bunch of garlic salt, then added the liquid from the crock pot. I reduced that by about a third, I guess, and then whisked some flour into about a half cup of milk (cream would be even better!) and added that. Don't let this boil, but do let it come almost to that point so it thickens some. Then I poured it back over the chicken and vegetables. It ended up being yummy!

Menu Plan Monday

2007-10-08T06:38:00.000-07:00

It seems like lately I have been running out of energy by the time it's time to start dinner. Last week we ate out a couple of times and I don't want to continue doing that, so I thought I'd pull out the crock pot. That way, I can take advantage of my morning energy.

Here's 3 crock pot meals we'll have this week:
1. "Another Chicken in a Pot"
2. Chuck Roast, with cauliflower on the side
3. Black-eyed Peas and Ham

Then, I'll add in a couple of quick meals:
4. Hamburgers and fixings
5. Chicken breasts marinated in White Wine Worcestershire, and broccoli on the side

Over the weekend, we'll have a Leftover Buffet, plus whatever I get after my next grocery shop. For more menus, please visit I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Saturday Review of Books

2007-10-06T10:49:00.000-07:00

Posted at Semicolon. I'm off to find some recommendations for the weeks when I will be recuperating!

New News

2007-10-03T13:09:00.000-07:00

I had a Doctor's appointment Monday and since things have changed, I thought I'd give an update. I have decided against the endometrial ablation. Instead, I am going to have a hysterectomy. The ablation wouldn't have been a 100% sure cure. It would have made me crazy if I had gone through the surgery and then still had problems! It has just taken me this long to really, really come to grips with not ever getting pregnant again. But, now I have and I am ready to be 100% sure of being through with all of this. My Gyn agreed that the hysterectomy is actually the better choice for me.

In addition, though, I have at least one endometrioma. This is a growth of endometrial tissue outside of the uterus where it isn't supposed to be. It's causing me pain, but lots of women have them with no pain. Anyway, the surgeon who did my appendectomy is going to take care of the endometrioma at the same time that my Gyn is going to do the hysterectomy. These two procedures are already scheduled for Monday, December 17. My in-laws will be here for the Christmas holidays by then and will be able to entertain Thomas while I recover.

This scholarly paper on endometrioma, what I understood of it anyway, gave me quite a bit of information. It also made me wonder about the possibility of more than one. I have been having pain in a different area lately, and think maybe I have one on my ovary. When I mentioned my concerns to my Gyn, she said that they would be opening me up and that they (both doctors) would be assisting each other. So, I feel my worries are assuaged--nothing's going to be missed.

We had our den meeting this afternoon, and then I was wiped out for the rest of the day, pretty much. But one of these days, by the end of January anyway, I'll be back to normal.

What will that feel like?

Make a Soldier Smile!

2007-09-30T11:23:00.000-07:00

For the second year in a row, Gina Elise has produced a WWII style pin-up calendar to support wounded and deployed soldiers. She's taking pre-orders now for this year's calendar. Check out her site, buy a calendar, and make a soldier smile!

Dead Dream Act?

2007-09-28T08:08:00.000-07:00

Regarding my earlier posts about the DREAM Act amnesty for illegal aliens, Mark Krikorian is reporting that it is dead. Unfortunately, the Washington Times is reporting that Reid has just given up on attaching it to the defense authorization bill and may try submitting it another way. And even if the DREAM Act really is dead, the pro-amnesty crowd isn't giving up. NumbersUSA is reporting that the next try, next month, will be amnesty for "farmworkers."

We must continue to let our representatives in Washington know that we see through the giant-size holes in their plans--and so will millions of illegal aliens and terrorists.

Radical Domestic Imperfection

2007-09-28T07:57:00.000-07:00

Via Nina Planck's Real Food newsletter, comes this wonderful essay by Shannon Hayes. You know Shannon--she's one of those Uber Moms that we all tend to measure ourselves against. Or is she?

More Thomas Recalls

2007-09-28T06:56:00.000-07:00

From the HIT Entertainment people, who license the manufacture of the Thomas the Tank Engine products:

Dear Thomas & Friends customer,

RC2 Corporation, licensee and manufacturer of Learning Curve's Thomas & Friends™ Wooden Railway products, in cooperation with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, has announced a second voluntary recall of a small number of certain Wooden Railway vehicles and set components within this range (the first recall was on June 13th, 2007). Both RC2 Corp. recalls arose because the surface paint on the affected products are believed to contain lead in excess of CPSC standards. Lead can be harmful if ingested in large quantities.

For details of the specific products affected within Learning Curve's Thomas & Friends™ Wooden Railway products range (for the most recent recall and for the one in June), and for instructions on how to return the products and obtain replacements, please go to the RC2 recall website or call RC2's Customer Service Line at 866-725-4407 between 8am-5pm CST Monday - Thursday or 8am-11am CST on Friday. You can also email the RC2 recall centre on recalls@rc2corp.com. Additionally, HIT's own Consumer Services personnel in the US are available toll free at 1-866-894-6710 to direct inquiries appropriately.

RC2 informs us that notices and posters with the recall information have been provided to retailers who stock the products, and they have been asked to immediately remove all affected products from their shelves and to put the posters up for consumers to see. In addition, we immediately discontinued sales of the affected products from the HIT Store website and also asked operators of "Day Out With Thomas" events to discontinue sales of the affected products.

At HIT Entertainment we have always required our licensees to manufacture products to meet the highest standards of quality and safety and all our licensing and manufacturing arrangements contain detailed provisions designed to ensure compliance.

However, in light of the recall by RC2 in June, and reinforced by recent recalls by other manufacturers, the company had initiated a system of 3rd party testing and monitoring, which we are implementing broadly as a continuous quality control process. This testing is not in any way a substitute for the testing regimes we expect our licensees, particularly manufacturers, to undertake on all products bearing the image of any of our brands. We fully understand that everyone expects that every single product that bears the image of one of our brands must be safe for children and we are very sorry for recalls that have occurred. We regret that RC2 have had to undertake a second recall on the limited number of items from the Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway range.

In addition to initiating the 3rd party testing stated above we continue to work closely with licensees who are involved in recalls to identify ways in which their processes can be improved to ensure the safety of all products that they manufacture.

Although most recalls only affect a small percentage of the total range of products available, having even one item fall short of safety standards is unacceptable to us.

Hit Entertainment

Rangers Game

2007-09-27T11:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we attended the Texas Rangers vs. Anaheim Angels baseball game in Arlington. Thomas and I went with our cub scout den, fulfilling a requirement for the Tiger cubs and being one of the items to qualify for the baseball pin.

It was a day game, preceded by a program on health and fitness given by the team doctor and the team trainer, and also the least home game of the season. The Rangers offered special two dollar seating! We certainly couldn't pass that up!

When I called to buy our tickets, I talked to a guy in the group sales office who has extremely nice and helpful. He got us excellent seats, just a few feet off the playing field, and within spitting distance of the players in the bullpen!
Now, we were under the big jumbotron, so we couldn't see that, but on the other hand, we were right by the dollar hot dog stand, so that was good!

We didn't stay the whole game--there was a short rain delay and by the end of the 5th inning we had been there for 5 hours. Besides, the score was 6 zip and it didn't look like the Angels were going to pull a miracle out of their hat. As I noted on the evening news later, they didn't. The final score ended up being 16-2. We did get to see Sammy Sosa come out and hit a homerun at the third at-bat of the very first inning.

Overall, even though I am not a sports fan, I am hoping that they do this again next year! The ballpark is clean, the setting is pretty and everyone we met who worked there was unfailingly friendly!