This was said by Pete a week or so ago and I took it as a personal affront and told him so.
I let him know that I quit a perfectly good job because I wanted to stay home with him and then his brother. When we realized that our school system wasn't right for us, we pulled him out of school and began homeschooling so that he could be free to be himself. I spend a lot of money and time searching for just the perfect curricula for them both. And I spend a lot of time and money driving the two of them around every week, so that they can participate in co-ops, theater, and sports.
He corrected himself by saying it wasn't school he hated, but things that were hard to do in school. Then he thanked me homeschooling him.
Reason #4,197 why I love that kid.
~R
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
More on LGW
NaBloPoMo #9
One article Laura Grace Weldon wrote dealt with violence. While skimming it, I found that the bigger message could easily be applied to everyday life. Something as small as resolving conflicts within a loving, peaceful family. (she herself may have said something similar, but I was skimming so may have missed some points) And it made me think about my dad's visit this weekend.
Back in the day, my dad's day, kids were seen and not heard and spanking was just part of life. He grew up in an orphanage and I'm sure the mentality there reinforced these ideas. As he's gotten older and raised other kids, including many step-siblings and my 15 year old half-brother, he's softened a bit. But on some things, he hasn't budged.
While visiting this past week, there were several occasions where I saw him shake his head and make that little hrmph sound as an indication that my boys were doing something wrong. Those times included them getting rowdy and back talking. He also said something to me once or twice about not letting them talk that way to me.
On some levels, I see it. On others, I don't. BN and I have always shared the opinion that human beings are human beings, no matter their age. And thus deserve the same dignities and preservation of self.
For one, we don't spank or smack. I always cringe when I see a person smack a baby. Babies don't know any better and smacking is not our solution. Their world is all about the exploration and sometimes that includes the "no-nos". There are plenty of ways to dissuade that discovery or behavior that do not involve violence.
Once the babies leave that phase they are just like us only smaller - both in size and knowledge base.
Anyway, I'm am way off track. Back to the story.
I admit that I probably let my kids get away with small infractions. I always discuss these issues, but don't always act on them unless bodily harm is involved. Or mental and emotional harm in the case of teasing and name calling. Or it involves social norms and how we deal with it. (we homeschoolers have a social stigma, apparently)
Kids get rowdy. As long as they are in our home and they are not bothering anyone else, I don't correct them. Based on my dad's hrmph, I knew they needed to take the fun elsewhere. No problem.
As far as the back talking or what dad perceived as back talking, well, I might be a bit wishy washy on this matter. BN and I believe that kids get a say in things. Do they get a say in our finances? No. Do they get a say in what BN and I personally do? No. But in respect to their own lives, they get a say.
So when I tell them to stop what they are doing and do something else, I allow for some negotiation. My dad doesn't.
But my kids are well adjusted human beings. Capable of thinking for themselves. And that's how I roll.
~R
One article Laura Grace Weldon wrote dealt with violence. While skimming it, I found that the bigger message could easily be applied to everyday life. Something as small as resolving conflicts within a loving, peaceful family. (she herself may have said something similar, but I was skimming so may have missed some points) And it made me think about my dad's visit this weekend.
"Nonviolence requires a level of conviction and inner strength that makes violence look easy."
Back in the day, my dad's day, kids were seen and not heard and spanking was just part of life. He grew up in an orphanage and I'm sure the mentality there reinforced these ideas. As he's gotten older and raised other kids, including many step-siblings and my 15 year old half-brother, he's softened a bit. But on some things, he hasn't budged.
While visiting this past week, there were several occasions where I saw him shake his head and make that little hrmph sound as an indication that my boys were doing something wrong. Those times included them getting rowdy and back talking. He also said something to me once or twice about not letting them talk that way to me.
On some levels, I see it. On others, I don't. BN and I have always shared the opinion that human beings are human beings, no matter their age. And thus deserve the same dignities and preservation of self.
For one, we don't spank or smack. I always cringe when I see a person smack a baby. Babies don't know any better and smacking is not our solution. Their world is all about the exploration and sometimes that includes the "no-nos". There are plenty of ways to dissuade that discovery or behavior that do not involve violence.
Once the babies leave that phase they are just like us only smaller - both in size and knowledge base.
Anyway, I'm am way off track. Back to the story.
I admit that I probably let my kids get away with small infractions. I always discuss these issues, but don't always act on them unless bodily harm is involved. Or mental and emotional harm in the case of teasing and name calling. Or it involves social norms and how we deal with it. (we homeschoolers have a social stigma, apparently)
Kids get rowdy. As long as they are in our home and they are not bothering anyone else, I don't correct them. Based on my dad's hrmph, I knew they needed to take the fun elsewhere. No problem.
As far as the back talking or what dad perceived as back talking, well, I might be a bit wishy washy on this matter. BN and I believe that kids get a say in things. Do they get a say in our finances? No. Do they get a say in what BN and I personally do? No. But in respect to their own lives, they get a say.
So when I tell them to stop what they are doing and do something else, I allow for some negotiation. My dad doesn't.
But my kids are well adjusted human beings. Capable of thinking for themselves. And that's how I roll.
~R
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Engrossed
Nablomono #8
I'm actually gonna squeak this one in on time. I tend to get thoroughly engrossed in things in the evenings. My nightly interest might include knitting, crafting, reading, editing photos, or just vegging in front of the tv with my favorite man.
Tonight, while looking over curricula, I came across a newsletter with this writer, Laura Grace Weldon. Her website has me glued to my laptop. Everything she writes about, I want to copy and paste somewhere I'll see it again and be able to share with others.
Go on over and read. I have some things to ponder.
~R
I'm actually gonna squeak this one in on time. I tend to get thoroughly engrossed in things in the evenings. My nightly interest might include knitting, crafting, reading, editing photos, or just vegging in front of the tv with my favorite man.
Tonight, while looking over curricula, I came across a newsletter with this writer, Laura Grace Weldon. Her website has me glued to my laptop. Everything she writes about, I want to copy and paste somewhere I'll see it again and be able to share with others.
Go on over and read. I have some things to ponder.
~R
Monday, November 7, 2011
#7
Apparently, I'm not cut out for this everyday thing. I thought about writing yesterday up until I went to bed, but I was busy scanning old photos for my mom and editing them. Ones like this.
I decided to leave the cardboard backing intact just because I like it. It helps further date the picture. For my family, it's nice to have these photos especially since my grandmother passed away last April.
~R
Original scan of my grandmother as a young girl.
After editing
~R
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Digital Photography
has put me in photo hell. I am sifting and sorting and deleting like crazy. It doesn't help that I am now using a windows computer and I'm not used to the key shortcuts and for some reason I have three of everything. I have no idea how that happened.
One day, I'll get to the editing and digital scrapbooking.
That is...if I can stop taking more photos and adding to the chaos.
~R
Nablo #6
One day, I'll get to the editing and digital scrapbooking.
That is...if I can stop taking more photos and adding to the chaos.
~R
Nablo #6
Friday, November 4, 2011
(Day 4) I should explain
He was coming for a visit and was expected to be here at 9pm. So I put off cleaning until Thursday afternoon, because I figured I had time.
My plan on Thursday was co-op from 9:30 to 1:30, then home for our school work and then get RePete to the soccer field for a make-up game, and then back home where I would have about three hours to pick up the house, make dinner, blog and be all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for Dad's arrival.
Yeah right on a couple of counts. More than likely, I would have been glassy-eyed and dragging-my-tail and he showed up as I was rushing to get RePete's soccer gear on and get out the door at 4:45. So he joined us for the game and my lovely husband took us all out to dinner.
And then I came home and sunk my hiney into the couch, watched Three and a Half Men reruns with Dad until we all yawned each other into going to bed.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
~R
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Thermograms
I know October was Breast Cancer awareness month and I missed the boat, but I wanted to put in a plug for thermograms. Last November after my physical, I scheduled a mammogram as per my doctor's suggestion. I have to admit that other than the wait and having a strange women pull and tug and rearrange my breasts (oh and not being able to wear deodorant) multiple times, it wasn't so bad. I'd heard the horror stories of the pain and the squeezing and squashing.
A week or so after that I received a letter stating that there was an area of concern and that I needed to come back for a second mammo and possibly an ultrasound.
Even though we have no family history of cancers and even though my gut told me that it was nothing, in fact it was probably just my fibrous boobs (family history), letters like that will make you pause and cause butterflies in the tummy.
So I called and set a second appointment and then my doctor called that same day to make sure I was scheduling an appointment and then I went.
THIS time it hurt. The area of concern was on the area closest to my underarm but still on the breast area. It actually made me cry. And then they did two ultrasounds. It took FOREVER.
The whole time I kept thinking, this can't be good for me. The squishing and the squashing just didn't feel right to me and I vowed to myself and my doctor (who called for a follow up and insisted on a six month mammo to set a baseline) that I would never do this again.
So here we are almost a year later and I'm due for a physical again and I thought I'd be proactive by getting a thermogram.
I highly recommend them. There's no squeezing, there's no squashing and the results are instantaneous. I'd love to share my results but I've gotta keep things PG on here and am not in the mood for the type of spam I'd get from that.
Anyhoo, it was just fibrous tissue. Btw, they aren't covered by insurance. Figures.
Test you breast,
~R
ps here's a link to Dr. Mercola's site with a video that describes it rather well.
pss it cost me about $200 and I'll gladly pay it again.
psss neither procedure is 100%
A week or so after that I received a letter stating that there was an area of concern and that I needed to come back for a second mammo and possibly an ultrasound.
Even though we have no family history of cancers and even though my gut told me that it was nothing, in fact it was probably just my fibrous boobs (family history), letters like that will make you pause and cause butterflies in the tummy.
So I called and set a second appointment and then my doctor called that same day to make sure I was scheduling an appointment and then I went.
THIS time it hurt. The area of concern was on the area closest to my underarm but still on the breast area. It actually made me cry. And then they did two ultrasounds. It took FOREVER.
The whole time I kept thinking, this can't be good for me. The squishing and the squashing just didn't feel right to me and I vowed to myself and my doctor (who called for a follow up and insisted on a six month mammo to set a baseline) that I would never do this again.
So here we are almost a year later and I'm due for a physical again and I thought I'd be proactive by getting a thermogram.
I highly recommend them. There's no squeezing, there's no squashing and the results are instantaneous. I'd love to share my results but I've gotta keep things PG on here and am not in the mood for the type of spam I'd get from that.
Anyhoo, it was just fibrous tissue. Btw, they aren't covered by insurance. Figures.
Test you breast,
~R
ps here's a link to Dr. Mercola's site with a video that describes it rather well.
pss it cost me about $200 and I'll gladly pay it again.
psss neither procedure is 100%
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