Sunday, September 28, 2008

Unconscious Mutterings


  1. Hearing :: aid


  2. Aggression :: violence


  3. Charged :: arrested


  4. Traveler :: sightseer


  5. Hydrate :: drink


  6. Detox :: from the indoctrination of compulsary schooling


  7. Qualify :: for credit


  8. Prison :: school


  9. Frontal :: lobe


  10. Pep talk :: you go girl!


Luna Nina

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Dear, Anonymous...

Your comment has spurred many comments.

I think it's a shame that you don't understand real, natural learning and it's a shame that you judged me and my daughter.

I encourage you to check out unschooling, you obviously are not a homeschooler or if you are, you are the militant school at home type.

There are several unschooling links in my side bar, I hope you explore them.

Not that I have to explain, I figured I would give a little background.

I actually thought Cassie would start reading between 5 and 6 yrs old. She was so into books, I read to her every night. She started to memorize them and *read* herself. As time passed and we didn't do it everyday she forgot the words, I realize that memorization is a part of reading but it's not enough.

As with all of my kids, I read to her, I answered questions, I facilitated and provided an environment conducive to learning. No, I did not *teach* her how to read anymore than I *taught* her how to sit up, crawl or walk. I helped along the way but she did it in her own time frame.

Natural learning is a joy to live and to watch the process unfold.

I have 4 always unschooled kids and two read at age 5 and two read at age 9, if you think it really matters then you don't have a clue.

I did the same thing with all of my kids, they have to be ready, willing and able to make the connections, they have to own the learning and control it. All kids are born with an innate desire to learn and when nurtured it grows and develops into lifelong learning. Schooling and force take away the natural desire and also cause many of today's so called *disabilities*

I encourage anyone reading here to take a long hard look at their own schooling and their own kids and do the research and educate themselves.

I will no longer allow anonymous comments, anyone who is willing to tell me who they are can leave me a comment.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

She can read!!!

Cassie just read Green Eggs and Ham to me.

She is so excited she was jumping out of her skin after she read a page with lots of words.

She is almost 9 and this is her accomplishment. We are all happy that she is starting to read but I think she is the happiest and that is what matters.

I have always read to her and helped her out but she just wasn't ready to make the connections. In the past she would forget the same word when she saw it on a different page or a different place.

She did so well tonight, I only had to help her with a couple words.

I am so happy for her :)

Well now all 4 of my unschooled kids are reading !

All in their own time not with force or someone else's agenda!

I'm off to bed, just had to share and obviously learning happens at all hours of the day and night.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Unconscious Mutterings


  1. Heist :: bank robbery


  2. Hack :: computer


  3. Dane :: Great


  4. Stings :: bees


  5. Monkey :: business


  6. Junkie :: drug addict


  7. Pumped :: tires


  8. Brass :: Captain Brass(CSI)


  9. Fight! :: put up your dukes


  10. Vouch :: verify

Luna Nina

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Outta the park

My baby hit a home run today!!!!!
It was so awesome, what a feeling.
Everyone was cheering and going wild for my son.

It was a great game, they played hard but we lost in the end. The team we played was a little older and a lot bigger.

It's a 9 and 10 yr old league but most of Brenny's team are small and just turned 9. Brennan and one other boy are the only 10 yr olds.

Just had to share the excitement!!!!!
WOOHOO Brennan!

Friday, September 19, 2008

Got Gas?

Not that kind!

Our area is out of gas. We went and sat in line tonight and when it was my turn, I was pumping and then it stopped. They ran out of gas while I was pumping!
I was so thankful that I got enough, my husband was 2 cars behind me so he didn't get any. The lady right behind me started crying because she was on fumes, as was I but I got some gas.

I felt so helpless, another lady pulled up and was on E, and then I drove past a row of cars on my way out and told them the gas was gone. The sadness in people's eyes was hard to take and some were obviously pissed off.

Is it just me or does the fact that we have like 3500 oil rigs in the gulf a bad idea. Hello ever heard of hurricanes? They happen every year, duh! Sorry if that number is wrong, I learn so much everyday that I can't keep it all straight.

I'm just glad that nobody is testing me.

I'm also glad that nobody smacks me when I'm cranky or having a bad day! You know what I'm talkin about!

Do you think we should keep gas somewhere else, like the Mississippi? No hurricanes there. Do you think we should have a reserve somewhere for times like this? It's not rocket science, there is a logical way to solve this as with everything else going on in this country.

Logic vs. emotion, I know it's a tough road but for me logic wins hands down, I don't think with my emotions. I don't make political decisions on emotions or a whim, sure I can get emotional about things that matter to me but I am a logical person. Mind over matter, head over heart, that is me.

I won't go all political on ya again!

While we were in line, my son drew lots of cool pictures and Cassie and I played tic-tac-toe. We also read a few books and she read a few pages, she is coming along.

It was real great when we had to pee, Cass and I ran into the store and left Jason to move both vehicles.

All in all not a terrible time except we weren't happy that the cop was letting people go ahead of us that just pulled in while we had been waiting an hour.
Had he directed traffic properly, my husband would have gotten gas and so would that poor lady that was behind me.

Random Thoughts of a Fiery Woman

I'm borrowing Donna's blog name for this post because I'm feeling fiesty and I have way too much going through my mind.

For my sensitive readers this may very well be Rated R, so there's your warning.

Enter at your own risk!


With 2 kids playing team sports we are surrounded by many mainstream parents and public school kids. It is totally obvious the dumbing down of society and it sickens me.

I have witnessed many parents treating their child badly. It happened today and it literally made me feel ill in my gut.

There is a little boy at soccer and I would guess he is 2- 2 1/2 years old. Everytime I have seen him he has been happy and cute and just playing around being a kid. Today was different, he was a little cranky and I think he kicked someone. I wasn't paying attention at the time and I don't know what prompted it. What I did witness was his mother picking him up and holding him and telling him not to hit or kick anyone. Then he squirmed some more and she said that he was going to get a whippin if he didn't stop. He was saying stuff and some of it I couldn't make out. She kept saying things like stop it or I'll hit you at the same time she is telling him not to hit anyone else. The dialogue went on for several minutes, he wouldn't stop squirming and he hit at her leg, just a tap really out of pure frustration because she wouldn't let him down.

Then she told him that he doesn't hit mommy and to tell mommy he's sorry and that he is heading for a whippin. Then he started saying "No bad boy, no bad boy" I get the feeling he has been called a bad boy before. So she finally swat him after threatening it for several minutes and kept demanding an apology.

Apparantly it's whippin for white people and whoopin for black people, how's that for politically correct. I don't care what you call it, I call it ABUSE!

I felt so bad for that little boy....

I have seen him for several weeks now and this behavior is out of character for him. What if he was just tired, or cutting a tooth, or coming down with a cold...
He is in daycare all day as it is, what if he had a bad day but can't verbalize it yet???

Why do parents not realize they are hippocrats? You are not allowed to hit anyone but I can hit you? It's totally fucking absurd!

I felt so bad and helpless, what can I really do in that situation? I suppose I could have said, maybe he is tired or getting sick or something but I was too appalled at the mother's behaviour.

Today on the front page of our little local newspaper was an ad that the commision passed the school budget. It says a local girl stands up for her school, she addressed the commision.
So the schools want more money, where does it come from???

Property owners, of course!

So now our property taxes will be raised to fund the schools.
We don't use the schools and never plan to. Where will we get the money to pay the extra tax????

I just had an epiphany today that public school is a socialist program, I can't believe I never realized it. Our country is so full of socialism I just didn't add school to the mix.

It's high time that we get this country out of high taxes and government funded programs. The government can't fund anything without our tax dollars. Our money that they take without our approval and spend according to their wishes, not ours.

What happened to We The People and Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness? Why do we have so many people who just say the government will take care of me.

I think that we need to return control to the private sector and allow people to decide where their hard earned dollars go.


So many people are on this *change bandwagon*

You bet we need change but not the kind that Obama is talking about, which by the way the man talks alot about nothing. He has no specifics or concrete examples, he speaks a lot of hype and fluff.

I do NOT want MORE socialist programs, I do NOT want higher taxes, I do NOT want the government to regulate my life!!!!

We are a one income family, we do not have health insurance, we barely get by but we do NOT want government run healthcare nor do we expect the government to bail us out of the debt we have incurred. It is ridiculous to expect the government to take care of you.

I don't know what economy Obama lives in but Streisand is throwing him a fund raiser at $28,000 a plate. Hollywood is loaded, Hollywood is full of socialists but they don't want to fund it. If they all put their money where their obnoxious mouths are they could take care of all of the less fortunate in this country.

I do NOT want it and you should be very careful about believing the load of shit he is proposing.

Well I'm tired this turned out pretty mild, you should have heard my thoughts all day, LOL!

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Math?

This is from Cassie's wall. Who says unschoolers don't do math? LOL!
She has added to it a few times and I had to get a picture before she washes it off, I found her with the simple green the other day.

She has drawn a few things on her walls and the neighbor told her that she was gonna get a whoopin and that God doesn't like it if you write on the walls.

I just couldn't be quiet on that one, I told her that God doesn't care if you write on the wall and that nobody ever should get a whoopin.

More lies and fear put on kids to make them comply, sad really. What happened to truth and dialogue???

I told Cassie that it was ok to write on the walls because we haven't painted in there yet. We bought this house two years ago and the whole place needed to be redone and it is a work in progress. When we do paint, we plan to make an area with chalkboard paint so they can still draw on the wall without causing any damage.

for my friend

If you feel so inclined please check this out from Jewls

It's an interactive planner called The Master Plan.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Unconscious Mutterings

  1. Cut the crap :: I say that a lot

  2. Scent :: cinnamon

  3. Vanishing :: disappear

  4. Wetness :: LOL! dare I say it...just guess

  5. Cheap :: Jason, as in cheap date, inside joke

  6. Badges :: girl scouts

  7. Puppy :: dog eyes

  8. Problem solver :: I used to be one

  9. Gambling :: Reno, NV age 14, yep I did

  10. Sophia :: My spanish name in college, we had to do everything in spanish, so I was Sophia Ramirez.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Today

Anyone who knows me knows that I do not do mornings! Well actually I do very early mornings since I am up until 3 or 4 am on most days.

Today Cassie had to be at soccer at 9:30, her game was at 10:30 but it was picture day, and Brenny had to be at baseball at 8:30 am for a 9:00 am game.

Jason took Brenny to baseball and I took Cassie to soccer. We all tried to go to bed early...

I went to bed at 1:30 am and was asleep by 3:00, I woke up at 5:00 and then 7:00, then it was time to get up. PHOOEY!

It was also really HOT here today, in the 90's. I got sunburned a bit too but at least I got my vitamin D.

We got home around noon and I was just so discombobulated, my whole day was messed up. I laid down from 1-3 pm, I just felt like I was comotose, non -functionable.

I had more coffee and got a few things done. That is why I hate getting up early it just shoots my day because I'm toast.

I guess I'm fine now, not sure when I'll go to bed. Don't call me in the morning I'll be sleeping :)

Mornings are just not my thing!

We have 7 more weeks of Saturday morning games...

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Laundry

This is what can happen when you don't fold the laundry.
I have loads and loads of clean clothes piling up, we all have to keep digging through to find our clothes.

We have sports every day this week so the pile will still be there, I don't have time to fold. I will however keep washing and adding to the pile.





Sunday, September 07, 2008

Me

Jared drew a picture of me :)





One word Meme

Got this from Paige and Jewls

YOU CAN ONLY TYPE ONE WORD!
Not as easy as you might think.
Now copy or forward to at least 10 people.
Change the answers to suit you and pass it on.
It's really hard to only use one word answers.
Let me know if you're doing one!
I'd love to see your answers!

1. Where is your cell phone? counter
2. Your significant other? awesome
3. Your hair? brown
4. Your mother? nurse
5. Your father? teacher

6. Your favorite thing? freedom
7. Your dream last night? weird
8. Your dream/goal? health
9. The room you're in? dining
10. Your fear? illness

11. Where were you last night? home
12. What you're not? democrat
13. Muffins? blueberry
14. One of your wish list items? maid
15. Where you grew up? scattered

16. The last thing you did? email
17. What are you wearing? clothes
18. Your TV? football
19. Your pets? cute
20. Your computer? dell

21. Your life? great
22. Your mood? great
23. Missing someone? yes
24.Your car? sold
25. Something you're not wearing? underwear

26. Favorite store? internet
27. Your summer? warm
28. Do you love someone? many
29. Your favorite color? red
30. When is the last time you laughed? today

31. Last time you cried? Friday
32. Who will repost this? someone

Rocky

I wasn't talking about my dog but he has been escaping lately. I looked for a picture but they must be on the other computer. He is a cute little beagle with big puppy dog eyes. He keeps getting out of the yard, he comes back, he knows where he lives.

Jason found Rocky at the lake last year, he asked all the people around if he was their dog but nobody claimed him. They were getting ready to leave and he followed them and jumped right into the van. He called me on the way home, I'm bringing something home with me, I knew it was an animal. It wasn't the first time and it won't be the last we are magnets for lost animals.

Our kids are quite attached to the little bugger now so when he gets out they are concerned.

Anyway I was talking about the Rocky movies :)

I love Rocky and it's been years since I've seen them. I did see Rocky Balboa this year and enjoyed it. The kids watched it with me and I told them it would make more sense if they saw the other movies. Right now Comcast has Rocky I-V on demand. Since I was sick this week I had time to watch movies, I watched I-IV and plan to watch V tomorrow night.

I love Rocky, it just makes me feel good and have thoughts of good vs. evil, the underdog achieving, striving to be our best and loving no matter what.

Saturday, September 06, 2008

Unconscious Mutterings


  1. House :: messy


  2. Think :: I am always thinking


  3. Clot :: blood


  4. Believe me :: please, unschooling rocks


  5. Fumigation :: odor


  6. Bore :: me to tears


  7. Luck :: not much


  8. Patient :: not me


  9. Tremors :: earthquake


  10. Pickles :: dill


Luna Nina

twenty

I have lost 20 pounds now!

Just had to tell ya :)

vote match

This is at vote match

Bob Barr
Libertarian nominee for President; Former Republican Representative (GA-7)

Total 63%






John McCain
Republican nominee for President Biographical Profile

Total 53%


Chuck Baldwin
Contitution Party nominee for President Biographical Profile

Total 45%

Just another example of my beliefs, I knew I was more Libertarian.

Friday, September 05, 2008

Who said

that I was a stick in the mud???

Oh...I did! LOL!

Last week it was flour, they played with dough that didn't rise right, there was flour everywhere.

This started out with Cassie trying to find a deck of cards and turned into throwing them all over the floor and playing in it. I had a few more pics but the neighbors are in it, I'm trying not to post pics of other kids without permission. Since nobody knows I have this blog you can see my dilemma, I know there are pictures of them on here but not lately.






Jason said I need to let my inner child out, it's a start, I'll just let my kids be kids, which I have always done.


Election match up

This is bizarre, I took this test a few months ago with different results. I have no idea what I answered so differently. I do know that every time I take those quizzes my answers vary. I am firm in some areas and not so firm in other areas I guess.

This doesn't solidify my vote, obviously I would never vote for Obama, I'm just doing research, still two months to decide what I'll do.


63% John McCain
58% Mitt Romney
55% Ron Paul
53% Fred Thompson
51% Mike Huckabee
48% Tom Tancredo
48% Rudy Giuliani
40% Bill Richardson
40% Chris Dodd
37% Hillary Clinton
36% Barack Obama
36% Joe Biden
34% John Edwards
28% Mike Gravel
27% Dennis Kucinich

2008 Presidential Candidate Matching Quiz

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

potential budget cuts

This little gem is from our local paper and it sets off my radar.

There are proposed budget cuts for public schools, the county commission will decide whether or not to raise property taxes to fund a $95 million schools budget.

The cuts could include athletics, the gifted program, textbooks, new buses and nurses. This article is referencing the nurses.

A family relocated here because of the wonderful school system. They have a special needs son and he has a tube permanently inserted into his throat and it has to be suctioned every 20-30 minutes. This is an invasive procedure that teachers are not allowed to do only nurses. If he doesn't have a nurse he can't go to school.

That kid should not be in public school and the parents relying on the school for that kind of medical attention is just plain mind boggling.

Another parent is concerned about their future and doesn't see how schools can operate. They don't have adequate textbooks and have to use the internet for a lot of assignments.

Here is a gem:

To get her message across to the commission her girls wore shirts that said,
"Please fund my education. I'm worth it."
"Please help me bloom & grow. Fund our school before it's time for me to go."

I guess that I just didn't realize how much stock people put in public school, it really amazes me.
Expecting medical care is astonishing.

We don't even have textbooks, we use the internet...gasp!

Who needs school? Do people really not know that they have choices, that homeschooling is a real viable option?

I do not want my taxes raised. One of the things we love about this area is the low property taxes. They just built a state of the art high school here, it just opened two weeks ago, who funded that?!

No more taxes, no more taxes, did you hear me?

NO MORE TAXES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It shows

The difference that is between me and people who don't think like me.

The neighbor boy was telling me that he asked his mom to buy vitamin water (that is what we buy) instead of gatorade for baseball. I had mentioned about gatorade being full of sodium, artificial dyes and last I knew HFCS. If they have changed their ingredients then I apologize. Anywho, his mom said no. I told him that I'm sorryy and that I really can't say anything about anything because your mom is the opposite of me and you have to listen to her.

He then proceeded to start saying things like if you were my mom....

I wouldn't have to go to school!!!!

He said that about 20 times.

I wouldn't get paddled!!!!

I wouldn't have a bedtime I could stay up as late as I want!

Those were the top three and he said other things too.

He also said something about if he ran away he would come here and his mom said they wouldn't keep you they would call the orphanage...

Don't ya think that parents would want to create an environment that their kids actually liked?

I told him *no comment*
Sometimes I'm afraid to say anything to them but you know what tough shit! They need to know that not everyone is treated like that.

These kids look to me, they ask me questions, they talk to me, I'm guessing they don't do that at home, I can almost guarantee it. Especially since they spend most of their free time at my house.

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

healing

Friday night my dear husband let me have a therapy session, he is such a trooper.

I hadn't cried since Tuesday for heaven's sake :) In my real life I haven't cried for years, although having babies did soften me up. When I was pregnant I would cry at Hallmark commercials, I thought something was wrong with me.

I talked a lot, he listened, nodded and even spoke briefly, he just listened. I probably just need someone to listen so I feel validated in some way to know that what happened to me and what I think really matters.

Something I said triggered the flood gates and I just cried. It was so good and so bizarre, I'm still trying to figure out why I am having crying jags but I know I need to cry for all the stuff I never did.

I just need to be human, I need to feel things.
I closed off my emotions for so long, I was cold, I really was a snob, I joke about it but I can look back and see that I was harsh.

All I can say is I'm working on figuring out what is holding me back, why am I so controlling of some things? Why I am so uptight and expecting perfection?

I need to live and let go and learn and heal and move on.

I have forgiven my parents but I can't forget. My mom tried to NOT be her mom, I can see the cycle, my mom did do better.

The buck stops here, I am breaking the chain, the ties that bind are no longer relavent.

I have very distant relationships with my parents and I have tried to bridge the gap but it is so huge. I'm closer to my mom than I ever was and it really isn't close but I just can't deal with my dad. I love my parents, but I just don't relate, I am so different from dad that it's a chore to speak. I mean religion, politics, schooling are off limits.

I remember things they did when I was a kid and I wonder if they remember. I hesitate to share any specific events in public.

I'm not here to dwell or bring anyone down, I'm here to heal and be a good example for my children and anyone who can relate to my struggles.

Monday, September 01, 2008

whine

I am sick and I feel lousy!!!!!

My kids were sick this week and I thought I warded it off but now after taking care of them I got it.

BWHAAHAA!!!!!

To top it off I am very hormonal, I don't know if I'm coming or going, everything is 10 times worse than it really is, KWIM?

I skipped my period last month, I've been using progesterone cream since the 12th day of skipping it. Today I've had slight spotting and cramps and just plain pissed off feeling.

I hate being sick, it's all in my head, LOL! Head cold that is, sore throat, runny nose, headache, run down, oh and add a splash of hot flashes in there.

It's so fun to be me :)

If you read this, thanks for letting me whine, I don't do it that often...

I think I'm going to soak in the hottest water possible with a glass of wine and sweat this virus out.