A mother's ties to her children

I am with my kids all day everyday and it's been that way since they were born. Now they are growing and spreading their wings a bit.

Last night Brennan stayed the night at his friend's house and Jason is on his way to pick him up.  It's the neighbor from our old house, it's 12 miles away when it used to be two doors down.

Cassie is spending the night with her friend tonight and will be home tomorrow evening.

This afternoon it has been quiet with just Jared and Kieran here.

I'm glad that they have a friend that they are comfortable with to spend the night.

It's just so weird having them gone.

I'm ok, I miss them but I know it's important for them to do this.

I'm just realizing how grown up there are getting. It was just a few months ago that Cassie wasn't ready to stay away all night. She had tried but called us around 10 pm to come get her and now she goes without a hitch.

I'm just very connected to my kids and miss them when they are away.

Ties that Bind, Alterbridge

"Ties That Bind"




I tear on the leash

That keeps me contained and controlled

Let me go

I want to break free

And fight my way out of this hole



[Chorus]

One last hope

To rise and break away

Above the faded line

Way beyond the ties that bind



This I know

The risk is worth the gain

It's worth the sacrifice

Way beyond the ties that bind



I run but the chains

Pull me right back to the floor

You control

I rattle the cage

I won't be your slave anymore



[Chorus]



You broke me into pieces

Don't tell me what to be

Damn you all I'm gonna find my way

The theme for February is *ties*

Many things come to mind when I think of the word *ties*

Today I'm thinking of putting down roots.

Jason and I want to have ties to a community and put down roots but we have to stay in one place long enough to accomplish that.

Next month marks our 4 year anniversary in TN. Before that we were 7 years in PA and before that 9 years in CA.

We were both born in NY, Jason lived there for 21 years before he moved to CA with me. I lived in FL, AZ and CA and moved back to NY when I was 14.

We've been all over and want to find a place to settle. We like TN for the most part, I could do without the homeschool laws and a few other things.

Our kids like it here and talk about living here when they are grown. So maybe we have found our place to build roots and ties. We just changed cities so we are going to get involved with homeschoolers here and be part of this community.

We shall see how long we stay put.

When people talk of a *hometown* I don't have one. I do not think of one place as my hometown, where I was born is just where I was born. I've moved a lot in my life and I do have fond memories of certain places but for me, home is where I am :)

Unconscious Mutterings

1. Furniture :: we are in serious need of furniture
2. Beauty :: is in the eye of the beholder
3. Sip :: taste
4. Block :: head
5. Forehead :: frontal lobe
6. Championship :: superbowl
7. Hurl :: barf
8. Whip :: it good
9. Destruction :: tear down
10. Leather :: jacket

Luna nina

NaBloPoMo

I'm thinking of signing up for NaBloPoMo for February to get myself back into blogging.

We moved

We just moved this week.

We are excited to be in a new (to us) home.

It's so much better and I know things are looking up. This year is going to be awesome.

I plan to get back into blogging very soon, I miss it.

All is well!

Unschooling Rocks!

Unconscious Mutterings

1. Resolutions :: goals
2. Page :: turn the page
3. Narrow :: minded
4. Refuse :: refuse to lose
5. Fountain :: of youth
6. Grunt :: moan
7. Construct :: build
8. Nightmare :: scary
9. Inch :: by inch
10. Instant :: gratification

Luna Nina

I won!

I won the one year subscription to Rethinking Everything Magazine

Rethinking Everything Magazine giveaway

The Organic Sister blogged about this new magazine, check out the link to learn how to get the first issue free.

Unconscious Mutterings

 

Classified ::  Ads

Praised :: complimented

Censored :: media

2010 :: prosperity

Lamp :: light

Alternate :: medicine, method, education, anything against mainstream garbage

Script :: movie

Handsome :: Jason

Eager :: excited

Meeting :: of the minds

Luna Nina

Thankful

I'm thankful for many things.
It is a little harder to stay positive and grateful through trial but I'm doing my best.

I am very thankful for my online friends, for their love and support
my husband and kids
unschooling
food
 internet
house
water
electricity
finally on the mend after 3 weeks of sickness, waiting for that cough to go away...
Hoping to get back on here in full force soon :)

Unconscious Mutterings

1. Marathon ::  race
2. Debt :: sucks
3. Turn :: it on
4. Image :: self
5. Sofa :: couch
6. Envelope :: mail
7. Cart :: grocery
8. Process :: think, absorb
9. Question :: everything
10. Rumor :: has it

Luna Nina

Learning isn't a race

All of us with children know about milestones. I think that while milestones can be useful to gauge where your child is at it is also harmful to compare them to other children.

Children are unique individuals and should be treated as such. I don't like averages because it blurs the lines.

My babies all achieved the usual milestones at different ages.

It's the same as they grow and learn how to read, write, add, subtract etc.

Each child has their own unique timetable and their own way of learning.

I believe that schooling squashes the natural ability and the internal timeframe of each individual child. Schooling is in the business of producing, they don't care nor have time to nurture inner strengths and weaknesses.

I also believe that forcing these milestones in a school at home environment is just as harmful if not more so because the child is at home, there is no escape.

I fully believe in natural learning, I believe in Unschooling full throttle. This allows for each child to grow and learn and develop in their own way and in their own time. As parents we have the benefit of sharing this experience by observing and  learning right along with our children.

All of my kids have reached these milestones at different ages and with differing degrees of knowledge.

I believe that Unschooling fosters and encourages the individual and does away with averages and milestones and timeframes that someone else has set as a standard of achievement.

Thankful Wednesday

We are in the middle of so much turmoil, and uncertainty and I've been sick for 10 days now.

I am thankful:

1. to be alive
2. to be able to think for myself
3. to be with my kids
4. that my body will heal and has the ability to heal
5. that I am learning how to remain calm and find peace in this storm

Unconscious Mutterings

1. Grace :: Walker (my friend)


2. Shower :: shower me with love (aka wine and chocolate)


3. Alice :: Alice's restaurant


4. Purple :: rain, haze


5. Apartment :: for rent


6. 3 :: 3's a crowd


7. Car :: Lamborghini


8. Pregnant :: baby
   
9. Counselor :: guidance


10. Discretion :: use your discretion

Luna Nina

Thankful Wednesday on Thursday

I've been sick for 4 days so I missed yesterday.
I'm not thankful that I'm ill, and by the way this is horrendous.

I am thankful for:

1. my bed
2. hot bath
3.homemade soup
4.tea
5.sunshine

water colors

Cassie and Jared were mixing food coloring in the sink and got some cool swirls.

play doh

Obama and Pelosi...change you can believe in

I am very dismayed by tonight's vote and can only hope that it doesn't pass the Senate. I'm not holding my breath.

I honestly can not understand why so many people think this is good and why so many want complete government takeover of the USA.

I seriously don't get it.

First bailouts, then cap and tax and now 1.2 trillion in so called health care reform just this year.

UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If this passes we will say goodbye to another freedom of choice in this so called free country.

Who is going to pay for this?

Oh yeah the fed will just print more $$$$$, it's not worth the paper it's printed on anyway.
Look at all of the countries that have stopped using US currency because it's worthless.

In case anyone really cares where I'm coming from...

We are uninsured and have been for 5 years now.

We can't afford it and honestly don't want a traditional insurance. If anything we would like a major medical in case of emergency but can't afford that either.

How can passing a bill requiring those uninsured to purchase insurance or be fined or possibly imprisoned helpful?

We can't afford it period, so how in the hell will we pay the fine?

I just can't get over this government anymore.

Unconscious Mutterings

1. Alarm :: No cause for alarm


2. Guest :: room


3. Worm :: Delila (our turtle likes worms)


4. Puppies :: are so cute


5. Honor :: society


6. No! :: No way!


7. Stomach :: ache


8. Counter :: offer


9. Waffles :: syrup


10. Plates :: earthquake

Luna Nina