Random Thoughts

1.  My blog dashboard just wished me a Happy Thanksgiving.  I’m quite confused.

2.  I challenged the kids to list every state they could think of today.  Victoria came up with 37 and Anna had 26.  Then we wrote up a list of states and listed things that were special about each one.  I told them I don’t care if they know the capitals but I do want them to know what makes each state unique.  We did 25 today and will do the other 25 tomorrow.  The kids already know a lot about states and I got a kick out of some of the trivia they shouted out.  Victoria knew about Seward’s Folly (what many Americans called it when we bought Alaska from the Russians) but Anna knew about the Lousisiana Purchase (and how that was so much to spend when we bought the area from France).  Favorite state’s list of unique attributes:  Iowa– flat, corn, cows, Ice Cream Capital of the World.  🙂  I bet the kids that tomorrow they can both list more than today because of our talk.

3.  I was chastised by the moderator of a group (in a long private email) and have spent all day in a rotten mood because of it.  I hate it when I get in an off mood and just can’t shake it.  I also hate it when people assume bad intents on my part since I work pretty darn hard in life to bend over backwards to do the right thing and help people.  Bah.

4.  Tomorrow is my birthday and we’re off to the wilds of Mankato for two days.  I may or may not blog.  I am hoping to have a fabulous time and perhaps even hit a clearance sale or two.  I’m hoping at least nobody yells at me.  (Did I mention that bad mood?!  G)

5.  Alex has been learning to play the harmonica.  You haven’t rocked until you’ve danced to toddler harmonica music.  But I’m partial to toddlers.

6.  I’m working on compiling a list of fun blogs, web sites and such that teach grammatical rules like the their/there thing and so on.   Some of the ones you all have mentioned in the comments are in some great sites I’ve found recently and some are pretty funny.  I just need to take the time to compile them all.

7.  Anna has a video up teaching you how to fry an egg here.  She says she “feels like an idiot” because she said yolk instead of white at one point, but I think she rocked it!

8.  I blogged 100 things I want to do with the kids this winter on the Magical Childhood blog and I’m going to try to do one a day.  I should note that I have no intention of doing all of them.  I’m far too lazy by nature!  😉  I would like to do an awful lot of them though!

9.  About 80 years ago, I gave Daryl one of those cheesy wall hangings with a barometer and thermometer and humidity-meter (what is that word?) that looks like it belongs on a ship.  I finally realized today that it was pretty nifty for homeschooling so we read all the measurements today and talked about what they meant.  Sometime soon we’re going to boil water all day on the stove and see if we can change the humidity.

10.  Some of my latest articles are about..

• A writing contest for HS kids,
• a MN bill to increase our compulsory school age to 18,
• 10 boredom buster challenges for HS kids (writing, math, photography, etc.) and
• an interview with a HS mom who is also a novelist about how to balance HSing and writing.

And on the AP front…

• the “Boobs for Anissa” calendar to raise money for a mommy blogger who had a stroke,
• the Vatican calling for more artwork of Mary breastfeeding,
• AP Daddy blogs, and
• Taiwan’s bill to fine people who interfere with nursing mothers in public.

11.  My HS friend April recommended Habitforge for getting email reminders to help make habits into routines.  I haven’t had much success with flylady yelling at me but it sounds like something to try!

12.  I was describing my kids to someone the other day and I realized that all four of them are really good people.  Whatever we get right or wrong with homeschooling or parenting or anything else, I am so proud of all of them for being just plain decent, honest, caring, honorable and nice.  The world needs nice people.  I love that they’re also smart and talented and strong, but also that they care so much about others and the world.  They’re good kids and that’s pretty great.

13.  Victoria should be asleep but wants to print something on my computer, so that’s enough thoughts for me!  See you soon!