From Soap to Nuts?

I love a good giveaway. Of course, I have never actually won any of them that I have entered, but still I try.

Have you ever heard of soap nuts? I started hearing about them last year when I was looking to go no 'poo. Baking soda was just too harsh for my scalp (in any quantity) and I began looking for alternatives.

Soap nuts can be used for all your soapy needs. Laundry, Hair, dishes...be creative.

Check out Passionate Homemaking's giveaway of a Extreme 18x. Just leave a comment and you may be one of the lucky 20 to get a trial bottle.

Slip sliding....

The summer days are sliding by so quickly. This summer is officially the coolest (July, anyway) on record in our area. It's nice springy weather that I'm sure most people appreciate, but I did just buy that new pool and would like to be able to use it a little more frequently. I'm surely not cut out for the Polar Bear Club!

I can feel school is just around the corner. It just has that feel. I don't know how to describe it. It must be the way the birds know when it's time to migrate.

Isn't the Lord good?

He gives us the seasons and all of creation to enjoy. What a good God!

My status followed by a lovely email...Enjoy.

In honor of my birthday and the fact that my kids are coughing their guts out, I bring to you The Facebook Status.

You're welcome.

"Okay, here's the thing....If you or your child is sick, please do the world a favor and stay home. I know that you want to take you or your sick kid to that wonderfully awesome event (fill in the blank) but before you do please remember that your sick germs are better left at home. Think of it as your gift to the world. You will feel very proud of yourself for saving some parent a 1 am run to Walmart for cough syrup because their kid can't sleep. You will feel good knowing that you have taken that extra step to prevent the sleepless night of another. You will feel so very superior because YOU,...are a good parent.

Thank you. That is all. Good night....(maybe, cause really that coughing is driving me a little batty, I MAY just have to run to The Walmart for that stupid cough syrup so I can get to sleep.)

Okay, now for sure that is all.

Goodbye."

Below you will find a snark filled email typed at 1:30 because, as you may have guessed, my children really did catch some other kid's sick germs and are now coughing so hard that they cannot sleep, therefore, I cannot sleep. No, I do not have any medicine in the house because they just started The Coughing and it's summertime and we haven't been sick for over a year.

Enjoy.

Dear "Friend"

I may or may not want to hang out tomorrow. I feel sickish tonight. It could be because it's late and I'm tired, or it could be corn allergies considering that there is a corn field 100 feet from my house, but I'm going to go with the feeling sickish thing because both ________ and ______ were running mystery fevers earlier in the week and are both now coughing. My nose started to feel stuffy today and my throat is a little sore. Plus, I totally fell asleep for almost 2 hours today at lunchtime. I'm really loving that parent that felt the need to bring their sick, grumpy, feverish child to the parent/child day at bible school last Saturday. I just love how people love to share. Just warms my heart.

Yes, I am tired.

Yes, it is late.

Anyway, I'll try to quit my snarkiness now.

I am feeling better about this coming year. I found out that ________Library has community rooms as well as _______. I haven't had the gumption to call either to find out what they cost or if they would be available on a weekly basis for us. I did however email about "another co-op" (although you know how I kinda feel about that option) and I got info on a group that meets in _____. Also, I found 2 science books I like. I was also thinking that if we can find a room that we might as well just go ahead and do _____and _______'s courses. Otherwise, it may not prove to be very fruitful for "Other Friend" to bring either of them.

I also woke up today and realized several things:
1. I no longer feel sad about _____ leaving coop.
2. I no longer feel sad at the possibility of co-op being over forever.
3. I am very good at steeling myself and feeling no emotion whatsoever.
4. It's a gift.
5. And a curse.

____ has been coughing and coughing so hard that she is awake, of course, and grumpy. I may seriously have to go to Walmart because I don't have any Tussin in the house.

Talk to you Friday.
"Me"


Now I realize that is just more kinda fun than you all can even shake a stick at. I will analyze why it is all so funny (and how it shows what a moron I am) when I am feeling less tired, less sore throaty, and definately less snarky.

Goodnight.

P.S.
The coughing has stopped. A trip to walmart at this time of the night may no longer be necesarry.

Praise the Lord.

My benedryl is now also kicking in.

Goodnight again.

Back to the Drawing Board

Just when I thought I had it all figured out, I find the rug has been yanked out from under me.

Or...in rather less dramatic language: I thought I had next school year all planned out (including the scheduling)and today just got word that our co-op location provider (aka my friend) will no longer be hosting NOR participating.

Now I have to say, I'm not surprised because I had felt the Lord preparing me for this since last spring. Still, when I got the news I felt completely dashed. I felt dumped. I think mostly because she didn't really give a reason as to why. She's been very scarce, no calls, no emails, nothin'. But other than that...no other warning.

So I'm struggling with that insecure girl that feels so rejected, unworthy and unloved. I feel like this is in some way all my fault (although rationally know it couldn't be). I feel like it's the end of all the security I have come to rely on in my homeschooling. I always knew that even if I was having a bad homeschooling week, there was always coop to fall back on. They would pick me up, and lend a hand in educating my children.

I know, I KNOW! I'm very dramatic. But, hey, it's my blog. I'm allowed to be.

One would think the next logical step is move it to another home. That's where the problem is. This particular friend is a central location for all participants. We all have to drive around a half hour to get there. Which means we are all spread out pretty far. If we moved to another home it would make it double the driving distance.

......And now, I have to go in search of a good, RIGOROUS, science and art program.

And I feel like I've lost my friend.

I am going to start scouting other locations in the same area that we held it in previously. Hopefully I can find something that is free, and willing to give us enough space for 2 small classes and a lunch area.

The 90 Day Challenge

A few weeks ago one of the bloggers on my Reader Feed posted a bit about reading the Bible in 90 days. It was to start June 1 and run all summer long. By the time I knew about it, I was several weeks behind. Something inside of me however said, take the challenge.

I started June 23 with Genesis 1:1. This part of the Old Testament is very familiar to me, but was such a blessing. As I carried on reading I got to the story of Moses and the children of Israel. I got bogged down a little through this passage, but kept plugging away. I'm behind of everybody else, I'm behind in my own schedule, but I can't tell you enough what a blessing this challenge has been.

I find myself thinking about the Word more often. I find myself blessed by what I've read. I find myself comforted to know that I have a Saviour. What I find most wonderful, is that by being in God's Word has rekindled the hunger and thirst within.

If you click over to the website you'll find many useful little tools and schedules. I particularly like the bookmark that has the schedule on it.

Now truthfully, this is probably a clever marketing tool for Zondervan to sell you one of their Bibles (because they have a Bible in 90 Days Bible, but I have just read along in my regular Bible and am just fine.

Don't be discouraged that you are "behind" the schedule. It really is such a blessing to embark on this challenge.

Be sure to scroll down the page to see the Family resource links. There's something there for every age group!

Hi

Just wanted to say hi.

I was clicking through and reading some of my older blog posts and I have to say....it's really a shame more people don't read The Blog. I find it so entertaining the way I make fun of myself. I don't know why other people wouldn't.

That is all.

You may go back to ignoring me.

oh, and
Goodbye.

Happy 4th!

I was thrilled to find this cute video posted on the Youtube. Enjoy!


I have the first 4 of this 5 set volume of scripture memory cd's. The kids and I both love listening to them, and often sing them as we go about our days. I see they have released a 5th cd called "Seeds: The power of encouragement." It's currently on my cbd.com wishlist.



Happy 4th y'all.

Guess I'm in a bloggy kind of groove

2 consecutive posts! I haven't done that for a while.

I finally submitted our portfolio today. I called ahead to the school admin. offices to make sure when the office hours are AND to find out the magic abbra-cadabbra voo-doo stuff that one apparently needs to know in order to even ENTER the building. Oh, I kid...sort of. That place has 3 entrances (and it's not that big of a building) none of which are marked or appear to be the main entrance. After the call though, it really was pretty simple to find the correct office and enter the building.

Let this be a lesson. In the future when I am unsure of something, it's really okay to ask.

I'm really quite pleased at the warm and friendly interactions I've had with the school admin. thus far. I posted this blurb on my Facebook account today and one of my friends said the nicest thing in the comments. I'll just copy what she said cuz really it was so very nice.

"That is because you are an amazing person doing a superb job of educating your kids! How could you be anything but nice when faced with your organized approach to record keeping, the depth of your educational scope and sequence, and your amazing child's ability to produce lovely samples of her intellectual growth!"

And she was totally sincere, and not even after any kind of favor. She's just that wonderful! <3 I love my Mommy-friends!

Checking In

Summer vacation is in full swing here at the F>actory. While the temperatures still haven't been all that summery (except for a day or two here and there) at least it's not quite as cool.

We had our first official homeschool evaluation done. I tried to submit everything to the district today, but couldn't figure out how to get in the building! I should have called ahead first. That's on the agenda for tomorrow.

I can't say enough how nice it is to have a break from hard work. Our brains all needed the respite-even mine. Whoever said "those who can't, teach" sure was a little off target. In order to be able to teach, one has to be able to "do" first. This holds true with homeschooling. I always learn the topic (or review) before I even begin to attempt to teach it. I'm getting a better elementary education as an adult than I did as a child.

Did I mention I broke down and bought a pool? Not a a super deluxe "real pool" but a new one for us at least. I don't know who was more disappointed about not swimming this summer, My Girls, or my mother. I'm pretty sure it was my mother. Just don't tell her I told you ;)

Here's the one we have. We really enjoy it, and even though it won't last forever, it really gives us a lot of fun (when it's hot enough at least...)


I know I've been pretty scarce lately, but I'm seriously just enjoying our break!

It's Summertime

...even though the weather doesn't quite feel like it. It seems to me that this gloomy cool weather has been the norm for the past 3 years for the first part of June. Our summers seem to be cooling to me rather than warming. I haven't written anything down, so I don't have proof, but rather than having a short cool snap around the end of July (usually accompanied by rain) it seems we have multiple cool snaps for most of the summer.

Our pool definitely has a leak. We've tried to patch it, but with no luck. The girls are a little upset (as well as my mother) about not having a pool, but I just don't think I can justify the repairs when I'd rather save and upgrade to a better one.
:(

On a better note, we're heading off for a weekend in Virginia. It's quite a drive, but a beautiful one!