Nice Matters

I had a lovely surprise today. Heather at My Supernatural World awarded me with the Nice Matters Award. Thank you so much! That really means a lot to me as I *try* to be nice and kind. I'm not always good, but I do try very hard.



I must pass this on. "This award is for those bloggers who are nice people; good blog friends and those who inspire good feelings and inspiration. Also for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world. Once you've been awarded please pass it on to 7 others who you feel are deserving of this award."

This is painful to me. I read a lot of blogs, have a lot of blogging friends, and frankly, they're ALL nice. How on earth do I choose? Luckily I know some have already received the award, so that makes it just a little easier.

Believe it or not, I tore up a bunch of paper, wrote blogggers' names, and drew seven. That's how hard it was for me, I just couldn't choose on my own.

So with the caveat that ALL my blogging friends deserve the Nice Matters Award, the names I pulled from the bowl (didn't have a hat nearby) are:

Mull-berry at One Jelly Donut, Please
Becky at Farm School
Audrey at A Small Corner of Nowhere
Meg at Get In, Hang On (Nice online AND in person!)
Carole at Mt. Pleasant Academy
Kate at Homeschooling in the Garden State
Hillary at No Harm Done

Frankie, Simponized

Thomas, Simpsonized

Simpsonize Yourself Here

For Crying Out Loud

I'm trying to get our school schedule finalized, lesson plans done, etc.

Someone tell me WHY I always bite off more than I can chew?

There's so much on my school list and just NOT enough time to do it all.

This happens to me every stinking year.

World History World History Made Easy
CD: Gombrich's A Little History of the World
American History American History Made Easy
Geography Geography textbook
Science Physics with dad at night (Power Basics Physics)
Earth Science- text book/Cyber-Ed Plato
Life Science- text book/Cyber-Ed Plato
Spanish Spanish curriculum we own OR United Streaming
Math Lial's
Spelling Sequential Spelling
Logic Orbiting With Logic
Latin English from the Roots Up
English:
Grammar Rules!
Write! Write! Write!
A short outling workbook, will only take a couple weeks
Vocabulary Wordly Wise
Computer Excel Book, Finish Typing Made Easy
Art Ceramics class, Usborne Book of Art, my own plans
Music Piano Lessons, Themes To Remember
PE/Health Building Better Bodies II
Swim twice a month
Reading Nonfiction Reading 6th Grade
Communication Communication and Interpersonal Relationships
Literature Book list, oral reports and discussion

This is impossible to schedule. It's too much. Thomas likes to study both American and World History. He thrives on that much science. We'll do earth first, then move on to life science. He has to have spelling. He loves logic and vocab. It takes only five minutes to review EFTRU flashcards. He loves the nonfiction reading book.

He hates the English stuff, but that's where he needs the most work this year.

I typically schedule core stuff Monday through Thursday. Friday we do art, computer, music, health, communication, and projects.

I guess in reality it's all falling together except for the history and geography. There's just not time to do it all. I'm going to have to figure that out.

Late-Night Surfing Can Be Dangerous to One's Health

I was somewhere on the net tonight and clicked a link to the 50th anniversary of The Osmond Brothers. Having been a child of the 70s, I had a crush on Donny and Jimmy, both.

Well, I had just taken a sip of pop when I clicked. Big mistake. There, before my eyes, was a completely white-haired Merrill Osmond. At this time I started choking on the pop in my mouth. And that's never good because it fizzed up. Good grief, The Osmond Brothers almost killed me.

I exaggerate. But I did choke. Then I swallowed that air-filled pop. I burped -- loud. Perhaps I should have sung an Osmond tune while I was burping, but I didn't think fast enough to do that.

When did this happen? When did The Osmond Brothers get OLD???

I only spent a few minutes at their website. The spinning pictures annoyed me. Frankly, I've outgrown their music. It just doesn't really appeal to me anymore. (Okay, I'm lying, some of it is okay, but I won't be buying an album.) Donny Osmond singing the Bee Gee's How Deep is Your Love just didn't cut it for me. Nobody can do that song but the Brothers Gibb. (Yes, I love the Bee Gees -- I admit it!) I clicked on several of their links and scanned.

I was shocked as Alan Osmond walked on stage with a cane. My initial reaction was to find out what had happened. And I found out. Sadly, he has MS.

Well, after nearly choking, I ended up having a nice ten minutes or so going down memory lane, catching up with the old heart-throbs, teeth and all. It is unsettling, though, to see that white hair. If they're old, that means I'm getting older, too.

I think tomorrow I'll introduce Thomas to The Osmond Brothers. In fact, I think I'll greet him in the morning by singing I'm a little bit country -- NO, I am definitely Rock 'n Roll. (My twist on words. I always change the words in songs to suit me.)

I think Thomas needs to learn that little bit of trivia: Osmonds, teeth, LDS, millions of kids, good, clean entertainment. I'll tell him about the story I read years ago that their father made them clean their auditorium restrooms before or after performances. I'll tell him about my crush on Donny and Jimmy. I'm sure he'll roll his eyes and ask if he can go outside and play -- so that he can be very far from me.

Sheesh, white hair. Sigh.

Homemade Gift Exchange

Oh my gosh, I signed up to do this at Becky's Farm School and forgot to blog here about it!

Homemade gift exchange

Here are the slightly-abbreviated rules from Kim's blog:

If you are one of the first three commenters on this post, then you are in. I send you a homemade gift sometime soon. (With me, that could be a month or two!) In return, you go to your blog and make the same offer. So, you’ll be making 3 things and receiving one.

FAQs here at Kim's post.

What if you don’t have a blog?

Well, if not, I’ll host your request here. But only if you are a really awesome knitter. Haha. Okay, I’ll do it no matter what. If you join the exchange on your blog let us know here!

What if I don’t like my gift?

Too bad. Mom taught us all how to be gracious.

What if I’m not crafty or artistic?

So? Do it anyway.

What about shipping?
Like I said, an artist trading card? That might cost one stamp or less. But if you want to make a bust of the recipient out of pine, go ahead.

What? I have to give someone in cyberspace my address?

Well, yeah. So you should probably only sign up here if you have read or known me for a few months, that way you know I am a fine upstanding citizen who will only plague you with annual Christmas cards after the exchange.

Okay, I'm not overly-crafty, but I'll come up with something!

Reading List

I have a very short reading list prepared. I haven't spent much time searching the net for good books. I am open to sixth-grade reading recommendations. Here's the list so far:

Bud, Not Buddy
Julie of the Wolves
Shiloh
Tom's Midnight Garden
The Castle in the Attic
Holes
The Hobbit
The Giver
The Phantom Tollbooth
Bunnicula
Cheaper by the Dozen
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Mr. Popper's Penguins
Because of Winn Dixie
The Witch of Blackbird Pond
The Secret Garden

Thomas has been reading the Myth series by Robert Asprin (I think it's Robert Asprin's series, without getting off my chair to check.) Thomas has not yet read any of the Harry Potter books! So those might go on the list, too.

I like to have a big, long list at the beginning of each year. This list is way too short. I like for Thomas to read half the books on the list.

We have a bug

The bug we have is called lazy-summeritis. It's nasty in that we just don't feel like doing a darned thing. I think this is the worst case we've ever had.

Well, maybe it's my worst case. Thomas always feels like playing.

The past several days I have not felt like doing a darned thing. I dream of having pajama days that are guilt free. Oh, yes, I have my share of pajama days, but they're always full of guilt. What if the doorbell rings, what if Thomas gets hurt while playing outside, what if my husband gets upset. (He's been known to get upset over my love of pajama days in the past.)

It's funny that I actually do accomplish things -- much more than I think or feel like. I wanna be a kid again. I want carefree days where I can run and play and dream. I don't want to have to cook. I don't want to have to prepare for school. I don't want to clean the school room.

That's it, the school room. That is where I picked up the summeritis virus. I don't want to clean that room. I have too much stuff for the small space. There are books on the shelves that are way below Thomas's level. I don't want to get rid of them to make room for stuff that is on his level. I don't want to let go of the past. I don't want to admit that my baby is growing up and is not a baby anymore and hasn't been for quite some time.

That or I just don't want to do the work. Or both.

I've just been a lazy bum. I think I'll go with that for awhile. All that hard work is fast approaching and I think I'll take a breather while I can.


Maybe summeritis is a good thing.