Tagged...5 Things

I've been tagged by Jo! This is probably a pretty boring list.

5 Things…..

In my fridge:

12-pack of Diet Rite (mine)
12-pack of Diet Coke (DH's)
2 packs of provolone cheese -- on sale couldn't resist
bagels and cream cheese, Thomas's favorite
Thomas's homemade nacho cheese experiment that is about a week old

In my Handbag:

at least 25 grocery lists
at least 25 receipts
three dollar bills and a handful of change, probably mostly pennies
a couple of most towlettes individually packed
two library cards, belonging to me and Thomas

In my Wardrobe:

Several sets of clothes in different sizes. Ahem, sadly I'm wearing the largest size at the moment
A stack of Thomas's baby clothes that I couldn't part with including the outfit we brought him home from the hospital in
Thomas's baby book
a golf club
hidden stocking stuffers/gifts that I find throughout the year (shh, don't tell Thomas)

In my car:

8 noodles we use at the beach
3 folding chairs
2 bags from Wendy's that I need to sneak into the garbage when DH isn't looking
2 watergun toy wrappers from today's dollar store purchase that Thomas left
my cleaning kit...a box of wipes, a packet of Windex wipes and a microcloth for dusting the inside of the car

5 People to tag…..

Becky
Mull-berry
Mother Crone
Samuel
Wisteria

This is just too weird

I was going to blog about swimming lessons tonight. Before going to blogger, I was checking my favorite blogs and also telling my husband why I don't like swimming lessons.

What is weird is Audry blogged almost exactly what I was going to post! Thomas started lessons today and I was excited about visiting with other moms and came home thinking, "I'd rather have a root canal than sit and listen to all that."

We've done private lessons in the past and I think for my sanity we may just do them in the future. Plus Thomas will get all the attention that way and it would be really good for him because he's overwhelmed with all the new strokes he learned today.

Question of the day

Thomas: Mom, I have a question.

Mom: Shoot.
Thomas: (Blushing) Well, uhm, never mind.

Mom: Please, if you have a question, just ask it.

Thomas: Well, it's a dumb question.

Mom: NO question is dumb.

Thomas: Remember that movie we watched where the astronauts peed in their suits?

Mom: (Laughing) Yes.

Thomas: So is that how astronauts do it, they just go when they need to? And how do they, well, you know.

Mom: Good question. I don't know the answer, let's Google it.

Our Answer

Always in the front of a 10-year-old boy's mind: toilet behaviors. lol

Another Meme

Sixty-Two Question Meme
I got this from Those Weird Homeschoolers.

Call me strange, but I love to read these all the way through. It's a fun way to learn about people.

1.How old do you wish you were? 32

2.Where were you when 9/11 happened? I was on the internet at my cleaning group in chat...we used to chat for 5 minutes, then clean for 30 minutes. When I heard I was glued to the TV all day for several days. Thomas was in kindergarten and I was severely depressed missing him so my chat buddies were helping me. My depression skyrocketed that day.

3.What do you do when vending machines steal your money? Nothing, I haven't had money stolen from a vending machine because I hardly ever use them. If it did happen I'd probably say, "Oh sh*t."

4.Do you consider yourself kind? Very.

5. If you had to get a tattoo, where and what would it be? Never, ever, I admire them on some people but I could never do that to my body. Spider veins are bad enough.

6. If you could be fluent in any other language what would it be? Spanish

7. Do you know your neighbors? Sadly, yes. Most are -- never mind, not worth sharing.

8. What do you consider a vacation? One night in a motel would be a vacation. Going to inlaws, no. Going to dad's, yes. A real vacation is getting on a plane and going to a destination of my choice.

9. Do you follow your horoscope? Rarely

10. Would you move for the person you loved? Yes and I have

11. Are you touchy feely? Only with my son, otherwise keep your distance

12. Do you believe that opposites attract? My hubby and I are living proof that they do. He's a right-wing conservative and I'm not.

13. Dream job? Being rich enough to not have to work -- second choice, working in a greenhouse.

14. Favorite channels? Bravo, watch it daily. Movie channels.

15. Favorite place to go on a weekend? What, people go places on weekends? Besides Kmart or the grocery store?

16.Showers or Bath? Shower daily but enjoy long soaks at night in the winter.

17. Do you paint your nails? Who has time!

18.Do you trust people easily? Not at all.

19.What are your phobias? I-25 in Denver.

20.Do you want kids? Well, I wanted a bunch but was blessed with one. Sore subject.

21,Do you keep a handwritten journal? No.

22.Where would you rather be right now? Hmm, South Carolina or Disney World

23.What makes you feel warm and safe? My house.

24. Heavy or light sleep? Either or. Suffer from insomnia but sometimes I am so exhausted my husband can't wake me because I'm snoring. (Did I admit that?)

25.Are you paranoid? What makes you think I'm paranoid? Who told you that? Where did you get that idea???

26. Are you impatient? Sometimes

27. Who can you relate to? Almost anyone. I can get along with almost anyone and find things that I can relate to. There are always things I don't like (especially discipline issues) but I try to find the good in all. Except a very angry male senior citizen that I know, I cannot relate to anything about him nor do I want to.

28. How do you feel about interracial couples? This is a stupid question. I don't think any differently about interracial couples than I do any other couple.

29. Have you been burned by love? No, but I've burned.

30. What’s your life motto? Live and let live.

31. What's your main ringtone on your mobile? I have no idea. I have a different ring tone for everyone who calls me on my cell and there are few that I give my cell number to.

32. What were you doing at midnight last night? Surfing, looking at gardening websites.

33. Who was your last text message from? I don't do text messaging.

34.Whose bed did you sleep in last night? Our bed.

35. What color shirt are you wearing? None. I'm in a nightgown and robe. They're both pastel blue.

36. Most recent movie you watched? The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio. LOVE it.

37. Name five things you have on you at all times? Skin, hair, gray hair, zits, undies. I don't wear jewelry, not even my wedding ring. My wedding ring was my great-grandmas and when I had Thomas my fingers grew and it doesn't fit and I don't want to have it resized because there is an inscription in it. I've always meant to buy another but never gotten around to it.

38. What color are your bed sheets? Two sets, one set is a tie dye type purlpe the other is pastel yellow.

39. How much cash do you have on you right now? ZERO. Spent it all today. I never have cash.

40. What is your favorite part of chicken? I hate chicken but eat chicken breast.

41. What's your favorite town/city? Charleston, South Carolina

42. Who got you to join MySpace? I have never joined

43. What did you have for dinner last night? Spaghetti with meat sauce, garlic bread and a salad.

44. How tall are you barefoot? 5' 5

45. Have you ever smoked crack? No and hell no. I am *very* anti-drug.

46. Do you own a gun? Yes, several.

47. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Very strong coffee with fat-free half and half

48. What is your secret weapon to lure in the opposite sex? I'm damned old for that stuff!

49. Do you have A.D.D.? What was the question again? Possibly.

50. What time did you wake up today? a little before 9

51. Current worry? When will DH sell that junker in the driveway and when will we get finish painting the trim on the house.

52. Current hate? Strong word, but extreme dislike for my neighbor across the street, otherwise known as the angry senior citizen. He's mean to all the kids in the neighborhood, verbally attacked me and I wish he'd just move into a retirement home.

53. Favorite place to be? With Thomas, sometimes with DH too ;-) and always at home.

54. Where would you like to travel? Disneyworld, all over America. I'd like to visit battlefields.

55. Where do you think you'll be in 10 yrs? Don't like to think that far ahead because Thomas will be grown and out of the house. The only thing I know for sure is that if I'm still alive, I'll have completely white hair by then. :(

56. Last thing you ate? a few bites of left over spaghetti

57. What songs do you sing in the shower? I never sing in the shower.

58. Last person that made you laugh? Thomas

59. Worst injury you've ever had? In 3rd grade I fell off the crossbars at school on my face and the right side of my face was swollen so badly it was about double in size. I could only eat with the opposite end of a spoon things like applesauce, cottage cheese for almost two weeks. Couldn't see out of my eye. It was complete misery and the right side of my face is a little higher than the left because of it. The day after this happened was Thanksgiving break and my mother made me travel with the family to visit friends for Turkey day. That was pure hell for me. Worst was stopping on the way at a restuarant where I still remember being gawked at like I was a freak. (Well, I suppose I was a freak.)

60. Does someone have a crush on you? Giggle, yeah, right

61. What is your favorite candy? Peanut M&Ms

62. I can't wait til..? Hmm, tomorrow for a brand-new day.

A Day at the Beach

We had a great day today. We were off to a slow start because once again we stayed up way too late, but when it took off, it was fun.

We went to the beach and swam all afternoon. While in the lake, I saw four children ride up on their bikes unaccompanied by an adult. The four kids ran into the lake like they owned it and promptly started slinging sand and rocks at each other. I took a closer look and recognized two of the four children. These kids never got sand or rocks close enough to anyone else in the water or on the beach, but every adult there sat up and watched them like a hawk.

Thomas and I were in the water and they inched their way toward us. The language I heard from these kids made the hair on my neck stand up, and I'm no stranger to bad language. It just stinks coming from 10-year-olds. The two kids I knew used G-D and F more times than I have in the last ten years. If their mothers knew about this, they would be horrified. Both moms are very devout Christians and don't swear.

As I watched, I thought about the fact that I would want to know if Thomas behaved in this manner while I was not around. (I know kids do things when parents aren't around and that is a part of growing up.) I had to chuckle because Thomas won't say a bad word, let alone spell it for me. (If he's relating a story about one of his friends used bad language.) He does say "sucks" which I hate, but I'll take that any day over a word that rhymes with suck. ;-)

Anyway, as I was watching I just couldn't help but think about the fact that these kids were unsupervised. Call me overprotective, but I don't think kids should be in a lake that does not have a lifeguard without an adult. At age 10. I don't know what age I would feel comfortable with that, but 10 seems to young to me.

One of the kids' moms works for the area Youth Foundation. She tells and teaches people how to raise their kids and provide them with good opportunities. Hmm, I don't think swearing like sailors at age 10 and flinging sand and rocks at each other is exemplary.

Thomas asked if he should go say hi as he knows the boys and I told him NO. The funniest thing about these kids was that one boy finally recognized me and when he did make eye contact with me, the first thing out of his mouth was: "This is boring, let's get out of here NOW." I was laughing about that!

They scurried away and all the adults on the beach laid back down, started reading books, etc.

After the beach we grabbed a bite to eat, came home, showered and relaxed with some movies. Thomas made supper for his dad: grilled cheese sandwiches and Spaghetti-Os. lol

This was the first day we got to the beach this summer! And I thought the same thing I always think when I'm in the water: Why don't we do this more often! So we've made plans to meet friends two times next week.

Now, if only we could come up with a sunblock that isn't greasy. . .

anniversary

My mom died 13 years ago today.

At the time of her death, I was extremely co-dependent on her. Time heals all wounds, and I can say that she has continued to teach me even though she's gone.

I had an awakening period where I was very angry at her. This started a few years ago and lasted a few years. Mom was very similar (minus the alcohol) to Joan Crawford. I am not over-exaggerating here. My sisters and I sat down and discussed Mommy Dearest one day and we all thought we were reading about our mom. It was not startling to us as it was to the rest of the world, it was normal. I think that book was the turning point when the three of us realized there really was something wrong. I was the golden child so didn't receive her wrath nearly as often as my other siblings. However, in my mid-30s I realized how manipulative she was toward me.

I worked for 11 years in my profession. I had a best friend that I stayed in contact with for a few years after I left to raise Thomas. One day Teri and I were talking on the phone and she informed me that during one of my mom's first visits, a time when I took mom to my job and introduced her to people, mom took Teri aside and told her that I needed to be watched over because I was very immature, naive and didn't know how the world worked. She did this on a mother to mother basis because Teri was about 15 years older than I.

I was absolutely horrified when I learned of that. That was the end of the relationship !!! (Trust is a huge issue with me.) The funny thing is I was extremely mature, responsible and I wasn't naive. I did know how the world worked. I worked with hardened criminals every single day. I worked with lawyers every day.

This little episode is just the tip of the iceberg on how mom was a master manipulator. In respect of her memory, I won't share more.

I am finally at a stage where I'm over my sorrow, my anger and my loss. Now I can look back and see some of the happy memories I had with mom. I can look at the bad things in a new light: She was ill. She did the best she could, she loved the only way she knew how, and she lived her life the best that she could under the circumstances. She had many wonderful qualities and I wish she had had the opportunity for therapy because she could have been so much more.

I now look at it like this: Take her good qualities and run with them. Mom would have put Martha Stewart to shame. She could cook, clean, sew and craft amazingly well. Learn from her mistakes: Type A personality, master manipulator, one of the angriest people I have ever known: Do not repeat.

There's a little voice inside my head that talks to me as I am parenting. It always asks a question: WWMD? (What would mom do?) Sometimes, I go with what mom would do such as teaching about how to clean, organize, teach good work ethic. Usually that little voice crops up when I need to do a 180 and the exact opposite of what mom would have done. It crops up when I need to bite my tongue so that Thomas can learn from mistakes. It crops up when Thomas does typical 10-year-old things that mom would have nearly killed for.

She continues to teach, although she'd be surprised at how those lessons are applied.

Mom, I love you anyway. Live and let live.

Homeschool Meme

I haven't had anything to blog about lately, so was glad to find a homeschool meme at the Imperfect Genius blog.

1) What country/region/state do you live in?

Minnesota

2) How long have you been homeschooling? Just getting started, old pro or somewhere in between?

Just starting our third year! Wow, where does time go!

3) Write a little something about your family. Ages? Stages?

One ten-year-old son, starting 5th grade.

4) Share some good homeschooling advice you’ve run across.

My own advice is to follow your heart. We know our kiddos better than anyone else, their learning styles, their likes, their dislikes, and what they need help with. I think if we listen to the little voice inside our head, we know the correct path to take.

5) Tell us something you’re passionate about (besides your family and homeschooling, those are givens!).

I am very passionate about genealogy. Very. It's my thing. Gardening is another passion of mine.

6) If you could take the ultimate field trip, where would you go and why?

The ultimate field trip would be an American history study in an RV visiting all the states. I'd like to see old homes, battlefields, museums, etc. In that field trip, I'd also like to visit my ancestors' towns, homes, places of work. (Many of my ancestors worked in places that are now a part of the national parks. While I would enjoy this, I don't know if my son would or not.

7) What is a resource you can’t do without?

Hands down, the internet.

8) How do you homeschool? Classical, Charlotte Mason, Waldorf, Unschooling, Eclectic?

Frankie method. Okay, eclectic. Actually I should say Thomas method. We homeschool to suit his learning style, which is varied. We unschool in science, we follow a classical outline for our history studies, we follow our own style for everything else.

9) Share a website or two that you visit often - can be your favorite blogger or a curriculum supplier, just any sites you really like.

Doc's blog, bloglines to keep track of the blogs I read, the blogs listed on my sidebar, and yes, I read The Well-Trained Mind's boards on a weekly basis. I'm also in lots of yahoo groups.

10) Tell us about one of your favorite projects/activities/trips you’ve had in the past few months.

Well, in Nov of 2005 we got on an airplane and visited Columbia, South Carolina for a week. My husband was working there and we went with him. We fell in love with South Carolina, hit every museum we could find, a wonderful zoo, toured historic homes, swam and even ate at a Waffle House Restaurant. (We were quite surprised there were more of these than McDonald's.) We also drove to Charleston for a day and toured Ft. Sumter, the South Carolina Aquarium, and an evening walking ghost tour of Chraleston. I must add that we met a good internet homeschool friend and her kids while we were there, and that was the highlight of the trip for me!

11) What is a current/previous homeschooling challenge you’ve faced?

Teaching Thomas speed, focus, concentration.

12) Share an accomplishment, something about you or your children. Come on, brag about it!

Well, I don't draw the line from homeschooling into activities, so I'll share that Thomas has won his Cub Scouts pack's Pinewood Derby two years in a row and also won the District Pinewood Derby two years in a row. Quite a feat, because those derbies are highly competitive. He spent many hours working on his cars and learned a lot.

13) What are you looking forward to over the coming year?

Starting up again in September! Taking an afternoon off here and there to go swimming. Tons of science that we -- Thomas actually helped -- have planned. The breaks that I worked into our schedule. Those wintertime blues really got to me and I planned some good breaks after the new year to help.

14) Name three things you like doing in the summer with your family.

Going to the beach, gardening with Thomas, sneaking off on a hot evening to get a McDonald's ice cream cone. Have to put in a number four here: Little excursions around our area, such as visiting Walnut Grove, MN to play in Plum Creek, or going to the Sioux Falls Zoo for the day, visiting the Jeffers Petroglyphs. I want to get to the Grotto of the Redemption in Iowa this summer, but Thomas doesn't want to go there even though it would be a great reinforcer of our geological studies this year. I think I'll make him go anyway.

15) Have a favorite homeschooling quote? Share it here.

Not a favorite homeschool quote, but a favorite quote I try to live by: Live and let live.

Pretty!

Flowers always make my day, especially when they are unexpected! A great-big thank you to my cousin/best friend for the surprise! The photo doesn't do the arrangement justice.

Too Scared to Sell

I have three boxes of homeschool stuff I need to unload. While I have been buying on Ebay forever, I have never sold and frankly, I'm almost too scared to try. I'm equally scared to sell on the homeschool boards.

Some of the stuff I have I will give to friends, such as flash cards, books that aren't in the best of condition, but I have some stuff that we have outgrown that are worth some money. I would imagine I could make enough to buy all the science supplies I want, plus some.

So why am I so scared?

If I try to sell on Ebay, I know to get a new checking account so that our main account isn't tied up with Paypal. I've heard horror stories about freezing checking accounts and I'd be close to death if that happened. I know how to accurately describe what I have. I'm just a chicken.

I don't know how to do shipping. I'd want to charge a very small fee for shipping and handling -- meaning I'd go out and buy something to ship the books in. I don't know how to do shipping charges, though. Personally, I don't buy near as much on Ebay as I used to because of shipping fees so I'd probably do media mail. I think everything I have qualifies for that.

I'm just a wimp. All I need to do is jump in.

Someone tell me to do it. I don't want to be tripping over boxes for the next month.

Ugh.

Oh what a mess!

The majority of next year's school books arrived at our house. They've been sitting on the kitchen counter for way too long.

I started to clean the school room today. Here's two boxes full of stuff to sell. I ran out of boxes, so the school room looks like this:

Oh what a mess. I find it very hard to get rid of stuff. The stuff in the foreground is 3rd grade completed work that I can't seem to get rid of. Uhm, we just finished 4th grade.

I've been sorting for an hour and now I'm just procrastinating. I want to finish this room today so that I can reclaim my kitchen. For some reason I am just not enjoying this process. I wish we had a room that was larger than 9x9! I wish I had more book cases! I would really like to get another 4-foot table so that Thomas and I each had our own workspace, or else we had a space to house fish tanks, hermit crabs, plants.

I wish for a lot, but none will come true (except maybe another table) and it is time to force myself to complete the task.

We're Crazy!!!!

All this late evening I've been surfing and my husband has been surfing on his computer. Thomas was in bed, fast asleep. We've also been smelling chocolate cake.

So I happen to notice the clock. It reads 12:20. I look to my husband and say:

ME: Honey?
DH: What!
ME: It's 12:20
DH: Yeah, so.
ME: It's my birthday.

He turns and looks at me, and we both are smiling evil grins. Without another word, we both jump out of our seats, run to get Thomas up and out of bed. When he was awake and in the kitchen, we slammed candles on the cake. Didn't have 41, so we made the number 41 with the candles. We lighted them, I made a quick wish, blew them out...and we ate cake.

Thomas has brushed his teeth and is back in bed. DH is getting into bed as I type. I'm sitting here laughing, because doing what we did is exactly the way I like to celebrate things. Crazy, out of order, unexpected.

I have a feeling it is going to be a wonderful day. DH even said he'd take the afternoon off, so we'll have to come up with new plans.

I love being weird!

Growing With Grammar 4 is now available!

Growing With Grammar is a fantastic grammar program. The author, Tamela Davis, started with a third-grade level and has just completed her fourth-grade level.

I have not seen the fourth-grade level, but my son worked through GWG3, so I'm positive that it is as fantastic as 3.

I like to compare GWG to Rod and Staff. Rod and Staff is a great program, although it's time consuming and writing all those sentences out by hand is excruciating. Also it is very religious. Growing With Grammar is to the point and very well laid out. Anyone of any faith or lack thereof can use this program without any hesitation. GWG's coverage is "just the right amount" whereas Rod and Staff tended to go on and on and on. Also, with Rod and Staff, we have to do grammar 4 days a week in order to complete the book in a year. GWG covers the same ground but it can be done fewer times a week and be finished in the year.

I just read on the GWG website that the author is going to write a 1st/2nd grade combo program and will also be working on her 5th grade program, both due out in spring of 2007.

My son was behind on his grammar skills, according to his 3rd grade CAT5 results. We did GWG3 in 4th grade and his English test scores on his 4th grade CAT5 went way up. (Yes, they were above grade level.) That, IMHO, is proof that it is a good program. I really do believe that her program helped give Thomas the boost that he needed.

Growing With Grammar

June 27th

When I was a kid, it was my favorite day of the year. Now it's just another day -- or maybe it's a day when I get sad and miss my mom, who had a gift for making birthdays special.

Another year older. Another year wiser. Another year, more gray hair. I'm getting old. It beats the alternative, though!

Birthdays were always a big deal to me. I make a big deal out of Thomas's birthday as well as my husband's. They don't for me.

This weekend I went to the store and bought a chocolate cake mix and chocolate canned frosting. I told the boys that I will be getting a birthday cake this year. Then I pointed to the mix. DH got the hint and I'm proud to report the cake is cooling. =) (All the dirty dishes were stacked in the sink for me, though. lol)

I'm tired of crappy birthdays and decided I need to take it upon myself to have a great one. So tomorrow shall be a selfish Frankie day. I deserve it, right? ? ?

Thomas and I will go out for breakfast. I have not decided where we will go yet. Truth be told, I love an Egg McMuffin. However, a nice, sit-down breakfast would be nice too. We will then depart for a day of shopping. Ah, in my little town I should say a morning of shopping.

My husband did not buy me a gift this year because I nixed what he was going to get me. (A swing for the back yard.) It isn't enjoyable going in the back yard anymore because the neighbors on our north just hacked down all the privacy shrubs and there's no privacy and the neighbors to the south are always outside with their #$%# poodle that barks incessantly. When I go out to garden, I always check to see if Yappy is outside before I head out.

So I think I'll buy myself a gift, but I don't know what it will be yet. I want a food sealer, but my mom's words keep echoing in my head: Don't buy gifts for the house, buy them for the person. She hated any appliances as gifts because she called it a gift for the house. And she's right. Mom also hated money as a gift because she would use it for groceries. I disagree with her on that, I love getting money as a gift because then I can buy what I want.

Okay, so breakfast out, a morning of shopping, I think that Thomas and I shall go to lunch at a bar. My town has many lakes and there is a bar/restaurant that has been there forever. It was built on the lake. It is a busy place, smoke-filled in the evenings, but great for lunch. The food is greasy but fantastic. I think a pork tenderloin sandwich is in order. We'll go after the busy lunch crowd and look out on the lake. In the winter this place is great because we sit and watch cars driving over the lake. To this day it freaks me out seeing cars driving on the lake. Our town looks very similar to the town in the movie Grumpy Old Men. Ice huts everywhere. In the summer, this restaurant is great because we get to watch all the boats come to the dock and the people come in to eat.

I'm at a loss for what to do in the afternoon. Maybe a movie? Thing is, I don't like sitting through kids movies. We did just go see Over the Hedge and I actually enjoyed that movie. I think the theater is showing the Garfield movie. I know it's showing Click. I wonder if that's appropriate for a 10-year-old! Another idea is to drive to the next down east and go to their motel. They will let you swim for $3 an hour. Maybe that's what we'll do. I just am not in the mood to go to our local swim park because it's loud, noisy, full of kids dropped off for the entire day, and I know for a fact the pool is half bodily fluids.

I'll let my husband surprise me for supper. He's a good cook, or he can take us out, either one. Then we'll have cake.

What a boring birthday, but it will do. Birthday small-town Minnesota style.

I could get together with friends, but everyone wants to go to the water park in the summer and I just don't. Aside from what I already mentioned, I don't hear well and with the water spraying and gushing all over the place, I can't hear to have a conversation there.

41. Definitely middle aged, feeling and showing it, but loving the fact I get smarter and better every year.

A Relaxing Sunday

We had a very relaxing Sunday at our house. Thomas and his dad continued playing games on the computer, played some games and read some books. I putzed around the house all day, finally settling in at the kitchen table with my books, pencil and paper.

Thomas decided he wants to work through How Nature Works first. After studying the book for awhile this afternoon, I find it doesn't provide as much information as I would like on certain topics. That will be easily remedied because we have tons of science books.

We'll start the book out of order doing the plants and fungi chapter. I grabbed my book Simple Nature Experiments with Everyday Materials to plot our game plan. I made a list of things to buy and then hit the internet.

I checked out Edmund Scientific, Carolina Biological, and Home Science Tools. For what I wanted, and the quantities, Home Science Tools was my best bet. I spent an hour perusing their website, putting things in the wish list. I saved the wish list frequently. When I was done, I had a very healthy wish list, healthy enough to make my husband complain.

We ate a nice homemade Mexican meal that my husband prepared and I came back to the computer with credit card in hand. I can't believe it, my wish list was empty! Is that a sign that I should not be ordering all those science supplies? It couldn't be me, I know I kept hitting the save wish list button. Great, now I'll have to start all over.

I will start over. Tomorrow. I'll need to get my list and remember that Sal Soda, the term used in the How Nature Works book, is actually sodium carbonate or good old washing soda. Yes, I admit it took me five minutes to figure out what Sal Soda was. And I guess that doesn't even matter because I can buy that locally.

I did learn that I need to order my iodine solution online because they iodine they sell in pharmacies is alcohol based and may not work with some experiments whereas the iodine sold online is water based.

I swear I'll learn more science than Thomas will.

I've heard of literature-based education, classical education, but has anyone ever put together a science-based education? Thomas loves science, is very good and intuitive with science, and our upcoming school year is going to revolve around science.

And me, the poor mom who always hated science class, will finally love science. (I can hope.)

Bad mom!

I blew it today. Really blew it.

Early this afternoon the computers were forced to be shut off due to a thunderstorm. The boys had to give up Runescape! What a wonderful thing, because we played three games of Blokus in a row. I might add that Thomas won two of the three games. He is really getting good at thinking ahead, seeing his moves, etc.

After the games we decided we needed lunch. As I was preparing lunch, Thomas was putting the game up. Well, I left my tall cup of coffee on the table next to the games and next to my Reader's Digest How it Works series of books, six in all, Rebecca Rupp's Home Learning Year by Year and The Well-Trained Mind. I had been reading the books and trying to decide which to do first before the boys brought Blokus up.

Well, can you see it coming? Tall cup of coffee, over $100 worth of books next to each other?

You guessed it, Thomas knocked over the cup of coffee. Luckily, though, the coffee was only centimeters from the books. I jumped, Thomas jumped, then I yelled. I yelled because as I was bringing over a couple of dish towels, Thomas started cleaning the floor not worrying about the coffee that could get "the precious books."

As I was yelling, Thomas pushed the chair out of the way. In the process, the roller went straight over my toe and cut it. Okay, so mom yells even more. Loudly. (It really did hurt.)

We got the mess cleaned up and I started apologizing profusely. I took Thomas in my arms and I started to cry. What had just happened was an every-day occurrence in my childhood. My mom flew off the handle every single day over stupid things. I told Thomas the story about when I was his age I had planned on spending the night with my friend Julie. My mom and I were eating lunch and I knocked over my glass of milk. My mom started yelling (the same as I had done over the coffee) and then forbade me from spending the night as punishment. I told him how awful I felt because it was an accident. He whispered he felt the same way, he didn't intentionally spill the coffee. I hugged him tighter and said, "I know." As I was hugging him, I kept thinking I'd come unglued if someone treated him the way I had just treated him.

We had a good, long talk about what had taken place. I told him my response was reactionary, that I had not thought about what I was doing at all. I also told him that is what my childhood was like and it is kind of a learned response. We then discussed what learned responses are. I told him how wrong I was, how stupid my actions were, and apologized again for hurting his feelings. Anyway, when all was said and done, he said some precious words to me: "Mom, you're not mean, everybody makes mistakes. Your mom didn't apologize, but you did. You're a good mom." And then I cried some more.

I screw up all the time, I'll readily admit that, but today's was bad. I just hate yelling. I hate it when I do stupid things, especially when they are at the expense of my son. Even with a heart-felt apology, the sting of my yelling will not be forgotten.

Oy.

ew!

I took Thomas to breakfast this morning. We went to McDonald's so he could get hot cakes. Who calls them hot cakes? We always call them pancakes.

Anyway, we took a seat by the pop fountain. We're sitting there eating and this woman runs up to the pop machine, hits the water button and proceeds to wash her hands right there. In the pop fountain. I couldn't believe my eyes. Washing her hands in the pop fountain. Ewwww!

If you know me, you know that I can't keep my mouth shut when an opportunity arises. Thomas was sitting with his back to the fountain, so very loudly I said, "Thomas, quick turn around and look, some idiot is washing her hands in the pop fountain." Of course Thomas, being a 10-year-old boy loudly proclaimed, "Ewwwww, that's sick."

The woman turned and gave me the "you're evil" stare, grabbed some napkins, dried her hands and stormed off.

Just then one of the employees walked by and I got her attention. I told her the disgusting tale and she went over and cleaned the entire fountain.

What would possess someone to wash their hands in the pop fountain when there is a bathroom 15 feet from the machine? Huh? Is she afraid of using soap?

That was just gross.

Whew!

The rumors about the company laying off 70 people were only partially true. They laid off 20. Thankfully my husband made it through. My heart aches for the 20, though.

I was going to make sloppy Joe's for supper tonight. We decided that we needed to celebrate and go out to eat instead. How I wish we had an Olive Garden or a Cracker Barrel in town. We'll have to settle for the local Mexican restaurant. Luckily, the food is good there.

I was supposed to receive a Fed Ex shipment from Amazon today. I was all set to pour over new books tonight. It didn't come, darn it all. At least I can still look forward to its arrival -- plus the Rainbow order. I did get the new Rainbow catalog in yesterday's mail. Sadly, it was raining and a good portion of the catalog was soggy! I put it in front of a fan last night so the pages are dry and stiff. It seems to be thicker than last year's. Even with funky pages, I'll still spend countless hours enjoying the catalog wishing I were rich -- or had $8000 per student like the school district has. lol

Toying with Ideas

I have a lot of ideas I'm toying with in my brain...

1) Actually *starting* summer school.

2) Starting working on our daily chore cards again. Today I did manage to place them out on the counter, but we didn't do the chores. It works SO well when we do them...I just have the summer "don't-cares."

3) Cleaning out my basement. In the winter I always think what a great summer project that would be. Now that it's June, I think it would be a great winter project.

4) Starting Weight Watchers again. I am miserable, but not enough so to get off my butt and do something about it. I've been toying with this one for months. Once I actually start, I do great. It's just starting.

5) Setting up my cheap-o plastic outdoor table and doing school outside, in the shade.

6) Cleaning out the schoolroom. We're awaiting the arrival of lots of new stuff and I have no where to put it once it gets here.

7) Starting our county fair art project. I have everything purchased, a list of what to do...just need to do it. Oh, I guess we did start...Thomas is making a newspaper box with his dad. They started this past weekend. It is really cool to peek out into the garage and see my little baby -- I mean my big 10-year-old cutting wood with the band saw, the hand saw, a jig saw, running a sander, etc.

I have the summertime relaxed-mode feeling and just don't feel like putting effort into anything that isn't fun. Gotta get over that!

hmph!

My husband came home yesterday after work and informed me that there is a rumor floating around, from a very reliable source, that his company will be cutting 70 jobs from three plants this week. We're scared, but they've been doing layoffs since we moved here. Yuck.

My sunroof button broke in my car and so now it doesn't want to close. It's just by pure luck that I quit pushing the button at the right time to make sure it seals. I see a big bill on that.

It is 68 degrees today, has been raining the majority of the day, and humidity is 90 percent. We had the air off all morning but everything in the house is now sticky. Can't catch a break on the electric bill today, will have to turn the air on to control humidity in the house.

And to top off the lovely day I seem to be having, my son and I just arrived home from the library. He decided he wanted to do the library's summer reading program. The director came out to sign him up and Thomas's brain disappeared. He didn't know what grade he had just completed. I tried to make light of it and said we homeschool so we're not into the grade thing. Well, then the form required the school name. Thomas looked up at me in a panic and said, "Mom, how do you spell school?"

Okay, earth, open up and swallow me. This child is not the best speller in the world but he has been writing the word school for years now. And it was right on the form in front of him. Good grief! I joked, "Well, obviously we're not the best homeschoolers around."

On a brighter note, we did get his standardized test scores back and he did extremely well once again -- except for spelling. He scored at grade level in spelling. I think I'll have him write "school" on the white board 100 times this afternoon. Not.

Guess what I bought!

My husband is going to think I have flipped my lid. My son probably won't know what they are -- well, that's an exaggeration, but he's certainly never seen one in my house or on me.

I was shopping on Ebay the other day and I bought myself two

aprons.

Yup, the old-fashioned kind that go over your neck, tie in the back and have pockets. One is a very pretty floral and the other is a solid color. My husband will think that I've stepped back in time and turned into a 1950s kind of gal. He knows me too well and would never even hope that I would become subservient, though. ;-)

Actually, I am just a slob in the kitchen and I am sick of getting my shirts dirty. I thought an apron would be nice when cooking and then doing dishes.

I'll be anxiously awaiting their arrival. Only time will tell whether or not it was a stupid waste of $3 plus $6.95 shipping. lol