Homeschool Family

A hilarious homeschool spoof with some poking-fun funny and some too-true funny lines. Enjoy!

We are infectious

The family has gotten pink eye-so stay back. I have never had so much laundry to do in my life. Mine is pretty much gone with two days of antibiotics, but Adam and Aggie are still pretty severe. Gwyn has been spared thus far. We have missed preschool, will miss dance, missed work and even can't help friends redo their hardwood floors for fear of spreading it to others. I am beginning to go stir-and Lysol-crazy. And poor Adam...he wants to go to work, he has stuff to do at work, he is annoyed he can't go to work...it is making him a bit sad. He works on the couch all day with his laptop and headset phone in. It is kinda funny-at least today he is in regular clothes. Yesterday he wore athletic pants and Crocs...and this morning I caught him in PJ pants, no shirt and his headset phone taking a work call. I sparred him the picture post.

I love my Peanut Shell Sling

I have a new favorite baby carrier. I have used an Over the Shoulder Baby Holder (a good starter sling), maya wrap (a good adjustable ring sling), sloomb UV beach sling, baby Bjorn around the house (but too many buckles for out), a moby wrap (great for GERD and nursing with an infant-so secure but a bear to learn to wrap) and now a Peanut Shell pouch sling. Now, I have used others, but I have not liked them (New Native Pouch, other two sided adjustable ring slings, ergo backpack carrier...how much have I spent on baby carriers?-I must believe in it). This Peanut shell is my new favorite. It is so easy now that my little girl is old enough to sit on my hip. She just slips in, no adjustments needed. She slept in there, nursed in there, rode in there. She was comfy and so was I-for 6 hours. No back pain-really (cause I went to a boutique and got fitted). Good job Peanut Shell. If you want to find a good carrier in So Cal, go try them on with weighted baby dolls at Kissui in Redlands. It is my favorite baby boutique-I have one of everything in there and they are so helpful. Tell me what you like and I may just buy it for your baby shower gift. I really like baby carrying and think it is so good for baby...

What to do in the rain...

We in Riverside quickly run out of ideas for rainy day activities because we usually have only three or so (not really, but close). We have been trying to get to Disneyland for a week and it keeps raining, so for our Monday Family Day (or Sabbath) we went to the mostly indoor Santa Ana Discovery Science Center today. It was Awesome! I have been, but not for years and not with my family. It was "homeschool days" so the place was crawing with big families and baby carriers. We explored the great exhibits for about 6 hours and learned about gravity, fossils, geodes, hurricanes, clouds, waves, earthquakes, tooth care, green screens (we found a green chair and green legos that made our heads disapear on the TV screen-it was cool), air pressure and pulleys. Aggie and Adam layed on a bed of nails, Gwyn let a beach ball go on a air balance and she even crawled through a tunnel for the first time. It was a wonderful day! We became members so if you want to visit in the next year, give us a call. I love it when we have to get creative with the outings-we always find new, fun things. And my favorite is when Adam says, "Thanks Mom for bringing us here." I feel loved and appreciated. Homeschooling can be so fun-I am so glad that is what my kid does on a school day...

A weekend of Gwyn

Agatha went off to my in-law's cabin in Running Springs for the weekend to play in the snow with Grandma and Grandpa (and do four homeschool assignments-homeschoolers never stop, do they?) So, we got Gwynie all weekend. Now, we missed Agatha, don't get me wrong, but it was so nice to concentrate on soft, cuddly Gwyn. I layed on the floor with her for hours, we ran errands and I was able to stop and nurse whenever she needed, we went on outdoor walks at the drop of a hat, life revolved around her naps, things had a nice, peaceful rhythm. She has been battling teething and possibly a cold (hard to tell the difference sometimes) so we have had humidifiers and peppermint/eucalyptus oil going, nose suckers and saline nose washes. Good times-but it has been nice to have only one to concentrate on. She broke through the top two teeth, so now she has four. And her GERD is getting better! We have been on every other day meds for two weeks and plan to go off completely in a week or two if all stays peaceful. Ahh-peaceful. It has been so quiet! I even had time to organize and load up our new garage with Adam. Never with two-never!

Prop AB 755 - Prohibition of Spanking...

"AB 755 would, in its practical effect, make a non-injurious spanking with an object such as a ruler, small paddle, etc. illegal. After being arrested, charged, and tried in a criminal court, parents could receive up to one year in jail and could lose custody of their children."

Info on this proposition is now on the Christian email curcuit and the email forward proposes we take action AGAINST it. My response is not to forward it on, but to think why do we as religious people hit our kids at all-especially with an implement? I don't agree with hitting kids in any way to get them to behave. It seems we should lead by example and I think we all agree we don't want them hitting other kids at play-dates. I interpret (after biblical research) the rod referenced in Proverbs as a shepherds rod. This rod is used to guide and redirect or even to protect the sheep from predators. I feel I can shepherd my children with other gentle, yet firm discipline techniques. I do have friends who choose to spank and though I do not agree I respect their decision to do so...with their hand. I do not accept use of an implement as this law proposes because that is too much force to use on a child. Children should be protected from this avenue of abuse. If it hurts a parent too much to hit with a hand then they are hitting too hard. There are other faith and biblically based ways to parent that don't involve hitting and they can be read about at Dr. Sears site (who is a christian man), and in his book The Discipline Book where he makes a point that it is not necessarily biblical to hit our kids. More info can be found on websites such as Graceful Mothering and Gentle Christian Mothers and Parenting in Jesus' Footsteps . I know this is such a hot topic and there have been tons of my friends that have gone through "Growing Kids God's Way" and read Dobson pamphlets, but this makes my blood race when I hear that it is somehow our right as Americans to hit our kids with sticks and belts and rulers and whatnot. I don't think this is leading to a no spanking law (though I wouldn't oppose one), it is just protecting kids-go read it. What would you as an adult do if someone hit you with a belt or a shoe? Maybe your pastor would take you aside and whip your legs with a stick "lovingly" to teach you not to go into credit card debt? I am thinking that would not go over to well in a counseling session...

Ugliness turned beautiful

I was out with my best bud Em Foor today. We ventured into old Corona to Little Bitty Prints to get our baby girls' handprints immortalized in pottery wall hangings-a fun and overpriced tradition that we carry on because their hands are that tiny only for a little while. Anyway we drove around a fairly sketchy part of town that kinda looked run down in the rainy gloom to find it. We went in and shopped the gently used merchandise of the second hand store and when we walked out this is the beautiful rainbow that greeted us. All the sudden the ugliness of the run down neighborhood was shining beauty in the sun after rain. The weeds looked bright green and the mud a vibrant dark brown. The street was littered with beautiful old churches with steeples that I had missed before because I was distracted by the mismatched storefronts. As we slowly walked to our car the world seemed breathtakingly beautiful. Isn't it funny how that happens. Some days all I see is bad fashion choices and awkwardness in people and things and other days I see such beauty in the world and people's faces around me. It is probably all in my perspective. Life is what you make it.

I love being outside...

Saturday was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, we played outside, we had nowhere to go, I hung the clothes on the line, watered my compost, Gwyn ate leaves on the grass, Aggie played in the sandbox and I got to wear my fun little pink garden shoes from my little sister instead of my big black UGG knock off boots (that I usually have to wear to keep my toes warm). What a beautiful day. Wish I could have shared it with my hubby. Ministry calls.

False Eyelashes and Organic Makeup

Yesterday I got completely ready in my four year old's bathroom. Is it crazy that she has enough product to support her 30 year old mommy? There was deodorant, makeup, a hair dryer, moisturizer and mousse...I did have to use a Little Einstein bandaid and went for the gusto with her face glitter. Which, by the way what is up with the fact that every single mascara ad features a model or celebrity who is most obviously using fake eyelashes?

Nobody wears those things daily and it is totally false advertising. I even read there are controversies about it. Why not just show what your product really does? I want to start using Nvey Eco. It is organic and paraben free-any users? Does it work?

Family update...life keeps of rolling by

I have been caught up with life and work, so here is a family update for all the fam out there...

Gwyn is eating fingerfood now...she never wants our help anymore. She crawls all over the house and is the cutest thing ever. We have even left her with my Mom at our house for a couple two hour dates. It is amazing how fast you can get in and out of the car with no baby!

We started homeschooling after the holiday break and whenever we do piano Gwyn crawls under the bench and puts her head against the piano...another musician on our hands? She loves rhythm.

We had dinner at Taco Station with Mark, Angie and Nolan Lamberth. It was so nice to catch up with such sincere friends. And only Nolan could entice Agatha into a cowgirl dress up instead of a princess-but it is still pink!

We went to the snow in Running Springs with the Foors. I love Emily. No one else would pay admission with me just to be a part of the fun when really we each went down the slope only 3 times and spent the rest of the time nursing, rocking and appeasing our infants who where not excited about the cold, wet snow that reflected bright light in their eyes. Ahhh, infancy!

Aggie had a blast riding with Haley and Noah. I miss the five families-with out of town moves and starting school our old tradition of Snow Day has been reduced to two instead of five.

Adam taking his turn with Gwyn so I could hit the slopes. We took her down twice. She was not impressed.

I threw Holly Rodrigo a baby shower. She is due on Feb 22 and looks amazing. She has gained the perfect amount-of course- and is glowing. We "went green" and played games like "change the cloth diaper" and "think of 10 ways to go green with baby". We even ate off our compostable "paper" products made from corn and sugar cane. It was fun and I got to catch up with old friends like Keri Quesada who came with her 3 week old baby and wore zip up jeans...at three weeks. Can we say WEIGHT LOSS ENVY?

We had dinner with the Reids...who we love and whose daughters are clones of ours. Can you even find Aggie in this picture? Bryan and Cristi are so laid back-the girls made a sleeping bag clubhouse in their master bedroom walk in closet all night. I love them!

Aggie had her ballet/tap/gymnastics show day at The Little Gym. She is doing so well. But, more than anything I noticed her empathy. She was so concerned about any kids who got hurt or were too shy and ran to their parents. So much so that when I caught her eye I had to redirect her to do the steps again. I love how much she cares.

Katie and Hannah came with a flower for Aggie. They made her day. She adores the Boone girls, so do I. Thanks Stacey. We got you on email, when is the blog coming?

Lots of friends and family playdates and visits in the last couple weeks. I got my hair cut...I had work meetings on my own (Adam took Gwyn)...the garage still has no door or window...the christmas lights are down this year (thanks Scott Ellis)...I finished the old set of Learning Records and now have another set to write...life keeps on rolling by...

Pretty Pink Feminists

I have always raised my four year old to believe in herself. I never forced girly-ness on her, but as you can see by her blog she has definitely chosen it. She is one of the fanciest, pinkest girls I know. But she still is going to "change the world and make it so lots of girls can be pastors" (something that still needs to change in our evangelical Christian circles). She tells this freely to everyone and recently told me she wants someone to write a book about her life because she is going to change the world like Fa Mulan did for China (she impersonated a man and was in the Chinese army in 380 AD). I am glad my feeble attempts to keep the feminism alive by reading books like The Paper Bag Princess mixed in with the Cinderella and Fancy Nancy has worked. I suppose it is not really feminism, but personism as my friend Bill Catling says. I am the first one to stand up for my wonderful parenting partner and husband when people so rudely say "Is Adam babysitting the girls for you?", no he is just parenting them, Dads don't babysit. Women and Men have their special talents and roles, but we all should partner in life with parenting, finances, decisions, leadership, you get the drift...off my soapbox.

All I need is armpit hair

So we have always been environmentally conscious, but lately we have been going greener than ever. We just think we should be good steward's of God's Earth. Anyway we found these compostable cups at San Diego Zoo and ordered some for ourselves along with sugar cane plates, bowls and utensils. (cause who really wants to do dishes after a big party with friends or bible study or something?) Compostable! Crazy, ey? Adam and I had to try them just to see if they started breaking down while we ate or leaked or something...nope, our organic granola with organic milk stayed safely in the bowl. They are cool. I am putting them in the compost bin tomorrow-so we will see. I think I will go take a short shower with my organic shampoo and face wash (that smell like composting fruit and grass) and change my baby's compostable diaper while I am at it, oh and clean with my earth friendly products and ward off ants with cinnamon. I'm telling you, all I need is the armpit hair. Am I getting too crazy? I even am thinking about a mooncup (don't follow this link unless you are a girl and ok with menstrual stuff :)

Here comes Gwyn

My little Gwyneth is on the move. She officially started crawling on New Year's Day when Adam enticed her across our 8 foot rug with baby cheetos every foot and a half, but today she really broke through. She crawls from room to room, goes from crawl to sit and back again, chases my mom's dog (who is fabulous with her), has found the outlets and pulled the cords out, and has started to gain real speed. It is a whole new world. Yey for Gwynie.

Our Progress

Here is my new art studio...I mean our new garage. We still need to install the doors and window, run electrical and plumbing, nail up wood siding and paint it, but we have a building. I can't wait to have permanent space for printmaking! Woohoo!

I love this quote I found on my favorite new friend's site.

No sorrowful tears, no beating of the breast
For a safe repose has taken me.
I dance ring dances with the blessed saints
In the beautiful fields of the righteous.
- Ancient Christian tomb inscription

Beautiful, isn't it?

Yay, for Le Leche League!

Gwyneth recently staged a nursing strike-Adam said he could imagine her with a little picket sign crawling around with a grouchy little look... She is getting some teeth on the top (I figured out after lots of parenting detective work) and refused to nurse from 10am yesterday until we had success at about 8pm! I was bursting to say the least-since she is only 7 months and nursing is still her primary nutrition every 2-3 hours. It was horrible...I would lay her back into position and she would wail this horrible yell I have never heard from her, or she would just put her mouth on and look at me sideways with no latch-on and then sit up crying, or she would bite me and cry immediately from guilt...nursing has always been a beautiful bond between me and my babies and a way I bring comfort and intimacy as well as nourishment to my girls, so this was heartbreaking for me. I worried (since she is eating solids twice a day now and moving on to finger food) that she didn't want it or was weaning. I had to wean Agatha at almost 2 years old-because I wanted to stop-not because she did-so I was not ready for these thoughts. It was hard, and I realize I may need to prepare myself for Gwyn to move on before I am ready. But, I knew it was too early to move on now. I pumped, I gave her some in a bottle (should have used a cup and no artificial nipples I realize now) and she sucked it down. AHHH! What was wrong? SO, finally I called my LLL Leader, Rebecca Konegen, and she is my lifesaver. She has saved me from three nursing catastophies with Gwyn and I owe her some crazy big attachment parenting points! She told me to take a bath with Gwyn and try to nurse in there with the skin to skin, comfy atmosphere. I have to admit it seems wierd to those who have never birthed or nursed-but it worked! (As did the admittedly wierd suggestion of boob soaking in a sink of hot water for mastitis/clogged milk duct, among other helpful things she has told me) Yay for LLL! Yay for Becky! Yay for Gwyn who is now nursing again, gently and with a little pain, but nursing!!! Double Yay for Gwyn who is also crawling now. She started on New Year Day and has now started to really get around. SO many big things happening in her little life-it is no wonder a nursing strike was staged!

Fall colors in January

This is for all you northern CA/Oregon people that complain that we have no Fall in Riverside. Just come over to my house in January and I'll have plenty of fall raking and jumping for you to frolick in. I know it is late, but beautiful just the same! The girls had so much fun jumping (Agatha) and eating (Gwyneth) in the leaves. My real motivation was to finally have some dry stuff for my compost mix!!!

Her laugh is so pure enjoyment! She said, "Mom, this is just like in a book!"

I have had to swipe many leaves from her throat! They can't taste good!

PS. I know I have missing from blogdom for like a month-I'll post some of the things when I am lacking in material later-but things have been crazy with my CLAD classes and every waking moment that hasn't been mommy duty, social outings or Christmas stuff has been my 12 units. But, I finish today!!! Hooray!