“Busy” pencil drawing

I think portraits should capture the personality of the subject.  Expressing who that person really is. I almost included the bare feet with perfectly applied burgundy nail polish but then I would’ve ended up painting it, or at least using color pencils.  I really wanted to stick with just pencil this time.  So, yes, her feet are excluded purposely.  The drawing could have just as easily been titled; Purposeful, Dedicated, Determined or Responsible but “Busy” is best.  Whether she’s working or playing she’s always on a mission… always busy!

“Busy” 0.7ml pencil on heavy paper

Ink Blot Shadow

I traced this shadow.  I see it on my wall every night.  It is an easily recognizable image to me.  So I wonder if this is like the psychology ink blots where different people see different things.  What do you see???

Fall Hill

funny name for my latest painting… ta-da!

Decorating for Halloween

Dug out the decorations that survived from last year.  Kids covered the screen door with window clings of glow in the dark spider webs, skeletons and glittery bats.  Put up shiny black tinsel with pumpkins and ghosts outside and the light bulb jack-o-lantern, too.  It’s never too early to decorate for Halloween!

Costumes are still up in the air but we have narrowed it down to…

Keek- belly dancer, Irish lass or Catwoman

Fish- Batman, Irish lad or Superman

and this goes here and that goes there

Kids brought all the dvd’s and vhs tapes out then arranged them by rating on the living room rug.  Not really sure what got into them.  weird!  When they finished they called me over to see the teatering towers and mused over the fact that their G rated tower is much taller than the little bitty R rated tower.  Oh ho ho…

week 5

Another week of school under our belt and all is well!  We did the usual worksheets and read numerous books.

Keek and Fish have been asking for a lemonade stand all summer and finally we started working on it.  I gave each of them a sticky board measuring 20 x 16 and instructed them to make signs.  Keek told Fish, “Advertising is an important part of running a business.”

“I know, I know.  If we make lots of signs we’ll have lots of customers,”  he replied, “and then we’ll make lots of money!”

Both kids decided to use the computer to make their signs.  Fish searched, using Google, to find his perfect sign. While searching he found a curvy bottle with the word, “soda” on it.   He asked for help to make it four different colors.  I showed him how to use the hue adjustment in our paint program.  He thought that was pretty cool!   He also decided to accept donations, instead of setting a price.  He said, “that way anybody can have lemonade or soda even if they are poor… and rich people will pay me more than fifty cents a cup…”

Keek thought it was too cold for lemonade, instead, she would sell warm beverages.  She chose hot chocolate, apple cider and hot tea.  She decided on a set price of fifty cents a cup with refills available for twenty five cents.  Both kids chose their fonts and colors then printed the words to put on the sticky boards.   Keek wanted a business name and decided on, “Warm & Cozy.”  She also Googled images for her sign.

We decided to cover the rest of the sticky board with something so it wouldn’t get dirty:  torn construction paper was perfect for the job!  The kids chose their colors and set to work.  An hour later we three were still sticking… eventually the signs were complete.  Will upload pics asap… my phone is broken and dh is not here with his so that scratches any pic taking for now.  boo-hoo!

Wake Up Freak Out

Then get a grip!  Excellent short about why the scientists are so concerned with climate change.

This is where I tried to embed the film but found myself unable… so here’s a link instead.

http://vimeo.com/1709110#success

It’s pretty self explanitory.  They did a great job and I really wanted to share it with all of you!

Early Bird and Night Owl

I had always read that children are most attentive and sharpest in morning hours.  I also believed that the more mundane subjects (math) should be tackled during these peak hours.  I was taught to do the most difficult tasks first, “when you’re fresh.”  So I’ve been teaching my children the same thing.  When we wake up we eat, then attack out math worksheets.

Just to insure a smooth transition I put the math books on the table before breakfast is finished, except for yesterday.  Yesterday the math books stayed hidden in the hallway on the shelf.  I was reading email (or something) and not paying attention.  Breakfast was eaten in record time and both kids vacated the premises as quickly as possible.  I’m not one to interrupt quiet play so I let them be.

Lunch came and went.

About four in the afternoon I said, “Hey we haven’t done any math today.  Let’s do it now.”  Keek and Fish went to the bookshelf and grabbed their books, sat down and set to work.  5 minutes later Fish was tapping his pen on the side of his head.  I asked if he would mind finishing his math instead of playing pen-head.  He laughed.  2 minutes later Keek said, “DONE!” and brought me her math before skittering outside to jump on the trampoline.  She was finished and did them all in record time!  I checked her work and she had completed all the problems correctly.

Fish, however,  was laying on his chair with his feet in the air, using pens like drumsticks on his feet. He spent three hours, poor dear, in that chair playing and trying to focus on the work at hand.  At seven I said, “I think you’re done for today.”

***Then It Hit Me***

Fish is an early bird as Keek is a night owl.

Those of you familiar with with Keek’s math woes know how she had labored over the pages and crumpled under the thought of math.  If only I had thought to apply common sense to the issue.  Keek wasn’t having problems with the math… she was having problems with the time of day.

As a parent I knew she was never a morning person.  Since her birth she’s slept in until at least 10:00.  As a colicky baby she cried non-stop from 11pm to 3am.  As a toddler, with a new baby brother, she would be cranky when he startled in the morning but fine anytime during the night.

Fish is the flip side of the coin.  In utero he would wake me up at 6am like clockwork.  I would be starving if I slept in until 7:00.  As a toddler he would wake up, at the slightest noise and be wide awake any time after 4am.  Up ’till four months (or so) ago he’s always woken at seven (or earlier) and come to our room to cuddle.  Now he gets up early and turns on the computer or plays a dvd quietly until the rest of us are out of bed.  By ten pm he’s wound down and, although he’s never sleepy *wink-wink* he’s ready to cuddle again.

Homeschooling allows my children to be their best.  Keek is not bound to struggle with math every morning because she can do it in the afternoon.  Fish is not stuck with afternoon assignments because he can always do his work in the morning.  If only I had realized this earlier!  Instead I listened to society… a society that doesn’t know my kids at all!  Another reason, I’m so glad, I homeschool!

School week 4

Keek and Fish both did their five pages of math and read daily.  Keek continued with Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine.  She also read, “Zzz…” by Trudee Romanek.  Fish read “Mr. Brown Can Moo.  Can You?” three days in a row!  On Thursday and Friday he switched and read Richard Scarry’s “The Best Mistake Ever and Other Stories.” Fish also completed five spelling worksheets and five more word puzzle worksheets.

Both kids started a painting after we looked through a stack of old Smithsonian magazines.  They identified three main differences between realistic and abstract paintings.  We discussed the difference between foreground and background and spoke briefly about composition.  They caught on quickly and could identify the triangle compositions in many paintings.  They each made their own paintings and have finished the background and blocking for the foreground.  When they’ve completed their pictures I’ll scan them in and post!

Keek and I went bikeriding in the cemetery every other day and then we all went to the bike trail.

I think I could remove the training wheels, what do you think?          ♥

Palin Rant

I don’t want to alienate any of my readers.  If you like Palin you don’t have to read this!  Just move on to the next post.  We don’t have to be on the same political page.  It’s alright to disagree!  If you have a rant about McCain, Palin, Obama or Biden feel free to comment!

Sarah Palin is a smart choice for McCain.  Who else would follow him blindly, smile and wave.  He picked a beauty queen not a leader because he doesn’t want to compete with an educated and seasoned colleague.  Unfortunately women exist who will vote for Palin just because she is a woman.  I am not one of them.

I believe abortion should be used only in the case of rape or incest and only in the first trimester.  More specifically the abortion shall not be granted unless a police report has been made and the victim is pressing charges.  The only time Palin sees abortion as an option is if the mothers life is in danger.  She is, to my way of thinking, securing the rights of sexual aggressors.  Has she ever seen a pregnant 14 year old?  Does she think that’s acceptable?  healthy?  natural?  To force a woman, of any age, to carry a child she didn’t want and (fought against!) be reminded of rape for nine more months is not alright in my book.  Instead I see it as some kind of prolonged mental torture.  The point is; politicians shouldn’t have to fight for a ruling that’s already been passed.  They should, like all those in public office, be looking toward the future, not squabbling about the past.

Environmentally Palin is a toxic waste train wreck.  If we are to maintain and rebuild our dwindling global supremacy our dependency on oil must be stopped, asap.  The focus of all energy monies must be spent on non carbon based fuels.  Yes, that scratches natural gas too!  Drilling for more oil in our few wildlife preserves and natural parks just side steps the issue!  When the last oil droplet is gone and the last natural gas bubble spent we will wonder why we spent so much money searching for more of the same.  That money should be spent on retrofitting our current energy grids, building battery banks, millions of solar panels or wind turbines and education programs to reduce our country’s overall energy consumption.

Lastly, having five kids would indicate, at least to me, a desire to be a loving, caring and involved mother.  Being a mother is an honorable life choice.  But Palin returned to work only three days after the birth of her last baby.  How is that a devoted mom?  Any baby, especially one who was born with downs, needs more than three days to bond properly. I would want to take all the time I had to bond with the baby.  If Palin doesn’t care enough to take the time to bond with her children how can we expect her to care enough about the little people?  I guess that’s not too out of the ordinary, being that she’s Republican.

Sarah Palin was chosen as vp for her inadequacies.  She is in no position to argue with McCain because of her life’s inexperience and lack of political knowledge… and that my friends is why he likes her so!  McCain (and staff) didn’t pick her to make our country stronger, she was chosen to make McCain more attractive to the uneducated woman and those extremely conservative Americans.  I’m not even sure that she will help get their super conservative vote.  Last time I heard, the super conservatives believed women’s place to be the home. Either way, McCain’s oddball vp choice might just get him into the white house.  And that’s a scary thought.

100 Push ups

Inspired by a friend, Amy, who can do 100 boy style push ups, I’ve decided to take the challenge.

Not today or tomorrow but in six weeks I should reach my goal of 100 (boy style) push ups…  if I can stay motivated, that is.  Today I began my training.  About two hours ago I did 30 push ups, not consecutively but with four, minute long breaks.  It was difficult but not impossible.  I could feel my biceps shudder with the last five push ups and I know I’ll be sore tomorrow… but it’s worth it!  The feeling of accomplishment at the end of the road will reward me!  Yeah!

If you are interested in taking the challenge yourself check out the website and take the initial test to see where you start!

http://www.hundredpushups.com/test.html

Spinach

Personally I love spinach.  I love it fresh.  I love it steamed.  I love it frozen.  Not particularlly fond of canned spinach but, in a pinch, even that’ll do.  So here are three of my favorite spinach recipes… in no particular order.

Family Sized Spinach Salad

1large mixing bowl of fresh spinach

boiled eggs (1 for each in attendance), cooled and peeled then crumbled

cranberries and or sunflower seeds *OR* walnuts and pumpkin seeds to taste

Mix it all up in the bowl and top with raspberry vinegrette dressing.  Mmm… so delicious!

It seems like so much about life has become instantaneous.  I don’t mind it, at all, heaven knows I am as impatient as anyone else!  And to that end I have made speedy enchiladas.  Not exactly instant but close enough.

On Demand Spinach Enchiladas

1 pkg frozen spinach (10 oz)

1 1/2 cups shredded taco or mexican cheese

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 tbs salsa (or to taste)

Mix all of the above in large mixing bowl.  Set in fridge and wait for hunger pangs.  When hunger strikes remove from cooler.  On one tortilla scoop 1 to 2 tablespoons spinach mix.  Microwave until warm, approx 1 minute and 20 seconds.  Eat to abolish hunger pangs.

Spinach Dip

1 pkg frozen spinach (10 oz)

1/3 cup sour cream and 1/3 cup ranch dressing

*OR*

2/3 cup melted cheese and 3 tbs milk

Mix together spinach and chosen flavorings… then add salt and pepper to taste.  Eat with chips!

Three recipes I love to eat often.  Enjoy… tell me what you think and share any substitutions or your own favorite spinach recipes!

Week 3

This week has flown by!  I’m in a hurry so this will be a quick post…

Keek:  five pages math… multiplication and early division… but I’ll tell you what, the division is not going smoothly so we’re going to stick with multiplication for a while… probably until Feburary…

Reading:  Spiderwick five… almost finished!

Computer learning skills:  I’ve noticed, as I peek over her shoulder, that she now types with four fingers… index and middle fingers, on both hands.  She is one step closer to “traditional placement” and all this, on her own!  We had to purchase a USB keyboard for the laptop (I’ll come back to this) so we went with the split keyboard.  It’s not two seperate sections but a curvy setup with elongated T,Y,G,H,B and N keys.  The setup lends itself to “proper placement” typing.

Science:  Keek has been really interested in the molecular structure of everyday items.  She watched atomic videos and looked at molecular models online.  When she’s studying the building blocks I can see the gears turning.

Fish: 5 pages math, word problems… addition and subtraction

Reading: lots of Little Golden Books… plus 5 pages (level one) spelling and 5 pages word puzzles.  He hasn’t complained about the word puzzles once this week… must have just been that specific page last week.

History: Enjoys history stories on the History Channel and any eye witness accounts of the past.  With special interest to wars and battles.

Computer skills:  Broke the laptop while playing a firing game.  The space bar was the fire button and in his over eagerness he broke it.  So we had to buy a new laptop and all, space bar firing games are against the rules.    He is now an official spy on club penguin and loves to solve the mystery’s… over…and…over…again…

Science:  Fish has been pondering life.  He is formulating his opinions of it.  Is a tree alive?  Is a blade of grass alive?  Can they feel?  What it means to be alive… and other such questions have been mine to field.  We’ve had some interesting discussion!

So that’s all for this installment!  More later!