Raising Boys

I got this again on one of my email lists. I hadn't seen it in a while. A disclaimer: This isn't indicative of my sons or husband;).

RAISING BOYS

a) For those who have grown children, this is hysterical.

b) For those who have children past this age, this is hilarious.

c) For those who have children this age, this is not funny.

d) For those who have children nearing this age, this is a warning.

e) For those who have not yet had children, this is birth control.

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The following came from an anonymous mother in Austin, Texas (I'll bet the
Austin Fire Dept knows which one!):

Things I've learned from my boys (honest and not kidding):

1.) A king size waterbed holds enough water to fill a 2000 sq. ft. house 4
inches deep.

2.) If you spray hair spray on dust bunnies and run over them with roller
blades, they can ignite.

3.) A 3-year old boy's voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded
restaurant.

4.) If you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, the motor is not strong
enough to rotate a 42 pound boy wearing Batman underwear and a Superman
cape. It is strong enough, however, if tied to a paint can, to spread paint
on all four walls of a 20x20 ft. room.

5.) You should not throw baseballs up when the ceiling fan is on. When using
a ceiling fan as a bat, you have to throw the ball up a few times before you
get a hit. A ceiling fan can hit a baseball a long way.

6.) The glass in windows (even double-pane) doesn't stop a baseball hit by a
ceiling fan.

7.) When you hear the toilet flush and the words "uh oh", it's already too
late.

8.) Brake fluid mixed with Clorox makes smoke, and lots of it.

9) A six-year old boy can start a fire with a flint rock even though a
36-year-old man says they can only do it in the movies.

10.) Certain Legos will pass through the digestive tract of a 4-year old
boy.

11.) Play dough and microwave should not be used in the same sentence.

12.) Super glue is forever.

13.) No matter how much Jell-O you put in a swimming pool you still can't
walk on water.

14.) Pool filters do not like Jell-O.

15.) VCR's do not eject "PB & J" sandwiches even though TV commercials show
they do.

16.) Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.

17.) Marbles in gas tanks make lots of noise when driving.

18.) You probably DO NOT want to know what that odor is.

19.) Always look in the oven before you turn it on; plastic toys do not like
ovens.

20.) The fire department in Austin, TX has a 5-minute response time.

21.) The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make earthworms dizzy.

22.) It will, however, make cats dizzy.

23.) Cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy.

24.) 80% of women will pass this on to almost all of their friends, with or
without kids.

25.) 80% of men who read this will try mixing the Clorox and brake fluid.

Carnival of Pregnancy

Welcome to the June 29, 2006 edition of carnival of pregnancy.

For many Pregnancy Can Be Hard Work as Mothering Times points out. For others Lisa McGarry tells us about One Pregnancy Scare Too Many! posted at Family Of Five.

Now you are pregnanct and puking, now what do you do? In my own article, Morning Sickness, I take a look at a great solution.

Kelby Carr presents Bed Rest Armchair Travel posted at Family Travel, for those of us where getting put on bed rest during pregnancy means even travel to the end of your driveway is banned, but there are many ways to be a bed rest armchair traveler.

KimC presents a glimpse at the end of prgnanacy withEvery six minutes, and ow! posted at Life in a Shoe, saying, "Live blogging my labor. It's been start and stop for several days, but I think today is the day!" This is a great series ending with a handsome baby boy. Congrats Kim and Family!!!

Once that beautiful baby is here, then Spunky shares an Open Letter to her daughter.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of
carnival of pregnancy using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our
blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags:

carnival of pregnancy, blog carnival.

Morning Sickness

FInally, it has taken 4 pregnancies before I found a way around morning sickness. Actually, a girlfriend of mine shared her secret. I take about 200 mg of B6 in a 24 hour period (I spread them out throughout the day). At bedtime I take 1/2 a Unisom. It is great. Unless I am set off by a bad smell or a real gross sight I am fine. Now if only I could find a way around this exhaustion....

Knitted Nautiloids

I saw this great project by Beth Skwarecki and I thought it would make a great addition to a unit study. She has complete knitting instructions and frankly, they are just darn cute. You could tie in nautiloids into a variety of units from sea, fossils (just a few species still exist), and other science areas.

(HT: BoingBoing)

Pope Bans Modern Music

So I checking out GOP Vixen's blog, as I often do, as she was talking about the Pope banning modern music in the Catholic church. According to a quote from the Daily Telegraph:

The Pope has demanded an end to electric guitars and modern music in church and a return to traditional choirs.

The Catholic Church has been experimenting with new ways of holding Mass to try to attract more people. The recital of Mass set to guitars has grown in popularity in Italy; in Spain it has been set to flamenco music; and in the United States the Electric Prunes produced a "psychedelic" album called Mass in F Minor.

However, the use of guitars and tambourines has irritated the Pope, who loves classical music. "It is possible to modernise holy music," the Pope said, at a concert conducted by Domenico Bartolucci the director of music at the Sistine Chapel. "But it should not happen outside the traditional path of Gregorian chants or sacred polyphonic choral music."

Now I do not agree with forming a church service around what will attract people but I so don't agree with this and GOP Vixen's analysis. First of all, what makes anyone decide what music is Godly and worshipful and what isn't? Gregorian Chants and sacred polyphonic isn't Biblical. As a matter of fact David used the harp and lyre. He even danced nearly naked (not something I practice personally) and it was pleasing to God. Others believed he was wrong but that judgement didn't seem to effect God's acceptance. I do understand that everyone doesn't like the same worship styles but that doesn't mean because you don't like it, it isn't godly.
But what worries me more is GOP Vixen's analysis of Mass(sorry Bridge):

I have to say I'm with the pontiff on this one, though maybe not for the same reasons. Mass is about hard, uncomfortable pews, boring lectors and bad singing -- and everybody knows Catholics are the worst singers. I find it rather off-putting to try to turn it into a hip social event, because everything has its place -- go to Mass if you want to pray, go to Staples Center if you want a concert. The same theory with "Christian rock": In my mind, there's church music a la "Ave Maria," and there's rock music -- and I don't really care how and where rock artists worship.

This isn't a new view. I have met many who believe that mass (and church) is a time to pay your dues. A kind of attitude that if you suffer through these things, God will have to let you into heaven (because that was the deal?). I haven't found the verse that says the worse it is the better person you are or the better relationship you have with God. Maybe having a foreign experience at mass would just make it easier to leave God there. I have to say that I believe that Ave Maria is a beautiful piece. I sang part of it in junior high and I understand the jist but I don't really know what it means. Worship is the out pouring of you heart. True you do worship in ways other than song but we are commanded to "make a joyful noise" (I can't sing either). So, if your heart pours out in latin, great. Mine pours out a little different. Why would God consider mine any less?
I leave you all with something to contemplate. Worship is how you communicate love to your Lord and Savior. When I love, I love with all of me, musically as well as otherwise. Why lock God into one aspect of your musical taste and one aspect of you life as a whole. We are to continually be in prayer and communion. So if you like rock, get some with so glorifing lyrics. Spend a little time with God while you rock out. (If you are looking for recommendations, email me;)

*** A Couple of Notes
1) GOP Vixen has pointed out that this is not an official papal edict.
2) I have ammended that David danced naked. According to 2 Samuel 6:14 that he was wearing an ephod. In 2 Samuel 6:20 Michal accused David of disrobing and dancing. I was raised to mean he was in makeshift underwear. Others says it is more modest.

Calling for Entries

Just a reminder that entries for the Carnival of Pregnancy are due by Wednesday. You can go to BlogCarnival and submit them there. The entries can be humorous or educational, yours or someone else's. You need not be pregnant to participate!

How much time does it take to Homeschool?

Time, it is the bane of a mother's existence. We can't seem to ever fit it all in. This is one of the problems that stands in the way of some families when it comes to homeschooling. I was reminded of this problem on Sunday. I was speaking with someone who had been informed that they should plan on 6 hours a day for homeschooling and they weren't sure that they had time for that. So I come home to turn to the internet and my readers for info.

In a previous piece I wrote on time:

As I am doing preschool I start asking around as to how much time I should be devoting. One friend (who is homeschooling 4) said about 1/2 hour 3 times a week for preschool Then start at 1/2 a day for kindergarten and add 1/2 every year until 4th grade. There are sites that advocate an hour a day, 3 hours a day, and 5-10 a week.

I was wondering if my information was wrong. So I did more research. On eHow they warn you:

Avoid getting locked into "school hours." It's surprising how much more you can accomplish in three hours a day than a classroom teacher with 28 students can in six or seven.

eHow also had reminded me that the 3 hours isn't all "teacher time" and I am already experiencing that. At 5, the NerdBug is already at a point where I can give him instructions and just be nearby in case he has questions. This is also true for art projects.

I also found a great point from Donna Young's site that you have to make goals and not really run every day the same. There are things like spelling and vocabulary that you want to hit but only a couple of times a week. If you have long range goals that will give you a marker as to how much you need to do. (If you are working on how to schedule your day eHow had some great suggestions do make sure you check it out also.) One of the things I have seen over and over on different sites is that you are teaching your child and that will be different than teaching anyone else. I already see that one child is quick on catching certain concepts but need a little more help on other ones. Also timing is different for each kid. If I were to try to sit the NerdBug in one spot to do book work for more than 1/2 hour (at this point) he would get antsy and belligerent. Quickly he would loose the love of school. I do think as they get older (definately in high school) the kids will devote more time to school. In our house we try to learn 24/7 but sometimes it is sneaky. Everything from watching Jeopardy (NerdBug is starting to get those Bible questions) to cooking to "can you find a way to put all those toys in that box?" to sorting laundry. Also never forget about the learning that takes place between the ages. If you have a child that reads, they can read to the little ones. Right now NerdBug(almost 5) is helping teach the NerdPie(3) her letters while she is telling the Nerdling(10 months) about shapes and colors.

So all said, I believe that homeschooling is a sacrifice of time but it doesn't cost everything. I saw on one of the sites that said first put in all your priority appointments and then fit in school around it. I know that Bible Study is a priority for me (or mom looses it;). I also am having a new baby this year so I am always off to the doctor. I also serve in my church and my kids understand why that is important. I think scheduling school the way I want makes it all fit better together. So what do all you out in the blogosphere do? I would love to learn from all you out there!

Christian Carnival is up!

The Christian Carnival is up at The Bible Archive. It is the Voltron addition and appears to be power packed with great pieces!

Carnival of Homeschooling

The Carnival of Homeschooling is up over at HomeSchoolBuzz. There seems to be a wealth of wonderful articles. Go check it out!

Carnival of Recipes!

The Carnival of Recipes is up over at World Famous Recipes. Go check them out!

Homeschooling and Parenting Philosophy

Life is about learning. Think about it. At your birth you have to learn how to breath, then eat, then burp and so on. Learning beyond the books is a needed part of life. I have found that my educational philosophy is just a carry through of my parenting philosophy. Because of that I believe that they are joined as 1 task and 1 venture. I believe in a combinations of classical and unschooling for those of you who haven't read my earlier post. So let me illustrate what this looks like within a parenting situation.

In classical education you have the "grammer" stage in the younger years (say kidergarten until 4th grade). During this time in education you teach skills and facts. Within the confines of being a complete and mature person you teach the same thing. To use an example of what we are doing right now, we are teching the NerdBug how to empty and load the dishwasher. Then we will go to a schedule (you so this at this time). I believe the same goes with money (but more on that later).

The next stage is "logic" and it deals with thinking through arguements and being able to follow progressions. For example, knowing when the Constitution was signed would be grammer. Then logic would be seeing everyhting that led up to it (contributing factors). This is a time when both a little freedom and a little consequences come into home life. An Example: you need to empty the dishwasher between breakfast and dinner, you choose when. If it doesn't get done by dinner there will be no tv the next day or extra chores, etc. This is also where the unschooling element can come in. Let's say you have one kid who loves mowing the lawn but hates helping in the kitchen. At this point that child knows how to help in the kitchen but doesn't care for it. But, let us say you have another child who likes working in the kitchen but hates mowing. The division of labor seems very clear. Now there will always be jobs everyone dislikes and those just get divided up. Because when they grow up they will still have to do things around the house they dislike (I am still waiting to meet the person who likes to clean the toilet).

The next stage is the "rhetoric" stage and this is where they really become adults. This is when they can try out their adult skills within the safety of home. If they don't plan well they can't be evicted but I won't (necessarily) be up at 3am washing clothes because they forgot to put their laundry in and don't have anything to wear.

This model eliminates the modern teenager. At this point they are adults just their job is their education. We as parents and home educators need to emphasize this. I think this is were many parents falsely believe that the school system helps. I remember hearing a parent saying that their kid had to know how to balance a check book. I mean, they teach that in school, right? This also leads to the new teenage group, the college student or the bounceback child. The one that lives in the dorm and gets everything from mom and dad. Then they graduate and aren't ready to be on their own so they move home and mooch. You see this everywhere from tv show like Dr. Phil to people you know. The master's degree often is the I don't know what I want to do yet degree. I strongly believe that being a sucessful adult is even more important than higher education (and that is coming from a nerd;). I see this as one of the reasons that homeschooling is so successful. We put out complete people.

Now here is the disclaimer: Not all parents who put their children in tradition school neglect the training up of their children in the practical ways. I know quite a few responsible balanced children out of public school. I am looking at this as an overall societal issue.

The NerdPie turns 3!

So this week has been kind of crazy. Last Saturday was NerdPie's 3rd birthday. Instead of a party she got a 'girl's day' with mom (as I am battleing morning sickness). So we went shopping and our to lunch. She was immediately excited because we took Dad's car instead of the minivan. We went to the school store to get her some 'big girl' preschool books. She loved it. Then we went to ToysRUs. It was a mess. We walk in just 20 minutes after it opened and it is already a mad house. They send out a little card that gets the birthday girl a balloon and crown (also a coupon for mom) so we went to customer service to do that first. They had a long line so the lady told us to come back later. So I go to put NerdPie in a cart (there was no way I would go through a toy store with her walking) and she melted down. A)She wanted to get into the large Power Wheels from the movie Cars and B)she isn't a baby. I settle her and we proceed through the store. She tries every display and looks at every toy. So we go back to the registers. The reason that there is chaos in the store is that the registers scanners aren't working. So they type in the numbers and then have to have someone on the floor go find the price. In the midst of this the NerdPie gets her balloon and crown. They announce that it is her birthday so people walk up and wish her a Happy Birthday. Of course they ask her how old she is and she tell everyone 6 and that she is going to the kindergarten class at church.

We then go over to JoAnns to get some butterfly wings that she loves. She then asks to put them on. I say later at home, after lunch. She then says she wants to have lunch at home. It takes 10 minutes to convince her that she can't just go home and put them on so she decides she wants to go to Applebees. I should have taken a book;). We get seated and they give her a little color book and crayons. She is intent on it, no talking to me, no looking up. But lunch went great. They brought her ice cream and a balloon. They then began singing to her. She was so cute and got embarrassed. And then a first happened, she wouldn't take a bite of her ice cream. About 2 weeks ago she over ate at a resturant and threw up, ice cream was the last straw. So we are at her lunch and she is insistant that if she eats it she will throw up. It was so sad and cute all at the same time. We left and everything was great.

That night she had a princess cake (recipe will follow) and open all her gifts from us, a friend and Grandpa. I asked her if she would have rather had a party and she said no. So I guess the whole day was a home run and very cute!

Novec 1230 fire protection fluid

Novec 1230 is almost water.  They tell me that the damage from a fire comes in thirds.  One-third from the fire, one-third from the smoke, one-third from the water.  Novec 1230 is a water-looking liquid at room temperature that doesn't damage electronic equipment (or hardly anything else) while putting out fires.

Sure iPods and XBOXes are cool, but I'm more interested in living in a future where buildings don't burn down.

Carnival of Pregnancy

So here we are at the first ever Carnival of Pregnancy! I have a few entries and a variety of things I have found in the wonderful blogosphere. First up are the humorous entries. Kim over at Life in a Shoe has a great post with Belly Button bandaids. While you are there take her labor quiz! Kailani at the Pink Diary has a hilarious Pregnancy Q & A. These are both must reads! I have my own humble contribution on Food Issues and Pregnancy.

Now for out and about on the blogosphere. First up is this woman, who is pregnant with 5.
Rise has a great Pregnancy Reading List. Once you gather all you reading material you can contemplate exercise at 2nd Wind Exercise Equipment Blog with their post on Elliptical Trainers and Pregnancy. Then onto political matters. Feminist Law Professors has a post on Pregnancy Discrimination. Workplace Prof Blog has a post on the Verizon Pregnancy Discrimination Settlement. While I may not agree with it all, I do find it very interesting. And last but certainly not least is a tribute to my nerdy side (ok whole being;) with a post on Pregnancy in Comics by Polite Dissent.

The next Carnival of Pregnancy will be here on June 29th. Email me at mom[at]nerdfamily.com by June 28th or go to BlogCarnival. Remember it can be any tone as long as it is related to pregnancy. And you do not have to be pregnant!

Food Issues and Pregnancy

My mother-in-law always comments about how now there are so many things pregnant women are not supposed to eat. She has had 7 babies (the youngest of which is 34 yrs old) of her own so she is a voice of experience. The scary thing is to see how food issues have changed through my 4 pregnancies that are only 5 years apart, in total. With my first child, I saw a report on 20/20 saying tuna was high in mercury. So I diligently asked the doctor. He asked how much of a health nut was I not pregnant. Everyone who knows me would be laughing at this point when I smiled sweetly and said not much. He said don't worry, just don't eat it for every meal. Good enough. Move to this pregnancy...my doctor's office says 1 can a week and that is it.

Of course when you first get pregnant you get a packet of junk from the doctor's office, including magazine and vitamins. One of these magazines had a whole new food issue... deli meat. Suppposedly, I can only have deli meat that has been steamed or I could get a bug called listeriosis. I did a little research (ala Google) and heck, it is true! According to Kid's Health:

Listeria infections may create symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, difficulty breathing, and poor feeding. Pregnant women who develop listeriosis may experience only mild flu-like symptoms, although they are at risk for premature delivery, miscarriage, and stillbirth. People who have weakened immune systems are at particular risk for developing other more serious illnesses from listeriosis, including pneumonia, meningitis, and sepsis. Cases of listeriosis are relatively rare. In 2004, just 120 cases were reported in the United States.

So 5 years from now what will be banned from the pregnant mom?

Christian Carnival

So here is this week's Christian Carnival. I will try to present these wonderful offerings in a logical manner as befits a nerd. Please peruse the thoughtful posts and tell the authors what you think!

Issues in the Body: We all have issues with other Christians and there are a couple pieces that articulate that view. The Blog Of Dysfunction says that, "God blogs are bugging me". If you like that you will love the 20 reasons you ought to be a bloghound from the Disciple's Journal. Amazing Grace has had it with Fat Head Christian Leaders. And ParableMan is standing up for the body by responding to a recent piece at the Huffington Post that grossly misrepresents the apolitical and political diverse missions organization Campus Crusade for Christ as a political operative of the Bush Administration in Evangelighouls. With yet another issue with in the body, Keith DeRose at the Generous Orthodoxy Think Tank reflects on the possible effects of institutional pressures on the degree to which universalism is openly accepted among those who belong to, and especially those employed by, various Christian institutions in Underground Universalism.

Let us move from church politics to society and politics. Ales Rarus has an interesting article, Mangling, Mishandling, and Misrepresentation of Science in the Plan B Debate. Looking to Hollywood, Nehring tells us about a Christian film, Facing The Giants, that has been given a higher film rating because it was too "proselytizing" in JESUS LOVES YOU BUT HOLLYWOOD THINKS YOU’RE A JERK. In Death Tax Lives, Leslie Carbone describes the moral hazards of the estate tax.

When you deal with politics and society, homosexuality always needs it own grouping (due to size). We have a few very interesting articles on the subject. We start with Xyba over at Once More Into the Breach. In Communion Denied to Activists, they talk about a group known as the Rainbow Sash Movement coming to church to accept Communion while wearing a rainbow sash as an indication of their pride in being homosexual. Tom Gilson asks some interesting questions in Hijacking the Civil Rights Legacy. Such as: The Gay Rights movement uses the language of Civil Rights, but does this really fit? Are they supporting the far more historic freedoms of religion and speech? Stacy has a great post in My Conversation with a Gay Man. It is very suprising and insightful.

Now we are onto marriage and family. This week it seems there was a lot on this subject. Let's begin with the basics with What is Marriage? from Adam's blog. He takes this complex question and opens a complex but well written dialog. Richard H. Anderson looks at another complex subject with More on Intermarriage. This is a deep historical and scriptural analysis.

Transitioning from marriage to family and education is an article by Crossroads. Adult Children of Divorce - Part 2 is a continuation on her examination of the effects. The Arkansas Razorbaptist writes an article, Encouraging Christian Education, that deals with the resolution that will be before the Southern Baptist Convention again. Trivium Pursuit has a wonderful post on classical education, Having It All Together. Congrats to all of you who do have it all together, please let me in on you secret;). Last in the family arena, anyone who has kids will relate to Mama Duck's offering in Keyboard Decor.

For a change of speed we have a couple of book reviews this week. Rod Heggy of Terra Extraneus says David Murrow’s book, “Why Men Hate Church,” makes one of the most important observations of this decade about church practices. Among other points: Christian music in worship services and on Christian radio stations has been "Manilowized" -- music written for a female audience, but leaving men bored silly. Mark Olson presents us with a book review of The Illumined Heart. It is about the onlooking East and what might be gained from that exercise. This last one isn't exactly a book review but it does descibe the effect Peacemaking Women is having over at Lux Venit.

Next up is theology. First up a hard one. Rev Bill asks the question -- Is Hell Real? Andre at Every Square Inch poses the question, How Much Does God Weigh? There are 2 posts about David and Goliath. The first is Christ in the Story of David and Goliath by Michele at Life Under the Sun. The second is by rev-ed over at Attention Span called Content in Our Tents. It deals with Saul hiding in his tent. Sun and Shield has a great post On growing old. It is insightful about a subject we will all encounter. The Penitent Blogger encourages us to Be peculiar. Some of us already have that down but hopefully in the right way;). Fernnook Farmgirl has a great piece on what we know as believers. David at All Kinds of Time has a wonderful post on Tithing and Mal 3:10.

Somewhat continuing theology is the Christian life. They should be one in the same, true? First up, Don Bosch at The Evanagelical Ecologist blog reports on a guy in California who says a tiny house would do wonders to improve your spirituality and the environment. Think he's right? Then Ashley at Intellectuelle asks whether living out the gospel looks different in the suburbs than it does in the city in God of the 'burbs and the cities. Then Jennifer at Snapshot tells us what it is like Hearing From God regarding moving and buying homes. Then we look at the spiritual and emotional effects others have upon us. We start with Allthings2all with in The Merciful Stripper. It is a true story and modern day parable about a bar, a burglary and a stripper - and the difference between theory and practice. Then we have 2 posts both dealing with the effects others and their stories have on us. First, is Jack Yoest with Scars Are Tattoos...With Better Stories (I love that title). Then is Voices in My Attic: No. 1 by Kingdom>>> Church>>> Culture. Last but certainly not least in this week's Carnival is a sweet tribute to a wonderful woman. Melissa Markham at Home Sweet Home writes Rest in Peace, Nanny. If only we all have just a postive impact. And Melissa, I am sorry for your family's loss.

That is it for this week. May the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ shine upon you all. Amen.

Lack of Posting

Well, I apologize for the spotty posting. This last week has been crazy. In addition to the NerdPie's birthday, there is the normal craziness;). I would love to say it is going to immediately be better but that may be a lie. We have decided that this may be my hardest pregnancy. I am exhausted (which doesn't lend itself to great rhetoric), tired and my arm has been tingling. My doctor's office says it is probably carpel tunnel and stay off the computer. But, you know how addictions go;). So I just wanted to explain. More blogging later!

Carnival of Homeschooling

The Carnival is up over at about.com. Go check it out!

The Carnival of Kid Comedy, week 14

The Carnival of Kid Comedy, week 14 is up over at Why Homeschool. Go check it out!

Upcoming Carnival Alerts!

NerdFamily is going to be the host for this weeks Christian Carnival on June 14th. So I am calling for submissions! Christian blog writers share their best posts from the previous week. (Topic is not necessarily about Christianity, but the writer must be Christian to qualify.)
Also next Thursday is the first Carnival of Pregnancy! So I am calling for posts. They can be educational, humorous or just what is going on in your life. You do not need to be pregnant to qualify;).

What is Missing in Education Today?

Books. I know that sounds odd but I believe that it is true. As I have done research on different methods on education I seem to hear a resounding theme. Whether you are classical or unschooling, everyone wants to go beyond boxed curriculum. NerdDad had told me a while ago about reading something from John Gatto (an award winning teacher). It was that kids weren't reading books but "exerpts". Because of this I hear people saying that it is better to not use curriculum and just surround your children with quality books and their natural curiousity will take over. So I begain reflecting on my own educational past. I was a voracious reader and would read just about anything. I loved biographies and they inspired me to study what I would need to learn (math and science) in order to acheive. I was inspired to learn about history by reading historical novels. One particular example of that was anything by Bodie and Brock Thoene. I would check the facts that were in their many series. I went on to learn about the facts of World War II but also the social issues that were behind it. I was inspired by Science Fiction to find out about real science and how far we had already come. The area reading probably influenced the most was religion. I loved reading the Bible but also books by authors sharing their own experience.
So why doesn't traditional schooling have just reading as a major component to education? I really don't have any idea. I think it could be fear. Fear that the kids will go beyond their prescribed areas of reading. Fear that kids won't like reading. Fear that they will not be able to measure a child's growth. But, I think you can pair curriculm with a love a reading. I hope to be able to tailor an education program to whatever crazy thing it is the kids are currently enjoying reading about. The nice thing about a small "class" is that I will have that freedom. Don't get me wrong, there will be some school books but in limited areas. I think when we study history and other social sciences there is no reason to abandon the rich literature we have available to us. Perhaps this will teach more than dates and times but also logic. I suppose what I hope the most is that it will inspire my children to be brilliant and all that they could ever dream for themselves.

It is all about the NerdPie!

So the NerdPie has just done so many cute, funny things today so I decided she deserved a post of her own. She is just an adorable mess of blond curls. This afternoon I was making lunch and she was getting a book. Nearby the Nerdling was standing in his walker (none of my kids have ever walked in the walker, a blessing!) and he reached out and touched the NerdPie's arm. She comes running onto the kitchen telling me how the baby likes her arm. I reassure her that he does and that is wonderful. About a minute later you hear her yelling, "See mom he really likes my arm". I look across the stove at her and she is laying her arm across the tray of the walker and the baby is patting it.
Later today, I was on the computer (what a shock) and the NerdPie was watching a cooking show with me and sitting in a chair. Dad and the boys were all down the hall putting laundry away (yes, I am spoiled). I look over and she has her foot next to her face. I asked her what she was doing and she loudly pronounces, "I am loving my foot". She procedes to kiss her toes. I tell her that her feet are dirty so she asks if she can kiss them when they are clean. What do you say to such perfect logic?

MagicCube5D

I think that this may be nerd over load for me right now. It would take me forever to figure it out. Oh no, if NerdDad sees this, I may never get him back;). To this date only 3 people have ever solved it. You can download it for free here. Here is the "anatomy":

These are Rubik's cubes of the form 3d, with the original popular puzzle being 33. We label the puzzles like this because they are a d-dimensional cube broken into 3d smaller pieces or "cubies" of the same dimension. For example, the 3D cube has 33 or 27 total 3-dimensional cubies.

Each of the d-dimensional cubies could be considered to have its faces covered by stickers of one smaller (d-1) dimension. But each cubie also only exposes a subset of its stickers to the "outside", meaning these are the stickers you could see if you lived and operated in d dimensions. We can use the number of exposed stickers as a classification of cubie types. For the 3D case, the 27 cubies are broken into 4 types, those that expose 0 stickers, 1 sticker ("centers"), 2 stickers ("edges"), or 3 stickers ("corners"). Each sticker on a given cubie has its own color, so we could also call these 1-colored, 2-colored, etc. pieces.

(HT: BoingBoing)

Carnival of Kid Comedy #13

Over at Life in a shoe: the methods and madness of one mother of 7: Carnival of Kid Comedy #13 is up! Go check it out for a laugh and maybe a moment of seeing yourself in someone else's home;).

Easy and Cheap BBQ Chicken Thighs

This recipe has been moved over to my food blog, NerdFamily Food. Go check out this great recipe!

Cash Cab

Ok, the Nerd Family has a new show. It is on Discovery Channel and is Cash Cab. We Nerd Parents love it because it has many rapid fire quiz questions (we love to compete with each other;) but what we didn't forsee is how much the kids would love it. The premise of the show is a cab driving around New York. He picks up people and they can answer questions all the way to their destination and earn money. But, (and there is always a but, isn't there) if you get 3 questions wrong you are kicked out.
Now, one of the reasons I find my children's enjoyment so scary is the actual point they enjoy. NerdBug loves it when the contestants get questions wrong and both of the older ones laugh very loudly when they are kicked out. But, the part I love is hearing the 2 older ones "playing" Cash Cab. NerdBug always acts as the driver and the NerdPie is the passenger. NerdPie will get in and be "schocked" that it is a gameshow. NerdBug will actually quiz her on things she knows. Everything from Bible Trivia to counting to tv trivia. Occasionally she gets kicked out. When NerdDad and I heard them doing this the first couple of times we just stood in the kitchen and laughed. It is so stinkin cute!

Dixie Chicks- Blacklisted or Just Consequences?

So recently I saw the video for the Dixie Chicks new single "Not Ready to Make Nice" and man can I say the message was very clear. They are still ticked over the back lash of Natalie Maine's comments about Bush. Off topic, She reminded me of Lizzie Borden at one point in the video, in the victorian dress with black ribbon coming out of her hands, but anyway. To me the message of all "you Bush lovers suck" and "we just stated our views" was very evident. Then I am reading Mark Lee's (of 3rd Day) blog and he was a little upset that country radio stations aren't playing the Dixie Chicks new material.

But oh no. It's not going to be played. Not today. Not ever. Why? Because they spoke their mind. Do I agree with them? No. But that's way beside the point. The way they're being treated is downright wrong. Let's all hop in a time machine and go back to the 1950's and relive the glory days of McCarthy and cronyism and blacklists. Good job country radio!

First, let me just say that I respect Mark Lee and we just have a difference of opinion. So know one read any more than that into this post. Second, let me say that I don't believe in corporate boycotting but let us look beyond that.
So one issue here is the radio issue. Most of the people I see talking about this preface their opinion with "I don't listen to country radio". Well, then country radio probably doesn't take your opinion into consideration. I know that around here people called into stations to get the Dixie Chicks pulled from rotation and radio stations are about keeping their listening audience. Have country listeners changed their minds? Well, I think it is hard to tell. A lot of the people who don't listen to country radio all say that they are buying a copy and the Dixie Chicks are a big crossover artist onto other charts and are played on VH1. I think country radio stations are just playing it safe. If their listeners want it they will request it.
As far as the complaints that their music is being judged by their feelings. Well, there is so much to say I will try to keep it limited. Natalie Maine said this from the stage at a concert. Why are we expected so seperate the music from their words? I think Mark Lee is a little naive if he thinks his stated views doesn't effect the audience of Third Day. If that was the case how effective would the worship be at a Third Day concert be? Also it is very clear that one influences the other. This isn't like acting, where some crazy actor is reading someone else's words. The creation of music is personal and that is one of the reasons it is so personal to the listener and can even influence a relationship with Christ. Is my choosing to support only certain artist wrong? If so, since I enjoy pictures should I be expected to buy Playboy? I am sure that they have wonderful photographers and a quality product. But in reality I don't respect the MESSAGE of the product and that counts as much as the QUALITY. That is why all the quality collaborators on the new Dixie Chicks album, Taking The Long Way, doesn't compell me to buy it. Well, I suppose that was more than my 2 cents but in for a penny, in for a pound;).

Announcing the Carnival of Pregnancy!

I have just began the Carnival of Pregnancy! The first edition is going to be out on June 15th with all articles due June 14th. Please go over to Blog Carnival and submit. All articles must be family friendly and must be from "clean sites"(non-porn, etc). Please join in!

My Love Affair with Jasmine Tea

Years ago, when I was pregnant with the NerdBug I went to a tea service at the Fairmont in San Jose. That was the first time I had Jasmine tea and it was divine. Later that year a friend of mine gave me a couple boxes of Jasmine Tea she had received as a freebie with all her Chinese Takeout. Well since then when I am really stressed or sick I will have a nice hot cup of Jasmine tea. Well, since I am once again going completely caffine free (thanks to Baby #4) I have been making a variety of ice teas. For the first time I made Jasmine Ice Tea and it is wonderful. Now, how I make ice tea is to add a "family" decaf tea bag and 4 herbal teas. Ok, maybe flavored is the better term because I can't have any of those off herbs. It is great. The tea has a mild sweet taste with mild minty under tones. Now I just have to find a new source. I am almost out of my freebies but I can't really track it. Most of the writing is in Chinese. So I am on the search for affordable, yummy Jasmine Tea and I am open to suggestions.