Healthcare That We Can All Understand

I found this over at Why Homeschool. So simple and so true!

Link Love

I am a complicated and diverse woman. So here are just a few of the interesting things I have read lately and are worth sharing.

On the homeschooling front: Classless and Lovin' It has a great piece looking at different algebra curriculums.

Looking at crafting: Scrapbook.com has cool piece on decorating comp books. I picked up a few for under 50 cents apiece.

In blogging: BlogHer has posted about the 2010 conference.

Politics: Mary Katherine Ham over at the WeeklyStandard (and I) actually agrees with Andrew Sullivan on dropping the Obama birth issue.

TV: TV Squad did an interview with David Tenant (Doctor Who) at Comic Con.

Robot 6 has a piece with the guest voices for the new Super Hero Squad. For those who haven't heard, this is the new kiddie level Marvel cartoon (think Wordgirl).

Science and Tech: ScienceDaily has a piece on happyness.

Biblical Fun

WFMW: Getting Stains Off Corian

Ugly eh? Genius me was emptying my pencil sharpener on the counter. Of course it was way over full and got lead shavings on the counter. So I started wiping them with a dry cloth and it left a little cloud. Then I got a wet dishcloth, wiped it and this is what I was left with.

Nothing got it off. I used soap water, straight dish soap, degreaser, and bathroom cleaner. Nothing. Now I know that you can sand the counter down (the beauty of solid surface) but I was terribly nervous about that. So after I was done scouring my sink with Comet I used the cloth. The reason I didn't use Comet in the first place was the Corian cleaning scare tactics. They said don't use anything abrasive, it will leave scratch marks. They said it would be better to use a fine grit sand paper. Well, they were wrong. It took it right out! No scratches, no damage! Apparently a little comet goes a long.

Wordless Wednesday: Birthday Haul

We had NerdBug's little birthday party with just us. NerdBug didn't do to bad;). There are light sabers, water guns and a dvd. What more could he want;)? The VeggieTales on top is something I just got to review (it will be out August 4th). You can read a review of it over on NerdFamily Things by Saturday!

Magic Marker Monday: Straight and Curvy

NerdPie made this in her book club at church this week. I asked her what it was and she told me that the curvy one was the sinful path and the straight was God's. She said, "Mom, the curvy path took a lot more beans and time. It is just easier to go on the straight path and do it God's way". How precious!

Why I Don't Own a Smartphone

I love gadgets and tech. But I don't own a smartphone. Heck, I don't even own a "real" phone plan. It is for a couple of reasons. First, I have 4 kids so if I am not home I probably am to busy to talk (ie out with the kiddos). But the second has to do with the costs. PC World has a great image that compares all the smartphone plans. The cheapest ends up being just over $100 a month. That is really pricey and they all go up from there. They seem to be fun toys but...I also find that I might as well just use my laptop because I can do more on it. Between Starbucks and my church I have great access to free wifi. How about you? Do you have a smartphone? Do you think they are worth the price?

Really Interesting!

The Right Coast has a really interesting piece on Iran. While I knew that Iran used to be Persia and that it formerly had Nazi ties. But I didn't not realized that Iran means "Land of the Aryans". It has some other great info and links to more resources so go check it out!

Really Dweeby but Funny!

Charter Schooling: A Better Homeschool?

Since it is summer, everyone starts thinking about what kind of schooling they want to do. This is the time to decide between public, private and homeschooling. Well, I have recently been asked what I think about charter schooling as a form of/alternative to homeschooling.

First, lets talk a little about what a charter school is. A charter school simply refers to the funding and oversite issues that apply to theses special public schools. Some are traditional schools and some are offsite schools. Not all charter schools are offsite schools. What I mean by offsite schools is that kids don't attend every day (some once a week, some once a month, etc) but they still have a teacher. Sometimes they will still have sports and clubs. Sometimes not. They have homework assigned and every so often check in to make sure it is getting done, to get tested and (I assume) help if they need it.

So the pluses are that you don't have to keep all the records and all the books are free. Some off extracuricular activities that don't cost anything. You have a trained teacher to assist you as you go. Typically you can move along at your own pace be that faster or slower. You can minimize anything in the curriculum that you don't agree with. If you are homeschooling for social reasons it pulls your children out of the typical school society and you can protect them a little more.

The cons (and this is the side I sit on) start with the fact this isn't homeschooling but public schooling at home. You answer to the public schools, as you should because they are paying for it. While you can minimize certain subjects/issues that you don't agree with, you can't just choose to not teach them at all. Now some allow you a little latitude in what you teach but not complete control. So you also have to fit within the traditional education theory and are not going to be allowed to do a classical education, unschooling or even eclectic. Your kids will still need to take the standardized testing that the public schools have. Personally, I find the tests a gigantic waste of time and effort so I don't want to have to do that. You do have a teacher that you answer to. And you have attendance rules of how many days and how many hours you kid has to do school.

I think it really boils down to the fact that it is public school and that comes with strings. The leash may be looser but it is still there. It is a good option for someone who has no qualms with the public school other than social and religious issues. I think there are better options but that is my humble opinion;).

Magic Marker Monday: VBS Art

One of the big events for the NerdFamily kids in the summer is always VBS. The kids get to go and be loud for a week. They hear about God, play until they drop, sing and dance. Also they get to do lots and lots of crafts. These are but a few of the many crafts that were brought home VBS week.

Mythbusters, Grant and Twitter

NerdDad shared a piece on the Gorn Cannon that Mythbusters is going to do in the next season. The picture and the information was found on Grant Imahara's Twitter. While the Gorn Cannon is cool (it is from Star Trek for those who don't know) I was more shocked that I wasn't following Grant. I have to say he is my favorite, he reminds me of some high school friends. But I rectified the situation;).

Warehouse 13

NerdDad and I watched the new SyFy (I don't like that moniker one bit) show Warehouse 13. It was pretty good. I like things that reference odd historical legends so right there it had a good start. It was also pretty family friendly spare a couple words I didn't care for. Hulu has this behind the scenes clip that is really good. It has some background information I wished had been on the show. Maybe the creators have it in a future episode. Check it out!

Why Schools Cost So Much

I get asked if homeschooling can be as effective as public schools because we don't have the financial resources. I have asked them what they are getting for the money? Sure there is lab equipment and some art supplies but does that add up to thousands of dollars a year for each kid? Well, San Diego has paid 56 "educators" over the last 6 years to not work. They have put them on administrative leave for periods ranging days to years. This is how the San Diego schools deal with educators they don't want having contact with the students instead of ... I don't know, firing them. Maybe this is why we are having state and federal money issues. I understand that this isn't all the money in the system but hey it is a big chunk of change. I wonder if Fresno area schools do that too? Read the article, it was really interesting.

(HT: Why Homeschool)

WFMW: Cheap and Easy Stain Remover

Stain removers are often expensive and don't always work. I have a great one that I use on clothes but the carpet it another matter. But I have 4 kids and a son who gets nose bleeds. So that is a lot of spots and stains on carpet to be had. That is blood in the first picture. I use a solution of 1 part white vinegar to 2 parts water. I put it in a spray bottle and shake it up before using it. I soak the area with the solution then just towel it off. Though the picture is off, you will notice that there isn't any blood in the second picture! Now there will be a white vinegar smell but that dissipates really quickly.
For just pennys you get a great stain remover that actually works. Can't top that!

Wordless Wednesday: Home Away From Home

So this is where I have been taking all my vacations lately;).

Magic Marker Monday: Custom Art

Aren't these great? My 3 older children (8, 6, 4) did these while I was out of town last week. My friend Bethany is a preschool teacher and has no fear of messy crafts. She went and got canvases and let them loose. I am so impressed with how great they turned out! I am thinking about putting them up in the playroom. So the breakdown by artist..Far left is NerdPie (6), middle is NerdBug (8) and far right is Nerdling (almost 4).

Go check out other masterpieces!

The Haps With the NerdFamily

So life around here has been quite crazy lately. I am going to try to catch up those of you who care (the rest of you can skip to the next post;) and possible whine a bit. So please have patience. I also wanted to blog a little because it seems like there aren't many adults out there with veinous malformations. If you are one, trust me, you are not alone.

I had another treatment in Stanford for my veinous malformation. I am still recovering from the tissue breakdown from the last time but I wanted to keep going to get this all over with. Since I had another area the doc could work on, he was game. But now I am dealing with the after effects of having the procedure done.

First off I am trying to avoid my tissue from dying. Apparently when you try to kill off blood veins they like to fight you and cause problems and the agent that is used can (doesn't always) kill off some skin. Because this last procedure is on my backside, I am laying on my side. By staying off of the treated area more blood flows to that skin which promotes its health and growth. It is interesting to lay on you side and type;). But the pain from this is highly manageable and is uncomfortable but not horrible. It is just really annoying to not be able to get anything done around my house. I understand the house will always be here but it was still very exciting when 2 friends showed up Friday to clean! Heather and Bethany got quite a bit done around here that desperately needed doing (like mopping and vacuuming). I love you 2!

But then there are other issues. For this kind of procedure they put you completely out for the procedure. That always means (for me) that it takes me a few days to a week to recover. I tend to be a little foggy and tired but it just wears off and I am usually fine.

My bigger problem is my throat. Often when an anesthesiologist knocks you out they put a tube down your throat to make sure you breath. This can often result in a sore throat for a day or 2. It rubs and irritates the skin. For me I am usually fine within 24 hours. Well, I don't know what the docs did to me this time but I am miserable and hurting. My throat isn't just surface sore. My uvula is swollen, I can feel it moving and gags me. The pain is with hot or cold. I can have a little sip of something it is ok, but the second one will burn. Or if I am lucky it burns afterwards. The burning is on the surface, in the neck muscles and in my ears. The only thing that isn't painful is tepid water. A couple days ago I could have slightly warm Starbucks Frappachinos, liquid jello, room temp cream soup. Last night and today, I can't stand any of it. I tried fruit smoothies and the acid in the fruit juice almost killed me. I did have a very soft scrambled egg last night but it was quite painful too. I may call my doctor tomorrow but I am afraid they are just going to say to give it time.

So that means that I am a lot of fun. I am having to take the strong pain meds to manage the throat pain. This means I can't drive and I don't think real well;). Even when I am not trying to drink anything my whole neck just aches. So I have been waking up at night just miserable. Because one of the only things that has been going down half way is Starbucks, between the caffeine and the meds I am neither really awake nor can I sleep well. And for those who don't know me IRL, I am huge. I say that so you know how hard it is not eating. I find all I am doing is thinking about food. Most of what I have been sucking down is sweet so all I want is protein that has no cream base to it;). What I would give for a steak. My doc also has me on a steroid so all I want to do is cry about how hungry I am;). How sad and pathetic is that?

So now my whine is over. Please have some mercy if my posting isn't at top quality but since I am sitting more I am trying to post more. I will take any extra prayers you want to throw out! Thanks.

SNES Coolness

I have played a few SNES emulators but then you have to find the ROM file. I love the idea of actually playing my games. They are still in the cabinet! Who knows if I will every have time to put something like this together but it is still cool!

Fireworks

This piece is adorable. I wonder how long this 30 second piece took to do.

Happy 4th!

These girls are called the Cactus Cuties and have great voices! Have a great 4th of July!

Glee, 80's Rock, and Kids

I saw the Glee premiere a while ago and loved it. It isn't kid friendly but it was pretty good. But seeing this video really made me think. We all love this song but would it really be something that we we would want our 14 year olds singing? It seems that 80's rock, and older music even more so, is protected by this "innocence" because it is old. But do parents, and especially Christians, judge this kind of music with the same kind of filter that they judge currently popular music? I think that genre's are just more than content and that is a shame. Rap, hip-hop and pop are not inherently evil. But it is what they say that makes it inappropriate. Now I totally admit that I listen to music that I won't let my kids listen to. But I don't listen to it in there ear shot and I never lie about listening to it (I am rarely asked). It is the passive listening that seems to bother me the most because it is the thing that isn't considered.

So do you test the message of the music you expose your kids to? How about what they hear that you are listening to?