For Today (11/30) from NerdMom's Daybook

Outside my window it is shockingly bright and crisp looking.
I am thinking of how quickly Christmas and Hanukkah are hurling towards me. I am trying to remember that holidays won't be any better if I freak out about getting things done. The kids and the hubby don't care about the details but the time.
I am thankful for our health. It is great for the stomach bug to be gone!
From the learning rooms we are going to start our focus on Hanukkah with books on its meaning. But over all we are starting our slow month of December.
From the kitchen I am trying Spaghetti squash with regular spaghetti sauce so we will see who it fools!
I am wearing Sweats and a 3/4 sleeve shirt, yet I am still cold.
I am creating the mailing labels for my Christmas cards. I haven't sent them all out in years.
I am going no where today! But I will be out and about for most of the rest of the week.
I am reading all my holiday magazines in case there are any projects or recipes I want to try.
I am hoping that I will stay chilled and maybe get some more energy.
I am hearing my 2 year old building with blocks and my six year old humming while she does her Bible study.
Around the house I hope to tidy up a bit and dig out all the Christmas presents that I have bought all year and look for holes. Also I hope to do a little Christmas decorating.
One of my favorite things is Christmas music and mint in chocolate!!!!
A few plans for the rest of the week: MOPS, homeschool meeting, Bible Study, the kids picking oranges for a service project, the kids having dress rehearsal, a baby shower and the kids church performance it is going to be quite a week!

(For more Daybooks go check out The Simple Woman's Daybook)

Diamond Optical Illusion

This is a cool optical illusion and really shows how we process color!

Spelling Errors

I am a sloppy typist and a horrible speller, I totally admit it;). But..... I know this is going to come off nit picky but a State dinner is a big deal. A big enough deal that they should spring for a spell checker (a person not the software;) for all printed material put out at it. Apparently in our abundant federal budget there still isn't enough money for a spell checker because there were quite a few spelling errors in the menu. Now before you jump on me remember about formal dinners. At formal dinners a menu placed at every place setting. Go check out the errors over at Mom Logic.

Look for the union label

Union thugs right here in Fresno, CA:

Muppets take on Queen!

Yes, another video. But there are so many good ones out there!

Fat Rant!

My Guilt, My Fear

I knew that I would probably have some pretty bright kids. I am blessed with a husband who is absolutely brilliant so the chances of smart kids were good. But what I didn't expect was the guilt in the face of their brilliance.

NerdBug (8) and NerdPie (6) were pretty bright. NerdBug didn't really read early but once he did the kid started eating books. He is a year ahead in math and overall pretty bright. NerdPie started doing 25 piece puzzles at like 14 months old, she read in kindergarten, and is ahead at math too. So, while I know my kids are above grade level, I have been afraid that I am not educating them up to their total potential. I should be doing more with them but life always seems to get in the way. I have Latin to do with the oldest that I can't make time for. I am not diligent on the history. They could be speaking foreign languages, doing physics, who knows what. So if I was guilty and afraid before.....

NerdDad started going through a great book series with Nerdling in the this last month. Here is what my 4 year old (he won't be 4 1/2 until the end of January) read last night all by himself:

Mike has a hen. The hen is black. It is a fine hen. The hen is lost. Mike is sad. Is the hen in the nest? It is not in the nest.

The word egg is what stumped him. I am in so much trouble.....

What if I don't equip them well enough? Their intellect and brilliance is a gift, what if I am squandering it? What could they do if they had a better mom? In all seriousness, I am not wondering about sending them to public school. I know that a teacher in a class of 30 couldn't take as far as I am now. But, there is always a but, is it as far as I could take them?

Uh, Mommy Guilt exponentiated.

For Today (11/23) from NerdMom's Daybook

Outside my window it is still a little grey.
I am thinking about the gift and challenge of homeschooling.
I am thankful for the healing we seem to be having from the stomach bug.
From the learning rooms we will be taking it easy. Just Thanksgiving books and fun!
From the kitchen I am planning on making a chocolate pecan pie for Thanksgiving, as per NerdBug's request.
I am wearing sweats and a tee. How I love comfy clothes!
I am working on a report for my MOPS steering team meeting and some giveaways that are coming.
I am going to my Mother-in-Law's for Thanksgiving!
I am reading (well hoping to) all the holiday magazines I have: Real Simple and Woman's Day.
I am hoping to have fun and get bargains at Black Friday!
I am hearing Christmas music.
Around the house I need to disinfect the bathrooms and change all the sheets now that the puking has slowed.
One of my favorite things is the Christmas Season!
Here is picture for thought I am sharing is last year's tree.

(For more Daybooks go check out The Simple Woman's Daybook)

Mass: We Pray

NerdDad found this. It is cute and funny. Need I say more?

Our Neighbor to the South and Do We Care?

NerdDad has been mentioning some of the issues Mexico is going through right now and how it isn't really being talked about very much. I have to be honest, I did really have a grasp on it at all. And I am assuming I am not the only one.

There is this great piece from FabiusMaximus that has lots of resources talking about some of the problems facing Mexico right now. It really looks like they are having a small civil war. That takes a toll on both the people and the economy. I was shocked to read in on of the excerpts that 14,000 have been killed in 3 years of their war on drugs. I already had heard different tidbits that said Mexico's economy is in free fall.

Why aren't we doing anything about this? People yell and scream about immigration but if you were in the middle of this wouldn't you do what ever it took to insure the safety (and feeding) of your family? Now I am not condoning illegal immigration at all, but...

Shouldn't we do something? I don't know what and on the whole I do believe that the US should keep its nose out of other countries business but... These are our neighbors and if they fall what kind of effect with that have on us? Our economy? Our security? Not to mention just the humanitarian side of it. I think this is a time that our national interest is the same as Mexico's because we would come in on the side of the government against drug lords. So what is stopping us?

I find this all a bit frustrating.

For Today (11/16) from NerdMom's Daybook

Outside my window the son is shining brightly.
I am thinking of how I need to make my Christmas to do list!
I am thankful for the cuddliness of my kids!
From the learning rooms: We are starting the week off with our KinderBach, then Bible Study and Math. I hope to do some Thanksgiving projects with the kids too!
From the kitchen I am going to make burritos for the freezer out of homemade refried beans.
I am wearing comfy sweats.
I am creating a fun Christmas gift for the NerdPie!
I am going to run a few errands with the kids and get my free wipes at Target.
I am hoping to get stuff done!
I am hearing my dear husband getting the kids up.
One of my favorite things is Christmas music.
A few plans for the rest of the week: get the MOPS newsletter out, modify my blog design, clean the house up a bit!
(For more Daybooks go check out The Simple Woman's Daybook)

Everything Skit

*** Repost! This was discussed last week at my Women's Bible study and was requested so I am reposting it! I originally posted this back in January of 2008.



This has been floating around out there so it wouldn't surprise me if you all have seen it. All my MOPS girls have it on their Myspace pages. But I post it for any who haven't. When I first saw this skit I was a little harsh on it. I saw the Christ representation standing unable to get to her. But upon rewatching, you see Him pulling and when she has fought with all she has and has no more He intervened. Be prepared to shed a tear. I have every time I have watched it. Christ is waiting for us and our focus to be on Him. When it is and we use our strength to move towards Him, He will do the rest we need.

**Warning: this deals with real issues, not in graphic but obvious imagery. So don't watch with kids unless you are ready to answer a couple of questions.

Girly First Attempts

We tried to curl the NerdPie's hair recently. I got her hair up and that went fine. The problem arose a few hours after she went to bed. Apparently they were keeping her up so we had to take them out. I didn't have the heart to tell her that beauty is pain;). Maybe we will try again when she is older.

For Today (11/9) from NerdMom's Daybook

Outside my window I see my neighbor's citrus tree's (maybe grapefruit) fruit over my fence. Maybe it will ripen soon;).
I am thinking of how to organize my week and enjoy it at the same time!
I am thankful for my husband and my children for the joy they bring to my life.
From the learning rooms we are doing our Kinderbach this morning and hopefully a fun history project this week!
From the kitchen I have beer bread in the oven and will make chocolate chip cookies in a little bit!
I am wearing sweats and a short sleeve shirt (yes I'm grungy and frumpy today, even for me)
I am creating my holiday gift and to do lists this week.
I am going no where today!!!
I am hearing The Cheftians and I am so pulling out the Christmas music this week.
Around the house I need to clean up so I can have some of my friends over this Friday!
A few plans for the rest of the week: Craft night over here Friday and the tea on Saturday!

(For more Daybooks go check out The Simple Woman's Daybook)

Bethlehem Rhapsody

Found this over at a friend's blog (Living Vessel) and thought it was great! Of course I love the original song too so that helps;). I think this is something that the worship group and choir at my church could do really well! (Patmo, Alan I am talking to you 2;)

Junk Food Worse than Heroin?

Scripps Research Institute has come out with a study that looks at the addictive nature of junk food. Apparently these rats were so addicted that they were willing to take a shock in order to get the beloved junk food. They are trying to prove that the junk food is just as bad as drugs.

As a fat girl I don't know what all to think. On one hand I can totally agree because I don't know why my logic doesn't control my intake better. But on the other hand I can't say that I really cut a lot of slack for addicts so why should I be able to use it as an excuse because if you have a problem you should get help. The one thing that I get out of it that makes me feel better is that changing food choices is hard. Not due to my weak will but it really is hard.

So what do you think? Is the fact it may be addictive give us an excuse? Should junk food be illegal like the drugs? What?

(HT: Grist)

Tackle It Tuesday: Birthday Cards

Years ago I had purchased a cheap package of birthday cards from Currents. Then I got into rubber stamping (a little). So I planned that when all those cards were used up I wouldn't buy any more but make them. Well, I finally ran out of birthday cards but hadn't gotten around to making any. I was buying them 1 at a time until I could get around it.

So here they are! They aren't anything fancy but they are handmade. The flower and leaves are 1 stamp and the butterfly is another. I stamped them in brown on an ivory piece and then colored them in. Then I just stamped Happy Birthday inside!

I do have to say that I finally believe that these stamps can start being cost efficient!

So that is my Tackle It Tuesday!

For Today (11/2) from NerdMom's Daybook

Outside my window the sun is shining brightly.
I am thinking of the approaching holidays and all I really need to do for them.
I am thankful for the wonderful weather and my great family.
From the learning rooms we are doing some Kinderbach, math and Bible Study
From the kitchen I am hoping to get a few loaves of banana bread made.
I am wearing capris and a 3/4 sleeve knit top.
I am creating hopefully some birthday cards.
I am going no where today!!!
I am hoping that I start feeling better today.
I am hearing the Waiting's Wonderfully Made and Zoe Girl;s Good Girl in a mixed CD
Around the house I need to clean my laptop table!
A few plans for the rest of the week: MOPS tomorrow and Bible Study this week.
Here is picture for thought I am sharing


For more Daybooks go over to the Simple Woman's Daybook