Homeschooling for 3

Despite my family's bout with sicknesses this past month, my daughter recovered enough to be able to participate in her first Children's Choir. The kids did a stupendous job and got a standing ovation for their two performances. The choir is made up of children seven years to twelve years of age. A couple of the "old" children (you know 13-15 year olds) helped out by playing their instruments and being a part of the drama re-enactment. I was really happy for Jade because, although she was initially nervous, the love and applause that she received as part of this group had her walking a bit taller and showing a bit more confidence in her abilities. She learned what being part of a team was and the responsibility that it entailed. A few times (post illness) she tried to wiggle out of going to rehearsal, but (being the mean mommy) she went anyway. She made a few friends on her own and told me to sign her up for the next one! I also envy her because I would have lo

My daughter, Jade, joined the children's choir last month, but was out sick with the plague with the rest of my household for much of their rehearsal time. We had the CD and I practiced with her at home, so the choirmaster allowed her to rejoin the group tonight. They really sound good. This is my first experience with choirs, and I must say I was very impressed with how everything functions. Secretly, I am interested in joining the adult choir, but I can't do it right now because Mr. Michael won't let anyone hold him, and its hard to sing when your arms are full. :-D. I'm also very happy that Jade has started making friends on the choir. We've only been attending church for the last three months, but we're now starting to fit into the group a bit more comfortably. Growing up as a JW, I never realized how much warmth can come from a church. (We were taught that the church is one of the unknowing tools of Satan, so you can imagine what I imagined it would

Well, besides learning that a 7 year old can cry for 45 minutes because her brain won't let her think (??) I learned a few things in history today. We are doing Roman history, starting with the Pax Romana era. It's such a shame that the Caesars after Octavian were crazier than bedbugs. If you ever get a chance, you really should read (or listen to) "The Twelve Caesars" by Suetonius. It's quite entertaining (if you can forget the people who lost their lives due to the insanity, greed and viciousness of the Caesars.) Anyway, I learned that the manger is actually a feeding trough. Now, I know that seems silly, but I never really gave much thought as to what kind of "crib" Jesus was put into . I guess I thought that "manger" was another word for barn or something. Well, anyway we learned about the birth of Christianity in terms of the Roman Empire. I also discovered that the word "pig" can drive a 4-year old to tears when she'

My kids and I have been cooped up in the house (with the exception of driving my husband to the bus stop and back) for almost two weeks and I can't wait until we can resume our normal lives again. We were all sick and then my oldest daughter came down with a rash that looked like the measles. It turns out that it was 5th disease (which is a cousin to the measles). So, since I don't like to make other people sick, my husband and I decided that it was best to do the quarantine period. So now I'm losing my mind. This morning my daughter announces that she isn't going to eat because she wants to starve and go live with God. I explained to her that God gave us stewardship over our bodies and we're supposed to take the best care that we can, so I didn't think he'd let her visit him if she hurt her body. Then she tells me that she can't be in our family because she's not talented. After that didn't elicit enough sympathy (I guess), that she wanted

Another thing that I learned while being under quarantine is the wonderful program called Mentoring for Free ( http://pat.mentoringforfree.com ). It is a program designed to help people who work from home or have a network marketing business that they are working on the side. The program is truly free (yeah!) and my mentor Pat is awesome. They have seminars on everything from advertising ideas to building a good spiritual (not based any particular religion) base of operation. I signed up because I felt that I was being overwhelmed, and that is a very unfamiliar feeling for me. So, I took a chance and visited Pat's site. I still wasn't sure if I would like the program until I attended a seminar this past Wednesday. One of the "textbooks" that is used is a book by Napoleon Hill called "Think and Grow Rich". They cover a chapter a week and each person submits what that chapter means in their lives and how they plan to use the lessons that they've le

Over the past few weeks of being a doctor and patient, I have had a lot of time to think. And oh those thinks that I thought ... I recognized that washing dishes manually is great for therapy. My kitchen sink is having a major leaking problem (the joint that connects the two pipes has a hole the size of Moby Dick's blow hole), so we use a basin, wash the dishes and dump the water elsewhere. I've been using my dishwasher almost exclusively for over ten years. So, the idea of washing dishes by hand was not initially a pleasant thought. But as I wash the dishes (with Clorox) 3+ times a day, I look out my window and think thoughts. And here are some of the thoughts I thunk (okay, now I'm being silly) ... One of the problems that people have today come from not having time to think. While I was washing dishes (and only took me about 15 minutes to wash/dry/put away the things) I realized that the dishwasher hadn't really saved me as much time as I thought it had.

Well, its' been awhile since I got a chance to put anything on the blog. The month of December is going to be renamed "The Month of Disease". It has been one thing after another. All of the "women" in the house have sinus infections (that includes me!), my son had Fifth's Disease, which my oldest daughter contracted last week. It was a "wonderful" side disease from her sinus infection. My mother is going to drive me to drink. When the kids had colds last month she started on her mantra about how I must be doing something wrong because the children keep getting sick. Maybe my house isn't clean enough or I need to get rid of the animals. My sister's advice is to send the kids to school (?) so that I can give the house a thorough cleaning, thus preventing colds. Now, the last time I checked elementary school is the breeding ground for every disease known to man and the children are the best vectors for these germs ever invented. But

Okay, maybe not joy, but I did get a really good book that has helped me keep my sanity while everyone in my house (including me!) is sick. It's a book by Debbie Macomber. It's a nice cozy, perfect for someone who's head is trying to separate from the body. But seriously, this book was entertaining and light reading. It centered around a knitting shop, its proprietor and the students that she picks up along the way to teach about knitting. I love to crochet (I wish I had time to actually do it !) and I do cross stitch (stamped -- I can't seem to count correctly! LOL!), embroidery, needlepoint and a little knitting. The book has a crafting quote from professional knitters for each chapter and I found many of them to be true. I especially liked the one by Morgan Hinks that says "Knitting goes with us; it calms us." When I actually had time on my hands (now I have neither hands nor time thanks to the children), crocheting a blanket or someone would complete

You know, I started blogging as a way to express my thoughts, keep my sanity and have a little fun. But sometimes, blogging seems to be the last thing that I'm able to do. I was really proud of my little musings that I was putting up on a daily basis. Then the plague(s) came to visit and I rarely have a free moment to think, let alone write! But, just as with homeschooling, sometimes we make things entirely more complicated than it needs to be. Last night, I realized that blogging isn't my job, it's my hobby. And with all hobbies, sometimes you have more time for it than others. So, I'm giving myself a break and not breaking out into apologies for not posting regularly, as was my original intention. Instead I'm congratulating myself on retaining the few brain cells that are left in order to write this. One day everyone will be healthy again and I can really enjoy blogging. And I hope that you avoid the repeated colds that my family seems to be suffering thro