Crunchy Mama or Material Girl? (And a Confession....)

(imported post, tho updated...)

Often, other families in homeschool groups we are in often get the idea that we are a "Crunchy Family".

I am not sure how this happened.

 

While we do have some crunchy tendencies - cloth diapers, on demand breastfeeding, sling carrying when our kids were infants (+crunchy points)...and I like granola, but usually but the kind from Costco...along with the Super Jumbo Bag of Doritos (-crunchy points).

(And I guess sometimes I see myself as the wandering gypsy type person (that was a deep, dark secret. So don't laugh. I'll cry.)

However, I do know how to say "quinoa" correctly (+crunchy points) and I can cook it (+crunchy points) but I would rather buy it premade from Fresh & Easy (-crunchy points)

I was sort of a Vegan (+ a zillion crunchy points), now pretty much a vegetarian (- some crunchy points), but I will occasionally eat chicken (crunchy points plummeting dramatically....)

So.

Anyway.

I was thinking while I was in the shower - my preferred thinking spot - (and Oh! The posts I compose in there are amazing and marvelous and just a beautiful collection of words joined together in the most eloquent of posts!! Then when I finally have a chance to get to my computer, which is usually late at night (it is 12:40am as I type this) and well, if you have read here for any length of time, you know what you get.)

Anyway, I play at a few Online Homeschool Forums. And here is where you may need a little background info here.

Often, you will run into a thread discussing not using shampoo (which is VERY bad for you because it is full of VERY BAD CHEMICALS!!!!!!). There are all sorts of techniques to do away with EvilShampoo completely and rid yourself of the toxins you are currently sudsing up your head with - some involve vinegar rinses and I think baking soda or other things.

Anyway - the abbreviated version of not using shampoo is often referred to as "No-'Poo."

Which is really a shocker of a name the first time you see it.

But Oh, Crunchy Extraordinaire!

Recently, I have been watching a new trend develop - ladies wash their hair mainly with conditioner.

They may occasionally use a clarifying shampoo, but many are "Conditioner Only" or CO. (I don't know if this also helps to avoid the all the VERY BAD CHEMICALS, but obviously you would use less of them, right?)

Forgive me in advance if anyone reading this is NP or CO.

I know what an earth friendly and good for your body thing it is supposed to be.

And it is soooo crunchy too.

But I have A Confession.

I *love* shampoo.

Oh, I look at the no-poo threads and now the conditioner only threads and I think - for a

nano-second - how nice that sounds. How simple. How earthy friendly. (How crunchy, too!!)

And like I said, I tend somewhat towards the crunchy, sort of, sometimes.

My Nook (totally not crunchy) has a cover that is handmade by a WAHM (crunchy AND cute!)

My purses & bags are all handmade by WAHMs:

 

 

Yes, I really like owls. =)

(there's more -- little matching zipper bags to go with, etc....so I am not sure how to tally that.....crunchy cuz I am buying homemade & handmade? helping other WAHM?  
But I do have more than I *need*.... - so maybe that is a crunchy point draw....)

Many of my clothes are handmade (+crunchy points), and many, many are patchwork "hippie" skirts. (+++crunchy points):

 

Plus, I have an upcycled Frankensweater (++++++MAJOR crunchy points):

 

 

But....I also have quite a bit from Old Navy (-----crunchy points)

But - when we get to these no-poo / co threads...
Overall, I'm baffled....and ashamed....or ashamed that I am not ashamed.
WHO would want to NOT use shampoo & Body Wash?
Have you SMELLED some of the deliciousness out there????
When it comes to Shampoo, I am to www.Philosophy.com as an addict is to a crack house.
No matter what I do, I can't stay away. And every season brings new treats, new scents. Their Fall line is coming out now. I LOVE FALL! Pumpkin & Spice & Everything Nice!!!!
(Oh Hey.....this means Starbucks should be coming out with their Pumpkin flavored stuff too.....yuuummmmmm.....(--- crunchy points...)

Every day is a scent delight. I can't wait to wash my hair with this stuff!  I love it.

For a few relatively uninterrupted minutes each day (relatively - this last shower where this post started forming in my mind had only had two interruptions - one from my mom 'cuz DH had called and wanted to know if I wanted a new antennae for the TV (that was odd) and one when oldest daughter came home and wanted to let me she had gotten home but then stayed in the bathroom to talk until I finally said,
"Um, go 'way!"
and she said,
"But it smells SO GOOD in here!"

(It was a Candy Corn Day - of course it smelled good! Yum!!!!)

I get to revel in the sweetness and either ponder nothing at all, or various online conversations, or whatever I want.

When it is a Pink Frosted Layer Cake Day (when Pink Frosted Layer Cake arrived, 9yo dd took one whiff and said, "Can I go wash my hair?") I come out of the shower feeling like a pink cupcake. Yum. I couldn't imagine giving that up willingly. (-------minus 1 million crunchy points)

Honestly, the thing is, I never tried to be crunchy or not.
I just do what I like.
So, I guess I fail at crunchy.
But only sort of....

I also ONLY use handmade, WAHM soap:

 

And handmade, WAHM deodorant:

 

 

And toothpaste...

 

 

 

Plus, I make my own laundry detergent, and many of my cleaners.



 

 and so, do I get some crunchy points back?

Or am I just a sheeple consumer? >.<

***Seriously now - Christmas is coming - go find unique gifts at ETSY and get amazing items and help WAHMs too. :-) All the above items pictured were purchased by different awesome Etsy sellers - really, check it out. There are treasures galore!***

 

 

2008....2012....?

Hi.

I feel like I need to explain a little...

I had had a BUNCH of blogs. 

Too many, quite frankly.

So, I pared down to one personal blog and my business blog.

But even then, I barely posted.

Then, I pretty much stopped blogging, except for my Twinkleberry Cottage blog  that I keep because of my Etsy Shop, Twinkleberry Cottage.

And, like I said, I am pretty bad at updating that - Facebook is so much quicker! (I bet Twitter is even faster but I am a total twitter flop.)

Ironically, I just checked, and I closed my personal blog in September of 2011.  So just about a year ago.

But...there have been times I have really *missed* blogging too.

I checked around, and in fact, I had NOT deleted ALL my blogs after all.  I found that I had kept this blog (even tho I wasn't using it) because I just loved the template so much (a friend had made it for me.) After a few tweaks and hoop-jumping, I was able to hook it to my working email.

So.  I hope that explains the HUGE time gap in posts. 

But - I have adopted the advice of sorts that you can find here - Blogging Without Obligation.  I have no idea how often I will get to blog, or what I will say. 

However, I *do* hope you will stop by when you can. =)

These are ADORABLE: Melted Snowman Cookies

These cookies will definitely be on the baking list for this year. SO cute!!

Crazy Domestic: Melted Snowman Cookies

Desert Snow!

Vegas got an unusual weather system - which included it starting to snow at my house right around noon, and continuing on for hours! (It snowed where I lived in Phoenix one time in 18 years, and it lasted for about 10 minutes, and that was it.) But, yesterday, my kids got to see, and play in, honest-to-goodness (albeit a very dense and wet) snowfall.

It has been 30 years since Vegas has seen snow like this.
There was a snow-day called for the local schools - the first time that Clark County has ever had a snow day!

Now, I love snow. I *love* it. So to say that I was excited doesn't even begin to cover it. I called my mother about every hour, to say, "It's still snowing!" followed by joyous giggling.


Yes, it was dark out. But this was the first time Starburst had ever even seen snow! No taking chances it would start to rain and wash it away. We obviously don't have the appropriate clothes for snow. She didn't care!


There wasn't quite enough for a snow fort - but a snow barricade works too! Firefly hides out behind his.

Snow Angels!

It warmed up today, and most of it melted away. But, it was beautiful and magical and finally, something I actually like about living in Vegas!

ABC's & 1,2,3s

Reading, Writing, and 'Rithmatic.

Oh, that 'rithmatic.

Math. The bane of my existence.

After years of playing an awful game, called Math Curriculum Hop, I have come to realize, that I am a lousy Math teacher.
Luckily, my kids manage to learn even with a lousy Math teacher. Thank goodness.

My poor oldest daughter. She started with Saxon. It was not a good fit.
Singapore was great - until we hit a concept that she didn't get (percentages.)
We tried Math-U-See. That was okay....but still, not quite right for her.
We did some of the Key to... series.
We attempted Jacobs Math for Algebra and Geometry.
We got a Math tutor for Geometry, but even that wasn't great.
(At this point child #2 was jumping onto the playing field of Math Curriculum Hop, and we started with MCP, and then Horizons....)

All this time me thinking things weren't a good fit for them, now I wonder if they just weren't a good it for me. And being as I have an aversion to Math, I doubt there is a program out there that is a good fit for me.

Then - oh then - we found Teaching Textbooks.

Can I even begin to express my absolute giddiness about the TT programs?

So oldest dd finished up her highschool career with TT, and I was elated to find that they were coming out with TT4! Oh, happy day!

But now it has been postponed.

ds9 is happily using the old MUS, and told me the other day, "I like this!"

Well, uh-oh. If he likes it, do I switch? Do I continue this game of Math Curriculum Hop?
After he gets to TT4, I am hoping to be able to use TT for the rest of his homeschooling years....

Gosh, but I hate Math.

Where are the average kids?

Maybe it is because I spend most of my days talking to homeschoolers....but it happened when my kids were in a local school too.

Everyone's kids nowadays are gifted....or, they have a learning disability (sometimes both.)  

I went to a Catholic School back in the day.  In my class of 30 kids (which stayed basically the same for 9 years from K-8)...most of us were just..."kids" - normal, average kids.    Of course there were some who were smarter in English, or Math, others who excelled at Science.  A very few kids needed extra help.  But it took a LOT, and I mean a LOT, for someone to be called truly "gifted."  

Now everyone is "gifted."  I meet so many "gifted" 3 year olds I could scream.  "Gifted" doesn't mean anything anymore.

When I was little, and was able to read at a young age, people made a big deal out of that to my mom.  Now, if your child is three, and isn't showing any interest in reading, there is concern, wringing of hands, and wonder if there is something wrong.

 

Kids used to go into first grade not being able to read.  That was okay.  Nowadays?  Are you kidding me?  

People buy huge, cumbersome homeschool curriculums for 4 year olds (because "they are ready!  I don't push them, they are ready!" Then read with them, color with them, for goodness sake!  You don't need to spend $ on a spelling curriculum or a grammar program for a 4 year old!  People send their young children away from them all day to rigorous academic programs. My goodness, they get to be grownups for a long time.  Let them be kids!!!!)

And if your child isn't "gifted," then something must be "wrong."  There is a need to explain why they aren't "gifted."  So, now we have little kids being diagnosed with this, that, or the other thing.  So many learning disabilities it boggles the mind.  

Which makes those with true learning disabilities get lost in the shuffle.  Again. 

*****

reminds me of the movie, the Incredibles.  

When the Mom is talking with Dash, who is not allowed to be on the track team because he has the special ability of speed, and so he would win (and that wouldn't be fair to the other kids, now would it?!?!), and she says, "Everyone's special, Dash."  

He replies, "Which is another way of saying no one is."

*****

In this day and age - more and more people push and push their kids for success - and yet, at the same time, no one is allowed to "win."  A Spelling Bee? A Science Fair? Everyone gets a "participation certificate" - everyone gets a prize.  To win doesn't mean anything if everyone is going to win anyway.  Why give your best?       

*****

IMO, Autism is getting way over diagnosed.  So often, it is already hard enough for parents of kids with Autism or Asperger's, as it often seems like 'poor parenting' (when it is no such thing.)  But now....it seems like Asperger's is being used to justify any socially inappropriate behavior.  My child has Asperger's - which means my job as his parent is to be more vigilant - for his sake, and for other's (your child might not want to know the name of every single Lego Bionicle ever made, but my son would be hard pressed to believe that!  Doesn't everyone want to know about that?!!?) However, my children have been terrorized by a child who was totally out of control, and the Mom said and did nothing to help her child, or curb her child's behavior.  She just went to each parent after her child had terrorized their child (by hitting, kicking, taking and braking toys, etc) , and said, "She can't help it, she has autism" and then went back to chatting with her friend while her daughter ran wild around a pool.    

She may have had autism.  But she also had a parent who was not doing her job.

****

Ancient History FREE Lesson Plans

If you are thinking about doing Ancient History in your homeschool - be sure to check out Bringing Up Learners FREE 150+ page lesson. Similar to those you can buy at some other curriculum suppliers for upwards of $65+, not only are they free, but they are stuffed full of ideas, links, suggestions, and hands-on ideas. Part one of the Mosaic series is called:

Myths, Maps, and Marvels

You have a choice of two spines to use with them:
Story of the World
or
A Little History of the World, which was recently recommended by the RC History website!

There is even a FREE Timeline Unit available to download!

There's also a yahoo group, small but growing.

April - the creator - is working on a another set of plans focusing on the Middle Ages too!

***I did want to mention - these are not strictly Catholic lesson plans. They are secularly-designed, but the chosen spines make it easy enough to tweak to "catholicize" them by adding in whatever faith-based resources you would like without very much trouble at all. ***

Fun Homeschool Name Generator

So, I stumbled across this site, and it generates silly, fun names for your homeschool.

My choices were:

The Exciting Institute of Puzzled People
The Flabbergasted Finishing School of Wild Education
The Twinkling Academy of Impish Children

I like the third one.

*giggle* my dh is so cool!

Here is a picture from the show my DH works on with Cirque du Soleil. He says he is projecting the images that are behind the performers. The show just won an international award from the Themed Entertainment Association.

Now in all honesty, I am not sure what all that means, but DH is excited. It took so many, many years to get here, I think I am still in shock.

Homeschooling & Tax Credits

I was going to write about Tax Credits and Homeschooling....but why reinvent the wheel?

There is an excellent article on just that subject over at Rational Jenn, entitled:

Freedom From the Feds

It explains in detail why Federal Tax Credits are a bad idea.

where did all the words go?

I was reading my Sonlight Beam, and came across this little bit of info:

Since 1960, the working vocabulary of Americans has dropped from 25,000 words to 10,000 words.

I think that is very sad.

According to my trusty online thesaurus, I could have used such words as "disheartening," "lachrymose," "lugubrious," or "pitiable."

But who talks likes that?

sigh.

Oh, and "tragic." That would have worked too.

Play Silks!

I was reading a thread on 4Real, when Mary M. at Our Domestic Church offered to put up on her blog a tutorial on dyeing playsilks with Kool-aid.

How very neat! A way to dye silks, and I didn't even have to wear gloves or worry about fumes? I could do this!

I proceeded to convince dh to order me some silks from Dharma Trading, so that I could dye them for Sunburst. He obliged, which shows just what a great guy he is, because I often make grand plans craft related, buy lots of materials, and then fall very short on the follow through.

So, I got my silks, and then, I raided our Kool-aid stash.

I used Lemon-Lime (green), Pink Lemonade (pink), Lemonade (yellow), Grape (purple), Orange (haha - orange), and Ice Blue Lemonade (Blue).
Huh - we have a lot of lemonade variations, don't we?

Anyway, you soak the silks in a water/vinegar mixture for a short while, then put water, a splash of vinegar, and Kool-aid packets into each bowl. For instance, the blue and green only had two packets, whereas I used 4 each for pink & yellow, figuring they were lighter colors.




The coolest part was the way that the water in the bowl turned clear as the silk soaked up the dye. Before I put in the silk, the purple looked black, and when I was done, the water was basically clear. Very neat.



After rinsing with cool water, hanging a dry, and a quick run through the dryer, I have the finished product:

They came out with a lovely variegated pattern, that I was hoping they would have, but wasn't sure how to achieve on purpose ( I used small bowls, so some sections pulled in a lot more color.) The pink/yellow was the only one I did multi-color on a single silk, and I am really pleased with the results.



So, Thank you Mary! This was so much fun, I am really wanting to do more. I love easy crafts, and the whole kitchen smelled so fruity too.

webkinz

Do you know about Webkinz?

I didn't.

Maybe we do miss some of the latest fads because we homeschool. But usually, I am at least aware of current trends. I had no idea how popular these plush little buggers are.

They are like beanie babies, but on steroids. Really. They are desperately cute, and oh-so-cuddly.

And like crack for small children. I'm not kidding. Webkinz = Kiddie Crack. Because, when they get a Webkinz, there is a code, and you take this code and go online and there - on the screen - is a virtual version of your pet! How cool! And you can buy them clothes, and play games with them, and take care of them. Wow!!!

And then, you find out that there are codes everywhere, on all sorts of things. Special codes. Codes that get you special treats, features, etc in Virtual Webkinz Land. And then the whining begins...

"Moooommmmm, can we get on webkinz.com?!? I need to tell my pet I love them everyday, or they will get unhappy!"

"Moooommmmm, I need to get: (the lip gloss, the body spritz, the charms, the clothes, the bookmarks - each with its own SPECIAL SECRET CODE!!!) for my pet, pleassssssse?"

"Moooommmmm, when my year is up can I have your credit card so I don't lose all the prizes I have won?" (Seriously, my child just asked me that. I laughed. Hard.)

Now, you may wonder why we even have these little critters. My Uncle, who I will now refer to as Uncle Dealer, got them for my children, in an attempt to have all the grandkids/cousins have a way to stay in touch. I figured, oh, okay, sounds cute, and they can connect with their cousins online.

But instead I have strung out little junkies who need their webkinz fix.

However....

it is a good motivator...

"Finish your Math, or no webkinz."
"Do your chores, or no webkinz."
"Stop whining, or no..."

...you get the idea...

bad Mommy :)

twenty cents

It happened already.
I was in Wal-mart, and it has already begun!
(insert scary music here! .....dum-dum-dum-dum.....)
Back-to-School-Shopping!!!
The rows are already in place, I got my sales flier in the mail today. On the front page -- twenty-four count crayons for .20 cents!
$0.20! What a deal!
And glue, and rulers, and folders, and notebooks!
Oh, my!
 ⊙_☉

And, yes, we homeschool and all -- but won't I be depriving them if they can't pick out a brand new lunchbox and backpack along with everyone else?!?! We go on picnics, right? (✿◠‿◠)

********************

Okay, but seriously now, I do buy the crayons.

Why? Not because we need crayons.

Our house has enough crayons that I could probably stack them up around the outside of our home like tiny colorful little lengths of timber for our very own unique wax log cabin.
No, I buy them because there is something so nice about opening that new box of crayons.
All in their little ordered rows, their little tips still pristine.
And the way the kidlings get so excited at a new box of crayons.
How one of my children will only take out one at a time as he needs it.
How the other will dump the whole box and line them up - to easily grab the next needed color.

It is like opening up a box of imagination, and creativity, and possibilities.

For twenty cents?
Yeah, that is more than worth it....