Winter books

Well, we are back. I've been on Wordpress, but they don't allow you to put Amazon links in there. I really like the Amazon links...not because I want you to purchase books at Amazon...but I like the pictures and reviews about the books. I love books so much and it's nice to see all their pictures. Some books are so good that I can spot them anywhere.

Here are three sweet little books that go along perfectly with Winter! I really like finding good Winter books. We celebrate Christmas, but I often find a lot of Christmas books are just the same ole thing and some are just downright cheezy. I've been really working on trying to enjoy each season more since we move up here. We got snow twice this year...amazing. But, I don't want to develop SAD and I found this year by enjoying the season it really did help me a lot. I wasn't afraid to get wet or in the snow this Fall and Winter. I pretended I was a little kid who isn't bothered by anything when they want to play. I splashed in puddles in the parking lot with my toddler and I wasn't one bit embarassed with wet pants when I walked through the grocery store. I do think next year I'm going to get some golasshes though. I have some cool slip on shoes, but they aren't the same.



I love the illustrations in this book. Perfect for all you nature lovers.





Well, there is no picture for this one. But, it is beautiful black, white and red illustrations! Just lovely. There is another book with the same title, but I'm not sure if it's good. I know the other one has lots of colored illustrations. I love books with black and white illustrations.

Gardens can change the World (clickable link)

Once you get to the permaculture site you can scroll down on the right hand side. Click on the picture that says Greening the Desert.

I've been working on a research paper that was fueled by the book...The Last Child in the Woods. It's amazing how once you start something you love then all the things you have never noticed before start moving into place.

Since, it's winter I'm working on getting my garden going for next year. I really want a living garden that goes all year long. A yard the just keeps on giving. I know I live in Washington State, but it would be nice if eventually I could be growing more cold weather crops. I do have my grandmother's greenhouse and we have yet to set it up because we could never decide on a good place for it in the yard. I think I'm going to let my dh win. I think he picked out a nice spot. I plan to put it up in January or maybe February this year. I'll have to talk to my Dad about what I need to do for electricity and such. I would love to start my plants out there. I remember going in that greenhouse when I was young with my grandma. It's such a special memory I would love to be able to walk out there and play in it and think of her. We even saved the block that my mom and her brother's and sister's made when they bought it for my grandma. They have their handprints and names on them. So, I'm going to make some of my kids to put in there, too. (I'm all teary eyed now....)

Here's some links I added to my sidebar...

GardenWeb...great regional boards

Vegan Organic Network

Scut's Gardening Page

Plant a row for the Hungry

What I did this summer

Do you remember having those reports for school? I just thought about that on my way to school this morning.

This summer I turned 30.
This summer I got an iPod.
This summer I got my first real on a contract cell phone.

Bike lovers

I love bikes and bike friendly cities. For some reason I forgot that when we bought a house here. It is completely scary to ride a bike here at all. No one is used to it and you won't live long. So, I lust after bike riders who are so brave. Maybe I'll get a fullbright and I can go to Denmark and bike my children around in one of these...

Christiania Bikes

Stupid things the Potato Board says...

Oh yes...they really said this about the wonderful potato. You can read it for yourself. The list all the wonderful valuable things about eating a potato and then they dive into this beautiful and very likely highly paid for bit of information.

So think of a potato as a big vitamin pill you can top with butter, cheddar, chives, sour cream, bacon, black beans, cheesy chicken...

You can add those tasty toppings to your potato because it contains no fat or cholesterol and minimal sodium.

If you are reading this than you know I am a big supporter of a Plant Based Diet. Evan (the husband) and I were just talking about potassium. So, we thought we would google for foods that have more potassium than a banana because everyone moms says to eat bananas right.

Uhmmmmm.....if cholesterol is bad for you and the potato has none than does that really give you permission to add some to the top?

Preschool stuff

Escher is three years old now and won't be going to preschool yet. But, I thought I would start a post to share some of the stuff he will be doing or enjoys reading. He really, really loves board books. He goes straight for them at the library! So, a lot of the books he gets are board books. He loves to carry them around and I guess they are just easier for him to handle. The older two didn't care for them much, but Escher seems to have problems with keeping a hold on things.

Potential

We have realized something we have in common. My dh and I cannot always find something we have in common.

We see the Potential in everything. We bypass the reality and see the potential. We spend our time trying to lure and pull and push the potential from everything and everyone.

We bought our house on Potential. It's still sitting here after two years. Barren and hardly touched.

It's a glaze or a haze all around us. We wear these dark sunglasses that block our view.

I'm trying to decide if it's a detriment to us.

Happy Birthday to me!

I am going to be 30 soon, and I thought I might share my wishlist...hint, hint, hint.

My Amazon Wishlist

Gluten-Free Diet Change

I just could not take anymore with my youngest. He is three years old. The past year he has been in speech therapy. Last year at this time he wasn't talking at all. AT ALL! My oldest has Aspergers, My Grandfather has Aspergers...Does my youngest have something, too?

I get yelled at all day long. He seemed to be doing better since having Therapy. But, still things just weren't right.

I had previously looked into a GF/CF diet for our oldest with Aspergers. But, I became overwhelmed and my dh just did not seem supportive. A few weeks ago I told him I don't care. I need to try something or I will feel useless.

Within the first few days our E (3) was talking almost clearly and trying to complete full sentences. Plus, he started using the potty. He just said poop in the potty and went in there and did it!

This morning my husband sneaks in and says he got donuts for the boys, but he doesn't want E to have any so he is hiding them in his shop.

Yikes...I have got to learn to make donuts now.

The Grass Eaters

I have to vent and my poor husband has heard too much already.

The Grass Eaters

I had to take an online class this quarter to get full credits. I love the book we are using and it's studying World Literature.

BUT, the people in my class have no compassion or understanding of what it means to be human. They are so tarnished by having everything in America that they are MAKING ME CRAZY.

Comments on this piece were of the following thoughtful remarks....

This is a great comedy...yes this person actually read the piece because he made remarks and quotes from different parts. He really thinks this is a comedic look on living a hard life.

These people are so happy...yes this person read this and thought it was so wonderful that they could now go along in their life being happy for all the things they have because these poor starving people could be happy. They then proceeded to talk about their day of going to the gym and shopping and how they were so thankful for this. How does that compare to being thankful for grass?

One person actually could not figure out why a school teacher could not afford better living situations.

Not one person mention anything about the "maffia" of Landlords or the slavery of children. I'm appalled. I'm embarrassed.

These characters are just numb. Numb from pain, loss, and a world they cannot escape. There is no person that deserves to live like this. UGH.

Now, I am done. I am not too sensitive. The reason we open our eyes to the world around us is not to appreciate everything we have and be happy that we do not have to live like that. It is so we can do something about pain, hurt, and disease.

My two handed painter.

DSC03190.JPG
Originally uploaded by ojaimommie.

I'm updated my pic. Here is my youngest artist. He loves to paint two handed!

Science Lessons

This site is really wonderful. I think I will use it some this summer! There are coloring sheets and fun hands-on activities for each lesson.

Off to the library...

Library
Originally uploaded by ojaimommie.

we go!

I know this is a double post to both blogs. We love our new crate. It has wheels and a telescoping handle! The only problem is we need one for each boy, as well as Mom!

Camping Alone

DSC03134.JPG
Originally uploaded by ojaimommie.

Here is a pic from our camping trip.
We were all alone,
just the two of us.
It was lovely.

This sidewalk is from the housing area down to a cliff.
It seems so silly now when you think of the women who were all dressed up with no place to go except for this sidewalk. I hope some of them were brave enough to going for a hike through the beautiful woods.

Why you should fall to your knees and worship a librarian

Librarian Avengers....if you appreciate a Librarian for all their shining glory

Yes, I am still very, very much considering being a Librarian and not a College Professor and it is mostly because of this...People become librarians because they know too much. Their knowledge extends beyond mere categories. They cannot be confined to disciplines. Well, not because of that exact quote, but because that is who I am. I realize that. I'm interested in everything. I like to order it all up and make sure that everyone knows what they should know.

Picking out a College Major has been really difficult for me. I kept trying out new classes and find that I'm good at it and enjoy it. Being back in College has given me a different outlook on myself. I enjoy talking with my professors and learning their insights into me. So far, I have learned that being sensitive is ok and that learning and understanding about different cultures is really important to me. I am enjoying this journey and I'm so pleased that I waited till I was a bit older.

This summer is for making rhythm

This summer we will be working on rhythm. Since, both of us parents started school we have been flying by the seats of our pants. It just is not working. We had a big garage sale and got rid of a bunch of junk and the rest is going to the auction. Dad has been cleaning out the basement. There must be something to Feng Shui and the whole don't store stuff under your bed.

Mom managed to get night classes, so she has the whole day to hang out with the boys!

We are working on a list of family activities.


Earthways: Simple Environmental Activities for Young Children

I love, love, love this book. It is a good introduction to Waldorf. I think it is really good for families who like aspects of Waldorf, but do not want to send their children to a Waldorf school. You could be like us, we just cannot afford it and we just cannot manage the long drive to the school everyday.

Some of the things we plan to do or have inspired to do through this book are:
1. Tepee building: We already have a grape vine house, so I think we are going to do the stick house instead.
2. Placemats: This one is inspired by the prayer for Thanksgiving. We are planning to make paper placemats and handwrite verses or beautiful quotes on them and then decorate them with leaves, flowers, and small sticks from our yard. We go to the beach a lot, so maybe some sand and shells, too.
3. Along those lines, I really like the idea of having a nature table. I think it might work better if we do the above placemats once a week and then do a little nature area in the center of our kitchen table. We normally do some kind of decoration there anyway and it sure would be fun to the let the boys do it once a week.


Weekends with the Kids: Activities, Crafts, Recipes: Hundreds of Ideas for Family Fun

This book looks amazing from the front, but there was not enough pictures. Maybe it's just me, but I think if you are going to make a book for us moms who need a little help in the creative department that you would at the very least include bright colored photographs. None the less I was inspired and I have created this list.

4. Fill a mixing bowl with beans and 5-10 small objects. Blindfold your friend and have them guess what they are feeling.
5. Ice Cube Hunt Give a kid a bucket of ice cubes and have them hide them around the yard. Everyone gets to find the ice cubes before they melt.
6. Have a picnic in the grape vine house. Our "house" is not really a house, but it still is fun to sit under. I think we need to add some more stakes though and enlarge it this year.
7. Make grape vine wreathes or vine houses for Army men. (What can I say I have 3 boys!)
8. Lie outside on your back and find shapes in the clouds.
9. Have a scavenger hunt or treasure hunt. (The boys love treasure hunts. We have them get buckets and collect stuff from around the house. Then they have to write out their own list-handwriting skills-and one of parents hides everything.
10. Be the Sweet Dream Elf and put a little note, a tiny prize or a night-night nibble on everyone's pillow. (I think I will do this just for fun!)

And more...
11. Origami...I know I saw a book that had the paper and stuff all together. Just got the inspiration from:

Fold Me a Poem

India

We have been reading Story of the World Volume Two. We have come to Chapter 5, The Medieval Indian Empire. Yes, it is taking us a long time. We are taking a stop to enjoy India, mostly because it's Mom and Dad's favorite country. Mom is hoping to learn Sanskrit when she transfers.

Watch for updates!

Quiz results

Oh so positive =P

What obsolete skill are you?

You are 'growing one's own food'.You are guided by two words: 'Live simply.' You value quality over quantity in most things, and you have little use for the materialism and consumerism of modern culture. You know the value of hard work and try to be self-sufficient as much as possible, and what you do you do well. Unfortunately, no man is an island, and you cannot do everything yourself. Your puritanical work ethic makes makes people think that you are weird, and not much fun. Your problem is that growing one's own food has been obsolete for a long time.
Take this quiz!








Quizilla |
Join

| Make A Quiz | More Quizzes | Grab Code

A quick run out to the woods...

We planned and received a
last minute
trip to the woods.

I cannot believe,
I cannot imagine
what could be better than such a wonderful
smoky night.

We went
just the two of us.
We made dinner in the dark.
We forgot coleman.

No rain.
Waves crashing.
New tent.
Love.
Sleep.

I went for a two hour walk.
I get afraid
alone in the woods.
If I sing
I am not alone.

Why are my boys
so beautiful
when I return?

DSC03056.JPG

DSC03056.JPG
Originally uploaded by ojaimommie.

I'm changing my pic.

Picture of the week.

DSC02927.JPG
Originally uploaded by ojaimommie.

Here's
my picture
of the week.
I thought
I would
start sharing a self-portrait of sorts
without having to be
accountable
to
anyone,
but
myself.

end of the quarter...end of the year

Well, it's the end of the quarter for me. My photography class is over and I'm sad.
I finally know how to use my camera.
Some of us went out for dinner with our teacher.
We use her first name.
We laugh about the first day.
F-stops and Aperture.

I have two papers due in English.
TWO PAPERS.
I'll probably write at least 10 pages.
I can't work on them until Saturday though.

Friday I have an in class exam for Archaeology.
I think that last one I wrote at least 7 pages.
I'm insane.
I love it.

I have all my classes for the next two quarters all ready to go.
I will miss photography.

But, I will do more.
I have plans.

Larry Gonick

These are the Larry Gonick books that my 9 year old is tearing through. I mean really statistics. I cannot wait till he gets to that...I mean he cannot wait. There are some more books, but I'm confident in your abilities to look for them. And, really if you tend to censor your child's reading then you might not want to get the the book on SEX. But, otherwise they seem pretty safe so far. But, remember you are your child's Parent/Teacher and you are responsible for what you allow to pass through their ears and out the other side.


Cartoon Guide to Statistics

The Cartoon History of the Universe, Volumes 1-7

The Cartoon Guide to Chemistry

Cartoon Guide to Statistics

The Cartoon Guide to the Environment

The American West

I hope we can keep up with our love of reading around here. My second son's teacher told me yesterday to not worry about the boys. She thinks we are wonderful role models and that when students have parents who love to learn that it's catchy. She's really sweet and I just love her to bits. I hope we get to stay here so my youngest can have her for Kindergarten, too.

We have been watching a series of DVD's on the west from PBS.

The West from PBS. There are lesson plans on the website, as well.


Cartoon History of the United States

This is a very funny book. My oldest is really enjoying it. I'll try to get around posting some of his other books because they are just amazing! They are in comic book format. I know this aren't high enough literature for some, but I love books like this because they spark the interest in people and events. G will just be reading along..."Hey can we google this guy?"

Veganism

Mollie started my obsession with these little videos. I look up Vegan and found these:

Steven the Vegan I just want to note, yesterday in my Photography class we were discussing going out to eat after our final class and someone mentioned a steak house. "I'm a vegetarian."

"They have a salad bar!"
"Do you eat seafood?"

Dead animal=Had a face, Had a mom

Crab=?
fish=?
shellfish=?

Why are there still people who call themselves vegetarians and eat fish? I don't care if you want to eat plants, but you can't say that's all you eat and then eat fish.

Another video Making Vegan Pizza

This one made my sons really laugh. It's a bit Pythonish ya know. If you let kids watch it you might want to pull the screen over to hide the tags on the right hand side. Vegan Pig

Who doesn't like Sarah Kramer...remember that Sara Lee jingle

Future Librarian

Future Librarian
Originally uploaded by ojaimommie.

B&W, too. I don't think I like the contrast though. Dh wanted to know how I balanced the books on my head?

Future Librarians of America

Future Librarian
Originally uploaded by ojaimommie.

I thought and thought.
What a self-portrait really means. I finish up photography 101 and I will miss it. I feel complete. I finally know how to use my camera

Compliments...

Today a teacher I admire gave me a compliment.

She wishes she could be as sensitive as me...
She said I have grace.
I'm not overly sensitive
It's okay to cry.

This is a really big thing for me.
I've always felt overly sensitive
and bad about it.
But, in reality it is a good quality.
It makes me who I am.

Literary Criticism..I think I'm changing my major

CaptiveApe
I have a paper due tomorrow. I have to criticize a piece we have read in class. I'm choosing Gryphon, but I can't decide between Reader-Response or Deconstructionism. The latter just seems so sarcastic.

I've realized that I really do love books and reading. But, I realize that it's mostly the history that I love. It's the collecting of the facts and putting them all together. I hate picking books apart. I just like to enjoy them. So, I really do think I'm going to major in History now and then Master in Library Science. I'm realizing that I'm not one to deal with trying to gain tenure and all that stuff connected to teaching at a University. It's a little hard to let go, though.

He tied his shoes...

Today my 9 year old finally tied his shoes! He called me from the kitchen and said, "I tied my shoes."

He is so proud of himself. He told me he felt like all the laces had been out to get him and now he knows they aren't.

The Traveling Pengiun

How funny is this?

Call me what you will...but this is great fun. Now I have a friend and he was suppose to be taking a little monkey for visits around the world...but I have yet to see much from him.

Anyone else know of any interesting passport carriers?

We keep running into each other...

It's really strange, but I think God is sending us a secret blessing. Something in our classes matches up. We are taking classes that are totally different, yet somehow we are able to discuss the same thing.

Thursday mornings Evan gets up earlier than the rest of us so he can study for a few hours before his first class. I just went to sign on to my favorite site and all his tabs are still up in Safari (MAC LOVERS). I notice he has midden up in the dictionary. I learned what a shell midden was yesterday in Archaeology class because we are going to one for our field trip. He is in an English class and they are reading
Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed

Last quarter we learned the same things in my Psychology class and his General Studies class. It's not like all the content is the same or the teachers are the same. It's like we both learn about something we can share with each other.

I have wanted to enjoy good discussions with my husband. But, I didn't realize that was a need of mine until we were married a few years and by then it felt like it was too late. We didn't always have a lot to talk about. So, it feels like this strange little blessing.

The Bedford Handbook

If you visit this page you will find excellent resources to further your writing, grammar, and research skills.

After you finish the first question, you will need to press the little arrow in the upper right hand corner to get the next question.

..It's off to school I go...

Today is a new start to a new quarter.

I cannot believe that I made it through one whole quarter. How did that go by so fast? How did we survive?

I will be enjoying Archaeology, Intro. to Literature (I have to get at least one English class in every quarter), and Photography.

My nephew's girlfriend will be in my first class. It's so strange. As if I don't feel old enough. Last quarter my dh enjoyed being the Uncle. (They are in High School btw.)

King David

Our first timeline character is King David. We read a chapter from this book and then put the timeline figure on our timeline.


Ten Kings: And the Worlds They Rule

If you use KONOS, there is a chapter for Charlemagne as well. I really love the illustrations in this book. You might want to pre-read the chapters. I did have to stop and reword a section for my 9yos. I didn't really feel like he was ready to talk about David and Bathsheba's relationship in detail. Then again, maybe I wasn't ready to talk about that with him.

Music, History, and Art: We came upon the word lyre and Gibran didn't know what that was. So, we decided to google and see what we came up with.

I've gone back to journaling our school days. It seems a lot less stressful for Gibran. I think it's a lot easier for him to feel accomplished for what he has done instead of feeling like he is running out of time to finish all his assignments. I just keep a 70 page notebook. I write the day at the top of the page. Then one of us writes down the subject and underlines it and whatever we did for that subject. If he reads a book on frogs then he can put Science on the left hand side of the page and the title of the book and what he read to the right.

Quotes from great teachers

I don't understand why they teach children to line up.

Why not teach them something more interesting?

You know you could teach them all to say baa baa baa......

Chip Barker

Strong's Inventory

I finally did the Strong's Inventory.

My dh was right.....


I should be a librarian.

So, add that to my list of educational plans. I'm still majoring in English, but when I get to my Master's I think I will apply to both the English department and the iSchool. The career counselor is great. The first thing she asked was if I like research. Ha Ha Ha! I don't do anything without reading a stack of books first. She had already gone over Evan's stuff with him before, so we went in together, so that she could check out his schedule. She had to make sure we wanted to go in together. Ugh..we are best friends. I can't believe a married couple wouldn't want to share their educational plans.

The Middle Ages

Yes, we are still homeschooling. I know we are suppose to go all through History in order. But, Gibran just can't take it anymore. He is done with it! He has to go on to the Middle Ages.

Of course, we are using this:

Peace Hill Press has a complete pack that you can order. You can even get a complete copy of test and student worksheets. Gibran loves having everything all neat and tidy, so I'm thinking about setting him up a notebook with everything all in it. That way he can just plow through it when he wants, too. It will make things easier for me because I just don't have the time for all the running around I used to do. I feel like we should start keeping track of some of his stuff, too. His pediatrician isn't too keen on him homeschooling. I don't think she is upset about it, I just think she is concerned that if he is Aspergers that he isn't getting the socialization he needs.

I'm just updating because Gibran has decided that he wants to use KONOS instead. I have to admit that I'm happy about that. We get so much more done and he learns so much more that way. I love that darn timeline =)

Personality Types

Mom has been studying personalities this week in Psychology class.

I'm really enjoying these studies. It's nice to find out who we are in our family.
Take the Free Rheti Sampler here. There is an audio on your results, as well.
And learn more about yourself here, just click on the link under descriptions.

Here is our 9yo and mom
Here is a better explanation

Here is another one. I just had not found a good link yet! Mom is an INFJ and Dad is an ENFP. It's a crazy mix, but it seems to be working out.
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

School is going well.

I just wanted to check in. It's Friday! School is going wonderfully for Mom and Dad. I can't believe how much better I feel. It really is like a fog has lifted for me. It's been really good for our children, too. G (almost 9yob) is doing so much better. He is really enjoying his new freedom and schedule. He does his schooling everyday while his little brother is in Kindergarten. P(6yob) is loving school and his teacher is awesome. She is so wonderful and caring. She thanked us for sharing our little boy with her!

I'm taking Psych101 and I love my teacher. His goal for the class is to improve our lives. I don't think I could have picked a better time to take this class. It's helping with so many aspects of my life. Especially, with my dh and my oldest son.

Mom is going back to school.

As if I don't learn enough in an average day...I would like to announce that I will be going back to school. I have really wanted to go back to school for a few years now. But, I had planned on waiting for at least another 5 years. I was hoping to wait till my oldest was capable of more. I guess I was looking for some kind of excuse to make up for the fact that I really haven't had the guts. The guts to follow my instincts. The guts to not worry about how to take care of everything. So, I'm announcing this year we are going to try. By we...I mean...our family. Our resolution this year is TEAMWORK. We are all planning on working together to accomplish all that we want to accomplish. We are taking advantage of what the world opens up to us.

So, on January 3 we are starting our new year together. Our 8 (soon to be 9) year old son is going to continue homeschooling with a lot more schedule academics then before. Our 5 (soon to be 6) year old son is going to try Kindergarten out this year. Hopefully, at some point our 2 year old son will be able to go to child care at school. This quarter there isn't any room, but I really think he would have a lot of fun and it would allow a lot more flexibility with my schedule.

Happy New Year to your families!