Mommy Brain

It has been a good week - but it sure went by quickly! We’ve had some beautiful days, and the snow is slowly melting away. Which is much better than quickly melting away with the amount we still have out there. Dad stopped by today, and we were looking at our backyard wondering how we could have an Easter egg hunt, since it’s still covered in more than a foot of snow. The front yard is a little better, since it gets the afternoon sun. He teased the kids that we should just leave the eggs white and then let them hunt them in the snow!

Friday night, the kids and I are going to see a local production of Annie. For a rural community, we have some great performing arts groups, and I’m glad that the kids are getting some opportunities to see live theater. I just found out that Coeur d’Alene Summer Theater was given permission to perform Les Miserables this summer. I guess a few summer stock programs around the country were given the rights to do it for one summer, before the touring show goes back out on the road. Since Coeur d’Alene is only a couple hours away, I’m hoping I’ll be able to go, and maybe take Natalie. At eleven, I think she’d be able to understand (and get past) some of the more adult themes to see the beauty of the story and the music. Any of you who’ve seen Les Miz - what do you think? Is she old enough?

I haven’t reviewed any books this week, but I have been reading. I finished Heart of Darkness, but still have two short stories to read before I’m done with the book. I really liked the first short story, “Youth,” but I did not like Heart of Darkness - so I’m wondering what the next two stories are like. Conrad is a very detailed writer, however, and I do enjoy reading his descriptions.

Is anyone watching Jericho? We are loving this season, and keeping our fingers crossed that the ratings go up enough to win us a full season starting in the fall. Wasn’t Tuesday’s episode sad? I cried.

I have a few links to share with you to get your weekend started.

~ Forget global warming: Welcome to the new Ice Age - I’m pretty sure I saw this article linked at Rock Creek Rumblings.

… remember the Arctic Sea ice? The ice we were told so hysterically last fall had melted to its “lowest levels on record? Never mind that those records only date back as far as 1972 and that there is anthropological and geological evidence of much greater melts in the past.

The ice is back.

Gilles Langis, a senior forecaster with the Canadian Ice Service in Ottawa, says the Arctic winter has been so severe the ice has not only recovered, it is actually 10 to 20 cm thicker in many places than at this time last year.

OK, so one winter does not a climate make. It would be premature to claim an Ice Age is looming just because we have had one of our most brutal winters in decades.

But if environmentalists and environment reporters can run around shrieking about the manmade destruction of the natural order every time a robin shows up on Georgian Bay two weeks early, then it is at least fair game to use this winter’s weather stories to wonder whether the alarmists are being a tad premature. (emphasis mine)

~ The kids and I just finished reading Coraline by Neil Gaiman last week, and we enjoyed it very much. It was creepy and scary in a fun way. Kind of like Dean Koontz for the younger set. There’s an animated film in the works.

~ Speaking of Gaiman, you can read his novel American Gods free online - thanks to Harper Collins. I personally have a hard time reading books online, but I love it when one is posted, because I can read the first few chapters and see if it’s worth buying.

~ There’s an official homeschooling community at BlogNetNews now - officiated by Dana at Principled Discovery. Check it out!

~ Girls Just Reading is giving away a copy of Jodi Picoult’s latest, Change of Heart.

~ I thought the dads at Little League were bad, but now we’ve got moms brawling over video games at Chuck E. Cheese’s.

~ Moomin Light has posted a whole slew of links that are perfect when you’re looking for a way to waste time or procrastinate. She also posted this adorable cat cartoon video - get the kids to watch it with you.

~ In spite of the fact that I’m a die-hard Seahawks fan, I’m also a Brett Favre fan. The press conference announcing his retirement had me in tears.

The Giants beat the Patriots, and then a great episode of House - with a surprise ending! Anyone figure out who Wilson’s new flame was? I had no idea!

- The good news? It’s not 10 degrees outside anymore. On the other hand, it’s snowing, and has been all morning. The forecast reads like this: Monday - snow; Tuesday - snow; Wednesday - cloudy; Thursday - snow; Friday - snow; Saturday - snow - well, you get the idea. I know I’ve only lived here 11 years, but this has got to be some sort of snowfall record. It has to be - because I’d hate to think this is just a normal winter, and the last few have been abnormal. When is spring, again?

- Remember how I said we had discovered a great Sci-Fi channel series through Netflix called The Dresden Files? Well, it turns out it only ran one season. Phooey. On the plus side, we’re really enjoying the Tom Hanks / HBO-produced miniseries From the Earth to the Moon.

- National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets is great - we went Thursday night. It’s fun and action-packed and has some history thrown in. Yes, you have to suspend your disbelief. No, it’s not deep or profound - but sometimes you want to go to the movies just to be entertained. And I appreciate having a PG rated movie that the kids and Kevin and I all enjoyed together.

- I added a “Josiah’s Reading” page to the blog. How cool is that? My six-year-old is making his way through Frog and Toad All Year. I couldn’t find the next 1st grade reader, so I pulled this out, and he is reading it - and laughing at Toad’s sledding adventure.

- The kids took part in a Pinewood Derby for Awana yesterday at church. Jonathan and Noah both brought home 3rd-place trophies in the speed category. Josiah was disappointed, and said to Jonathan, “Can we share your trophy?” Jonathan replied, “Sure!” I loved watching them cheer each other and their friends on.

- Missoula Children’s Theater is coming in two weeks, and Natalie is going to audition for their production of a musical adaptation of The Little Mermaid. (Not the Disney story, but the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale.) They bring the entire production except the cast, and hold auditions to cast 60 local K-12 students. Then the kids rehearse every afternoon and evening that week, and on Saturday they do two performances. I’m nervous for her. She has a good attitude, though, and said, “Even if I don’t get a part, it will be fun just to audition and see how it works.”

- We’re almost caught up on our school schedule. We will be where we should be by the end of this week. Then my sister and her two boys are coming up from Post Falls to spend the weekend, so we will be spending Saturday at Mom and Dad’s. Josiah will sleep over that night with his best friend, cousin Peter, and then the rest of us will go back Sunday afternoon to watch the Super Bowl. Go Giants!

- We skipped church today, since it would have required massive shoveling at an early hour to get us out of the driveway. Kevin shoveled earlier, and now the kids are out to shovel again - and play, of course.

With apologies to Eileen and Donna, here’s hoping the Seahawks crush the Packers! One hour, twenty-five minutes till kickoff…

Seahawks: 35

Redskins: 14

Two hours, fifteen minutes until kickoff…

This evening, our house will be swarming with girls as Natalie celebrates her 11th birthday. That would make our weekend busy enough, don’t you think? But we also have a dress rehearsal for the kids’ Christmas program at church on Saturday morning, church with another rehearsal Sunday morning, and then the program itself Sunday night. I’m tired just thinking about it!

Saturday afternoon will probably be spent with Natalie taking a long nap, and hopefully, some downtime for me. Kevin wants to take the kids out to dinner Saturday night to celebrate our new debt-free status. And I am trying to figure out how to talk him into taking the kids to church Sunday morning for their rehearsal, so I can stay home and watch the Seahawks, whose game starts at 10 am - about the same time as church. I am such a heathen - I know. But they’re 9 and 4, have clinched their division, and are heading into the playoffs! It feels a little like 2005 in Seahawks fandom, and that’s a pretty great - but precarious - feeling.

Before I bake and frost a cake, clean the bathroom, run to the video store and the grocery store, and head to Michelle’s for an afternoon playdate - during which I expect to be frequently bugged by Natalie, who will be too antsy to let us visit - I thought I’d leave you with some links:

~ When it goes gray, we need to dream again. - from Mental Multivitamin.

~ My Grown-up Christmas List - from Semicolon.

~ Merry Recycling Day - Michelle pointed me to this article at The Telegraph.

~ Duelity - a very interesting pair of videos, in which the producers present creationism in the language of science, and evolution in the language of religion. I’m not sure what side the creators come down on, but it is a very interesting look at how language and beliefs are connected. The comments on the blog are very interesting, as some people assume a pro-creation position, and others assume a pro-evolution position. Let me know what you think. Hat tip: Think Christian.

~ Very funny Homeschooling Family Video - Hat tip: Donna at Quiet Life.

I didn’t post a links post on Friday, but I did have a few things to share, so I’m doing it today. For those of you who were wondering, singing Friday night went fine - in spite of the fact that I came down with the cold the family’s been passing around for the past few weeks. I wasn’t too sick to sing, so that’s good.

Yesterday, we went down to Spokane to meet some new friends at Chuck E. Cheese’s. We met Chris and Carrie at the lake this summer while we were camping, and our kids hit it off right away. We found out that they were just getting started on their homeschooling journey this year. Kevin and Chris have stayed in touch by e-mail, so we met yesterday. We had a great time - visiting for three hours while the kids played and played and played.

This morning we went to church, even though the cold has settled in and I pretty much feel like death. The kids are rehearsing for their Christmas program, so I didn’t want them to miss. This afternoon, I curled up on the couch and watched the Seahawks beat the Bears. Go, ‘Hawks - you’re back!

This is a week off of homeschooling, and we’re all ready for a break. I’m ready to have some good reading time on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday will be spent cleaning, since we’re hosting Thanksgiving at our house this year. I haven’t done the whole turkey dinner thing in seven years, so I’m praying it will all turn out all right.

Do you have lots of plans for the holiday week? Will you be brave enough to shop on Friday?

Here are the links I wanted to pass on:

~ I’ve seen this Bitter Homeschooler’s Wish List a few different places now, but I first saw it at More Than Fine.

~ If you like word games as much as I do, you’ll want to check out this one. Improve your vocabulary while helping the hungry. My highest score is 43 so far.

~ Here’s a great editorial explaining why the writers are right in the current strike situation.

~ Amazon has set up a Homeschooling Store - how cool is that?

~ Finally, I’ll leave you with another hilarious Baby Blues comic.

Thank you so much for all your wonderful thoughts and words of encouragement this week! I am so glad to know that not only do I have dear “real life” friends, but I have all of you, too.

Our week is going much better. No one else has come down with the stomach bug; it may have been just something he ate. Kevin hasn’t been offered a job, but we are emotionally better and trusting. And this morning, my mom called and told me that she had a couch and loveseat for us. Gently used. Now, since most of you haven’t seen our furniture, this may seem like no big deal, but it is. Our couch and loveseat are literally falling apart. Kevin has re-attached one of the arms a couple of times. All of the cushions are pushing out of the upholstery fabric. They were used when we got them, and we’ve had them for several years. With all four of our kids. No, to be fair, Natalie really has nothing to do with the furniture falling apart. But the boys do. Most definitely. When we thought we were selling our house, we planned to buy some new furniture with some of the proceeds before we moved into a bigger house. Now, moving is put on hold indefinitely, but at least I won’t have to look at that ratty old furniture any longer. Mom and Dad are bringing the “new” ones over tomorrow morning. God is good.

Tonight, we’re going to watch Spiderman 3. We have a Tae Kwon Do promotion tomorrow. The boys aren’t ready to promote again yet, but Natalie will be testing for her yellow belt with green stripe - catching her up with Noah and Jonathan. Usually, we play hooky from church on a Sunday after promotion, since we spend all Saturday at the dojang. We can’t do that this time, because the kids all have speaking parts in the Christmas production, and need to be at rehearsal. Sunday afternoon will be low-key - not even a football game to watch since the Seahawks play on Monday night this week. On ESPN, which we don’t have. Oh, well, if they play the way they’ve been playing, I won’t miss much.

I have a bunch of links for you - I’ve been saving up for ages.

~ First, if this is real, it’s amazing.

~ If you’re old enough to remember what life was like “way back” in 1994, check out this: What if 24 was produced in 1994?

~ This comic shows what I’ve been experiencing watching the Seahawks play this season.

~ If you are as tired of the way people - like, you know - talk nowadays as I am, check out this comic. Here’s another by him: The Impotence of Proofreading. (Warning: PG-13 humor. Make the kiddos leave the room.)

~ Christopher Paolini and Random House have announced that the third book in The Inheritance Trilogy (the first two are Eragon, and Eldest) will be released in September of 2008. And it’s not a trilogy anymore, it’s a Cycle - there will be a fourth book. The link includes a video of Christopher talking about his writing process and how he knew there had to be two more books.

~ I love Brett Favre. If the Packers are playing anyone beside the Seahawks, I want them to win. (Well, except maybe the Colts. I really like Peyton Manning, too. ) This is a great video tribute to Brett by his wife Deanna. By the way, one of my favorite Christian authors, Angela Hunt, co-wrote Don’t Bet against Me!: Beating the Odds Against Breast Cancer and in Life with Deanna, and their book has made the NY Times Bestseller list.

~ Speaking of favorite Christian authors, Today’s Christian Woman has an interview with Lisa Samson. Her blog, Author Intrusion, was one of the first I read.

~ Remember how I said I can’t listen to or read Ann Coulter anymore? Someone needs to read her the verses on how people will know we are Christians by our love and the whole “love your enemies” thing. Well, this video is a Jewish woman’s response to some of her comments - like the one where her idea of heaven is the Republican convention. Shudder. (Warning: PG rating.)

~ All moms will be able to relate to this comic.

~ Dana at Principled Discovery has posted eight very funny reasons to homeschool.

That’s all - have a great weekend!

It’s been quite a while since I’ve done a links post, but I’ve been too busy to have much time to surf the net or even post on this blog. Our October is shaping up to be a little less busy than our September was, but I’m finding ways to fill the time. More freelancing. Crocheting Gryffindor scarves for Natalie and Noah to wear to the Tae Kwon Do Halloween Party. (Noah and Natalie are going as Harry and Hermione, Jonathan is going to be Aragorn from LOTR, and Josiah wants to be a Celt. He liked Celt dress-up day for history.)

Tomorrow we are headed to Trail, B.C. to spend the day at the aquatic center. I don’t think we’ve been up there since spring, and this may be our last chance before the winter weather sets in and the roads are too icy to make the trip.

Sunday afternoon, we will have dinner with Mom & Dad, and then watch the Seahawks play the Saints. Actually, Kevin and the kids will head home after dinner, and I will stay and watch the game, since I’m really the only football fan in the family.

Well, I have some writing that needs to be done, and a movie to watch so I can write a review. Plus, Michelle loaned me Grey’s Anatomy: Season One, and I’ve only had time to watch the first episode, and half the second, and I’d like to finish at least that one.

Before I sign off, though, here are some links for your weekend:

~ Do you remember the Anita Renfroe Momsense video I linked to a while ago? It was only a partial version. Here is the whole thing in all its hilarity. Be prepared to laugh until you pee.

~ Grab the kids, and check out this link of amazingly weird sea creatures.

~ Principled Discovery has been on a roll lately. Check out A Homeschooler’s Guide to Unhappiness and If You Want Your Child Socialized.

~ All of you parent bloggers can appreciate this Adam@Home comic.

~ Here is Dove’s follow-up to their Evolution ad: Dove Onslaught. Watch this alone first; it is more geared toward us moms than to our daughters, but it is definitely a good warning. Hat tip to Sallie.

~ And on a much, much lighter note, here is a parody of the Dove Evolution ad.

Lastly, for those of you who have made it through to the end of this post, a question. I have a few books on the Unread Books Meme that I have considered adding to my to-read list, but I want opinions on whether or not they’re worth my time. Here are the titles:

Catch 22
Wuthering Heights
Life of Pi
The Name of the Rose
Vanity Fair
Atlas Shrugged
Reading Lolita in Tehran
Memoirs of a Geisha
Middlesex
Wicked
Brave New World
A Clockwork Orange
Tess of the D’Urbervilles
Gravity’s Rainbow

I guess that’s more than a few! So are there any about which you would say definitely, yes, or definitely, no?

…for fifteen years as a Seahawk. You are and always will be a consummate pro. My family and I wish you well. You are in our prayers.

So much going on - our September was INSANELY busy. We had Tae Kwon Do promotion, Kevin’s Dad’s visit, Jonathan’s birthday party.

In the middle of all of that - and the latest crisis with our neighbors - we have decided to get moving on selling our house and buying something bigger.

So - last weekend was spent purging and cleaning. Our real estate agent walked through the house this morning, but she had laryngitis, so said she would take notes and then call when she can talk again. We know there are a bunch of cosmetic things - like painting - we need to do to get ready. I get overwhelmed just thinking about it.

Did I mention I hate moving? Kevin and I have been married for 12 years. We’ve been in this house for seven of them. The first five years of our marriage, we moved six times. I’m not looking forward to doing it again.

I am leading worship this Saturday for a women’s mini-retreat at our old church. The leader of their women’s ministry department is a good friend, and she doesn’t seem to care what the pastor thinks, because she asked me to come back and lead worship at their overnighter last year, too. I am excited and nervous - I haven’t gotten involved with music at our new church, yet, so it’s been a while. I also still get sad because I miss the people at that church so much. It’s been a year and a half since we left, and we still don’t feel plugged-in at our new church. Of course, it took a year just to find it.

I have a new freelance writing gig writing for a new general content site at Catalogs.com. It’s fun and keeping me busy. For one of this week’s assignments, I’m supposed to write an article on the basic rules of American football - which I love - and keep it to 600 to 800 words. I’m finding this next to impossible. When you try to explain it, it’s really a complicated game!

I finished listening to Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult on audiobook. It’s a fantastic book. 4 stars. It would’ve been five, but sometimes she gets a little carried away with her metaphors so that you end up getting pulled out of the story and thinking, ‘That was an odd way to put it.’ For instance, instead of a couple making their way through a crowded room, they “embroidered” their way through. Because this was a fast-moving novel about a school shooting, I didn’t like being distracted from the story. The story itself, however, was very thought-provoking, and made me remember all the horrible things about high school and how awful kids can be to each other. This is the second Picoult book I’ve read - the first was My Sister’s Keeper, and it was excellent, too. I’ll be looking for more of hers. I also loved the woman who narrated the book; it was the same actress who narrated the audiobook version of Rise and Shine by Anna Quindlen. She has a great voice for modern novels.

I’m taking a break from Kristin Lavransdatter. Part two is not holding my attention as much as part one did. It’s still very good, but it’s longer and there is more political information about Norway and Sweden and it bogs down occasionally. I put it aside and picked up Abide with Me by Elizabeth Strout, which is very good so far.

Kevin and I have been watching the first season of Jericho on DVD and it’s intriguing. Look for a review soon.

Hmmm, what else? Oh, I love, love, loved watching the Seahawks trounce the 49ers on Sunday. They beat us twice last year, so this felt like a vindication. 23 to 3 - woo hoo! The ‘Hawks play Pittsburgh this Sunday, their opponents from the Super Bowl two years ago, when the officials made such lousy calls. Grrrr.

Anyone else watching the new season of House? What do you think of his method for finding replacements for Chase, Cameron, and Foreman? I miss those characters, but I like that there is more time for House to interact with Wilson.

Bones and Heroes have both been good, too - although the scene where Claire snips her baby toe off pretty much grossed me out. We also enjoyed the premiere of the new series Life with Damian Lewis and Adam Arkin.

The kids started their weekly class today. This year it’s a computer lab instead of science lab. They will learn some basic programming and graphic applications. Josiah joined them for the first time today - he was nervous, but he ended up loving it.

Quick Josiah story: We were driving to run errands yesterday, listening to Natalie’s Superchick CD. The first song pretty much rocks, and I looked in the rear view window to see my five-year-old Josiah head-banging, both hands in the “hang loose” sign. When I laughed, he looked up and said, “Rock on, freaky bro!” I still have no idea where he got that.

Well, that’s how we’ve been. What’s going on with you?

Another week has flown by - how did that happen? I know I didn’t post any links last week; I didn’t have much to share and had a very busy weekend. My sister came up from the Coeur d’Alene area to practice for our upcoming Mother’s Day concert. We practiced all Thursday afternoon and for several hours on Friday, and we’re ready - as long as I can get my monologue memorized in time! It’s been a while since I’ve done any performing, and I’m partly looking forward to it and partly scared to death.

We are having a testosterone-filled game-blowout weekend. Michelle and Don are taking a weekend away and their two boys, Nicholas and Jacob are coming over tomorrow morning and staying until Sunday afternoon sometime. (Natalie had me call Grandmama and Papa and beg for a sleepover to get her out of the house. Too many boys for her.) I imagine I will get lots of reading time in - and time for memorization, since once the boys are involved in their games, they’re pretty much set. Michelle and I both (try to) limit how much time our boys get to play, so a whole weekend of endless game playing is like heaven to them.

~I found this article very interesting. We just finished studying Ancient Greece for history.

~Drew Bledsoe is retiring from football. He has special significance for me, since he took my Washington State Cougars to the Rose Bowl my junior year. Good luck with whatever’s next, Drew! It was a great run.

~I can’t even remember how I found the chicken story - just clicking through various blogs - but it is the funniest thing I’ve read in a long time.

~5 Minutes for Mom is holding another contest - this one for a Phillips Digital Photo Frame. Head over and sign the Mr. Linky.

~Melanie Lynne Hauser is offering her first novel as an e-book - for free! This is a limited time offer, so don’t hesitate. I’ve already started reading my copy. Melanie is the author of Confessions of Super Mom and Super Mom Saves the World.

Have a great weekend!

Today’s the day - the sun is shining, the tank is clean…

Actually, the house is only moderately clean, which is what makes a party held on the internet such a great idea! My blog always looks nice - thanks to Ron and Andrea, the wonderful folks who run Homeschool Journal - so I don’t have to do any last-minute clean-ups like I would if you were actually coming to my house.

So, what makes a great party? Music, food, conversation, right? As I was pondering what to write for my “party post,” I realized that the kinds of parties I enjoy really demonstrate that I have a split - or multiple - personality. And I know my blog readers are all of various tastes and persuasions. So I decided to have party “stations” - kind of like kindergarten for grownups. (I will also try not to begin any more sentences with “and” or “so”.)

Football blow-out!

At our first stop, you will find a table laden with Pepsi, tortilla chips and guacamole, seven-layer dip, hot wings and all those really unhealthy fun finger foods.

We can watch my tape of the Super Bowl, talk about the Seahawks season, and I might even let you dish on your team of choice.

Music will be all-American faves such as Toby Keith, Tim McGraw and Alan Jackson.

Friends and Family Game Night

Next stop, game night. The table will be covered with potluck dishes - so whatever you feel like bringing! We’ll play Cranium, Family Fun, Pictionary, and Outburst. The kids can join in or run around in the basement or overdose on GameBoy. No music - there’s so much noise and laughter we wouldn’t be able to hear it!

Book Club Soiree

Things quiet down some at this station. We’ve got bread and cheese and good wine. The CD player is set to rotate Josh Groban, Kate Rusby, and George Winston. And we’ll talk about books, books, books, books, and more books.

Girls’ Night Out

Food of choice: Chocolate, of course! We could watch (and sigh over) Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy or Hugh Jackman in - well anything! - and then gab the night away.

Play Date

Coffee (or tea) and delicious scones - graciously provided by my friend, Michelle, because I’m not much of a baker. We’ll watch and listen to the kids play while we talk about homeschooling, our faith, church, and anything and everything that comes to mind. For music, hmmm… how about Chris Rice, Casting Crowns, and Jeremy Camp.

Now, if I did things right, all of the above links should take you to previous posts in my blog that will give you an idea of what my blog is all about, and what I’m like. I hope you enjoyed the party!

If you want to participate in The Ultimate Blog Party, click on over to 5 Minutes for Mom. Janice and Susan are graciously hosting this week-long blog-extravaganza! You’ll find details on winning prizes, and a long list of other blog party participants for you to visit and get to know. Have fun!