Monday, October 25, 2010
12 days of Halloween
Someone in our ward is doing the 12 days of Halloween to our family. It is really cute. The first night they dropped off one bag of Doritos. The second night they brought over two large pumpkins. The third day was three bags of candy, fourth was carmel apples and tonight was cute little Halloween cupcakes. I have an idea of who it is but nobody else in my family does. Sooo... if you happen to be reading this and you are our Halloween buddies, thanks! We are loving it! Oh, and watch out- my kids are out to discover your secret identity.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Week Two
Second week of home schooling. Alexis and Aiden finished reading Summer of the Monkeys. Friday they turned in a report on the author and it was uncanny how many similarities they have with the author. For example, he was home schooled by his mother. At around age 12 his family moved due to the recession and he was left with no friends. He thought most of the books his mom gave him were girly and didn't like reading until his grandma gave him a copy of Call of the Wild. Aiden told me he thought blogs were girly because you talk about "your thoughts and feelings" and oddly enough- we had already chosen Call of the Wild as our next book. I was glad to see both of the kids pointed out the similarities between themselves and the author.
Amanda received her patriarchal blessing last night. It was a good experience for her and I am happy she received it. I hope it will give her direction and comfort throughout her life.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Long but good post
After I wrote a scathing note to Amanda's teacher last night, I woke up this morning to a different thought. The parable of the poop cookies popped into my head just as I opened my eyes and I knew I needed to be nice to this teacher instead of lashing out. So, I politely sent some delicious pumpkin cookies to her school this morning with a letter telling the teacher they were "Historically accurate, traditional Squirrel Feces Cookies". I had taken the liberty of pulling out all the big pieces of poop and only left a few pieces in there so she could get the flavor. I added that she could pick out a few of the last little bits but that they were so minimal she probably wouldn't even notice.
After sending the cookies to the teacher I went in and visited with the vice principal. To make a long story short, the principal stated that he supports his teachers 100% and that if showing a rated R movie is the best way to teach children they will do it. He saw nothing wrong with the movie and since we live in a digital world we need to reach out to children in their own medium. I concure with that statement but added that the medium of movies doesn't need to be rated R movies. They could show History channel movies that would get the story across just fine. No, he insisted. It needed to be more realistic. Dallas and I left the meeting knowing full well nothing was going to change. The VP went so far as to say it wasn't going to change.
By evening time I had mostly forgotten about the whole principal and cookie episodes (I am a mom. Anything past five minutes ago is ancient history). We went to church tonight and Sister Valenta smiles and says, "So, I hear you sent some cookies to Amanda's teacher this morning." Her son and Amanda have early morning seminary together and Amanda read him the letter.
It turns out that just yesterday she and her husband had visited with this same VP about a book her son was given to read. She said they were extremely upset about the vulgar language and scenes portrayed in the book but the VP said it was a great piece of literature. This went on for sometime when the husband said, "If I made you some brownies with just a little poop in them, would you eat them?" The VP said, "no." "Well, why are you asking my son to read a good book with just a little poop in it?" They didn't get anywhere with him either.
The best part is that I learned the relationship between Amanda's teacher and the VP. Get this- they are MARRIED!! I don't know if anything will happen or not, but I can't help but think someone put that story in my mind this morning at 5 am. I had already written a letter to the teacher. I had signed the opt out slip. However, someone else knew of the VP's conversation the day before and also knew who he was married to. He also knew I had just baked cookies. I trust Heavenly Father can teach the VP and the teacher both a lesson that neither the Valenta family or mine could get through to them this week.
After sending the cookies to the teacher I went in and visited with the vice principal. To make a long story short, the principal stated that he supports his teachers 100% and that if showing a rated R movie is the best way to teach children they will do it. He saw nothing wrong with the movie and since we live in a digital world we need to reach out to children in their own medium. I concure with that statement but added that the medium of movies doesn't need to be rated R movies. They could show History channel movies that would get the story across just fine. No, he insisted. It needed to be more realistic. Dallas and I left the meeting knowing full well nothing was going to change. The VP went so far as to say it wasn't going to change.
By evening time I had mostly forgotten about the whole principal and cookie episodes (I am a mom. Anything past five minutes ago is ancient history). We went to church tonight and Sister Valenta smiles and says, "So, I hear you sent some cookies to Amanda's teacher this morning." Her son and Amanda have early morning seminary together and Amanda read him the letter.
It turns out that just yesterday she and her husband had visited with this same VP about a book her son was given to read. She said they were extremely upset about the vulgar language and scenes portrayed in the book but the VP said it was a great piece of literature. This went on for sometime when the husband said, "If I made you some brownies with just a little poop in them, would you eat them?" The VP said, "no." "Well, why are you asking my son to read a good book with just a little poop in it?" They didn't get anywhere with him either.
The best part is that I learned the relationship between Amanda's teacher and the VP. Get this- they are MARRIED!! I don't know if anything will happen or not, but I can't help but think someone put that story in my mind this morning at 5 am. I had already written a letter to the teacher. I had signed the opt out slip. However, someone else knew of the VP's conversation the day before and also knew who he was married to. He also knew I had just baked cookies. I trust Heavenly Father can teach the VP and the teacher both a lesson that neither the Valenta family or mine could get through to them this week.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Oh Ashton...
A woman showed up on my doorstep yesterday with her daughter in tow. She said she wanted to speak to me about Ash. Aparently Ash told this little girl that if she didn't come play at his house today I wouldn't let her ever come over again. This made the little girl very sad and she went home crying because she wasn't able to come over yesterday. I have never even seen this little girl, let alone threaten her. Her name has been mentioned but we haven't ever actually met. When asked if he said that during dinner Ash got a funny look on his face and kept on eating. I asked him again if he threatened the little girl and he said, "mmmmmaybe." He said that he really wanted to have her come over and that was the best reason he could come up with.
The good news is that I finally saw who has been writting love notes to Ash and chasing him on the playground.
The good news is that I finally saw who has been writting love notes to Ash and chasing him on the playground.
School Troubles and School Successes
I will start off with the bad so I can finish this post on a good note. The bad news is that Amanda brought home a note today asking for permission to see a rated R movie- The Patriot. This is the second note (third movie though due to two movies being on the same note last time) I have received asking for permission to see rated R movies in school. In only three months!
The educational system here in Kentucky is heinous! As previously stated, I have already taken my middle school children out of the schools. The elementary school FAILED the state exams given last year and the high school has tried to pass three rated R movies as educational in that many months! I simply can't believe how horrible the schools are here. No wonder Kentucky children have a reputation as being stupid. How can they expect to get an education when this is all they have? I am going to the high school first thing in the morning and I will post the results of my meeting with the principal soon.
On a good note, we have now completed three days of home schooling and so far- so good. The kids are reading Summer of the Monkeys. They each have a blog (listed on the right hand side of my blog) and through both the blog and through conversations about the book we have been able to talk about the Ozark mountains, the intelligence of primates, different types of guns, the difference between teens in the 1800s and today, the value of a dollar then and now, prohibition, mash, physical disabilities and tolerance. The kids are also each doing a report on the author.
Every day we also discuss items that happened this day in history. Each day we try to pick out two things and spend thirty minutes on each one. We have studied Marie Antoinette's life and her beheading (which also led into a conversation about John the Baptist and Laban), Benedict Arnold and treason, yellow fever/cells/epidemics/mosquitos, and the USS Cole attack. We learned that when the USS Cole was attacked it was in the Gulf of Aden. Did you even know a place existed? How exciting for Aiden to find out he has his own Gulf! We looked it up on a map and found Aden, Yemen and the Gulf of Aden. Kinda cool.
I am finding every thing we discuss leads into another discussion- which turns into more knowledge. For example, while we were talking about Marie Antoinette today we saw she was married to Louis the XVI. Alexis and Aiden wanted to know why X,V and I were used as numbers instead of J,L and K. So we began looking up information on Roman numerals and how they came about. In talking about boats one day the discussion got around to Noah and Dallas had a good conversation about being prepared BEFORE an emergency strikes- backing it up with scripture.
We have only done home schooling for three days now so please take this with a grain of salt, but so far I like home schooling. Now, don't throw that back at me in the future when I say I hate it- because I am sure I will post something to that effect sooner or later. However, for now- this works for us and I am enjoying it.
The educational system here in Kentucky is heinous! As previously stated, I have already taken my middle school children out of the schools. The elementary school FAILED the state exams given last year and the high school has tried to pass three rated R movies as educational in that many months! I simply can't believe how horrible the schools are here. No wonder Kentucky children have a reputation as being stupid. How can they expect to get an education when this is all they have? I am going to the high school first thing in the morning and I will post the results of my meeting with the principal soon.
On a good note, we have now completed three days of home schooling and so far- so good. The kids are reading Summer of the Monkeys. They each have a blog (listed on the right hand side of my blog) and through both the blog and through conversations about the book we have been able to talk about the Ozark mountains, the intelligence of primates, different types of guns, the difference between teens in the 1800s and today, the value of a dollar then and now, prohibition, mash, physical disabilities and tolerance. The kids are also each doing a report on the author.
Every day we also discuss items that happened this day in history. Each day we try to pick out two things and spend thirty minutes on each one. We have studied Marie Antoinette's life and her beheading (which also led into a conversation about John the Baptist and Laban), Benedict Arnold and treason, yellow fever/cells/epidemics/mosquitos, and the USS Cole attack. We learned that when the USS Cole was attacked it was in the Gulf of Aden. Did you even know a place existed? How exciting for Aiden to find out he has his own Gulf! We looked it up on a map and found Aden, Yemen and the Gulf of Aden. Kinda cool.
I am finding every thing we discuss leads into another discussion- which turns into more knowledge. For example, while we were talking about Marie Antoinette today we saw she was married to Louis the XVI. Alexis and Aiden wanted to know why X,V and I were used as numbers instead of J,L and K. So we began looking up information on Roman numerals and how they came about. In talking about boats one day the discussion got around to Noah and Dallas had a good conversation about being prepared BEFORE an emergency strikes- backing it up with scripture.
We have only done home schooling for three days now so please take this with a grain of salt, but so far I like home schooling. Now, don't throw that back at me in the future when I say I hate it- because I am sure I will post something to that effect sooner or later. However, for now- this works for us and I am enjoying it.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Open for Business
In my last post I mentioned that I didn't need this blog anymore because my life was back to "normal" so I could write in my journal again. What I thought was "normal" seems to have been just a slight reprieve from insanity. Here I am again, this time living in Kentucky, embarking on a new chapter in life. This one includes working full time and homeschooling two of our children. Free time is not just a premium anymore, it is trading at an all time high right now. No complaints, just adjusting. Anyway, I am back to blogging for the time being because it is easier and more convenient than journal writing. Hope you are along for the ride!
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