Just Taking Notes
Nov. 12, 2009 - Banned From Wal-Mart
I don't know what it takes to be officially banned from shopping at Wal-Mart. I imagine it must be something pretty bad, but I haven't really researched it. I don't intend to get banned, and I just do my best to stay faaaarrrr away from any type of behavior that might get me banned.
BUT I know what it takes to get an ElCloud kid banned from Wal-Mart by his or her parents. We've become experts on that subject. In an attempt to keep US from being banned from shopping at Wal-Mart, we occasionally have to ground certain kids from returning to Wal-Mart until THEIR behavior improves.
Now, none of my kids are like ducklings at Wal-Mart. We don't have a single column line of quiet children following us through the store. We can't even seem to manage to get everyone under a certain age to keep their hands on the cart. We tried to achieve both those goals, as they seemed to be the recommended method for large homeschooling families ... but we failed. Our kids like to dance through Wal-Mart, slalom as they step on ONLY the black tiles, point out things we obviously MUST HAVE before we leave, etc. We've grown used to this and just try to shush them and pull them in closer when it becomes apparent that they are bothering others, or getting in everyone's way.
But then there are those days ... when things go just a little bit haywire and cross over THE LINE. In order to prevent us from going crazy, we just have to ban them from returning to Wal-Mart for awhile. For some of my kids, that is probably the worst punishment ever ... to miss out on forays into Wal-Mart. Even worse if you are forced to sit in the car with Mom while Dad takes the rest of the children into the store ... for 2 weeks.
Here's the list of what NOT to do if you don't want to get banned:
- If you suddenly decide you want to look at a toy, and you are under age 10, and you leave without saying a word to anyone ... not returning until the entire family is in "Search and Rescue Mode" ... you're gonna get banned.
- If you get mad that Mom said you can't go look at a toy, and you just leave to do it anyway, and Mom has to go hunt you down in the toy aisle ... you're gonna get banned.
- If you decide to hide under every clothing rack we pass, giggling and refusing to come out while you play spy ... you're gonna get banned.
- If you decide to throw a temper tantrum, whine, or in any way make a scene ... you're gonna get banned.
- If you pester your siblings and fight with them so that your Mom is gritting her teeth and whispering threats to you with steam coming out of her ears and a blush of embarrassment all over her face ... you're gonna get banned.
- If you are so lost in a dream world that you walk in front of every other cart in the store, or knock down a display, or bump into elderly ladies, and have to be repeatedly reminded to watch where you're going ... you're probably gonna get banned.
- If you decide to race ahead of your parents, or race with your siblings, thereby endangering yourself and others, and you don't cease and desist with a warning ... you're gonna get banned.
- If you get on Mom or Dad's last nerve, and they have said your name more than they managed to say the word "buy" ... you're gonna get banned.
- If you can't keep your hands off all that STUFF that Wal-Mart places around the checkout counters and whine and complain and beg to buy the cheap junk ... or the candy ... you are probably gonna get banned.
- If you decide to run laps around the freezer department, weaving in and out amongst the shopping carts like a NASCAR driver ... you are GONNA GET BANNED!!
I can't remember all of the instances that have caused us to ground a child from shopping Wal-Mart over the years. But I do know it wasn't ever one of my oldest two who were banned. It's those middle ones. For the first time ever this week, I grounded my five year old from entering Wal-Mart for awhile. I guess it's his turn. It was a mix of #7 and #10 that did him in, though.
Yep ... we don't take the worst kids in the world with us to Wal-Mart. I've seen worse, from parents and kids. But, we definitely have our own struggles there. Wal-Mart (and other shopping experiences) has probably given us more of our gray hairs than any other part of parenting. Okay ... maybe not. But it's definitely adding some sparkle to my silver crown.
Trusting In Him,
April |
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Nov. 10, 2009 - Fleeting moments of grandeur
Sometimes I feel as if I'm on top of the world, excelling as a wife and mother, ordering my home and tasks with ease, accomplishing more than I imagine possible. I am confident and energetic. I feel like an achiever and a conqueror.
Those moments of grandeur are fleeting. All too often they are followed by mediocrity -- days of chaos and struggling to keep all the plates spinning without dropping anything. Weeks when I am rushing from one task to another -- or simply wandering around somewhat aimlessly, overwhelmed by all that I SHOULD be doing. In these moments, I am merely persevering.
In the moments of grandeur, those near-perfect days when I am feeling that maybe, I might be, almost, just a little bit of a Super Mom -- I think I am doing it all. I am the great one. I have my act together.
But when the chaos returns, and I'm trying to figure out what I've done wrong -- I have to admit that I am not SuperMom. I can't maintain the grandiose days forever. I am merely an imperfect human relying on God's grace.
Everyone has revolving (and evolving) moments of grandeur and mediocrity. It is just life. And life is much less about me than I often believe. It isn't really about what I'm doing RIGHT or what I'm doing WRONG. It's not all about my success and failure.
So in these days of mediocrity, disorder, distraction, and even laziness -- I am once again humbled, but also hopeful that the more organized and productive days will return. I like those moments of grandeur more than the days of just trudging along.
But I persevere, each and every day -- even when I'm not in my most glorious state. Even when I'm merely mediocre.
Galations 6:9 "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
Hebrews 12:1, 2 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, ane let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith ... "
1 Thessalonians 4:11, 12 "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that our daily life may win the respect of outsiders ... "
Trusting In Him,
April |
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Nov. 9, 2009 - Tightwad Tuesday ~ Save In Piggybacking
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Save In Piggybacking
In all the changes that I have made this year I have been learning the importance of "piggybacking". Piggybacking is when you butt one thing after the other and save because it is already heated up. For example... to dry one load of laundry after the other and save because the dryer is already heated up. Another way I have piggybacked my savings is when I roast my coffee beans. I roast what I need for that week...one batch after the other. A third way that I can think of right off the bat is piggybacking while baking or cooking with the oven. Get the biggest bang for your buck by baking several things together and right after the other. In the winter time it is also a nice way to raise the temperature a little in your house. I guess you can say it is like multi-tasking your energy use and save.  .
Now to join in the fun of Tightwad Tuesday....
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Link your TWT post click on MckLinky and give exact the URL of your post. (each Tuesday that you join in on the fun)
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example of a URL ...
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Canadagirl/693425/
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Now go ahead link and read and comment on all these other's wonderful TWT's.
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Lets save our pennies, nickles, dimes, and dollars together !
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"There are only a few big ways to save money but there are many small ways ....that all adds up."
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Nov. 9, 2009 - American Heritage Foundation -- free American history curriculum
 Click banner to visit AHEF website.
"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free,
in a state of civilization,
it expects what never was and never will be."
~~ Thomas Jefferson
The American Heritage Education Foundation is a non-profit organization created to help educate our children in the history of our nation and the philosophies upon which it was established. They believe that the focus on diversity in our schools is tearing the country apart and threatening its survival, and that it needs to be balanced with a study of our country's history. They focus on four themes in US history: Freedom, Unity, Progress, and Responsibility.
In order to promote these four themes, the American Heritage Foundation created an American history/citizenship curriculum for K-12. They provide this $150 value curriculum free of charge as a free PDF download, as PDF documents on a free CD-ROM, or for $19.50 in a printed notebook format.
The curriculum is provided in 3 levels: elementary, middle school, and high school. They also provide a Spanish language variation in the elementary level. Each level of curriculum is over 180 pages long, with information for the teacher, lesson plans, group activities and individual activities.
These materials are designed for public school use, and some of the activities are obviously created with a larger group in mind than a typical homeschool family (like the Colonial America Simulation Game). These could be adapted with some effort, or they could be used in a homeschool group or co-op setting. Now, I will admit that adapting materials intended for a public school classroom to the family homeschool isn't always easy, but sometimes it can be worth it.
Although the American Heritage Foundation is a secular organization, the curriculum refers to the founding father's belief in God and the Bible with factual respect. The Christian beliefs of the Colonial settlers and founding fathers is not ignored, but it is still a secular curriculum. This makes it suitable for classroom use, or use in a homeschool group with members of varying beliefs.
Some of the citizenship topics covered include:
- The American Revolution
- George Washington
- U.S. Presidents
- The Declaration of Independence
- The US Constitution
- The Great Seal
- Thanksgiving
- The Bill of Rights
- Our National Documents
- Entrepeneurs in American History
- The United States of America's Flag
- The Star-Spangled Banner
- The Gettysburg Address
- The National Motto
- The Statue of Liberty
- The Pledge of Allegiance
- America the Beautiful
- What is An American?
The three levels include much of the same materials for the teacher, with age-appropriate differences in activities and discussion questions. This means they can be used together in a homeschool or co-op setting to teach the same material to all the students. This is NOT a complete American history curriculum, but can be used to supplement your American history or US government studies.
For myself, I have to admit that I will not use all these lessons and activities, but I will use some of them. Most of our citizenship lessons are oral discussions. We aren't likely to use most of the worksheets, but we are more likely to use the activity ideas. I think this curriculum lends itself to a homeschool group or co-op more easily than to an individual family situation.
BUT, it's a FREE curriculum!! Request your own copy and check it out for yourself. Even if it's not something you'll use regularly, there may be some helpful information or even one activity that makes it worthwhile. Get it for your homeschool group ... or you might fall in love with it, and take the time to make it work for your family. You have nothing to lose!
If you'd like to help promote the American Heritage Foundation, you can donate to their non-profit organization. These donations will help them continue to share their curriculum free of charge to public schools, private schools, and home schools.
This item was provided free for our review as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew. We received no other compensation, and this review is our honest opinion. Click the TOS Homeschool Crew banner at the top to read more reviews on this product by other Homeschool Crew members.
Trusting In Him,
April |
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Nov. 8, 2009 - FIAR Field Trip
Our Five in a Row group studied Madeline this month. To go along with our study, I decided to coordinate a field trip to our local kids' science museum. They have an exhibit right now called Grossology~The Impolite Science of the Human Body. I wasn't sure what to expect. It was a little boy's dream come true and my girls loved it, too.
Did you ever want to know the science behind a sneeze? Well, this exhibit not only explained the process but then the giant nose you stand inside of sneezes on you!!!
This lovely fellow explained all about allergies, sniffles, colds and anything else that can cause you to have a runny nose. Yes, his nose ran frequently! See what I mean about a little boy's dream....
The kids spent lots of time at the life-size Operation game. Remember that game? What a concrete way to learn where all the body parts go. It didn't hurt their eye-hand coordination either.
The girls could have stayed in the digestive system playground all day. Yes, they crawled through the whole digestive system. The joke of where they came out of the digestive tract was not lost on them either. Yucky!!
The skin climbing wall was loads of fun too. While they climbed along, they were supposed to guess if they were climbing over a pimple or mole or hair follicle.
I did not take pictures of all the things to smell. Really gross things to smell. Aren't you glad this is not a scratch and sniff blog? LOL! Somehow I missed pictures of the statue that you crank up and make burp or the tooting machine. We will have to go back when it is less crowded. The exhibit just overwhelmed us and lots of the school groups were there, so we finally had to leave. All in all, it was a really cool and gross exhibit. Hey, IT"S GROSSOLOGY!
Blessings,
Dawn |
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