The song is etched on my mind and will always remind me of the aunt who took me on the Disneyland ride so many times.  In some ways we are losing small town atmosphere.  Yet, for all the changes, there are aspects of our modern world that make the world seem smaller.

I was reminded just this week when a new Pluto discussion popped up.  Last year the author of an astronomy curriculum (well, it hadn't been published yet) took the time to post a letter to my Kaira explaining it in simple (yet not over-simplified) terms!  Isn't it great that when a six year old pounds about a scientific reclassification, someone like Jay Ryan can just happen to "overhear" and turn it into a wonderful learning opportunity?

And where but the blogosphere can you comment on a book you've been enjoying and have the author just chance to "overhear" and join the "conversation"!  Hazel Mary Martell, author of one of the Viking books on our coffee table posted in my comments!  Very cool!  Thank you, Mrs Martell for taking the time to visit an comment!  (We have been really enjoying Over 900 Years Ago: With the Vikings)  What fun to see that it is indeed a small world in so many ways. 

And, I'm behind on a lot of things including blog acknowledgements. Lori tagged me (over a month ago) and I've not yet replied.  I'll try to do it soon, really!

And...JenBH gave me the most lovely Blogger Reflection award!  Thank you, Jen!  Wow!  (I'll be passing the award on too, when my head stops spinning from the undeserved compliments.) 

It's a small, blog, world!  :)

My Grandma used to say, "See you in the funny papers!"  Now my own little Kendra has made it into the comics! 

The talented Christina, of Comics, Coffee and Catches, let Kendra guest star in her Home Spun comic strip today! Go see Kendra in the comics!  (And you can read the story that inspired it on a blog entry I wrote some time back.)

(And thanks, Christina, for accommodating with the blue dress!) 

If you've been planning things to do "once in a blue moon" tonight's the night.  Well, maybe.   Here for a Nasa article that um..."sheds some light" on it. 

According to some definitions, a "blue moon" occurs when there are two full moons in a calendar month.  By that definition, tonight qualifies!  There are several other definitions though, and I think I'm turning blue trying to comprehend the entire controversy.

It is wise to back up your blog once in a blue moon (or more often).  Especially if you blog at HSB and they are about to have a server upgrade!  (Three cheers for the upgrade.  Things have been bumpy and this should help iron things out.)  Tia tells us about the upgrade and links to great back up advice on the Front Porch.  Click here to read all about it!

Edited for correction: My husband and children tell me that the full moon and blue moon was yesterday, not today.  I get my facts wrong--once in a blue moon. 

Ack! Lori, First, thanks for the compliment! 

I feel poorly qualified to answer questions on time management at the moment–I think I’m at my most discombobulated lately, and I’m not usually as combobulated as I’d like!

Time management is a broad category.  I often highlight certain aspects in Taming the Chaos--my weekly organizational column on the HSB Front Porch.  (Surprise, Lori!  I featured your blog this week!  Yep, you ask me about organization, and I turn the tables and feature your blog on that very topic!)  In all honesty though, my time management skills aren't that well honed.  Instead, the tools I employ most in running our home are child training, and organization by minimization.

But, I'll try to stay on topic: Time Management:  Hmmm... I have a flexible daily schedule (more of a routine than a schedule, really) and then a weekly routine (certain chores on certain days--you can see them in my sidebar). Our days have rhythm, and a loose structure that serves as glue to keep things from falling apart.  Daily  "quiet play" time for all non-nappers provides down-time for all of us.

When the morning goes well the rest of the day flows easily. With that in mind, I try to get the most important things done before lunch. (Somehow lunch keeps getting pushed back later and later though--oops!)

Simple is best for most our fun stuff--I like low mess, low time commitment projects that still give the flavor of  hands-on without much hassle. Keeping errands and outside activities to a minimum is essential for our family at this stage. (Even when I don't have a new little one.) 

In essence, I just like to boil things down to the essentials and strive for simple beauty and fun in our days rather than clutter or complexity.  Energetic, fast-lane, families would likely find us dull! 

We are more like the ferris wheel than the roller-coaster.  Roller coasters are fun briefly, but things go by in such a blur.  We PrairieFrogs are slower-paced folk who like to observe the world around us.

Christina over at Comics, Coffee and Catches posted a fun entry--actually all her entries are fun, but this provided me some easy, nursing-chair entertainment.  She entered "Christina needs" into Google's search engine and found some unique results.  I knew my own results would be influenced by the fact that Michael Dell stole my name to use for his last name and stuck it on a line of computers.  Still, it did yield some amusing entries:

Dell needs your support

Dell Needs a Clue (from a site named fool.com at that!)

Dell needs radio shack

Dell needs to fundamentally change

Dell needs to be more creative

Dell needs a physical presence

Dell needs better support

Dell needs to focus on what's important

Dell needs to get back to the basics

Dell needs to act now

Dell needs to refocus

Dell needs to "get it".

Dell needs to play a new game,

Dell needs to get on the ball

Dell needs to restore faded luster

And my favorite:

Dell needs a replacement

I entered in "Dell wants" too, just for fun. Most weren’t very inspiring to me, but I did like, "Dell wants to be cool again."

Thank you Christina, (aka quietcajun) from The Perils of Parenting.  I am humbled and amazed at your love and generosity across the miles.  You are truely a blessing! 

The beautiful handmade baby afghan arrived wrapped in tissue paper, tied with grosgrain ribbon, and accompanied by a handmade card (with more ribbon, and other sweet touches, including  a photo of Christiana's lovely family, which we shall treasure).

It sounds cliche, but pictures really don't do the blanket justice--it is crocheted from such wonderful fluffy yarn, and in beautiful open pattern, making it sumptuously soft.

Kieran must feel he is wrapped in a cloud!

Thank you, Christina, for this lovely heirloom!

This comment grabbed my heart. 

Posted by Anonymous How do you do it? You have such a beautiful family, you homeschool the way I only can dream of, have all these kids and blog about it? How do you do it? I am such a failure at all this and am considering putting my kids in public school

 

How do I do it all?  I don’t.

There is so much I see others doing that I don’t do! We don’t do a lot of outside activities. I don’t do nearly as many crafts as I’d like... The list of things we don’t do goes on and on...

And even of the stuff "we" do, *I* don’t personally do it all. My wonderful husband does so much! The man is amazing. He works long of hours to provide financially and still finds time to open up a cookbook to try a new recipe with one of the children. I do the laundry, but he sorts the socks...

Ken provides "bookends" for our day by directing both breakfast and bedtime routines–a huge contribution, as these seem to be the craziest times around here. 

He allows me time to eat my bon-bons (dark chocolate ones) and blog.

You mention you feel like a failiure.  I suspect we all do sometimes.  Please don’t look at my life and think it perfect–this blog only gives glimpses into our days, not the whole picture. In blogging, I try to be real, yet I don’t dwell on the warts–it is much more pleasant to dwell on what is lovely.

Please also read the "disclaimer" entry I wrote some time ago.  It still applies, perhaps more than ever.

Here's an excerpt:

It is easy to think everyone else has it all together. Many of those reading this blog know me from other avenues and KNOW I don't have it all together. For anyone who has happened upon this blog and doesn't know me in real life, let me assure you that my children misbehave, I get behind on laundry, and I lack patience all too often. I have days I'd like to hide in the pantry, and I have days when I DO hide in the pantry. Sometimes I have days when I cause my family to wish THEY could all hide in the pantry.  

Each family's life looks a bit different, and God provides in different ways for different situations. All told, I'm just another mom:  A homeschool mom like you who blows it daily.

I don’t know your name, dear anon, but I’m praying that God will encourage you in His tasks for you today.

Lindsay, over at Deuteronomt 6:4-9 nominated ME for the Thinking blogger award!   I'm quite honored!  It  is a huge encouragement amidst lactating-mommy brain-fog that someone sees signs of brain activity here at all!  Thanks, Lindsay!  (And because Lindsay confessed to being a week late in acknowledging HER award, it makes it ok that I'm a week behind too, right?)

I'm supposed to pass the award along and nominate 5 others worthy of thinking blogger fame!  Are you ready?  (Drumroll)

My Nominees:
Jimmie of One Child Policy Homeschool (Life In China)

Chautona (sewingfanatic) of Chatty's Fence Post

Melkhi of Our Side of the Mountain

Becky of LaMere's Classical Academy

Barbara (Bubbly One) Of A Bit of Bubbly 

How it works:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,
3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote (here is an alternative silver version if gold doesn't fit your blog).

HomeschoolBlogger re-enabled Javascripting.  My site meter, verse of the day, and word of the day features are back.

Very cool. 

I’ve been planning out the "living books" for the coffee table in upcoming months, as we continue on our blitz (ok, so it’s a slow blitz) through the ages before zooming in on American History. Finding age appropriate books on the World Wars, Vietnam and Korea was a bit of a challenge, but thanks to some great online friends, and a few really neat websites, like A Book in Time, I’ve about gotten it covered.

Many of the selections were available at the library--Some are books I already own.  Often, however, that "just right"book requires (um, yeah, requires) purchasing. As I’ve compiled my lists, checked the library (so thrilled I can do that online), and finally comparison shopped, sometimes a book is SO familiar to me that I’m SURE I already own it. Is it camouflaged on a shelf, or am I remembering it from living with my nose stuck in curriculum catalogs for much of the past 7 years?

I was commenting to Ken about how neat it would be to have all our books logged on LibraryThing. It would make book-sharing a dream. Local homeschooling friends or my sister could see what books they could borrow from me instead of buying! LibraryThing is free, but the work of entering in every book’s ISBN sounds rather overwhelming–we uh... have lots of books. Perhaps in a year or two when I have several slaves (er... children) typing well... Two of the children are proficient at ten-key now, so that option already has potential.

...But then I was over at Timberdoodle for their Swansong sale and saw this!

Oh... the temptation! Now if it were ½ the price I’d do it. I've inadvertently purchased duplicate books before–despite trying to be careful, and between the convience and the savings, it would be worth it.  It isn’t often I find myself yearning for a techno-gadget, but one that helps me keep track of BOOKS, books, books and more books is my flavor indeed! 

The father of Renaissance Artist Raphael is supposed to have said, "A poorly shelved book is a lost book."   Whether the painter's father actually said this, I can't confirm, but it is a true saying regardless.  Perhaps I need to get us all busy entering ISBNs on LibraryThing.

HomeschoolBlogger recently made some upgrades, and I've been having a bumpy time getting things to work since.  I'm pretty sure the challenges will iron themselves out quickly, but if things appear off-kilter on this blog (beyond MY usual off-kilterness) rest assured it is likely temporary.

These photos taken from space are breathtaking. 

Click on the picture above to see many more fantastic pictures!

Thanks to Melissa for sharing them on a different forum. 

Posted by Mandy

I'm loving the weather changes already! Would you happen to know what pattern 'Grandma' is using for the bloomers

Answer: She began with a "Common Sense Pattern" (Scroll to the bottom of the page linked to see the bloomers.)  I think she's made some minor adaptations to the pattern through the years and she makes ankle length for winter and above the knee for summer, but I know that's the pattern she started with.

Wow!  What a suprise to find my own little froggieblog as the blog of the week on HomeSchoolBlogger's Front Porch!

Thank you to the Homeschool Blogger team, and to Tia the Sagerat for saying such wonderful things and making us PrairieFrogs sound so cool!