Just a reminder that you can find all my new posts here.  I recently wrote posts about...

Planning for the new school year

Getting a little help from our husbands and

A literature guide for the book No Talking by Andrew Clements

Stop by and say hello!

Some of you have expressed concern over not being able to leave comments on my blogspot blog.  Not allowing 'anonymous' comments is a security feature.  Many moms have a blog on blogspot just for the ease of leaving comments.  That looks like the best bet for now.  I love how easy it is to leave comments on blogspot now that I have a blog there.  Fun and free!

Ammended to add- Dec. 28, My blogspot blog is now set up to recieve your comments whether you have a blog there or not.  Just please be sure to add your blog address to your signature so people can find you.  I still recommend you get a blogspot blog!  Remember, all my new posts are now here.

All new posts from Falling Like Rain will now be published here; please stop by and say hello.  Also, be sure to change the address in your bookmarks, favorites and in your bloglines or other feed reader.  I've loved my time here at Homeschoolblogger, but I'm also excited about having a fresh new blog for the New Year.  I hope to see you there soon!

I'm thinking about what to do with this blog.  I need to be able to use the "friends only" feature if only for the sake of privacy.  I think our families deserve that.  Since the friends feature does not seem to be working, I'm thinking of switching back to my blogspot blog.  I'm not sure that would help though, so right now I'm just looking into it. 

My husband wanted me to open my gift today, so we let the kids open a gift too.  We're going to let them open one each day until Tuesday when we'll finish.  Not sure why we're doing it this way except that we just want to. 

I've started putting together a unit on health and the human body to begin in January.  I've never liked lesson/unit planning.  I was already a little frustrated when I went to my library's website to request books.  Seeing all the great books available for me to read with my kids improved my attitude immensely.  Aren't the great books one of the very best parts of homeschooling?  That and I don't have to completely grow up.  I can keep reading picture books and call it work. 

My youngest is playing his first team sport, basketball.  After the first practice I asked him if he liked his coach.  He said he did and then added, "You have to work hard for him." And, "He won't let you say 'ouch' if the ball hits you in the leg."  I like this coach already.

Is it just me or is the cost of food going up, up, up?  Did I really just pay $5.00 for a gallon of milk?  I read somewhere that cereal could be going up to $7.00 a box next year.  I told my kids they'll be eating toast if it does.  I don't think there's a cereal out there I like enough to pay $7.00 a box for. 

I'm sure there's more going on, but I'm too tired to write about it.  Must. Get. Sleep. 

I've had a couple of people ask if we're a military family, so I thought I'd give you the full story.  You may want to grab some popcorn. 

I grew up in an Army family.  My dad was in Vietnam before I was born.  I stopped counting how many times we moved, but I know I went to at least 13 different schools, five of them in high school.  My dad has since retired from the Army. 


I met and married my husband when he and my dad were  both stationed in Germany.  I was about a year out of high school and was visiting my parents...three years later I came back to the states with a husband and baby.  My husband had picked up a little combat experience that last year in Desert Storm.  He's been out of the Army since '92.

A few years later we're all in the States and my sister marries a soldier, they go to Germany, take a side trip to Turkey, back to Germany and finally back to the States.  Like me, she had her oldest in Germany.  They're now out of the Army as well. 

September 11...

My brother joins the Air Force.  He's almost halfway through his tour in Korea.  His wife and sons are waiting for him in the States. 


So, the answer is no, we're not a military family.  But, we're not exactly civilians either.  Having grown up in the military, well, that's my family you're watching on the news every night and even though I know it isn't rational, I feel guilty because I'm here and not there.  I'm safe at home in my civilian life instead of helping. 

Military kids grow up to be very idealistic.  Every time we had to move or our parent was away or we missed our grandparents we were told we were doing it because the Army needed us to.  And we were in the Army because America needed us.  So, every sacrifice we made was "for America" at least in our young minds.  Growing up that way you can tend to expect a lot out of yourself.  Even now I have trouble doing something if I don't know the big reason why.  What's it all for?  Who does it benefit?  I need an overriding sense of purpose.  I don't usually get one.  All I know is, there is a 'mission' to be carried out and I'm not doing my part. 


My brother-in-law once made a comment to my husband about his being a civilian now that he was out of the Army.  At the same time we both replied, "not a civilian, a veteran".  There is something about being in the military that forever ties you to that life, at least for most of us. 

But, what if I didn't come from a military family?  Should I give any less support to our troops?  I know the military isn't perfect, nor are the individuals serving there (I know this because I did grow up with them, lol).  But, anyone who is willing to stand between me and the bad guys is getting my full cooperation and support and so are their families.  My having been raised in a military family should really  have nothing to do with it.  I find it sad that my support for the troops made people think we are military.  Shouldn't everyone be supporting the troops?  The suicide rates in the Army are  currently the highest they've been since the Army started keeping records.  I don't think a blog button and a 'thank you' are too much to ask. 

So, the answer is no, we're not a military family.  On the other hand, there's a reason you see a camouflage heart in my sidebar.  It looks a lot like my own. 

Thank you to Free To Fly for the gift of the flag.