Posted in Miscellaneous Matters
I'm passing on this warning about Magic Erasers. (ht: Large Family Logistics)
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If you give a boy a screwdriver... 
A New Blog:
I recently set up a blog for my mom at her request. She just posted about an experience that she had while staying in Kansas. Please stop by, read her post, and welcome her to the blogosphere.
Comment Tutorial:
My mother-in-law informed me that some of my relatives like to read my blog, but can't figure out how to leave a comment. Since I'd never want to miss out on a comment, I'll explain the process... At the bottom of each post, you will see the words "Post a comment!" Click on those words and a comment form will show up. Click on the circle by "Anonymous" and either leave it as "Anonymous" or delete that and type in your name. Type in a subject and your comments in the appropriate field. The next step is key! In the box labeled "code", type in the different colored numbers that you see displayed beside it. This code prevents computers from leaving spam in my comments.
Also Aunt Carol
usually when you see a different colored word in a post, if you click
on it, you will be able to see whatever it is that I'm talking
about. I'm just saying that in case...Commenting on Comments:
Some commenters on my last post remarked about how neat my house appeared. One commenter wanted to know how I accomplished that. Well, it was kind of a fluke. Since I knew the piano tuner would be coming that afternoon, the kids and I picked up before and during school. Evan even vacuumed downstairs. (My kids are really very helpful.) Which leads to the other reason for the neatness: My youngest born child is six years old! People with younger children should never compare themselves to people with older children. It appears that God in His plan has seen fit to soon throw some more baby/toddler chaos into my life. I'll try to take pictures of the aftermath! And finally, you did not see a picture of my desk, the basement, the garage, the laundry room, or even the kitchen on that day!!!
I have a voice in my head, sounding very much like my mother's, which often says "Melissa, your room is a DISGRACE!" I told my mom, after her recent trip to Kansas, that if she was ever tempted to say that to me again, to just remember the Tucker Motel!
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Posted in Miscellaneous Matters
Click on the image and scroll down on the Amazon page. Listen to the clip from "Gabriel's Oboe" ~ it is guaranteed to give goosebumps!
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Posted in Miscellaneous Matters
My
mom asked in a comment yesterday where I find the various "information"
to post on my blog. In the case of the "Sasha Sabotage" post,
James heard about it at work and told me. In other cases, I often
find out fun things to share from the Well-Trained Mind Discussion
Board.
Today someone on the board posted this fun
link showcasing an artist who uses old books to make unusual
bookcases and shelves as well as other items. It caught my fancy
and I thought I'd share it with my friends who read here. Click
and enjoy!
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Posted in Miscellaneous Matters
On
Saturday morning, I spent some time typing in another of Grandma's
letters. As I was finishing, my little finger bumped a key...and
it erased the whole post. Sigh. I didn't have time to start
again.
Usually I save my draft after every paragraph, but I forgot that time.
Stay tuned...I will post more of Grandma's letters as I have time.
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While
I liked my last blog template, I started feeling claustrophobic looking
at it. Sophie is NOT happy with me for changing the design.
I took the picture at the top of this current template on the way home from Ouray last summer.
Apparently it took some of my relatives a while to figure out the point
of my last post. Maybe I should spell out my meaning: I am
unexpectedly expecting a new baby, due sometime in July. There
goes my idea of visiting
Scotland on the Covenanter Tour sponsored by our denomination.
That will be happening about the time I'm delivering, Lord willing.
The color of the ticker in the previous post has no significance other
than the fact that I thought the pink complemented the color scheme of
this template. Of course, Sophie would be overjoyed to have a
baby sister. If I find out otherwise, I will dutifully change the
color of the ticker.
For those of you who tried to post a comment, but it did not show
up: You have to read the little numbers at the end of the comment
section and type them in the box before submitting the comment.
The purpose of this is to stop computer spam, not to stop you from
commenting!
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Posted in Miscellaneous Matters
I'd like to highlight two new links in my sidebar.
First off, under my Family Links, I've added a link to my cousin Rick's
site named "Laughing
Pencil". Rick is a full-time Web/Graphic Designer and
does free-lance design and illustration jobs on the side.
His site contains many cool examples of his artwork. Check it out!
Secondly, under Helpful Homeschool Links, I've added "Anna's
House", a link to the site of a friend from church who
is a neurodevelopmental therapist and a listnening fitness
trainer. Her site explains in great detail her unique field of
expertise and the services she provides.
Almost a year
ago, our eye doctor prescribed vision therapy for one of my
children. We were very familiar with eye therapy as another of
our kids had gone through it, as well as myself. It was costly
and insurance did not cover the expense. My friend, Anna,
explained to me that neurodevelopmental therapy dealt with the
vestibular system and was more holistic in nature. She said that
it would be less expensive to go through neurodevelopmental therapy and
that it would most likely eliminate the need for vision therapy, or at
least, greatly reduce the time required.
Anna tested my child,
free of charge (the initial eval. is free), and discovered auditory
mixed dominance as well as reflexes which had not inhibited and were
interfering with complete development. (If this sounds like Greek
to you, the website may clarify!) My child has gone through
many months of neurodevelopmental and auditory therapy and we've seen
marked improvement. For example, this child still wet the bed
(late bed wetting runs in the
family...ha ha!), but that problem resolved months ago. Posture
and handwriting were problem areas as well. Especially through
the most recent exercise that we did each night at home, my child now
sits up straight, holds the pencil correctly, and rests the other hand
on the paper rather than on the chin. The most recent evaluation
revealed that most of the retained reflexes had inhibited either all
the way or nearly to zero. Eye-tracking is improving as well.
Unfortunately, neurodevelopmental therapist are rare in the U.S.
My friend received her accreditation in Canada and in England.
The U.S. focuses more on specialists. Anna is able to
provide information on the location of neurodevelopmental
therapists in the U.S. If you are interested, contact her through
her site.
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Most
everyone that I know who has seen the t.v. show Extreme Makeover Home
Edition usually really enjoys it and finds it uplifting. There
are aspects about that show which I do enjoy, but aspects of it that
bother me as well. I used to tape the show and watch it later,
but I haven't thought to do that in a long time.
What I like
most about the show is the large-scale presentation of human
creativity. From the design talent to the skill involved in the
execution of the project; it all merits a "WOW!" rating. It is
pleasant to watch the old, the ugly, the decaying, the ineffecient, and
the broken down replaced with the new, the beautiful, the pristine, the
top-of-the-line, and the well-made.
I happened to see two of
the pilot shows before it started in its regular time slot and became a
bit hit. The show attempted to appeal to its audience through the
drama of conflict. It followed in the pattern of many other
reality shows by showcasing the clash of diva designers in catfights
over whose ideas would prevail and who could be the sneakiest in
subverting the plans of the other members of the "team". By the
way, the show still has the same design team, but they have somehow
been transformed into the "dream team", only caring about doing good
for deserving families. The former version's atmosphere and drama
was obviously staged (but apparently failed to get the ratings) which
causes me to view the reborn version with a jaded eye and question the
authenticity of the sentiments and emotions expressed by the redesigned
designers of dreams.
Of course, the show is a huge marketing
gimmick for Sears products, even giving rise to the new Ty Pennington
line of housewares. But that isn't really what gets to me.
At the crux of what bothers me is the "Salvation" theme of the
show. ABC plays the part of a benevolent god who changes the
lives of families (deserving
families, by the way) through the redeeming work of the design deities
and through the blessing of material perfection. Maybe I am
overanalyzing and taking it too seriously, but a lot of glory is given
through this show, and not much of it gets directed to the Giver of
Every Good and Perfect Gift. I think it is telling that every
recipient that I have watched ends up exclaiming, "Oh My _ _
_!!!!!" Somehow, I doubt that they are giving thanks to the One
True God.
I could go into more detail with my analysis and
speculate about the ramifications of the show's theme, but I'll stop
with the above summary. It is interesting to think about the
misdirected honor and glory given in other shows. For instance,
the attention of homeschoolers has been drawn to Dr. Phil lately due to
his public counsel against homeschooling through high school.
I've watched Dr. Phil some, mainly while taking a break at the
conclusion of our schooling in the afternoon. I think that he
sometimes often offers wise counsel to people, showing careful study
and discerning insight into human nature. Some of his advice
dovetails with the teaching of Scripture, and he acknowledges his
Southern Baptist upbringing. However, for the most part, he has
divorced his counsel from its biblical foundation, and as a result,
widely misses the truth on certain topics. What makes me the
saddest is that he does not honor God when his advice does help
people. The closest he comes to acknowledging God is by calling
Him a "Higher Power whom I happen to call God." Dr. Phil comes
across with an arrogant attitude about his own personal ability to give
life-changing advice. The show is basically a tribute to his own
wisdom and knowledge.
A passage of Scripture that
comes to my mind when I think of this show is Matthew 12: 43-45:
"When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through
waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, 'I
will return to my house from which I came.' And when it comes, it
finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and
brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they
enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than
the first. So also will it be with this evil generation."
Dr. Phil may help people to sweep their house and put them in order, so
to speak, but his help has no eternal benefit, and may even serve to
distract from the need for the True Salvation through Christ alone.
I'd love to discuss these thoughts via the comments section below, whether you agree or disagree. No flames, please.
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The Old Schoolhouse Publisher, the host of homeschoolblogger, has declared this to be "Random Blog Day." (You can click on their name above and read the instructions.) I'm ready to click on the random blog button...
1. Sunshine Station - blank blog
2. A Passion for Truth has five entries. One entry is about how her extended family exposed her children to worldly information, but she reports that her children were able to respond with biblical truth.
3. Jerzy' Joy: a mom who likes to quilt and bargain shop and who includes coupon codes for online shopping in her posts.
4. Winterwood Farm: a blog by a mom of four. She posted that she did not feel prepared for the beginning of school or very excited about it. However, in a subsequent post, it sounded like the family got off to a good start!
5.Titus Academy...a one post blog by a mom who intends to use KONOS for school this year.
6. Keeping the Home - blank blog
7. tiredoldmama: a blog by the mother of an eleven yo daughter. Sounds like the mom could use some encouragement from other moms who have BTDT with pre-teen daughters.
8. Little Angels Christian Academy: another one post (June) blog.
9. In the Beginning - blank blog
10. Slow Down and Enjoy Life: actually a random blog that MSMHS (see sidebar) came across, reporting that the blog author was going through a difficult time and needed encouragement. If you have time, read her story and pray for her!