My musings on home, mothering and homeschooling our 6 children, being Catholic, and whatever else I can think of. :-) http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CatholicTitus2wife/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:14:00 -0500 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:14:00 -0500 Go to Frugal Mom's blog and enter to win her great giveaway for today! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CatholicTitus2wife/609473/ Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:14:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CatholicTitus2wife/609473/ The Frugal Mom Blog is having a contest every day this week. Sadly I missed the first 3 but there's still a chance to win today and tomorrow so go and enter!! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CatholicTitus2wife/608906/ Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:12:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CatholicTitus2wife/608906/ The Ergo is probably my favorite baby carrier. I have more than one type of carrier but I just LOVE my Ergo. And here is a contest where you might just win one for yourself! Good luck!! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CatholicTitus2wife/523849/ Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:07:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CatholicTitus2wife/523849/ In the past I have been skeptical about car seats and the mandated use of them. I didn't understand why children past the age of 3 or 4 should be in a car seat. A booster seat, maybe, but the harnesses can be so time consuming and difficult to adjust, close and open and when you have several children to get in and out, especially when it's very cold, well let's just say I've become easily irritated with the whole car seat thing. Well, with the birth of my last baby I've become much more informed after reading a lot about car seat safety. The following information was compiled by a certified car seat tech, and very trustworthy online friend. If you have children or grandchildren, this is great safety information. If you don't believe proper car seats, or car seat usage to be important, watch some of the videos in the following links, you might change your mind! Extended rear facing: http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/StayRearFacing.aspx This explains very well why rear facing is best. It includes photos, crash test videos, and an album of older kids rear facing. Study done in December 2007 at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. Abstract: http://injuryprevention.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/13/6/398 Findings: Children 0–23 months were less likely to be severely injured when using a rear-facing car seat (RFCS) than a front-facing car seat (FFCS). The benefit of an RFCS was particularly great in side crashes. Children 12 months to 23 months old are five times less likely to die or suffer serious injuries in a crash when riding in rear-facing car seats than those in forward-facing seats. http://www.car-safety.org/rearface.html This one again says why rear facing is safer, with more explanations. It''s a little outdated, but it''s still a good page. http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboar...44503&page This one shows the bones of a one year old and a six year old. Because the one year old’'s bones are still in three pieces the cartilage allows a lot more movement. Combine that with the disproportionately large head a baby has and internal decapitation is a real risk. It's like putting a twizzler through a phone cord. If you pull the kinked phone cord straight while holding the ends of the twizzler in the middle of the cord the twizzler will snap but the phone cord will be fine. Just like a baby. Their head will be attached and their spinal column snapped, resulting at best in permanent paralysis, at worst in death. http://www.aap.org/family/carseatguide.htm A good general description of when to move kids and what seats are and what to buy when. It's important to remember that every step up in carseats is a step down in safety. Rear facing is safest, then forward facing in a five point harness, then forward facing in a high back booster, then forward facing in a low back booster, then the least safe is us, those using just a seatbelt. http://www.aafp.org/afp/20020801/practice.html Another general guide of what seats are good when. http://www.findarticles.com/p/articl...66/ai_90137870 Another very similar page. http://aappolicy.aappublications.org...rics;109/3/550 The actual AAP publication. http://www.angelfire.com/wa3/isakswings/ratetherrf.html This shows how to tether a Britax (could also be transcribed for a Radian) rear facing. NOTE: Australian style tethering is no longer allowed, and tethering to the seat the carseat is on is a last resort measure. http://cpsafety.com/PDFfiles/RearFacingBrochure.pdf Something to print out to hand out to people who need a shove in the rear direction. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2DVfqFhseo The Importance of Rear Facing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRP7ynNI8mI A video someone made for their sister explaining why rear facing is so important. http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/airplaneRF.aspx Rear facing on an airplane. YOU ARE ALLOWED TO USE A REAR FACING RESTRAINT ON A PLANE JUST AS YOU WOULD IN A CAR. If an attendant gives you grief, as to see their manual. The manual will prove you right. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9916868 A mainstream article about extended rear facing. http://www.motionbox.com/video/player/7494d2b5161bf0/#1 A news video from WABI out of Maine about extended rear facing. It's not just extended harnessing, as the reporter says, it's extended rear facing. The seat is technically a 3 in 1, not a convertible (the Alpha Omega or the Eddie Bauer 3 in 1, they're all the same seat under different names). Caroline is sitting in a Radian and she is demonstrating extended harnessing. Boosters: http://www.carseat.org/Boosters/630.htm Boosters are for big kids. This page has the five step test, which is how you know when your child is big enough for just a seatbelt. http://www.gm.com/company/gmability/...er_020304.html This shows pictures and a video of children who are too small being restrained in only an adult belt. There are also other videos about child restraint safety and child safety on the site. http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/mi...E=Sep+13,+2005 This article discusses the importance of a booster seat for the four to eight year old range when it comes to side impact protection. http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd.../05-0330-O.pdf This discusses vehicular restraint and injuries for children 0-15 in Sweden. They have the lowest mortality in the world of children in regards to vehicular collisions. http://new.photos.yahoo.com/album?c=...15&.src=ph Comparing the old and new (B500/505 and B510/515) Compass boosters. Videos: http://home.comcast.net/~dcbsr/test/..._old_seat.mpeg This video shows a properly installed, proper size dummy in a 30 mph frontal collision with a 10 year old Britax (they expire at six years). The harness is ripped from the seat. http://www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk/ca...ts/archive.htm A listing of UK videos showing the importance of wearing your seatbelt, AND making sure everyone else in your vehicle is wearing there (anything not restrained is a projectile. Toys, books, cups, and other people) http://www.oeamtc.at/netautor/html_s...ecarostart.mpg Forward facing harness versus a forward facing booster. 30 mph crash test. http://depts.washington.edu/booster/...54_6yr_lap.mpg A six year old wearing only the lap portion of a shoulder/lap belt. http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/inju...les/video.html A listing of some of the NHTSA''s crash test videos. They each have descriptions. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azgBhZfcqaQ The Kyle Miller video, a three year old who was killed while riding in his Turbobooster when the seatbelt failed. The video makes the claim that a Regent is the only safe seat and that it can be used to 80 pounds with LATCH, which is not true. The seat can be used to 48 pounds max, and that's only if your vehicle allows to 48 pounds. Honda, Mercedes, Acura, and Saab have 40 pound LATCH limits. GET TISSUES http://www.carseatsite.com/videos.ht...20with%20LATCH Videos showing how to install rear facing seats. http://www.oeamtc.at/videobox/index....movie_kind=swf Crash test video, forward facing booster versus rear facing seat. It also has rear facing side impact testing. There are other videos on the site, but unless you speak German you'll just have to click here and there and see what comes up. http://64.233.179.104/translate_c?hl...ial%26hs%3DgLd A translated (online, so it's patchy) page of the site above with the videos. It's still a little hard to navigate, but it gives more information. Airplanes: http://youtube.com/watch?v=rC4Q3ofz7SI A video on the Sioux City crash, July 19, 1989, United flight 232 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Airlines_flight_232) CPST Tools: http://www.iihs.org/news/1997/iihs_news_062797.pdf An article about why children should ride in the back seat, even if there is no front seat airbag. http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/pr.../childseat.cfm The recall list. http://www.saferidenews.com/pdfs/LATCHApp_B_pg105.pdf Quick guide to LATCH limits of different manufacturers http://www.saferidenews.com/html/LATCH_P8.htm Using a tether for a child past 40 pounds. http://www.saferidenews.com/html/LATCH_P49.htm Different pages in the same manual covering tethering past 40 pounds. http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=9443 A list (put together by people on car-seat.org, so not conclusive) of cars that do and do not allow middle seat LATCH use. When in doubt ask or check your manual. I do have a LATCH manual and so can say whether your specific year does or does not allow it. http://www.thecarseatlady.com/vehicl..._system_9.html A site about LATCH http://www.buckleupnc.org/laws_cps_recommended.cfm A North Carolina site stating the law as well as best practice (they are NOT the same) Other Photos: http://members.tripod.com/uccomama-ivil/ Booster comparison photos http://www.collisionsafety.net/Allpi...pre%20test.JPG The before picture of a rear facing infant seat in front of an airbag. http://www.collisionsafety.net/Allpi...ost%20test.JPG The after picture. It speaks for itself. http://www.carseatsite.com/pinchtest.jpg The Pinch test. If you can pinch ANY slack in your child's harness at their shoulder the harness is too loose. More info on vehicle crashes being the #1 killer of children: http://www.childdeathreview.org/causesMV.htm Here is an expired seat video: http://home.comcast.net/~dcbsr/test/Britax_GMTV_Check_It_Fits_Child_Facing_Forwards_ten_years_old_seat.mpeg You'll note the the harness rips completely out of the shell. Sites: http://www.car-seat.org http://www.carseat.org http://www.freewebs.com/sacredjourneys/ http://www.thecarseatlady.com/ The most common mistakes Techs see are: Facing forward too soon Boosters being used too soon Using LATCH for center positions when LATCH is not allowed in the center for that vehicle Loose straps (see pinch test in list of links) Aftermarket accessories Twisted straps (vehicle seat belts, latch straps, and harness straps) Using the wrong belt path or not switching the LATCH straps (seats have different belt/LATCH paths for RF and FF) Chest clips too low Using seats that are outgrown Seat belt installs where the seat belt is NOT locked Not using top tethers Using both LATCH and seat belt Expired seats Thick coats Usage of seats that are recalled Children (12 and under) sitting in the front seat Not reading the carseat manual Not reading the vehicle manual Straps not in the right position (above or below shoulders) I want to thank Maryanne for the above information and invite anyone needing more help to visit the car seat board at http://forums.delphiforums.com/Carseats/start . http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CatholicTitus2wife/495465/ Sun, 9 Mar 2008 09:37:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CatholicTitus2wife/495465/ I have found it very difficult to move away from family and friends, learn my way around a new area, make new friends and help my children do the same. I had such wonderful friends in VA and I knew that there would be no replacing them, but I assumed that I would find like-minded women in my new town and over time we would grow into solid friends. As most home schooling, lotsa moms, I don't have a lot of time to spend with girlfriends but it's good for me to have other women for friendship and support in this vocation of marriage and motherhood. This has not been easy for me since we've moved. I've recently had my feelings hurt, and not for the first time, by women I thought were friends and my heart is still aching a bit over it. Another friend sent something to me in my email that I thought I would share because it is very important to remember. Our words can heal or hurt and we should use them carefully. Proverbs 15:1-4 A gentle response defuses anger, but a sharp tongue kindles a temper-fire. Knowledge flows like spring water from the wise; fools are leaky faucets, dripping nonsense.   God doesn't miss a thing— he's alert to good and evil alike. Kind words heal and help; cutting words wound and maim.    We need to be Gentle in our Communication We need to speak words of Wisdom from God We need to Think first...then Speak   Is what I'm about to say... Truthful? Hopeful? Inspirational? Necessary? Kind?   The tongue of the Wise brings Healing http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CatholicTitus2wife/492063/ Tue, 4 Mar 2008 07:06:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CatholicTitus2wife/492063/ Here is a picture of our sweet granddaughter. Isn't she a cutie? http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CatholicTitus2wife/491424/ Mon, 3 Mar 2008 07:07:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CatholicTitus2wife/491424/ At least, I found it hysterical! My husband went to the store for me on Thursday. I had given him an extensive list and it was not our usual store so he spent a lot of time going back and forth across the store looking for things. He noticed that there was sugar everywhere on the floor, as though someone had an open bag and was just pouring it out through the store. Every aisle he went down seemed to have this stream of sugar. There was sugar caked in the cart's wheels. He just chuckled to himself thinking some poor soul has a broken bag of sugar and doesn't realize it and is getting it all over the store. At one point he passes a young store employee with a tiny broom and dustpan and he again chuckles, thinking the poor kid needs an industrial sized broom to get up that mess and how mad he's going to be when he realizes this trail of sugar spans the entire store!! My husband gets down to the last thing on his list and can't find it. He travels back and forth across the store yet again looking and finally asks a store employee (not the same kid, he's still sweeping!) for what he wants. She takes him right to it. They are chatting for a minute and my husband puts the item in the cart and realizes that it is HIS bag of sugar (a 10lb bag no less!!) that has been deposited throughout the store from a before unseen hole in the side of the bag! There is maybe an inch left in the bag!! Walking back to the baking section with the store employee, who is now holding the nearly empty bag of sugar, they pass the poor kid, still following the trail of sugar with his little broom. My husband feels terrible and yet can't help but laugh as he gets a new bag of sugar! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CatholicTitus2wife/490741/ Sat, 1 Mar 2008 14:17:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CatholicTitus2wife/490741/ Homeschooling 4 loads of laundry, wash, dry, fold, put away Dust living room Run vac in living room Make pizza dough for dinner Declutter desk Pack up pile of outgrown baby clothes Today is another snowy day. We already have about 12 inches on the ground and it's coming down again at a good clip. I imagine the kids will want to sled or play outside later so I need to make sure they have dry snow clothes. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CatholicTitus2wife/490019/ Fri, 29 Feb 2008 08:37:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CatholicTitus2wife/490019/ Today's to-do list: Clean downstairs bath Sort and put away baby's and my own laundry Sort kid's laundry and have them put away Home school Run vac 4 loads of laundry- wash and fold Plan meals for rest of week Make bread for dinner Dinner- pea soup with ham, rolls, salad http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CatholicTitus2wife/488659/ Wed, 27 Feb 2008 10:14:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CatholicTitus2wife/488659/ This is the time of year when I really start wishing for summer. Spring is nice and I will certainly be happy to see it come but I can't help but think about summer. Say, mid-July? Hot, sticky, sultry dog days of summer is what I want. I love summer! It's my favorite season. I like the relaxed pace. We relax our schedule, play outside late into the evening and then sleep with the windows open and listen to the trains come through town at night. (Did you know I live in a busy train town?) I love sitting on the porch with my coffee while the sun warms the dew off the grass first thing in the morning. I love that my children will race outside, even before they eat breakfast, to play on the trampoline or in the sandbox. They will stay outside from dawn until dusk and then some. Thinking of the summer to come seems to get me through just.one.more. cold snowy Ohio winter day. Yes, I will be happy to see spring, but not as happy as I will be to see summer! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CatholicTitus2wife/484380/ Wed, 20 Feb 2008 10:13:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CatholicTitus2wife/484380/