Snaggletooth

Snaggletooth.

That is what grandpa has been calling Tank. It's fitting, I suppose... although I thought snaggletooth was that weird tooth that grows up in the top of your gums. But I guess the definition doesn't really matter. What grandpa meant is this...

Isn't he cute?! :-)

There are worse things than being called Snaggletooth. Poor Tank could lose that second tooth (which is VERY loose, by the way) and then be tormented with the song All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth... over and over and over and over again. Trust me!

I speak from personal experience.

I was in the 3rd grade. Nope, I wasn't being teased by some meanies in public school... but by my dad and my older sister Coco. Yup, my own flesh and blood! (Coco, you are so fun to pick on! hehehee) The teasing was so bad and incessant, I refused to show my teeth when I smiled. I have a family picture to prove it too. Of course, I was then made fun of for my goofy smile in the aforementioned family picture... but I digress. Boo hoo. Poor me.

Anyhow, I actually like how they look and lisp when they lose their front teeth! It's waaay better than that super goofy smile they have when their giganto new front teeth come in and are too big for their still small mouth and smile. I don't know, which do you like better? No teeth or the too big rabbit looking teeth?

*update*

Well, Tank is very happy to report this!!!

Dangerous legislation

While this is going on in Colorado, we can be sure that what happens in one state spreads to all the others. Just look at all the stuff that has come from California. I know I can't protect my children from everything, but at least they can safely use the restroom at home. And I have boys! I cannot imagine the fear and negative impact this would have on girls! On ME!!!

It makes me think Lord, how far down will our nation go before we look up once again?

Colorado Governor Signs Dangerous Legislation

Dr. James Dobson, founder and chairman of Focus on the Family, issued this statement late today after Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter signed SB 200:

“Who would have believed that the Colorado state Legislature and its governor would have made it fully legal for men to enter and use women’s restrooms and locker-room facilities without notice or explanation?

“Henceforth, every woman and little girl will have to fear that a predator, bisexual, cross-dresser or even a homosexual or heterosexual male might walk in and relieve himself in their presence. The legislation lists every conceivable type of organization to which this law applies, including restaurants, bathhouses, massage parlors, mortuaries, theaters and ‘public facilities of any kind.’ Those who would attempt to protect females from this intrusion are subject to a fine of up to $5,000 and up to one year behind bars.

“This is your government in action. It represents a payback to Tim Gill and two other billionaires who have essentially ‘bought’ the state Legislature with enormous campaign contributions. Coloradans deserve better!

“And by the way, because of the way this bill is written, it is not subject to the initiative process. There is no recourse.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Read previous CitizenLink coverage.

I think we drink too much

Yes, that is 3100 points... accumulated 50 points at a time! Can you say addiction? It's not my addiction, but David and the boys'. And this was the second batch we sent off.

So they have their addiction and I have mine.


I prefer any type of coffee beverage. Hot, iced, frappucino, milkshake, ice cream... It's all good! But in a hot cup o' joe or iced, I need the good stuff. Fortunately, the hubs made a recent trip to Costa Rica so I am stocked up for a while.


What is your fav drink?

Confessions of a Curricaholic -Take2

Stressed. Overwhelmed. Guilty.


That is how I felt last year when I looked around at the overflowing bookcases, unopened (educational!) games in the closet, and my expanding need/want list for the next school year. How in the world could I get all of this curriculum under control? Was there a way to turn this situation around? Would I be able to get what I needed for the next year?

Let me tell you, my home was not pleasant when I got like this. I turned into one mean and grumpy, ugly bear of a momma! And you would think that after having a few years of homeschooling under my belt, I would've known better. But noooooo... Instead, I got carried away and took those few extra years to accumulate more STUFF! That just sat there! All of these good ideas and wonderful bargains wasted because they didn't fit into our lesson plans at all for the entire year... or three.

So what's a momma bear to do?

***
Read the rest at Heart of the Matter.

Limes and Lemons

Since I still have a couple hours of Wednesday left, I thought I'd say hi to all of y'all and show you this picture.

I'm sure y'all have seen better, but to me eet ees beeeeeeautiful!!! Look at the bokeh in that picture! It's not twinkly or anything, but not bad for a first timer with a new camera. :-)

Well, I'm sorry I haven't been able to visit all of y'all like I've been wanting. Things have been super-dee-duper busy around these parts... But I expect I'll have a little more time on my hands in the coming weeks to catch up and sit a spell.

If I don't talk to y'all again, have a wonderful holiday weekend! Eat lots of BBQ or whatever it is that you do on weekends like this!

Love,
Marshiemellow

Woooook! I can say it!

Three year old Dozer, bounds into the room with his face completely lit up in excitement:

Mommy! Mommy! I can say SSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!

He gives me a high five and then races back to his room.

A couple minutes later, he runs back into the room, stops in front of me with this huge grin on his face and then loudly proclaims:

MOMMY! Mommy! Wooook! I can say T! T! T! T!

Have I ever mentioned just how much I love the Leap Frog Letter Factory DVD? That was one of the most useful resources in helping my kids learn to read. They learned their letter sounds with it first and then we worked through Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons (minus the icky writing part).

And the eyes have it!

My dear Kodak Easyshare camera was our first venture into the digital world of photography. No more clicking up a whole roll of film and just wishing for at least one measly picture out of the entire roll to come out good.

Then we got a teeny tiny Sony camera with more! megapixels! and it was the size of a (fat) credit! card! But we quickly learned that more megapixels does NOT equal more bueno in the quality department.

As I anxiously await the arrival of my big bad new camera, I am waxing nostalgic over the great colors and quality of my old steady Kodak. Seriously, it is probably my favorite point and shoot digital of all time. Here are a few pics of my boys that are straight out of the camera. Tres bien, no?

See the eyes? Instead of aye's? Oh, nevermind.

Goodbye my dear Kodak. I shall miss you. And yet I know you will live on in the grubby little hands of my boys... I just hope you survive more than just a few weeks.

95 degrees calls for this

HOTM Magazine May 2008

May 2008 Edition

In this month's issue:

Insectigations
What Do You Do If Your Child Decides They Want To "Go To School"?
Schedules
Fragrances Pleasing to God
Will you let yourself be blessed?
How to tell WHY Your Child is Struggling (Part 1 of 4)
Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships
Where the Lord Guides, He Provides
Power in the Blood
Common Misuses of Analogy in Homeschool Criticism
The Autism Spectrum
Slowing Down The Pace
Because Life Happens: Happy Mother's Day
When Winning 'Does Not Compute'
How to Shop the Drugstores
Chaos to Order Book Review
From Our Readers


This month's printables:
Nature Journal Pages for your 3-6 year old
Nature Walk Guides for little ones under 4 years old
Eric Carle Multi-Book Unit Study for The Grouchy Ladybug (with lapbook!), The Honeybee and the Robber, The Very Busy Spider, The Very Clumsy Click Beetle, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Very Lonely Firefly, and The Very Quiet Cricket

All of these printables are courtesy of Homeschool Share.

Sometimes they are the death of me

Do you have one of those kids that thinks a lot?

As in it surprises you that they have so much going on up there and yet they don't even tell you about it? Silent thinking... scary stuff, I tell ya.

Well, Tank is kinda like that. He has always been quiet, easy going, and tends to ask you questions out of the blue. Like when he was 4 years old and I had a rare outing at the grocery store with just me and him. As I was passing the toilet paper, he looked up at me from in the cart and asked "What happens when we die? Am I going to die soon? Are you going to die soon?"

Yeah, talk about stopping me in my tracks and catching me completely off guard! Oi.



Tank is now almost 7 years old. I was doing some work on the computer last night and he comes running into the room crying. He is so hysterical I can barely understand him!

T: Ooooohhhh... my stomach hurts! What happens when you eat poison?! Can you tell me?! Will I die?! What happens when you eat poison?!!! (and he continues to bawl and babble)

Me: What?! You ate POISON?! What poison? How can you eat poison when you're in bed?! What did you eat?!


I finally got him to stop crying and wailing long enough to get a sorta straight answer from him.


T: Y'know, sprinkles? If I eat sprinkles will it kill me? Is it POISON?!

Me: Sprinkles? What sprinkles? Cupcake sprinkles? Or ant killer sprinkles?

T: I DON'T KNOW!!!

Me: Show me.


So I follow him to his room and ask him to show me what he's talking about. I was half expecting it to be those little silica beads that come with shoes and other items. We looked all around and I'm starting to raise my voice asking him WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!

He continues to look and ask me questions about poison-- will it kill you, does it make you throw up, what happens? We discuss garage chemicals and under the sink cleaners... but it was none of those.

Alas, my crazy kid (who is usually so calm-- really!), has me feel his bed.


T: It was actually just one little piece of this.

(wipes his hand across his bed).

Feel it? Do you see it, mommy?

(His voice is now a little quieter and he sees the look on my face... he's starting to feel silly... and in trouble.)

Me: Uhhh... Tank? That is SAND. You ate a piece of SAND!!!!!!!!

T (a little more quieter): So will it kill me mommy? Is it poison?

If he ever does this to me again, poison will be the least of his worries!!! I gave him a hug, kiss, swat on the hiney and told him to get his worrywart self into bed.

It will not kill you. It will not give you a tummyache. It is SAND. From the dirtpile you played in earlier tonight! We'll clean it tomorrow. Don't ever put something that is not food into your mouth ever again and you won't have to worry about this ever again!!!

Y'know he gets this weirdoness from his dad's side of the family.

(I love you dad! I love you mom! I'm sure it skipped your generation though!) ;-)

Easy way to remember the 10 Commandments

I swiped this fun video from Nancy. (Most of my "good ideas" originate elsewhere-- just goes to show that it pays to have smart and resourceful friends!).

My map!

In my most recent post for HOTM, Teresa in NC asked to see my favorite kind of gravy-- MY MAP!

Well, here it is! TADAAA!!!




I tried to get Dozer to stand in front of it so you can see just how big it really is... but he was too upset with me.

We recently went to visit my sister in NYC and he was very proud to show me exactly where New York was on the little map by our dining table.

I tried to show him New York on this map. Bad idea!

He cried, whined and pointed to the other map.

NOOOOO! New Yok is heeeeeahhhhhhhhh!!! NOT thay-er!!!

I am not about to argue about this with a 3yo in a Batman suit that desperately needs a nap!

Confessions of a Curricaholic.

Obsessed. Compulsive. Junkie. Curricaholic.


Those are words that described my passion for all things curriculum. Be it posters, workbooks, CDs, books, DVDs, games or puzzles-- if it was "educational" then I had to have it! I mean, come on, look how packed that one measly bookcase is up there!


Believe it or not, that is actually pared down from what I used to have. You can say that I am a recovering curricaholic. As summer and the season of homeschool conventions draws near, I can't think of a better time to share with y'all some tips on how to combat the compulsion to cache curriculum.

But first, you must realize one very important thing...

*****

To read the rest of the story, visit me at Heart of the Matter Online.