You're Not Christian Enough to Homeschool

Am I a Christian?

That's a question that I get asked quite a bit.  The short answer is Yes.  The long answer is a bit more complicated.

I grew up in a small, traditional Presbyterian church.  I was baptized and then years later, I was confirmed in this church.  We had BBQ's on the church lawn in the summer, went on small mission trips to help those in our immediate community, I participated in youth groups and helped teach Vacation Bible School.  It was simply- the very best experience and a huge part of why I am the person that I am today.  This church was my foundation.

When I moved away to college, I was suddenly without this strong support system.  So naturally, I looked to other churches.  My college dorm roommate participated in Campus Christian Fellowship, so I decided to tag along.  It was alright.  I then attended Sunday services at that same church and it can only be described as a "production".  This wasn't my idea of church, this was a show.  There were people dancing in the aisles with those sticks with ribbons on them, a huge band up on the stage- yeah...the stage, people screaming from their seats.  It was nuts.  And before you blast me- yes, I know that for some people, this is church.  But for me, I was not comfortable here.

Since I've moved back home, married and had a child, I have struggled to find this same sense of community that I grew up with.  Church's nowadays have become a business instead of a family and so it becomes difficult to find one where you can feel at home.  I don't need a flashy salesman on the pulpit convincing me that God is good.  I know He is- that's why I'm here.  I need a real person who talks about a real God.

A few years ago, we decided to try a Lutheran church down the street from our new house.  It was smaller in size and seemed to have a good mix of ages.  And I didn't realize it at the time, but my Dad built the large crosses that sit outside their building.  Unfortunately, just as we started attending this church, their entire parking lot was torn down, major fundraising began, an apartment building was put in next door and they hired a new Minister.  Yikes!  That's a lot of changes for a church!  So we stepped away for a bit.  I'm hoping to go back again this summer and give them an honest try.  We are still looking for our foundation after all.

Alright- so now you know my story.  Yes, I am most definitely a Christian.  My family is Christian.  However, we do not regularly attend church and we follow more of a secular curriculum.

In the homeschooling world, this makes our family just a little bit different.  Religion is a HUGE part of homeschooling.  And of course one of the main reasons that many families decide to homeschool.  So I battle the inevitable "are you a Christian?" and "how come you don't go to church?" questions on the regular.  I also receive a bit of backlash because of this.  Would you believe that I've had some families turn away from us and not pursue friendships solely based on the fact that we don't go to church every Sunday?  And several have commented that we need to have a religious based curriculum because we are, after all, homeschoolers.  So yeah- I get it.

Ah- but there's the irony of the whole thing....if you're truly a Christian, you wouldn't care that I don't attend church every Sunday.  And you certainly wouldn't dare to think I'm not Christian enough to be a part of your homeschooling world.  So alas- we are at an impasse.  For my family, how we choose to homeschool and why we choose to homeschool has nothing to do with religion and everything to do with making the right choice for our family.  Religion simply doesn't play a part in this decision because no matter if we homeschooled or our child went to public school, we would still be Christians.

I don't believe that you need to go to church every Sunday to be considered a Christian.  And to be honest with you, I've met some folks who are super duper religious and I would not consider their actions and behaviors to be that of a Christian.  Just because you call yourself one, doesn't make you one.  And doing things in "the name of Christianity" doesn't always make it the right thing.  Standing in a garage doesn't make you a car any more then standing in a church makes you a Christian.  It's about what's in your heart, not about impressing others.

So my answer to this question- "are you Christian enough to homeschool?" is Yes!  Yes, yes, yes!  I am Christian enough to understand that we should accept people the way they are, raise them up and encourage them. I am Christian enough to know that not everyone will have the same beliefs and values and that that is ok.  I am Christian enough to understand that some families will make religion the focus of their homeschooling, while others never will.  Let's support one another as we all navigate the highs and lows of homeschooling.

Are you Christian enough?

The NO Meat Challenge- Week #1

Ok, so this is pretty self explanatory.  This challenge is all about NOT eating meat.  But this post is so much better then just the challenge itself.  I'm going to provide you with a week's worth of healthy menu options that are kid and husband approved.  So for those of you that have been wanting to try going vegetarian or simply eating less meat and more veggies- you'll want to read this!  And not too worry- this first week is all about starting out slow with lots of easy to prepare foods to help get you on the right path.

Below is a full week's worth of breakfasts, lunches, dinners and even some yummy extras.  This meal plan is straight from my very own monthly menu planner.  So rest assured, we really do eat this way!

And since I'm a Mom on a budget- not only are these dishes easy to prepare but they won't cost you an arm and a leg either.  Who wouldn't love that!?!  Let me also warn you that this menu plan will require some time in the kitchen.  This is not a heat and serve meal plan but rather good, healthy, homemade food.  With this weekly plan you will be eating NO meat, limited animal products, very few processed foods and hopefully you will try to buy organic whenever possible.  Let's get started!

Sunday

B:  Pancakes, fresh fruit, coffee/orange juice

L:  Black Bean Taquitos, raw veggie sticks, *iced green tea w/lemon or Kombucha

D:  Broccoli & Cheddar Soup, lemon water/milk

Snack:  Home popped popcorn, fresh berries

Monday

B:  Leftover pancakes, fresh fruit, coffee/orange juice

L:  Pasta w/butter & Parmesan, fresh fruit, iced green tea w/lemon 

D:  Quinoa w/Black Beans, Corn & Cilantro, lemon water or milk

Snack: Fruit & Yogurt Parfait, Green Smoothies

Tuesday

B:  Granola-either homemade or boxed organic, Yogurt Berry Smoothie

L:  **Veggie Sandwich, Late July brand chips, fresh fruit, iced green tea w/lemon

D:  Lentil Chili, lemon water/milk

Snack:  Apples & bananas w/peanut butter

Wednesday

B:  Oatmeal with berries, coffee/orange juice

L:  Leftovers w/raw bell pepper or carrot sticks, iced green tea w/lemon

D:  Veggie Fajitas w/side of refried beans, lemon water/milk

Snack:  Green Smoothies, fresh fruit

Thursday

B:  Toast w/either sliced banana or avocado, coffee/orange juice

L:  Bean & Cheese Burritos, raw bell pepper or carrot sticks, iced green tea w/lemon

D:  Garlic & Parmesan Orzo, Green Salad, lemon water/milk

Snack:  Fruit & Yogurt Parfait, cucumber & tomato slices

Friday

B:  Yogurt topped w/small handful of granola & fresh fruit, coffee/orange juice

L:  Veggie Sandwich, Late July chips, fresh fruit, iced green tea w/lemon

D:  Leftovers, lemon water/milk

Snack:  Green Smoothie, fresh fruit

Saturday

B: Granola, Yogurt Berry Smoothies

L:  Quesadillas topped w/sliced avocado, fresh fruit, iced green tea w/lemon or Kombucha

D:  Make your own Veggie Pizzas, lemon water/milk

Snack: Home popped popcorn, fresh berries

Shopping List for family of 4:

Flour

Sugar

Eggs

Yeast

Milk

Coffee

1/2 to 1 gallon orange juice

4-8 bottles Kombucha

4- 15 oz cans black beans

2- 32 oz can vegetarian refried beans

1 jar salsa

24 pk tortillas

lemons

1 bunch celery

6 cucumbers

2 tomatoes

2 avocados

1 head lettuce

4 heads garlic

2 lb carrots

1 red onion

4 white/yellow onions

2 bunches kale

8 bell peppers

Bananas

Apples

Fresh fruit misc- kiwi, melon, pineapples, peaches, pears etc

2 pk strawberries

2 pk raspberries

1 pk blueberries

1 pk blackberries

1 bag frozen corn

1 bag frozen berries

2 bags frozen broccoli

1 box orzo

1 box pasta of choice

1 package lentils

1 package quinoa

1 lb cheddar cheese

1 container Parmesan cheese

1 can pineapple *for pizza if desired

1 can olives

2 loaves Dave's Killer Bread

2 small bags Late July chips

2 containers sour cream

4 large containers plain or vanilla yogurt

1 box Cascadian Farm Granola

1 container oatmeal

Popcorn for popping

Coconut oil/butter

Maple syrup- the real stuff!

And finally- a few tips for you.

• Twice per week set aside some time to wash, dice and prep your fruit and veggies.  You may have noticed that you'll be eating a LOT of them.  So do yourself a favor and make them easy to grab and go!  I like to slice & dice on Mondays and again on Thursdays and then store in glass containers in my fridge.
• Make extra pancakes and stick them in the freezer.  This way you'll have plenty for another morning.
• Keep a large pitcher of filtered lemon water in your fridge.  This will save you tons of time!
• Split one bottle of Kombucha between 2 people.  Kombucha is expensive stuff, so this will save you a little money!
• Make a double batch of smoothies and store in mason jars in your fridge.  Then the next day, just grab, shake & go!
• Any juice is served in small juice glasses to help control portion sizes.
• Half of your plate should be fruit and veggies.  With 1/4 being the main dish (usually meat) and the remaining 1/4 being carbs.  With this plan, half your plate is fruit and veggies and the other half is the main dish.
• If you're still hungry, eat more fruits and veggies.
• Write your meal plan down and keep it on your fridge.  That way you know what you are making each day and can easily stick to the plan.

Congrats!  You've now made it one full week without any meat!  And I bet you've probably added in lots more fruits and veggies then what you're used to eating.  Are you feeling better?  Getting more rest?  Have more energy?  I would love to hear your feedback after your first week on this No Meat Challenge and stay tuned for week #2!

*To make the iced green tea with lemon, simply brew a large pot of green tea.  Allow to cool, pour into a glass pitcher and squeeze in fresh lemons.  Store in the fridge.

**To make Veggie Sandwiches, add sliced veggies, cheese, onion, mayo, mustard etc to slices of Dave's Killer bread.  I like to use cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, lettuce and provolone cheese to mine.

Click here to read more about how I menu plan.

Get Rid of the Stuff!

I don't like a lot of stuff.  There- I said it.  Nothing bothers me more than having my house full of miscellaneous things.  Especially if I don't use or won't use or it holds no value or meaning to me.  Yeah- no thanks.

What you might not know is that I have a fairly small house.  Roughly 1400 square feet of living space and I'm pretty sure the garage is included in that estimate.  Now, I fully realize that living space is all relative.  Those of you in Manhattan would probably kill for 1400 square feet while some of you in the country have master bedrooms the size of my entire house.  I get it, really I do.  But for me- this is small.  Would you believe we actually recently downsized from a 2100 square foot house to our current one and that I did that on purpose!?!  Crazy right?  But there's a method to my madness and that was that I wanted to get rid of all the stuff.  When you have a bigger house, you tend to fill the bigger house.  I wanted to simplify and reduce our volume.  There was simply no need for all that stuff we had accumulated!

So today- I want to share with you how to downsize.  Get out your comfy clothes because it's going to be hard work!  Please allow yourself plenty of time to do this right.  You don't want to throw away anything of value or get careless and toss the sentimental items.  So here goes...

1. Start by focusing on one room at a time.  I suggest beginning with the main living room and then moving on to the next busiest and most trafficked room.  Don't overwhelm yourself by working in several rooms at once.
2. Get 4 big boxes or large bags.  Label them- Keep, Trash, Sell and Donate.  Then simply file things away in the appropriate category.  Tip- I always use plastic trash bags for the trash items but for the keep items, I make sure to use boxes.  Trust me on this.
3. For the items that you will be throwing away, make sure that once you have filled up the trash bag, that you toss it immediately.  Do NOT keep it laying around your house.  Get rid of it asap!
4. With the items that you are keeping, designate an area in your house where you can place these boxes and come back to them later.  If you are moving, label the boxes & tape them up.  If you are not, simply stack them neatly and be prepared to revisit them later.
5. The donation items are pretty easy.  As you fill up the bag or box, either place it in your car for donation drop off or call and have them pick it up.  Oh yeah- did you know that many local thrift shops and non profits will actually come to your doorstep and pick up your donations!  Seriously- I have several of these in my contacts list and call them several times throughout the year.  Now that's awesome!  
6. And finally, for the sell items- you will need to decide how you are going to sell them.  For larger, bulkier items I suggest Craigslist.  Things I have sold on Craigslist include strollers and other big baby items, bikes, pet cages, a trampoline and furniture.  For shoes and clothing- your best bet is Ebay.  Just make sure it's brand name and in good condition.  And for random household items and other things, do a garage sale or even an online garage sale.  For items that don't sell- donate them immediately.  If your goal is to get rid of things, don't hold on to them in the hopes you can one day sell it.  Just get rid of it.
7. Repeat steps 1-6 for each room in your house.  This process, if done right- will take at least one month.  At least.

When you are done, you will only be left with the keep boxes.  If you have time, go through these again.  Now that you've successfully gotten rid of so much stuff, I have a feeling that you'll be much more critical of what's in your keep pile.  Then organize it.

Break down your keep pile into things that you will either put away somewhere hidden, like a closet, picture album or filing cabinet.  For the things you will be putting away- spend some time getting this all organized.  If you need file folders for paperwork, go buy it!  If you need picture albums for all those family photos- then by all means, get it done.  And then start another pile for those items that you want to put out on display.  Seems easy enough, right?

Now, for things you want to put on display, work on finding the right place for it in your home.  Sometimes it starts with just a framed photo or two, or perhaps a green dog made out of jade that once belonged to your husband's grandpa (yeah, we have one those!) or maybe it's a basket collection or pile of precious moments figurines.  Whatever it is- if it's important enough to display, then you need to take the time to find the right spot for it.  Many times, you may need to invest in shelves or display cabinets or switch out frames so it matches with your existing decor.  And don't feel that you need to rush out and do all of this immediately.  Take your time- because these items are what will eventually make up the fabric of your home.  These memories and sentimental items are what truly makes a house a home.  So take the time to do it right.

Well there you have it.  Sounds exhausting right?  But follow the steps, keep at it and you'll be amazed with the results.  Oh and don't forget to allow yourself just a little bit of mess.  For me, it's the coat closet under the stairs.  That's where I keep my miscellaneous wedding keepsakes, wrapping paper, gift bags, old photos and vintage video games.  Oh and coats- yeah, there's some coats in there too.

Packing Lunch

One of my duties as a Traditional Wife is to pack my husband's lunch each day for work.  And if I don't pack it- he won't eat.  So you best believe that I make sure he has a lunch each day.

He has a few requirements that need to be met from his lunch.  Most importantly, is something that he can eat easily.  It can't be messy, can't require a fork or spoon and he would prefer it to be something he can hold in one hand while multi tasking with the other hand.  Since he doesn't typically stop and take a lunch break, he needs to be able to eat it on the go.  Usually while he's in his work van driving to his next job.  So that also means, it can't be something that needs to be heated up in order to eat.

The other issue we battle is our diet.  If you follow my blog at all, you know that we eat a pretty clean diet.  Mainly organic and non GMO, there's pretty much NO processed foods in our house.  So yeah, this can make packing a lunch just a little tricky.  As a result of our diet, we simply can't stop at most fast food places because they make us sick.  Every so often we do splurge and unfortunately, if the husband has been at work for 18 hours and already burned through his lunch 10 hours previously- he will have to stop at the drive thru.  But we try to limit this as much as possible.

Alright- so we've discussed the restrictions.  It must be easy to eat, can't require a microwave, organic, non GMO and of course it must satisfy my picky husband.  So let's talk about what I do pack.  Yay!  This is the fun part!

I always start with the fresh foods.  This means fruit and veggies.  The husband is a big fan of Fuji apples that I cut into slices, grapes pulled off the vine and ready to eat, orange slices, carrots that I've cut into sticks or celery with peanut butter- all organic of course.  I do everything I can to make it easier for the husband to simply grab and go.  I will also make a smoothie or if I don't have time to blend away, I will send him with a Kombucha.

Grape Chia- the husband's favorite!

.

My advice- load up on the fresh stuff first.  And with my boys, when in doubt- pack them more!  Both the husband and the kiddo LOVE their fruit and veggies.  In fact, they both usually eat it first!

Pizza for lunch!

Now- because my husband is a picky eater, I can't pack foods that are "different".  So the main portion of the lunch consists of things that are pretty standard.  Sandwiches, pizza, sometimes hot dogs or cheese and crackers.  But really- it's all pretty tame.  However- I do make sure that I'm buying REAL foods.  For example, when I make him a roast beef sandwich, I buy organic deli meat.  Add in GMO free cheddar and organic sandwich bread and you have a MUCH better alternative for your favorite sandwich!  Even pizza has had a makeover.  I either make it from scratch or buy organic frozen pizza that I've heated up in the oven, then cut up and wrapped in foil.

Occasionally I will pack chips.  However, even the chips have seen a face lift in the last couple years.  Where once we used to be huge fans of Cheetos, ah yes...Cheetos....now I buy Late July brand organic chips.  Folks, can I just tell you how amaze-balls these chips are!?!  SO good!  But what is not so good is the price!  Eek!  And just in case you're interested, Late July also has other yummy organic snack foods- perfect for lunches!  I've also been known to put air popped popcorn (that I popped at home) in his lunch or even some of the kiddo's favorite Annie's Cheddar Bunnies in there.  This is about as processed as it gets.

The husband uses this adorable robot lunch bag
from Pack It

And what would a lunch be without something sweet?  I almost always have a home baked goodie to add.  This week it's super large chocolate chip cookies.  Last week it was pumpkin bread that I took out of the freezer.

Finally- what would a home packed lunch be without a super cute lunch bag?  Oh be still my little OCD heart!  How I do love bags, totes, boxes and anything used to organize!  For the husband's lunch, I use this lunch bag from Pack It.  Since he doesn't have a refrigerator and his lunch stays in his work van all day- I need to make sure it stays cold all day long.  Even in 100 degree weather!  So I found these
bags at my local Marshall's discount store.  But I know that Target also carries them and of course you can check online.  Not only are they super cute but they have freezable gel lining that keeps the husband's lunch cool all day!

Well....we've reached the end.  Have you been inspired to make some healthier changes to your packed lunch?  Or perhaps even been inspired to start packing a lunch?  My advice is to keep in mind your restrictions and then work on finding healthier alternatives.  It can be done- good luck to you!

Look for these brands when shopping!

20 Things I Want my Son to Learn

1. Master a few dishes and you'll look like a rock star in the kitchen.  Ladies will be super impressed.
2. Exercise patience with everyone in every thing you do.  A wise man is a patient man.
3. Be kind.  You never know what someone is going through.  Choose kindness over being right every time.
4. Listen.  Simply shut your mouth and really listen to others.
5. Team sports are great learning tools.  Don't be afraid to fail.  Take pride in winning.
6. Be strong in your manhood and proud to be who you are.  A strong man has value even if society is telling you they don't.  It's ok to be a strong leader.
7. Learn to use the dishwasher, washing machine, iron and vacuum.
8. Take pride in your appearance.  No one wants to hug a smelly man.
9. Private parts are just that- private.  No sexting or inappropriate clothing.  Keep those parts private!
10. Manners will get you everywhere.  Hold the door for ladies, allow people to go ahead of you, say "please" and "thank you".
11. Aim when you pee.  Someone has to clean that up you know.
12. Don't be afraid to be different and just a little weird.  We are all weird & that's what makes us unique.  Embrace it.
13. Women love flowers- especially if there's no reason behind them.
14. Laugh.  Often.  See the humor and happiness in life.
15. Marry your best friend.  Looks fade, people get fat but if you marry someone who you love to be around- you'll never have any problems.  Marriage is a forever deal.
16. When in doubt- ask.
17. Remember where you came from and don't loose sight of where you're going.  A strong foundation will serve you well.
18. Decide to learn from life instead of fight it.  There are lessons everywhere.
19. The only hero you need is your Dad.
20. Call your Mom- often.  She loves you more then you will ever know.

Mommy Said Fuck

Oh.  My.  Word.

I just said the "F" word in front of my kid.  Not to my kid but in front of him.  I'm pretty sure that's the first time he's ever heard Mommy say Fuck.  Oh yeah- folks, sometimes I swear.  Not a lot and usually not around my child or any children for that matter.  But hey- we are adults here and sometimes you said a bad word.  But I have never, as in NEVER EVER said the "F" word around the kiddo.  To be honest, I'm really not a big fan of that word at all.  It's just so harsh and unnecessary.  I'm also a big believer that the words we use reflect upon who we are just as I believe that our actions reflect upon us as well.  And some words, just shouldn't be said.

With that being said, I totally just said a super bad word in front of my kid. 

Let's backup so I can explain how this not so nice word came out of my mouth.

For awhile now, our garbage man has been hassling the husband about getting one of the garbage company's trash cans.  He's doing this because with a personal trash can, he has to get out of his truck and can't use the super easy lift.  Result- it makes more work for him.  However, where we live, you are allowed to have a personal trash can so I see no reason to replace what we have AND pay a higher monthly rate to do so.

So....three weeks ago our garbage man took it upon himself to throw away the lid to our personal trash can.  Thus forcing us to replace it.  OOOHHH...you sneaky person you.  But it doesn't end there- he then lied about doing so and then lied again to cover it up.  If there's one thing I can't stand it's people who lie.  Finally, two weeks ago- he admitted to lying and was reprimanded by the company.

So folks- I'm all about forgiveness and letting things go- not living in stress and anxiety etc.  So in an effort to do just that- I called and arranged for them to remove the rest of my personal trash can on our next pickup day and then bring us one of their trash cans.

That was 3 weeks ago.  THREE WEEKS.

In that time, I have been battling incompetence at every single turn.  Since I work in customer service, I have been more then understanding and patient and yet- three weeks later I am still without a new trash can and up until just 3 days ago, they had still failed to remove the bottom half of my unusable personal trash can. Gah.  I'm trying to live without stress here people and this is NOT helping me!  So today- Monday, for the 3rd Monday in a row, I was promised a call back from a manager.  When lunchtime rolled around, I realized that yet again- I would not be getting that promised phone call.  So I called up and after being transferred 3 times was finally connected a supervisor.  She promised to look into the issue and call me back.

Folks- here's what I'm asking for- a trash can to be delivered and a credit on my account equal to the 3 weeks I've spent dealing with this crap.  Seems fair to me, right?

Here's what the supervisor offered me- a trash can delivered (yeah right!) by Friday, which is in 5 days.  What am I supposed to do with my trash in the meantime?!?  And a $10 credit.  Seriously?!?  $10!

And that folks, that's when this Mommy lost her shit.

It was not pretty.  I was done being nice.  I was fresh out of patience.  And I ended the call with "I am fucking pissed and $10 is not acceptable."  Sigh....deep breath.

So yes- Mommy said Fuck.

And to be honest, I would probably do so again in this situation.  There comes a time, when your children will see you as real people.  People who get angry, people who are sad and people who say Fuck.  I was hoping that I could prolong that until the kiddo was a little bit older- but alas, the time has come.  Mommy is a real person, full of mistakes and imperfections.  Sorry kid- now you know.

Regrets

Do I regret being a housewife?  A Mother?  Do I regret staying home?

Umm...no.  The answer is no, I do not regret any of my choices.

I don't believe in having regrets.  They are simply not a part of my vocabulary.  If I ever feel like I'm doing something that I may regret later or wish I had done differently, then I simply change it.  This way I don't have to look back upon those choices with regret.  Seems easy enough right?

Years ago, when the kiddo was about a year old, I found myself stuck.  I had just started working this fabulous job- good pay, nice corner office with a window, travel....you get the picture.  And yet, every single day I would look out my 13th floor office window at the people down below and wish I was out there.  With my child.  Instead of being stuck in there.

So you know what I did....I quit.

Easy as that.  If something is not working in your life, change it.

Pretty crazy idea huh?  But the reality is this- you have one life to live.  So live it.  The way you want to live it and don't waste it looking back wishing you had done something differently.

Yes- quitting my job was a major step.  Of course I was anxious about this choice but I knew that I couldn't continue to struggle day in and day out.  I couldn't keep dragging my behind out of bed at 4am, not seeing my baby until 3pm every day.  I wanted to be home, playing outside in the sandbox, going for walks, taking the kiddo to story time at the library- I wanted this.  And for me, it was worth making some drastic changes so that my husband and I could afford this life change.

I won't say that we haven't struggled.  But what I will tell you is that by simply making this one choice, by following my heart instead of my head- it has led us to make many other life choices.  I probably wouldn't have become so obsessed with eating healthy.  We probably would have continued eating meat because I wouldn't have taken the time away from my child to worry about this.  And we definitely would NOT have even considered homeschooling.  Homeschooling with 2 working parents- yeah...I wouldn't have even thought that possible.  And yes, I know many of you do- so Kuddos!  But I'm simply not sure if this would have been something I could see myself doing.

It's strange how by making just one choice, it's led me to the life I'm currently living.  I'm happy.  And I don't for one minute wish that I had stayed in that high rise surrounded by my fellow employees, talking about our children and showing their pictures.  I see my child, in person.  Every day, all day.  Not in a photograph.  And you can't put a price on that.

So no- I don't have any regrets.  Do you?

A Sign of the Times

Tonight I found out that my super cool Great Grandma died.

The summer after I graduated high school, I spent a couple weeks with her and my Grandparents in Rhode Island.  In my mind, I will probably always picture her on the screened in back patio of her cabin on the Cape, arguing with my Grandpa about some silly and crazy thing.  She was a tough lady and she could hold her own.  There were stacks of books everywhere and photos of her travels.  She was an explorer this woman and she saw the world.

Wicked smart, a sharp tongue that only she could get away with and an adventurous and carefree spirit.  She was simply, one of a kind.  As a child, I remember her Christmas cards that held photos of different travels.  Riding camels, standing next to elephants, near the pyramids and faraway beaches.  As a young adult, she gave me grief over kissing with my husband and told me stories of when she chased a man with a shotgun.  There was simply no one like my Great Grandma Barbara.

I'm sad that she has died and she will be missed.  A woman such as her, she put her mark on this world and forever changed the lives of people she met.  But I'm comforted in the fact that she lived an amazing life.  A long and full life and for the most part- I think a happy one.  You just can't ask for anything more.

With that being said- the reason I'm sharing this with all of you is just a little disturbing.  At least to me.  I found out she had died via Facebook.  Yeah- you heard me.  Facebook.

Gah.

I don't know about you but I'm definitely old fashioned in a few of the societal norms.  I prefer to find out that a beloved family member has died either in person or via phone.  Hell- even Skype would have been better then Facebook.  Imagine...scrolling through your news feed and you come upon a RIP with a picture of dear old Grandma.  Yeah- no.

And then that got me thinking....is this the new norm?  I realize we are announcing all sorts of things on Facebook these days- marriages, engagements, pregnancies, births but deaths?  Really?!?  That just seems so wrong....

Listen- I can totally understand if you're posting information about a Memorial Service or Funeral.  Or you know that everyone in the family has been told of a person's death and you simply want to share your sadness with all your Facebook "friends".  I get that.  But I just don't understand posting stuff that's SO personal and effects lots of other people without giving any thought to how this might trickle down.  It's not like you posted that you lost your job or your cat died....this is about someone who LOTS of people knew and loved and to find out in your Facebook feed while scrolling between articles on GMO's and silly cat videos?!?  Ick.

But then again, maybe it's just me.

Maybe I simply conduct myself differently then the majority of people do in our current society.  And perhaps I'm in the wrong for thinking this isn't acceptable.  Are we so wrapped up in our electronic world that we forget how the real world works?  Is the really the new normal?!?

God- I hope not.

But who knows really....but what I do know is that I lost someone awesome and no one bothered to actually call me and tell me.  And that's pretty damn sad.  A sad sign of the times...

So to my Great Grandma Barbara- you were seriously the coolest old lady I knew.  Don't forget to send me a postcard from Heaven- I'm sure it's your best adventure yet.

We Are Making the Right Choice

"It was a good year here Mom" and with that one sentence, I knew we were making the right choice.

Listen- I think we all question our decisions at some point.  We wouldn't be human if we didn't, right?  And making the decision to homeschool is perhaps one of THE biggest choices you will ever make for your family.  Seriously- this one choice will impact every thing your child will do in their future and ultimately shape who they will become.  It's a big one.  So is it any wonder that you question it?  Of course not!

I'm no different.  For the first few years, my husband and I were constantly wondering if we were making the right choice.  It can be especially difficult in the first year or two- you're just getting the hang of it, you really have no clue what you're doing and everyone you know is questioning your "crazy" choice too!  Trust me, I get it.  But a funny thing happens as time goes on....you stop questioning it as much.  You begin to relax and you feel confident in your choices.  And then a moment happens and you simply know- without a shadow of a doubt- yes, we made the right choice.

For me, that moment came yesterday.  We were at the kiddo's homeschool program, Edmonds Heights, for Field Day.  There was music, bouncy houses, cotton candy, carnival games, popcorn, face painting, tie dye, Frisbee, dancing and more.  Seriously- way better then any Field Day I ever had!  The kiddo was running around with friends- playing, laughing and having a great time.  Families spread out blankets on the lawn for picnics, babies were toddling around, Mom's were talking and sharing with each other- it was truly a peaceful and happy atmosphere.  At the end of the day, the kiddo was helping me pick up our picnic lunch and was looking through his yearbook.  He looked up at me, smiled and said- "It was a good year here Mom."

And that- that I will NEVER forget.

My child is happy.  He's comfortable and secure with his place in our little homeschooling world.  He's learning, making lifelong friends and growing up in a supportive community of like minded educators and families.  It's pretty darn amazing when I think about it.  I'm so very thankful that we made the decision all those years ago- to go against the "norm" and choose to homeschool.  Because when I look around me and see the possibilities, the world that exists for my child- I know that I've made the right choice.

So I want to encourage all of you- especially if you are just starting out on your homeschooling journey.  You will have doubts, you will question your choices- but hang in there.  Because someday, you'll get your "moment" too and it will be priceless.  Just you wait....you'll see.

It's an Emergency!

The last couple of weeks have seen a HUGE number of visitors to one specific blog post.  Seriously- no one used to view this particular post and now, you guys are all over it!  Love that!  So are you curious which one it is?  I have to admit that even this has surprised me.  It's not any of my popular posts on being a Traditional Wife or anything to do with homeschooling or Motherhood.

It's about safety and emergencies.

Say what?!?  Ha!  Bet you didn't even know I wrote a few posts on this!  But here it is, the MOST viewed blog post last month.  The First 72 Are On You.  Alright, so now that you're over your shock and have read through this blog post- you might be wondering what the heck?  Why are so many people suddenly flooding this post?  I think the answer to that is simple- People are waking up.  They are realizing that in order to ensure their family's safety- they must prepare now.  They are figuring out that they can only truely rely on themselves when it comes to the safety and well being of their loved ones.  And of course, we are approaching hurricane season so I'm sure that has something to do with it.

All this is telling me that you want more.  You want to know how a typical Mom prepares her family for emergencies and you know what?  I'm gonna give it to you.

So, I've talked about the 72 Hour Kit and the importance of having some food and water.  I've also covered the importance of having a Car BOB or emergency gear for your vehicle and of course some basic information on Home Safety.  So what else is there?  Oh....I'm SO glad you asked.

Today I want to expand on the concept of the 72 hour kit.  That's 3 days folks.  And as I previously discussed, my family was once up shit creek for almost 2 weeks.  We were without power, heat and food in the middle of winter.  The kiddo was just 18 months old at the time and let me tell you- that sucked.  Balls.

Yes, having enough emergency supplies on had to get you and your family through the first 3 days should be your first goal.  But as anyone who has ever been in a "state of emergency" knows, three days will simply not be enough.

Here's what you need to prepare for those next two weeks:

7 gallons & BPA free!

Water:  Alright, so I have already covered some easy water storage containters.  My family personally has these 7 gallon BPA free ones by Reliance found at Walmart.  They are currently $12.99. The general rule of thumb is one gallon per person per day, pets included!  So for my family, I need 6 gallons daily.  I currently have only 3 of these containers so yes- that will get me through the first 72 hours.  We also have some water bottles from the grocery store, but these are NOT recommended for long term storage.

55 gallon barrels

Buy yourself some of these 55 gallon food grade barrels.  Costco and Walmart are great sources and I love that they come with a pump.  What good is all that water if you can't get to it?  And while you're at it, let's talk sanitation.  You should always have lots of bleach on hand to sanitize your water and other necessary items.  You can also buy some special drops but that can become costly.  My suggestion is to have 3 different methods to purify your water so that it's safe for drinking.  Bleach, boil and drops.  This way you've covered all your bases and since we know that water is THE most important item necessary for living, your water preparations should be the top priority!

Food:  You need enough for 3 meals per day per person and don't forget about your pets.  Seriously!  I will never forgive you if you prep for all the people but forget about your furry babies.

Since this will be LONG TERM food storage, you need to be thinking of food items that will last years.  Years folks!  Now, don't let that term "long term food storage" scare you.  This is really a no brainer.  Buy yourself some big buckets of dehydrated food from any of those long term food storage companies.  My family personally prefers Wise Foods Company, tastes pretty good, it's cheaper then other brands and has a shelf life of 25 years.  Can't beat that!  Buy from Amazon- because it's SO much cheaper and just buy one bucket per person in your family to get yourself started.  This will be enough for two meals for one month for one person.  Then buy a shit ton of oatmeal for breakfasts and your good to go!

60 serving bucket will feed one person for one month

 Personal Safety:  You might be wondering why I'm covering this here.  And the reality is sad but true.  In an extreme state of emergency, the shit will literally hit the fan.  Those who didn't prepare will become desperate and looting and riots will occur.  People turn into animals when they are hungry- seriously, I live with one.  So as someone who has taken the time to prepare for an emergency, you should also take the time to make sure you stay safe and can keep your preparations safe.

I have to admit that this area is not my thing.  I let my husband handle all of this because he knows what he's doing.  And this is simply my advice to you.  If there's someone in your family who knows about this stuff- seek their help and expertise.  Then learn all you can from them.

My personal means of self defense-
highly recommend for ALL the ladies in your family!

To be clear- I am NOT advocating that you run out a buy a buttload of guns.  Geez people....what I'm simply saying here and I've said it before, is to find a means of protecting yourself and your family that you are comfortable with.  Then master it.  So if you feel confident with guns, fine.  But make sure you practice and learn all the necessary safety rules and for goodness sakes- GET A SAFE.  However, if you're like me and mace is more your speed, then use that.  Perhaps your a hunter and a bow and arrow is your tool or maybe you are more into knives....seriously, just figure out a way to protect yourself if needed because you simply never know what chaos will ensue.

So now I've covered the 3 most important areas that you should focus on in an emergency.  But there's also a few items that I suggest you buy simply for piece of mind.

The first item you should have on hand is a radio.  I have to admit, I think this one is pretty awesome.  It's hand crank, has a flashlight and other cool stuff and can charge your cell phone.  Does it get any better then that?

Only $40 at Amazon!

You should also think about buying a generator.  Folks, this isn't a necessity but it is really nice to have on hand.  As anyone who's been without power can tell you- by about the 3rd day in, that shit gets old.  Fast.  If you have kids or even a cranky husband, the ability to watch a movie or heat up some hot chocolate in the microwave will work wonders for moral.  Trust me.

Finally- I have a homework assignment for you all.  I want you to walk around your house with a note pad and pen and write down all the items or tasks you need to complete in order to fortify your home.  What exactly do I mean by this?  It's simple- to fortify your home this just means that you make your home as strong as you possibly can.  Both inside and outside.

If you live in an area that sees lots of hurricanes, you'll probably want to buy some plywood to board up your windows.  If you haven't already done so that is....What if you live where there are lots of earthquakes?  Do you have large items that could fall and injure you or your children?  And let's not forget the importance of having a fully stocked first aid kit or plenty of blankets.  One important thing that I also encourage you to do as well is to simply put a working flashlight in every room of the house.  Then let everyone know where it is- this way, in an emergency, you will always have one nearby.

It's simple steps like this that will safely see your family through an emergency.  And now is the time to prepare for this- NOW.  So seriously, get up off your butt and go.  Your family is depending on it.

The Summer Schedule

Well here it is- as promised, the second in my 2 part summer series.  Hmm...can you even call 2 parts a series?  Well, whatever....you get the idea here.

Part 2- The Schedule.

So if you remember back to the first part, I described ALL the seriously awesome free and cheap summer activities that my family participates in.  I'm now going to tell you exactly how I make this work AND keep myself and the kiddo on task.  Because let's face it- it's hard to sit down and do homeschooling lessons or focus on work when it's beautiful and sunny outside!

First, I begin by printing off weekly calendars for the entire summer season.  Not too worry- these are FREE and can be found here.  Just make sure you select the weekly calendar and not the monthly or yearly and print them off at the local library so you're not throwing away all that money on ink and paper!  Oh- and I start my calendar on Sundays.  But really, do whatever works for you.

So now you've got your big stack of weekly calendars.  Time to get color coding!  What's that you ask....oh be still my OCD heart!  How I do love my colored sharpies!  Begin by assigning one color to homeschooling lessons, one color should be for scheduled activities and another for chores and rewards. 

Color coding is fun!

For example:

• Green is for workbook, reading and online learning
• Black is for all those awesome activities
• Red is for chores and rewards

Easy peasy!

Now get to work!  It's time to fill in those calendars!  I suggest you start with the activities first because depending on how many things you've got going each day- you may simply not have as much time for homeschooling and chores.

Once you've got your calendar all filled in, it's time to add in the incentives or rewards.  This folks is the super simple way that I keep my son on track all summer long.  Some would call it bribing and you would be totally right.  No shame here folks- sometimes we do what we must.

So you'll notice at the very bottom of my weekly calendar, I have marked "GOAL" in red sharpie.  Each week has a different number.  Here's where these numbers are coming from...simply count up all your green and red (homeschool and chores) and viola!- you've got your targeted goal for that week.  And what would a goal be without a reward- right?

Before you just start filling in the weekly rewards all crazy like- stop for a minute and think about them.  I have a couple bigger rewards spaced throughout the summer time to keep the kiddo excited and motivated.  Things like $10 to spend at the Lego store (which BTW- this would have happened at some point anyways) or a trip to the family fun center.  Mix in smaller rewards like a trip for FROYO, a new app on your phone or Ipad, a pack of Rainbow Loom bands, a new Lego mini fig or an ice cream sundae party with friends.  Seriously- keep it simple here but make sure it's something your kids want that is not something they normally get.

Next, it's time to add in the monthly rewards.  I'm going to be honest here and say that these are things that we are planning to do regardless.  But for goodness sakes- your kids don't have to know that!  Make them work for it!  And folks- just one piece of advice.  Don't make these monthly rewards about "things" or purchases.  Try to focus them on family time and learning activities.  For us, in June we will be going to either the local zoo or aquarium.  July is for the Museum of Flight, August is for the Pacific Science Center and we will finish our summer with a trip to Idaho in September.  My goal is to always start small and end with a bang!

And here's how this is all put into action.  As your child completes the daily red and green tasks, simply check them off.  If they reach the goal, they get the weekly prize.  And you guessed it- they need to get every single week completed in order to earn the larger monthly goal.  You can also add in some "extras" as a way for them to earn more check marks.  This works well for those days where they might not complete all the tasks.  If you have a running list of items- like an extra 60 minutes of quiet reading, dusting, mopping, cleaning windows, projects, workbook etc, your kids can simply select a task to earn back the missing check mark.


Here's another thing you may notice about my weekly calendar.  There's not a lot of chores.  The reason behind this is simple- the kiddo doesn't have a lot of assigned chores.  He's expected to pitch in and help when asked and we don't reward him for this.  As I tell him all the time, we all work together as a family.  And the day you start paying Mommy for doing your laundry and cooking your dinner, is the day I'll start paying you for sweeping the floors and picking up your socks.  This is the way it works in our home- your home may be different.  And that's totally ok- just adjust to suit your family's needs.

You might also see that there's a lot of free time.  I do NOT schedule all the hours in the day.  Yes, there is literally something going on almost every single day.  But it's not all day long.  This folks-this is intentional.  I work from home so I need to be around for the majority of the day, every day.  Many of our activities don't begin until later in the day when I can call it quits at work.  But the other main reason behind this is simple.  I intentionally leave time for the kiddo to simply be a kid.  I want him to ride bikes, jump on his friend's trampoline, play in the backyard, to eat Popsicles in the summer sun, to run through the sprinklers with the neighbor kids...basically, I am giving him time to enjoy his summer and just be a kid.  Don't underestimate this!  Kids need time to just relax, have fun and enjoy their childhood without a constant schedule pushing them forward.

I have not put in the time the kiddo will spend at the YMCA this summer either.  The reason behind this is because its more of a casual/drop in thing.  If he wants to go swimming or hang out at the Sparks Youth Zone, he can.  As long as he has his other items checked off first!

I also use this handy little chart that I found on Pinterest.  Oh- how I LOVE Pinterest!  This is SO easy to adapt to your weekly calendar.  Really!

Mondays are our Project Days.  So this is where we do art projects or science experiments.  I usually just print off a whole bunch of worksheets from Education.com (FREE!!) and then the kiddo picks whatever one he wants to do.  

Tuesdays we usually go to the $1 Movie.  Sometimes we might run a few errands or go out to lunch too.

Wednesdays are spent at the pool or the local splash pad.

Thursdays are the activities and free programs offered by our local library.  And most often, these programs help to jump start the kiddo's creativity and imagination.  It's very common for him to come home from the program and continue on with the learning.

Fridays are for FUN!

So there you have it.  Our summer homeschooling schedule.  I suggest that you keep this calendar visible and easily accessible- we keep ours on the fridge.  Feel free to make a weekly calendar for each child or just use a different colored sharpie for each kid.  Do what works best for you!  I hope this will give you some inspiration for keeping your kids on track this summer- whether you homeschool year round or not!

Bring on Summer!

And just in case you missed it- here's the first part to this Summer Series.  Gearing Up for Summer!