It is cool and breezy today, and we have spent the day in unusual physical activity. Two days, actually, have been like that, and it's been oh-so-good for all of us.
Lessons on the fly today while making up (and then checking off- the checking off is the bestest part, don't ya know!) a "game plan" for getting the house tidied and cleaned. We drew a hamper with clothes flying into it. We drew a bookshelf with toys and books climbing onto it. We drew a big toilet with large teeth battling a toilet brush. Yeah, we have fun with it.
The boys both begged to be allowed to "help" and so, with *grave and dire warnings* about how very much trust is involved and how they must be able to follow directions, they got to use (here is where the angelic choir begins to sing and the boys nod in solemn honor of this milestone, this passing into Bigger Boyhood) the Clorox Wipes! Weeebuddies! We have one sparkly, lemony set of bathrooms now! They were so serious in their "proper procedure" for using "chemicals", and it was quite cute. (Not to mention the Hail Mary I said for being one step closer to no longer being the Lone Wrangler of the Toilets-of-the-Home-of-Four-Males!)
We took a break for quesadillas and a movie, then resumed lessons and cleaning. It is wonderful how much can get done when it's not a chore, it's a blessing.
Our neighbors came over this afternoon for a bit. (WOOHOO! Clean house!) The kids played and had a nice time. James is now making jewelry for the girls. I don't know if they appreciate it as much as I do- I just think it's hilarious. John, well, he needed a nap. He was a wee-bit "three" this afternoon. Still and all, he did come down a little and had a nice time.
Now supper- we have pork ribs on the bbq, asparagus steaming and rice settling. The house smells loved and lived in and cherished, which is how I feel about its inhabitants. And this breeze, this cleansing, relaxing breeze. I thought I'd come and visit for a bit.
Rules are important. We endeavor to guide our children and teach them in order that they will learn by observation and teaching rather than from experience. Sometimes, however, they just have to learn through tears. Tonight James learned not to leave his favorite bowl from Granny on the floor. John learned not to wear the bowl on his head and walk around. There were tears. Zorak and I will be holding a family meeting over supper to discuss how bad it feels to injure someone, albeit accidently, by not following the rules. (Although, if you know it's not "ok" to do something and you do it anyway, that's not quite an accident, is it?) ;-) We're hoping to soothe the tears with a renewed strength of heart and desire for obedience among the boys. After all, Grace is important, too.
And, like cats to the can opener, my children have materialized from other rooms, drawn by the soft tap-tapping of the keyboard. They have come to snuggle and sing and derail my train of thought. Time to go play!
Dy
If you don't mind the construction dust, come on in. The coffee's hot, the food's good, and the door is open...
Wednesday, May 19
Tuesday, May 18
I found it!
The lost Tuesday from last week- see, here it is! Neat, huh?
Well, we have some big news-
Crissy is back among the blogworld!
So is Joanne (The Happy Homeschooler).
What a serious bonanza for the blogworld!
I also found the guys over at Four Right-Wing Wackos. It's a fun place if you're a Right-Wing Wacko. *wink* Yeah, I'll be hanging out there. Each of the posters has a distinctive voice and tone, and covers a wide variety of material. A homeschooling blog, it's not, but then a little change of pace from time to time is nice, I think. You can also buy some raging cool Molon Labe bumper stickers!
Also, I want to say a great big "THANK YOU!!!!" to those of you who left a comment or emailed me privately about the upending last week. With a few days break, and some common sense restored to my thought process, I can honestly say that I agree with you. There's probably something to offend everyone here, but anybody who has half a brain knows better than to take offense, unless A) you're actually guilty of whatever it is I'm poking at *in which case that's your own conscience and don't yell at me b/c you feel like a dolt*, or B) I come right out and say, "You are a moron!" Which, really, I seldom actually do that, and when I do, it's either blatantly deserved or is not something I'm concerned about asking other's opinions on- so that's sort of a non-issue in itself, isn't it?
That said, I love my pacifist friends, my right-wing crunchy friends, my fundy friends, and my pagan buddies. I love you all to pieces. I love it when we agree, and when we don't. It's great to learn new points of view and to be able to sit down over a cuppa joe and think over why I believe what I do. Sometimes it's really neat to find threads of commonality among seemingly disparate philosophies, and those threads are woven into the unique and beautiful designs that make life oh, so interesting and beautiful. You keep me alert and on my toes. You rock!
My feelings on personal rights and responsibilities, and my fervent belief that the government does not need to babysit us (any more than the church needs to be the government babysitting us), in the end, outweighs the thought that I've pissed off yet another Canadian. (With very few exceptions, I do seem to have that effect on Canadians. Which is funny, because some of my absolute favorite people in Cyberspace, and our Blogosphere, are Canadians!) Anyway, there ya go.
Don't like that? Tough. Really. Between raising three young men to be contributing members to society, being a loving and submissive wife to my hubby (working on that whole submission process *grin*), running our home, preparing for tomorrow, engaging in the political process, re-educating myself along the way, and dealing with a plethora of stuff you don't even want to know about, I just don't have much "give a darn" left.
That's the beauty of living in America. I can go to Target, I can take pictures of my beautiful, articulate children, and by golly I can dislike people who are narrow-minded and persnickety. Case closed.
You are one click away from not having to deal with me, O, Offended Visitor, one click away...
If, however, you realize that not everybody is going to have the same milktoast opinions as everyone else and you are actually capable of towing the "respect for others" line, then welcome, Friend. Welcome.
And so, we're off to ride bikes and maybe slip down to the corner store for a treat! Have a wonderful Tuesday!
Dy
Well, we have some big news-
Crissy is back among the blogworld!
So is Joanne (The Happy Homeschooler).
What a serious bonanza for the blogworld!
I also found the guys over at Four Right-Wing Wackos. It's a fun place if you're a Right-Wing Wacko. *wink* Yeah, I'll be hanging out there. Each of the posters has a distinctive voice and tone, and covers a wide variety of material. A homeschooling blog, it's not, but then a little change of pace from time to time is nice, I think. You can also buy some raging cool Molon Labe bumper stickers!
Also, I want to say a great big "THANK YOU!!!!" to those of you who left a comment or emailed me privately about the upending last week. With a few days break, and some common sense restored to my thought process, I can honestly say that I agree with you. There's probably something to offend everyone here, but anybody who has half a brain knows better than to take offense, unless A) you're actually guilty of whatever it is I'm poking at *in which case that's your own conscience and don't yell at me b/c you feel like a dolt*, or B) I come right out and say, "You are a moron!" Which, really, I seldom actually do that, and when I do, it's either blatantly deserved or is not something I'm concerned about asking other's opinions on- so that's sort of a non-issue in itself, isn't it?
That said, I love my pacifist friends, my right-wing crunchy friends, my fundy friends, and my pagan buddies. I love you all to pieces. I love it when we agree, and when we don't. It's great to learn new points of view and to be able to sit down over a cuppa joe and think over why I believe what I do. Sometimes it's really neat to find threads of commonality among seemingly disparate philosophies, and those threads are woven into the unique and beautiful designs that make life oh, so interesting and beautiful. You keep me alert and on my toes. You rock!
My feelings on personal rights and responsibilities, and my fervent belief that the government does not need to babysit us (any more than the church needs to be the government babysitting us), in the end, outweighs the thought that I've pissed off yet another Canadian. (With very few exceptions, I do seem to have that effect on Canadians. Which is funny, because some of my absolute favorite people in Cyberspace, and our Blogosphere, are Canadians!) Anyway, there ya go.
Don't like that? Tough. Really. Between raising three young men to be contributing members to society, being a loving and submissive wife to my hubby (working on that whole submission process *grin*), running our home, preparing for tomorrow, engaging in the political process, re-educating myself along the way, and dealing with a plethora of stuff you don't even want to know about, I just don't have much "give a darn" left.
That's the beauty of living in America. I can go to Target, I can take pictures of my beautiful, articulate children, and by golly I can dislike people who are narrow-minded and persnickety. Case closed.
You are one click away from not having to deal with me, O, Offended Visitor, one click away...
If, however, you realize that not everybody is going to have the same milktoast opinions as everyone else and you are actually capable of towing the "respect for others" line, then welcome, Friend. Welcome.
And so, we're off to ride bikes and maybe slip down to the corner store for a treat! Have a wonderful Tuesday!
Dy
Monday, May 17
Mid-Day Funny
So James and I were doing math review today. I asked him a question, then he said, "Ya know what? Four plus three plus four plus three minus one is thirteen."
Just to be silly, I jokingly counted it out on my fingers (since our math program says NOT to use your fingers), by counting out, "Four (one finger up) plus three (second finger up) plus four (third finger) plus three (fourth finger) minus one (put the fourth finger down) equals THREE!"
James looked at me quizically, laid his hand on my knee and said, "Mom, I think that's why you're not supposed to count on your fingers."
Just to be silly, I jokingly counted it out on my fingers (since our math program says NOT to use your fingers), by counting out, "Four (one finger up) plus three (second finger up) plus four (third finger) plus three (fourth finger) minus one (put the fourth finger down) equals THREE!"
James looked at me quizically, laid his hand on my knee and said, "Mom, I think that's why you're not supposed to count on your fingers."
RATS
I thought I'd found the scanner cord, but it was a mirage. *sigh* I'll keep looking. Maybe I can take a picture of the drawings? Will that work w/ a cheapo digital camera?
Today was, in general, a test of my ability to be a kind human under pressure. I failed miserably for the majority of the day, finally gaining some redemption this evening. I don't think it was enough. Tomorrow should be better. I hope so.
The vacuum cleaner died today- twice. It's now been thoroughly repaired and works wonderfully. Then the carpet cleaner died. Twice. It's still laying dead on the floor, its innerds strewn mysteriously around the living room. *sigh* I don't know what happened to it. I don't think I can repair that one. And so, we have a partially cleaned, partially just wet living room right now. Ewww.
We finished The Tale of Despereaux. It never got any better. I don't even feel better for having finished it. The boys quit caring about the characters about halfway through. That didn't do much to spark the fires.
I finished Cat's Cradle. That was worth reading, although I must say that I'm glad I did not read it as a teenager. Considering I considered myself to be quite the existentialist at one point, Bokononism would have been very appealing when I was, say, 17. Scary thought. Reading it at this point, however, was thoroughly enjoyable.
Spent the better part of the evening cleaning. The downstairs is relatively decluttered (four trash bags later...) and the bookshelves are once again returned to their utilitarian and anally organized structure. *happy sigh* We are looking forward to this coming week. Let me rephrase that, I am looking forward to this coming week, at any rate. The rest of them just have to come along, willingly or not. We'll see how it goes.
John built a "launcher" for his helicopter toy today. It's very cool. He used a long stick and tied a clothes pin to it at the bottom. The rubber band is at the top. Clip the 'copter to the pin, pull the band down, release, and WOOHOO- airborne! Plus, since the stick is straight up, the helicopter comes back down relatively nearby. Less shaking the trees to rescue it.
James continued his crafty streak today by making paper dolls. He's never seen paper dolls, but he made them up and cut them out. They're very neat. They even have voice bubbles over their heads. The Mommy says, "I love you, you're a great kid." The James says, "You're a nice Mom. I love you, too." And their legs are split, so they can walk! Like I said, very neat.
One full day tick-free boys, but talk about psychological warfare. Every stray hair that falls across my arm, everything that bumps against my skin... *shudder* I've been a walking mass of goosebumps all day.
We also went to look at a house today. It's on a lovely acre. The house needs about $30K in work done to it, but it may be do-able, certain requirements all told. The neighbors seem nice. It's *relatively* in our price range. But then, getting back into the car, I knocked not one, but two ticks off me! BAECK!!! If y'all have watched many Steve Martin movies, then you can imagine the dance I did. We hauled the boys out and did a thorough tick-check on them, too. Yuck.
Here's to a twitch-free week!
Dy
Today was, in general, a test of my ability to be a kind human under pressure. I failed miserably for the majority of the day, finally gaining some redemption this evening. I don't think it was enough. Tomorrow should be better. I hope so.
The vacuum cleaner died today- twice. It's now been thoroughly repaired and works wonderfully. Then the carpet cleaner died. Twice. It's still laying dead on the floor, its innerds strewn mysteriously around the living room. *sigh* I don't know what happened to it. I don't think I can repair that one. And so, we have a partially cleaned, partially just wet living room right now. Ewww.
We finished The Tale of Despereaux. It never got any better. I don't even feel better for having finished it. The boys quit caring about the characters about halfway through. That didn't do much to spark the fires.
I finished Cat's Cradle. That was worth reading, although I must say that I'm glad I did not read it as a teenager. Considering I considered myself to be quite the existentialist at one point, Bokononism would have been very appealing when I was, say, 17. Scary thought. Reading it at this point, however, was thoroughly enjoyable.
Spent the better part of the evening cleaning. The downstairs is relatively decluttered (four trash bags later...) and the bookshelves are once again returned to their utilitarian and anally organized structure. *happy sigh* We are looking forward to this coming week. Let me rephrase that, I am looking forward to this coming week, at any rate. The rest of them just have to come along, willingly or not. We'll see how it goes.
John built a "launcher" for his helicopter toy today. It's very cool. He used a long stick and tied a clothes pin to it at the bottom. The rubber band is at the top. Clip the 'copter to the pin, pull the band down, release, and WOOHOO- airborne! Plus, since the stick is straight up, the helicopter comes back down relatively nearby. Less shaking the trees to rescue it.
James continued his crafty streak today by making paper dolls. He's never seen paper dolls, but he made them up and cut them out. They're very neat. They even have voice bubbles over their heads. The Mommy says, "I love you, you're a great kid." The James says, "You're a nice Mom. I love you, too." And their legs are split, so they can walk! Like I said, very neat.
One full day tick-free boys, but talk about psychological warfare. Every stray hair that falls across my arm, everything that bumps against my skin... *shudder* I've been a walking mass of goosebumps all day.
We also went to look at a house today. It's on a lovely acre. The house needs about $30K in work done to it, but it may be do-able, certain requirements all told. The neighbors seem nice. It's *relatively* in our price range. But then, getting back into the car, I knocked not one, but two ticks off me! BAECK!!! If y'all have watched many Steve Martin movies, then you can imagine the dance I did. We hauled the boys out and did a thorough tick-check on them, too. Yuck.
Here's to a twitch-free week!
Dy
Saturday, May 15
Yeah, it's hard not to blog...
We had the sweetest day today!
I heard, through my groggy morning-brain haze, Zorak tell the boys, "Let's let Mommy get some rest, she's sleepy." Mmm, I spread out on the cool sheets (something that's nearly impossible to do with four high-metabolism bodies squished into bed w/ me), flipped my pillow over to the cool side, and dozed back off... heavenly.
When I came downstairs, the coffee was fresh, and the boys said cheerily, "We're cleaning the house for you!" My heart beamed at their joy. I could not see a single difference at all, except that the house glowed with love and appreciation now, even amidst the clutter and miscellaneous "stuff" piled here and there.
We enjoyed a nice morning playing, gathering, and planning our day. We went to Wal-Mart and bought the boys some summer clothes. James picked out his own shirts. *sniff* He's getting so big and independent. He picked a "cool" Bugle Boy t-shirt that I wouldn't have picked (it's not offensive, just looks "older" than I evidently am geared toward...) He is growing up in many wonderful ways, and I'm trying to let him. *cringe*
Lunch at the buffet! Oh yeah, all-you-can-eat. This is the way large families can afford to eat out! Good stuff.
We came home, and as we walked in, John let out a HUGE sigh, saying, "It's so nice to come home to a clean house." I could have died laughing! It was so heartfelt, and so genuine. What a neat kid.
It was too hot 'n sticky (read: generally, temps over 80'F and humidity over 15%, although today it was WAY over that) to do anything but read and watch a movie. Oh, and nap. We napped. I'm really quite serious about that whole "summer hibernation" theme!
We had our first hands-on experience with ticks in Maryland today. Oh... dear... God. Poor Jacob. At first, I thought it was a crumb, but it wouldn't wipe away (diaper change, no less). Then I thought, "A scab? How would he get a scab THERE?" I checked his nails. Nope, all short... ACK! OMG!!! THAT'S A TICK!!! We got it off, and as of bedtime there was no rash and no swelling. Lyme's is pretty big here, and I'm more than a little freaked out over this whole thing.
Tonight I noticed James' light was still on, so peeked in to see what was going on. He was sitting in bed, drawing. My first instinct was to reprimand him for being up... I'm glad I curbed that reaction. We had the neatest visit. He was drawing music notes, rests, staffs, cleffs. He was drawing them freehand and they are absolutely beautiful! He shared with me all his drawings and what he was going to do next. I kissed him and told him how amazed I am with his interest and talent. He kissed me back and said "Thanks, Mom. I love this." I slipped back downstairs with my head shaking: who would have guessed one of my children would have artistic abilities like that? So I told Zorak, "His light's on. You have GOT to go see what he's drawing. It's amazing!" I want to scan them in- they're just beautiful drawings.
Sometimes, among the guiding and teaching, cleaning and feeding and sorting, running about and praying for sleep, we have the opportunity to be the mothers we want to be remembered as, and we must make use of those moments. Parenting is a moment-by-moment thing, and eventually all those moments come together to create the picture that will be your life. Your final masterpiece. It's in those moments that you get to decide whether you'll pay attention to details, like a twinkle in the eye or a mysterious smile. It's in those moments that you will figure prominently in the composition of your picture, or you will be absent from it. Will your picture be rich in literature and history and emotion, or will it be barren and bereft of connection? Will it be fraught with fear, or will it dance with delight and fortitude?
Choose well.
Dy
I heard, through my groggy morning-brain haze, Zorak tell the boys, "Let's let Mommy get some rest, she's sleepy." Mmm, I spread out on the cool sheets (something that's nearly impossible to do with four high-metabolism bodies squished into bed w/ me), flipped my pillow over to the cool side, and dozed back off... heavenly.
When I came downstairs, the coffee was fresh, and the boys said cheerily, "We're cleaning the house for you!" My heart beamed at their joy. I could not see a single difference at all, except that the house glowed with love and appreciation now, even amidst the clutter and miscellaneous "stuff" piled here and there.
We enjoyed a nice morning playing, gathering, and planning our day. We went to Wal-Mart and bought the boys some summer clothes. James picked out his own shirts. *sniff* He's getting so big and independent. He picked a "cool" Bugle Boy t-shirt that I wouldn't have picked (it's not offensive, just looks "older" than I evidently am geared toward...) He is growing up in many wonderful ways, and I'm trying to let him. *cringe*
Lunch at the buffet! Oh yeah, all-you-can-eat. This is the way large families can afford to eat out! Good stuff.
We came home, and as we walked in, John let out a HUGE sigh, saying, "It's so nice to come home to a clean house." I could have died laughing! It was so heartfelt, and so genuine. What a neat kid.
It was too hot 'n sticky (read: generally, temps over 80'F and humidity over 15%, although today it was WAY over that) to do anything but read and watch a movie. Oh, and nap. We napped. I'm really quite serious about that whole "summer hibernation" theme!
We had our first hands-on experience with ticks in Maryland today. Oh... dear... God. Poor Jacob. At first, I thought it was a crumb, but it wouldn't wipe away (diaper change, no less). Then I thought, "A scab? How would he get a scab THERE?" I checked his nails. Nope, all short... ACK! OMG!!! THAT'S A TICK!!! We got it off, and as of bedtime there was no rash and no swelling. Lyme's is pretty big here, and I'm more than a little freaked out over this whole thing.
Tonight I noticed James' light was still on, so peeked in to see what was going on. He was sitting in bed, drawing. My first instinct was to reprimand him for being up... I'm glad I curbed that reaction. We had the neatest visit. He was drawing music notes, rests, staffs, cleffs. He was drawing them freehand and they are absolutely beautiful! He shared with me all his drawings and what he was going to do next. I kissed him and told him how amazed I am with his interest and talent. He kissed me back and said "Thanks, Mom. I love this." I slipped back downstairs with my head shaking: who would have guessed one of my children would have artistic abilities like that? So I told Zorak, "His light's on. You have GOT to go see what he's drawing. It's amazing!" I want to scan them in- they're just beautiful drawings.
Sometimes, among the guiding and teaching, cleaning and feeding and sorting, running about and praying for sleep, we have the opportunity to be the mothers we want to be remembered as, and we must make use of those moments. Parenting is a moment-by-moment thing, and eventually all those moments come together to create the picture that will be your life. Your final masterpiece. It's in those moments that you get to decide whether you'll pay attention to details, like a twinkle in the eye or a mysterious smile. It's in those moments that you will figure prominently in the composition of your picture, or you will be absent from it. Will your picture be rich in literature and history and emotion, or will it be barren and bereft of connection? Will it be fraught with fear, or will it dance with delight and fortitude?
Choose well.
Dy
Friday, May 14
Happy Friday
Well, Zorak and I hope to spend a wonderful weekend with our boys, exploring the area and avoiding the heat and humidity. I doubt I'll be blogging over the weekend, so I wanted to pop in with a few thoughts before we get started on our lessons.
We talked to my nephew, John, last night. He's going to be a daddy in July and it was so exciting to hear him talk about it. He's going to be a great father, and we are so excited for him.
The frog did escape. With a little help. I told Zorak I thought he was stuck and he said that no, they should be able to get out. Well, we peeked again and there he was, huddled into one of the scallops in the pan. Zorak tried to encourage him out of there with no luck. "He's not a very bright little guy, is he?" he chuckled. So we gently upended the pan and released him back to the wilds of our back yard. We also removed the pans from the patio so he can now roam free in the yard.
The baby is eating cheerios, the boys are building with Duplos. I'm going to tidy up a bit and print off today's reading, then it's time for lessons. (Yes, we're doing a Friday day of lessons since we lost Tuesday somewhere in there.)
Have a wonderful weekend, all! Be good to your little ones.
Dy
We talked to my nephew, John, last night. He's going to be a daddy in July and it was so exciting to hear him talk about it. He's going to be a great father, and we are so excited for him.
The frog did escape. With a little help. I told Zorak I thought he was stuck and he said that no, they should be able to get out. Well, we peeked again and there he was, huddled into one of the scallops in the pan. Zorak tried to encourage him out of there with no luck. "He's not a very bright little guy, is he?" he chuckled. So we gently upended the pan and released him back to the wilds of our back yard. We also removed the pans from the patio so he can now roam free in the yard.
The baby is eating cheerios, the boys are building with Duplos. I'm going to tidy up a bit and print off today's reading, then it's time for lessons. (Yes, we're doing a Friday day of lessons since we lost Tuesday somewhere in there.)
Have a wonderful weekend, all! Be good to your little ones.
Dy
Thursday, May 13
Wow.
Evidently I am posting "hateful, racist crap" and someone out there finds it both "frightening" and "disgusting" that I would blend my "hateful, racist crap" with snippets of domestic life...
Hmmm. OK. Well, the manner in which the message was conveyed leaves quite a bit to be desired. And the, um, tone, shall we say, was rather out-of-left field. However, if someone feels vehemently enough that I am espousing hateful, racist remarks that they feel the need to deride me publicly, then I would certainly like to address that...
Since there was nothing in particular pointed out to me, I had to go back and re-read the most recent entries to try to figure it out.
Geneva Convention? Neuremberg? ACLU? Probably not, although admittedly I'm not usually in bed w/ the ACLU (or any union-like organization for that matter).
The Japanese under Hirohito while he was still considered "god"? Was that racist? I certainly didn't mean it to be, nor was anything there anything other than historical fact. The behavior was barbaric.
OK, I think this is it- the head-lopping, raping, etc.? I am not saying that all Muslims are this way, nor did I, nor will I. But is the Middle-East in large part manipulated by these particular sects? You betcha. Do I take issue with religious groups (of ANY persuasion) that are going to oppress and murder? You betcha. Do I care what color, nationality, or creed they are? Not a whit. Do I hope for more for the women and children of these war-torn countries? With all my heart. For their men, as well. If my comments were taken as anything other than I intended, then certainly the fault lies with me. Mea culpa. Please forgive me. If I have somehow missed the boat, I sincerely apologize.
Wow. A hateful racist. THAT is certainly not something I would have expected to see today. To the lady who posted her thoughts on the issue, thank you for opening my eyes somewhat, and I will endeavor to be more cautious of how my words may be interpreted.
And to my other readers who may also have taken offense, I apologize to you, as well.
Dy
Hmmm. OK. Well, the manner in which the message was conveyed leaves quite a bit to be desired. And the, um, tone, shall we say, was rather out-of-left field. However, if someone feels vehemently enough that I am espousing hateful, racist remarks that they feel the need to deride me publicly, then I would certainly like to address that...
Since there was nothing in particular pointed out to me, I had to go back and re-read the most recent entries to try to figure it out.
Geneva Convention? Neuremberg? ACLU? Probably not, although admittedly I'm not usually in bed w/ the ACLU (or any union-like organization for that matter).
The Japanese under Hirohito while he was still considered "god"? Was that racist? I certainly didn't mean it to be, nor was anything there anything other than historical fact. The behavior was barbaric.
OK, I think this is it- the head-lopping, raping, etc.? I am not saying that all Muslims are this way, nor did I, nor will I. But is the Middle-East in large part manipulated by these particular sects? You betcha. Do I take issue with religious groups (of ANY persuasion) that are going to oppress and murder? You betcha. Do I care what color, nationality, or creed they are? Not a whit. Do I hope for more for the women and children of these war-torn countries? With all my heart. For their men, as well. If my comments were taken as anything other than I intended, then certainly the fault lies with me. Mea culpa. Please forgive me. If I have somehow missed the boat, I sincerely apologize.
Wow. A hateful racist. THAT is certainly not something I would have expected to see today. To the lady who posted her thoughts on the issue, thank you for opening my eyes somewhat, and I will endeavor to be more cautious of how my words may be interpreted.
And to my other readers who may also have taken offense, I apologize to you, as well.
Dy
Crud.
I had an entire entry typed up and ready to go when *wham* IE experienced some "exceptional error" or "magnificent malfunction" or what have you, and shut down. I hate it when that happens.
So, where was I? I think our frog is stuck. There's a baking pan on the porch. He hopped in there a few minutes ago and seems to be making the rounds. I wish the boys were up- they'd love to be able to get up close without fear that he'll jump into the house (which he's done- he seems driven to try to get in). If he's not extricated himself from the pan before I head to bed, I'll let him out. Poor thing.
The boys are... well, they're boys. They are wonderful, active, creative, funny, exhausting little boys. I just want to snuggle them til their little eyes bulge. (...and I will luv him and squeeze him and name him George...*) Today was not particularly splendid, but it was nice and filled with many good things.
Diving Deeper- this is an issue for James. I'd love insight if any of y'all have it. For some reason (couldn't have anything to do w/ my genes, right? ha ha!) he doesn't particularly care for "mastery". He just wants to know if he can do it- is he actually, physically, technically capable? If so, then he's good-to-go, let's move on! I know I haven't relayed to him the Einstein quote about memorizing what you can look up, but somehow he senses it on a very instinctive level. How do you get a highly motivated, accelerated child to slow it down a bit, take a breath, do a little deeper? Now how do you do it without dulling his exuberance or making things feel droll?
Protecting the World- John wants to be a soldier. He says that he wants to be an Army soldier, but maybe he wants to fly planes, too. We'll see. Either way, that works. Today he saved us from flying dragons and small, multi-headed beasts. We've got to get that kid into fencing. He's downright deadly with a sword. And don't even think about trying to play dead and then jumping up and roaring because if he is anywhere near you, he will thwack you on the head with his rubber sword. His fight-or-flight reflexes are finely tuned and ready for action, but there's no flight option.
Jacob had his first M&M today. You'd think after the brownie pouncing adventure, we'd be more careful with our dainties, wouldn't you? Nope. We were camped out on the floor, enjoying math questions and M&M's when suddenly, like something out of The Swamp Thing, he emerged from under the coffee table and in a flash of Carter's prints and drool, nabbed a handful of the brightly colored treats and they were gone. (For the record, they will melt in your hand if you've previously slobbered all over it.)
Zorak was not well today. He slept for 16 hours straight. I am amazed at the body's ability to completely shut down for repairs. He's feeling markedly better tonight, and I had a serious V-8 moment when I realized, much to my embarrassment, we had the car all day and didn't go anywhere! D'oh. It was a great idea, in hindsight.
Alrighty, it's time for a Windows update to fix whatever this magnificent problem is, and then perhaps new pictures? It's been awfully quiet around here lately. Let me know if you've found us ok!
Dy
*if you can do the voice w/ the reference, you get extra points for being cool!
So, where was I? I think our frog is stuck. There's a baking pan on the porch. He hopped in there a few minutes ago and seems to be making the rounds. I wish the boys were up- they'd love to be able to get up close without fear that he'll jump into the house (which he's done- he seems driven to try to get in). If he's not extricated himself from the pan before I head to bed, I'll let him out. Poor thing.
The boys are... well, they're boys. They are wonderful, active, creative, funny, exhausting little boys. I just want to snuggle them til their little eyes bulge. (...and I will luv him and squeeze him and name him George...*) Today was not particularly splendid, but it was nice and filled with many good things.
Diving Deeper- this is an issue for James. I'd love insight if any of y'all have it. For some reason (couldn't have anything to do w/ my genes, right? ha ha!) he doesn't particularly care for "mastery". He just wants to know if he can do it- is he actually, physically, technically capable? If so, then he's good-to-go, let's move on! I know I haven't relayed to him the Einstein quote about memorizing what you can look up, but somehow he senses it on a very instinctive level. How do you get a highly motivated, accelerated child to slow it down a bit, take a breath, do a little deeper? Now how do you do it without dulling his exuberance or making things feel droll?
Protecting the World- John wants to be a soldier. He says that he wants to be an Army soldier, but maybe he wants to fly planes, too. We'll see. Either way, that works. Today he saved us from flying dragons and small, multi-headed beasts. We've got to get that kid into fencing. He's downright deadly with a sword. And don't even think about trying to play dead and then jumping up and roaring because if he is anywhere near you, he will thwack you on the head with his rubber sword. His fight-or-flight reflexes are finely tuned and ready for action, but there's no flight option.
Jacob had his first M&M today. You'd think after the brownie pouncing adventure, we'd be more careful with our dainties, wouldn't you? Nope. We were camped out on the floor, enjoying math questions and M&M's when suddenly, like something out of The Swamp Thing, he emerged from under the coffee table and in a flash of Carter's prints and drool, nabbed a handful of the brightly colored treats and they were gone. (For the record, they will melt in your hand if you've previously slobbered all over it.)
Zorak was not well today. He slept for 16 hours straight. I am amazed at the body's ability to completely shut down for repairs. He's feeling markedly better tonight, and I had a serious V-8 moment when I realized, much to my embarrassment, we had the car all day and didn't go anywhere! D'oh. It was a great idea, in hindsight.
Alrighty, it's time for a Windows update to fix whatever this magnificent problem is, and then perhaps new pictures? It's been awfully quiet around here lately. Let me know if you've found us ok!
Dy
*if you can do the voice w/ the reference, you get extra points for being cool!
More thoughts
OK, so little Lindie is crying "chain of command"- as if we could expect anything noble from this little one? One word: Neuremberg. Ring a bell? How about putting your jail time toward some history lessons. You can, and actually must, refuse certain orders. History has borne this out. The UCMJ, the Geneva Convention, and probably the ACLU will back you up for taking a morally appropriate stand.
Secondly (and then I'm done and will move on to more uplifting thoughts), I read in the paper that she claims she was told to pose for the pictures for "Psy Ops"... uh huh. OK, so if your friend's creepy brother tells you that if you'll let him take polaroids of you and the dog in compromising positions he can get you a modeling contract... are you gonna BUY that? Puhleeze!
The thing that is getting farther under my skin is that our military, a proud and mighty institution, filled with wonderful men (I admit I do have a beef w/ women in the military and Lindie is just one shining example of WHY), who are willing to lay down their lives for freedom, are being dragged through the mud as a whole. They permit us to be heard, to educate in our own way, to learn a foreign language as part of a chosen course of study and not due to a recent Occupational Edict... if you see a servicemember today (man or woman), please give that person your support and encouragement to stand strong, continue to be a good representative of these great United States, and come home with dignity and honor because we miss them. What was done was wrong, yes. It was already addressed. Why is this not mentioned or highlighted more clearly? It was done by a few idiots, not the entire military? Oh, but no, we don't want to mention that. And finally, it was humiliating, YES, but it was NOT torture, and I don't want to hear another simpering, whiny victim-minded moron try to compare the two. Stop. Get a clue.
OK, ok, I lied. One more. Jessie Jackson. ROFLOL! Oh, when is Satan going to collect on that man's deal and leave us in peace? War crimes. Heee heee. I'm sorry. I can't help but laugh.
Secondly (and then I'm done and will move on to more uplifting thoughts), I read in the paper that she claims she was told to pose for the pictures for "Psy Ops"... uh huh. OK, so if your friend's creepy brother tells you that if you'll let him take polaroids of you and the dog in compromising positions he can get you a modeling contract... are you gonna BUY that? Puhleeze!
The thing that is getting farther under my skin is that our military, a proud and mighty institution, filled with wonderful men (I admit I do have a beef w/ women in the military and Lindie is just one shining example of WHY), who are willing to lay down their lives for freedom, are being dragged through the mud as a whole. They permit us to be heard, to educate in our own way, to learn a foreign language as part of a chosen course of study and not due to a recent Occupational Edict... if you see a servicemember today (man or woman), please give that person your support and encouragement to stand strong, continue to be a good representative of these great United States, and come home with dignity and honor because we miss them. What was done was wrong, yes. It was already addressed. Why is this not mentioned or highlighted more clearly? It was done by a few idiots, not the entire military? Oh, but no, we don't want to mention that. And finally, it was humiliating, YES, but it was NOT torture, and I don't want to hear another simpering, whiny victim-minded moron try to compare the two. Stop. Get a clue.
OK, ok, I lied. One more. Jessie Jackson. ROFLOL! Oh, when is Satan going to collect on that man's deal and leave us in peace? War crimes. Heee heee. I'm sorry. I can't help but laugh.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)