Random Blurbs

I wish I could make this blogging thing more of a priority, but alas, it is just not so. So, I'm here with some random blurbiness. :)

- I picked up my progressive lens glasses this evening. LOVE them. But, you know, when James overheard me say that I was getting bifocals, my sweet boy said, with a mischievous grin, "Mom? Bifocals? Are you getting old?" Love you, too, kiddo. *lol*

- I've read a couple of interesting articles on homeschooling today: a very positive Op-Ed piece in the Wall Street Journal, and a curious piece by Sonny Scott, entitled "Home-schoolers Threaten Our Cultural Comfort". I'm sure there are some truths in the latter article, but I assure you that it doesn't describe most of the homeschooling families I know. And frankly, I am dismayed to be defended in this manner. I mean, aside from the obvious fact that I don't wear homemade dresses (or anything else that's homemade), I think I must disagree that a "concern for a theistic world view largely permeates the movement." Or maybe I'm just fortunate enough that I have met many homeschooling families here who are not at all like the family that Mr. Scott describes in his article; most here seem to homeschool for secular reasons, even if they do actually believe in God/attend church/etc. This article, thought? It's quite a lot too 'in your face' to help "the movement", and even I find the whole thing rather put-offish. I wear pants, I drive a minivan (with an integrated DVD player - which we use, and not only for education shows), we have a Wii (and a Playstation) which we play on our large, wide-screen TV, my kids have toys,... Though I wouldn't mind if my kids were well-behaved. That'd be pretty handy.

- I'm still struggling with how it is that I want our 'school' days to look. I think part of the problem is that we are still viewing it as school - as separate from everything else - and that's not really what I want. I want it to be this sort of natural thing where learning is good and fun, and where it happens without some sort of arbitrary time line and list of topics to study. Except that I have these text books, and it seems rather contrary to use them, and still try to accomplish what it is that I seek.

- We finally signed up for a pest control service - too many ants and earwigs and centipedes, I thought. Imagine my surprise when the gentlemen who came here explained that he found evidence of LOTS of black widows - in and near our grill, our retaining wall, our enclosed side courtyard, and all around the play area. Awesome. After hearing that, ants don't seem so bad, really.

- Aside from my glasses (love 'em - did I say that?), we also bought the following at Costco: Presidents (James and Molly argued over who got to read this first), Universe (which you should buy at Costco; it's half the amazon price), 501 Science Experiments, and a "Bridgie book", a Fisher-Price preschool jumbo floor pad (like a really big workbook), which will probably become an expensive scribble pad, I bet. Oh, and the DVD, Earth - The Biography. Thankfully, I also remembered to get bananas, which were actually the only item on my 'list'.

- Raccoons: We have them visit every night - a mom and her two nearly grown babies - when I put out a bit of food for the local stray (and feral) cat I feed. Lately, they've been a bit more brazen - they don't run off unless I physically step outside and shoo 'em away (if I see them, I remove the food). And also lately, one of them - the mom, I think - has been GROWLING at me. Dude, that is so not cool. I'd like to relocate them somewhere very far from my house, because they are only cute until they growl. Ya know?