After my crazy day yesterday, I came home from church today and collapsed for about 6 hours. But, I'm up now and I'm wondering...

I have digital cable, something like 4 million channels I think. But, even with all that, I NEVER see anything cool like this on TV any more. Why?



Can you tell who this is? I'll put the answer in the comments.

Labels: life, video

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  Two birthday parties and out to McDonalds tonight to meet friends for dinner!

Can you tell I'm half crazy?

But, I'm blogging. Because I love you. :-*

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  Thanks, Cube, for stopping by to check in and comment :-) I love your Cat Blog Friday, today, that story is hilarious!

Things are good here, but I'm helping a friend through a bad, bad time. There's not a lot I can do for her, but I spend a lot of time worrying about her. So, I haven't felt much like blogging. If you're praying, can you remember Mara? She could really use the help.

We're all healthy and happy and busy, here at the Horde. Here's a recent conversation we had, while watching 2001: A Space Odyssey. It started with Anya commenting on how well the proto humans looked, given the fact that the movie was made in 1968.

Anya (11): Wow, those monkeys look really good! That's really good special effects! That's even better than Godzilla!

Me: Yeah, um, a lot of things are better than Godzilla...

Anya (11): Oh yeah? Like what!?

Maya (9): Like pork...

I'm not sure if Maya just wasn't following the conversation, or what, but now we have a new gold standard in our house. If something's going to be "good," it better be at least as good as pork!

Happy Friday all, I promise I won't neglect you so in the future.

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  I've been behind in my blog reading lately, so this news is a tiny bit old, but still super-exciting!

Laura, of My Own Private Idaho (AKA Scribble) is pregnant with triplets!

That's a big triple woohoo to you! Going from 2 to 5, WOW! That's just so great!

Labels: fun news

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  so I don't have anything clever or witty to say about this. But, I just read that Kurt Vonnegut died on Wednesday.

I've been a fan of his work since I read The Sirens of Titan for my senior year Humor in Literature class. I was deliberately trying to find something to read that didn't just snap right into the mold of the assignment, pretty common behavior at the time. I can't remember how I picked this book, but I do remember having to get special permission from the teacher to use it to fulfill the class requirements. It was a great read, and I went on devour just about everything else he'd written.

From the article:

"When Hemingway killed himself he put a period at the end of his life; old age is more like a semicolon," Vonnegut told The Associated Press in 2005.

"My father, like Hemingway, was a gun nut and was very unhappy late in life. But he was proud of not committing suicide. And I'll do the same, so as not to set a bad example for my children."

It sounds like he was ready to go, and no one could argue that he didn't lead a full and fascinating life. I hope all is well with him now.

Labels: newsworthy, requiem

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  It turns out Larry Birkhead is Dannielynn's father.

I don't know why I got caught up in all the drama after Anna Nicole Smith's death. There were times when I remember feeling a distinct break with reality, when I questioned if they were just putting us on and she wasn't really dead. For instance, when Zsa Zsa Gabor's husband threw his hat into the ring as the possible father, I started wondering if the entire world was being punk'd...

I'm glad this is settled, hopefully there can be some dignity for her now, and we can all just let the whole thing fade away.

Labels: newsworthy

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  One of the co-ops I'm offering this summer involves jumping rope. (I'll show the basic details at the end of the post.)

So, I ordered some 16' long jump ropes and we got out yesterday to work on them a bit. I figured if my kids have an idea of what they're doing, it will be easier helping the other kids.

So, we were working with them, and I got in to show the kids how to turn the rope, and how to get the rhythm to jump it. Man, that's hard work! I haven't done this at all since I was a little girl!

Anyway, once I felt comfortable with the rope again, I decided to try to jump in once they were already turning it. I remember learning to do that when I was 8 or so, and I was so proud of myself. I watched the rope go around a few times, then I just ran right in and started jumping, like it hasn't been 25+ years since I did it last. It was SO AWESOME!!! I felt like the Queen of the World!

Well, I also felt like a jumping elephant, oh my knees!!!! But, it was fun! I'm going to try some more today :-)

Sorry I've been MIA, a very dear friend of mine has had some scary stuff going on in her life and I've been trying to be there for her. If you're a praying person, I'd appreciate it if you kept my friend Mara in your prayers.

If you want to read my co-op class description, click on the .*.*. below.

CLASS TITLE: Playground Games

CLASS DESCRIPTION: Remember all that cool stuff we used to do on playgrounds when we were kids; the doubles jump rope, and clapping games?

These activities are an excellent way to build strength, agility and co-ordination, as well as emphasizing co-operation. Plus they’re just fun and they make you feel cool if you can do them!

I will bring long jump ropes and some songs for both the jump rope and clapping, and I will need the parents’ help to keep all the ropes turning and the kids occupied. Don’t worry, you’ll learn (or remember) as we go, too!

Feel free to share any games or songs you remember from back in the day.

Labels: life

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  Disease underlies Hatfield-McCoy feud

The most infamous feud in American folklore, the long-running battle between the Hatfields and McCoys, may be partly explained by a rare, inherited disease that can lead to hair-trigger rage and violent outbursts.

Dozens of McCoy descendants apparently have the disease, which causes high blood pressure, racing hearts, severe headaches and too much adrenaline and other "fight or flight" stress hormones.

No one blames the whole feud on this, but doctors say it could help explain some of the clan's notorious behavior.

It's a long article, but fairly interesting.

We're running out the door, and will be gone most of the day. We have yearbook pictures for the homeschool group, Girl Scouts, and a Ward Potluck at church. Wish us luck!

Labels: newsworthy

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  Can you tell I'm excited?



Gorey tale coming to screen for first time

Gorey, who died in 2000 at age 75, was an artist and writer known for his macabre bent, with works that had an ominous and somewhat Victorian air. His influence can be seen in the works of Tim Burton and in music videos like Nine Inch Nails' "The Perfect Drug," and while none of his works has ever reached the silver screen, the opening titles of the PBS series "Mystery!" done in animation style are based on his art. He also was a successful set and costume designer, earning a Tony for his Broadway production of "Edward Gorey's Dracula."

This website has a pretty good selection of his images, if you're not familiar with him.

Labels: art, newsworthy

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  Closing schools reduced flu deaths in 1918

Cities that quickly closed schools and discouraged public gatherings had fewer deaths from the great flu pandemic in 1918 than cities that did not, researchers reported on Monday....

"Cities in which multiple interventions were implemented at an early phase of the epidemic had peak death rates about 50 percent lower than those that did not," they wrote in their report, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

In Kansas City, no more than 20 people could attend weddings or funerals. New York mandated staggered shifts at factories. In Seattle, the mayor told people to wear face masks.

No single action worked on its own, the researchers found, it was the combination of measures that saved lives.

I thought this was interesting, and I wonder if that means anything for us homeschoolers.

I thought, when we decided to homeschool, that we'd spend a lot less time being sick than we would if the kids were in school. That doesn't seem to be true. I think it's because we're always out and about so we're getting exposed all the time. I do know some families who are homeschooling for health reasons, and they do tend to catch less as they are home more and more careful about their contacts.

Also, before I started homeschooling, I thought that my kids wouldn't learn all the vile and nasty things those public school kids teach each other all day at school. Now, with a few years under my belt, I believe that much of that stuff just manifests itself whether they've heard it somewhere else or not. I think it's just hardwired into their brains in utero.

For instance, even though they're not in school, they've shown natural ability in such things as playing "mercy," and announcing "I see London, I see France..." Of course, they didn't quite show proficiency with that one, because they were pulling up their shorts and saying, "I see London, I see France, I see *my own* underpants." I never said they were geniuses.

Long post short (too late), I'd like to think that homeschooling will keep us healthier in the event of a major pandemic, but judging by all this other stuff I doubt that our methods of homeschooling will be any protection.

Labels: homeschooling, medical, newsworthy

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  I have 9 kids today. A friend of mine needed a sitter so we have had her kids since about 8 last night. They're pretty easy, and since they're from a big family too, they don't worry if the little ones are talking during the movie, or if someone gets stepped on, etc. :-)

I am a bad hostess, and I didn't have any breakfast foods handy. So, they had mac and cheese and cookies. They didn't seem to be offended by that in any way, so I'm hoping that means that they sometimes eat like this at their house!

Labels: kids

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