I'm not dead!

You know you've been neglecting your blog when your dad calls to check if you're still alive. At least he didn't call the local police and send them out for a welfare check, although that would have been blogworthy!

I've been busy here and there. My big news today is that I've walked 100 miles in training for my MS Challenge Walk in October. Go donate money if you want to help out :-)

Of course, 100 miles doesn't seem like a lot when I think of all the miles my brother probably RAN in boot camp, but I'm still excited.

Speaking of, he graduated! He's a full-fledged U.S. Marine. Isn't he handsome?



And here is a photo of the homeschool project I was talking about earlier. The kids all dressed up and gave speeches as if they were famous people from history. Of course, they played a little fast and loose with it here and there, as you can tell from Blackbeard's light saber.



From left to right, and in order of time period: Cleopatra, Boudicca, Queen Zenobia, Mulan, Joan of Arc, Blackbeard, Susan B. Anthony, Juliette Low, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Frederick Libbey, Christopher Robin Milne and Andy Warhol. (Mine were Cleopatra (Maya), Joan of Arc (Sage) and Susan B. Anthony (Anya).

Afterwards, Anya (Susan B. Anthony) asked if she could be someone with a weapon next time, because her "Votes for Women" picket sign was of little use against Blackbeard and Joan of Arc when the speeches were over and the kids went out to goof off.

Finally, she and her special friend Sam (ie Andy Warhol) reverted to being zombies in an attempt to thwart their armed colleagues.



Yep, homeschooling at its best.

Labels: family, homeschooling, military, MS Walk

.*.*.

  Our homeschool group had a Valentine's Day party today. Instead of exchanging Valentines this year, the kids made cards to send to a platoon the group adopted. Also, people brought stuff to donate, so we could send it all along together.

I was SHOCKED at how much stuff there is to send! It filled up the back of my car. That was so cool!

We also ended up with a huge bag of cards and a banner.

I just thought that was neat :-)

Labels: holiday, homeschooling, kids, military

.*.*.

  When Sage was 3 or 4, she said a bad word and got in a bit of trouble (just a little talking to, nothing major). At the time, she hadn't known the word was bad, and she was upset about how she found out. She asked Davin to tell her ALL the bad words, so that she would be sure not to say any of them by accident. We got the giggles, trying to picture Davin spouting off a list of curse words for our toddler!

Well, apparently that really happened at a Catholic school last month. By a NUN no less! In the chapel after Mass!

Nun reels off list of banned curse words

Sister Kathy Avery won't put up with swearing on the playground at her school, and she's not above repeating the offending language to make sure everyone understands which words she won't tolerate.

The principal of St. Clare of Montefalco Catholic School had students stay after a Mass last month and informed the fifth- through eighth-graders that she has a zero-tolerance policy for cursing.

Just in case anyone wasn't sure what she was talking about, Avery read off a list of the very words and phrases that she was banning.

"It got a little quiet in church" during her talk, she told the Detroit Free Press.

Oh man, if anyone got this on video, please post it!

Don't forget, if you're looking to send mail to some wounded service people, yesterday's post has a couple of ways to do that and know it will get through...

Labels: kids, military, newsworthy

.*.*.

  I think I'm actually getting pretty close to being ready for Christmas! The trees are up, I've found a lot of the Nativities, and I'm plugging through the Christmas cards...

Speaking of, my county has a list of soldiers on their website that you can send Holiday cards to, if you're so inclined. These servicepeople are at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. You can find the address and instructions here.

Also, the Red Cross and Pitney Bowes have another way to get greetings to wounded service people. You can find out all about it here.

I'm planning to send as many cards as I can, hopefully they will make at least a little difference to someone who's probably having a pretty tough time this Christmas.

Back to my manic crafting! Only 2 more weeks!

Labels: crafting, holiday, military

.*.*.