Clark Chatter

Teen Issues

2012-03-02T15:01:00.005-05:00

I've been reading several "how to parent teens" books lately and I've noticed something. At least 90% of the typical teen issues are school induced. Most, if not all, of the insecurities surrounding the teen years are caused by peer pressure. I was reading about how your six-year-old will hold your hand when you go places together, but your 9 and 10-year-old definitely won't. Um, mine do. My 12-year-old still holds my hand when we go places together. Nobody's telling her to be embarrassed by mom.

My 14-year-old doesn't come sobbing to me about every new pimple. Nobody's making fun of her pimples or making her feel ugly because she has a little bump on her nose.

Now I understand why all the homeschool moms of teens brag about how great the teen years are! I get it! They're maturing and you can talk to them like adults. It really is great!

I must say, however, there is one "how to parent preteens" book that I am absolutely loving. And despite what you might think of the authors of Babywise, I strongly encourage all moms of 8-12 year-olds to check this book out:

It teaches you how preteens think (or don't! lol), how they're changing and maturing, and how you can move them from obedience to responsibility. In other words, how to teach your child to think for himself. (If you're anything like me, you've been dying to know how to do this!)

I think you'll really like it.

Double Standards

2012-02-29T08:18:00.003-05:00

I read the Duggar Family blog pretty faithfully and I have noticed that those anonymous commentors who question every little thing the Duggars do have pretty significant double standards. For instance, when Michelle joined Jim Bob recently on the campaign trail for Rick Santorum, several people said it was unfair of her to leave her kids with grandma. "Those children need their mother!" "Those poor kids are being raised by their siblings and grandma!"

Ridiculous I say.

When a couple with 2 kids take off on a cruise for a week without their kids, no one says Grandma and Grandpa are raising their children. They are babysitting. When an 8 year old pours his little brother a bowl of cereal in the morning, no one says that boy is raising his little brother. (Unless of course, that boy just happens to have 17 other siblings.) He's helping his brother.

Gimme a break, people!

Rant over. On with your day!

Commenters Beware

2012-02-22T18:40:00.003-05:00

This is totally me.

Target: Your Big Brother?

2012-02-17T17:53:00.006-05:00

How Target Figured Out A Teen Girl Was Pregnant Before Her Father Did

(skipping to the middle of the article):

What Target discovered fairly quickly is that it creeped people out that the company knew about their pregnancies in advance.

“If we send someone a catalog and say, ‘Congratulations on your first child!’ and they’ve never told us they’re pregnant, that’s going to make some people uncomfortable,” Pole told me. “We are very conservative about compliance with all privacy laws. But even if you’re following the law, you can do things where people get queasy.”

So Target got sneakier about sending the coupons.

“Then we started mixing in all these ads for things we knew pregnant women would never buy, so the baby ads looked random. We’d put an ad for a lawn mower next to diapers. We’d put a coupon for wineglasses next to infant clothes. That way, it looked like all the products were chosen by chance.
“And we found out that as long as a pregnant woman thinks she hasn’t been spied on, she’ll use the coupons. She just assumes that everyone else on her block got the same mailer for diapers and cribs. As long as we don’t spook her, it works.”

Read the whole article here.

YIKES!!

New Movie by Provident Films

2012-02-16T18:27:00.001-05:00

Oops! Wrong Holiday

2012-02-14T08:56:00.003-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day anyway!

Are You Listening?

2012-02-10T11:35:00.000-05:00

I've heard it said that if you say something once to a man, you may as well have never said it. (It was a man who said this; no insult to men intended.)

I'd like to coin a new phrase:

If you say something to a child and don't ask them to repeat it back, you may as well have never said it.

This is not necessary for all children, but in my experience it is definitely a time and sanity saver with most children.

It goes like this:

Me: "Elena, I need you to go upstairs and get Julia's shoes. They're on top of her dresser."

"Ok now, what are you going to do?"

Elena: (she repeats back the instruction)

Me: "Ok go ahead"

Elena: (does as asked)

Here's how that could have gone:

Me: "Elena, I need you to go upstairs and get Julia's shoes. They're on top of her dresser."

Elena: "Ok, I'll go get them."

(She comes back down with Julia's shoes and dress.)

See how much time I could have saved by making sure she understood the instruction?

Dumbest Thing I've Ever Blogged

2012-02-09T10:42:00.003-05:00

. . . that is, unless you have the same problem we do: pencils that are never sharp.

Once upon a time we had an electric pencil sharpener. It broke. Then I just switched to those freebie manual ones you get at office supply stores before school starts. The leads seemed to always break in those thingies!

There was actually a discussion about pencil sharpeners on a parenting forum I'm a part of. I thought: Good grief, I'm not alone in this!

And I heard about this little wonder of a pencil sharpener. It was $5 so I figured I couldn't lose, but seriously folks, this little thing has changed my life. Ok, so I can't seriously say that about a pencil sharpener, but I love it nonetheless.

*no affliliate links in this post

Monumental

2012-02-06T22:40:00.001-05:00

I Just Gotta Brag

2012-01-27T18:34:00.002-05:00

Spent $31; saved $82.

Here's what I got:

20 cans diced tomatoes

8 boxes Honey Bunches of Oats

6 boxes Grape Nuts

6 boxes Shredded Wheat

2 boxes Mom's Best Sweetened Wheat-fuls

18 Balance bars

There's nothing quite like that "coupon high". hehehe

Loving the Little Years

2012-01-27T11:07:00.000-05:00

I recently spent my Vision Forum coupon on this book and I absolutely LOVE it! I mean L-O-V-E, love it. This is not the type of book you read cover to cover, it's the type you read a little bit at a time, so that you really absorb all the wisdom in it. I can't say enough about this gem.

The author is a mom of 5 children, 5 years and under. She explains how she learned about the "bulk effect":

Our OB told us in advance that having the twins was not going to make us twice as busy (we had two at the time), but rather exponentially busy. Every time you add a child to your family. . . you are exponentially increasing.

I understand what she means. When Julia began going through the terrible two's, I didn't just have to train her. I had to train all of the other 6 to know how to correctly handle her fits, so that they weren't making it worse by giving in to her every time.

I had to learn how to hold Judah after nursing him so he doesn't spit up on himself. So I also had to teach 6 other baby-eager children how to hold him so he doesn't spit up on them either.

While there is much more child training, I also have a lot of help. I don't do anything alone.

A big family is big work. But oh such big rewards!

Urgent Calls Needed

2012-01-25T13:37:00.001-05:00

“So tonight, I am proposing that every state—every state—requires that all students stay in high school until they graduate or turn 18.”
—President Barack Obama
last night’s State of the Union speech.

I was shocked when I heard that. Under our U.S. Constitution, education matters are left to the states. Our Founders wanted decisions about education and a host of other matters left to the states and local government so that these important decisions that affect every family could easily be influenced by the real decision makers: parents and the family.

Parents—not the federal government and certainly not the president—are the ones who should decide how children are educated and when they’re ready to graduate from high school.

But last night, President Obama made it clear that he thinks the federal government should be in the business of telling states how long children should stay in school.

Call Now!

Right now, please call the White House and your members of Congress, and give them this message:

“Last night, President Obama called for the government to mandate that all children stay in school until they graduate or turn age 18. This is not the federal government’s responsibility. Leave education decisions to parents, not federal bureaucrats. Tell President Obama to withdraw his compulsory attendance mandate immediately.”

The White House: 202-456-1414, or send an online message.

Winnie the Pooh

2012-01-25T10:53:00.000-05:00

As part of a Charlotte Mason education, my children begin their schooling with Beatrix Potter and A.A. Milne. I admit that with my four big kids, I skipped Winnie the Pooh. So, with Daniel and Lydia I was determined not to miss it. I'm so glad I made that decision. I am LOVING Winnie the Pooh! It is so funny!

However, I've decided that Winnie the Pooh would be better suited for reading to bigger kids, and I plan to read it to my four soon. While my kindergartners enjoy it a lot, they don't appreciate the humor as much as I do.

If you homeschool, or even if you don't, don't let your kids escape childhood without a relationship with the genius of A.A. Milne. His humor in Winnie the Pooh, and whimsy in his poetry, really should not be missed.

You won't regret it.

2011 in Review

2012-01-24T08:20:00.001-05:00

| Learn About Mixbook Photo Books | Create your own Photo Book

Love Costs Everything

2012-01-23T07:56:00.001-05:00

Persecution is a reality for nearly two hundred million Christians around the world. Daily, they risk their lives simply because they believe in Jesus. They could surrender, or convert, or quit but the love of Jesus is worth the sacrifice. For many of them, this road leads to death.

"Love Costs Every Thing" Trailer from CIY Move on Vimeo.

Warning: Viewer discretion advised. Not for young children.

Hymn Study

2012-01-20T08:01:00.000-05:00

Each month, we choose a new hymn for our hymn study. I find a youtube video of the song with lyrics and we play it three times each week. We usually have all learned it by the end of the month and we enjoy singing together each morning after breakfast.

ALL of us sing it, whether we know the words or not. Case in point:

(Note: For the first 30 seconds, Julia is watching all of us who were trying to coach her to do her thing. But then she takes off, much to our delight!)

Enjoy!

You Need a Giggle

2012-01-19T09:51:00.001-05:00

Julia, 2 years

"Snort for us, little piggy!"

What Do You Know? Home Birthing is Safe Afterall

2012-01-18T21:43:00.003-05:00

My midwife, Rose Marie, assessing Judah after the birth.

Study: Home birth with midwife as safe as hospital birth

Having your baby at home with a registered midwife is just as safe as a conventional hospital birth, a new study says.

In fact, planned home births of this kind may have a lower rate of complications, according to the study published in the Sept. 15 issue of CMAJ.

Even though the study was conducted in Canada, where attitudes toward midwifery are more accepting than in some other countries, the findings may help to calm an ongoing controversy in the United States and elsewhere. (The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is opposed to home births.)

Read the rest here.

It's time American Obstetricians and Gynecologists heeded the facts, regardless of lack of profit.

Judah Update: 1 Month Old

2012-01-12T13:57:00.003-05:00

Seriously. Could he be any cuter?

Judah has taken us on a roller coaster lately. He has a fussy time every evening from 9-10pm, when Kyle and I take turns bouncing, rocking, and swaying while he wails. Eventually he drifts into dreamland and Kyle and I immediately fall into bed. He has been on a perfect 3 hour schedule for the last couple of weeks, but has gone 4-5 hours between feedings at night a few times. WooHoo!!

Unfortunately, he isn't consistent with it. Last night, he was up every 2 hrs. Not fun!

Luckily, he's really sweet and cuddly and I forgive him my sleepless nights. He's really easy during the day afterall. He wakes, he eats, he plays, he sleeps. Easy peasy.

Even while I'm sitting in the rocker at night, trying with all my might to get a burp out of the boy so he won't spit up all over me, I can't help but just hug him to me for awhile just enjoying him. He snuggles up under my chin and I sigh a deep sigh of contentment.

I'm tired, but it's been a wonderful babymoon.

Speaking a Different Language

2012-01-10T09:13:00.002-05:00

Recently someone we're close to learned for the first time that our adoptees aren't academically at grade level. They're behind, whatever that means. (Who do I compare them to anyway? Do government schools provide my goals or is the Bible my plumb line?)

I was reminded of a party I attended last year, where I ran into someone I hadn't seen since way before our adoption. They were absolutely fascinated with our adoption story. I mean, seriously captivated by every detail. That is, until she asked if they were on grade level. I laughed and said: Oh no, she's probably about ____ grades behind.

Her face dropped and she actually looked embarrassed for me.

I suddenly realized there was no way I could explain it to her in a way she would understand.

Of course my adoptees are behind! Of course they're not on the level of children their age who were read to, sung to, hugged, held, and talked to!

Of course!

And I don't expect them to be!

My Maya could run a house at her young age of 14. She is gifted. She knits at the speed of lightning, decorates cakes, and has a passion for photography. She knows how to calm a wailing baby and what spices go with which foods. She has great strengths.

She loves the Lord and forgives easily and quickly. She is an amazing peacemaker and very willing to give up her wants to make someone else happy. She's not a martyr; she's loving and loving others makes her happy. She reads the Bible every day on her own because she wants to.

I wanted to tell this lady: Don't be embarrassed for me! I'm PROUD of these children! Don't you see what they've overcome? What little they were given? What struggles they have to compensate for? We didn't adopt them to give them an academic future! We adopted them to give them a FAMILY!

But she was too entrenched in her mainstream thinking to be able to see any of these things. It made me sad.

We just weren't speaking the same language.

This Post is for Nicole W.

2012-01-03T17:46:00.003-05:00

So you're posting nasty things about me on Facebook, saying a baby isn't a good enough reason not to blog? Hmmmph. I'm calling you out! Would you actually have said those things if I were really ON Facebook to read them? I think not!

(Lest anyone think I'm serious or seriously offended, I should say that no "nasty" things were actually said. I exaggerate.)

Everything on my mind (for those who desperately need something to read, no matter how boring):

I have a new man in my life and I'm in love. Judah is so adorable and so sweet and so perfect. I'm nuts about him.
I'm so happy that he's moved up to a 3 hour schedule. You have no idea. 2 hours was great for reducing certain unavoidable pains, but 3 hours feels like life can go on!
I've learned that my mind makes up problems to solve when I'm tired but can't sleep. The latest problem I've been dwelling on is what curriculum I should use to teach my kids to write well. Still haven't solved this one if you have any advice.
I'm back to couponing. Those 2 weeks off were great, but I missed it! CVS paid me $2 to take 8 Nivea chapsticks out of their store and I got 9 bottles of my hairgel for a little under $5 yesterday. That was fun!
Much to the thrill of my children I also brought home 27 boxes of cereal for $40 the other day. (Hey, when it's on sale, you stock up! Don't judge.) Elena brought her siblings out the trunk of the car with their eyes closed to surprise them. She said: "Don't scream! It's just for weekends." ha!
This week we're starting back to school. And by "we", I mean "they". I don't do much at this point, other than supervise.
The first day we didn't have dinner brought to us (which was 2 weeks straight, thank you church family!), Kyle took me on a date to a sushi restaurant that impressed us both. He still loves me, hormones and all.
My church friends are hosting a baby shower for me this Saturday. I'm a little fearful that my lack of recent socialization will result in logorrhea. I embarrass myself when I do that. Let's hope I can reign it in. But I CAN'T WAIT!

Baby's First Adjustment

2011-12-27T12:33:00.002-05:00

When Judah was 5 days old, we both got to take a trip to the Chiropractor. Well, I was excited about it anyway, I don't know that Judah felt the same. But that's just because he didn't know.

Now that he knows Chiropractic adjustments lead to relaxing sleepy days and full diapers, I think he'll feel differently next time. lol

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T12:05:00.001-05:00

May Christ be at the heart of your Christmas celebration,

Judah's Birth Story

2011-12-17T22:00:00.000-05:00

Tuesday I was so emotional, thinking I was just never going to go into labor. I had called Kyle at work and told him I needed a date night to get my mind off pregnancy. We went out for burgers and then wandered around Target afterwards. We decided we weren't going to talk about the baby at all. We practically just stared at each other during dinner, not knowing what else to talk about. LOL
At 2 am the next morning, I started having very mild, short, and infrequent contractions. Some were 10 minutes apart, some were 25 minutes apart. I just stayed in bed. At 4am, I started getting excited about the possibility of being in labor and went downstairs to time the contractions. Same pattern. After an hour, I was exhausted and decided to go back to bed. By 6:30 am, I couldn't rest through them, so I woke Kyle up and we got into "Baby Day" mode. I was getting dressed, fixing my hair, and putting on make-up in between contractions, which at that point were 5-10 minutes apart. Kyle called Rose Marie, my midwife, and she wanted to hear me go through a contraction so she could gauge how far along I was. After 20 minutes on the phone with her, I hadn't had a single contraction! I was pretty frustrated when she told me to time the contractions for an hour and then call her back.
I called her back at 7am, telling her the contractions were now 3-4 minutes apart and she got to hear me breathe through one. She took me seriously then and said she'd head our way, planning to arrive by 8am. Kyle aired up the birth pool and started filling it up. Then he called my friend Carrie to come pick up the littles (Daniel, Lydia, and Julia), our photographer, Isabelle, my best friend, Gretchen, and my sister, Jamie. They all arrived around 8:00.

When Julia woke up and came downstairs, she saw a pool in the middle of the den, surrounded by lighting equipment, and me on my knees leaning over the couch taking deep breaths. She started asking the big kids: "What Mama doin'?" Hearing her trying to make sense of it all made me emotional. I couldn't wait to be able to explain it all!
At 8am, I was ready to get into the pool but needed Rose Marie's permission to make sure I didn't get in too early. (I did not want to slow labor down!) Jamie called her and she said she would be here soon. 10 minutes later, at my request, she called again. This time I realized Rose Marie was being vague. How far away was she anyway?? I said: Forget this, I'm getting in! (Turns out she was stuck in traffic and wouldn't arrive until almost 9:15am, over an hour late!)

Labor becomes sooo much easier just getting into water. Amazing difference! During contractions, Kyle was saying: "You can do this! You're doing great!" His encouragement gave me strength. I was so worn out from getting so little sleep, the work of relaxation was making me dizzy. At my request, Rose Marie broke my water to get things moving. All of a sudden, she was explaining to the photographer that things were going to happen really quickly now. I saw her getting everything ready for the delivery and I got really emotional! I was crying: I'm so excited! I'm so excited!
When I hit transition, I panicked like I always do. I couldn't find a position I wanted to be in and I felt out of control. I decided to focus all my energy on deep breathing. I was praying: "Lord, you make Baby do what he needs to do. I'm just going to work on relaxing." That helped a lot. The deeper breaths I took, the more in control I was.
After what seemed an eternity, but was really only a few contractions, I felt the urge to push. YES! I have purpose! As soon as his head was out, all the pain disappeared. I sighed: "Oh sweet relief!" lol

At 10:39 am, Kyle delivered Judah into my arms after unwrapping the cord, which was wound around his neck THREE TIMES! Judah did a triple back flip under water before I was able to hold him!

When Kyle announced that it was a boy, Maya threw her arms in the air and said: "YES!!! I KNEW IT!!" The kids were all ecstatic!! All of the kids had been praying for a boy.
Julia's first words to Judah were "Hi cutie!"

Needless to say, we're all smitten with Judah the Handsome. What a perfect early Christmas gift!!

A Song for Lauren Scruggs

2011-12-17T09:20:00.003-05:00

Lauren Scruggs, the young fashion model who lost her hand and was severely injured by walking into a plane propeller also lost her left eye as well. Surgeons removed it Tuesday. I've been praying for this dear young girl and her family.

Today her mom sent out a message saying, “We received a wonderful gift from someone who created a You Tube video for her. It blessed us so much and we wanted to share it with you.” Mrs. Scruggs

Philippians 2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth...

It's a BOY!!!

2011-12-14T22:43:00.020-05:00

Judah Benjamin Clark

December 14, 2011, 10:39 a.m.
8 pounds, 13 ounces, 20 1/2 inches long

Ginger and Judah are doing great. All the Clark kids are ecstatic to have a baby brother. Congratulations Kyle and Ginger.

For the record, Ginger did extraordinarily well during labor and birth. Dilated to a 9, she was still smiling between contractions...and looked absolutely amazing!

Birth story and more pictures coming soon from Ginger.

Gretchen

Chatty Cathy

2011-12-13T13:58:00.005-05:00

Julia, 22 months

A little translation:

When Chloe asks her to read The New Baby book, Julia says: "Minute! Minute! (Wait a minute)"

After she closes the book, she claps and says: "Good job!"

She was so adorable at the church library this morning, I had to plop down and video her. She has a HUGE vocabulary, all thanks to having so many siblings talking to her all the time. She's our prodigy.

I'm Not in Labor

2011-12-11T23:21:00.000-05:00

Since so many of you thought that from the title of my last post. That meaning never even occurred to me! Does this mean you haven't spent the weeks since the new Vision Forum catalog came out waiting for the big Christmas sale?? Boy I have!

Still waiting for other exciting events,

It's Time!

2011-12-10T08:53:00.003-05:00

If you've been watching the Vision Forum sales, this is when they get their best!

After a year of waiting, it's finally here! WooHoo!!

For Your Christmas Entertainment

2011-12-09T07:48:00.001-05:00

When Will Baby Arrive?

2011-12-08T15:13:00.002-05:00

Place your bets now. Will it be a boy or a girl? What day will baby arrive? How much will baby weigh? How long will baby be?

FYI:

Elena was 1 week early. 6 lbs. 15 oz. 18.5" long.

Chloe was 10 days late. 8 lbs. 5 oz. 19.5" long.

Lydia was 2 days early. 7 lbs. 14 oz. 19" long.

Julia was 3 days early. 7 lbs. 8 oz. 19.75"

The winner of this contest will receive a hearty congratulations and free publicity here at Clark Chatter.

Third Trimester Tutorial

2011-12-07T07:07:00.000-05:00

This pregnancy has been so much easier than the others, it seems unfair to not share with you what has made the difference! The main difference is I haven't had ligament pains or muscle cramps. Just three things produced the change:

Calcium - I take 2 pills twice a day, per the dosage on the bottle.

Magnesium - I take one 500 mg pill each evening. Calcium and magnesium are both credited for keeping muscles and ligaments relaxes so no more waking in the night with a leg cramp or round ligament pain.

Chiropractic Care - Go as often as you can afford it. Beginning around 30 weeks, I started going every two weeks. In this last month, I have gone once or twice a week, depending on how I'm feeling. It's making a HUGE difference! The only times I have back pain are when I overdo it.

Budget Buster - Cold Cereal

2011-12-05T09:37:00.001-05:00

Cold cereal is a major budget buster, and unless you have a very slow metabolism one serving will never fill you up. Instead of cold cereal for breakfast, try:

oatmeal (or baked oatmeal prepared the night before if convenience is what you love about cold cereal) Try peanut butter in your oatmeal for added protein, blueberries, dried apples, raisins, walnuts or pecans, or just brown sugar and cinnamon.
eggs and toast (hard-boiled if you need it quick)
fruit and yogurt
apple slices with peanut butter

What do you eat for breakfast instead of cold cereal?

Our Favorite Christmas Books

2011-12-01T08:51:00.004-05:00

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

by Robert Frost

illustrated by Susan Jeffers

I love this winter poem and I'm teaching my children to love it too. We really enjoy the sweet illustrations in this book.

The Legend of the Candy Cane

Saint Nicholas: The Real Story of the Christmas Legend

by Julie Stiegemeyer

When Elena was little, Kyle and I went hunting for a children's book about Saint Nicholas. There were none to be found. Saint Nicholas loved Jesus and wanted to glorify Him in all that he did. Read this one to learn the truth behind the red suit.

Harriet Ziefert tells a precious tale of sacrifice and patience in this one. Reminds me of Ox-Cart Man, another fave of Clark Chatter.

This classic tale of redemption needs no explanation. I highly recommend it for big kids.

The Little Fir Tree

by Margaret Wise Brown

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey

by Susan Woiciechowski

When a widow asks the town hermit to carve a nativity set for her son, a new friendship is slowly formed and a man gets a reminder of joy. We always follow up the book with the movie. Love both.

Christmas Tapestry

by Patricia Polacco

I love Patricia Polacco and she outdid herself with this surprising sweet tale. The first time I read it, the kids were all begging me to read on! Now, it's a family favorite. We all just love the ending.

The Christ Child

by Maude and Miska Petersham

The charm of this book is the illustrations. I adore it!

Last year, I was introduced to Tasha Tudor. How could I have lived without her?! This Christmas book has it all. If you only read one, read this one.

Pregnancy Update: 38 Weeks

2011-11-29T07:01:00.002-05:00

(My sister and I at Thanksgiving.)

Last week, I went three times to a Chiropractor who specializes in the Webster technique - an adjustment that relaxes the mother's muscles and ligaments, thus allowing baby more room to move and turn into a head-down position. After the first visit, I could tell Baby clearly had a lot more breathing room. Suddenly Baby's kicks were all over the place!

After my second visit, my belly changed shape and I looked and felt different.

Yesterday my midwife came for my 38 week appointment and we found out that Baby has indeed turned. Baby Clark is now head down!

Praise the Lord for answered prayer.

Budget Buster - Biscuits

2011-11-28T09:38:00.001-05:00

One of our Saturday traditions is making a big breakfast. Scrambled eggs, sausage, and biscuits is one of our favorites. For what you get, canned biscuits are a big budget buster. Did you know that making biscuits is really easy?

Try this instead of buying canned:

2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
3 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening or cold butter
1 egg
2/3 cup milk

In a small bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Cut in shortening or butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg and milk; use fork to stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.

Using an ice cream scoop, place scoops of dough onto lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 450 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Do you have traditional breakfasts on the weekends? What are you favorites?

Prepare Your Heart for Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T17:30:00.004-05:00

How foolish we are when we think answered prayers are always the things we wanted most. Any time God makes us more like Him; that's an answer to our most needful prayer, regardless of how that comes.

Lord, make us thankful!

Free Math Curriculum

2011-11-21T09:40:00.000-05:00

The Ray's Arithmetic series begins at a preliterate level with counting; then takes the child through addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and so upward until calculus, teaching concepts with thorough explanations followed by ample problem sets. The Ray's series provides a very full-bodied course of mathematics.

I love Ray's Arithmetic because it focuses on mental math and uses an abundance of word problems, teaching children the practical use of math.

You can get it here for free.

Rescued

2011-11-18T07:47:00.000-05:00

Thought You'd Get a Kick Out of This

2011-11-16T07:25:00.001-05:00

In addition to the exercises I posted here for helping turn a breech baby, I've also been using this contraption:

My dad just happened to have an inversion table AND he generously let me borrow it. {Thanks, Dad!}

Doesn't this look relaxing? Well, it's not actually. I'm faking it for your sake. Maybe without the 6-pounder inside me, it'd feel a little better. ;)

By the way, thank you so much for all your prayers. Your words of encouragement meant so much to me! The Lord answered my biggest request almost immediately: I haven't had any anxiety about baby's position. I have total peace knowing that God is sovereign and His timing is perfect. Praise the Lord!

It's That Time of Year!!!

2011-11-15T07:10:00.002-05:00

I love this time of year!! When Vision Forum begins their biggest sale of the year and I can stock up on all the stuff my kids want for Christmas, and save a ton of money on their wishes!!
WooHoo!

Free Geography Curriculum

2011-11-14T09:42:00.000-05:00

Home Geography for Primary Grades walks you through basic geography in a Charlotte Mason style (gentle learning through short lessons) and is applicable to everywhere in the world.

You can get it here for free.

A Sacrifice of Love

2011-11-11T11:14:00.003-04:00

Happy Adoption Month,

Pregnancy Update: 35 Weeks

2011-11-10T18:49:00.002-04:00

At my midwife appointment last week, we discovered that Baby had flipped and was in the Frank breech position. I went to my Chiropractor on Monday to see if she could release the ligaments around my womb to allow Baby to turn. Midwife came again on Tuesday. Baby hadn't turned yet, so she referred me to a Chiropractor who specializes in the Webster technique - a maneuver that has great success in turning breech babies.

Thankfully, my midwife has a lot of experience with breech deliveries, but we would all still prefer that Baby turn.

So I'm doing several inversions each day to try to turn Baby:

Kyle and I have been struggling with anxiety about this. We are praying for God to be glorified in the safe delivery of this baby, regardless of which part comes out first. ;)

Please also pray that we will remember that God is sovereign and we can trust Him.

How the Frugal Wealthy Live

2011-11-07T10:45:00.000-04:00

The world's frugal billionaires live well below their means and save money in surprising places. Here's their tips:

1. Keep Your Home Simple
Billionaires can afford to live in the most exclusive mansions imaginable -- yet frugal billionaires like Warren Buffett choose to keep it simple. Buffett still lives in the five-bedroom house in Omaha that he purchased in 1957 for $31,500.

2. Use Self-Powered or Public Transportation
Thrifty billionaires including John Caudwell, David Cheriton and Chuck Feeney prefer to walk, bike or use public transportation when getting around town.

3. Buy Your Clothes off the Rack
While some people, regardless of their net value, place a huge emphasis on wearing designer clothes and shoes, frugal billionaires decide it's simply not worth the effort, or expense.

4. Keep Your Scissors Sharp
Cut your own hair at home. Save an average of $40 per person per cut.

5. Drive a Regular Car
The idea is to buy a dependable car, and drive it into the ground. No need for a different car each day of the week for these frugal billionaires.

6. Skip Luxury Items
Carlos Slim (who could spend more than a thousand dollars a minute and not run out of money for one hundred years) does not own a yacht or a plane. (Reducing the amount you spend is the easiest way to make your money grow.)

Homeschool Help Needed

2011-11-04T08:39:00.000-04:00

If your kids have great handwriting, I need to know what curriculum you use.

If you're like me and haven't seen much improvement in your kids' handwriting, then come back here later for answers.

Thanks in advance, faithful readers,

True Beauty

2011-11-02T08:46:00.000-04:00

Free Drawing Curriculum

2011-10-31T10:45:00.000-04:00

DrawSpace.com is a wonderful online resource for art and drawing lessons. You can view, download, and print any of the drawing lessons for free!

DrawSpace has tons of art lessons covering everything from texture, shading, cartooning, hatching, perspective, and more.

Check it out! I think you'll be impressed.

The Full 180 Interview with Alicia

2011-10-27T23:10:00.001-04:00

If you haven't already watched the movie, 180, the website to see it free is in this video.

Our God is amazing!

Free Math Curriculum

2011-10-24T09:50:00.000-04:00

Here's another great math curriculum: MEP (Mathematics Enhancement Program) You can download the practice books, lesson plans, and answer keys (for upper years) through the University website. if you have questions about how to use the site, there's an email support group. Password required to use the site, but homeschoolers in the US have had no problem obtaining one when they ask.

Dear Baby (only 2 more months!)

2011-10-21T07:25:00.000-04:00

Dear Baby,

I'm 8 months pregnant now! I can't believe it. I am soooo excited to meet you! You have been so much fun the last couple months. You move so much and I just LOVE it! Every night when I lay down in bed, you wake up and start kicking against the bed. Daddy and I really enjoy it. As I sit typing this you seem to be stretching out your arms and legs, punching and kicking me in four different places. You're so funny!

I want to prepare your for your new family. In a couple months, it won't just be you and me anymore. Not only will you get to meet that low voice who makes me smile and laugh (that's Daddy, he's fantastic); you'll also get to meet your seven siblings at home. Although you haven't seen them yet, and they haven't seen you, they are absolutely nuts about you already. Just wait, you'll have your every need and want met instantly by all of them. Well, maybe not Julia. I should warn you about Julia. She might be jealous. She's used to being fawned over the way you will be. Be patient with her. She's going to go nuts over you too; it just may not seem like she likes you too much in the beginning. Plan now to close your eyes tight when you see her little finger headed your way!

It has been so fun getting to know you so far. I can't wait til we all get to meet you.

Loving you,

Mommy

Free Books

2011-10-19T09:51:00.000-04:00

Instead of buying books, trade them! For every book you ship, you get to pick a book for free. I have a long wish list, so any time one of my wishes becomes available, Paperback Swap will automatically ship it to me. WooHoo!

Another way to get free books is by reviewing them. With BookSneeze, you sign up to review a new book, and then you get to keep it.

I love FREE!

“180” Movie Producer Answers Angry Critics

2011-10-17T07:49:00.000-04:00

LOS ANGELES , CALIFORNIA. A new 33-minute award-winning movie has stirred up a hornet’s nest on Youtube. “180” has had a record-breaking 12,000 plus comments, many of which were so angry it left ears tingling. In 16 days, close to a million people have freely watched the movie on www.180Movie.com. The fiery controversy is over the comparison of the Jewish Holocaust with American abortion. The Huffington Post quoted author and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel as saying,

"It is blasphemy to reduce a tragedy of such monumental proportions to this human tragedy, and abortion is a human tragedy." He added that those who compare the holocaust to abortion “prove that they do not know what the Holocaust was."

The movie’s producer, best-selling author, Ray Comfort, disagrees. “I’m also Jewish, and I spent months researching for a book I wrote calledHitler, God, and the

Biblehttp://www.amazon.com/Hitler-God-Bible-Ray-Comfort/dp/1936488248 and wept my way through the Holocaust. It was a horror beyond words. But I have to agree in one respect. Nearly 60 million Americans have been slaughtered by abortion, and that’s ten timesthe amount of Jews who died under the Nazis. So as far as numbers are concerned, there is no comparison.”

In “180” Comfort argues that Hitler justified killing six millions Jews by saying that they weren’t “human,” and he maintains that that’s what those who are pro-abortion do with babies in the womb. Comfort, who is also a TV co-host, added, “But the Nazi comparison doesn’t stop there. Many people think that it was a mystery as to what motived Hitler to kill so many Jews. It’s not mystery at all. He seized the assets of wealthy Jewish families, and each one he murdered added up to billions of dollars.” According to the experts, Hitler financed a massive 30 per cent of the German war effort by killing Jews and stealing their wealth. “Jewish murder was a lucrative and lawful business--from the taking of their homes, their paintings, their savings, the gold in their teeth, to the hair on their heads—all of it added up to money in the bank for Hitler, and American abortion has the same big incentive.”

Comfort pointed to abortion provider’s prices, by saying, “If you don’t believe that it’s a huge money-making scheme, check out your local provider’s current prices. They will perform a procedure for just $765 for up to a 16-week-old child, but the price increases if the baby is over 19 weeks. You will be shelling out three times the amount, and paying a whopping $2,165 http://www.fpamg.net/fees. That’s pretty good income for a few minutes of ripping off the arms, the legs, and head of a baby onto a table; checking the body parts to make sure they’re all out, and then putting them in the trash. And it’s all legal, just like the Holocaust.”

Movie Review: Snowmen

2011-10-14T07:47:00.000-04:00

Homeschool.com was asked to find a bunch of homeschool families to "product test" this movie. It's the story of a 10 year old boy, dying of cancer, who wants to do something important with his life, so he won't be forgotten. He chooses to break the world record of snowmen-building.

I've seen several movies about dying boys lately and I've noticed something in all of them. All the boys, who have less than a year to live, go to school all day and come home to play with their friends for hours only to have about an hour together with their parents right before bed. May I just ask: If your child is dying and you have very limited time left with them, why is education still such a huge focus for their day?

If I knew that my child wouldn't see his 11th year of life, there is no way on earth I'd be sending them off to school all day. I'd bring them home so we could be together. And not to homeschool them. To enjoy them, love them, and disciple them.

Ok, that's one thing that nags at me with these type of movies. The second was the 10 year old romance. No, no, no, I'm not letting my kids watch a movie about a little boy and the little hot girl who fawns over him (and in this case, makes him lie to all his classmates to impress her and them (and no, the fact that it was wrong was never brought up in the movie)).

Then the dying boy, whose parents have guaranteed that he'll go to heaven because "he's a kid, so he doesn't even have to be good", tells the school bully to "Pi-- off!"

I was done at that point. This may be considered a family movie, but it certainly isn't a Christian movie. I was unimpressed.

Our Love of the Trivial & Trite

2011-10-12T16:37:00.003-04:00

If all other variables are equal, your capacity to know God deeply will probably diminish in direct proportion to how much television you watch. Television reflects American culture at its most trivial. And a steady diet of triviality shrinks the soul. You get used to it. It starts to seem normal. Silly becomes funny. Funny becomes pleasing. And pleasing becomes soul-satisfaction. In the end the soul that is made for God has shrunk to fit snugly around triteness.

- taken from "Pierced by the Word" by John Piper

Several years ago, we got rid of satellite tv and just got Netflix. Then a year or so later, we got rid of Netflix. But we still have Hulu.com and YouTube available, so we can still watch plenty of television. I can relate to John Piper's wise quote. Even without television.

What's Better Than Free??

2011-10-10T09:36:00.000-04:00

Cheap is great, but free is better!

One really EASY way to get stuff for free is by using Swagbucks. Swagbucks is a search engine powered by Google that rewards you for using it. When you use their site, you earn "swagbucks". And with your swagbucks, you can buy whatever's on your wish list. Every week or two, I earn an Amazon gift card, so this is an easy way to hack away at my Amazon wishlist without spending a dime.

Check it out!

I Might Become Krazy After All

2011-10-05T08:04:00.002-04:00

So a few weeks ago, one of my readers asked about couponing to save money. I proudly asserted that I don't use coupons. Who has the time?

Well, then I (quite literally) stumbled across a few youtube videos about "krazy" coupon ladies and I thought: Maybe I should give it a try.

I've only been couponing for three weeks, but I've been very impressed with the little bit I've been able to save so far.

Here's this week's CVS and Walgreen's deals I made:

6 boxes Granola bars- $1 each

4 bottles of Dove Shampoo + 2 men's deodorant- 58c each

Suave Professionals shampoo- 83c

Suave Professionals conditioner- 83c

4 family-size bottles Softsoap body wash- $1 each

2 tubes Nivea lipbalm- 50c each

1 box Coldcalm homeopathic- free

1 pkg. Huggies Little Movers diapers- free

$16.15 for all of it

Edited to add: Oh nuts, I forgot the candy. I got a big bag of Pretzel M&Ms, a big bag of snack-size Twix, and a big bag of snack-size Three Musketeers for $1 total. And Halloween hasn't even happened yet!

Not too shabby. Here's what I've learned:

They used to charge for someone to match up the sales with the coupons (i.e. Grocery Game). (That's how you save the big bucks.) Now that info is free, via sponsored websites. I get all my info at The Krazy Coupon Lady.
I don't have to pay for 6 copies of the Sunday paper to get all the coupons I need. Monday afternoon, there are gobs of coupon inserts still in the plastic wrap sitting at the top of the newspaper recycling bins at the elementary school a few blocks from home. Takes us 3 minutes to save $18 on papers.
My kids LOVE helping with this, which makes the task that much easier and more fun.
It does take time. So does my husband's job. But he never complains about not having the time to go to work. Both jobs bring money. We're both willing to work for money. ;)

So, I may be a new coupon convert. I'm giving it three months before I decide. But I'm so happy with the dividends already; I don't foresee quitting any time soon.

Free for Kids

2011-10-03T09:51:00.000-04:00

Check out this site: My Kids Eat Free. Search by city and day of the week to find restaurants that offer Kids Eat Free nights.

Also check out this site: My Kids Go Free. Search by city and state to find vacation destinations that offer a break for families with children.

Christian Pastor to Be Executed This Week in Iran

2011-09-28T08:17:00.001-04:00

Just days after Iran released two Americans accused of spying in Iran, an Iranian court has upheld the apostasy conviction and execution sentence of Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani.

The 11th branch of Iran’s Gilan Provincial Court has determined that Pastor Nadarkhani has Islamic ancestry and therefore must recant his faith in Jesus Christ. Iran’s supreme court had previously ruled that the trial court must determine if Pastor Youcef had been a Muslim before converting to Christianity.

However, the judges, acting as terrorists, who have a hostage, demanded that he recant his faith in Christ before even taking evidence. The judges stated that even though the judgment they have made is against the current Iranian and international laws they have to uphold the previous decision of the 27th Branch of the Supreme Court in Qom.

When asked to “repent” by the Judges, Youcef stated, “Repent means to return. What should I return to? To the blasphemy that I had before my faith in Christ?” The judges replied, “To the religion of your ancestors, Islam.” To which he replied, “I cannot.”

Read the rest here.

180 is Available Now!! FREE!!!

2011-09-26T15:29:00.001-04:00

Watch it free here: 180 movie.

Lookie What I Got!

2011-09-26T09:35:00.000-04:00

A month ago, I started working out with Biggest Loser DVDs from the library.

I really like the fact that (1) Bob Harper wears a t-shirt and shorts; no sports bras or bare midriffs, (2) He doesn't use profanity on the DVDs, so my kids can work out with me, and (3) I can customize my workout with all the options on the DVD, so I don't get bored with it.

A few weeks ago, my neighbor threw out a pair of dumbbells, which I quickly snatched up and I've been working out with them ever since.

After borrowing the workout DVDs from the library a couple of times, I ordered my favorite one

from Amazon, using the gift cards I earned with my Swagbucks.

I LOVE FREE!!

Have you got a bargain brag? Do share!

WWJD re: Homeschooling? Part 3

2011-09-23T08:03:00.001-04:00

The false and dangerous notion that a public school education is actually "neutral" ought to be silenced by the plentiful research showing that government schools are in inculcating about 9 out of 10 children to think like Marxist-socialists. Dr. R.C. Sproul reminds us, "There is no such thing as a neutral education. Every education curriculum has a controlling worldview behind it and through it." The curriculum in our public schools is far from being neutral.

Parents, may we learn from the Teacher and obediently embrace His model and method for training the disciples God has placed under our roofs. When Jesus taught His closest disciples, they often sat at His feet (Luke 10:39). When it comes to parenting, the most effective and positive life-changing teaching happens at our own feet. By sending them away for 180 days a year, someone else takes over the privilege of teaching, modeling and investing about 1,100 hours per year into your children's lives.

Jesus knew that the best way to train His "children" to become what He wanted them to be was to live with them, love them, sacrifice for them, model the godly life and invest His life into theirs. This all happens within the context of the family. Dr. Voddie Baucham's words are a good reminder to us all of this fact: "God has designed your family – not the youth group, not the children's ministry, not the Christian school, but your family – as the principle discipling agent in your children's lives. "

The question is not What Would Jesus Do with His "children"? But what did Jesus do with His "children." He homeschooled them.

See full article here.

The Value of Good Friends

2011-09-21T08:06:00.003-04:00

I am really blessed with good friendships. Friends who will call and ask forgiveness for saying something gossipy or for making a joke they shouldn't have. Friends who will lovingly and graciously let me know when I have said or done something I shouldn't have, as a Christian. Godly friends who build me up in my faith.

These kinds of friendships are precious.

There are many of those friends who you find always complaining about something or who it is just easy to be negative with. When you say something about your tacky mother-in-law, they sympathize with you and tell you how awful that is instead of pointing you to scripture and encouraging you to keep on being a blessing. Those friendships are a dime a dozen and they are not worth pursuing.

When you find a friend who is "iron sharpening iron" for you (Prov. 27:17), invest in their friendship. Don't let a week go by without checking in on them, asking how you can pray for them or finding ways to be a blessing to them. Most of all, stay in the Word of God so that you can build them up. That's what they need most from you. Not your words-- God's words.

You really do have to be a good friend to have a good friend. If you wait around for people to call you and pursue you, you will soon find yourself lonely and friendless.

Be a good friend.

A Mother Changes Her Mind About Having an Abortion

2011-09-20T06:24:00.000-04:00

This is so awesome!!

This question popped up on Yahoo Answers:

Help pls! Would having an abortion for the 4th time be risky?
Am 21 years old and am not ready to keep it.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

Yes! It's ULTRA RISKY!!!!! PLEASE DON'T DO IT!
Give it up for adoption!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please don't kill it! Please?!

I had a kid that I wasn't ready for at the age of 13! I gave him up for adoption.. and he's such a handsome kid! I AM SO GLAD.. I didn't kill him. He's an amazing young man.. and he is so smart!

Have you seen this new movie coming out? Watch it! It's crazy!
CLIP #1: 180 Trailer
CLIP #2: Pro-Choice to Pro-Life in Seconds

►"Abortion is Legal because babies can't vote!"
►"If it isn't a baby, then you aren’t pregnant, so what are you aborting?"
-Authors Unknown

►Did you know this?
In the U.S. If you destroy an Eagle's egg (that's an embryo) it is a federal crime punishable by more than 10 years jail time and a $250,000 fine. Destroy a human embryo and it is federally funded.

Big Savings: Toys

2011-09-19T09:33:00.000-04:00

Baby toys are a dime a dozen. They are so easy to find used and cheap, there's just no reason to pay retail for them. Before hitting the toy store or even WalMart, check Craigslist, garage sales, or your local thrift store.

I bet you'll find what you're looking for and I guarantee you'll save plenty of money in the process!

Have you gotten a great bargain on baby stuff? Tell me about it!

WWJD re: Homeschooling? Part 2

2011-09-16T08:00:00.001-04:00

Jesus, the master Teacher, certainly taught His disciples formally, but they also shared life experiences, traveling and breaking bread for a number of years together. He mentored them, modeled how to truly walk with God and ultimately trained them to be launched into the world for His glory. He encouraged them, He disciplined them, He rebuked them, and He loved them. Jesus invested His life into theirs and certainly did not send His "children" away to others for their education but "kept them" and "guarded them" (John 17:12) until it was time to send them into the world.

In a very real sense, Jesus homeschooled His apostles. Christian homeschooling looks a lot like how Jesus trained His own, and His "children" eventually went on to "turn the world upside down" (Acts 17:6)!

Today many Christian parents are waking up to the fact that no one can do a better job in training and discipling their children than they can. Just like Jesus, most Christian homeschooling parents are teaching their own, mentoring their own, spending quality time with their own, literally pouring their lives into their kids, instead of subcontracting virtual strangers to teach their precious children.

Jesus teaches us that truly effective discipling and training is done one-on-one, and it takes time and much sacrifice. Recent studies prove that Jesus' style of teaching is by far the most effective of any method, and the positive results are the proof. Dr. Brian Ray's research with thousands who were home-educated and now adults shows that less than 4 percent of homeschooled youth disown their faith by the time they reach their first year of college. This is literally the exact opposite of all the sobering research showing an approximate 90 percent rate of children from Christian families leaving the church by age 18. What a difference godly discipling makes!

This puts to rest the salt-and-light argument that many uninformed Christian parents use as an excuse to keep their kids in public schools. The overwhelming majority of children from Christian homes are being converted to an unbiblical worldview in the public school arena.

7 Things: A Meme

2011-09-14T08:34:00.002-04:00

7 things I can do:

1. Find a bargain.

2. Make bread. (This skill makes me very happy.)

3. Sew.

4. Spell.

5. Teach my children well.

6. Love my husband well.

7. Make my kids laugh.

7 things I cannot do:
1. Go to sleep w/ a head full of thoughts.
2. Knit or crochet.
3. A cartwheel. (Thankfully I'm rarely asked to.)
4. Make Excel spreadsheets.
5. Decorate a cake.
6. Messy crafts with children.
7. Sit still at home. (unless it's at the computer)

7 things I say most often:
1. Honestly!
2. You gotta be kidding!
3. We're leaving in 5 minutes.
4. Oh nuts, I forgot my _____. (Said after we're all buckled in the van.)
5. I need Maya.
6. Alright, listen up.
7. I love you, but no.

Utilities Savings: Your Hot Water Heater

2011-09-12T09:32:00.000-04:00

Go check your hot water heater's settings. I'll bet it's set to hot or very hot. Sometimes, dishonest plumbers will set your new hot water heater to "very hot" in order to wear it out sooner, thus needing him again soon. If you find your hot water heater set that high and you aren't the one who set it there, find a new plumber.

Lower your temperature settings and see if you notice any difference. If you don't, lower them again.

I now have my set to "warm" and I haven't noticed any loss at all. And I LOVE the savings on my gas bill! I think you will too!

WWJD re: Homeschooling? Part 1

2011-09-09T08:53:00.003-04:00

The Bible teaches us,

"Whoever says he abides in him [Jesus] ought to walk in the same way in which He walked" (1 John 2:6)

and

"Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1)

Sixteenth-century pastor John Calvin referred to Jesus as the "Grand Model" for all Christians to follow and learn from. Jesus modeled so much for us during his earthly ministry. For example, He modeled how to pray, how to handle temptation, how to speak the truth in love, how to stand against evil, and how to really train and disciple others.

Christian parents should look at Jesus' life as the perfect example of how parents should train, teach and love their own little disciples – their children. It is interesting to note that Jesus, on occasion, publicly called His disciples "children" (Mark 10:24). Eighteenth-century Bible commentator John Gill noted "it was common with the Jews to call [their] disciples … 'children.'" When reading the gospels we get an intimate view of how Jesus discipled and loved His own "children."

Teaching – Jesus is the supreme "good Teacher" (Luke 18:18).

He taught His disciples daily (Luke 19:47);
He traveled all over the region with His disciples as they watched Him teach others (Luke 23:5);
other religious leaders recognized that Jesus was a teacher sent by God (John 3:2);
Jesus' apostles acknowledged that His teachings were the words of eternal life (John 6:68);
Jesus acknowledged He was their Lord and Teacher (John 13:14);
and even immediately after Jesus' physical resurrection, some of His followers continued to call him Teacher (John 20:16).

We see in Jesus' method of discipling three primary things: teaching, mentoring, and investment of time.

Mentoring – Jesus' teaching style was far more than just talk and passing on "head knowledge"; He lived the life for them to see and follow. His disciples saw Jesus often go away to pray on His own, which prompted them to ask how they, too, should pray (Luke 11:1). His apostles saw Jesus heal the sick, cast out demons, raise the dead and preach the gospel. Later, after years of pouring His life into them, Jesus then confidently sent them on the "Great Commission" (Matthew 28:16-20).

Time Investment – The disciples did not take a class with Jesus, nor did they spend a mere semester under Jesus' training; rather, they spent about three and a half years with Jesus, with no spring or summer breaks, no Christmas vacations. This was a 24-hour/365-day-a-year "course" taught by the greatest Teacher this world has ever known. Jesus knew that you had to devote quality time with people to really make a powerful impact on their lives. Dr. John MacArthur points out in his book "Twelve Ordinary Men," "[The disciples] could listen to His [Jesus'] teaching, ask Him questions, watch how He dealt with people, and enjoy intimate fellowship with Him in every kind of setting. … He graciously encouraged them, lovingly corrected them, and patiently instructed them. That is how the best learning always occurs. It isn't just information passed on; it's one life invested in another."

What Did He Say???

2011-09-07T07:48:00.000-04:00

Go here to request an email notification when you can watch this movie free.

Two Important Questions

2011-09-05T09:31:00.000-04:00

When your goal is to keep more money in the bank, always ask these two questions before making a purchase:

1. Do I need this?

2. Do I need this right now?

Money saved is money in savings.

You're the Parent, But You Can Be Overruled

2011-09-02T09:34:00.001-04:00

Click n Read

2011-08-31T08:28:00.001-04:00

A couple months ago, we signed up for Click n Read to help cement phonics rules for Isaac. Since he already knows how to read, I started him in the middle and he's done great! And it's really helping him. Yay! Recently I also began Daniel and Lydia on Click n Read as a fun start to reading. They just love it! Don't tell them they're learning, they just think they're playing a computer game. I am so impressed with this program. FINALLY learning to read isn't boring and tedious! And for the most part, they do it totally on their own, freeing me up to focus on another child's long division. Oh joy!

And Click n Read has given me the ability to offer Clark Chatter readers a special offer:

If you go to Click n Kids (they have a phonics & a spelling program) and are interested in either, you can get 20% off the low price of home programs when you use this promotional code:

the9clarks@yahoo.com

How Is Saving Money Fun??

2011-08-29T09:29:00.000-04:00

When you hear the word "frugal", do you cringe? Does it make you think of cutting back, making do, and living with less? Saving money is FUN!

When I bought a $75 Ann Taylor skirt for a mere $3 at the thrift store, that was fun!
When we took the whole family out for dinner on "Kids Eat Free" night and spent only $20 for the eight of us, that was fun!
When we found an almost-new chest freezer for just $50 on Craigslist, that was really fun!
When we borrow DVDs from the library instead of paying for them elsewhere, that savings is fun!
When I scored a $30 book for $2 at a used book sale, that was fun!

Frugality is no respecter of persons. Rich and poor alike enjoy the benefits of saving money. This is the beginning of a series of articles about saving money. I hope you enjoy it and learn something along the way!

Have you saved money this week? Tell me about your latest bargain!

School for Free

2011-08-25T06:19:00.000-04:00

I am a tightwad. It's true. No denying it. And homeschool is no exception. I don't buy what I can get for free, whether it's from the library or online. Here are my favorite places to get free audio schooling:

ESV Audio Bible - totally free. We use this to help us memorize scripture. (scroll to bottom of page)

Librivox.org and Books Should Be Free.com - Gobs of free books from the public domain. Think: classic literature.

Blue Behemoth - trustworthy, downloadable audio and video content for the Christian family. One or two free downloads daily.

Christian Audio - a new free book download offered every month.

My Audio School - classic books, old-time radio theater, historical radio, and television broadcasts; all organized by time period.

It's Official!!

2011-08-23T13:54:00.001-04:00

We have a new nephew and cousin!! Read the awesome story here.

My Go-To Herbs

2011-08-22T06:23:00.000-04:00

I got this email over the weekend and thought I'd do just as asked:

I was wondering if you could tell me what your go-to herbs are for sickness(I'm wanting to prepare for winter). What do you always have on hand and what do you use them for? Maybe you could do a thorough blog post about it;)

Your wish is my command. These are the ones we use all the time:

GSE- This is our antibiotic - we use it as a preventative when we're going on trips, and as a treatment for any kind of virus. It can also be used for fungal infections as well.

Sambucus - Given alongside GSE for colds and coughs. It's an echinacea & elderberry syrup that boosts the immune system.

Emergen-C - Ok, it's not an herb, it's vitamin C in a packet. All sickies get one. We call it Vitamin C juice.

Horehound Extract - For preventing ear infections when child has a nasty cold; or treating ear infections.

Bentonite- For all stomach ills. Whichever end it's coming out of, this will cure it. (Sorry to be gross; I wanted to be clear what it's used for.)

Peppermint - For upset stomachs, drink this tea.

Tea Tree Oil - for any kind of fungus (ringworm, athlete's foot, etc.). Rub a drop or two on it. The fungal infection will disappear in a matter of days.

Wondering how to use herbs? Here's a reminder.

Baby Brown Eyes

2011-08-19T07:19:00.000-04:00

Beall Phillips Shares on Baby Brown Eyes and the Beauty of Adoption from Douglas Phillips on Vimeo.

Why Herbs?

2011-08-17T07:04:00.000-04:00

Why choose herbs instead of drugs?

Herbs were created by God for healing and nutrition. Drugs are synthetic forms of all that God made.
God knows better than man. Always.
Drug antibiotics frequently result in recurrences of the illness. The earlier they are given, the greater the chance of recurrence.
Drugs treat symptoms; herbs heal. Think about meds given for reflux, for instance. They make the symptoms stop, but do not heal the problem causing the reflux. So the reflux is still present and still problematic, even if you can't feel it.
Herbs are cheaper.
Herbs are just as straightforward as drugs. If you can learn the difference between Tylenol and Tums, you can learn what herb to use for what problem too.

This is my favorite book for learning about herbs. This is the one I keep going back to:

Judgement

2011-08-15T08:32:00.000-04:00

I got an anonymous comment recently on my Everything On My Mind post. Someone really didn't like that it made me sad when institutionalized children are put into government schools all day every day. She thought I was being judgmental.

I would like to clarify that to judge someone is to make an assumption about the motives behind what they do. To judge does not mean to look down upon.

Neither of these is how I feel about parents whose children are in public schools. I do not make any negative assumptions about why they public school, nor do I look down on them.

I feel very sad for children who are brought up in orphanages and then their adoptive families feel the need to place them in public schools for 8 hours Monday through Friday. I am sad for those children. That is not the same thing as saying I think ill of the parents. I do not.

I tend to think that most parents who choose government education do so because it's what they know.

The commenter who did not want to be known stated that all parents do what they think is best for their children. I think that is a really big assumption to make. In my experience, many parents don't think about educational options or what they think is the very best for their child. They just do what they know.

And I do not look down on them for that.

For my first three children, I never considered any other option other than disposable diapers. Cloth diapers never even occurred to me. I didn't know why parents would choose that and it didn't sound at all desirable. When I was pregnant with Lydia, I started looking into options. I really started researching it. Suddenly, I didn't just do what I knew. In the end, I chose cloth diapering for the financial savings.

With Julia and with this baby, I know all the options and I have chosen disposables again. lol Do you look down on me for my choice? Are you making assumptions about why I chose disposables instead of cloth? Yea, I doubt it.

How Twins Are Made

2011-08-12T07:04:00.000-04:00

So this is how they do it!

Everything On My Mind

2011-08-10T07:28:00.002-04:00

I've had a lot of emotions swirling through my head lately about adoption. Is it just me or do all women have way too much on their minds all the time? lol

Things that make me sad:

People who weren't at all excited about our adoption, but who have been thrilled with our pregnancy announcements since then. That really hurts. What was it about our adoptees that wasn't worth celebrating as well?
The silence and privacy that exist in adoptive communities. Adoptive families don't feel safe being honest about their unique issues.
Children who are adopted and then put in public school all day every day. You just adopted them out of an institution; please oh please don't put them back in one.

Things that concern me:

Maya and Isaac's grammar. When is it going to be easier for them? (I've learned that adoptees of foreign language-speaking countries learn English at a much quicker rate than children who grow up learning improper English. My kids aren't learning a new language; they're unlearning the wrong way of speaking it.)
Isaac's anxiety. He forever fears getting in trouble or being wrong, although both are rare for him. His extreme perfectionism really brings me to my knees for him.
Isaac's language skills. Vocabulary building has been a painfully slow process for him. There are still an awful lot of phrases he just doesn't understand yet.

Things I'm really proud of:

Maya's domestic skills. That girl is just good at everything related to the home. She loves to bake, she can confidently cook all of our dinners, she knits, she sews by hand (working on machine sewing), she enjoys cleaning. Good grief, she's amazing!
Isaac's desire to be a gentleman. He gets upset if I get the stroller out of the van instead of letting him do it. He always opens doors for us. He's a great hubby & daddy in the making.
Daniel's love for me. His impulsiveness gets him in more trouble than any other Clark, but that boy bounces back quick with a smile and a hug. Impresses the heck out of me.
The passion all of my kids have for adoption. They see the great need and the great value. I'm so thankful.

Nature Study from Home

2011-08-08T09:39:00.000-04:00

Robins: 4 Eggs, 4 Weeks from Fred Margulies on Vimeo.

More Creative Vocabulary by Maya

2011-08-05T08:43:00.000-04:00

Maya: You owe me some bacons.

Me: What does that mean?

Maya: You know- dollars.

Me: Where did you hear that?

Maya: Mr. Incredible says: Bye Honey, I'm going to bring home the bacon!
Me: Ah, gotcha!

Kyle and I were watching a movie about British kings when the kids came downstairs for hugs and kisses before bedtime. As soon as Maya heard the British accents, she started giggling.

Kyle: What's so funny, Maya?

Maya: I just love the way they talk. It's so. . . so revine!

Me: What does revine mean?

Maya: It's my own made-up word. You don't want to know what it means.

Elena: I think you mean divine, Maya.

Maya: Right. Divine.

Maya's personal language is just so very close to English, it's often hard for us to tell if she's saying words correctly or not. The other night, we were talking about our upcoming trip to Colorado and Maya said, in her fancy schmancy made-up accent:

I can't wait to go to Coderado!

We couldn't tell if she was just trilling too many letters or if she really wasn't saying it right. We asked her to repeat it.

Maya: Coderado? (She's unsure because she knows we hear something wrong.)

Kyle: How do you spell Colorado?

Maya: C O T E R . . .

In unison, Kyle and I said: Ohhhhhh! No wonder you're saying it that way!

My Other Baby Lover

2011-08-03T08:52:00.001-04:00

Out of all my (biological) girls, Julia is the only one who truly loves baby dolls at her young age. I have always wanted my girls to love their baby dolls, but that always came much later.

Aside from "Daddy" (and we're not going to talk about the fact that she said his name almost a full year before mine), one of Julia's first words was "baby".

She says it all the time. As soon as she finishes a meal, she looks around and asks: Baby? Baby?

If I lay her baby down, she looks to make sure she knows what I've done with it before moving on.

She loves to point out her babies' eyes, nose, ears, and mouth.

She carries her babies absolutely everywhere and I just love it!

I am hoping that this baby love will translate to her baby sister or brother.

I am also hoping she doesn't poke her baby sibling in the eye.

Maya the Motherly

2011-08-01T08:40:00.000-04:00

Maya absolutely adores Julia. Someone at church asked her if she was excited about having another baby in the house and her smile spread from ear to ear as she answered. This girl was just made for motherhood. Julia calls me Mommy, and calls Maya "Mama". I choose to believe it's just the way she pronounces Maya.

This was one of the pictures we got of Maya prior to her adoption:

They referred to Maya as a junior nanny at the orphanage. No wonder why.

When we told the kids we were expecting another baby, you would have thought that we were doing it just for the kids. They were all so excited about the news. But Maya. . . Well, Maya was a different story. She was absolutely beside herself.

I look forward to many beautiful grandchildren from my beautiful Maya.

Adoption Victories

2011-07-26T22:22:00.002-04:00

I love reading the stories of orphans redeemed. This video tells the story of several children whose lives were hanging in the balance, but who were rescued just in time! Their stories amaze me and testify to God's faithfulness.

Lindquist Family Slideshow from Caleb Lococo on Vimeo.

God sets the lonely in families. He is a father to the fatherless. (Psalm 68)

Where Your Children Rank

2011-07-25T02:25:00.004-04:00

This article about motherhood was just fabulous. I strongly encourage you to read it. These are the highlights:

Everywhere you go, people want to talk about your children. Why you shouldn’t have had them, how you could have prevented them, and why they would never do what you have done. They want to make sure you know that you won’t be smiling anymore when they are teenagers. All this at the grocery store, in line, while your children listen.

Children rank way below college. Below world travel for sure. Below the ability to go out at night at your leisure. Below honing your body at the gym. Below any job you may have or hope to get. In fact, children rate below your desire to sit around and pick your toes, if that is what you want to do. Below everything. Children are the last thing you should ever spend your time doing.

If you grew up in this culture, it is very hard to get a biblical perspective on motherhood, to think like a free Christian woman about your life, your children. How much have we listened to partial truths and half lies?

Christian mothers carry their children in hostile territory. When you are in public with them, you are standing with, and defending, the objects of cultural dislike. You are publicly testifying that you value what God values, and that you refuse to value what the world values. You stand with the defenseless and in front of the needy. You represent everything that our culture hates, because you represent laying down your life for another—and laying down your life for another represents the gospel.

But a Christian should have a different paradigm. We should run to the cross. To death. So lay down your hopes. Lay down your future. Lay down your petty annoyances. Lay down your desire to be recognized. Lay down your fussiness at your children. Lay down your perfectly clean house. Lay down your grievances about the life you are living. Lay down the imaginary life you could have had by yourself. Let it go.

Death to yourself is not the end of the story. We, of all people, ought to know what follows death. The Christian life is resurrection life, life that cannot be contained by death, the kind of life that is only possible when you have been to the cross and back.

The Bible is clear about the value of children. Jesus loved them, and we are commanded to love them, to bring them up in the nurture of the Lord. We are to imitate God and take pleasure in our children.

Life Is Changing Fast

2011-07-22T08:21:00.000-04:00

Isaac had a little patch of hair on his neck that we used to joke about and Isaac used to brag about. But when I found out that he was causing other boys his age to stumble in envy, I decided it had to go. The jokes are over when you're causing your friends to sin, son. {hehe}

Oh and his voice is changing too. Oh my. Somebody give me a tissue.

Logical thinking supposedly develops around this age. I'd call that a very fair trade-off. :D

Not A Model to Emulate

2011-07-21T07:41:00.000-04:00

Michelle Obama said:

“I want people to know when they look at me, to be clear, that they see what an investment in public education can look like.”

I pray that all those who have put their trust in the government would pay attention to Mrs. Obama’s warning. If you want your child to emulate her by putting their faith in the government to supply their needs, rejecting God’s law, helping to destroy the meaning of marriage, defending the right to murder children, and embracing socialist values, do what she says and invest in public education!

-taken directly from this fantastic article by author Stacy McDonald

I've Discovered. . .

2011-07-20T07:13:00.000-04:00

Magnesium is a pretty effective sleeping pill. What I need is a "Fall Back Asleep" pill. Any ideas? {sigh}
I LOVE having projects to do while pregnant
I love the results of decluttering
I can't stand the process of decluttering
Sewing makes me feel like a domestic goddess
GSE has never failed me. I'm firmly convinced it's the best antibiotic ever
My husband loves my pregnant self. He recently told me I looked huge in the outfit I was wearing. He meant it as a compliment.
I love that my hubby loves me more the fatter I get
Too bad it doesn't work that way when I'm not pregnant ;)

My Wee Helper

2011-07-18T07:14:00.000-04:00

Julia's 18 mos now. Man, we got here fast! She has been so much fun lately- talking and talking and talking. (Well, she calls it talking; we call it speaking in tongues.)

Her only real words are Daddy, Mama, Baby, Bye and Amen.

She signs: More, finished, drink, eat, please, help, thank you, and shoes.

But her limited vocabulary doesn't stop her from having whole conversations with us. She recently started using appropriate inflection. So, she'll say:

Ababada da da baby?

Ababada da da baby.

We all think everything she does is hilarious and adorable.

Lunch Boredom

2011-07-14T23:20:00.001-04:00

Be a Fly on the Wall

2011-07-11T09:19:00.002-04:00

(Each of my children have their own besetting sins - the things they struggle with the most. Daniel's biggest struggle is lying.)

Lydia comes to me saying: Daniel said I'm a chicken!

Daniel, who is right behind her, quickly pipes in: But then I said you're a big strong girl.

Me: Daniel, why did you call Lydia a chicken?

Daniel: To be mean.

Me: And then why did you say she's a big strong girl?

Daniel: So she wouldn't tell on me.

Me: {giggling} Thank you for telling me the truth, Daniel.

Last night we moved Julia into the girl room. So, Kyle went into the playroom (with me standing behind him) after putting her to bed and warned the other girls:

Kyle (pointing to each of the girls): You and you and you and you better go to bed quietly!

(Then he starts gesturing like a wild man) I'm not going to have any of that talking when you get in bed. Go straight to your bed and zip your lips! You got it?

All the girls: (nodding in fear)

Kyle (pointing to the boys): But you and you can talk all you want {he giggles}. Ok? Ok.

(Whirls around dramatically and leaves the room smiling at me.)

Parenting is a very entertaining venture.

What to Do: Arguing Child

2011-07-11T09:03:00.000-04:00

I recently got this question:

What do you do with a strong willed child that insists in arguing when she does not get her way?

I have two of those. How did you know they're both girls? ;) This is what I do:

Sally: Can we have popsicles after dinner?

Mom: No, not tonight. We just had dessert last night.

Sally: But I really want popsicles!

Mom: (modeling what child should have said) Yes, ma'am. (said in a happy voice)

Note: The happy voice is important. You want to model exactly what the child should have said and how they should say it. This begins when the child is able to talk and protests with words or with whining.

If Sally continues to argue, I would repeat my last phrase. If she still argues, I would pull her aside and talk to her about her attitude.

Mom: Sally, I know you love popsicles and it would be great to have them every night, but it's not ok for you to argue with me. Remember what the Bible says about arguing? (If they're like my children w/ this propensity, they have this verse down pat.)

Sally: "Do all things without complaining or arguing, that you may be blameless and innocent"

Mom: Right! (big smile) It's my job to help you obey God's Word and it's your job to obey mom and daddy. Now, let's try this again. Sally, is there something you want?

Sally: I want a popsicle.

Mom: Not tonight, honey. We just had dessert last night.

Sally: Ok, mommy.

Mom: {big hug} That was awesome, Sally! You didn't argue or complain! I'm so proud of you! Come here, let's play a game together.

Note: Distraction is key. Once the child obeys, you don't want to dwell on it. You want them to move on. If you can distract them and reward them at the same time-- all the better.

The #1 factor that determines your success is your consistency. If you require the right response 5 times in a row, and then you get lazy and just say: "Sally, you're arguing again. Now stop it!" you're back to square one. Trust me on this. ;)

Words, Words, Words

2011-07-08T07:52:00.001-04:00

I have been dubbed Word Girl by some of my friends and family. I love words and I love knowing what they mean. Words mean something to me.

Wanna be a fly on the wall in the Clark house? Here's your chance. Incident #1:

Maya (seeing Julia grab her purse off the couch): JuJu, you can't take my purse! That's, that's. . . THIEVANTRY!

Me (in the kitchen): That's not a word, Maya.

Maya: (laughing) But I like it. Isn't it fancy? Thievantry! So cool!

Me: Still not a word, Maya.

Maya: Don't you like it, Isaac? What do you vote?

Me: in mock frustration: It doesn't work that way, Maya. You can't just make up words!

{another day, another incident}

Me: Snack time! You guys can have half an apple.

Isaac: Can I have a green and a red apple?

Me: Are you going to have 1/4 of each apple?

Isaac: (thinking my ears must need cleaning) No, can I have a green and a red apple?

Me: Well, are you going to have 1/4 of each apple?

Isaac: Oh forget it. You're not understanding me.

Me: Sweetheart, I've asked you twice if you're going to have 1/4 of each apple and you aren't answering me.

Isaac: YES! But can I have a green and a red apple?

Me: Okay.

(Isaac gets out a red apple and cuts it in half.)

Me: Isaac, let me see your snack. Ok, this is only a red apple. I thought you wanted both.

Isaac: No, I wanted to know if we can have the red apples too. I only heard you say we could have green ones.

Me: Then why didn't you ask that? I asked you three times if you were going to have 1/4 of each apple and you said yes.

Isaac: I thought that was another way to say half.

Me: (thinking) Oh my goodness, I'm about to pull my hair out. I gotta call Kyle. (heading to my private office, the master bathroom)

(Kyle, the wise and discerning one, tells me Isaac must not understand the difference between "and" and "or". I love that smart man of mine!)

Me: (back downstairs) Isaac, let me show you something. . .

Divided

2011-07-07T08:06:00.001-04:00

Divided from NCFIC on Vimeo.

Segregation in churches is dividing the family. It is especially damaging to our youth, who need their parents' leadership more than at any other time. The teenage years are not the time to ship off your kids to the cool youth group leader and hope he disciples your children well. That's YOUR job. And what a blessed privilege it is!

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and you shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

Deuteronomy 6:5-7

ABC Meme

2011-07-05T07:34:00.001-04:00

A, AGE - Ok fine. 37.

B, Bed Size - King.

C,Chore you hate - cleaning blinds. I pay Maya to do it for me.

D, Dog - Nope, that was short-lived. Dogs are too high-maintenance for us. We're a cat family. Self-feeder, self-waterer, and litter box. We can take off for three days and leave her at home, safe and sound.

E, Essential start to your day - FOOD! Lately, that's a homemade bacon, egg, and cheese burrito with a generous amount of homemade salsa. (Oh nuts, I'm drooling on the keyboard.)

F, favorite color - green. red. orange. purple. The only color I'm really not a fan of is pink. I know, I know, but it's true.

G, Gold or Silver - I'm not picky, whichever one you give me. ;)

H, Height - 5'7"

I, Instrument you play - not a single one. Took violin, piano, and clarinet lessons. Were there more? My parents thought I was wise enough to decide if I wanted to quit. I did.

J, Job Title - Mommy.

K, Kids - 23 year old Pedro, 13 year old Maya, 11 year olds Elena and Isaac, 9 year old Chloe, 6 year olds Daniel and Lydia, 1 year old Julia, and not-here-yet Peanut.

L. Live - near Dallas, TX. Love every season except summer. I prefer to hibernate then.

M, Mothers name - Nancy.

N, Nicknames - Ging, Dr. Clark (when people are asking for advice about herbs. lol), G, Grammar Police, and Red

O, Overnight Hospital Stays - had my stomach pumped when I was 6 y.o. after eating a double fist-full of toadstools out the neighbor's yard. I LOVED mushrooms. I don't feel the same now. Surely that wasn't overnight, but it sure was traumatic. Oh I don't know!

P, Pet peeve - music playing on blogs. I was already listening to something, thankyouverymuch. (Now where is the player so I can pause it?? Of course! It's at the very bottom of your blog. Now my whole day is ruined!) hehe

Q, Quote from a movie - "I'm willing to tell you! I'm waiting to tell you! I'm wanting to tell you!" (Eliza Dolittle's dad, My Fair Lady)

R, Right or left handed - right handed.

S, Siblings - Just one sister, but a really good one.

T, Time you wake up - generally around 7:30. I don't wake up before all the kids, but I wake up before most of them. ;)

U, Umbrella?? I have two giant ones I keep in the van, but it usually starts raining when I'm in the house. {sigh}

V, Vegetables you dislike - not a single one. I feel the same way about fruit.

W, What makes you run late? My poor sense of time. Since having kids, I never ever make it out the door the first time. "Oh shoot, my sunglasses!, Did anyone get my water? Ah nuts! . . ."

X, X- rays you've had - My knee when I was 19. Turns out the jet-ski accident I had when I was 18 left fiberglass in my knee for a whole year.

Y, Yummy foods you make - My absolute favorites are Cincinnati Chili and Duggar Tortilla Soup.

Z, Zoo - I love all the animals at the zoo, although I definitely think the anteater is hands-down the ugliest creature God created.

Not Worth the Gamble

2011-07-01T16:15:00.004-04:00

I received this comment in response to my post, Reason #239 to Homeschool:

I agree that this teacher was way out of line. There is no excuse for treating a student in this way. But, please be careful not to condemn all public school teachers because of the actions of a few. Like all professions, we have great ones and horrid ones who should never see the inside of a classroom again. I am a public school teacher and a parent as well. I have a passion for my job and I love the kids entrusted to me each school year. For that nine months, they are just like my own. But the job is harder than ever because of budget cuts, class size increases,staffing decreases, and the ever present politics. So please say a prayer for us as we fight to give "our" children the best education we can under the circumstances.

Cindy, Oregan

My point was not: public schools are bad because some teachers are bad. I sincerely apologize for making you think that.

My point was: Nobody will care about your children as much as you do.

Families who send their children to public schools are sending off their most precious possessions to complete strangers. That's what I'm wanting people to question.

I know there are plenty of teachers who care greatly about their students; but a teacher can never care as much as a loving parent. They can only be substitutes.

Not to mention all the junk you mention dealing with as a public school teacher. Those are distractions that homeschool parents never have to bother with. Why would anyone want to send their children into that?

Rather than taking a gamble every year that no teacher will do something horrible to your child; why not make certain that they are being lovingly taught and cared for by their teacher by becoming their teacher?

YOU know your child best.

Reason #239 to Homeschool

2011-06-30T07:04:00.001-04:00

When first grader, Lamya Cammon, didn’t stop twirling a braid in her fingers, her teacher called her to the front of the class and cut that braid right off her head. The teacher was fined $175 for ‘disorderly conduct’ and apologized to the girl’s mother. According to the article, the mother got the apology, and an excuse:

“But I was frustrated”, the teacher said.

The frustrated teacher who publicly humiliated the little girl, making her cry in front of her whole class, is still working in the school.

Article here.