Home School Terrorist?

Today was our Home Schooler's Science Co-Op Day. This is the day once per month where we come together with pre - determined lesson plans on a particular subject and teach 4 classes on the same subject to 4 different age groups of children.
This years topic is called 'De Mystifying the Periodic Table of Elements'. Pretty cool topic in my opinion especially since many people go through life and don't have a clue as to what that table is about, why we have, or let alone how to read and understand it.
It is to many just a chart that they saw hanging in their science classes, and was understood by only the smart kids.
It is really a very simple chart, and shows all of the elements on the earth. What their atomic weight is and how many molecules they are composed of.
I also think that it is really cool that we are exposing children as young as 5 to the periodic table so that they will grow up with a familiarity with it, instead of being intimidated by it.
We are exploring the periodic table very simply by starting from left to right and incorporating as much about an element into the different classes as we can including our snacks.
Last months element was potassium so we had foods rich in potassium.
This month was Magnesium, and hubby and I were asked to teach a class, so I didn't have to bring a snack.
Magnesium, is a really cool element that burns under water. It is used as flares by divers and for roadside flares as well, and is the white stuff on the top of 'Strike anywhere' matches. It is also used in medicine, such as 'Milk of Magnesia'. It is very good for irregularity.
Hubby downloaded some YouTube vids of people making fireworks, so we of course taught the kids how to make their own too.
For the little kids we took caps for toy guns and cut the rolls up into pieces, put the pieces onto a piece of tape and folded it up into a little bindle and taped the bindle to the head of a hammer. After all the children had made their bindles we ventured outside and the children took turns banging the hammer with their bindle attached onto the asphalt parking lot. It made quite a loud bang and the kids loved it.
For the older children we scraped the magnesium off of sparklers and placed them in a bindle with a firecracker inside as a fuse. The magnesium flared bright white as the firecracker exploded.
This was quite a popular class.
But as I am watching the kids have such a great time and putting what they have learned into practical application, I couldn't help but feel sorry for the kids in public school who would be expelled if caught making the things that we were teaching them to make.
Our country is crying out for science and math scholars, but these subjects aren't interesting if they are only learned in a book. They are interesting when you apply them to real life applications and have fun with them.
Every time I take my son to this co-op it reinforces to me why I choose to homeschool my kids.

I Feel Like a Big Girl

Wow, this is so strange. I'm home almost alone. Hubby and the Princess are off on business today.

I saw a friends status on Facebook today saying that her husband was going to be home for a month and she was hoping that they didn't kill each other. One of her friends responded and said that she should be grateful because she hadn't seen her husband in nine months and he was schedualed to come home for just two weeks and then back to Afganistan again.

Boy, that sure puts it all in perspective doesn't it.

I am the wife of a serial entrepenuer who loves me more than I can even describe. Ever since I got sick he has nearly outright refused to leave me side for almost four years. His business requires him to travel quite a bit, but he has since insisted that I come along. It has been really exciting and we get to see soooo much and experience so many different things together, so I am certainly not complaining.

We are completely co-dependant upon each other, but you know, I just don't think that is such a bad thing.

Everybody needs someone to love them unconditionally, and while I sometimes put some conditions on my affection like..."you gotta pluck your nose hair", or "your shirt is on inside out". The fact of the matter is I love him, and don't know what I would do without him.

Yet, I am home alone (still have the 10 year old) and it has been such a long time I feel so grown up!
It's funny how when we were younger he was gone all the time on business trips, and I was alone for nearly two years, only seeing him on the weekends. I hated it at first, but then found I really liked it. I found an independance I didn't know that I had .

But it has been since 02 since he has worked away from the house far enough that he had to get into a car and drive. Having a home office is wonderful, or working 50 feet from the back porch is remarkable.
Its great having him home for our family meals (which he often cooks) and having him here for a hand on heavy things that I can't do myself.

One of the most wonderful things about having him home is that since the 10 year olds birth he took more of an active role in the day to day life of raising this child. With our two eldest, we were younger, and it was harder to make ends meet and he had to be gone so much that most of the child rearing was my responsibilty but with the youngest he has been a literal Mr. Mom. So much so, I think the older two are often times jealous.

Time is something that we can't buy. Health is marginally available for purchase, and the time that we have spent together has been priceless.
While there are material things that we all would have liked, persuing ones dreams is far more valuable and satisfying.
I'm grateful to the husband that chases his dreams from his home office, and takes such wonderful care of me. I'm grateful for the sacrafices that he has made to spend the time with me and our children.
It takes a brave man to persue his dreams and rely on only God, himself and his talents to put his face to the wind and keep pushing on in no matter the conditions or enviroment. It has never been easy, sometimes it is really really hard, and sometimes it's sooo sweet and perfect that I wouldn't trade it for all the hard times.

Thank you Honey, I miss you already!

There is Simply Nothing Like a Fresh Peach

The other day Tide and Thyme had a recipe for Peach and Berry Crumble. The recipe looks divine and I plan on making it, the problem is....can I keep the peaches long enough!?!?!

I have a passion for a fresh tree ripened peach. There is nothing like the taste, the warm juice running down your chin when, the fuzzy's prickleing your lips, the pain in the back of your jaw as your taste buds are overwhelmed with both sweet and tart, and pure taste of glorious summer sunshine all in your mouth at one time.

I know, I know, I sound like I could be writing an adult novel, but peaches are truly a very sensational fruit.

This particular peach was so perfect I had to place it on my stand and photograph it.

Here's your food porno for the day!

Check Out These Roses!!!!

This year I was completely stupified by these roses granduer.
I mean all of this from a cheap rose bush from Walmart 6 years ago.
They are 'Queen Elizabeth' Roses, and I simply find it unbelievable that this cheap Walmart bush would produce such reliable beautiful blooms year after year.
Much earlier this last year, a Nor'easter knocked down their faithful trellis that held them up since they were purchased.
On Birthday's Mother's Day and Easter, my children always buy me a rose bush or another type of perennial for me to plant in our extensive garden. They know how cheap I am and would never go and spend the money that I know is essential to spend on a good rose, from somewhere like Thomases or other reputile nurseries.
However, this beaty, I picked up on clearance at Walmart when I was their shopping for something else one day. I didn't give it a lot of thought after I purchased it. As a matter of fact, I left it on the porch for several weeks un planted before I walked outside and uncerimoniously planted the poor dry thing.
But low and behold just a few day's later the previously pasty white stems were now green and it was growing more!
I will never again judge a book by it's cover, and it was grown in the US, so despite it's meager beginings this rose has turned out to be a such the head turner!

Dorsey's Aloha Cheese Cake

ALOHA CHEESECAKE
• 1 c Vanilla Wafer Crumbs
• ½ c Macadamia Nuts, Crushed
• ½ stick Butter, Melted
• 1lb. Cream Cheese
• 1 c. Sugar
• 2 T. Milk
• 3 Large Eggs
• ½ t. Vanilla
• ½ t. Lemon juice

• 8 ½ oz Crushed Pineapple, thickened with corn starch & cooled
• Whipped Cream (Stabilized)
• 2 Med Kiwi Peeled, Sliced
• Maraschino Cherries or Fresh Strawberries

Directions:
1. Combine crumbs, butter and toasted nuts; press onto bottom of Pam-sprayed 9-inch spring form pan. Bake at 325 degrees F. for 10 minutes.
2. Combine cream cheese, sugar, milk, vanilla and lemon juice, mixing at medium speed on electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. DO NOT OVERBEAT OR TOO FAST!
3. Pour over crust. Bake at 350 degrees F. 45 minutes. Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool before removing rim of pan.
4. Chill. Before serving, top with pineapple, whipped cream and garnish with kiwi fruit.

Stabilized Whipped Cream
• ½ cup cold water
• 2 t. (1 pkg.) unflavored Gelatin

• 1 pt. heavy whipping cream
• 2 T. white sugar
• 1 t. vanilla extract

Whipped cream has a tendency to soften and weep upon standing. The only way to prevent whipped cream topped desserts from looking a runny by the time you serve them is by stabilizing the cream with added ingredients. One tried and true method is to stiffen the cream with GELATIN. It works well and does not affect the flavor of the whipped cream.

1. Chill mixing bowl and beaters for at least 15 minutes before using. Place water in a small microwave-safe bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over water and allow softening 5 minutes.
2. Dissolve gelatin by microwaving for 2 minutes, stirring after every minute. Remove from microwave and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes; gelatin must be liquid, but not warm when added to cream.
3. Remove bowl and beaters from refrigerator and pour in cream, sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat together just until beater marks begin to show distinctly.
4. Add gelatin mixture to cream, pouring in a steady stream while beating constantly. Beat until stiff peaks form. Use immediately.
5. Pipe over chilled cheesecake and garnish with fruit

The Simple Things In Life

Today was one of those hot June days that was sooo hot that we were actually uncomfortable, knowing it's going to be at least this hot from here on out.
Once again we were working on the house and everything was going beautifully. The subfloor is down.
The new tile is down.
The paint is all fresh, and all the fixtures were put back in with very little problem. (well a few).
Raleigh turned on the water, and every thing worked!
We all rejoiced and patted each other on the back for a job well done.
Then we went downstairs....the ceiling was dripping in the corner under the tub!
Dale was here, and he cut it open and found the problem. He gave us specific instructions on what to do, and we have a full day ahead of us again tomorrow.
Raleigh turned the water back off and we made a wonderful dinner of roasted vegetables straight from the garden over rice. It was so delish....we all just loved it!
I noticed while picking some zucks for dinner that the sky was looking pretty ominous over the bay, and seeing the dryness of the garden I really hoped that we would get some rain.
After our delicious meal we all noticed a lot of lightning we always called it heat lightning growing up. But soon the wind began as did the rain.
What a rockin storm we had tonight! It was so intense at times I wondered if there were a funnel cloud in the mix but it didn't get too crazy.
For 22 years our family has sat on the front porch of our Market Street home and watched the storms roll by.
It's funny....not one of us says anything to each other about but by the time the storm is in full swing, the entire family is always present, enjoying the moment together.
One day Raleigh called me from college and was telling me about sitting out under a walkway at her dorm with a couple of her friends enjoying a storm. She concluded she never wanted to live in a home that did not have a front porch for storm watching as it is one of her favorite things to do.
Which makes me realize once again...it truly is the simple things in life that bring us the most pleasure, and create the memories that our children charish the most.

Friends and Neighbors with Skills and Big Toys

What a day! First thing today, my friend and neighbor came over and showed me what I needed to do to replace some rotten spots in the sub-flooring in the upstairs bath. Well, as he was showing me he ended up doing more than I wanted him to, and it's a good thing, because when he left me on my own with specific instructions on how to cut around the flange on the commode and water pipes...
let's say I was off a tad.

He left me his jigsaw to use even though I insisted that I had one, and when I showed him mine, he smiled and said "you better just use mine". Wow! There is a big difference in the newer jigsaws!

I'll wrap up with my good neighbor fixed my sub-floor and I am very thankful to him for it. He's self admittedly anal about it being just right, and it is.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, my bush beans that I originally thought were pole beans, and my pole beans that I originally thought were bush beans are growing like crazy.
Hubby tried to do a little trellis for them, but they're outta control.
The couple that owns the Bridal Shop have been invaded by a bamboo forest. I called and asked if they would mind if I came and cut a few pieces. They said I could take all I wanted. I got into the beast with my new bow saw and went and cut 12 canes. I stuck them in the back door of the beast and brought them home hanging out of the back the 6 blocks home.
While I was on my way Hubby called and said that Dale was at the house with his JohnDeere and was flattening out the sand!
I am soooo tickled!
Everything on the house is coming together and it is looking beautiful!
No more open pit outside my door!
No more ruts to break ones leg, no more standing water in puddles up to one's knees.
We now have a level surface on which we can now order topsoil and then plant grass!
Dale and his John Deere rock! What we were doing shovel by shovel he took and scraped the entire yard with the front end loader and made it all smooth.
Smiling the entire time, he looked like a little kid playing in a big sandbox. After he was finished he said "I can't call that work"...
Boys and their Toys