My Mommy Kisses The Principal

Today I thought you might like to do a fun experiment. Some of you are wrapping up your school year while others are slowing down and still others like me are still going strong. I hear from a lot of homeschoolers that they do not want learning to end in the summer. So, summer seems like a great time to do all those fun projects that everyone was interested in doing there just was not time to fit them into our busy days. Now is the time for those projects.

I have started an online book club of sorts. We are reading, A Study In Scarlet by Sir Arther Conan Doyle which you can get for free here: http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/d/doyle/arthur_conan/ - this website has all of his works avail for you for free. If you look around the site you can also see all of the works available in MP3 format and also a link to other children's e-books and a really fun site that has other works in MP3 format of old children's radio theater programs. I hope you all enjoy this site. For the book club we read a few chapters a week and then we meet up in a gmail group chat (gmail is free for anyone interested) and we discuss the chapters we read. The goal is for each reader to come up with at least 3 questions to ask as well as several vocabulary words. Each participant will get a turn at choosing the book. Right now the book is for older kids but, we would like to add a younger children's discussion group as well.

Ok, back to the experiment I mentioned above. (I get side tracked so easily) LOL ;) Since we are reading Holmes I thought it would be tons of fun to study DNA. Here are two links for you:

1. http://dnamazing.com/how-do-i-extract-dna-at-home/ - This site is a small book that explains how to extract your own DNA. The directions are very simple.

2. http://geneticsevolution.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_extract_dna_from_fruit_and_vegetables – This website show you how to extract the DNA from fruits and vegetables. How fun right?? ;) I figure that those of you with smaller children would find this a little more fun and easier to understand.

I hope you will do the experiments and tell us about them. I will be posting pictures of our DNA experiments later this week. Over the next couple of weeks we will also be exploring fingerprinting, observation, witness testimonies, and many more. I hope there will be an experiment or topic of interest to you.

We are also embarking a rather large project this week. We are reorganizing the bookcases, all 8 of them. If you have any suggestions on organizing them I would love to hear them. I am trying to decide if I want a school room or a craft room. It seems to me that with our relaxed style of learning might not fit into a school room . I have however always wanted a craft room and we can use it for school crafts and products. Everyone has a desk in their rooms for individual work, we have a couch for reading and watching DVD's, and a kitchen table for group learning. I love that others have school rooms they always look so nice and inviting. (Judy from benmakesten has a lovely school room) When we first moved here I was so excited to have a school room now, I am not so sure. A craft room is looking REAL good. ;)

That's all for today from the boonies. LOL Have a great day!! ❤❤

Argle Bargle... What in the world is that?? A game?? A new book??

(Noun1.argle-bargle - a verbal dispute; a wrangling argument
argy-bargy
contestation, controversy, disceptation, arguing, argument, contention, disputation, tilt - a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement; "they were involved in a violent argument"
To hear argle bargle spoken click here; http://mw1.m-w.com/dictionary/argle-bargle)

No, Argle Bargle is a wonderful word and very real word that was brought to my attention because Julie and I wanted to create a code word for off limit topics. After Julie and I reconnected (there was a 10 year absence) we wanted to make sure that we did not have to go thru that awkward “I am being really careful what I say around you till I feel out how open you are or how different our views are” stage. Well, we are not really the type of gals that want to wade thru that stage so, one night during a 9 hour phone conversation (several good, brave, loyal and courageous cordless phone's gave up their charge for us that night LOL) we were thinking of a word that would be funny and quirky (just like us) and light hearted way to day “I am not able to change my view or this topic is out of bounds for discussion right now. We have not had to use it but, just knowing that we can pull it out any time we want to really makes our friendship very, very open. It is so liberating to know that you can talk about anything at all cus if the other person is not able to discuss this topic or during the conversation if each of the opposing friends are getting upset or do not think that they can discuss this at this time then we just whip out the magical Argle Bargle!!

I am sure that some of you are wondering why I might be bringing this up other than the sheer cute and genius of it. Well... this past week brought a topic to a website that I belong to that really raised some tempers. The author of the post was upset about the subject matter. I mistakingly thought that the author wanted to discuss it. I thought about my comment and I had my husband read it and when we were both satisfied that my input on the topic was polite and well thought out. I was ready for the discussion to begin. I must interject here for those of you who do not know I love a good debate. I love to be challenged intellectually. Ok , back on topic. ;) I was encouraged when I saw that others felt the same way as me. This was looking good. Till... I got a response from the author of the topic. She yelled at me (online) and told me that I had lambasted her and that I should not read her posts anymore if I don't like what she has to say. I was really sad. There were several things that made me upset. 1. I really really made sure that I was polite. 2. I was sad that she was so close minded. 3. That the topic was I thought brought up for discussion but, in reality she just wanted others to agree with her and validate how she felt about it. 4. After she yelled at me and few more people disagreed with her she left a very scathing comment then closed the topic so that no one could respond to her childish/pouting ending statement. I felt like I had been yelled at and challenged then as I prepared my defense she ran away. Like when you are a little kid and you have an argument over who's turn it is and you concede that it is their ball so they should go first but, when it comes time for your turn they snatch the ball and run away and you can't even say anything to them. The last reason why this upset me so much is the website that this happened on is a homeschool site and I just really think that the topics on there should be homeschooling. Everyday I see inflammatory topics. I usually ignore them but, I really am sick of it. I really think that we should be talking about homeschooling topics like: how the daytime curfews that are being passed all over the nation. That affects homeschoolers. Or how about these scouts that are being taught to fight like soldiers http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/us/14explorers.html?_r=3. These are topics about children these are the kinds of topics I want to see so, I am going to start posting a topic each week. I would love for y'all to talk about them with me or each other. There will be topics that I am sure will be Argle Bargle for some. If that is the case please, please feel free to argle bargle and then propose a topic you would like to hear about or bring up. There will also be several more changes in the upcoming weeks. :) I hope you enjoy.


I wrote the other day I wrote about how my husband was stranded on the side of the rode at 2 am and sweet Judy asked me what was he doing driving at that time of night. Well, my husband had to go to the city (4 hours away) for work. While he was there he was invited to a prayer circle at he the spiritual assembly that he belonged to there. The prayer circle went late as these things often do. ;) His original intention was to stay the night again but, after being invigorated he was wide awake and wanted to go ahead and drive home. He made it about ½ way when the car revved and the temperature gage spiked and the car died. I am happy to report that my husband is safe and sound and that we do have a vehicle that was given to us that is in fair working condition.

Last but not least here is a picture of my new red hair. ;) Y'all know I am a crazy fluffy gal so the color should not shock you. ;) I do want to say however that my husband actually told me I looked “great” in that dress. I have seen the pictures and I know for a fact that dress is not flattering at all. That is why it is my house cleaning dress. And only cus I loves ya guys am I gonna let you see me in it.

Have a great day!!

Judy from benmakesten has tagged me in this game called: "My Top 8 Things"

So...here goes:

The Rules Are As Follows
1. Mention the person that tagged you.
2. Complete the list of 8's
3. Tag 8 other bloggers – ummmm I will instead tag any/every one that wants to play.
4. Tell them they have been tagged. -- Yoooowhoooo You have been tagged. LOL

8 Things I Look Forward To
1. All the funny stuff my family comes up with
2. Waking up and spending the day with my family
3. My visit to RI this December to see my Parents and friends I have not been back in 9 years
4. The next time I get to see Julie and her family
5. the next 100 years of marriage
6. Finishing my book
7. Talking on the computer with my friends
8. the quiet times I spend with each of my kids

8 Things I Did Yesterday
1. unpacked 3 boxes
2. laundry lots and lots of laundry
3. worked on being more organized
4. I made bean burritos with rice for dinner
5. hung out on the pickin' porch with my in-laws
6. cleaned my house
7. had to set up another book case since we had run out of space
8. Kissed and hugged my kids and husband

8 Things I Wish I Could Do
1. TBA
2. Learn every language
3. Travel the world
4. Make a difference in the world
5. Have a larger garden
6. Sew my own clothes from the 30's & 40's era
7. have my own cooking show
8. Be a better person

8 Shows I Watch
1. Bones
2. documentaries on Netflix
3. the Original Iron Chef
4. Chuck
5. Secretes of Magic Revealed
6. Sometimes Dog the Bounty Hunter
7. Sometimes Legeand of the Seeker
8. King of the Hill

It has been quite a while since I have posted. A lot has happened.
We had to have the electrical wiring in the meter box repaired cus it was a major fire hazzard. We are were very blessed since my husbands Uncle is an electrician and he and my hubby fixed it.

We went to a crawfish boil. We got to meet the neighbors.

We went for a drive on the dirt roads behind my house. We saw a deer and we saw 8 pigs. We also found a blackberry patch.

I made some chocolate covered candied grapefruit peels. Yummy!!

Killed two scorpians ewwwwwww, grossssssssss, iiickkkkkkkkk, gulp, and gasp!!

Got Lukas' room set up.

Had a 2 am scare of my hubby broke down on the side of the road. Again we were blessed and family came to our rescue and we got the car towed back here and my hubby home safe and sound.

We now have 11 kittens. Time to start adopting the kittens to some good families. We have two bob tails, two calicos (one of them has a 5th claw on her paw), 5 pure white (three of which are albino), one orange and white one with a 5th claw on his paw, and one black and white one.

We had our chickens here for two days. On the second night three of them were killed. We had to put them back across the street till we build a better coup. We had to get rid of the raccoon who had attacked them.

I dyed my hair. Red. I love it!!

I shot my first gun. I don't think I will ever become a gun toten' mamma but, out here in the woods it is a very useful skill. ;)

I think that is all for tonight I will back very very soon!! Have a great day!!