Monday, December 28, 2009

52 Books in 2009?

Nope, I didn't make it.   I didn't even come close, but I'm glad I tried.  I read more books than I would have otherwise (approximately 18).  Many of those were read alouds (RA) which made reading them a slower process.

The most uniquely written book was The Dead Fathers Club.  I was proud of finishing Dracula.  Surprised at how much I enjoyed Dr. Jekyll and Mr. HydeThe Shack was my least favorite.  I know a lot of people love it but for me it was too far removed from my own beliefs.
  • Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
  • The Precious Present - Spencer Johnson
  • The Neverending Story - Michael Ende
  • Fablehaven: Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary (RA) - Brandon Mull
  • Stormbreaker (RA) - Anthony Horowitz
  • The Shack - William P. Young
  • Peter and the Starcatchers (RA) - Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson
  • Point Blank (RA) - Anthony Horowitz
  • Skeleton Key (RA) - Anthony Horowitz
  • The Lightening Thief (RA) - Rick Riordan
  • Eagle Strike - Anthony Horowitz
  • The Sea of Monsters (RA) - Rick Riordan
  • The Titan's Curse  (RA) - Rick Riordan
  • Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson
  • The Dead Fathers Club - Matt Haig
  • Dracula - Bram Stoker

Friday, December 4, 2009

New Fave

I have found a new favorite TV show...Hoarders.

Show description: "Each 60-minute episode of Hoarders is a fascinating look inside the lives of two different people whose inability to part with their belongings is so out of control that they are on the verge of a personal crisis. Whether they're facing eviction, the loss of their children, jail time, or divorce, they are all desperately in need of help."

You can watch full episodes online.


Edited to add:  I also found a documentary, My Mother's Garden, made by a daughter of a hoarder.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Join me in...

Join me in congratulating our seminary student.  As of this morning, she has memorized all 25 Book of Mormon scriptures. Good job, Lynn!

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Dracula - Quotes

Dracula
Bram Stoker
Puffin Classics, 2009 edition

"Bless that good, good woman who hung the crucifix round my neck! for it is a comfort and a strength to me whenever I touch it. It is odd that a thing which I have been taught to regard with disfavour and as idolatrous should in a time of loneliness and trouble be of help." pg. 44

Mina writing in her journal: "I am anxious, and it soothes me to express myself here; it is like whispering to one's self and listening at the same time." pg. 117

Professor Van Helsing to Dr. Seward:
"My thesis is this: I want you to believe."
"To believe what?"
"To believe in things that you cannot. Let me illustrate. I heard once of an American who so defined faith: 'that which enables us to believe things which we know to be untrue.' For one, I follow that man. He meant that we shall have an open mind, and not let a little bit of truth check the rush of a big truth, like a small rock does a railway truck. We get the small truth first. Good! We keep him, and we value him; but all the same we must not let him think himself all the truth in the universe."
"Then you want me not to let some previous conviction injure the receptivity of my mind with regard to some strange matter. Do I read your lesson aright?" pg. 313

"...for this enlightened age, when men believe not even what they see, the doubting of wise men would be his greatest strength." pg. 521

Friday, November 6, 2009

Sir Ken Robinson

I hope you all will take 20 minutes and watch this humurous yet serious talk about education and creativity given by Sir Ken Robinson. I think it ties in nicely with our recent discussion about women and education.

BTW, I'm looking forward to the addition of your "must read" book suggestions.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Which Books?

This evening while I was at the bookstore, I was lamenting over the fact that there are so many wonderful children's books yet not enough time to read them all...especially before our children leave home.

Which works of literature would you like your children to read (or have read to them) before they leave your nest? Let's try to limit it to the top ten or less. You may also want to list the ones that were most influential to you as a child.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Autumn Sausage Casserole

From: Make it Fast, Cook it Slow by Stephanie O'Dea

Family Rating: Different

I would not rate this as a "We didn't like it" or a "You've gotta cook this again!" It was good but falls in the different category probably due to the spices (cinnamon and allspice). The prep work involved cooking a pot of rice and chopping vegetables and meat. I did start the crock pot later in the afternoon than I should have. After an hour-and-a-half the carrots were still crunchy so I cranked up the heat from low to high. It cooked on high for another hour-and-a-half which was too much. The edges were a little brown and crunchy and overall the rice was mushier than I like.

What I'm glad I did:
I mixed all of the spices, sprinkled them over the chopped vegetables and meat, and tossed to thoroughly coat the veggies and meat with spice. The spices were distributed more evenly this way.
I used a granny smith apple which added a nice tart flavor.
I used golden raisins and the kids didn't notice. I don't like cooked raisins and even I didn't notice them.

What I would change:
I would like to try a different type of sausage (used Polska Kielbasa 'cause I love the stuff).
Cut sausage in fourths instead of halves. More likely to get a bit of sausage with each bite.
Slice the carrots thinner to reduce cooking time.
Possibly add the rice later to reduce overcooking.
I think this meal might be even better cooked in a sauce pan. Cooking the onions and carrots together (caramelizing?) would be the trick to taking this from "different" to "We would eat this again."

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Women and Education

Ladies, whether you have a degree or not I hope you'll participate in my mini-poll. Men, chime in with your observations about the women in your life.

What part of your post high school education do you use on an everyday basis?

Has your post-secondary education been useful in specific situations? (ex: financially supporting the family, church callings, community or social participation, being an informed consumer, etc.)

Is there anything you wish you would have done differently in regards to post-secondary education?

Thank you for sharing your experiences!

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Neti Pot Party!

Neti pot demonstration.

A year ago when I first heard of neti pots, I decided to buy one thinking it would be a great way to avoid sinus infections related to colds. For me that is the worst part of a cold...the lingering stuffy nose and sinuses that won't clear.

Procrastination happens.

This morning 7yo woke me complaining of an earache. She has had a bad cough and then yucky nose for about three weeks. For me, an earache is a sign that I'm on the mend. I know it sounds weird, but I've found that if I'm going to get an earache that is when it happens. Assuming 7yo's situation is similar, I gave her Tylenol and spent the day telling her, "Blow. No, blow harder!" (We avoided blowing the side that made her ear hurt.)

This evening the girls and I loaded up and drove to town on a mission to buy a neti pot. 7yo was happy to be in possession of the neti pot until we got home and mom announced we were going to have a neti pot party. Then the whining began. Yes, there was whining, wailing, and gnashing of teeth. Of course she survived. 14yo sister came in afterward to demonstrate how to use a neti pot without the drama. And 11yo had to show the rest of them that she was game too. She generously left me enough fluid to try rinsing at least one side.

Yeah, I know. We shouldn't have shared the pot. But, we've all had the same bug recently and hey, we're family. We love sharing...even germs. c:

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Just a day....

My eyelids pinged at 6:40am (way too early in my book). I decided I might as well tackle the dirty laundry which was overflowing into the kitchen floor. It's only 10am and the third load is ready for the dryer.

While I'm waiting for my pants to dry so I can go on a walk, I'm contemplating making a grocery list. Sigh. I don't really want to go to the grocery store today, but we are out of food I can make a meal out of. Hey, we're even out of milk! I'm combing over the last two menus from e-Mealz to see what I'm willing to cook and what the troops may be willing to eat.

I'm also pondering homeschool. I have some things I want to do, but we still don't seem to have enough time in the day to get them accomplished. I could turn into a organizational Nazi and possibly get them done, or I could accept that it isn't going to happen.

I also decided that I'm going to have to do teacher prep on Saturdays. There's just no way around it. I can study Biology while 14yo is in seminary but there is still more to learn. Participial phrases are making my head spin and I hear Egypt calling my name.

I hear the dryer buzzer.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Seminary

Two down and ..... how many more days do I have to do this? It's true. I'm the seminary chauffeur. How funny is that? The two family members that have the hardest time getting out of bed early are waking up at 5:30 a.m. There is something totally wrong with this picture.

Night owls' observations:

  • at 5:30 a.m. it is dark outside
  • people are actually driving to work at 6 a.m.
  • seeing an orange sunrise behind Mt. Jefferson(?) is breathtaking!
  • Mormon standard time is alive and kickin'
  • at 7:30 a.m. you can get a front row parking spot at WinCo
  • WinCo only needs one checker in the early morning
  • Lynn should not be taken into WinCo just after the shelves have been stocked. She will feel compelled to fill the empty spaces and organize anything that is out of place. She is also super giggly and begs for stuff (a.k.a. doughnuts)
  • Lynn thinks one hour power naps are too short
  • the crash begins at 3 p.m.
  • mom is very grouchy in the evenings after getting up so early
  • she wants to go to bed early therefore everyone else must too

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Don't shoot me...

Can I admit that I'm looking forward to public school starting on Wednesday? I love that my girls have friends, but I'm looking forward to fewer interruptions and better focus. Even if their friends don't come over, just knowing that friends are available seems to contribute to "but mom I could be playing" attention deficit. Of course we'll have to adjust. Every year we go through the "I'm bored" stage for a couple of weeks. Then, we revert to the "knocking on their door the minute they get off the bus" syndrome.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Girly Math


Who needs counting bears when you can
use bottles of nail polish instead?



Counting bears are math manipulatives used to help with counting and sorting.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Unwanted guests

I found myself dancing with an unwanted guest last night...in my bare feet! After jumping over him several times and squealing an expletive or two, I convinced him to go sit in the corner. Fast forward to tonight. I guess he thought the coast was clear to hit on me again once hubby went off to bed. But, my faithful kitty came to my rescue. Although I must sadly report that the cat decided to help another creature join the "one less leg" club. I'll have to tell you about the slugs hubby found in the kitchen this morning another time.

BTW, I spent a considerable amount of time online trying to identify the spider. It could be a hobo or a giant house spider. Apparently, hobos are hard to identify because they look similar to several other spiders. Regardless, I had a good time lying on the floor with a flashlight and magnifying glass getting as good a look as one can through an 8X8 pyrex dish.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

A Day in the Life of....

After a terrific heat wave (104, 108, and 102 degrees Fahrenheit), I think it is time to start living again. Time seemed to stop for a few days. Only the bare necessities were performed so as not to produce additional body heat. Dirty clothes and dishes have piled up along with every toy or item that was used in the last few days. I've decided to share what today's recovery effort will look like. (Special thanks to DH who braved the hot weather to do the dishes and laundry which did get done. Oh, and he slaved away in the garage during the early mornings to fix the van.)

  • Woke up at 9:15 a.m. Walked out of our cool bedroom to find that the rest of the house didn't get quite as cool. Considered being a slug again today.
  • 7yodd decides that copying people is fun. 11yodd and I copy 7yo for 5 minutes. 7yo gets rather frustrated and realizes that copying is a form of teasing and it isn't fun to be on the receiving end.
  • Seeing that cabin fever is brewing, I announce that they (7 & 11) should play at the park while it is cool. I retract said statement upon seeing the state of their room.
  • We role play. I'm the slave driver and they are the slaves. I think it is a fun game. They don't seem to get as much enjoyment out of it as I do. Their room is pronounced clean. Role playing ends. They flee the house.
  • I fill out paperwork for today's field trip to a local climbing wall. Did I just sign my life away?
  • I try to rouse 14yodd. She apparently HAS decided to be a slug today.
  • Washing my jeans that looked like a Brownie Batter Blizzard rained down them yesterday. I don't know how that happened.
  • The park didn't last long. Now listening in as kids watch "Martha Speaks." Martha can speak Polish?
Continued...

  • Beginning to feel claustrophobic now that I'm actually acknowledging the cluttered state of our home. The veil has been removed from before my eyes. Shudder!
  • Vacuuming one area rug shouldn't take an hour.
Eat where?

Aah, much better!
(now to clean off the piano bench where I dumped the stuff ;)

  • Trying to calm my anxiety by eating a fudgsicle.
  • Returned all Wii game discs to the appropriate cases.
  • Slug girl has arisen (2pm!) and is attempting to morph into a human being.
  • Trying hard to squelch the "this is hopeless" mantra that is getting louder in my head. I am beginning to hate stuff.
  • When your house looks like it has had an explosive BM, shovel the contents of your bedside table into a box. Dust the table and the pretties. Feeling overwhelmed? Go sit by bedside table and admire it until you have the strength to return to the battlefield.
  • Avoidance - called my mom. They are in Nauvoo, IL. I encouraged them to take their time driving across the states. DH still needs to go next door and clear out his model train stuff. I have NO idea where he's going to store it.
  • Avalanche prevention - cleaning off the top of the dryer.
  • Started the dishwasher. Unsure what to do next, so I start eating Cheeze-It's. Yes, eating. That doesn't take any effort.
  • Note to self: STOP buying stuff!
  • I admit defeat. Retreating to my room.
  • My favorite distraction - crossword puzzles.
  • Rock climbers are home and in one piece...now enjoying their favorite distraction "The Brady Bunch."
  • Computer died forcing me back into the fray. Digging through the bedside table clutter which was dumped into an empty dishpan earlier.
  • 14yo & 11yo made cheese and bean quesadillas for supper. What wunderbar children!
  • As Cliff Hanger (Between the Lions) says, "Can't...hold...on...much....loooonger!"
  • Hard to get anything accomplished with my cat in the room. There is nothing like a one-eyed, three-leg, mangy looking cat. He is just too irresistible. I must hug and kiss him each time I pass by.
  • 11:30 p.m. Load in the dryer, load in the washer. Goodnight.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Welcome Sweet Baby!

Congratulations to Stephanie and Jeff!

Monday, July 20, 2009

Fiction let down?

This morning I finished The Shack...parts were sad. This evening DH and I watched Troy...sad ending. Then tonight at bedtime I read the last chapter of Peter and the Starcatchers to my younger girls...another "sad to me" ending. I'm feeling a bit melancholy. I guess I'm suffering from fiction let down (if there is such a thing).

Edited to add: I really liked Peter and the Starcatchers. It was a fun read aloud!

Saturday, June 27, 2009

The Joys of Pet Ownership

Queasy stomach? Sympathy puker? STOP!!! Skip this entry.

The reason the dog was in the skunk trap was food...ham sandwich meat that had been sitting out in the sun for several days. When she started throwing up yesterday, we assumed upset stomach due to rotten meat. And when she whined last night at 2a.m. I assumed spoiled dog who didn't want to be locked up in her kennel overnight.

This morning I was informed that she had been sick again outside, and upon further investigation I found that she had also been sick in her kennel. I pulled out her pad and saw what looked like a piece of string approximately three inches long. My brain started putting two and two together, and I decided to take a closer look. The "sausage links" gave it away. Yep, it was a tapeworm (identified at vet's office). Let me say that brushing your teeth after using a toothpick to pick a tape worm out of dog vomit...well, I wasn't sure I was going to hold down my breakfast.

I am VERY glad that I decided to poke through her vomit. I think tapeworms are usually found in the intestines not the stomach. Poor dog must have quite the infection. I'm also glad that I happened to buy freshly ground hamburger at the grocery store. After trying to pry her jaws open, I found that putting humongously large pills in small hamburger ball works much better. It became a game of let's catch the raw hamburger mom is tossing to me. Ah, it's so fun having pets. ;)

BTW, I'll never look at a string of pearls the same way.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

We didn't catch a skunk but.....

We didn't catch a skunk, but we did catch a DOG!

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Pepe LePew was so cute until...


The cutest little skunk has apparently chosen our backyard to hang out in. Well, I thought he was really cute until he decided to sleep under our bedroom window. And apparently something was sprayed tonight. Phew! There is nothing like the smell of burnt rubber greeting you when you open the back door.

Do you think I was inspired to buy a fresh new bottle of Skunk-off last week? The cat (1/2 blind) actually went up to said skunk and sniffed it. I guess he thought it was another cat. Luckily the skunk chose to hiss and not spray.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

She's READING!!!

Am I a little excited? YES!

7yo has been able to read consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) ("cat") words for awhile, but she wasn't able to read sentences. Last month I bought some sight word readers which she memorized. The past two weeks she has been reading longer passages in her Rod & Staff "We Learn About God" reader. Again, these are sight word stories, but they are much longer which showed me that she is actually reading not merely reciting memorized passages.

BTW, we are working through the accompanying phonics workbook too. I like this approach of using both types of reading instruction (phonics and sight words). Using sight words means she is able to start reading quickly and phonics instruction helps her to build future reading skills.

Now, if we can get her to count from 11-20 without leaving out numbers.... c:

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Kudzu Vacation




Kudzu or "the vine that ate the south."

Our family lived in North Carolina from the time I was six until I was 14. I don't remember seeing Kudzu in FL, but it was definitely in NC. It covered everything on the ground and then grew up the nearby trees. It was like a green tidal wave. It was beautiful and could be useful, but it had become an invasive species smothering the native flora.

This week has been a kudzu week. All of those little "good" things on my schedule are like kudzu. They are beautiful and mostly good, but together they are overtaking me. They are making it hard to do the things that I feel should come first.

And so, I'm declaring a kudzu vacation starting Monday. I am going to choose carefully what I'm going to allow to creep into my life. Because we all know that those little creepers can become dense walls that block our view of the beautiful and important forest underneath it.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

The Blues

Back when we were living on Bluebell (+ 4 yrs ago), I started to recognize a pattern. Every February I had a day where I was so blue that I had to make myself move. I can remember sitting on the couch watching everyone move around the room while I felt like I didn't have the energy to get up. And, I didn't want to. I would have this mental argument where I would tell myself that I had to get up and start moving or I was going to go deeper into the funk I was in. I wasn't grouchy. I had no energy. I was blah.

Last year it hit me particularly hard. I felt like a zombie. The worst part only lasted for about 24 hours, but it took me a couple of weeks to finally feel normal again. It scared me!

February came and went this year with no trace of the blues. Then March passed by too. Yeah! I thought I was safe.

Not so. Of all days, why April 1st? I don't know. I stayed in bed with the covers over my head. I didn't answer the phone. When I finally forced myself out of bed into the shower, it was like watching a movie in slow motion. After awhile I realized I was standing under the shower with my mouth hanging open. I had to think about what to do. At the grocery store, I wrote the amount for the groceries on the "pay to the order of" line. I stood there dumbly looking at the check. I knew something was wrong, but I couldn't figure it out until I had studied the check for a few seconds. (Are you wondering why I was out driving? Me too!)

I did something different this time which I think helped. I told my husband. Knowing that someone else was aware helped me to fight back. And, forcing myself to get out the house helped too. I was still in slow mo but it helped to be around other people. It was like a distraction that helped me stay bobbing at the surface rather than sinking down deeper.

I feel much better but also on guard. I don't enjoy feeling like someone has sucked the energy out of me.

If you've ever watched the movie "The Dark Crystal" you'll understand what I'm afraid of. I don't want to be a Podling whose life essence has been drained.



Thursday, March 26, 2009

Fablehaven


I bought the newest book in the Fablehaven series, Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary. I would read it to the girls all day except our resident teenager thinks she has better things to do with her time. The nerve!

You know what surprised me? When we went to Borders at noon on the release date, there were only three copies. I guess they didn't expect many buyers? The next evening we couldn't find any copies. Hopefully that's good news for Brandon Mull.

BTW, we'll try not to post any spoilers. It will be hard...but...we'll....try!

Monday, March 23, 2009

Homeschool update

When folks ask me how homeschool is going I tend to give a general answer like fine. Personally, I doubt they want the nitty gritty details, but maybe they do want to know a little more than "fine."

If you are interested here it is...

13 yodd is preparing for standardized testing. Think mom shoving lots of worksheets off on her.

10 yodd is learning about fractions (finding lowest common denominator), the future tense in Latin, Australia, and mollusks, etc. Soon we'll be starting a unit on astronomy.

7 yodd is learning to read. That is her job. She does a couple of workbook pages pertaining to phonics or reading skills each day. She is also working in a 1st grade math workbook.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

The Teacher Store

A few times a year I plan a trip to the closest educational supply store (45 minute drive). It's a little stressful with the traffic of a bigger city, but it is so fun to go in and drool over all those cutesy elementary school themed supplies and cool educational toys. I usually come away a little disappointed because I tend to talk myself out of buying things I know I don't need.

Yesterday was a good trip, because I found some things that I wanted and knew I would use. I bought some colorful sight word readers for 7yodd. She read them to her Dad at bedtime last night. We also bought a set of word family cards.

Of course, sometimes it is the little things that are the most exciting...new chalkboards! We use lap size chalkboards every day for homeschool and it was time for some new ones. Yeah!

Monday, March 16, 2009

It's official. I'm a Twit!

I've been hearing about Twitter for awhile and could not for the life of me figure out what people were talking about. Then one of my favorite homeschool authors announced that she had started twittering. I enjoy reading her blog, so I decided to check out this twitter phenomenon. After visiting Twitter I thought, "Oh, that's nice" and went about my business.

And then....I had a few times when friends wanted to chat with me on Gmail while I was busy with school. I figured how to use the busy signal on Gmail. It seemed fine until oldest dd told me the message other people see. For fun, I started putting a custom message with my busy symbol...cooking supper, crossword puzzle, homeschool hours, etc. It was fun and I realized that I was doing something similar to Twitter so why not give it a try.

DH said now we are hip. Nay, we're too old to be hip. We're officially twits.

Link - Twitter

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Europe?

How well do you know Europe? See if you can place the countries in the right place. Post your best time....if you dare. You can try it with outlines or without.

Europe Map Puzzle


Friday, February 20, 2009

Like a Machine Gun

What made me so excited tonight that on the way home my mouth was firing off as fast as a machine gun?

D
R
U
M
R
O
L
L

I went to the Friends of the Library annual book sale where I found a 2007 set of World Book Encyclopedias for $100. They are beautiful. My 10yodd and I both marveled that some of them felt as if they had never been opened. A note with the set quoted the online price of $300, while a new set at the World Book online store is $829. I'm thrilled to finally have a set, and a nice one at that.

Isn't it interesting what makes some people happy? ;)

Sunday, February 15, 2009

What We Are Shooting For

I've floundered a lot since we started homeschooling. I think it's like parenting. By the time I get it figured out, my children will be grown.

In June 2006, I began reading The Latin-Centered Curriculum by Andrew Campbell. Yes, I actually got butterflies while reading this book. I was that excited. Why? Dr. Campbell showed me that I can give my children (and myself) a classical education. He convinced me that it is possible.

If you are curious about why classical education (esp. Latin centered) is exciting to me, I hope you'll read this interview with Dr. Campbell.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Distract Me, Please.

My daddio had bypass surgery a couple of months ago, and today he had to have another surgery. I'm feeling weepy and on the verge of tears. I need something to distract me, so I thought I would come here and post.

Hmmm....let's see what I can blah, blah, blah about.

January is a time of revival for our homeschool. We are literally trying to revive it. Think CPR here.

DD10 was easier than the rest. We had a nice routine going before the break started (Thanksgiving week), so all I needed to do was copy one of our old planning pages and forge ahead. We've done quite a bit of review. We've revisited Hercules (Greek Myths), Nigeria (Geography), and keyword outlines (writing) to name a few. In a couple of weeks we should be finished with some of her current books (D'Aulaires Greek Myths and Rod & Staff Science 3) which will help her schedule be more flexible. We're adding cursive handwriting - again.

DD6 - I'm about ready to give up on this child ever learning to count from 12-16. I said about. We are now doing calendar daily to help pound those pesky teens into her head. I've decided to move forward whether she can consistently count to 20 or not. We started her Math 1 workbook and she is loving it! We also started working in her phonics and reading workbooks. Rod & Staff's 1st grade reading program seems to move rather fast, so we're going at a snail's pace trying to keep things fun without leading to discouragement. We are reading through the Core Knowledge book
What Your Kindergartner Needs to Know.

DD13 - (Okay, she's going to read this. Warning....teasing ahead ;) This girl loves The Teaching Company courses. She gets excited about these like some girls get excited about boy bands. I kid you not. And, she's very good about doing her school work without being reminded. But...well...you know, everyone has things that they avoid. For example, some people enjoy planning and writing fiction, but they tend to wiggle out of learning to write nonfiction. And some people (not naming any names of course) have decided that they shouldn't have to study English grammar. Why would a future best-selling author need to do that? (wink, wink). Seriously though, the thing I really want to do with her is spend time learning together. It is nice when a student becomes more independent, but we've swung too far the other way. I miss the days when we sat on my bed tripping over all those crazy Greek names in the
Iliad and the Odyssey. Sigh! " Hippolochus fled, but him too did Agamemnon smite; he cut off his hands and his head- which he sent rolling in among the crowd as though it were a ball."(Iliad, Butler, book XI) Sniff, sniff. Such fond memories. ;)

Thursday, January 1, 2009

52 Books in 52 Weeks

I've joined a "Book-a-Week in 2009" reading challenge (a.k.a 52 Books in 52 Weeks). I'm hoping it will motivate me to read some of the books I've amassed over the years. I want to join the great conversation.

I read Of Mice and Men today. One down and only 51 more to go.


Wanna join me?
  1. Read an average of a book a week - 52 books in 52 weeks
  2. Re-reading a book counts--as long as you first read it before 2009
  3. School related books don't count (unless you want them to)
  4. You can start reading on 1-1-09 at 00:00:01AM