Just Talking In The Car

I know, it's so annoying. (at times)


And sometimes I don't even hear them talking because my brain has tuned it all out or I'm just thinking or 5 people are talking at once while I'm driving and I just can't concentrate.


BUT,  I do believe that the conversations we have with our kids is way more valuable than a textbook.

Today it was laying sod. We have had a ton of construction in the area which is not very fun but seeing the progress from day to day is interesting.

The rolls or "bales" (what they looked like) of grass on the flatbed trailer, the watering from a huge truck, a roller going over the grass, and driving by dirt on the way to the grocery store.....driving by grass on the way back, all points of interest.

Pouring cement.....

Licence plate states/counties.....

Who likes KU, who likes K-State......

What different trucks are for.....

Who is working? What are they doing?

Why are there so many cars driving at 5:00?


But then, there are times silence is a necessary thing!

The "Cleaner"

"Mom! Invented something! It's really cool!"

"What is it?"

"It's a cleaner! It has red and blue and green and purple sparkles that come out of here and it cleans!"

"Does it clean anything?"

"Yes."

"Good. Go clean your room."

"I can't. The batteries are not in it."

The Cleaner

Park n' Picnic

'Twas a nice day. Dad reeeeeally needed to rest. We needed to get out.

OK, well, since it was a school day, I had one assignment. Everyone had to take a picture of something they liked. I like it when kids take pictures since their perspective is different than mine.

Rose, taken by Brooke.

Mushroom, taken by Ellie....

...and the side view

"fuzzy" tree, taken by Summer

Snails, taken by Savannah

I think we need to let Dad sleep in peace and quiet a little more often.....

Why I Love Homeschooling: School Pictures

I have a new addiction. I finally figured out Picnik.

We take our school pictures in our favorite places. Last year they were on the four wheeler. Our favorite place is usually at Grandma and Grandpa's.

One Of Our Favorite Things: Munschworks

Grandma has a membership to Exploration Place in Wichita. They recently had a Grossology exhibit. Grandma visited, along with at least one enthusiastic child, 5 or 6 times. It talks about all the gross stuff that your body does. I can't hardly stand to read it, but the kids love it.









There was also an exhibit about other stories by an author, Robert N. Much. Grandma also had a collection of his stories in the book Munschworks.

We love Grossology, but we especially love Munschworks. We quote the characters and act out the stories over and over again. Currently, it is the only book necessary when we are at Grandma's.  Savannah reads it. Ellie Reads it. Summer reads it. Brooke pretends to read it (and gets pretty darn close). All by their choice.




"Clang, clang, rattle bing bang. Gonna make my noise all day."

"Do you need a baby?"
"Does it pee it's pants?"

"That's doesn't sound like my mother. That doesn't sound like my father. That sounds like PIGS!"

"It's all your fault! You told me to stand there and not move, and now people are trying to buy me!"

"I have to pee!"

"Murmul yourself. I'm only 5 years old. I cannot take care of a baby."

Some potty talk. Lots of laughs.

How I See It

This is just my opinion. Please keep an open mind and know I am aware I don't know everything. This is just how I see it.


Teachers are great. They have a very hard job and probably are not compensated accordingly. Some are not so great, but my kids' teacher is not so great some days, too. I do not think I am better than a classroom teacher.

The educational system is flawed. Most systems are. OUR home system most definitely is.

So, this is how I see it.

Any one school is filled with dozens, sometimes hundreds, of little lives. Some of these precious people come from excellent homes that teach values, responsibility, and character. Many of them don't.

Some don't feel loved. Ever. Some are angry. Some have no respect. Some sit in front of the TV 5 hours a day. Some don't get breakfast. Some lack good role models. Some lack direction. Therefore, learning is much harder. So, are schools responsible for picking up the slack? Well, they have to if anyone is ever going to learn something. I think it is a little unreasonable to expect them to "prime" the kids to learn and then teach them as well with no parental support.

My opinion is that everyone has the right to choose what type of education (public, private, or home) is best for their family, but all families should be active in their education. Even busy parents can do this. (Aren't all parents busy?)

The best way I know to do this is just simply
1) Talk to your kids- it doesn't matter what the subject, just talk TO them.
2) Involve them in whatever it is you do. My personal favorite is cooking. You have to cook anyway.

Start them early, when they are still interested, start them doing very simple things like pouring or stirring or taking the wrapper off the stick of butter, and start them off slow (like once a week). Over time everything will become easier. If you cook with your kids, you can:

Build rapport
Teach them an important skill
Introduce nutrition, which may just add to their quality of life AND their length of life.
Possibly save a little work later on life when they really can "help".
Teach them all sorts of vocabulary, math, science, problem solving, following directions, and consequences to not following directions.

Of course, you will need a little patience and a little extra time at first, but the benefits could be worth it many times over. It does not matter if you are a master chef or not. Starting them off with Tuna Helper and instant oatmeal is just fine. Cooking is not the only way, but I think is one efficient and effective way to be a part of your child's learning.

There you have it. I just solved the world's problems. ;)

Bless you that are teachers, in the classroom, in the after school program, at home, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, whom ever you are. A little life is not something to take lightly.

MMMMMMM Melons!

My title is pure sarcasm. I hate melons. 



But Max and Brookie could eat them as a whole meal, so they are in my house.

And my husband is THE melon monster.


My mom threw out a cantaloupe at the end of her garden a few years back and has had a plethora of melons. She says they aren't extremely sweet but the kids still love them.

Do you like melons? Do your kids?

They can make an easy melon salad just by balling them.

My melon baller isn't this nice, but I like the brand. Mine is from an auction I believe, and it works just fine.

Step 1: Wash your hands, singing the ABC song while you scrub. WASH the outside thoroughly before cutting into the melon. Melons are a potentially hazardous food!

Step 2: (Adult) cut the melon in half.

Step 3: Look at the beautiful pattern of seeds inside.

Step 4: Scoop out the middle seed portion. Put it in a bowl and let the child squish it between their fingers. eeeeewwwww!!!!

Step 5: Scoop out with the melon baller. Try to make your balls as round as possible. 4-5 year olds may need a little instruction, but after a while they will get it and can do it themselves. No knives needed!!!

Step 6:  Add different colors if you want.

Step 7: EAT (if you want). The balled melons are a nice size and not so much juice will run down those chins.

Cantaloupes and honeydew can be frozen. Brookie thinks this is great.