Sometimes I wonder:

if i am successful
at educating my girls
to be

intelligent,
thoughtful,
respectful,
responsible,
logical,
american citizens

am i dooming them to a

life of bitter loneliness???

Case in Point #1
Case in Point #2
Case in Point #3

You Have A Mind & You Have Other People

... start with those and change the world.
If the question of where to start seems overwhelming, you are the beginning not the end of this adventure. Being overwhelmed is the first step if you are really serious about getting at things that really matter on a scale that makes a difference.

Why I Know Homeschool's For Me and Mine

Upon discussing my decision to homeschool my girls with family and friends, one of the biggest elements I emphasized was my desire for my kids to know history; not Social Studies. HISTORY. No one seemed to deny the fact that we have been raising children with little to no understanding of their place in the world but I did have one friend tell me that she did not want the school system "wasting time" teaching history. She said that the job of the schools was to get the kids into college and into well-paying jobs and, if she wanted them to know something about our past, she'd take them on vacation to Williamsburg. Yup. That's what she said.
So here's just one of any number of reasons why I am opposed to this type of thinking: There is nothing new under the sun. Humans are humans are humans. Different times, different places, different clothes, different faces. But the same themes of greed, corruption, consumption, domination, annihilation have clouded over us from the beginning of time. Same sinners, different century. Creepy and sad.
READ THE SHORT ARTICLE ON PLATO'S REPUBLIC and the CURRENT ECONOMIC CATASTROPHE HERE

Our Imperfect but Very Talented Union

Just last summer, as I was throwing around all the reasons why homeschooling may be a good option for our family, I regretted the fact that America's schools, in a purpose towards "equality" of culture and "neutrality" in education, have really done a great disservice to good old patriotism; you know, the thing that holds one people, one nation together, regardless of race, creed, or color? I was very attracted to the classical model of educating at home in no small part because I would be free to teach HISTORY (as opposed to Social Studies) in a manner that might breed the same sort of patriotism I admire so much in my husband. Although it is true that one need not read far into history to find that the United States is a far from perfect union and has much to be shameful about, the United States is indeed a nation whose history and people will be noted and admired for hundreds of years to come.
Barack Obama, while also not perfect (he IS a politician after all!), has the opportunity to become one of The Great American Presidents. While his choices thus far have been both attacked and lauded by supporters and dissenters alike, I remain curious about the larger picture of his plans and hopeful of his intentions for our welfare.
For now, let's enjoy the significance and beauty of our talented democracy. This one's for you, Dad!

Hello, Mr. President!

Well, in few more days anyhow! CAN'T WAIT! xoxo

I {heart} Suze + Oprah

So how 'bout the state of the country's economy? Anyone see IOUSA this weekend? Feeling nervous, anxious, panicked even?

I dunno about you, but two of my very favorite women on the planet are Suze Orman and Oprah Winfrey. Say what you may about either, I just think they are the coolest and are so genuine and real. Well ~ Suze is offering a free download of her newly released #1 book and it is a must read for anyone ... well, ANYONE who has any stake in the future and is confused beyond measure about what We The People should be doing for Our Personal People (aka families).

HURRY! ONLY UNTIL JANUARY 15th!!! GO GET THE BOOK

Happy New Year

JibJab – 2008 Year In Review @ Yahoo! Video

Let's hope it's at least not WORSE than 0h8...

If the World Could Vote

So we've all read and heard the news blurbs talking about how the US educational system lags far behind our fellow industrialized nations. But here's another tidbit that shows me that they aren't just book-smart but have enough common sense to recognize a natural born leader when they see one... If The World Could Vote

'Nuff Said.

Yes, We Did

"I find I'm so excited, I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it's the excitement only a free man can feel, a free man at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain."
--Ellis Boyd 'Red' Redding,
The Shawshank Redemption

I cannot explain in mere words the amazement I feel at the reality of the events of the past 24 hours. A truly wonderful man has taken the highest office in the land I wasn't sure I was too proud to be a citizen of. Although I am fully aware of the limitations of this fact, I must hold to the belief that we have been given the best opportunity possible to return ---- even if only to simply begin to return ---- to the ideals upon which this country was founded: Life. Liberty. And the Pursuit of Happiness FOR ALL AMERICANS. God Bless America. Long Live Hope.

Wuzzzzzaaaaaahhhhhhppp???!!!

Election '08, Schoolhouse Rock style

Dance Off

Sometimes, when in the face of such serious accusations and serious times, you just have to make light of it. All of it. I will be a happier person on November 5th...

Why So Mad?

O.K. So weeks after my announcement that I will be homeschooling my daughter(s), I have finally found a relatively succinct and accurate description of why I am so MAD about it (both angry and passionately excited).
Take a gander at this website's definition of an "accidental homeschooler". Pay particular attention to the fact that homeschoolers of this type do not come about it for religious or political reasons. They simply see it as the best option given 1) no funds for private school and 2) a dramatic lack of acceptable educational standards in public schools.

So yeah; I'm MAD/angry about the fact that the way in which I choose to parent coupled with my own experience in excellent schools has led me to information about the reality of public education in my community that I cannot ignore. And given the state of the housing market etc, I am hard pressed to leave this community in search for one with at least better schools.

The good news is that I am also becoming more and more MAD/passionate about homeschooling as a wonderful way to educate my girls in its own right, without the need for comparing and contrasting it to traditional schooling. Sure, the trade-offs are hard to leave behind, especially when surrounded by a culture that cannot understand why on earth children and adults-- especially ones from the same family!-- would want to spend so much time together. But the rewards are so rich and rewarding I am confident this will be one of those Gosh, who da guessed it? decisions that we will all look back on with pride and gratitude.

So to all my close friends and relatives employed or otherwise entrenched in the public school system... I call for a TRUCE! ;)

Oh! Bama

The [American] Promise that was handed down to us, [in Philadelphia] from our founding fathers, [has] one instruction: Do your best to make these things real: opportunity, equality, social and economic justice, a fair shake for all of our citizens, the American idea, as a positive influence, around the world for a more just and peaceful existence. These are the things that give our lives hope, shape, and meaning. They are the ties that bind us together and give us faith in our contract with one another. -Bruce Springsteen