Oh, look! Here I am. Checking in with nothing to say. Children are growing. Taller than my husband, both of them. And by default, me. They are smart, though probably not exactly on track with what the school folks expect. They are well adjusted. Surprisingly, since we all know about those poorly socialized homeschoolers! I [...]
I have never taken credit for teaching my children to read. It’s just something they learned. We read aloud – a lot. Books were always available. But lessons? Nope. Debra over at From Skilled Hands pointed me to a great post at Psychology Today. Here’s just a tidbit: For children in standard schools, it is very important [...]
Can you see that? Evan called it a “rainbow puddle” out over the ocean. It was raining out there, over the water, but sunny at the house. And yet, the rainbow didn’t quite have enough lift to get up off of the water. It was just beautiful. © paradisefound for Paradise Found, 2010. | Permalink [...]
With the Pacific Ocean lapping at its shores, the island of O‘ahu is the perfect place for discovering a multitude of rainbow-hued tropical fish. Snorkelers will love the chance to get right in the water with the creatures of the deep, and landlubbers can observe the underwater world without getting their [...]
Good heavens, have you read this book? It is the most wonderfully, beautifully written book about a horrific time in history. Set during World War II in Germany, this story is told from the perspective of death, focusing on one memorable young girl. I read it and absolutely loved it. But then Evan read it [...]
So, on Saturday we ventured out to the Cherry Blossom Festival. And I thought to myself, “Great! Finally, something moderately interesting to put up on my blog!” So I packed my camera, lots of water, and sunscreen and off we went. Our first stop was the farmer’s market where we picked up some fresh fruit [...]
Want to know what we did last weekend? I’m going to be totally lazy and send you over here if you’d like to see. © paradisefound for Paradise Found, 2010. | Permalink | 2 comments Add to del.icio.us Search blogs linking this post with Technorati Want more on these topics ? Browse the archive of posts filed [...]
The official 4th annual Not Back to School Days at Disneyland is set for Sept. 8-11, 2010 in Anaheim, California! We would love to see you all this year – be sure to check out our new dedicated site for the event: www.notbacktoschooldays.com Lots of new Disney-led classes, tours, and new NBTSD activities have been added to help [...]
I just ran across an article on MSNBC, Why American consumers can't add. It's worth a read. It certainly inspires me to make sure my kids are covering the bases of the basics. Check this out: *Only 42 percent were able to pick out two items on a menu, add them, and ... Read the rest of this post
Just in case your holiday home is lacking in calorie content, let me direct you again to the recipe for the best fudge ever.
There are many things to love about the Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa on the Caribbean Island of St. Lucia, but the first is its proximity to the Hewanorra International Airport. After a long flight from the west coast, the last thing my 13-year-old son, Evan, and I wanted to [...]
I think as home educators we are constantly re-evaluating what works and what doesn't. We've been struggling around here with a lack of "enoughness." The kids feel like they're not doing enough. They are asking for more from me in the way of guidance than they have in the past. ... Read the rest of this post
You will either find this gruesome or you will appreciate the fact that Evan is combining history with his Lego passion. I give you the Salem Witch Trials in Lego form:
I woke up to find this little guy on my kitchen window, silhouetted in the breaking dawn.
Following the music workshop, there is always a community concert. We made the two hour drive (this is a BIG island) to pick Brad up and spent the day enjoying great music and reconnecting with friends.
New Jersey Family magazine is running my Fast Fun column and this month, it’s all about saying thank you!
Brad is home from his week at the Hawaiian music and lifestyle camp, and brings with him some photos and new life skills. Now, it may LOOK like he's going to get a lesson in washing laundry, but no. This is the set up for cleaning octopus. More photos under the ... Read the rest of this post
It sounds like a fun way to make a living, right? Writing for magazines? People always tell me that. What people don't know is the grind of it. For instance did you know that freelancers query a magazine with an idea to see if the editor is interested? And then ... Read the rest of this post
Brad is away this week at a Hawaiian music workshop for which he was granted a scholarship. He doesn't much like to talk on the phone, and getting details from him can be painful. We've been before as a family, so I know the kind of experience he's having - ... Read the rest of this post
With the holidays coming up, it seems like a great time to remind people that books - regardless of genre - are a great gift. Whether they've got kids in the family, Dad loves a good game of football, or Aunt Rosie is a wishful chef, there's surely a book ... Read the rest of this post
I need to speak with an active duty or retired service member for an article. Know a career service person who can speak to the true meaning of Memorial Day? teamchallenges ~at~ yahoo ~dot~ com. Thanks!
My friend Jody runs Charlotte On The Cheap and just posted about a really cool freebie that seems perfect for homeschoolers no matter where they live. You can get free historical figures bookmarks from the Federal Reserve. Click over to her site to find out how to get your free ... Read the rest of this post
I wrote last year about the Cups of Kindness project that Debra over at From Skilled Hands brought to my attention. It's happening again. From the website: Last year 76 artists and authors, and assorted web designers, sign makers, muffin bakers, photographers and patrons raised a Cup of Kindness as they ... Read the rest of this post
Brad watched preparation, and DID eat it. With luau leaf, he said it was sweet, very rich and NOT chewy, as we’d expect. All the octopus/tako I’ve had has been chewy and not on my top ten favorite list of foods.
LOL! Glad to hear you’re all doing well.
Just coming by to catch up on the posts I’ve missed. Happy Spring! (But you always have spring in Hawaii anyway, don’t you??)
Guess that means both your boys are taller than me now, too. Sigh … it’s one thing to watch your own kid grow into a young man and have to strain your neck to look him in the eye; it’s so flabbergasting to know that your kid’s friends will now require the same. I FEEL SHORT!