The Three B's

Recital, Again

2008-04-29T15:54:00.002-04:00

Amanda played in the recital at ESU on Thursday. With all that's been going on, I'm not sure if she really had her heart in it. She played one of Mozart's sonatas, as well as three of Bartok's Rumanian folk dances.

Download Mozart Bartok Recital Pieces 4 24 08.WAV

She did make mistakes in the Mozart piece, but overall did very well. Playing Mozart in a concert hall is difficult, or so I've been told by the pianists in the recital.

My Dad

2008-04-18T19:58:00.002-04:00

My dad, Joseph Alexovitz, passed away on Tuesday, April 15 at 10:09 PM at Pocono Medical Center. I will post more later, especially pictures of him and of our family together.

Long Time, No See

2008-04-15T14:15:00.002-04:00

I can't believe it's been over two weeks since I blogged last. During that time, I lost more weight (doesn't reflect on my ticker yet), and was diagnosed diabetic. Okay, I was expecting to be diagnosed, only because my test numbers weren't that great last time. My doctor said if they go any higher or stay the same, he would put me on meds. So now I'm on metformin and zocor for cholesterol, and I test my BG three times a day. My fasting test seems to be the one I'm having trouble with, as it's usually in the 170-180 range every morning. I don't get it, because I'm not eating anything that should cause it to rise so much.

The great news is I'm walking. A lot!!!! I've been doing the WATP series, as well as other walks by Leslie Sansone. I have to say she is great and such a motivator. She is truly a blessing for those of us who follow her walking program.

I love watching those miles add up on my ticker 8-)

Notice My New Tickers On The Sidebar

2008-03-28T13:30:00.003-04:00

I finally decided to do something about losing weight. I had been on the South Beach diet for some time, and it does work. My biggest problems started right around Thanksgiving, with all those refined carbs and sugars I was eating. Everything I lost, I quickly regained.

This time, I decided to go with the one-two punch. A combination of exercise and a modified and extended phase 1 of the SBD has been helping. I've been using some of Leslie Sansone's "Walk Away The Pounds" videos. I can say they work very well.

I actually underestimated how far I've "walked" and the weight I've already lost. So far, the weight loss is closer to 10 lbs, but I won't know officially until I'm weighed at the doctor's office (my scale has a mind of its own, and is off by as much as 10 lbs).

Amanda has also been walking with me. She has the "Teen Walk", which is very fun to do. Leslie's own daughter is in that video, as well as the Walk Slim 3 Mile Fast Walk. Most of the music in the teen walk is from the 80's, so I enjoy it very much. We've been doing mostly the two mile walks, but I may have to bump up to one of the three milers very soon. I didn't start sweating until I got to the cool down on the last two mile walk I did.

A few weeks ago, I could barely get through the one mile. Now look at me :D

Pictures, Pictures

2008-03-28T07:07:00.002-04:00

It's been awhile since I posted last. I took a break from most everything for Lent. It was a good idea, because I needed the "rest" ;-)

Anyhoo, here are some pictues I took. Fuzzy friends first :-)

Gussie, basking in the sun

Monica waiting for her chipmunk

Amanda's Easter lamb cake

What big eyes the lamb has :-)

Why My Keyboard Is Hairy

2008-03-05T12:21:00.002-05:00

Amanda's recording of Monica:

I don't mind the cat being on the desk, but could she please stay away from the keyboard!!! I hate having to pick out her hair all the time ;-)

Better Start Returning Those Books On Time

2008-03-05T11:58:00.002-05:00

Library Late Fee Lands Woman In Jail

I'll admit it, I'm almost always late in returning books. On two occasions, Amanda forgot several books for well over a month, and the fees were very high. I'd hope our local library system doesn't use the criminal courts to throw people in jail over late fees.

With all the criminal activity going on in the pokes, you'd think they would be busy enough without adding this extra burden. I guess they have to fill all those empty cots in Monroe county jail :-(

Look Back At WYD 2002

2008-03-04T14:21:00.002-05:00

Video can be viewed here

PV To Start Own Cyber School

2008-03-02T17:51:00.002-05:00

Pleasant Valley to open online school in effort to retain students, funds

Notice how it's all about the money, not education. I find it ironic they're looking to jump on the cyber school bandwagon. It's good for them, not anyone else.

More Crazy Pet Pictures

2008-02-29T12:11:00.002-05:00

It's been awhile since I posted pictures of the "family". There is a certain theme among these pictures:

Little miss attitude did not photograph well for St. Valentine's Day. So this is what I'm stuck with.

She thinks she owns all of us. I have a newsflash for the little darling ;-)

The Beautiful Hands Of A Priest

2008-02-28T08:16:00.000-05:00

Today's Lenten reflection from EWTN:

We need them in life's early morning,
We need them again at its close;
We feel their warm clasp of true friendship,
We seek them when tasting life's woes.
At the altar each day we behold them,
And the hands of a king on his throne
Are not equal to them in their greatness;
Their dignity stands all alone;
And when we are tempted and wander,
To pathways of shame and of sin,
It's the hand of a priest that will absolve us--
Not once, but again and again.
And when we are taking life's partner,
Other hands may prepare us a feast,
But the hand that will bless and unite us--
Is the beautiful hand of a priest.
God bless them and keep them all holy,
For the Host which their fingers caress;
When can a poor sinner do better,
Than to ask Him to guide thee and bless?
When the hour of death comes upon us,
May our courage and strength be increased,
By seeing raised over us in blessing--
The beautiful hands of a priest.

Another Reason Why I Homeschool

2008-02-26T18:44:00.002-05:00

Watch this shocking video between a "young lady" and a bus driver (warning: offensive language):

It's apparent this girl wanted to get off the bus and demanded the driver let her off where she wanted. These kids know the driver isn't allowed to drop them off at an unassigned location.

She has the language down pat, screaming "don't touch me" and "you punched me". Typical nonsense from a spoiled rotten brat who becomes out of control when she doesn't get her way. The driver should sue the parents of that girl for raising an idiot.

I don't even want to imagine what this little darling would have done to the driver if there was no camera on the bus.

The mom of this girl is defending her little "baby's" behavior. The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree, so I have to assume idiocy is hereditary.

Funny Homeschool Videos

2008-02-26T12:34:00.002-05:00

Two funny homeschool videos on youtube:

Well, I think they're funny, showing how we spend our day ;-)

Snow, Again!

2008-02-22T11:01:00.002-05:00

This time, we're getting an actual snowstorm! Yippee, no ice until later :-)

It was a whiteout an hour ago:

The view from where my computer is located:

Okay, when will spring arrive ;-)

Papal Blog

2008-02-20T11:08:00.002-05:00

Blog For Pope Benedict's Visit

Great blog, with the pope's itinerary posted.

How Old Did I Say I Was?

2008-02-20T10:52:00.002-05:00

I think I'm supposed to be an adult, right? Then why am I enjoying these Veggie Tales videos:

Amanda has a friend that enjoys Veggie Tales. She enjoys the cartoons as well. I never realized the veggies were so popular with teens ;-)

World Youth Day Cross Arrives In Australia

2008-02-19T12:19:00.002-05:00

World Youth Day Cross Arrives In Australia

I wish I was able to be there! Anyone who will be at WYD, please take pictures for all of us to see :-)

The Cluelessness Crisis, Part 4

2008-02-17T17:48:00.002-05:00

Now What?

While this article in the series appears logical, it gives the appearance parents should be cooperating with teachers throughout the school year. If children are enrolled in good Catholic schools, and good public schools for that fact (although there are very few to none here), then it's the responsibility of the teachers to cooperate with the parents.

It is stated in the article:

You can also consider asking your child’s teachers if you can come in and teach your specialized knowledge to the class; many teachers will welcome the opportunity, and children who don’t remember a thing they read in a social science textbook may well recall the old man who taught them military history using his scale model of the Battle of Waterloo.

In this day and age, how many teachers want parents intruding in their "space"?

And then this:

Above all, never accept the doctrine that disinterested experts have a better idea of what is good for children than loving parents.

While this is ideal, in some districts parents have been accused of being child abusers, simply for not accepting what the so-called experts have to say. This is why parents must remove their children from those districts, and get them away from those "experts".

I'm glad we've been out of the public school system for over 7 1/2 years. My "interference" in the classroom when my daughter was in kindergarten and first grade was viewed as non-productive and could have led to her being removed from my custody. This is another reason why we plan on homeschooling all the way through high school.

One Year Ago Today

2008-02-14T15:06:00.002-05:00

This is what Interstate 78 looked like:

It didn't get that way just because of the snow or negligence by PennDot. People did move the barricades set up to prevent any further vehicles from entering the highway. So what happens? PennDot gets the full blame and stupidity was rewarded.

Psssst, people listen up: next time you're warned to stay off the highway because of the weather, do so.

Happy St. Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T10:07:00.000-05:00

The Origins of Valentine's Day

First Snow, Then Ice

2008-02-13T11:21:00.003-05:00

What a difference in weather, from Sunday to today. We had wind and snow squalls on Sunday (video from another resident of the Pokes):

Yesterday, it started out as snow, then turned to ice.

You can see the power lines hanging just near the neighbor's shed

The pines sagging under the ice

My mom's hanging basket, covered in ice

I pray the power stays on, as it's supposed to get very cold again tonight. Everything is going to freeze up again :-(

Cute Logic Video

2008-02-12T14:30:00.000-05:00

Well, I thought it was cute ;-)

Your Average Teenager

2008-02-12T11:59:00.000-05:00

LOL!!!!

Cats, Again!

2008-02-11T19:18:00.000-05:00

This time it's Gussie's turn to be very cute. Amanda recorded her while she was on her math work :-)

Please See My New Blog

2008-02-11T18:37:00.001-05:00

I've decided to create a separate blog for pro-life issues. There is so much going on in that arena, that I don't want it taking up this entire blog. Isn't there already enough going on here ;-)

PA Pro-Lifer

Please let me know what you think of that blog, and comment on those posts there as well.

Lauren Richardson Update

2008-02-09T20:34:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Kim for bringing this to my attention:

New Court Order Says No More Videos

Why is Jason Powell concerned about the videos and still photos? What is his motivation behind his actions? He needs to reveal exactly who he is working for before he is allowed to continue to be Lauren's GAL. Is it because in these videos/photos Lauren is more alert and aware of her surroundings and father than they want revealed to the public? What exactly does he (Jason) have to gain if Lauren is starved to death? He claims to be looking out for her best interests, yet is hiding behind her "right to privacy".

No, Jason Powell, you should be looking to do everything in your power to save her life. That is your obligation and responsibility. Your duty is to her and no one else. Not the court, not the lawyers, not even Lauren's parents. To Lauren and Lauren alone. To do anything less is morally reprehensible, and you ought to be ashamed.

A Lenten Meditation

2008-02-08T17:12:00.000-05:00

Lenten Recipes

2008-02-08T16:51:00.000-05:00

As a family, we decided to give up meat for Lent. So, that means no hamburgers, chicken or porkchops during our time of fasting. We will eat dairy, eggs and fish, as well as beans and some soy for the protein.

I found lots of recipes on the following websites that look very good:

All Recipes Vegetarian

Fat Free Vegan

Yesterday, I made crockpot navy bean soup:

Crock Pot Navy Bean Soup

This soup is supposed to be "The best Navy Bean Soup recipe ever!"
Ingredients
1 lb. Dried navy beans
2 cans Broth
2 cans Diced tomatoes
1 Onion, chopped
1 tsp. Paprika
1 Bay leaf
1 t. Garlic powder
1/2 tsp. Thyme
Pinch cheyanne pepper
Preparation

Soak beans overnight. Rinse and drain. Put all ingredients into crockpot and add water to cover (by an inch).

Cook on low 4 to 8 hours or until beans are tender.

It is very good and makes a ton of soup! I did make two changes as I used very little cayenne pepper (misspelled above from the web), and used one quart of Wolfgang Puck's Organic Vegetable Broth. It's one of my favorites and a staple around here. It does cost a little more than regular veggie broth, but the taste is far superior to most broths on the market. Another brand I like is Kitchen Basics, but it's very difficult to obtain around here.

I'm glad my family likes beans and lentils, otherwise we'd be in trouble :-)

The Cluelessness Crisis Part 3

2008-02-07T13:43:00.000-05:00

The History of Cluelessness

"Prussia’s education system was to provide the paradigm for public school systems throughout the world.

Unfortunately, when it arrived in America, it found a country with a high level of practical education, and unheard-of rates of popular literacy. This flew in the face of the assumption that literacy and critical thought could be taught only to a very tiny percentage of students.

The theory was that “reading leads to unrest and confusion” and that low-grade students are incapable of handling complex ideas without upsetting their internal equilibrium.

Something had to be done, and it was.

Slowly, the responsibility for education was shifted from the family and community to the state; schooling became compulsory at an earlier age, ended at a later age, and took up more of the year; the curriculum was slowly devolved to de-emphasize literacy, eliminate classics, and replace history and geography with “social science.”

Children were explicitly divided into intellectual classes — a practice which was justified by the emergence of social Darwinism and the assumption that intellectual achievement had a primarily hereditary basis.

It is a practice that continues today."

The article continues on, discussing what constitutes the typical high school education in schools.

We also need to remember compulsory attendance laws were not passed to educate the population, but to dumb it down. Compulsory attendance=bodies in seats=government better able to control the people. Those who didn't put their children in "free" schools were, and still are, looked down on as not conforming. Homeschooling is considered even more radical, given we are able to teach our children how to think outside the box. Anything that annoys the NEA and teacher's unions must be a good thing :-)

How Timely

2008-02-07T13:34:00.000-05:00

Public School Cover-Up

"Sherryll Kraizer, executive director of the Denver-based Safe Child Program, said it is commonplace for principals and teachers to neglect laws that require them to report sexual abuse of children.

“I see it regularly,” Kraizer said. “There are laws against failing to report, but the law is almost never enforced. Almost never.”

Kraizer sees the documentation first-hand as a professional witness for prosecutors and defense lawyers in cases of childhood sexual abuse allegations. She has personally reviewed dozens of cases in which teachers and administrators neglected to contact authorities regarding knowledge of abuse."

Doesn't Bruce Smith fit in the category of sexual abuser? What he has done is no different than physical abuse taking place, altering the minds of young teens by exposing them to pornographic material.

I'm not surprised these cover-ups take place. Child abusers are naturally going to flock to where they can harm children.

PV, Again

2008-02-07T10:34:00.000-05:00

Family 'Feared For Lives' After Complaining About PV Teacher

A little history:

"The suit stemmed from graphic sexual and violent content that Smith allegedly used in his course. These included showing photographs of naked murdered women in class, asking female students what they wear during pillow fights and providing students with a sexually explicit novel he wrote, which was based on his own experience."

A local family filed a lawsuit against Bruce Smith, an alleged teacher, who showed sexually explicit material to his students and distributed his pornographic novel to the same. Because of the backlash in the community with the original suit being filed anonymously, the parents' names were released to the public by the "judge". Many people have come out in defense of this pervert, parents and students alike. Those who are speaking out against him are being bullied by his supporters. Why is that?

What he has done is behave in sexual harassment and deviant behavior. If this was the workplace, he would have been fired by now. Since he's only dealing with students, he's allowed to get away with this garbage so he can "open their minds" to the "truth".

It's one thing to discuss history in the proper context; it's another to behave as a sexual predator.

Why hasn't C&Y done their job and investigate him? If this behavior came from any parent, that parent would have lost custody of their child by now, and the same parent would be on the sex offender list. Do the same rules not apply to Bruce Smith, because he's "educating" students? If anything, the standards must be higher for those who have contact with minors every day. But, this being a typical public school district, the rules don't apply to them or their employees.

Yet another reason why I homeschool :-)

I'm A Genius!

2008-02-07T10:27:00.001-05:00

Well, not really, but my blog is :-)

Movie Reviews

Follow Up To My "Understanding Abortion" Post

2008-02-05T14:55:00.000-05:00

I've been asked to follow up on my "Understanding Abortion" post from last week. I was asked where the percentages came from. I have no idea how the show arrived at the numbers. However, I found the show in three segments on youtube:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

I'm surprised another pro-lifer accused me of making up the numbers. They don't sound like they're too far off, considering the racism of Margaret Sanger and her ilk. All one has to do is look at the strategic placement of abortion clinics in black/ethnic neighborhoods, not to mention the push to force ABC on the same people. The estimates may actually be conservative.

PVSD In The News

2008-02-05T10:44:00.000-05:00

District Sees Dip In Student Numbers

It isn't often PVSD makes the news, but when it does, it's always interesting. I'm amazed at the dishonesty, from the top down.

Our new superintendent is saying the cause of the dropping numbers of students is now part of a "natural fluctuation"? I find that hard to believe, considering the numbers were projected to drop, beginning a few years ago. The projections have come true. Why did the PDE make such claims, and how could the new superintendent now know about it?

The former superintendent also carefully chose his words to make sure he would demonize homeschoolers as the cause of the problem. What he failed to state is that the vast majority of those who have taken their children out have enrolled them in public cyber charters. Their numbers would still be counted as public school students, not homeschoolers. It's the district's (and former superintendent's) way of pitting one segment of the population against the other.

Does the new superintendent believe people will allow schools to be built for non-existent students? Do we really need to be funding these sports stadiums and teams at the expense of real education. ISTM their priorities are backwards.

The taxpayers of this district are getting tired of this nonsense. Slowly but surely, they are waking up to the bloated bureaucracy of PVSD. More and more people should take their children out of the district, and watch it implode on itself.

One can hope ;-)

How To Drink Water

2008-02-04T14:36:00.000-05:00

Cat style, that is, LOL!

Amanda recorded Monica drinking out of the faucet earlier today. I've been trying to break this cat of the habit, but she and dh always give in. I don't know who's worse, the cat or the ones she owns ;-

The video is very dark, because she used her digital camera to record and there is very little light in the room. Oh well.

Favorite Superbowl Ad

2008-02-04T11:31:00.000-05:00

I think this is the best commercial from Superbowl XLII

Way to go, Charlie Brown, LOL!!

All the ads:

Superbowl Ads XLII

Giants Win The Superbowl!!!!

2008-02-04T11:18:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to the Giants and MVP Eli Manning on their stunning Superbowl Win!

Now back to our regularly scheduled blog ;-)

Lauren Richardson

2008-02-03T14:45:00.000-05:00

Another young woman in Delaware may possibly be starved to death, similar to Terri Schiavo. Lauren Richardson is 23 years old, and has been diagnosed as in a "persistant vegetative state". In 2006, she overdosed on heroin and suffered brain injury. At the time of her overdose, she was pregnant with her first child. She was kept alive long enough for her to give birth to that child. Now her mother has guardianship of Lauren, and wants to have her feeding tube removed.

The mother should speak to the Schindler family, about exactly what is involved in starvation death. From everything I've read, it is absolutely gruesome to watch a loved one go through such pain. How disgusting we live in a society where another one of our least is going to be murdered, by her family and the state.

Video of Lauren with her father:

Website about Lauren:

Life For Lauren

This cannot happen again in an allegedly civilized society.

The Miracle Of Adult Stem Cells

2008-02-02T10:46:00.000-05:00

Finnish Patient Gets New Jaw From Own Stem Cells

"Using a patient's own stem cells provides a tailor-made transplant that the body should not reject.

Suuronen and her colleagues -- the project was run jointly with the Helsinki University Central Hospital -- isolated stem cells from the patient's fat and grew them for two weeks in a specially formulated nutritious soup that included the patient's own blood serum.

In this case they identified and pulled out cells called mesenchymal stem cells -- immature cells than can give rise to bone, muscle or blood vessels.

When they had enough cells to work with, they attached them to a scaffold made out of a calcium phosphate biomaterial and then put it inside the patient's abdomen to grow for nine months. The cells turned into a variety of tissues and even produced blood vessels, the researchers said."

Gee, what about all the hype on embryonic stem cells, how adult stem cells could never work in this way, and how it will be absolutely necessary to use embryos to advance this research????

I'm amazed at what great lengths these "scientists" will go to in order to kill innocent babies.

Sad :(

2008-01-31T19:14:00.000-05:00

Understanding Abortion

2008-01-31T17:56:00.000-05:00

Understanding abortion is not easy, especially for a 13 year old girl. Amanda understands why we go to Washington every January, and how wrong it is to kill preborn babies. What she didn't understand is how such a heinous crime could be legal in what is supposed to be a civilized country. I was given great help in explaining this scourge. EWTN aired a program last night during the EWTN Gallery called "Human Life International: Preserving Africa's Culture of Life". The show explained the racist views of Margaret Sanger and eugenics, as well as the west trying to impose our secular humanist ways on the people of Africa.

Two statistics that stood out for her during the program:

- 9% of all white people have been aborted since its decriminalization

- 25% of all black people have been aborted during the same time

She was absolutely stunned by these numbers, including the lies of artificial birth control. Her interest piqued, she decided to do an internet search on Margaret Sanger, Planned Parenthood, and eugenics. The search invoked shock, anger and amazement. She suddenly had this "I get it now" look on her face, then said anyone who believes abortion is okay is nuts.

Wait until she discovers the link among abortion, euthanasia and compulsory attendance laws. She'll be truly grateful to be homeschooled.

The Cluelessness Crisis

2008-01-30T17:59:00.000-05:00

I came across two very interesting articles from National Catholic Register. They are part of a series on education in the United States.

The Cluelessness Crisis Part 1: The 5 Essentials of Education

"Today, many simple jobs require university or college education, and increasingly young people are not ready to set out on their own, start a family or begin a career until they are 24 or 25. Among the university-educated, it is not uncommon to find people in their 30s who are still unmarried, childless and waiting to “start” their lives.

Most people tacitly assume that the proliferation of formal education is a sign of social advance. Democratic theorists have always agreed that a working democracy requires an educated adult population, which is why the universal franchise and universal schooling appear at a similar time in the writings of social philosophers. It is less than useless, however, to have a heavily schooled population if students emerge from 13 or more years of school without an education."

Company Kids: The Cluelessness Crisis Part 2

"Prior to large-scale public schooling in America, there were community schools.

These were funded and built by the communities that they served; the teachers had to meet the approval of the parents whose children were placed in their care, and parents were free to remove their children from school at any time. There were also the parochial schools, governed by churches and under the authority of the local bishops. Fortunate parents are still able to send their children to such institutions today.

The shift from the community school to the government school board involved a massive campaign — one that received most of its funding and impetus from wealthy men, such as Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller. This took place at the beginning of the 20th century, during a time when rampant scientific optimism promised an earthly utopia based on scientific reasoning and social engineering.

Utopian thinkers from Plato onward have seen schooling as a necessary foundation for their dreams of social reconstruction. They have, nearly without exception, also agreed on several dubious premises: that most people cannot be trained to be good unless they are lied to and deliberately misinformed, that the breakdown of children into intellectual or social classes is necessary to a smoothly functioning society, and that the good of the individual ought to be subordinated to the good of the state. People are seen as fulfilling a social function rather than as complete persons."

John Taylor Gatto has been saying exactly the same for years. The only exception is the author of these articles has forgotten the other educational alternative: homeschooling. I would hope she includes this option in her future articles.

Public schooling is not designed to form an educated populace; it is designed to bring those children under the control of their local district, which is a branch of government. I've had people accuse me of engaging in separatism, due to our homeschooling. Yes, I don't want my child to learn the way her peers are learning. I want her to be an educated individual who is able to think for herself and outside the box. Don't all children deserve to learn?

Could You Pass 8th Grade Science?

2008-01-30T13:44:00.000-05:00

One wrong, and I know which one it was. How embarrassing :-(

You Passed 8th Grade Science

Congratulations, you got 7/8 correct!

Could You Pass 8th Grade Science?

Political Cartoons

2008-01-29T17:58:00.000-05:00

The only news reporters I saw were those from EWTN. It was the only station that accurately reported the number of marchers present in DC last Tuesday. Our local newspaper even had the nerve to make the statement only a couple thousand marchers descended on the DC , while there were more pro-choice "reasonable" people present. The Pocono Record hasn't earned the nickname "rag" for no reason.

Youth 2000

2008-01-26T13:41:00.000-05:00

Amanda and her friends are attending Youth 2000 in NY. What I wasn't aware of until a few minutes ago, is they are providing live streaming that can be embedded. The retreat won't be over until tomorrow, and there are other videos from earlier available at the site.

I wish I was younger, so I could attend. Maybe I could go as a chaperone next year ;-)

School Days!

2008-01-24T18:54:00.000-05:00

I was going through the photos I uploaded yesterday. I didn't realize I had two other "students" in my midst: the cats. They were sitting on the table while Amanda was doing her schoolwork. We didn't realize they were on the MODG teacher planner pages I copy for the kiddo when I snapped the pics.

Here are the "students"

Do we now get to call them smarty cats ;-)

Nellie Gray

2008-01-23T18:47:00.001-05:00

Older interview with Nellie Gray, president of the March for Life:

It's the only one of its kind on youtube :-)

March For Life 2008

2008-01-23T16:15:00.000-05:00

Another year has passed, and we have attended the March for Life yet again. Since last year, the number of babies slaughtered in the womb has been downgraded to approximately 3,000 per day. That's 1,095,000 human lives snuffed out at the hands of the abortionists. Could you imagine if this was the number of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan every year, how people would be up in arms, demanding an immediate ceasefire? It would be the lead story on the news every night, with congress calling for the president's impeachment, criminal charges being filed against the commanders in the field, and massive protests in this country?

Those being murdered in the womb aren't considered human; they're not even considered sub-human. They're nothing but "blobs of tissue", who are leaching off women and must be destroyed.

Mother Theresa said it best on February 3, 1994, during the National Prayer Breakfast. Two of her quotes come to mind:

But I feel that the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a war against the child, a direct killing of the innocent child, murder by the mother herself.

And if we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another? How do we persuade a woman not to have an abortion? As always, we must persuade her with love and we remind ourselves that love means to be willing to give until it hurts. Jesus gave even His life to love us. So, the mother who is thinking of abortion, should be helped to love, that is, to give until it hurts her plans, or her free time, to respect the life of her child. The father of that child, whoever he is, must also give until it hurts.

By abortion, the mother does not learn to love, but kills even her own child to solve her problems.

And, by abortion, the father is told that he does not have to take any responsibility at all for the child he has brought into the world. That father is likely to put other women into the same trouble. So abortion just leads to more abortion.

Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want. This is why the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion.

From the end of her speech:

If we remember that God loves us, and that we can love others as He loves us, then America can become a sign of peace for the world.

From here, a sign of care for the weakest of the weak - the unborn child - must go out to the world. If you become a burning light of justice and peace in the world, then really you will be true to what the founders of this country stood for. God bless you!

How right she is!

Here are a few pictures from yesterday:

What Kind Of Sandwich Are You?

2008-01-20T19:42:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Therese, she had this quiz on her blog.

You Are a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich

You life your life in a free form, artistic style.
You are incredibly creative and at times, quite messy.
Deep down, you are a kid at heart. And you aren't afraid to express it.

Your best friend: The Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Your mortal enemy: The Club Sandwich

What Kind of Sandwich Are You?

Heehee, I'm not surprised. PB&J was my favorite growing up, as well as grilled cheese, although I really don't consider club sandwiches to be my mortal enemy. They can be fun, although challenging, to eat :)

We've Made A Final Decision

2008-01-14T18:05:00.000-05:00

Okay, it's a "final" decision as of today ;) Math is dd's least favorite subject. Maybe I should say she hates it with a passion. She and I have butted heads over this subject ever since she started school. There were times when she was younger where she insisted on doing it her own way. Setting her back one full year didn't help as much as I thought it would. Going from MCP to Saxon seemed to help her catch up, until this year. She began struggling with 87. I've watched her scores go downhill for awhile, not knowing what to do. One of my friends who had homeschooled her daughters with Saxon said she noticed the same thing with each of them when doing the problems in 87. She decided to switch to Chalkdust, which helped her daughters (even though they both said they preferred Saxon for the layout). Their scores increased and surpassed those in their homeschool group.

I know my husband would probably have heart failure over the price of Chalkdust, no matter how good the program is. We looked at the Math-U-See sample. It was not a good fit at all. Teaching Textbooks was another option recommended by several friends. I haven't ruled them out, as of yet, and am keeping that option available as a possibility in the future. So after much deliberation, we have decided to go with the "Life of Fred" books by Dr. Stanley Schmidt.

Yes, Life of Fred! He is 5 1/2 years old, and a professor at KITTENS University. Okay, so they're not "textbooks" like what we would know as textbooks. If they work, great! If not, I haven't wasted a ton of money and I'm not worried about dd falling too far behind. We were planning on doing math and science over the summers, in order for her to get ahead and extra credits in both subjects. Since she had so many problems, we decided to begin at the beginning, in his fractions and decimals/percents books. She should be able to go through them relatively quickly; she just needs to relearn the proper way to do both. That's the beauty of homeschooling :)

Thanks To All Those People At The Farm Show

2008-01-13T15:58:00.001-05:00

Or should I say no thanks, for destroying quite a few specimens in Amanda's special collection. I could not believe what I saw when we picked up her entries from the leader today. Bugs turned, twisted, and moved around in the box, as if someone was having a field day. Even her regular collection had cup rings on one of the boxes, as though someone had placed their coffee cup on the corner. I'm extremely unhappy, given all the work that has gone into these collections for the past three years (many of the insects in the special one were collected, spread, and identified over the course of time).

The farm show doesn't allow the knit/sewn items to be destroyed or ruined in this way. Why should the collections be any different? They should be roped off, enough so people can view them from a distance, but not close enough to place cups on them.

I've told her from now on, make sure the boxes are completely taped shut, otherwise this will happen again. How sad some people have no respect for all the hard work that goes into these entries.

No Updates On Previous Post

2008-01-13T15:51:00.000-05:00

There have been no updates on my previous post wrt our former district attorney. It has also come to my attention that our local newspaper is guilty of bad reporting on this subject. It seems the former DA has had his home go into foreclosure, however he is still residing there, albeit part-time. They made it appear the sheriff's have already evicted him and his possessions, and were turning it over for their sale. This is typical of the Pocono Record, which is why they need better reporters, or staff that follows upon stories.

I met on the PR forums a woman who went to school with Mark. She said he was not like this when younger, and knows he has fallen on some very hard times over the past 10 years or so. He has been suffering from depression for many years, and alcohol has exacerbated the symptoms. I'm not defending what he did, but I can understand him self-medicating. He needs our prayers, as well as his daughter and her friend.

Where Is He?

2008-01-08T15:03:00.001-05:00

I was reading the online edition of our local newspaper, and came across this article:

Disgraced Former DA's Home In Foreclosure

The Luzerne county district attorney still has this property listed as his residence. So where is he now? The home is in foreclosure, which means he cannot step foot on the property. He's a registered sex offender, which means he's required to notify the court or law enforcement where he's moved to. Do they know where he is, or are they covering up for him?

I think it's outrageous that as former district attorney he's allowed to get away with this. I also think he's playing the system for whatever it's worth, first receiving unemployment (he was fired, so how this came about is a mystery), then disability. Suddenly, he's incapable of working after all those years in public office? I don't believe it for a second, and neither should anyone else.

Oh, I checked the database for registered sex offenders in this area, and sure enough, Pazuhanich is on the list. The last register date for his entry is 9/17/07, with the address exactly as in the article. Wherever he is, I pray he doesn't victimize any more young girls.

Farm Show Results

2008-01-04T21:04:00.000-05:00

I just went to check the results of the PA Farm Show, which are posted at their website. Amanda is ecstatic over her accomplishments:

1st place - 4 ribbons
2nd place - 2 ribbons
3rd place - 5 ribbons

Four of those 3rd place ribbons were very difficult to earn. There are usually 30 or more entries in the three categories of the sweatshirt contest, bookmark contest, scrapbook page, and shoebox float. The theme for the bookmark, scrapbook page and shoebox float this year was "Country Nights, City Lights". Amanda painted the sweatshirt with a Christmas theme, of an older lady knitting, sitting in her rocking chair, looking at the snow falling outside. When we get the shirt back, I'll take pictures to show everyone.

The only downside is one of her entries wasn't posted at the site. I have to assume these results weren't posted, because the entire class isn't listed. Many kids enter in this particular class, so I have to wonder exactly what happened.

Another downer is she was the only member of her club to enter in the show this year. I'm very surprised, as most of the kids enter whatever they have, just for fun. The leader is extremely disappointed no one else made any effort to place any entries in the show. The usual excuse they have is "well, Amanda is homeschooled so she has all day to work on her projects". Heehee, that's what they think ;)

Edited to correct: the results of the other category were just posted as I was publishing. Add another 1st place ribbon to Amanda's total.

Punctuation, Punc Punc Punc Punctuation

2008-01-03T21:34:00.000-05:00

they are the little marks that use their influence, to help a sentence make more sense ;)

For those of us who remember "The Electric Company"

Okay, this video went through my mind today while we were reviewing punctuation in Easy Grammar Plus.

Another version of punctuation that went through my head was from Victor Borge:

I was unable to find the version from "The Electric Company" but this one is fine. I love the noise representations for punctuation. I did this with my dd, who looked at me like I was crazy. What a shame more kids today are unaware of such comedic genius :(

Newest "Addition"

2008-01-02T18:46:00.001-05:00

So, it's farm show time again. I spent much of the day getting the entries prepared and filling out the master lists. Yes, there are many lists that need to be filled out, according to division and location. I've never figured out why everything is separated, and I'm not even going to try.

Amanda has added an addition to her insect collection:

This is a special collection of diurnal insects that only years 3 and 4 may enter in the farm show. I was very surprised when she chose the purple background, considering she's always telling me how much she hates pink and purple.

Also, I smartened up in my old age, and had plexi-glass cut for the box. The pluses are it's virtually indestructible and makes the box much lighter. The minuses are it can only be cleaned with water, scratches easily, and discolors. I like those pluses after what happened last year. No more bloody knees and weeks of crying over the loss of insects. After this show, I will have the other two boxes fitted for plexi-glass, just t be on the safe side :)

And yes, those are roaches in the lower center of the box. Two were "pets" that she froze after they died, to keep them fresh for the collection. We're a little buggy, that's quite alright with me ;)

Another Resolution :)

2008-01-01T17:01:00.000-05:00

Okay, another New Year's resolution: exercising more! I've tried several walking programs, as well as other "aerobic" videos. None of them have worked. That is, until I tried "Slim in 6"

The library had the dvd available to borrow, and it was actually fun to use! I haven't been able to purchase the dvd myself, but will do so when dh gets paid again.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T16:28:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year to all!

I've been taking a break from blogging (and just about everything it seems), to rest and relax. Hope all had a blessed and joyous Christmas and New Year!

I've been contemplating whether or not I would make any New Year's resolutions. Normally, I haven't done so but this year I think I may. So here goes: I will be going back on the South Beach diet full, and sticking with it. Oh, I know many people who make the same resolution, only to watch it go by the wayside in a matter of weeks. I'm not setting very high goals at first, just enough to make it one step at a time. I have set the goal of losing 10 lbs by the end of February. It doesn't sound like much, but from what my doctor has said is that slow weight loss is usually permanent (unless I decide to go on a bender and start eating cakes and cookies like there was no tomorrow).

Ever since we moved in with mom and dad, I've been eating far too many carbs, which have had a negative impact on my blood sugar. Too much pasta, rice and potatoes :( It also doesn't help that my mom criticizes everything I make. She usually throws my food in the garbage and substitutes her own. So, out comes the crockpot and delicious healthy meals for everyone :)

Baby steps, baby steps ;)

There's No Place Like Home :)

2007-12-24T07:47:00.001-05:00

I thought I wasn't going to post anymore until after Christmas, but decided to anyway. Reading the online version of my local newspaper, I stumbled across the following home for sale ad:

Price Township $1.5 Million Home For Sale

I do believe I know where this property is located, and I certainly wouldn't want to have to drive off that mountain in the snow and ice, LOL!!!

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-24T07:10:00.000-05:00

I want to wish everyone a blessed and joyful Christmas!

I'm Truly Surprised

2007-12-22T18:45:00.001-05:00

I am surprised my dh is getting me exactly what I want for Christmas this year. My little hands are itching, trying to get at that laminator I've waited so long for! I'm still fielding questions like: why would you want something like that, are you crazy, I'd kill my dh if he gave me such a thing. For those who think I'm nuts, maybe I am (only kidding!)

On a sad note, I know quite a few women who are petty and selfish. They want what they want when they want it, regardless of how it affects their family finances. One in particular unnerved me. She said her dh was only able to work part time, and they were having a difficult time paying the bills, but she wanted that all-important piece of jewelry that her husband promised her every year since they were married. "Forget about it all, let's throw caution to the wind and give me what I want," so she said. "So what if the electric isn't paid, we're using the charge cards to buy essentials, as long as I have my jewelry, I'll be happy. So what if the charge cards are maxxed out, as long as I'm happy who cares!"

I find that selfishness and unconcern for her family's future to be quite sad. I've been called plain and boring by some of these women, but at least I know I won't be in the poor house due to my being selfish. Ah yes, that laminator is the best Christmas present I will receive :)

Blog Blessing

2007-12-20T19:01:00.000-05:00

Today, I received a blog blessing from Joann at The Creamer Chronicles. I was both surprised and honored she would think so highly of me. Thank you so much Joann!

The idea… it’s a game of tag with a difference, rather than looking inwardly, we look outside ourselves and bless, praise and pray for 3 blog friend. By participating in this endeavor we not only make the recipient of the blessing feel valued and appreciated, but we are having some fun too. We’re going to see how far the bloggin’ blessings can travel around the world and how many people can be blessed! Recipients of a bloggin’ blessing may upload the above image to their sidebar if they choose to. If you receive a bloggin’ blessin’ please leave a comment on this thread so that we can rejoice in just how many blessings have been sent around the world!

I want to bless the following bloggers:

1. Genny at Unschooling With The Duck

She probably doesn't know this, but she is my biggest inspiration when it comes to homeschooling. If it wasn't for her advice and support, I might have given up a long time ago.

2. Dani at Taylor Went A Bloggin

Dani has a wonderful sense of humor, and has shown me the lighter side of different situations. I can always count on her to give me a good laugh whenever I need it.

3. Tanya at Mama Tatiana

Tanya (or Blondie as she is known at DCF) has inspired my inner creativity. She has given me many ideas that I would not ordinarily have thought of myself. I'm amazed at how easy she makes creativity seem.

Lord I thank you for all you give to me. I especially thank you for the friendsip I receive from Genny, Dani, and Tanya. I pray your blessing on all of them everyday. Grant them strength, peace and JOY! For they let You bless me with these things through them every day. Amen.

So, Ladies, please pass on the blogger blessing to three other bloggers.

Those Evil Christians!

2007-12-19T21:04:00.000-05:00

Oh, how evil we Christians really are! Mike Huckabee ought to be ashamed of himself, planting the cross and three symbols of the Trinity in his Christmas message

Yes, some people actually thought the bookshelf and three ornaments are overt messages promoting religion. Just take a look at Meredith Viera's interview with Huckabee on the "Today Show"

Is she for real? Does she actually consider herself a serious journalist by asking such ridiculous questions about an ad with a Christmas message?

She has truly reinforced why I no longer watch network or regular news. All those pretty boys and girls are lacking intellectually. Frank Runyeon was right; the "news" is about who looks the best and can read the script well, not about true journalism.

It's time for Meredith Viera and her ilk to go back to doing dead game shows.

My Christmas Movie

2007-12-18T19:05:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Dana's blog, I took this quiz

Your Christmas is Most Like: The Muppet Christmas Carol

You tend to reflect on Christmas past, present, and future...
And you also do a little singing.

What Movie Is Your Christmas Most Like?

Why am I not surprised, LOL!

Snowflake Patterns

2007-12-18T17:04:00.000-05:00

I've been on the hunt for some snowflake patterns to put up for the Christmas season and beyond. One set of patterns I liked (courtesy of Dave's Paper Snowflake Patterns):

Looking at them, I think they would make great Christmas gifts for friends and family. They're simple, yet elegant at the same time. Maybe next year I should put this at the top of my list of things to do for Advent :)

Thanks For The Prayers

2007-12-17T15:05:00.000-05:00

From my blog post last week re: Serious Issues, thanks for the prayers. They truly have been and are still needed. I've been "laying low", and not posting here on my blog, due to those issues. I was unsure if a certain local group had a way of viewing my blog, so I decided not to post.

For those who don't know what happened, here it is:

I'm involved in our local newspaper's online forum. There was a particular article wrt what the county task force has said is a gang. Some people were up in arms at being given than label, including one Catholic mother who decided listening to a certain type of "music" with her child was normal. I send her a pm, telling her I hoped she had sought the guidance and counsel of her parish priest, and that I was praying for her family. That sent her into a rage, where she made some outrageous comments about my daughter and family. She also mentioned who her parish priest is, so I'm certain if he knew about this type of "family entertainment" he would have a fit and lecture her and her daughter about the dangers of their choices.

Another thing that scared me was how this group has stated they silence all their "haters", which is anyone who speaks out against them. The task force told me that while I should be careful around these folks, most of them are harmless unless they call in other members to do their deeds. It also seems they have decided to keep quiet over the past few days. Nice not to have to listen to them curse and swear at those of us who stand up for decency and the truth.

What's another shocker is the number of these members who are in three of the four school districts in my county. This was unheard of when we first moved to PA. I guess people decided to take their gang ways with them when they transplanted to what used to be a nice quiet rural area.

Snow, Ice, and Rain

2007-12-17T14:58:00.001-05:00

We've been taking a beating in the weather department around here. I was watching a certain weather forecaster from a station in Scranton (the station and forecaster shall remain nameless, because the guy is such an idiot and I don't want to embarrass him any further) who made some of the dumbest comments about this last storm. One such comment: at least it won't be 15 degrees and all snow. No, it wasn't. It was closer to 25 degrees and mostly ice. Now it's frozen solid to the driveway and private road that it's impossible to walk on. I can't see the main road from here, but it appears to be okay.

Watching the extended forecast on TWC, and it has more snow/ice/rain for Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. I'm hoping all this will pass us or at least fizzle out.

I'm also amazed how many people used common sense and slowed down on the ice. Around these parts, snow and ice are reasons for people to speed up. And they wonder why our insurance rates keep rising *rolls eyes*

Serious Issues

2007-12-11T18:45:00.000-05:00

My apologies for not updating my blog as frequently lately. There are some issues that are rather serious that have come up. I don't want to bring them up here on my blog, as the nature of these issues could cause problems for my entire family. Please keep all of us in your prayers. They are definitely needed!

Snowflake Tree

2007-12-11T18:35:00.000-05:00

I was doing a search for some snowflakes to make out of paper, and came across this very pretty Chrismon snowkflake tree (courtesy of Christian Crafters).

I might want to make some of these snowflakes to hang around the house, and keep them up until February. They are so pretty and ornate :)

What I Want For Christmas...

2007-12-07T20:48:00.000-05:00

is an official Red Rider carbine action 200 shot air rifle (only kidding!)

Actually what I do want is a laminator. Yes, a laminator!

There are many projects I've been meaning to finish, and only the laminator will do! When I told my dh about this, he asked me if I was sure. Of course I'm sure, silly! Seeing that particular model in K-Mart, I pointed it out to him. Some lady said she thought I was nuts for wanting something so "impersonal". Hey, it's what I want. Dh will be getting off pretty cheap if he gets me the Scotch model I requested :)

I told Amanda she can get me the laminating sheets to go with it. That was when she said she already made me a present. I'm looking forward to seeing what it is :)

Remember Victor Borge?

2007-12-05T22:06:00.000-05:00

I was going through some youtube videos, looking for classical pieces. When I typed in "Mozart", one of Victor Borge's videos came up. Anyone remember him? I used to love watching him when I was a kid. I was always amazed at his ability, especially playing the piano backwards.

Some videos I think everyone will enjoy:

Improvising On The Piano

Page Turner

A Mozart Opera

I wish there was someone today who had his talent and sense of humor.

Then Vs. Now

2007-12-04T20:29:00.000-05:00

This was sent to me today, about the differences in school in 1957 vs 2007. I hadn't heard of these before, but I can say I do believe they are true. It's a sad telling of our society today. Even when I was in school in 1977, the earlier part would have been true.

Scenario: Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into school parking lot with shotgun in gun rack.

1957 - Vice principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to his car and gets his own shotgun to show Jack.

2007 - School goes into lockdown, the FBI is called, Jack is hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors are called in to assist traumatized students and teachers.

Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.

1957 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.

2007 - Police are called, SWAT team arrives and arrests Johnny and Mark. They are charged with assault and both are expelled even though Johnny started it.

Scenario: Jeffrey won't sit still in class, disrupts other students.

1957 - Jeffrey is sent to the principal's office and given a good paddling. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.

2007 - Jeffrey is given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADD. School gets extra state funding because Jeffrey has a disability.

Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.

1957 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.

2007 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy is removed to foster care and joins a gang. State psychologist tells Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has an affair with the psychologist.

Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some Aspirin to school.

1957 - Mark shares Aspirin with the school principal out on the smoking dock.

2007 - Police are called and Mark is expelled from School for drug violations. His car is searched for drugs and weapons.

Scenario: Pedro fails high-school English.

1957 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.

2007 - Pedro's cause is taken up by local human rights group. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that making English a requirement for graduation is racist. US Civil Liberties Association files class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English is banned from core curriculum. Pedro is given his diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.

Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover Independence Day firecrackers, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle and blows up an anthill.

1957 - Ants die.

2007 - Homeland Security and the FBI are called and Johnny is charged with domestic terrorism. teams investigate parents, siblings are removed from the home, computers are confiscated, and Johnny's dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.

Scenario: Johnny falls during recess and scrapes his knee. His teacher, Mary, finds him crying, and gives him a hug to comfort him.

1957 - Johnny soon feels better and goes back to playing.

2007 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces three years in federal prison. Johnny undergoes five years of therapy.

A Monster Has Been Created :)

2007-12-03T20:57:00.000-05:00

Actually, I should say a mad pianist is being created. After her recital, Amanda decided she wanted to tackle some of the pieces the other music majors were performing. One of the main pieces is Brahms' Rhapsody in G minor Op 79 no 2.

Here's a youtube video of a young man's recital, performing this particular piece (we don't know who he is, but his interpretation is wonderful):

Another piece I think she wants to tackle is Aram Khachaturian's Toccata. Another youtube video showing a young man performing this piece:

It looks more difficult than it actually is to perform, although it does take some time to get to the proper speed.

Whew! Both pieces are awesome, and I'm certain Amanda will be able to play both with practice :)

Recital!

2007-11-30T19:31:00.000-05:00

We're in awe over Amanda's performance at her recital last evening. I was amazed how well she played. In fact, I was amazed at how well all the pianists performed. They did beautifully!

Here is her actual performance:

Bartok's Rumanian Dances

Awesome!

Recital Hall

2007-11-27T21:01:00.000-05:00

I was able to find a picture of the Cecilia S. Cohen recital hall @ ESU. This picture looks like it's one of their more recent concerts. When the students perform, the only instruments that will be in the middle of the floor are two pianos

Being there in person is far different than looking at it in a picture. It actually seems larger in the picture :)

Daughter Practicing Her Recital Pieces

2007-11-27T19:05:00.000-05:00

It's been a few days since I've updated my blog - busy, life, etc...

Here's my daughter, who has been practicing like crazy for her recital on Thursday. She's playing three of Bartok's Rumanian folk dances

Bartok's Rumanian Dances

She still has a little perfecting to do with number three, but overall I would say she's performed wonderfully, memorizing each piece exactly as it was written.

WTG Amanda!!!

Another Thanksgiving Favorite Video

2007-11-23T21:09:00.000-05:00

I've always enjoyed the episodes of "Roseanne" for Thanksgiving. I especially like the first one, from 1989:

Being up at 5:00 am, stuffing the turkey, and dealing with family is what I've been used to until this year. What a wonderful slice of Americana!

Update on the GFCF Pumpkin Pies :(

2007-11-22T20:27:00.000-05:00

Sad to say, the pies are not all that great. I think it was the change I made with the tapioca pearls, instead of the Minute tapioca. I've gone back, and changed the post to reflect not using them by removing their use.

Amanda said it was like eating pie with little lead balls inside. She's a big fan of pumpkin pie, so I know it had to be pretty bad.

On the upside, the stuffing was excellent. It actually tastes just like regular bread stuffing :)

Favorite Thanksgiving Movies

2007-11-22T20:16:00.000-05:00

It's been a long tradition in my family to watch certain movies on Thanksgiving Day. One that began with my grandmother was "March of the Wooden Soldiers" with Laurel and Hardy. I've been watching for so long, I can't remember a year I didn't watch it. It's also a tradition we're passing on to Amanda. She even looks forward to the march at the end.

Another favorite that has always been tradition is "Miracle on 34th Street" from 1947. So far, I haven't been able to find more than a few minutes of the movie on youtube. I'm also grateful NBC has gone back to the b&w version, after the movie was colorized. March of the Wooden Soldiers has been colorized as well, but it seems so odd. I also have that movie on videotape from 1985. It's fun watching not just the movie, but the cheeky commercials of the mid 80's, LOL!

Oh, and for some trivia: the actor who portrayed Silas Barnaby was a mere 22 years old at the time! Talk about great make-up!

Peanuts Thanksgiving, Part Three

2007-11-21T14:50:00.000-05:00

GFCF Recipes For Thanksgiving

2007-11-21T14:29:00.000-05:00

This will be the second year we will be cooking gfcf. For those who don't know what that means, it's gluten free-casein free. While Amanda is now able to have some dairy in her diet, she must steer clear of all gluten. To play it safe, I decided to stick with these recipes we used last year. They are quite good, and even I can't tell the difference between regular and the alternates.

Two recipes I used are for GFCF Stuffing and GFCF Pumpkin Pie. I'll post pictures along with the recipes from the original authors.

Dan's Wheat Free & Dairy Free Pumpkin Pie Recipe (Parve) courtesy of Dan Swearingen

Corn based piecrust

Makes two 10-inch pie shells
2/3 cup margarine (Shedd's Willow Run Soybean Margerine)
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups crushed corn flakes (Nature's Path GF CF "Honey'd Corn Flakes") – a bit over one full 10.6 oz box of cereal.
Notes: I've specified brands that, to date, have proven to be okay to use. Many brands of margarine HAVE dairy products in them. Check the ingredients carefully. Almost ALL "corn flakes" have wheat in them. Nature's Path is an exception.

Crush corn flakes to a coarse to fine meal in a food processor. A blender should be able to do this too. I suppose you could just pound at it in a sturdy bowl but this may be the real excuse to buy a food processor! I use an attachment for my blender. The finer the better but you'll find you can't really turn it into a powder (but it'd be nice if you could!).

Melt margarine and pour into a large bowl. Stir in sugar. Add crushed corn flakes.

I find mixing it all up with a pastry cutter works best but almost nobody has one of these anymore. Pastry cutters were for "cutting" big blocks of butter or margarine into flour and that kind of cooking is so non-PC these days even the tools are now hard to find.

Anyway, if you don't have a pastry cutter, use a pair of butter knives and mix the melted butter/sugar thoroughly into the corn meal. Divide all but a little bit of the mix into the two pie dishes.

I then gentle the mix into a pie-shell shape using a lid from a plastic food container. You could also use the bottom of a small bowl. Start soft and then as the shape and amount are about right start really pressing it down.

If you find any thin spots, add the bit of mix you left in the bowl to cover it. Set the pie dishes aside in the refrigerator.

Dairy Free Pumpkin Pie filling

Makes two nine inch pies
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup tapioca mix (Minute tapioca works best)
1/4 cup tapioca flour (or omit and double the Tapioca Mix above)
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Ground cinnamon
1 tsp. Ground cloves
1/2 tsp. Ground ginger
4 large whole eggs
2 large egg whites
1 can (29 oz.) Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin
3 cups Rice Dream rice milk (soy is OK too if you like it)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, clover, ginger, and tapioca into a small bowl.

Beat eggs in a large bowl (I use the main mixing bowl for my big mixer) and then add the canned pumpkin. Running the mixer, add the sugar/spice mix, lastly add the rice milk. Mix thoroughly.

Pour into the pie shells. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, turn down to 350 degrees (maybe open the oven door for a sec to let some heat out), turn the pies a bit if spots of the crust are burning, and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes.

The usually you say a pumpkin pie is "done" if you can stick a knife in the center and nothing sticks when you pull it out. That doesn't work with this recipe since it isn't doesn't make a pie that solid (when hot out of the oven). So, I say the pies are done if he center is not completely liquid. If you care, the pies solidify nicely when refrigerated overnight.

Here are our finished pies:

You can see the tapioca pearls in the pies, so I hope they taste as good as they look!

Thanksgiving Stuffing (Gluten-Free) courtesy of Scott Adams, Celiac.com

5-6 cups cubed and dehydrated Food For Life Rice Almond Bread
2 Tbs. olive oil
3 cups chopped celery (or 1-2 Tbs. celery seed)
2 cups chopped onions
1 tsp. salt
1-2 tsp. cilantro
1-2 tsp. thyme
1-2 tsp. sage
black pepper
1-2 Cups gluten-free Chicken Broth

Prepare 1 to 2 cups gluten-free chicken broth. Prepare Food For Life Rice Almond Bread as follows: Cut into ½ cubes and put in food dehydrator for 8 hours (or put on cookie sheet and in oven on the lowest temperature for about 2-3 hours - I've been able to increase the temperature to 300 degrees and dry for about one hour or so in the oven).

Sauté chopped celery & onions in 2 TBS oil in large frying pan over medium heat until soft. Add spices & pepper as desired to taste. Pour in chicken broth & simmer over low heat for 15-20 min.

Stir in bread until fully saturated in sauce & seasonings *note, I add the broth, onions, celery and seasonings to the pan of dried bread. It's much easier to mix*

Place in 400°F oven for 40-50 min, covering as needed with aluminum foil, until done. If you want to cook the stuffing inside the turkey add only 1 cup of Chicken broth.

I always make this recipe the day before, just to get it done. Same with the pies above. I also figured since I'm making this for Amanda, she might as well be the one to do most of the work, LOL!!

Peanuts Thanksgiving, Part Two

2007-11-20T14:30:00.000-05:00

I like when Snoopy dishes out the "food", LOL!!

Shoes, Or Should I Call Them Bling For The Feet :)

2007-11-20T12:36:00.000-05:00

I finally broke down and purchased organ shoes for Amanda. Yeah, I was mean, forcing her to play with bare feet. It's not easy to do, especially since she has been going through foot scales without the heel.

I spend time online at Organmaster Shoes, telling her I refuse to purchase any of the crazy colors, and that she would be getting black shoes. Well, the black shoes in her size went out of stock, don't know when they're coming back in stock, and boy was I upset! The ones they do have in stock - the Diana shoes:

So, she got the shoes she originally wanted (the silver ones)! She's going to look at lot like Diane Bish when she plays at church, LOL!!!

Thanksgiving

2007-11-19T20:28:00.000-05:00

I always loved holiday specials, especially the Peanuts. Since their Thanksgiving special is one of my favorites, I decided to post one segment tonight and each day until Thanksgiving.

Let It Snow!

2007-11-19T19:50:00.000-05:00

Today, we had our first snowstorm of the winter. While it was nice to watch from the sidelines, I certainly wouldn't want to have to travel in it. My dh decided to work from home today. He really would not have made it down the mountain. Instead, he would have either slid off the road in a ditch, or hit something when the van went out of control.

The downside was power in some areas was off most of the day. Fortunately for us, it was out only for an hour this morning.

What beautiful views of the snow

It Costs How Much????

2007-11-16T21:40:00.000-05:00

I posted elsewhere today about my dd's playing on a Bosendorfer piano for her recital in two weeks. I had been told that these particular pianos cost $100,000 or more. Well, the one she will be playing on actually costs $150,000. Shocking, to say the least! Dd's attitude is she prefers her Wurlitzer to the Bosendorfer. I think if she knew how top of the line the instrument is she is playing on, she wouldn't make such a silly statement.

I'm having sticker shock, LOL!

This one is similar to the piano she will be performing on

The pedals are very smooth, compared to most pianos I've seen, although the mechanism can still make that "clunk" noise when released too quickly and with a sudden jerk.

Now if only Queen of Peace could afford such a piano...........

William Tell Overture For Moms

2007-11-15T09:52:00.000-05:00

Even though I homeschool, and can't relate to the bus part, the rest is very funny!

Cats :(

2007-11-14T12:30:00.000-05:00

Someone ought to remind me why we have two cats. One ignores everything that passes her way, the other kills anything and everything she can get her paws on. I don't know how it got there, but apparently a mouse (I believe, not sure) died inside the wall in the bathroom. There is a small hole in the wall, probably made some time ago by this mouse. It must have gotten stuck, and starved to death. The "killer" cat has been staring at this wall for weeks now.

Overnight, she must have gotten the creature out, and decided to share with her mom (me). It was about 1:30 this morning, when the little darling decided to drop her treasure on my chest while I was sleeping. My reaction was "oh, Monica, what do you have for mommy", at which point I jumped up screaming "ew, ew, ew, ew!!!". What does my husband d? NOTHING!!!! He doesn't even roll over, just keeps on snoring away without a care in the world. I, on the other hand, am completely grossed out by this dried up creature I had in my hands not more than a few minutes before (I had hurled it across the room, and had to go hunting for Monica's shared treasure). I don't know how many paper towels I grabbed, but I think it may have been half a roll, just to pick up this poor, pathetic dried-out animal. I even lost track of the number of times I washed my hands.

Maybe we should rename this 5 pound calico "Killer"

And to think I overreact to dead animals, yet allow bugs in my freezer *rolls eyes*

Wild Turkeys and Virtual Tour

2007-11-13T11:38:00.000-05:00

Today, I went on some internet hunt of wild turkeys in NYC (no pun intended). My husband's boss had mentioned he knew people who were having problems with them where he lives (Staten Island). I thought there was no way wild turkeys would be living in the city. Boy, I was wrong! Doing a search, I found a website that had a picture of one in Manhattan:

Here in PA, we take the sighting of a wild animal for granted.

The picture of the turkey is from New York City Walk

Going through this site, it is literally a virtual tour of Manhattan. There are many different views to be seen, that wouldn't be in any tour guide. I remember some of these places while I lived there, and completely forgot about. There are a few images inappropriate for the kiddies, but overall I would say the photographs are excellent.

Here's one image I found rather disturbing:

The picture of the World Trade Center on the background with the bomb was unsettling, to say the least.

I wonder if there are any photo tours of other cities out there?

Met Another Famous Person

2007-11-10T16:48:00.000-05:00

Last night and this morning, my daughter was the accompanist for a performance by Frank Runyeon. He has written several one-man plays, which he performs for churches across the country. Last night's was "Sermon on the Mount". Amanda played "Seek Ye The Kingdom of God". I hadn't heard that hymn in a long time, as it's never played in my parish (we did hear it when we were Lutheran).

Frank's show is a must-see! Today, he gave a talk to the kids at the confirmation retreat, about Hollywood, faith, and the real world. It made all of us look at television and movies in a way I hadn't thought about before.

He also spoke of his years as an actor, acting opposite Meg Ryan on "As the World Turns", about being typecast as either ethnic or a drug dealer (!!), about his family, how we as Catholics ought to live, etc. He was also talking about how he was literally starving himself to look thin for the camera. The man is 6'3" tall, and when he said he was down to 160 lbs while on the soaps, I was shocked.

Here's a picture of Amanda with Frank:

She played the piano, while two girls who are identical twins sang. They were congratulated by everyone on their outstanding performance. I think they performed wonderfully!

I Have A Real, Uh, A Real....

2007-11-08T16:27:00.000-05:00

Life! Only kidding, LOL!!! Yesterday, I didn't have enough time to update my blog. Today, I had to take dd to her piano lesson at ESU. That proves that while dd has a real life, I have none. I just live vicariously through Amanda *VBG*

Hug A Friend, Get Detention

2007-11-06T18:23:00.001-05:00

A girl in Illinois was given detention for hugging two friends, saying goodbye for the weekend. This "offense" took place on school property

Illinois Student Gets Detention For Hugging

Does anyone else think this is nuts? From the school's policy:

"Displays of affection should not occur on the school campus at any time. It is in poor taste, reflects poor judgment, and brings discredit to the school and to the persons involved."

So hugs reflect poor judgment and bring discredit to the school, yet I can almost guarantee bullying is fine. We live in a world that is truly backwards. Shame on this district, and the superintendent!

Bloggin' Mama

2007-11-05T16:21:00.001-05:00

I took the quiz from Therese's blog, and here's what came up:

Take the Mom Blogger quiz!

I'm not surprised, considering I've been spending more time with my blog than before. If asked this over a month ago, my blog would have been my neglected stepchild!

Practice, Practice, Practice!!!!

2007-11-05T13:56:00.000-05:00

I think I've been saying those words repeatedly over the past week or so. While the pieces of music Amanda must memorize are relatively short, they have these little nuances she must perfect.

Here's the musical, bug girl, practicing like crazy:

I pray she does well. The piano being used at the recital is different from ours at home and the one her professor uses for lessons in his studio. She's just gotten used to that one. Each one has a different feel, or so I've been told.

Introducing Our Newest Family Member

2007-11-05T13:48:00.001-05:00

We decided to get a companion for our surviving guinea pig, Arwen. It didn't take long for her to display signs of depression after the death of Pippin.

Our newest member's name is Phloxxy, and she's 8 weeks old.

Her first picture:

I love my veggies!

Still a little piggie:

She's barely the size of Amanda's hand, although I think she will be a pretty big pig :) She's also the only piggie we've had who turned her nose up at carrots!

We're following the guinea pig recommendations, and quarantining (sp?) her for at least two weeks before full introduction are made. Arwen knows there's another pig in the house, just by smell and sound. She sniffs us over, after handling the little one.

Should I Be So Shocked?

2007-11-03T20:31:00.000-04:00

As I was going through some old bookmarks, I found the following video on Steve Kellmeyer's blog

Watching this, I didn't know whether to laugh, cry or scream. I don't know where this school is located, but I can say for certain the teens in the video have similar ideas about Catholicism as teens in my local Catholic schools do. What was more stunning was when the priest in the video didn't know the answer to the question. Is this what is being taught in Catholic schools across the country? Has the curriculum been dumbed down to the point where we can no longer distinguish Catholic schools from public ones?

Should I be shocked? No, and neither should anyone else, unless they're fortunate enough to have their children attend solidly Catholic schools. They seem to be more and more rare these days.

Next time anyone asks why I homeschool, I'll point them to this video ;)

See My Slide Show!

2007-11-02T17:23:00.001-04:00

It took me awhile, but I was able to create a nice slide show of Amanda. I'm not sure how it happened, but the original slide show had music that was impossible to remove, so I had to go back and recreate the slides all over again. Let's just say I was not happy listening to music and watching a small video on the lower left corner of the slides.

Maybe I should go back and make another one of all the bug pictures, with a version of "Flight of the Bumblebee" playing in the background, LOL!

The Changes She Has Gone Through

2007-11-01T15:46:00.001-04:00

I've been looking at the changes my daughter has gone through over the years. Even looking at her Halloween costumes over the past three years amazes me.

This year's costume, as Miss Gothic

Last year, as a lady of the Middle Ages

The year before, as an Egyptian "queen"

All I can say is wow, what a difference from 2005 until now. I should keep a picture diary of her, until she graduates high school. By then her hair will probably be green streaked permanently *shock*

Another Baby Dies In A Hot Car

2007-10-31T12:11:00.000-04:00

Baby Found Dead In Car Outside Hooters

How in the world does a mother forget her baby is still in her car? How can anyone forget a baby is in a car? This so-called phenomenon of parents leaving children in cars amazes me. What did they all do, wake up one morning and take stupid pills? The kicker is some of these parents escaped prosecution, because leaving the child in the car was an "accident" *rolls eyes*

I must go crawl back under that rock where I live :(

I Can Say I Knew Him When...

2007-10-31T11:19:00.000-04:00

Two Pleasant Valley High Students Nab College Awards For Music, Photography

The young man in the article is a member of my parish, and plays the organ and piano every Saturday for 5 PM Mass, as well as substitutes for the choir director when she's not available. He is truly very talented, and has his own individual technique. He also comes from an orthodox Catholic family, strong in their faith. No matter what course in life he chooses, I'm sure Andrew will achieve great success!