Earth Day!

We have been down and out with the flu, but we are feeling better and ready to move on. Another bonus of homeschooling is the ability to take a couple days off and not have to worry about making up the school work. We do school a couple of days a week throughout summer to make sure we don't forget anything. My son actually prefers this, believe it or not.

The kids are excited about Earth Day and can't wait to turn off the power for a minute. Nickelodean has asked its viewers to participate in this activity. I think we'll turn everything off for longer than that. It's nice for the kids to see the bigger picture of the little differences that they can make.

We have made a list of ways we can help the Earth and ourselves at the same time. Since we grocery shop a lot, we have purchased reusable bags. If you are crafty, you can make them yourself. My sewing abilities are laughable and my groceries would be sure to land on the pavement if I made my own. Home Depot sells big orange ones that are very sturdy and great for bigger items. This is one simple way to make a change.

I'd like feedback on changing to the eco-friendly lightbulbs. I know they save energy and last longer, but I am very concerned with the mercury content. Lots of people don't even know that they contain mercury and must be disposed of in a specific facility. You can return them to Home Depot and they will do it for you. In a recent trip to their store (we are building a house, so I live at Home Depot), they had a salesperson handing out a lightbulb to each customer. I asked her about the mercury and she was totally clueless. She left her station in search for answers and found us elsewhere in the store. She informed me that they have a disposal site, but as she was selling and handing out these to customers, I was quite disappointed that they were not informing the public about the hazards. I would think environmentalists would be more involved in the pros and cons of these lightbulbs. Again, I welcome your thoughts.

So, we'll have one more day of recovery and then go out to save the planet! Happy Homeschooling!

spring

Spring is officially here and it has revitalized our spirit and put us in a great mood. We will begin planting our garden and landscaping our yard. I am excited to have my kids involved in the process of growing their own food and seeing their hard work turn into yummy food and vibrant flowers. That is my plan, but as this will be our first garden, I hope all goes as expected.

My sister lives very close and has just gotten chicks so that they will have fresh eggs. We had a chance to see them this weekend and the kids were thrilled to hold them in their hands. This is another new experience for all of us. Shame on me for not bringing my camera; I will have it next time we visit.

This is the time of year to take a deep breath, clean out the old, and bring in the new. Make positive changes in your life and you will feel the benefits for years to come.

Happy Homeschooling! Welcome Spring!

Back In Action!

We did it and actually came out unscathed. Yes, we had no cable, phone, or internet for one whole week. The kids met some new friends and got their daily allowance of Vitamin D. I admit, we did occasionally stop outside of the local diner and use their Wi-Fi. My husband has to e-mail reports every night... so what if I happened to have my I-Touch with me? Purely accidental, of course.

I heard less whining than anticipated and we had a dance party in the living room instead of watching American Idol. It seems some of you are inspired to try it for yourselves. I hope you do because our family really enjoyed each other.

It is a good reminder of why we homeschool and choose to be so involved with our kids. Sometimes we forget the importance and value of the decisions we have made and get sidetracked with all of the day to day activities. This was a nice opportunity to reconnect with ourselves and re-evaluate our priorities. Yeah for us!