Homeschool Lesson of the Week – Taxation

I love doing fun stuff and calling it school. It’s way more fun to make a cake and call it SCIENCE, than to read from a boring textbook. And great homeschool mom’s are always looking for “teachable moments”.  Or so I’ve been told. MEDIOCRE  homeschool mom’s are always looking for ways to turn what THEY want to do into something they can call school. Case in point – The American Tea Party.

Yesterday, people all across the nation gathered to protest the financial decisions being made by our government. Like signing a stimulus package full of pork, without READING it, raising taxes on businesses when unemployment is already on the rise, bailing out faulty mortgages, etc. So we used it as an opportunity to drive to the Capitol and introduce Rachel to TAXATION, PROTESTS, and POLICE OFFICERS.

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This was taken right before the Police Officer made us move.   Other homeschooled kids –

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Cool hats. And they say homeschooled kids are weird. The sign in the middle said, When I grow up, I want to be Free!”

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There were lots of people considering it was POURING.

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Some nice stranger gave me and Rachel ponchos, but we were sopping wet. JD had to lift her over the streams of water.

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Not everyone loves hanging in the rain.

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After the event, we ate lunch at The OK Cafe. YUMMY. Then drove our soaking selves home, took  hot showers, and put on our pj’s. At 3:00. Ahh, gotta love homeschooling.

I remember..

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Playing for hours on that swing set. I’d go out the sliding glass doors to the backyard, where there was usually two huge piles – one of sand and one of limestone. It was awesome.  I remember walking barefoot on gravel, and digging in the dirt, and sitting on the front porch watching all the Zollicoffer action happening at the bottom of the hill.

I love looking at old pictures. I have so many questions. Like why would a child walk around barefoot on gravel? That must have hurt! And my dad was a contractor – you KNOW there were nails and screws laying hidden in the dirt. And those piles of sand/limestone were huge! Couldn’t a kid suffocate or something? Why is the poor thing outside half naked? WHO cut her hair and what did they do with the bowl??? Why was her nickname “changeling”? Is it too late to sue?

I remember people! I remember a lot. And I have a blog!

I’m sick, Mother!

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I don’t have any childhood memories of laying in bed sick, propped up on pillows, watching TV and eating chicken soup. This is the conversation my mother and I had every time I was ill.

Me: I’m sick.

Mom: Hmm. Take an aspirin.

Me: I think I have a fever.

Mom: Nope. You’re not even warm.

Me: Shouldn’t I go to the doctor?

Mom: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

How is it possible that I never once had a fever my entire life? Seriously. Once, I woke up and drove myself to the hospital because I knew waking my mother was pointless. And yes, I had STREP throat. I was miserable!. An ex-boyfriend even felt bad for me and brought me soup. My mother, I’m sure she pointed to the aspirin bottle.

This morning I woke up with aches and pains, a headache, a sore throat and a runny nose. I think my chest is congested too. I am very, very, very sick. And I probably got everyone at the Bridge Club sick today too! What? My mom always taught me – you can be sick sitting up as well as you can be sick laying down. I’m going to look for the aspirin.

Resistance is futile!

I’m watching the Oscars. Poor people, all striving to look beautiful, wear the right clothes, say something witty and entertaining. The truth is – cool just IS.  The right person can wear anything, and suddenly, it’s the style. Cool people make THINGS cool, not the other way around.

For instance, last Monday, I wore the sweetest little sweater. It was a gift from my mother-in-law, and I fully expect to see it in all the magazines next spring.

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Yes, those are diamonds, hearts, clubs and spades. Bridge is the new BLACK! If I were you, I’d get mine now.

Poor Woman’s Version of Botox

I have some friends/family members (they shall remain nameless for now) that don’t believe in Botox. Most of them fall into one of two categories – annoyingly wrinkle free or too far gone to care. I’ll never forget reading an article by 80’s supermodel Christy Turlington where she said she was against plastic surgery. Really? That’s like Halle Berry being against tanning products! If I looked like Christy Turlington I’d be against it too!

One day at a church function, as I was lamenting the two hash marks in the middle of my forehead, a lovely lady swept back her bangs and announced, “Oh honey, Botox will work wonders.” She did look WONDERFUL. Because she’s a sweet, Christian lady and it WAS at a church function, I’m pretty sure it was a message from God.  My only issue is the money. Since we’re trying to give more and spend less, it seems like my timing is off. But NEXT year…

Until then, I’ll dream about what can be. While I don’t have Botox, I DO have Photoshop!

This is me, BEFORE:

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Note the hash marks, the bags, the bad skin.

This is me AFTER:

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I don’t think it’s too much at all. Perfectly natural.   For reference, my high school graduation picture is below.

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I have been renewed!

I’ve got spirit, yes I do, I’ve got spirit, how ’bout you?

Rachel experienced her first pep rally yesterday. The kids were told to go green and come prepared to show their school spirit. It wasn’t a pep rally in the traditional sense – there was no big game last night – but rather a “School Spirit” party. The school has been housed in a small Church of God for the past few years and now we’re finally moving to a larger space.  Rachel said there were “Money Fairies” running around, so I guess we’re gearing up for a fund raiser.

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I made her shirt in about 5 minutes and she got lots of compliments on her hair!

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Since they were also celebrating Valentine’s Day, it left almost no time for schoolwork. Sweet!

Call me Hadassah

I want a new name. I realize that I’ve done this before. Growing up in Tennessee, I was Dyan. I always know if it’s someone from my past on the phone when my husband says, “It’s for you, DYAN!” When I moved to Atlanta, I worked for a catalogue company where the office manager’s name was…Diane. So they asked if they could call me by my first name – LISA. Since I was enrolling in art school, and receiving phone calls from the administration office – it was simpler to keep the name. Thus a new town, a new start, a new name! It worked for a while, but now I feel the need for something a little deeper.

My mother-in-law sent me a book to read by Francine Rivers. It’s called A Voice in the Wind and I highly recommend it. See the review here.

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The protagonist, Hadassah is in love – with Jesus. It’s an amazing story of faith, humbleness, and service. I want to be HADASSAH. I want to have her attitude, her fortitude, her servant’s heart. I DON’T want to be a slave, be threatened with death for sharing my faith, or suffer all of the other things that happened to her. Is that what it takes? I think it probably does. Sigh.

A Masterpiece

Rachel was given an English assignment – to write a short story about her and her mom. Someone had to get lost, and it had to have a happy ending. Behold –

THE LOVE

by Rachel Tyre

Mommy and Rachel loved each other. They flew to New York. Rachel got lost on the plane. Mommy looked under the seats.

Rachel was in the bathroom washing nuts off her hands. Mommy found her and she was happy.

The End

Rachel has never been on a plane; I guess Dad filled her in on the bathroom and free nuts.