Organized Chaos

How to Naturally Stop a Cough

noreply@blogger.com (Mystic∞) — Wed, 03 Sep 2014 11:33:00 +0000

I've had a sicky this week.

My poor Shortest (12) started with some mild cold symptoms on Sunday, and I jumped right on it.

I gave him a single drop of oregano oil in a shot of chocolate milk a couple times a day on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.

Tuesday night, he was feeling mostly fine except for a scratchy soreness in his throat and a cough. Actually, he couldn't seem to STOP coughing.

I mixed about 2 tbsp of coconut oil with about 1/2 tsp of camphor oil. (I get mine here and swear by this brand for pretty much ALL of my essential oils.)

Now, here's my testimonial...... because I've never used camphor oil before. I bought some a little while back because I wanted to try making a mock Viks rub, but hadn't had cause to do so until this week.

I rubbed that coconut oil/camphor oil mixture on Shortest's entire throat (sides and front), and all over his upper chest area. I heard him cough two or three times total over the next two hours!

I was absolutely ASTOUNDED at how immediately it took affect, and how incredibly long it lasted.

I can tell you one thing for sure, and that's that I will ALWAYS have camphor oil in my home from now on.

On a Roll Today!

noreply@blogger.com (Mystic∞) — Tue, 26 Aug 2014 16:21:00 +0000

8/25/14
I bought 2 pounds of jalapenos at the store today. I'm vinegar pickling most of them, but plan on fermenting some. I'm really looking forward to naturally pickled peppers. MMMmmmmmm...

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

8/25/14

Today is the first day back to school for our boys. It's been a pretty productive day for me so far.

I made my bed, got some laundry in, and got another load folded and put away.

I got the dishwasher loaded, and running, cleaned up in the kitchen, sliced up 2 pounds of jalapenos, and pickled them.

As I type this, they're cooling in their water bath on the stove (Yay! Just heard a lid pop tight!)

I've also managed to go through all $70 worth of bulk spices that I picked up yesterday, and place them in labeled glass jars for air tight storage this morning.

It's not even noon yet.

This is what happens when you're up at 5:45am, and left to your own devices in quiet for the morning.

Next on my list is to take the handful jalapenos that I set aside, and these lovely heads of cabbage, and get some fermented goodness goin' on.

I'm pretty content homeprepping..... I mean.... prepsteading.... I mean.... never mind.

Prepper?

noreply@blogger.com (Mystic∞) — Sun, 24 Aug 2014 21:39:00 +0000

Got a salad spinner. My initial impression of it?
"Oh my goodness! Where have you BEEN all my life?!?!?!"

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Virginia Earthquake 2011 - DailyMail

August 23, 2011 - That was the day I woke up.

That was the day of the 5.8 earthquake that rocked Virginia and was felt over 12 states and several provinces in Canada.

Read more about it here.

The earthquake, along with a magnitude–5.8 quake on the New York–Ontario border during 1944, is the largest to have occurred in the U.S. east of the Rocky Mountains since an earthquake centered in Giles County in western Virginia occurred during 1897,^[3] with an estimated magnitude of 5.8.^[4]
The quake was felt across more than a dozen U.S. states and in several Canadian provinces, and was felt by more people than any other quake in U.S. history.^[5] No deaths and only minor injuries were reported. Minor damage to buildings was widespread and was estimated by one risk-modeling company at $200 million to $300 million, of which about $100 million was insured.

I had begun to watch earthquakes after the HUGE 9 pointer in Japan on March 11, 2011.By the time we had one of our own, I'd already been dappling in quakes and other natural disasters, so I took it very seriously.

The point is... that quake could've been worse, and just might BE at some point in the future, and in the event of that happening, we could be without food, water, supplies, etc for who knows how long.

Back in 2008 the NE USA had a record breaking storm that dumped over 3 feet of snow in my front yard after freezing everything solid in what was the worst ice storm most people have ever seen. We had no power, water, bathroom, etc for FIVE DAYS!

We were SO painfully unprepared for such a calamity.

I won't be unprepared ever again.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

I'm not a "prepper" in the way that most people think of when they hear that word. I don't have a cellar full of horded or canned food. I don't have 100 guns of varying ferocity, and countless boxes of ammunition.

I believe that what we need will come to us when we need it. I'm a believer in "thoughts become things" and so preparing for the worst, in my mind, brings the worst to you.

However!!!!

I also believe that people have become FAR too dependent on a faulty system. People are far too content to pop their frozen dinner into their microwave, and call it a meal because of the simple convenience of it.

This is not how we live. We are an old school family.

Mom (that's me!) still cooks meals of organic food (or as our ancestors called it.... Food), from scratch, every day. I, personally, embrace a mostly grain free, low carb way of eating, and so my family also embraces it because she who cooks the food gets to dictate what you eat.

I grow a garden.

I'm learning to can my homegrown produce.

I know for SURE that if the shit hits the fan, one of the first things we will do is set out live traps in the backyard and collect as many rabbits as we can. We have tons. We will eat them, and breed them.

We'll also start breeding our chickens.

We have 3 dogs, and while they're not the end all of security systems, they will deter, and that's what I like about them. Although... I was attacked by a dog once, a few years ago, and my Australian shepherd / pit bull mix tore the crap outta that mutt. That dog had holes in its face. I felt bad about the whole ordeal, but my dog was leashed, and that dog was loose, and attacked us, so Abby did what she felt was necessary.

But I digress....

I don't want convenience. I don't want artificial colors, and "natural" flavors. I don't want preservatives.

I don't want to live a life of modern convenience.

On a side note.... I acknowledge the irony of that statement being that it's typed out on a laptop into a blog on the internet. But, that's not what I really mean.

I mean..... a frozen box of faux food, with an ingredient list 3 miles long, is not now, nor has it ever been, FOOD. I won't call it food, and I won't eat it. Hell, a portion of those ingredients are industrial solvents and PLASTIC! Yeah! PLASTIC! YUM!

We don't eat that shit. It's not even shit, because honestly, I'd rather eat shit.

I mean, not to be an ass.... but even in a shit hits the fan situation, where you think that you'd eat anything edible..... I would be very unlikely to eat that crap. It's full of garbage that's been scientifically proven to basically kill you slowly.

And if the shit hits the fan, my number one concern is to LIVE, not to just die slightly slower.

So I don't do coupons. I don't do sales. These are meaningless things to me.

What I DO... is... farmer's markets, and local farms/butchers.

Best Face Forward

noreply@blogger.com (Mystic∞) — Sat, 26 Jul 2014 18:53:00 +0000

I believe a daily beauty regimen is important.

I've bypassed this daily step for many years because I don't wear make-up or products in my hair. Recently when I came back to FlyLady, for about the 100th time in 11 years, I made one up.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

I have a huge vanity area in my closet. This is my space. I think everyone should have a space like this. For some people, it's the bathroom counter.

I bought dry erase markers, and I write things on the mirror. I erase, and write something new at the end of the Master Bedroom Zone. I'm about to change it tomorrow.... but at this moment, it says.....

We are SO blessed!!! ------------ You are loved! -------- Life is Beautiful

I felt a little corny when I first started doing this, but hey, I think a lot of people would do a lot better in their lives, in general, if they remembered these things every day.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

I stand in the mirror, and brush my hair out, and arrange it for the day. Up. Down. Ponytail. Clip. Bandana. Whatever.

Then I use a washcloth, and exfoliate my face with a half n half mix of raw apple cider vinegar, and water. Just wet one end of the cloth, and gently go over my entire face.

Then I put in some earrings, and put a spritz of my essential oil/water mixture on my face. (good for scent, and good for your skin)

That's it. Nothing big. But I feel more confident, and put together. I feel attractive. Too many people don't feel good about themselves, on too regular a basis.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

I've begun a new nightly regimen recently.

I spend way too much time with my hands in and out of soapy water, and my skin suffers greatly.

Now, as I head to bed, I moisturize my hands using sea salt, and extra virgin olive oil. Ohhhh Yeaaahhhh. It is SOOO the bomb!!!

So whatcha do is put a little sea salt in your palm.... like... 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. Next you dribble some EVOO into the salt... like... 1 tsp. Then, you just rub. Rub your hands together.... rub it on the backs... rub it on your cuticles, and nails (not if you have painted nails. this will kill your mani).

I rub really well between my fingers. The webbing between my fingers will peel from being so dry at times.

When you feel you've rubbed enough, get some straight hot water going in your sink, and rinse your hands. NO SOAP!!! We're not trying to wash off the oil. We're just trying to thin it out, evenly distribute it, and rinse off the excess.

After you rinse for 30 seconds or so, rubbing your hands around, and together.... grab a paper towel, and lightly dry your hands.

Then go to bed, and let all the lovely moisture, and antioxidants soak into your skin!!

How to Fix a Stinky Washing Machine

noreply@blogger.com (Mystic∞) — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 16:30:00 +0000

Does your washing machine get a funky odor in it? Mine does. And I mean FUN-KAY!

We have a hard, mineral rich well water. I tried running empty loads full of soap and water.... or soap, water, and vinegar. This seemed to help some, but not for more than a few days.

I never tried bleach because we don't use bleach. Ever. For anything. I don't even have any in my house, and haven't for many years.

Mister suggested being sure to always leave the lid open so it's getting air circulation inside. This too seemed to help some, but still not enough for my liking.

Then about a week ago, right out of nowhere Mister says to me, "Well, you realize that the washing machine is never completely empty of water, don't you? I mean, the water drains, but there's always a quarter inch, give or take, left sitting in the bottom of the drum."

EUREKA!!!!!!

And then I knew how to fix the smell.....

I ALWAYS have white vinegar on hand in my kitchen, and laundry room. I add an old laundry detergent cap full of white vinegar to every load of laundry. It de-funks and softens the clothes.

What if, instead of adding the cup of vinegar to the wash load, I added it to the empty washing machine AFTER a load. It would still be part of the next wash cycle, but in the meantime, it would stop the water in the bottom of the machine from becoming stagnant and/or growing bacteria AKA becoming funky.

I wash one load per day, 4 or 5 days out of 7.... so there ARE days where the machine isn't used, and THAT is when it gets funkiest.

I've been throwing the vinegar in AFTER each load for just over a week now, and I've got to say..... my washing machine has never smelled cleaner or fresher.

Seriously. Try this.

Peace Without is Peace Within

noreply@blogger.com (Mystic∞) — Sun, 20 Jul 2014 20:16:00 +0000

I am a minimalist by nature. I don't care much for nicknacks or decorative things. This makes living in a decluttered world much easier.

I prefer shelves of family pictures.

I DO have a weakness for animals. *shrug- My family indulges me.

I have this one wall in my living room.....

My mother painted the slates, and etched the mirror. And the mirror was my great grandmother's. Gram. The most positive force in my life whom I've been missing since December 1, 1997.

The above pictures hold the things I hold most dearly. Other than these things, I am mostly perfectly happy to let go of things. I don't hold on to things for sentimental reasons.

I used to.

But when Gram died, no amount of her things made me feel less like there was a hole in me. I could hold her things all day long, but they never filled the emptiness left behind.

And honestly, that's when I learned. Things are just things, and by themselves, they have no value. The only value anything in your life will ever have is the value that you assign to it in your mind.

I prefer a life with useful, practical things.

If it doesn't serve a purpose, it goes away. There are occasional exceptions to that rule, obviously, but for the most part, this rule keeps me happy.

And a purpose doesn't just mean that it is used in one way or another. Making me SMILE is a purpose. Making me feel good..... looking nice..... being awesome.... all these things are a purpose to serve.

There really is something to be said for surrounding yourself with things that make you feel good, and discarding the rest.

Your home is your island. Shouldn't it feel like a relief to come home to it?

∞

Mental Moments & Simple Pleasures

noreply@blogger.com (Mystic∞) — Thu, 17 Jul 2014 02:16:00 +0000

We were about to back out of the garage on our way to Shorter's soccer game last night, and Mister says, "Did you grab the drinks off of the table?"

..... NO!.....

So I got out, ran back into the house, went to the table, grabbed the PHONE(!), and headed back to the van. I made it half way, and realized what I'd just done.

The only excuse I have is..... When your life revolves around the phone (we own a business), and you've forgotten something, that's usually what it is.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

I'm super stoked about the colors of the new post-it notes I got!

Ahhhh, the simple pleasures in life.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Monday Madness

noreply@blogger.com (Mystic∞) — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 15:26:00 +0000

I think the hardest part of keeping a house organized is adopting the "do it now" mentality.

Don't set it down with intentions of putting it away later. It's already IN your hand.... just go put it away.

My boys have morning, and afternoon chore lists, but most of their chores hinge off of mine, so if I'm not on my game, they can't do their part, and in the blink of an eye, my entire domain is crashing down around me.

Which is obviously incredibly stressful all by itself.

And then, of course, I'm even more discouraged by the chaos around me, which just makes it that much harder to find the motivation to get up, and do something about it.

I don't know why, but I have a hard time getting anything done over weekends. I know that for all the women out there that work outside of their homes, the weekend is usually some of the only time they DO have for domestic chores. Personally, I can't imagine. I have a hard enough time, and I'm practically home every waking moment.

So anyway, it's Monday now, and I'm in the process of digging out of the chaos that has accumulated over the weekend.

Someday I will wrap my head around doing a little every single day..... even when the day starts with an S. In the meantime, I'll do what I can, and feel good about what gets accomplished instead of feeling the crap about what I didn't get to.

Wishing everyone a productive, and happy week ∞

Mom's Wild World of Science

noreply@blogger.com (Mystic∞) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:48:00 +0000

I am SOOOOOO EXCITED!!!!!!

I can barely contain myself.

First I will tell you that Short shocked his teacher speechless when she called today. She calls about every other week to check in and make sure everything is moving along smoothly.

She asked him if he'd decided what experiment he was doing for his big science project, and he told her that he hadn't been able to figure anything out yet. So in an effort to help him trouble-shoot the problem, she asked him if anything interesting was going on in his life right now, or if there was anything he was interested in learning more about.

He told her that his mother has recently taken a shine to fermenting veggies and beverages. I don't know why she was so surprised. She took it very well when he told her about the baby-chickies. Her surprise and confusion faded a little when he threw out the word saurkraut though. Ahh yes, something to relate to.

So anyway, she suggested that he base his experiment on fermenting veggies, and that really got our wheels turning. We're doin' it! We're going to set quart jars. three quarters full of carrots and cauliflower to ferment on the counter to see which is ready first. We'll also record regular taste testing. We're totally psyched!

~*~

Aside from the jars I'm doing with Short for school, I'm also preparing beets, dill carrots, cucumber w/garlic cloves and dill, zucchini, and more cabbage.

I'm also going to be making a Ginger Bug with a little sugar and some fresh ginger root which will very soon turn into homemade Ginger Ale!

~*~

The number one thing I love about fermenting veggies... Everything I listed above sure sounds like a lot, but all I have to do is wash it all and put it in jars, and cover it with a salt water I've mixed to MY taste... Set it and forget it. Heh.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

I was in Walmart (go figure) and saw a guy that looked like someone had tattooed a black doily on his entire face and neck.

I'm in complete support of self expression. Always.

Even when I don't understand why someone would want to have a doily on their face...

∞

It's just gettin' interestin'

noreply@blogger.com (Mystic∞) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 03:13:00 +0000

After a week and a half of unstructured days, disguised as "vacation," I am SO ready for school tomorrow. It's funny. They're still here. They don't go anywhere. But having that structure is so very important to my sanity. They're busy, and fight less.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

I've recently become interested in making my own sauerkraut. I chopped up and made a few jars of kraut, and put them in my basement to ferment.

After three months in the basement, I opened and tried some. I am so in love!

Not only with the kraut, but with the very idea of fermenting food.

~*~

A couple weeks ago, I bought a gallon of sweet red wine and dumped the mother from my gallon of Bragg's raw vinegar into it, and threw a coffee filter secured with a rubber band on top. It smells a bit vinegary now, but it still tastes like wine.

~*~

This weekend, I ordered some water kerif grains, milk kefir grains, and a kombucha SCOBY. I am REALLY looking forward to drinking fizzy, effervescent, fermented, delicious drinks.

Water kefir eats sugar in water and creates a fizzy, sweet, healthy drink.

Milk kefir ferments milk into a thick, creamy, wonderful consistency. You can also use it to make fresh cream cheese.

Kombucha is an oriental, fermented tea. I understand it has a bit of a vinegary twang, so I'm sure Mister will fall quickly in love.

~*~

Tonight I got some french fry cut potatoes settled into a jar of brine to ferment. They only ferment for three days. Then you rinse em, dry em, and fry em.

Normally you would NEVER want to cook a fermented food because ferments are colonies of healthful bacteria. Heating the ferment would kill the bacteria rendering it MUCH less healthful.

French fries, however, wouldn't be french fries if they weren't fried. The fermentation is supposed to break down the starch and make it more digestible, and it'll add flavor.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Tall was here this weekend. We had so much fun. I always laugh myself to tears at least a couple times while he's here.

Friday AND Saturday night we built a fire and spent time outside. Friday night we fire roasted hotdogs on sticks, and later, marshmallows. Saturday night wasn't food centered at all. It was just to enjoy the nice, bug free night, and watch a gorgeous full moon rise through the trees.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

The chickies are growin so fast! And this just in, there was talk of goats at the dinner table this evening.

∞

Wisdom with Age

noreply@blogger.com (Mystic∞) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 20:37:00 +0000

It's funny to me that we will put on our happy face, and stand in the midst of people even if we know they only smile to our faces. Even if we know that in reality, they're simply awaiting our next fall, so they may delight in our pain.

I will no longer be a party to such relationships.

I don't believe that blood is what makes us family, and I don't believe that being acquainted is what makes us friends.

If you are my friend, or among those I consider my family, you should never doubt that I am FOR you... because I am. Even if I don't agree with you. Even if I think you're being blind or misguided. Even if ANYTHING... I am FOR you.

I am in support of who you are, who you want to be, where you've been, and where you're going. I am in support of whatever you need, because THAT is what one does when one is truly a friend, or family.

I expect the same from you. That's not too much. Challenge me. Question me. But overall, you must be FOR me. In favor of me and my growth and happiness.

It is freeing to make the choice to no longer subject yourself to people who are openly against you. To stop trying to please them. To stop trying to show them who you really are in the hopes that they will come to their sense and realize that... hey, you're not quite what they thought you were.

It's freeing to realize that you want to be happy, more than you want them to accept you. Because you don't need them to accept you.

Birds of a feather, flock together... and that's not by accident. We are drawn to other people that we can relate to. People who make us feel validated in who we are.

I don't know why I spent so long trying to fit in to such a mean little flock.

In honor of my birthday... yes, today is my birthday... 33 ... Only the MOST awesome number... In honor, I give you two of my favorite videos, both of which I feel really belong in this post anyway.

In case there's any question... The big one... yeah, that's me...

And finally... because I am your friend/family... I give you... Validation

Happy birthday to me! Thanks mom, for well... making me. And thanks everyone else for being part of my experience, and helping me to become who I am :)

∞

Spring's First Mow

noreply@blogger.com (Mystic∞) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 12:02:00 +0000

No wait, I meant MOE.... My bad :)

∞

The 411 on 4-1-12

noreply@blogger.com (Mystic∞) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 19:43:00 +0000

I realized this morning that I'll be 33 years old in four days. Sad how ya get older and birthdays aren't the fun fest they once were. I don't dislike aging... frankly the alternative to aging is death, so I'm good with aging.

Me n aging... we're like this...

So it really wasn't the reality of aging that struck me.
It was the fact that, in five short years, I have been waking up, with a smile, next to this man for HALF of my life.

~*~

I remember a time when five years was practically a lifetime. Now, the number of years worth of filed taxes that I keep in my file cabinet exceeds it.

I have sunglasses I've owned longer than that.

~~ ~~ ~*~

Lazy Sundays are awesome.
Wish I had dirt to plant in.
Maybe tomorrow.
After all, it IS vacation.

~~ ~~ ~*~

Whenever I need a chuckle, I go sort through my spam folder.
It's the only place on earth that I can get a Nigerian prince's inheritance, a giant, woman crippling penis, cheap foreign pain killers, and an eternal erection...

We promise to never share your personal information, ever. Not.

~~ ~~ ~*~

I don't give a crap whether some overgrown rat sees his shadow in February or not.
I know it's spring now because Mister's beard fell off :(

On the bright side, I enjoy the way his chin touches mine when he kisses me.
Until autumn, dear beard, I bit you adieu.

**~~ ~~ ~*~**

I recently decided that I'm going to take my kids to the doctor and have all of their vaccinations updated. Then I'm going re-enroll them in school, go register to vote, and buy TV dinners on my way home.

April Fools!

∞

Rude Awakenings

noreply@blogger.com (Mystic∞) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 13:35:00 +0000

What is with oblivious people who walk along through the grocery store, pushing their cart, and then stop dead, in the middle of the aisle, blocking all passage?

Then they just stand there.

People everywhere. Total traffic jam. And there they stand.

The only ones more fun than that are the ones who actually give you a dirty look when you say, "Excuse me..." in an attempt to get around them.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Mister and I woke up this morning to that weird sound that the Emergency Broadcast System uses for their test alerts on the tv and radio.

I was sound asleep, and heard it. Awake. Confused. Look around. THERE IT IS AGAIN!! WTF?

"This has been a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. This is only a test. Had this been an actual emergency... bla bla bla"

Apparently the test was scheduled to run at 7:00 am coinciding with my alarm clock, so when the alarm went off, there was no music. Only that strange emergency sound.

As an absolute believer in meaningful coincidence, my first thought was... Shit. Hope this means, WARNING! AWESOME DAY AHEAD!

∞

Baby Pics

noreply@blogger.com (Mystic∞) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 02:02:00 +0000

Something I'm really liking about swim & gym.

There are no cliques. These kids are smart, and descent, and no one is excluded.

We came along last week, and my kids were immediately accepted into the fold. They ran and played and had a great time. This week was an organized hockey game among the 9-18 group.

No one mocked or taunted. No one was picked last. Everyone was encouraged BY everyone.

This is the third gathering we've attended with this same (mostly) group of kids. Short and Shorter have both already found kids around their age that they click with and enjoy the company of.

~*~

School is going VERY well. They blow through their work by noon, Mister comes home for lunch, and then we're usually off to do something... grocery shopping, a walk, a hike, the creek, fishing, swim & gym... something.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

We've got BABY-CHICKIES%% (stupid exclamation point is broken...)

∞

Cheep Cheep and No Sleep

noreply@blogger.com (Mystic∞) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 01:36:00 +0000

Sometimes, I feel a little bit guilty that I get to stay home, with the kids, in my PJ's, while he works from 8am Sunday until 1am on Monday morning.

I was sleeping when he came in. I told him to wake me. He did. That earned him a garbled, barely audible hello. I'm not even sure it was 1am (edit: it was 2am...). It might've been later.

It'd sure be nice if semi drivers could keep their rigs upright and on the road.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

We bought baby-chicky supplies today. A waterer, a feeder, baby-chicky food, and cedar chip bedding. They only had meat chickies in stock, but the eggers will be in tomorrow, so we're going to stop on our way home from swim and gym, and buy our new baby-chickies.

I asked the guy there a few basic, baby-chicky questions, one of which was, "How old are these little guys, right here?"

Three days old.

I was immediately awed by the ability of baby-chickies to grow up, from the moment of hatching, all alone. I mean, I don't imagine there are very many people who have only one chicken, so they're never really ALONE... but they never have a momma.

They eat, and hunt, and drink, and survive with absolutely zero help.

When you think of farm chickens and ducks, you see a Disney version of events where the babies hatch, and the momma is happy, and there they all go, off in a waddling line to explore their new world.

It's weird to think that little baby-chickies are born with all that knowledge built in.

Unfortunate that more humans aren't born with so much common sense and instinct...

Long time, no see!

noreply@blogger.com (Mystic∞) — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 18:47:00 +0000

I have GOT to find my way here to write more often. It's been a month since my last post! I've thought to come sit and write several times in the past month, but there's just so much going on that when I finally have a quiet moment to sit and relax, writing is the last thing I want to do.

That requires brainpower which is something I've been lacking in my quiet moments of late.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

It's been a slow process of getting life back to normal. After we got through the holidays and the long illness, and finally death, of my father-in-law, we slammed head long into school issues. And before the dust was even fully settled from the other upheavals, we pulled the kids from school and are now homeschooling.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

We're here now. We have arrived. Welcome to normal. Or rather, as normal as we get. Heh.

We've got our schedule down. The kids are doing GREAT! Every day flies by so fast, I sometimes wonder how it is that I've spend the entire day, face to face with these kids, and have failed to go insane.

In the past, I was MORE than ready to shove them out the door on Monday morning. All they ever do is fight!

We just finished our second week of homeschool, and I gotta say, there's has been less bickering in this house than I ever remember from past days. They get up, fed and dressed... They do their chores for the day and they're sitting down and totally motivated by nine o'clock.

By noon, they're completely finished for the day. Sometimes earlier.

I've been cooking a large meal for lunch every day, and Mister has been coming home for lunch instead of eating on the road with his brother.

It's great to spend an hour with him, mid-day.

It's great to know he'll be that much healthier.

It's great to warm up leftovers for dinner, and get the quiet, decompression time I need in the evenings instead of switching gears from teacher to cook and powering through every night, frazzled and exhausted.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

That's about it for now.

I'm off to sit in my bedroom and enjoy some quiet alone time with my laptop, and probably yahoo pool.

As a side note, did you know that when you are a mother, every sentence that is spoken in the house begins with the word, mom?

Mom, what should I do with this?
Mom, can we go to the store?
Mom, look at this.
Mom, I'm hungry.
Mom, I don't know how to begin a sentence without first specifically addressing you, even if no one else is in the room.

Sigh... I think headphones are going to become part of my Saturday dress code.

Have to recover...

Homeschooling... The next frontier

noreply@blogger.com (Mystic∞) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 17:30:00 +0000

I've recently set the homeschooling wheels in motion. Short and Shorter will likely be home with me in just a couple weeks.

It's funny, the stigma attached to homeschooling. Everyone seems to think that all homeschooled kids are socially retarded, or weird, or ill equipped for life in the "real world" once they merge from their sheltered, dark cocoon of home.

I mean, we will of course make sure we keep all the shades drawn, and only leave the house once a month to grocery shop... That's about how you picture it, isn't it?

I know there are people who can't cope in society themselves, and will sometimes homeschool their kids in an attempt to protect them from the world, or keep them from being corrupted.

I'm sure children that are products of zealots, or anti social people will be somewhat awkward when they merge into society as adults. Why wouldn't they be? When children start out in their adult lives, their value system, and ways of coping are generally similar to those of their parents.

I'm going to give you the short list of reasons for why I have decided to homeschool, and add a few comments for explanatory purposes.

I don't like the direction our government is going. It makes me very uncomfortable that in California, they are now giving kids 11 years old, and up, a Gardasil vaccination in school, without parental consent.

Little girls AND boys are told that they need this shot to keep them from getting cancer, and those kids are allowed to go ahead, and sign their own consent forms, and receive a vaccine that is going to POSSIBLY protect them against THREE kinds of HPV.

There are over 100 different kinds of HPV.

Yes, this is all in California, and I am in Ohio, but Texas is pushing hard for state laws also, now. They're now requiring college students to have a meningitis vaccination.

I don't like the way our rights are slowly disappearing. They want to take away our right to choose for ourselves, and our children. I want my children right where I can see them. Period.
Our school districts are going under. There used to be five elementary schools with K-6, one jr. high with 7 & 8, and one high with 9-12 in our district.

There is now two elementary schools, and they have K-5. The jr high is now 6, 7, 8.

Recently there's been rumors that the jr high is going to close, and the kids in 6, 7, and 8 will be split between Conneaut, and Ashtabula City for middle school.

I am SO, SO not down with that! I don't want my kids in a city school. And we MOVED OUT of Conneaut seven and a half years ago SPECIFICALLY because we didn't want our kids going to that school.

There are districts near us that have already cut their afternoon classes completely, and any kids that get a free lunch are now given a PB&J, an apple, and a milk in a paper bag to take home at noon. Seriously.
Around August of last year, I started to notice that there was suddenly a surprising number of news reports about groups of people and kids getting sick and being evacuated from schools. Sometimes they were even hospitalized.

The reason given almost every single time? Mystery odor. Burning eyes, burning throats, dizziness, nausea, vomiting. The works.

As soon as I noticed the trend, someone else did too, and she started following the trend on her youtube channel, and I started following her.

This is the map of mystery illnesses. All the pink ones are from 2011 to current. I invite you to zoom in and see how many of them are all around where we live.

And don't even get me STARTED on the mystery illness up in NY that has like 18 teenaged girls, and 1 boy displaying tourettes like symptoms. All in the same school together.

This one was the one that made me officially start the homeschool paperwork. The parents went to the school to get their kids, and THEY WEREN'T ALLOWED IN! There was kids getting sick, and something hazardous inside this school, and they barricaded the kids INSIDE, and greeted the parents with POLICE!

NOT MY KIDS!

And this one is VERY near where we live.
Last year, Short was being approached, threatened, and physically pushed around by groups with as many as 8-10 kids. One of the bullies started a rumor, and all the "popular" kids banded together to defend one of their own.

He was almost pushed down a flight of stairs. He was cornered on the playground. He had his food taken and/or messed with.

The teachers told me that my son is a bit of a tattle tale. Of course they aren't any better. Most of the bullying done is by the teachers.
I don't like the food at school. At home, our diet is 98% hormone, vaccine, steroid, antibiotic, preservative, artificial color free. I am very much against franken-foods with a list of preservatives, and colors. These very franken-foods are generally the ones served in every school.

At school, pizza, and french fries are classified as vegetables.

Yes, I could pack their lunch, but the amount of food I'm able to send is insufficient, and the variety is very small due to what's perishable, and the fact that they can't warm anything up.
And the final reason I'm going to list today is from my own experience.

I had trouble learning in the average school room. I am a nerd at heart. I love to read and learn. And I learn at lightning speed. I got D's and finally quit school when I'd finished tenth grade and FAILED. There was no way I was putting myself through any more of that.

The only time I did good in school was when I was fifteen, and pregnant with Tall.

We were living in Erie, and I took a public bus to the other side of town every day to a special home for pregnant teens. I didn't live there like the other girls, but they had "school" in a separate building every day, and due to my condition, I qualified.

We sat in a room, quietly, and read what we were supposed to read, and did work sheets. There was no lecturing. There was a teacher if you had trouble, but for the most part, it was just a quiet space where everyone did their own thing, and worked at their own pace.

I got A's on everything.

Short and Shorter are losing their grades slowly. They're bored. They're doing the same boring things, over and over, waiting for everyone in the class to be caught up.

Shorter is in 4th grade. There are THREE different spelling lists to accommodate all the different levels of students in the class. He's also in the gifted program for math.

So spelling and math are the only parts of his day that are tailored to his level and abilities. Do I need to tell you that these are now the only two subjects that bring home A's?

And it's not even that I care about grades, really. So long as they're C's and above, I'm good with it. But these two come home feeling bad about themselves. I don't like that the system is failing them, and they're the ones who have to take the self esteem hit.

So, those are my main reasons for making this choice. And just to show you that we won't be all anti-social, I've constructed a schedule below to give you an idea of what an average day/week in our house will look like.

7:45 Out of bed

8:00 Family breakfast

8:30 Dress, beds made, chores

9:00 School work time on computer

12:00 Lunch

1:00    M- volunteer locally
              T - 2 hour gym at YMCA with HS group
             W - Guitar lessons/Short, Maybe piano/Shorter
             Th - Library
                   (plus the library does a LOT of free things like the German I just did)
             F - Art class with HS group

2:00 School day technically over. Kids can go play their 90 minutes of video games if they want to.

3:30 Snacks, maybe a nature walk, maybe a documentary on something they're studying, maybe we'll talk home economics and do some grocery shopping. They're also learning to cook.

Some things will change times, but the things listed are the things we will be participating in, at the very least. So, I hope anyone who couldn't understand my reasoning before, can now. And if you can't... well... tough. lol

I have been thinking about this for almost a year now, and am in no way making a hasty or irrational decision. I really think this change is going to make a world of difference in the education of my boys.

All the way to the top

noreply@blogger.com (Mystic∞) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 01:52:00 +0000

Sadly, my father-in-law passed away last Saturday, January 21st, at the end of a fairly short, but nonetheless difficult bout with cancer.

By the time anyone was aware of the diagnosis, it was already so far along that there was no stopping it. Fortunately he was well into his seventies, having fathered eight children, and was proud papa of around thirty grand and great grandchildren.

He had the opportunity to live a full life. There is some peace in that.

~*~

Today, I saw something that touched me in a way that I never imagined. Something that fills me with such love, and respect for my husband... in a way I... I dunno... I can't even articulate the depth that comes from watching your husband bury his father... literally.

He literally took a shovel, and carefully, and respectfully, with so much honor, and love... he gently covered his fathers remains with dirt... all the way... to the top... And then he replaced the sod chunk and filled the edges in.

The body'd been cremated, so it was only a small box, buried a few feet down, but the surprise on the undertakers face was obvious. He even said to Mister, "You don't do all of it... just a scoop."

There was only a few of us who stayed after the short service, to participate in the burial. And the ones who stayed each took a scoop of their own... but Mister had a special relationship with his father, and it was painfully evident today, with each reverently placed shovel full of earth.

All the way to the top... hot tears streaming down his face...

It breaks a mom's heart to see such anguish, and not be able to take it away.

I'm not HIS mom, but I am A mom by nature... a nurturer... I fix things, and kiss away tears...

Not this time.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

There was a short service in the cemetery's mausoleum, during which, the family friend/reverend asked if anyone had anything to say.

I thought about standing up a few times, but no one else did, and given that my in-laws have never been crazy about me, I didn't want to do anything to make myself the center of gossip or scorn later on.

It was their day of grief, and I didn't want to make it, in any way, about myself... so I sat in silence.

Here, however, I get to say whatever I want to... so... this is what I wanted to say...

~*~

I didn't know Mister Sr. very well. But here's what I do know about him...

He was the best man in my wedding.

Of all the men that Mister has ever known in his life... the man he loved, and respected so much as to ask him to stand up with him, at his wedding... was Mister Sr.

I know that Mister is, hands down, the best, most attentive father I've EVER known.

I know that Mister is, without a doubt, the best, most honorable, respectable, decent, kind, wonderful man I've ever met in my life.

Best. Husband. Ever.

That doesn't happen without a reason.

So, thank you, Mister Sr. ...

Thank you for being who you were... and creating the best thing that ever happened to me. From the deepest depths of my soul, I am endlessly grateful to you, and pray that you've found peace.

∞

Welcome to My Weird Wonderland

noreply@blogger.com (Mystic∞) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:13:00 +0000

To preface this oddball post, I give you a link to....
Reiki Really Works: A Groundbreaking Scientific Study

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

The whole purpose of my starting this blog was to create an open platform where I could write, (which is what I do) where people who know me could read my story, and come to truly know me. Because as an artist, (yes, writing is art) my words are who I am...

They are my soul.

They are the brutal honesty regarding my life, perceptions, ideas, thoughts, loves, fears, etc...

So in the spirit of that, here is something about me that very few of you know.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

I am a level II Reiki practitioner.

I have been studying energy movement for about five years total, and became certified in Reiki I and II in May of 2011.

Some people still think energy movement, Reiki, and other similar practices are complete hogwash, and that's okay. I didn't take it on as a Spiritual and physical practice in the hopes of appearing more normal to the mainstream. LOL.

Anyone who knows me knows that normal is just not my style. To me, it's downright abnormal.

I have always had a distinct interest in our bodies' energy pathways and systems. I am a strong advocate for acupuncture, acupressure, EFT, Qui Gong, Reiki, etc...

Any health practice designed to allow your body to strike its own balance, or open energetic pathways, that promote relaxation and healing is worth looking into.

Any practice that doesn't involve a chemical dependency on big pharma.

So that's what I do.

I am the healer of my family. I dole out the remedies, most of which are homemade concoctions of nutrient rich, organic ingredients.

And I move around the energies.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

I have always been interested in eastern medicine. Any healing methods that have been around for centuries.

I realized my knack for energy movement and healing back in 2009 when I suffered third degree burns on my hand, and had completely healed them within three days time.

I had had some chicken breasts on the BBQ grill, and to test their doneness, I inserted an oven meat thermometer.

An oven meat thermometer is the kind that's designed to be stuck into the meat, and left there all during the cooking process. Then when the thermometer reads the correct temperature, you remove the meat from the oven.

I had never used mine that way. I would simply insert it, check the temp, and then remove it again before returning the meat to the oven/BBQ grill.

Not that day.

That day, I checked the chicken, and when I found it far from done, I left the thermometer in, and closed the grill lid.

Fifteen minutes later when I checked the meat, it was finally to temperature, so I opened the grill lid, and without giving it a second thought, I reached in, and grabbed that smokin' hot thermometer with my bare hand.

Immediately my thumb, and first two fingers developed massive blisters that split and oozed within seconds. My first instinct, of course, was to drop the hot thing in my hand, but the burn was so complete that the metal had actually fused to my skin. I literally had to tear my skin in removing the thermometer from my hand.

Yeah. It was that bad.

I ran into the bathroom and prepared to apply Noxema to my burn, but it was open, and oozing, and that just seemed like a bad idea, so I went to my bedroom instead, and laid across my bed, and cried.

I didn't know what I was going to do. I didn't know how I was going to tolerate the immense pain in my hand for the entire night, and days to follow.

Burns are the WORST!

Even when they feel like they're doing better, you're quickly reminded that you were burned as soon as you run the injured area under water that is even remotely approaching warm.

And so, in complete exasperation, I prayed.

God... I don't know what to do... What should I do? ... It hurts so bad... Please help me.... I don't know what to do....

And then I heard the voice...

Now, think what you will, because I'm past caring what anyone thinks of me. That's how I finally grew a pair, and started sharing my blog with you all....

Was it God?

I dunno. My guess... guardian angel. I have a few. I've met them.

The voice said to me....

You feel such pain the because the pain is the result of resisting what is.

Stop resisting... and allow it to be... Focus all of your awareness into the "pain" as love... and the pain will leave..

And so I laid there and focused all of my attention into the center of the burn.

It got hotter and hotter and hotter... and as I reached the point where I felt like I couldn't stand the burn anymore...

It ceased....

After about three minutes of holding a clear mind, and going into the center of my pain with pure love, and acceptance... completely free of resistance... it went completely away.

The physical evidence of the burn was still glaringly obvious, but there was no longer any kind of pain, and for that, I was incredibly grateful.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

I had been learning to meditate at the time, and one of the methods I found most useful was an energy feeling method where I would lie in bed, and feel the tingle of the blood, and energy moving under the skin in my hands.

It would create this sort of tingly feeling under my skin, and I would focus into that tingle, in my hands, as I drifted off to sleep at night.

I did my normal meditation that night, and the following night.

By the third day, I was absolutely astonished to find that all marks denoting my run in with the meat thermometer were gone.

I had been totally healed.

After that, I mastered healing myself. Any minor cuts or scrapes... I made short work of them.

I was also amazed to find out that I am no longer hindered by burns. I used to absolutely dread burning myself... and I mean, as a cook, that definitely happens.

Not any more.

I have had some fairly severe burns that are completely pain free after the initial pain/warning your body sends out saying, "HEY!! THAT BURNS!!"

Sometimes I feel almost cocky in my ability to feel no pain by association. Even under hot water in the shower, mere hours after an injury.

Nothing...

So, it only seemed reasonable to me to share this energy healing ability that I seem to naturally possess.

Only I couldn't.

I tried... but it didn't seem to do anything. I knew how to manipulate my own energy, but I didn't know how to translate that to outside of myself.

And that's how I ended up considering Reiki. I didn't know anyone into that, though, and it's not exactly something you can just check for in the yellow pages.

But after I prayed about it (yeah, I do a lot of that) I was lead through a series of very curious synchronicity to Lisa, who is not only INTO that, but is a master, and could teach me.

So I went for it.

Ironically I made a friend of her, as we both have this complete weirdness in common. So I walked away with an ability to use energy to heal people, AND a new soul sister.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

So, I guess that's my totally oddball story for now. Your little snippet into the bizarre world of me.

Believe me if you dare... If your mind is open enough to allow you to consider the possibilities.

Mock me if you must. Really... I don't mind.

Or call me if you need a little help. I am honored to be among those who possess such abilities, and am eager to share the tranquility and balance that is health, and wellness.

∞

Headlines & Links

noreply@blogger.com (Mystic∞) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 01:10:00 +0000

For a complete list of today's Headlines & Links, click on over to here. Below is what I felt are the most important highlights.

Are US Presidential Elections really Rigged?

Um... duh.

WHAT?! A candidate for president who's rich, greedy, lying, cheating, and secretive?! I don't believe it! That couldn't happen in America....

Mitt Romney avoids US tax by using Offshore bank accounts [His Networth 1/4BILLION]

Chemtrails Validated on History Channel

I am astounded that so many people still fail to see this. I saw it before I ever started watching Alex Jones. I know he's a bit of a "radical" and that rubs some people the wrong way. I find him to be painfully honest, and everything I've ever looked into that he'd said, I was able to verify.

The government isn't even hiding this shit from us! All the information is available. They're just counting on all of us being absorbed in football and American Idol, and not ask questions.

Slow Kill Holocaust: Proof the Government is Killing You

It is openly admitted that Barry nobama was born in Kenya. He may possibly be the only black person in America who is ACTUALLY African-American.

He should've been impeached when it was discovered that he lied about his place of birth, but instead we're gonna let him run for a second term?! Are you kidding me!?

Georgia has the right idea in my humble opinion.

President Obama removed from Georgia ballot in 2012?

Fish rain bewilders residents in Philippines

The added chemicals on clothing is insane. It serves no logical purpose. As if all the colors and dyes aren't enough toxins.

Whenever new clothes come into our home, they immediately hit the washing machine. Not only that, but they get washed in HOT water, after they soak in it for a bit, and THEN they get run back through a second time. I've washed things a third time before, but usually twice is enough to stop turning the water black.

I bought a new top last spring. It was a tube top type of shirt, and I bought it to sun my shoulders when I water the garden. I tried it on when I got home to ensure it fit, and once I had it on, I thought... what the heck(!)... and went outside to water the garden.

For the next WEEK my skin was SOOOO irritated. I itched so bad. There was no rash or any kind of discoloration on my skin, just this massive irritation that kept me scratching. The kind of itch where you could draw blood and not care one bit.

It makes me sad to know that there's people who never wash their kids' new school clothes, and just let them wear them, as is. Some will even press the chemical laden fabric to their faces, inhaling deeply to exclaim... "AAhhhh! New clothes smell!!"

As if formaldehyde is the latest rage in scents.

Oh yeah! Formaldehyde!

And speaking of formaldehyde, did you know the number one killer of funeral directors and medical examiners/coroners is brain tumors? And that said brain tumors are KNOWN to be caused by formaldehyde?

Yet it is in your clothes, bedding, furniture, carpeting, shampoo, conditioner, soap, detergents, chemical cleaners...

Yunno that yummy "new car smell?" Yup. Formaldehyde.

Are Your Clothes Making You Sick?

It's terrifying how a little cash placed in the right pockets leaves us bathed in chemicals that are killing us slowly, and the people who are supposed to be protecting us (the FDA and USDA) all own stock in these crooked companies, and get richer, and richer as we get sicker, and sicker.

We send them the vaccines out of the goodness of our American hearts. I reckon this is what they actually meant by killing them with kindness....

78 percent of Pakistani children with polio were given polio vaccines

It's disgusting that no one is talking about this. No one knows. And when you tell them, they roll their eyes at you.

Plutonium From Fukushima Has Now Circled The Planet

∞

And Other Tales of My Awesomeness

noreply@blogger.com (Mystic∞) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:41:00 +0000

Thursday 1-5-12

I headed off to the store today. I haven't been grocery shopping in forever.

I specifically wanted to get some sour kraut, and yogurt for Mister. For a week following his oral surgery, the doc had him on antibiotics, and I want to be sure to replace all that good flora that the meds were sure to have killed.

I ended up with a bunch of yogurt, and cabbage. He won't miss the kraut because he LOVES the yogurt.

We ate fried cabbage with bacon and noodles for supper.

I bought a HUGE head of green cabbage, and a HUGE head of purple. I only used about a quarter of each to fry. I shaved up the other three quarters and now have five jars of homemade sour kraut fermenting on my kitchen counter :)

Yeah, I'm awesome like that.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Saturday 1-7-12

Today is Mister's 41st birthday.
I whipped him up a cinnamon cake with cream cheese frosting. Yum.

In an odd twist, I got a present for HIS birthday.

In a perfect, and synchronous turn of events, my minivan sold this morning, and we drove fifty miles east to pick up my NEW one this evening. My van wasn't even for sale, officially, but everything happens for a reason.

It's five years newer with a different body style, and it's beautiful.

I've already named him, Chester. Gary will be missed.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Sunday 1-8-12

You never know how much someone loves you until you find out they're willing to cut your toenails.

Just sayin'.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Next time the bank teller sends out my cash and receipt with a smile, and a "Thank you," I intend to reply with, "You're welcome!"

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Monday 1-9-12

Shorter was in the spelling-bee today.

He didn't win it, but he did great!

It was amusing to watch, although I think I was more amused by watching the parents in the crown than the kids spelling on stage.

You could practically here a cacophany of mental voices begin spelling the words along with the kid on deck.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

I signed up for a class in conversational German.

It's offered for free at my local, public library beginning Friday January 13th, and goes on for four weeks, on Fridays only.

I'm excited about it, and very much looking forward to it.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

I think womens' wallets were designed by men. That's the only reason I can think of to explain why my drivers license, and credit cards are so impossible to slide out easily.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

The next time someone calls your house, and it's a wrong number, when they say, "Oh! I'm sorry," reply, "I forgive you."

∞

Just a Quick Rant

noreply@blogger.com (Mystic∞) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:01:00 +0000

It pisses me off that they call gym class, PE... AKA Physical Education.

Gym class has nothing to do with physical education. Those kids don't know anything about their own bodies, or how to properly maintain them.

Taking twenty five kids, and playing tag with them for half an hour, once a week has nothing to do with any sort of education.

I was watching this documentary a few months ago, and they found that the average kid in elementary school couldn't identify a tomato.

A TOMATO!

I fed Short's friend, D, asparagus. He didn't know what it was. Actually asked me, "What is that long thing?"

Seriously.

But now... D was over here December thirtieth, for Short's birthday, and actually asked Short if he could ask me to make asparagus again the next time he's over.

~*~

Did you know that

Sorry, I typed the above and walked away for two hours. Now I don't know, either.

~*~

Oh! I remember now! Twenty minutes later. **giggle

Did you know that our government has declared french fries, vegetables? That's got to be one of the STUPIDEST things I've ever heard in my life.

My kids go to school, and are fed pizza, and french fries.

Processed, dehydrated, re-hydrated, reconstituted, genetically modified, chemically preserved, frozen potato pieces are NOT vegetables.

I don't even think a POTATO counts as a vegetable. It's a starch. I would definitely classify it in with grains.

I would classify it as a grain, but I would count it as superior. To be eaten in place of, if possible.

Why?

Because bread is also "fake food" generally, and goes through a huge amount of processing. A potato is a potato. It grows in the ground; you pop it out, and eat it.

It is nature.

THIS is physical education. THIS is the knowledge kids should have about their bodies, and the maintenance thereof.

~*~

Teaching kids the rules to every sport is not physical education.

Sure, my kids know what a foul line is. Whoopty-Do.

That's not gonna keep them healthy, and give them an understanding of why exercise is important, and what it does for you in terms of not only your physical well being, but your mental and emotional well being as well.

All these kids are learning in physical education is how to be a mindless football / basketball / baseball drone who is hardcore competitive, and aggressive.

That may seem a bit extreme to some people, but I have had the opportunity to participate in elementary gym class. I used to do gym with Short's AND Shorter's classes at school, every week.

And I'm not dogging sports. I'm not a fan, but some are. Whatever. I'm not saying sports knowledge is a bad thing. I AM saying it shouldn't be taught to kids in place of actually teaching them about their bodies.

~*~

I don't think the state or federal government should be allowed to mandate what kids should be taught in school.

Their little heads get filled with the most useless information. And it's garbage they're NEVER going to remember, or need to remember. I know because I don't remember any of it... and I'm particularly sharp with the memory.

I'm a useless trivia kind of girl.

~*~

Kids need to know a lot more than the school teaches them, and I'm so disappointed to see how many parents aren't filling in the gaps.

Seems everyone just wants to medicate them, and sit them in the corner with their video games.

Well, thank you.

Thank you to all you useless parents out there. I'm not mother of the year or anything, but I can tell you one thing....

My kids are going to make more money at their jobs thanks to your kids lowering the bar so much.

Get with the program, people!

∞

So Far, 2012 Blows, Really Hard

noreply@blogger.com (Mystic∞) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:37:00 +0000

Source: a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net via Conspiracy on Pinterest

Wow is it ever snowy and blowy outside!!!

We ended the evening yesterday with about 11 inches of snow. Today it appears we have roughly half that.

The field across the street is almost bare, but I have four to five foot drifts in my yard. Gotta love wind.

Had to run to Conneaut, and there was whiteout conditions for three quarters of our trip.

The kids bundled up, and went outside after lunch. That lasted about five minutes before red, numb cheeks came running back in the house.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Stopped at our local Mom & Pop grocer on the way home from our venture into white-land to get some hamburger, and milk.

Short went in, by himself, and came back out with the right ground beef, and the right brand of organic milk.

He's far too mature for his age. Well, until someone farts. But really. Generally speaking, girls mature faster than boys, but Short has always had this way about him. At two years old, he would sit down, and draw adults into conversation.

Shorter is a different story. While he's incredibly smart, and learns things with wicked speed, he's not mature the way Short is.

Since becoming responsible for keeping clean dishes out of the dishwasher, he's also the only other person in the house who knows where everything can be found in the kitchen.

Something I hope to exploit in the near future :)

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Source: babyrabies.com via Conspiracy on Pinterest

Weird Things that Only Happen to "Grown-Ups"

I now own a pair of sunglasses that I have had for over two years, and I always know where they are.

I have officially run two pens completely out of ink this week.

Obnoxious humor annoys the ever-loving crap out of me.

I have the owners manual to my three year old toaster. It's a toaster. A manual is hardly necessary, but... I have it. It has the receipt stapled inside. (rolls eyes)

∞

Headlines & Links

noreply@blogger.com (Mystic∞) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:08:00 +0000

For a complete list of today's Headlines & Links, click on over to here. Below is what I felt are the most important highlights.

Dead blackbirds fall again in Ark. town where thousands fell from sky last year

Three beached whales discovered on Irish coast over holidays

Myth busted: Yes, the NDAA does apply to Americans, and here's the text that says so

Magnitude 6.8 Earthquake Strikes Japan’s Izu Islands On New Year’s Day

12/31/2011 — Allentown Pennsylvania — center of town is SINKING

Wednesday early morning.

2012 has first meteor shower

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