Lego Obi Wan Kenobi cake

I made Caleb a cake for his birthday party.

I posted this on facebook already, so you may have seen it.

Before I made it, I mentioned that I was going to go jedi on a cake and try to make lego Obi Wan Kenobi.

There were a couple "May the force be with you" comments, but my friend Jeff quoted Yoda. "Do or do not. There is no try."

Be amazed. Be very amazed.

Diane = pumpkin

Last night I went to our homeschool meeting without my sister.
It was really hard not being together. We have been on this journey for the past four years, and we've both been each other's side-kick in the dynamic of our group.
She meets needs that I sometimes don't even really articulate, like finding us seats where I won't be in the middle and feel claustrophobic. It's not like I can't find my own seat, but it's really nice not to have to explain that, "no, I can't sit next to you because then I will be smooshed for the entire evening because I'm really self-conscious of the fact that I'm large and take up more space than I should, but thanks for asking." (I have a thing about sitting on the end of the row, because of that.)
It feels like I'm setting out on this journey of homeschooling all over again. So now I have to figure out how I fit into the group without my fellow groupie. Due to the fact that I'm really cutting back on my extra stuff since Shawn is back in school, I have resigned from the group board, and am unsure of my place anymore. Chris and I did all the volunteer things together. We organized the year end event and brought the snacks to the October meeting. We were both on the board together...
But I dragged my sad hiney to the meeting last night anyway. And by the time I left, I knew where I would be serving. I will be helping a dear friend with the girls cooking club. I'm really glad I get to work with her, because I love her, and she is fun to be with. She's about the only one to be able to get away with saying to me what she said last night, in front of a room full of people and have it not hurt my feelings.
"I would LOVE to have you work with me in the cooking club! Did you know you look like a pumpkin?"
( I was wearing a rather bright orange shirt with a bright green tank layered under it.)

Double digits

It doesn't seem like it has been ten years, but it has.

Ten years and eight months ago, I was lying on the bathroom floor bawling because I was going to have another baby. These were not happy tears. Oh, no! These were panic tears. Hailey was only six months old, at the time, and she was.... high maintinence. I thought God must have been out of his ever lovin' mind, because if a positive pregnancy test was his idea of a joke, then I clearly didn't get the punch line.

I was scared.

Three and a half weeks later, I had a change of heart in the form of cramps and bleeding. I knew I was miscarrying, since miscarriage rates run high in my family. But when I saw his tiny heart beating on that ultrasound that day, I decided I wanted this child. I still had a bad attitude about the timing, but I didn't want to lose him. By then, I had decided that he was a boy, and settled on his name. (good thing he wasn't a girl! I don't know any female Calebs.)

The rest of the pregnancy went smoothly. Mostly, I was busy with my baby girl, and the time flew.

At my last doctor's appointment, when he scheduled me to be induced the next Tuesday, I didn't pay any attention to the date. I was just so over being pregnant. But later, when I called my sister to tell her, I realized that my son would be born on her son's tenth birthday.

Ten years ago today, I went to the hospital and met my son. It wasn't until I saw his face that I fell in love with him.

He is my delight. He is my heart. He is a pain in the hiney, and I will never be the same.

The reason I think your job is stupid is because...

I would NEVER say anything like that to someone!
I would never say to a sanitation worker, "The only problem I have with garbage collection is that you stink at the end of the day."
I would never say to a banker, "The only problem I have with banking is that you have to lock all that lovely money back in the vault at the end of the day, and can't take any of it home."
I would never say to a postmaster, "The only problem I have with sorting mail is that you have to remember all the zip codes."
I would never say to the cashier at Wal-Mart, "The only problem I have with checking out people is having to stand here and interact politely to people you don't know, who might even be rude to you."
WHY would people feel the need to say, as soon as they hear you mention that you homeschool, "The only problem I have with homeschooling is ________?"
Everyone has their own opinion of homeschooling. Folks who don't personally know homeschooling families even have their opinion. It's all based on what they suppose homeschoolers do with their school time. What? Do they think we don't actually HAVE school? Do they think we hole up here in our quiet country home, never go anywhere except church, never interact with non-homeschoolers, and become completely socially inept? I'd put my children up against your average fourth and sixth graders any day of the week. Are they perfect? Heavens no! Are they always obedient? Uh, again, no. Do they sometimes drive me crazy? If today was any indication, heck, yeah! But for the most part, they are polite, well-mannered, pleasant children.
I would never, ever presume to tell any parent that I have a problem with them sending their children to public or private school. Every family should do what works for their own family, and not act like it's a personal affront if someone does differently.
Okay, done with my rant for the day.
Carry on.

Wordless Wednesday (National S'mores Day)

When it rains

My sister is finally getting her gall bladder out today. She's been having some pretty serious attacks, and I'm glad she'll be getting relief soon.
If they bump her from the schedule, I'll be really upset, because we have plans to travel to Iowa tonight.
Yes, we're crazy.
If the surgeon can remove her gall bladder laparoscopically, and if she's not hurling, and if she feels up to it we will leave tonight and I'll drive all night.
I have a bed all set up for her and she will just sleep through the trip.
If she has the traditional incision, we won't try such madness.
Why would we contemplate it at all?
Our favorite aunt has unexpectedly passed away, and we want to be there for her funeral, if at all possible.
In the event that my sister is unable to travel, I'll still go. I'll take Hailey so I won't be alone. I haven't mentioned the possibility to her because I don't want her to be disappointed if I leave her behind.
And yes, we really are crazy.

Make it so Number One

Captain's log: Day 2; Stardate 8409.
So far, the local beings have been amenable to our endeavors to assist them in learning. There have not been many signs of an uprising, but I hesitate to believe they will continue to acquiesce to our demands. Surely they will revolt. The only question that remains is how long will they continue to comply.
It seems that periodic offerings of unfamiliar supplies and trinkets is sufficient to keep the locals distracted and peaceful.
We will continue to update as our research progresses.
Captain out.

Coming out of Going into the closet

After much hard work and preparation, our classroom is finally finished. I would have liked to have painted the room, but money is tight these days, and I needed to get other things.
Like books.
We have an actual school table and chairs. They came from a public school that was being demolished. I also have a few desks and some pull-down maps (that still need to be hung... Oh, ShaaaaaaaaAAAAwwwwn!) that came from the school.
I like having a room to school in, so it is all contained.
Boy, Howdy! Is it contained!
On the end of the room is a wall with three doorless closets, in the middle of which is my computer desk. The other two have been storing two of the student desks, among other things. On a wild hunch, I emptied these closets, turned the desks sideways, hung a few shelves and a light in each, and ta-da! They are cubicles! (complete with curtains so that at the end of the day, the chairs gets pushed in, the rolling drawers slide behind the chairs, the curtains get pulled shut, and I DON'T HAVE TO LOOK AT THEM!!!!)
So tomorrow we begin.

BRING IT.