Thanksgiving Prayer

We return thanks to our mother, the earth, which sustains us.

We return thanks to the rivers and streams, which supply us with water.

We return thanks to all herbs, which furnish medicines for the cure of our diseases.

We return thanks to the moon and stars, which have given to us their light when the sun was gone.

We return thanks to the sun, that has looked upon the earth with a beneficent eye.

Lastly, we return thanks to the Great Spirit, in Whom is embodied all goodness, and Who directs all things for the good of Her children.


~Iroquois Prayer, adapted
(Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace)

Wordless Wednesday: Brick by Brick Part II

The Red Tent

It's been awhile since I've read anything for me, for enjoyment, for the joy of just relaxing with a good book. Sure I read all the time but its usually a self help book, natural health, homeschool or an altered art book. Not something I usually curl up with at the end of the day or when I want some time in my day to just be. Reading a book from cover to cover from the beginning to the end is rare, for many years now its been bits and pieces here and there.

I didn't realize how much I actually missed having a good book to read, something to look forward to until a friend lent me The Red Tent yesterday at the park. I'll be honest its probably not something I ever would have picked up on my own but when someone seems to be so moved by the words on the pages and you hear from others how wonderful something is, well it peaks your curiosity. In less then 24 hours I have read over 80 pages which probably isn't that much for alot of you but for me its a big deal. So I'm off to snuggle up with my blanket and my book and relax for the rest of the night.

Thoughts for the Day

Children have to be educated, but they have also to be left to educate themselves. ~Abbé Dimnet, The Art of Thinking, 1928

The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn. ~Alvin Toffler

The important thing is not so much that every child should be taught, as that every child should be given the wish to learn. ~John Lubbock


From:
www.quotegarden.com/learning.html

I would like to thank my fans...

Sounds like the start of an acceptance speech, huh? Well in a sense it kinda is. I received a blog award from Journey2Learn and its my turn to pass it along. I hope I can live up to it, this blog is still kinda new and I haven't been posting daily. I will do my best :)

This is a blog award given to a site that:

~ inspires you
~ makes you smile and laugh
~ or maybe gives amazing information
~ a great read
~ has an amazing design
~ and any other reasons you can think of that makes them uber amazing!


The rules of this award are:
* Put the logo on your blog or post.
* Nominate at least 5 blogs (can be more) that for you are Uber Amazing!
* Let them know that they have received this Uber Amazing award by commenting on their blog.
* Share the love and link to this post and to the person you received your award from.

It is now my turn to nominate 5 blogs I thing are Uber Amazing....

• The Daily Blonde
• Sand and Stardust
• The Day of a Mom
• Spookiez Spot
• 3rd Eye Muse

Thoughts on Thanksgiving: Part One

So who's having that traditional turkey next Thursday?




Not me of course but the video didn't change my mind. I haven't eaten turkey at for about 3 years now. I think most people would agree that the way animals are treated is just plain wrong but no one wants to see it. We choose to ignore the things we feel we can't do anything about.

I don't think this video or any of the others out there are a rare find, this is the norm, this is how these chicks are treated. Honestly I wasn't able to watch the whole thing but I have seen a chick hatchery on How Its Made and was very disturbed to see how these tiny living creatures were just tossed around by man and machine.

Honestly do you think this is how the Native Americans treated their turkeys?

Read more about the investigation here.

Other resources:

• Adopt a Turkey
• Free Range Turkey
• Recipes

So I hear we are demented, huh?

If you haven't already heard the latest buzz then let me fill you in. Apparently Joy Beher called homeschoolers "demented" during a discussion on The View yesterday.

Well of course us demented homeschooling families don't like to be labeled or called names so what do we do best? We blog, we tweet, we discuss and make light of it and laugh. What else can you do, right? Laugh at the ignorance of those who just don't "get it" and move on. I don't let what others think get to me, well maybe for a brief moment I do but in the end I know that my choice (yes its a choice) to homeschool my children is what is best for us.

There are so many people who homeschool for so many different reasons, you can't lump us into one group and start calling us names, that just doesn't make sense now does it?

Anyway below is the video of the show and you can also see what people are saying on Twitter but searching #theviewhs



The discussion starts at the 5:45 min. mark.
Joy calls homeschoolers "demented" shortly after the 7:08 min. mark

You can also read what the HSLDA has to say about all of this by visiting Extraordinarily Ordinary's blog.

Wordless Wednesday: Brick by Brick

Friday's Field Trip: Spanish Point

I have lived here in this area for 21 years now and I never knew what a great hidden treasure we had right here in our own backyard - Spanish Point in Osprey Florida

We attended the Adventures in Learning Prehistory Program which was of interest to ME and CJ who both love digging up the past. I had to prep ME ahead of time that we would not be digging up dino bones. He didn't like that idea, he said "the only archaeologist I want to be is a paleontologist"

We learned about local history, prehistory 5000 years ago. We learned about middens and the artifacts they hold and the clues these provide to prehistoric life here in Florida. The grounds are beautiful, I felt so at peace being one with nature as we walked along the trails.

We had the honor of spotting an Osprey in a tree eating his morning catch.

I have to admit the boys were a little disappointed with the archaeological dig site at the end of the program. After I explained that the artifacts were real and that they were actually handling pieces of our past they got over their disappointment.

I try my best to not build things up to much for them but they still manage to expect BIG things all the time. I guess that's not such a bad quality to have in life, after all we want our children to have big hopes, to reach for the stars, to want to achieve bigger and better, right?

Overall it was a great day, a successful trip and we all learned something. We are already planning another field trip to Spanish Point in February to explore the other areas not covered in this trip, the pioneers, the Webb family.

After the trip some of us went to nearby Potter Park to have lunch and let the kids run free. I so enjoy my adult time with the other parents while the kids are off playing.

Yay for a great day!

On a side note I didn't bring my camera so no pictures to share :(

Help Repower America

I just sent a message to President-elect Obama, telling him I will support him in taking bold action to combat climate change and Repower America once he takes office.

You can send your own message. Just go here:
http://www.RepowerAmerica.org/page/s/obamapetition

Now's not the time for small steps or a narrow focus. It's time to go big. Our challenges are large and are deeply connected. As Al Gore has said, "We're borrowing money from China to buy oil from the Persian Gulf to burn it in ways that destroy the planet. Every bit of that's got to change." With a bold plan, we can make that change in 10 years. In fact, only a bold plan will cut through the special interest politics in Washington and inspire the nation.

Tell President-elect Obama that you support bold action come January:
http://www.RepowerAmerica.org/page/s/obamapetition