Why do they call it HOMEschooling?

I feel like I haven't been home in forever and I think I realise why - it's because I HAVEN'T been home in forever.

Here is our typical schedule for the past month:

Monday - school at home, but since it is Monday it is a long, hard "get back to work" day.
Tuesday - lately, lots of appointments on Tuesday mornings, then off to science class in Whittier, the off to Huntington Beach for writing class, home for dinner and off to REVO.
Wednesday - finish school by lunch and then off to piano and usually off to Disneyland after that.
Thursday - finish school before lunch and off to science class in Whittier, hurry home to clean the house, then Life Group.
Friday - various dentist appointments, field trips, meetings throughout the day, and of course the occasional Disney trip.

This says nothing of weekends filled with going, going, going.

I just finished reading The 7 Worst Things (good) Parents Do (in the middle of the night for those who wonder when I have the time) and one of the things is overscheduling. I've always prided myself on not having my kids involved in too many extracurricular activities, but I can see I've overscheduled them just the same. It's not the organized sports and dance classes that are killing us, but just too much to do. All good stuff, just too much.

I need to cut back. Somehow.

I've always cringed when labeled a "stay-at-home mom". I prefer "full-time mom". I didn't like the connotation of staying at home all day. I've never been a stay-at-home mom. Now I'm beginning to think that sounds awfully good.

Disneyland with the cousins

So, for the first time in... well a very long time...years... Chandler and Regan got to go to Disneyland with their cousins. This will probably be the last time in a long time as well. Our passes expire November 4th. Very sad....

We hit Autopia first. I hate that ride. Anyone who has ever ridden with Chandler knows why. The girl does not touch the steering wheel! I have a hard enough time keeping the car going straight and being that I am such a weakling, I can barely push the pedal. So I end up with a headache. Oh well. It was all about what the kids wanted to do.

I love this picture even though it is blurry. I was "driving" at the time and it was the best I could get. It pretty much captures the ride.

Next we headed over to Space Mountain. One of my favorites. We waited for front row seats. You can see a little of Chandler and Nathanael ahead of Jordan and Regan. Much funner (is that a word?) that way.

Our last ride of our very short evening was Indiana Jones. Another favorite. Don't let Nathanael's face fool you. He was excited to be here.

Don't Jordan and Regan look like they are twins, separated at birth. It's scary sometimes!

Finally, one of the shot-from-a-kid's-point-of-view pictures that is essential. Lots of fun. We'll have to do it again...

Uptown Whittier

The girls have been taking a science class in Uptown Whittier for the past month. It is a bummer to drive out there twice a week, but I get 2 hours each time all to myself. Unheard of in the homeschool world. So I do my errands and usually end up at the Starbucks on Greenleaf. Along the way, I get to enjoy the beauty that is Uptown Whittier. So I thought I'd share here!

I love the history of the place. This plaque talks of the Whittier Village Clock, originally built in 1915. How cool is that!

And here is that actual clock!

I love these kind of architectural features. Even though I hate Bank of America, it almost makes me want to go there.

Here is the best part... the HOUSES. They are unbelievably gorgeous and there are blocks and blocks of them These pictures are all from just two blocks of one street. Curses on the 1950's builders that slapped up tract homes after WWII. Imagine living in this neighborhood...

Enough daydreaming. Back to reality. The class is over now and so I will have to get my vintage architectural fix elsewhere. I'm starting to fixate on Googie Architecture. More on that later...

Good-bye to Life Group

Last week we said farewell to leading our Life Group. It was a bittersweet thing.

Tim and I definitely agree that we have lost the passion and the heart for leading the group. It was starting to be a "just going through the motions" kind of thing and each week as we read the flow, we were less and less enthusiastic about doing it. Lately it seemed, we ended up leaving out huge chunks, spending most of the time on "highs and lows" and very little on the actual questions. I thought maybe I was just going through a funky kind of mood, but having prayed about it a lot, I honestly believe that what is going on is that God is releasing us from this role.

See, the thing about being a "Revolutionary" is that you have to be willing to go where God leads you. It's messy. Being part of a movement means moving, by definition. And that moving may not always look like what others around us think it should look like. No one person can direct it. God directs us.

I am awed by the example of the most revolutionary person I know, Karla Goddu. She has answered God's call to start a home church in South Central Los Angeles, and will be going to Africa in February to work in home churches among Muslim populations. Of course, I would rather that she kept coming to our house every Thursday, but that is not what God had in mind for her.

When we started attending Revolution, we were constantly being challenged and pushed. Becoming Life Group leaders came out of that. For us, at that time, it was a very revolutionary move (as anyone who knew us back then can attest), but now I really believe God has something else for us. I don't know where or what at this point, but I think we were released from Life Group so we could be available for the next thing.

On the flip side, we will definitely miss having these people over to our house every Thursday. The picture above is just a portion of our group. We have had an amazing bunch of very smart and knowledgeable Christians gathered around us. We have learned so much and been so impacted by the relationships formed and the opportunities for service to one another that have arisen. I will definitely miss the weekly opportunity to check in with each other and encourage each other in whatever struggles we are facing.

If we could just meet up every Thursday, pray for each other, share our lives with each other, talk about what God is doing in and through us, and read some Scripture that had spoken to us the previous week, that would be o.k. But I think that is called "friendship" and that will continue, of course. I guess we want to do something a little less formalized. But we know that is not what Revolution has set up as Life Groups. We want to honor the leadership and step aside to allow someone else, someone with the heart and passion to do it the way it really should be done, to take our place. This is not meant as a criticism of the structure of Life Groups, it is simply to say that Tim and I feel we are going in a somewhat different direction. I genuinely hope the members of our group will find a fit in another amazing group. I know they have all felt blessed to be a part of this community and I am excited to see them venture into new territory and take their many gifts with them. They will be an asset to any group they find themselves in.

This Thursday would have been canceled anyway due to Bug-a-boo, but come next Thursday, I'll be missing everyone.

Marine Biology Field Trip

On Friday, we ventured off to the Ocean Education Center in Dana Point. Even Tim took the day off to join us.

This was part of a marine biology class the girls have been taking for the last month. It was so cool to do all the hands on kinds of stuff that always makes science more enjoyable.

The girls started off testing water samples for ph, salinity and temperature.

Then we went in and looked at their aquariums and researched the different animals they had. This tank held a 40-year-old lobster - the biggest lobster I've ever seen.

They had quite a few tanks set up to show the life stages of jellies. They are so fascinating to watch, almost hypnotic.

Even Tim took a chance to peer under the microscope.

Before heading out to their boat, the R.V. Sea Explorer, we completed one last activity - dissect a mackerel! Regan really got into it, but Chandler was willing to just sit and watch for the most part.

Chandler says she wasn't squeamish about fish guts, but you can see she's holding back. Regan did a really good job of finding the stomach, emptying its contents, and finding the heart.

I didn't touch it AT ALL!!!

Finally, off to the boat. This research vessel normally takes out 30 - 70 kids at a time. Our group, however, contained only 14 kids. Each one got to do so much and see everything!

Regan was chosen to remove the mud from the contraption that dredged it up from the bottom - very gooey stuff.

Later, we discovered and categorized all the tiny organisms we found in the mud. We also trawled and caught a bunch of fish including MANY flat fish - very weird looking things!

A great day! I'm very glad Tim could join us. We had perfect weather and a great trip where the girls go to see an experience so much. Another great day of homeschooling!

The Perfect Jean for Me

Jenny turned me on to Zafu.com which will find the perfect jean for you. You enter your body size and the current problems you are having with jeans (gaping at the back, too tight...) and your "wish list" (make me look taller).

Here is what they returned... I'm excited to try some of these. What if they really do make me look skinnier and taller? I'll have to buy a million pairs. I'd better start saving my money.

What do you think? Any experience with any of these?







These were from Calvin Klein... the Stretch Flare





Stretch Straight leg


I liked this one, but I've never heard of it...Sakura Shinjunku Flap Pocket.

These were recommended from Baby Phat... their Signature Jean...

these from BKE...BKE Culture..
BKE Harlow Jean...
BKE Wendi...
These were recommended by Lucky...

Lucky Classic Rider...

Lucky Lola Bootcut....
Lucky Sweet Dreams...
Lucky Sweet N Low...

I can't wait. I'll let you know the results...

DisneyWorld Countdown!!

We are counting down how many days to DisneyWorld (44 as of today), and the girls decided to make a paper chain. Everyday, we tear one off and it's definitely getting shorter!

As I hear Christmas carols (from Chandler practicing piano) or see Christmas decorations (Target, Walmart, Disneyland...) it puts me more and more in the mood.

I CAN'T WAIT!!!!

It's Officially Fall!

So I know all you East Coast weather snobs will beg to differ with me, but growing up in Southern California, this is the closest thing we have to fall. I LOVE IT!

I started off with decorating my home, or more specifically my mantel in September. This way, it will be decorated for three months.

So, yesterday I went out and saw the leaves starting to turn on my liquid amber tree. If you look closely, you will see some yellow leaves and they will be a riot of oranges, reds and yellows very soon!

Of course, my favorite part of fall is bringing out the down comforter. After feeling a chill the night before I knew it was time! Now I am so warm and cozy in the mornings, I don't want to get out - ever. I think I'll stay here and hibernate till summer.