It has been quite a while since I last posted.  The last day of first grade for Abby to be exact.  I don't have a writers head, I guess.  I want to write and I have so many things I want to write about.  Here are a few; My New Kitchen Makeover, Abby's Progress in Second Grade Homeschool, My work as  a Painter?, My Relationships With My Kids, All The Things Life Is Teaching Me, Etc., Etc., Etc. 
First of all, I am finally renovating my old ratty kitchen with the crumbling tile countertop, and the deteriorating pressed wood cabinets, and the nasty, black, grouted tile floor!   I am sooo happy!  I am designing the whole thing, too.  We are moving our refrigerator and dishwasher because you can't open the door to the refrigerator all the way where it is because of the wall in the way, and we are moving the dishwasher because it is on the wrong side of the sink.  I figured out a long time ago that when I, a right hander, try to put dishes into the dishwasher on the right hand side of the sink, it is like trying to play twister with the dishes.  I am through with all that!  We are moving it to the left side of the sink so that when I rinse my dishes before putting them into the dishwasher, I can just set them right into the dishwasher or set them on the counter right above the dishwasher and then load the dishwasher in proper ergonomic comfort.  I am also putting in  a beautiful shiny, groutless tile kitchen floor, which is a blessing because every time I walk on certain parts of the old tile floor it slices up my foot because the person who layed the old floor cut them without filing them and then put them right in the path of my feet.  The new floor will not have any cut tiles and they will be rectified and butted up against each other and they will be 20x20, so the grout line will be nearly imperseptable  Well, I am going to be skipping around in my kitchen (in a few months) like goldilocks in the three bears' kitchen...sort of.  I don't want to bore you to death right off the bat, so I will leave you suspended there for a while until I make it back here to update you on the progress of my new kitchen. So far, I have removed about one quarter of the popcorn, which I hate and the pantry portion of my cabinets will be installed on the 3 of October. 

Up there at the top of my busy, stay at home mom list of things on my mind that keep me up at night is the issue of homeschooling Abby.  I think we are getting somewhere this year.  We are only a couple of days behind and Abby is doing pretty well.  We are remediating with math and pareing down science and social studies.  Review is a large part of our day because we decided to stop school at a certain point, during summer and just clear our heads.  We spend a lot of our time in the beginning of each year reteaching what has already been taught because of this, which is ok, because we just can't keep it going all the way through summer.  I think she will be fine.  I can't push her beyond a point where I think she may fall off of a cliff or something. (I know, that is a funny metaphor, but like I said, I don't have a writer's head.  I do the best I can.)  The great thing is that Abby really wants to homeschool.  She is desperately wanting to stay home and not venture into the chaos which is public school.  She had a taste of it and that was enough for her.  That makes me happy because at least I am not fighting with her, trying to convince her of the importance of homeschooling, she already knows it.  She is a happy and smart child with an amazing mind.  She is beautiful and sweet and every time I see her grow in some way I feel like I am doing the right thing.  I am instilling values, and preserving her inosence for as long as I can.  I know she will want to expand her scope, but I want to be able to guide her gently through any major milestones.  I feel I can accomplish this more successfully if I am present in her life.  It's that important to me.  Of course, I can't predict the future, and I will not try to control it.  I am just keeping a tighter handle on it, for now.

I am working on transitions, I started a sort of business painting furniture.  I have always loved doing this. I almost feel compelled to.  I have this one customer, she is my only customer, but she has given me enough business to keep me busy for the last 4 or 5 months.  So far I have painted almost a dozen chairs, tables, and other furniture, all in my garage.  Ny loving and supportive husband bought me an air compressor and paint gun for my birthday.  I have fashioned a makeshift paint booth in my garage and I am just painting away.  I would really like to have a studio and an assistant, but that is a dream for the future.  for now I will try to get some more customers and keep on painting.  I will post some of my work on this blog.    

Homeschooling- We Made It!

I can't believe that the first year of our little school is coming to an end.  We are in a mad rush, as it seems we have been all year, to get as much completed as we can at least before the next school year begins.  I am a little overwhelmed, but I don't feel discouraged.  Of course I have been second guessing myself throughout the year, saying to myself, " I can't really do this, I need more help, I need more time, I need some therapy!  But I always come back to the realization that I have a whole list of great reasons to homeschool and to not send my child to school in Jacksonville FL.  I have experienced most of the benefits and a lot of the downsides of schooling my child at home, and I think the benefits win. I will continue the journey and reevaluate periodacally depending on the changes in our lives and the adaptaions my daughter makes.

The Homeschooling Committment-One Month In

After thinking about whether I could homeschool, researching homeschooling, and then deciding to homeschool, I have finally begun to homeschool and actually made it through a month or so.  I am doing it.  Way back in the dark corners of my mind I never really thought I could accomplish such a daunting task.  It was a tremendous responsablity that I was, frankly, afraid of.  I think that I have overcome my fear.  I am feeling more and more confident as time goes by.  My desire to do the right thing has surpassed my fear. 
How is it going?  I want to quit.  I want to quit, but I am not going to.  I am going to stick it out.
Here are the problems.  The most difficult to overcome is  keeping Abby focused.  Some days we spend more time recovering from a distraction than learning the day's lesson.  But, knowing this is typical of her age and this is the first year, I can't complain.  I just have to hope that I have enough time to fit it all in. 
Another issue arose just recently when I was walking through the local homeschooling store.  It is doubt.  I wonder if I will be able to teach my daughter everything that she requires to pass tests and more importantly, succeed in today's world.   I kept seeing things I wanted to use, books that looked so enticing and informative, but I had to pass them up because I would never have time to add anything more to my current curriculum.  I feel uneasy and I wonder if the one I chose is adequate enough to get her where she needs to be.  I guess it is like that saying that the grass is always greener on the other side.  I don't think I should go into that store again until it is time fornext year's planning.  
Finally, I think dealing with an emotional, distractable, and very playful six year old is going to be the death of me. I am so used to loosing my temper and yelling when Abby doesn't listen that I forget that if I do that when we are homeschooling, then I may as well forget about teaching her anything else for the day.  She shuts down, of course. So I bang my head against the wall, take a few deep breaths,and sometimes I just put everything away and release her to go and play.  She jumps out of the chair like there is a spring under her behind and I look up and pray. 
 This doesn't happen everyday, we did well today.  There was no yelling, and we actually laughed a lot.  It made me think that I made a tiny breakthrough in my thinking about how to teach, being uneducated in that area. I have realized that when the student is having fun she is more open to learning.  I know everyone is saying, "really?" " You are just now coming to that realization?" No, I was aware of that simple fact, but it is very hard to apply. It is not easy to make addition into a game or to make science interesting for a child.  Hint, gross is good.  Kids love ooey, gooey, sticky and slimey things.  They also love cute little animals, and  cartoons on the computer.  One other thing that is working for me to help keep Abby focused is to reward her with time on her computer game.  These are all things that I am learning are wonders at making a kid think they are playing and not learning. 
We have also enjoyed being a member of a homeschooling group in the city.  I am geting help from other moms and Abby is making friends and socializing.
All in all, I think we are both learning and becoming more and more accustomed to this new way of educating and I will continue to keep updating this blog, hopefully helping someone out there make it through the process a little easier.

Out and About Jax- That Pink House

Every since I moved to northeast Jacksonville there has been this building on the corner of Lanier and Dunn Creek Rd. In my opinion it brought the value of the whole neighborhood down.  Every time we passed by the building we would say things like," why did they build that awful place" or "why don't they tear down that condemned building" or "how can people live in that place?"  I loathed it and I am sure others did and possibly said the same things too.  Well, just the other day, we were riding by, like we do practically every day, and low and behold there was a massive bulldozer ripping the walls down and shoveling it into a dump truck surely headed for it's proper graveyard.  I am so glad it is gone, but now there is an empty lot. Even though it is a pile of dirt I do think it looks better.   Now, there is another building across the street that has been empty for over 10 years except for one when it was a dance studio.  I know that building is not condemned or dilapidated, but I sure do wish it could house a thriving business.  I hate to see any structure not being put to it's highest and best use.  Maybe as we drive by we could say out loud or to ourselves how we feel and sort of will it into being.  I have heard of this being done with prayer, maybe that is what it needs to bring about a change.  I bet within a few years we will see new life in that old building and a renewed spirit in this old neighborhood.

The Homeschooling Committment-The Beginning

As my daughter enters first grade, I have finally decided to place her in the virtual school offered by my county school board.  I have always considered homeschooling as an option for all of my children although I have not been successful in the past.  Still, I am not giving up this option.  I don't think I would try it though, if it were not for the curriculum offered by the school board. 
I thinkI should explain why I chose to home school..  I guess I have always had a bad impression of Duval county schools.  I never really liked school, and my older daughter didn't have a very positive experience either. I have three children 25, 6, and 3.
There are five specific reasons I have for choosing to keep my daughter out of the public school system, here they are:  1-I can't control who my daughter is exposed to in school.  There are people out there that will say that she needs to learn how to deal with all of the different people in the real world, but I say I need to preserve her character and instill the values that I believe are important.  Having her at home and surrounded by friends and family, she will learn plenty about the differences in people and how to handle them and there won't be the exposure to some of the negative aspects of being around so many unpredictable people.  2-health and safety are not a priority in the public schools.  Some will say that this is a major part of what the schools teach, but they do not practice what they preach.  The schools are dirty and unorganized,  there are an enormous number of children concentrated in a very small area, and there are a very few number of responsible adults available to care for them.  3-teacher to child ratio is very low.  One teacher to 30 children is definitely not conducive to learning. yes, they learn, but knowing I have the choice, I pick One to One over 30 to one any day  .The curriculum standards could possibly be more sophisticated if there were less children per teacher.  4-Money, money, money.  There is not much more to say here, but I will go ahead and say it, the budget for public schools is paltry.  I am not going to leave my daughter's education up to a county who consistently lowers its educational budget.  5-I have one more reason to mention and even though it is number five, it is not the least important.  My daughter does not enjoy school.  She complains about having to go, and wishes she were home all day long.  I feel like if I can offer her an alternative to the classroom I should try, even though it is not conventional. I know, a lot of you are saying no child enjoys school, but shouldn't they? I don't think being unhappy is conducive to learning.  I am sure the teachers do everything in their power to create a positive learning environment, but I don't think they have been given enough resources to accomplish this effectively.
So, I am going to try.  I have made a commitment to this and I will keep you informed, all who are interested.  Thank you for reading.
I am a beginner at this whole world of homeschooling and I feel that using the public school system will allow me to get into a routine and fine tune my schedule.  Once we complete the first year we may consider other curriculums.  Either way I feel like my daughter is going to be much happier at home and I will have the peace of mind knowing that I have the more of a hand in what and where she learns.
My husband and I actually believe that virtual schools are the wave of the future.  I realize that many families cannot be at home with their children or would even want to, but I know that the current system does not work. There are those out there that will take the reins and opt for this, knowing that they can have some major guidannce, be free of the financial burden, and and  be with their children in a very meaningful way.

Out and About Jax - California Pizza Kitchen

Hey everyone, I hope your Summer is going smoothly.  I want to post today about CPK or what is otherwise known as California Pizza Kitchen, which I first experienced in Boca Raton about 12-13 years ago.  You know we have one now right here in Jville?  Yes, Towne Center, off course.  I love Towne Center, except for the parking.  I visited this lovely eating establishment Friday afternoon, which is something I highly recommend.  We got there about 4:30, and were able to find a parking spot rather quickly, and were seated right away, no waiting!  Friday is a good day because they are going to put their best foot forward on the busiest days, right?  And were they busy!  As soon as we were seated a line began to form and it never went away, it only got longer.  Let me tell you, an early dinner may sound lame to some of you out there, but so does, waiting 45 minutes to be seated.  That brings me to seating.  The place is small compared to the one in BR.  I swear it only had a capacity for about 200.  I am not a good judge of that kind of thing, but think I am pretty close.  If I rember correctly the one in S Florida was huge and the capacity was much more.  All the more reason to go early!  We had a pretty good waitress, but we waited about ten minutes for our wine and they brought my soup and my wine before anyone elses (my husbands).  After the wines came everything else came in a pretty timely manner.  I was accompanied by my husband and our two kids who are 3 and 6.  The kids menus are awesome!  They are like mini activity book with actual pages that you can turn, not just a one page placemat type of deal.  It kept our 6 year old happy for the entire meal, just about.  My son on the, other hand, slept through the entire experience.  The kids got cheese pizzas.  They will only eat cheese, and they were about the size of a personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut, if you can recall the last time you ate one of those.  The menu for adults is pretty hefty but reasonable, nothing like Cheesecake Factory!  It took us a little while to peruse, but we did enjoy and took advantage of the tappas menu which we are not that familiar with.  It is actually little appetizers that are about half price that allows you and your husband or whoever you are with to have different appetizers and not have to share, Imagine that!  When we finally ordered I ended up getting this thing, which is also something I have never seen before, two soups in one bowl.  Have you ever heard of such a thing?  It is actually ingenius, because you can sample two kinds instead of having to make a decision.  That is my kind of thing!  So I had cream of asparagus and split pea, and the two soups just coexisted in the bowl and their edges touched but they never mixed, until the very end when there was just a little left in the bowl and I just used bread to sop it up.  Yumm!  I also orded, from the tappas menu an arugala and asparagus ( I love asparagus)  salad.  I ate it up in about 2 minutes, it was to die for.  It had this tangy sort of creamy italian dressing drizzled over spinach and arugala, with sundried tomatoes and toasted almond and shaved parmesan over all of that.  It came in a long rectangular plate and I just went from one end to the other like a corn on the cobb and scarffed that little nugget of goodness like there was no tomorrow! (deep breath)  My main course was take a guess, not pizza, but mahi fish tacos!  Yes I love fish tacos too and I don't care what kind of restaurant we are at, if they have fish tacos i am gettin me some.  And yes, they were good and messy.  My husband ordered  "the works" pizza and when it came, which was actually pretty timely, the only thing that I really didn't think I would have liked about it was the big old green bell pepper slices all over the it.  Other than that it was about the size of a typical small pizza and it looked pretty good.  I can't really say too much about it because I didn't taste it.  My husband did say it was very good and he is a pizza conasuer.  We did not order dessert because we usually choose between wine, a drink, or dessert.  My overall impression was excellent time and food, although, I knew it was going to be good because I have been there, so thank you California Pizza Kitchen for coming to Jacksonville, FL.  I am sure we wil be adding you to our favs if we haven't already (me).

Out and About Jax - Peppers of Yulee

We were at peppers last night and enjoyed ourselves as much as you can with two unruly kids climbing all around you.  We like peppers because they have really good mexican food and the atmosphere is somewhere in between casual and elegant.   We liked the margheritas not too stong and not too weak, and the fish tacos were great!  although by the third one I was so full I had to force myself to finish it.  The wait staff is always very attentive,  I especially like it when they bring ketchup for the kids' fries in a little silver condiment dish.  The kids really feel special.

The Birthday Blog - Abby's 6th Birthday

Abby had her 6th birthday this week. It turned out great. She got her ears pierced, face painted and had her first slumber party. She did really well. Cried a little getting the piercing, but overall pretty good. She is such a sweet little girl. she is learning responsability but she still has the little girl in her. She in no way resembles the Junie B Jones character. I bilieve she is much more maturefor a sixth grader. She will go into first grade next year and the journey that is school will begin, although she has already been in school for three years. I worry that she is not motivated to learn. Maybe that will come with age. It is my responsability to help her with that. I get really impatient with her as I do with everything. I hope she had a nice time and created some lasting memories.

Just From Experience -Ten Tips for Younger Skin

I know everyone has heard all of this before, but it may be that it was in snipets here and soundbites there.  Well here it all is in one place, 10 things you can do right now that are free and can help you to keep your skin looking young and fresh, longer. 
1. Stay out of the sun.  I try not to go in the sun as much as possible and if I have to refer to 2 and 3
2. Wear sun screen on your face, neck, chest, arms and hands.
3. Wear a sun hat when out in the sun for longer periods of time. Say you have to be at the beach with the kids or a festival or the zoo, just make sure you have a wide brimed hat for double protection.  It may be a pain but you will thank the hat one day.  It is also imprtant to wear a hat to keep you from squinting in the sun and that brings me to our next tip.
4. Wear sun glasses as much as possible.  Constantly squinting at the sun can eventually cause your skin to wrinkle up!
5. DON'T SMOKE! nuf sed
6. Keep your shower at a lower temperature than scalding.  I know, we all love that steaming water falling down our necks and backs, just don't let it run over your face and chest.  The hot water is also proven not necessary when washing hands.  It is actually the friction and the soap that get the germs off, all the hot water does is dry out your skin and cause it to age sooner.
7. Wear lotion.  Put it on after every washing.  A night cream is also not a bad idea.
8. Get plenty of sleep.  At night all of your skin seems to be renewed.  That old addage, "I need my beauty sleep" is so true.
9. Exercise!  This may not seem to have anything to do with skin, but sweat is actually a natural moisturizer and any amount of exercise can help keep everything lifted and working properly.  Also, a little side benefit to exercise is that you feel better so you are not frowning as much or stressed out so your face will benefit. 
10. My last tip is the hardest for me to do and that is to eat right.  I suggest plenty of good stuff and not so much bad stuff.

OK, there it is.  I hope everyone who reads this will benefit from this compilation of a lifetime of reading beauty magazines and watching tv.  Hehehe.

Just From Experience - The Blogging Phenomenom

I am really amazed at the beautiful writing that I have been able to read since blogging was invented.  We would have never been privy to all of the ups and downs of the world unles we were the personal friends of these people without this simple communication tool.  I am sure that the world is better off today, and that we are inching toward a more loving society as witnessed  through all this window into our lives.  Surely some of the stuff we see is stomach turning and unimaginable, but if you put it all into perspective, on the whole, it's not too bad.  I hope that we all, including me, learn to master this creative outlet and show the world that there is hope in the human race.