Again Far Too Long

Seems like no matter how much I try I just cant get back to this blog that often, which is odd considering the amount of time I spend online. So much has happen so far this year I hardly know what to highlight. The most convoluted path is that I taught two Organic Gardening classes at my kids' charter school, which led to people asking me if I knew of anyone that sold organic seedlings, which led to me starting my own organic seedling business (still in the beginning stages but will provide some seedlings this year to local stores-- see www.sproutinguporganically.com ). I have also been asked to teach a couple people how to cook this summer, the actual execution of which remains to be seen. My kids have been through so many ups and downs this year I cant even remember them all. So far this year, their great-grandmother died, their "aunt" had heart surgery and has yet another one coming soon (praying that this one is the end-all-be-all of it), and their grandpa ended up with a quadruple bypass surgery. On the happy side we went Disneyland and California Adventure for a collective 3 days and had a blast! Now comes the beginning of the rush to the end of the year, involving CA state tests, including writing tests and scantron tests. Oh Joy! Each year I keep saying we are going to find a better way to work our school year and each year I seem to allow myself to be railroaded into something else. Maybe this next year I will be braver and forge on our own, more satisfying path. WE are hoping to end the year with a trip to Legoland involving some friends to celebrate a collection of my oldest son's (belated) birthday, his friend's birthday and the end of the school year. I hope I am back on soon. I will try.....

Note to Self.....

Note to self.....remember not to touch one's face after sticking them in dust (most of you would say yah, duh, but I am betting most of you do not have your face erupt in red itchy sores after doing so...needless to say I have actaully FINALLY figured what is the problem....now the long healing process begins)!

Note to self.....usually a good idea to finish the class outline before the classes actually begin....that gives me about 1 week to finish and track down the supplies.....I am a master procrastinator.....


Note to self.....here comes the next school year.....take a deep breath and plunge on in.....

Note to self....continue this list later because I am suddenly hideously tired.........

Food Explorers Continue....

Well after alot of trial and error and many deductions, I believe what I am facing (all puns intended) in a secondary fungal infection on my scalp and parts of my face....research on how to be rid of this annoyance is still in progress.....

On a more interesting note, I got an offer from a friend of my mom's that may be an answer to a prayer of directionto my life ( yes I know that homeschooling my kids and being and living in their presence is a direction, but I am/was wondering what was beyond that when they are all old enough to be out on their own - I wonder if this wondering is caused by the happy circumstances of all 3 of my cousins are now finally married and out on their own.....an entirely other blog post someday.....). She asked if I would teach her how to make one meal each time I come down to my mom's (which is like every 2-3 months), and in return she would pay me what she would pay a professional to give her lessons (still not really sure what that is, but I guess I will be finding out).....

The thought stunned me.....I LOVE to cook, ask anyone (esp kids, seems to be inherited)....and I have been seeking to move our dietary habits closer to real food, God's food, not the crap we humans deem so necessary in life (sorry, Lachen.....LOL), but I never really thought about teaching it to anyone beyond my own little nuclear family......my first response was, uh, ok, I expect I can handle that...... (yah, real enthusiatic there, dear LOL)

The more I thought about it, the more it made sense, especially in light of the fact that I seemed to have been deemed worthy to teach a group of K-2nd and 3rd-5th graders how to do Organic Gardening at our charter school ( a truly unique school I feel, built up and run by and for homeschoolers - another blog for another time) in the fall.....

WOW! I thought not only do I get the chance to show them how to grow food organically, naturally, God's way, but now I get a chance to show them how to implement the benefit of that ( and yes I realize that it is two different sets of people)... it is a staggering thought that answers a question posed by both myself and my grandmother ( again, another post).....how do you help people that want to change their diet (for one reason or another) but arent sure how to help them implement that information?

Well at least, for my side (her's has developed at her work), I think God's 2x4 finally made its way to my head.....

Its A Small World After All.....

BTW my face has gotten better and doesnt seem to be reacting to honey. We will see how it all plays out.

But really this blog is about how it is a small world we live in.....
There is a girl I have known since I was about 12. We were in ice skating together first and then where at the same jr high and high school together. We were a couple years apart in school so I ended up at college first. I discovered her at same school couple years later, and we ended up in same sorority together......
And no she is not stalking me.... she is very sweet lady.....always has been....
Anyway I graduated from college and life happened and we lost touch as things go.....
Lo and behold, we went the Sea Center in Santa Barbara and there she was working as management.....we hadnt seen her in about 10 yrs and unfortunately, since she was working and we had to get out before time expired on our parking permit for the wharf, we didnt get a chance to catch up more than when she worked and that we would have to come back another time during her work hours and try to carve out more time to chat. But it was really cool to see her again and I hope that we do manage to catch up with her again.....

The Beginnings of our Food Exploration

I have to share that on my grandmother's advice for a chronic sinus infection, I have been not putting either raw honey, regular honey, or processed sugar in my coffee for about the last 5 days or so. And my sinuses had started draining after about the first 48 hours. But I had also noticed that my facial issues (a problem with the T-zone where I itch and itch-and try not to scratch- and it can turn red), which have been an on-going but improving battle, had improved nicely over those last several days, but I thought it was due to the weather warming up and figured it was just the dryness of winter that aggravated it.
That was until I decided to go ahead and put a little sugar in my coffee this morning. Surely a little couldnt hurt right? OH BOY was I wrong!! Within about 30 minutes of consuming this sugared coffee, my face has erupted in itchiness and scales again!
Needless to say I dumped out the coffee in my cup and started over with unsweetened coffee. I will wait a few days or more until my face calms down, and try just some raw honey in coffee (because that is what I currently have) and see what happens.

Summer Almost Here!!!!! Thank God....

Well well....been a long time once again. I plead once again busy-ness as I try to be a good teacher/mom. But official time is almost up as we have STAR ( for those of us in CA) testing coming up in 5 weeks and about 1 week later we have to turn in any and all non-consumable books and materials to the charter school. I love our school and the opportunities it provides me and my kids, but what exactly are they thinking we are going to do if all of our supplies our turned into the school library. Make it up as we go I guess.....for us, we will actually get around to those science experiments and art projects we have been wanting to do all year. But in an effort to be P.C. and make sure we are ready for standardized test, alot of the "fun stuff" (this would be the kids' opinion) has been left by the wayside. I hope next year will be better as we will actually have a chance in hell of getting our supplies for the year before Thanksgiving...mind you we have to order by June in order to make that a reality! This year was the "power-school year" - 9 months of work (in areas a little more) in 5 months.....I promised my oldest that next year will be better...I tell you if it is not I will revolt before they do!!! Anyway, I hope to change focus slightly and start blogging the interesting changes we have made in our diet and how they have affected our health and general well-being, but for now I say sionora and good night as we have on-site classes tomorrow and I will be prying kids out of their beds far too early in the morning! LOL. 'Til later....

The Smiley Face Butterfly

Look at the head just below the antennae. Another photographer was taking photos of this butterfly and pointed this out....couldnt believe it.....no idea what the real name of the variety but we dubbed it the Smiley Face Butterfly. My kids love this picture and so do I - it just makes the butterfly look Soooooooooooo happy LOL!