Life On The Planet

Life On The Planet

I have been asked, from time to time, about the name of my blog. Why "Life On The Planet?" Why not "Aimless Ramblings of a Chocolate Medicated Lunatic?" or "Yet Another Pointless Way for Me to Waste My Time?"

It's a good question.

I do not intend to imply that the content of this blog is the sum total of life on the planet, or even that it is the sum total of our life on the planet.

REASONS:

A. It would take too long to write.
B. You DO NOT want to know what goes on here all day long. Trust me on this one. It's not pretty.

However, it is a tiny slice of my family's life on the planet. And that is enough.

The idea for the name came from Sal's Scoutmaster.

"How's life on Planet (fill in last name here)?" he would ask every Monday night.

"Still revolving." I'd tell him. (No, not revolting, revolving!) "Life on the planet is good."

So when I needed a blog title, and Activities Coordinator, Magnificent Queen of the Universe seem a bit over-the-top, I thought of Sal's Scoutmaster and Life On The Planet just seemed to fit.

How's life on your planet?

Ours is good. Real good.

My Other Half

My husband married his best friend. Not me. Well, he married me. But I strongly suspect that's because I'm one of his best friends all over again. Her name is Hayley. We share a brain.

He could have married her, but... ew, gross! That would have been like marrying his sister. So, he married me instead. I love her so. I stole her from him as soon as the vows were spoken.

Now she's MY friend.

And I'm just like her. We like the same things. We act the same way. She is math. I am language. She's yin. I'm yang. She plays Scrabble. I play Scrabble. It's kismet.

I got a hair cut on Wednesday. Hayley called. She got her hair cut, too.

It's the same hair cut.

Weird, huh?

We Move North

and it SNOWS in Louisiana. It's just wrong, wrong, wrong!

The Holly & The Ivy

Advent is upon us. It is a time of reflection and anticipation. It is a time of peace and hope. It is a time to yell at your Australian friend for tainting your Advent wreath decorating experience because you couldn't stop singing this version of The Holly &The Ivy.
AUSSIE KIM!!!!!

Save the round-up. We're keeping the weeds.

(Just kidding, Kim.)

Thanksgiving Week: The Highlight Show

It's not much of a show, actually. I just liked the title. However, I can give you the highlights.

Last weekend: Boy Scout / Webelos joint camp-out. It got done to 23 degrees. Tiger got his polar bear patch. Woo-Hoo. Sal's troop held a flag retirement ceremony / campfire. They invited a troop from inner city Memphis to join them. It was fabulous. Freezing, but fabulous.

Monday: School work. "AAAHHGGG!" screamed the children as they ran in horror from the house. It had been a while since they had had to endure been treated to a full school day. (She chortles evilly as she types.) Sal came back from Scouts with a rough-housing induced black eye. Scratch Take-Christmas-Photos from week's to-do list. Boys.

Tuesday: More school work. Trying to get caught up in Greek. Will we ever get caught up in Greek?!? Speak to me, Oh Great and Omnipotent Mystical Eight Ball.

Wednesday: Whoever said peace on earth was a possibility obviously never shopped at my neighborhood Wal-Mart the night before Thanksgiving.

Peace. Ha! My Wal-Mart scoffs at your peace.

Thursday: Thanksgiving dinner with Aussie Kim, et al. Eat food. Drink tea. Swing on hammock. Eat food. Drink tea. Play board games. Eat food. Drink tea. Create massive bonfire in order to roast marshmallows. Eat marshmallows. Drink tea. Waddle home.

Friday: Shop. What else?

I hope your week has been as delightful as mine.

Tomorrow we put up the tree. And so it begins.

Amy

A friend from my old homeschool group in Louisiana died Sunday after a long and unbelievably brave battle with cancer. Please keep her husband and four beautiful children in your thoughts and prayers. Thanks.

Home

The trip home went well for most of us. Aussie Kim and I listened to The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life on CD. The kids mostly slept, played with their electronics and complained that we were listening to The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life on CD. Margins of safety in investments have limited appeal to the fourteen and under demographic. One highlight of the trip was paying $1.99 a gallon for gas in Jackson. $1.99! Oh, happy day.

This morning, Tiger got up and said, "What are we doing today?"

"Math," I told him, "and spelling, and Greek..."

I could be wrong, but I don't think he's happy to be back.

Blog Breaks, Louisiana, Halloween & Driver's Ed

I've been enjoying a pleasant, though unplanned, break from blogging. After Sal and my folks got back to Memphis from Korea they had a day of rest. Then we all piled into Mom and Dad's minivan and headed south to Louisiana. Home, sweet home. Does the sight of Live Oaks give you the warm fuzzies? It should.

The kids had asked to spend Halloween with my folks. They live on a dead end road, and Halloween in their neighbor hood is pretty much a giant block party. (Very kid friendly with none of the scary stuff.) Obi-Wan and Lady Liberty raked in the loot. Sal decided he is too old to trick-or-treat, but he is definitely not too old to swipe his siblings' candy. The Hayleys (of momandkidsathome fame) came over, as well as some of The C.F.O.'s relatives. They're the ones who visisted us during Gustav, so it was nice to see them during a non-hurricane related event.

Earlier in the week, we went to visit my aunt and the farm. Dana, over at Principled Discovery, had a post recently about homeschoolers and driver's ed. Sal will probably be taking driver's ed. in the spring, however this week he had an old fashioned driver's ed. course at the farm. He drove the minivan around the barnyard. I figure he's the third generation to learn to drive there. Hey, it worked for the rest of us! The good news for my parent's minivan - no more cattle in the barnyard means cleaner tires. Eww.

One last thing, yesterday was my grandmother's birthday. Now, I'm not going to tell you how old she is because, well, I value my life. HOWEVER, I will say the her next birthday is going to be a big one!!! Happpy Birthday, Grandma!

I have to get ready to hit the road. Aussie Kim is picking us up on her way back from Houston. Think Thelma and Louise with five kids. And furniture from IKEA. Woo-Hoo. Boy, do we ever know how to travel!

 

 

 

Homeschool For Hire

A girlfriend asked me the other day if I would be willing to homeschool her son. I wasn't sure if she was serious. She said that her son has been asking to be homeschooled and that she wasn't sure if she could do it. We talked about homeschooling for a while, and then we both kind of laughed it off. I don't think they are ready to make that decision yet, but it got me thinking. Could I homeschool someone else's child? Should I? If no, why not?

What's your opinion on the matter? I'm just wondering.

Hurricane Induced Philosophizing (That's not a word, is it?)

It's 10:48PM. The seven children who have spent every available moment of the last two days jockeying for position in front of my lap top have trickled off to bed. I am finally able to take a minute to catch my breath and reflect.

Our hurricane party has been a lovely time. Our guests have been enjoyable and considerate. The children have been thrilled at being able to spend three straight days with their cousins. Butterfly especially has enjoyed having FOUR girls in the house. My house reeks of nail polish! However, it has been an exhausting time for the adults. The logistics, the entertaining of the little darlings and the worry about loved ones and property are all part and parcel to hurricane season. Fortunately, the damage has been minimal with old Gustav, at least for our family.

The Gulf Coast breeds 'em tough. The weak give up after a couple of minor storms or one good Cat. 3. When a gal has spent more than half her life living near the Gulf, she learns to roll with the punches and suck it up.

So when she finds sticky powdered sugar on her treasured lap top...well, she reminds herself that, like the Hurricane, this too shall pass.

And all to quickly.