Facebook sucks

OMG.

I cannot stop getting on and off of facebook...over and over again. At least my stints on facebook are shorter than my breaks from it.

There is this crippling effect facebook has on a person. Well on me. I get caught up in sharing and caring if other people are caring and forgetting what is truly really important to me.

It is so so true these quotes (I have a thing for quotes obviously): 

"I miss my pre-Internet brain."

"Mind full or mindful?"

"Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes [forever if we are talking about facebook]...including you."

However good cutting off from facebook may feel, sometimes I get overwhelmed by the godliness of homeschool bloggers. Almost every single link on homeschool day of the life was from a blog that was all about Jesus. I have nothing against Jesus, really I don't, but sometimes I need a break from that too. Eh, oh well.

So I have been reading this Christian homeschooling book (they're everywhere!) and wanted to share something I found completely ridiculous. Here is what the author says about "guarding the reputation of homeschooling."

"Be sensible. Limit out-of-the-house activities during public school hours to educational functions, such as support group meetings, co-op classes, field trips, and outings. When possible, let shopping with your children wait until after school hours.

Be discerning. Use discretion about outdoor play during regular school hours. It is the perception ("their kids are not in school") and not the reality ("they must be finished with their school work") that some people will see and believe."

What!!!!?? My kids are not staying in my house all damn day! That is WHY we homeschool! Lock them inside during school hours!? This is absurd. Why don't you just go talk to your neighbors and tell them about homeschooling. Let them meet your awesome kids and see how beneficial play can be.

Despite my disgust with these ideas on how to guard the reputation of homeschooling, there is much to gain from the book (Educating the WholeHearted Child by Clay and Sally Clarkson by the way). I agree and I am a little comforted by the author's observation:

"Homeschooling is a successful and growing national and international educational and family movement that is well defined, is engaged with culture, and has many committed followers and advocates...It is still growing and gathering momentum, but it has the potential to be a major historical and culture changing movement of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. In terms of its impact on culture, homeschooling should be counted among the other major American movements of the past 150 years..."

I think homeschooling has the potential to really change America for the better. Keeping families together and passing our culture and values on down to our children is so important. Sending kids away from the family for nearly the entire day is so crazy to me. Kids learning their values from other kids. It's absurd. Restoring the family is what we need. Less work outside of the home, less spending, less facebook, MORE time with family.

I am going to break up my ramblings with some photos now.

The girls went to Camp Misty Meadows for a Love, Hug, and Groom program.

 It was also the birthday of two of the girls in Ayomide's troop.

 The troop also went over to Agnes Arnold for a program called Hikes with Henry.

 This is where I stayed when I went to Girl Scout sleepover camp as a kid!

 My beer pictures at Grandma's house.

 This is the quilt my mom is working on...for me!

Our hens have finally picked up their laying a bit.

 Apparently, the stray cat has been laying a few babes of her own as well.

 As we were working on some Astronomy we came across the explanation for leap years. Maybe I'm the only one, but I got really excited because it just so happened to be February 29th and it was not planned. We do not follow any sort of schedule put forth by Memoria Press either so it was cool.

 I took the kids to Battleship Texas. Believe it or not, it was our first time. They LOVED it! We even got our own personal tour after running into this nice lady.

We also went over to the San Jacinto Monument.

 I've realized as I have become older and have kids that I do not do driving over tall bridges well. Needless to say, the Ship Channel Bridge is not my favorite. I get shaky, my heart starts racing, and I feel like I am going to faint. On the way to the Battleship we went around the bridge and through the tunnel. On the way back we took the ferry. Yes, all this is coming from that kid that used to bungee jump over and over and over again. It's weird.

I'm going to ramble one more time. I have been thinking a lot lately about road trips. Not road trips to the Hill Country. Real road trips! Like to Wyoming and Montana!

"Start before you're ready!"

 I have to remind myself that I once thought we didn't have enough money for me to stay home. We do! And we are happy! We started before we were ready and it was the greatest decision I have ever made.

"Never allow waiting to become a habit. Live your dreams and take risks. Life is happening now."

"Stop worrying about what can go wrong and get excited about what can go right."

Wait until I have a better car. Wait until the youngest is at least two. Wait. Wait. Wait. Why? We can go with a baby and go again when she is old enough to remember. This is our one life and who knows if we will ever be ready.

Besides if the car breaks down we will be in the middle of Montana and what could be better than being stuck in the middle of Montana!?

Let's go!

...after I talk to my husband of course...