To Read, or Not To Read: That is the Question.

Since late 2015, I have read 67 books. About half were self-improvement and the other half classics. That is a rough average of 26 books per year. I have grown immensely and have had my paradigm shifted, challenged and turned inside out in more ways than I can count. More than anything, I have learned that I don't know much about anything. The more I read, the more I realize how much I don't know.

Thriftbooks Review

 I recently discovered this site and I'm totally sold!

When I Say "We homeschool", it's Not What You're Thinking

Be sure to read part one of this post, "Why We Homeschool"

School At Home Begins

I did a curriculum research before enrolling the boys in an online public charter school that uses the K12 program for its curriculum. We were all excited when the boxes arrived with laptops, books, science kits and art supplies. We had a teacher who met with us once a month to help us make sure we were meeting standards and keeping the boys up in the system.

Why We Homeschool

I never wanted to homeschool my kids. No joke.

 The thought of it made me want to dry-heave and run away to Mexico, or stick razor blades in my eye. I thought, "I can't get these boys to do their homework, I could never be their teacher. I'd never want to be their teacher." I thought you had to have a teaching degree to teach anything past the 3rd grade. And how do you teach kids in several different grades? Sounded like a whole lotta crazy if you asked me. Gag me with a wooden spoon.

Field Trip to The Guy B. Woodward Museum

This was the most random, unplanned field trip we have ever taken.

Life with Cerebral Palsy: Pepper's Story

I made the video (below) in 2015 in order to tell Pepper's story up to that point. Two years later, we are still moving forward! Sometimes slower than others, and often times its a case of one step forward, two steps back.

Field Trip to La Jolla Cove | Part Two-The Sunny Jim Sea Cave

We've now lived in San Diego for 4 years and we FINALLY made it to the Sunny Jim Sea Cave in La Jolla Cove! (Thanks to 2 very persistent 10 and 11 year old boys!)

Field Trip to La Jolla Cove | Part One

I recently made a decision to take one day a week and do something outdoors and physical with just the boys. I had to get over a lot of guilt for leaving Pepper, but my good friend Lindsey made it so much easier by agreeing to let Pepper come play with her little girl once a week:) It's a win/win for all! Plus, Pepper was still in casts and there was no way I was taking her anywhere near water!

The Day I Almost Got Axe Murdered

I buckled Pepper into our super rad, in-no-way-lame, minivan to go to the end of our street to get the mail. As I backed down our sloped driveway, I noticed an older, white-bearded man across the street leaning out the door of a little white Toyota pickup (like the Pizza Planet one on Toy Story). He was looking right at me. He stared after us as we slowly made our way to the end of the cul-de-sac. My mind began to drift to places most "normal" minds never need wander.

Yard Sale Book Haul

In my post about building a home library, I forgot to mention yard sales!

Yard sales are one of the coolest ways to collect rad books! 

You get to go on a treasure hunt, meet interesting people, and sometimes even hear the history of the book.

How (and Why) To Build a Magical Home Library

WHY build a home library? 

Thomas Jefferson once said, "I cannot live without books." I concur with my whole being. I also read recently that Thomas Jefferson also said

Hiking to Ramona Grasslands Pond

With all the rain we've had here in Southern California, there are streams, ponds, and puddles sprouting up everywhere. Dave bought me some rain boots after our last episode with our backyard flooding

In the Dark Places

I saw this movie once about a fish trying to help another fish search the ENTIRE ocean for his son

Trust Yourself, Mama

I took the kids to the pool recently. We weren't there long because Pepper aspirated a good amount of water.

Those Colorful Plastic Blocks

The name 'LEGO' is an abbreviation of the two Danish words "leg godt", meaning "play well".