KEEPING CONNECTED WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY!

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 - Teach Them Diligently

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Women Work by Maya Angelou


Woman Work by Maya Angelou
I've got the children to tend
The clothes to mend
The floor to mop
The food to shop
Then the chicken to fry
The baby to dry
I got company to feed
The garden to weed
I've got shirts to press
The tots to dress
The can to be cut
I gotta clean up this hut
Then see about the sick
And the cotton to pick.

Shine on me, sunshine
Rain on me, rain
Fall softly, dewdrops
And cool my brow again.

Storm, blow me from here
With your fiercest wind
Let me float across the sky
'Til I can rest again.

Fall gently, snowflakes
Cover me with white
Cold icy kisses and
Let me rest tonight.

Sun, rain, curving sky
Mountain, oceans, leaf and stone
Star shine, moon glow
You're all that I can call my own.

Brady Bunch' Star Goes from Pigtails to Parenting


In light of my recent post I thought it was fitting that this story popped up on my yahoo mail news thread.
Click on the title to read about Cindy all grown up.


Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Children's Songs with Free Lyrics

No wise thoughts just trying to continue my once a day post.  Click on the title to go to the site for the free children song lyrics.  Have fun!  The quality of the music is not so good - but if you were wondering at the lyrics to a childhood song - here you go!

Here is an example:


Little Bunny Foo Foo

Written By: Unknown, Copyright: Unknown

Little Bunny Foo Foo,
Hopping through the forest
Scooping up the field mice
And boppin' 'em on the head

Down came the good fairy and she said

"Little Bunny Foo Foo,
I don't want to see you
Scooping up the field mice
And boppin' 'em on the head.
I'll give you three chances,
And if you don't behave
I'll turn you into a goon!"

The next day:

Little Bunny Foo Foo,
Hopping through the forest
Scooping up the field mice
And boppin' 'em on the head

Down came the good fairy and she said

"Little Bunny Foo Foo,
I don't want to see you
Scooping up the field mice
And boppin' 'em on the head.
I'll give you two more chances,
And if you don't behave
I'll turn you into a goon!"

The next day:

Little Bunny Foo Foo,
Hopping through the forest
Scooping up the field mice
And boppin' 'em on the head

Down came the good fairy and she said

"Little Bunny Foo Foo,
I don't want to see you
Scooping up the field mice
And boppin' 'em on the head.
I'll give you one more chance,
And if you don't behave
I'll turn you into a goon!"

The next day:

Little Bunny Foo Foo,
Hopping through the forest
Scooping up the field mice
And boppin' 'em on the head

Down came the good fairy and she said

"Little Bunny Foo Foo,
I don't want to see you
Scooping up the field mice
And boppin' 'em on the head.
I gave you three chances
And you didn't behave
Now you're a goon! POOF!!"

The moral of the story is:
HARE TODAY, GOON TOMORROW

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Have a Famous Actor Read to Your Child!

I posted this on Facebook a few days ago and just wanted to add it on to here.  I find all sorts of cool things on line this is just one of them:  www.storylineonline.net has famous actors and actresses reading to your children.  It is a pretty cool site.  Click on the link above to go directly to it!  Hope you enjoy!

Monday, October 19, 2009

Everything I learned about parenting came from the Brady Bunch!

REALLY?





I have this funny thought since we shock of all shocks do not have cable and only watch TV on what we can get out of the Library.  I could raise my children like we are living in the 70's having them watch all the shows I grew up on.  Though the question is did I really learn anything of value from the TV of the late 60's and 70's?

I have gotten Gilligan's Island and the Brady Bunch out on DVD from the Library  one day I was struck with the notion after watching a few episodes of the Brady Bunch that perhaps all my parenting skills come from the Brady Bunch then after watching Gilligan run around the island causing the Skipper to run into palm trees throwing out pun after pun, this made Tony think - maybe his sense of humor is from Gilligan's Island.

Today while watching an episodes of the Brady Bunch.  I came up with a short list of parenting lessons:




The Brady Bunch 
Lessons in Parenting
It is helpful to:


1. Have a full time maid or nanny to help out making dinner, taking care of arguments and let you know when one of your sons has decided to run away because he doesn't feel appreciated.

2.  Make sure your husband is a very talented architect and that your doing volunteer work full time - since you have a maid this should be no problem!

3.  Hold family meetings often to discuss how to work together as a family.

4. Divide and conquer.

5. Girls can do anything  boys can do and don't you forget it.

6.  Always have a positive attitude!

7.  Make sure you have an incredible sense of humor so you can laugh at the toughest times.

8. Children respond well to love and lots of hugs.

9. Come up with creative ways to get your point across so that everyone ends up happy with the outcome!

10.  Last but not least - have a full team of writers to figure out the best possible solution to every problem!










Here's the story of a lovely lady
Who was bringing up three very lovely girls.
All of them had hair of gold, like their mother,
The youngest one in curls.

Here's the store, of a man named Brady,
Who was busy with three boys of his own,
They were four men, living all together,
Yet they were all alone.

Till the one day when the lady met this fellow
And they knew it was much more than a hunch,
That this group would somehow form a family.
That's the way we all became the Brady Bunch.
The Brady Bunch,

That's the way we all became the Brady Bunch.
The Brady Bunch.








Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale,
A tale of a fateful trip
That started from this tropic port
Aboard this tiny ship.

The mate was a mighty sailing man,
The skipper brave and sure.
Five passengers set sail that day
For a three hour tour, a three hour tour.

The weather started getting rough,
The tiny ship was tossed,
If not for the courage of the fearless crew
The minnow would be lost, the minnow would be lost.

The ship set ground on the shore of this uncharted desert isle
With Gilligan
The Skipper too,
The millionaire and his wife,
The movie star
The professor and Mary Ann,
Here on Gilligans Isle.


So this is the tale of the castways,
They're here for a long, long time,
They'll have to make the best of things,
It's an uphill climb.

The first mate and the Skipper too,
Will do their very best,
To make the others comfortable,
In the tropic island nest.

No phone, no lights no motor cars,
Not a single luxury,
Like Robinson Crusoe,
As primative as can be.

So join us here each week my freinds,
You're sure to get a smile,
From seven stranded castways,
Here on "Gilligan's Isle."

Click on the title of the show to get to all the wikipedia info you could want on the TV show.  That is also where I got the photos from.


Disclaimer:  The titles of the theme songs above have a link to the site that has a list of the lyrics to theme songs, show tunes, soundtracks, one hit wonders etc.  Along the side there are some ads you may find offensive - just be warned.


Some other links you might find interesting or frightening at the level of some people's devotion to these past sitcoms.






Sunday, October 18, 2009

Swine Flu/H1N1

With all the incidences of Swine Flu in our community - I wanted to know what it is, when did it first appear and how to prevent it from spreading this is what I learned.  I went to wikipedia and looked up some information to educate myself.  What I've gleaned makes up the information shared below.  (It is pretty much a shortened rewording of what you will find at wikipedia - follow the link to the actual page by pressing on the title above.)

WHAT IS SWINE FLU?

Swine flu is a virus that is common in pig farming all over the world, it isn't common for it to jump to humans, but when it does it causes human influenza.  Then it is called Zoonotic swine flu.   Of course those people who are around pigs more are more likely to contract Swine flu.  Humans can not contract the virus from eating pork meat of any kind when properly cooked.
 

SYMPTOMS:
The symptoms of Zoonotic Swine Flu in humans are similar to those of influenza - meaning you get chills, fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headaches, coughing, weakness and discomfort.


HISTORY:
If you are like me you probably thought that Swine Flu is new but the first outbreak of this flu was in 1918.  First identification of this flu happened in 1930.  For the next 60 years, almost all strains of the swine flu were H1N1.   The development of about five new strains in the years of 1997-2002.  H3N2 strains were found in 1997-1998.  Other strains were H3N2 that added to H1N1 produced H1N2.  In 1999 in Canada there was a strain of H4N6 that jumped from birds to pigs but it was contained on one farm.

The H1N1 strain comes from the same strain that caused the 1918 flu pandemic and has been among humans through the 20th century - adding to the normal seasonal epidemics of influenza.  Only 12 cases of the flu going from pigs to humans has happened in the U.S. since 2005.  Though when the flu seams to leave the human population the pig population keeps the flu around so that it can emerge again to infect humans when our immunity weakness against it again.   (You can find more information of the history of Swine flu by going to the wikipedia - link found in the title of this blog post.  All the above information is a shortening of what I found there.)

THE CURRENT OUT BREAK:
For the current outbreak the source of swine flu is the H1N1 called the "swine flu" because of it's seeming origin from the pig population.   If you want all the details you can follow this link to the wikipedia page:  2009 flu pandemic  there you will find all the information on the current outbreak and links to other resources.

PROTECTING YOUR FAMILY AND YOURSELF:
So what our Mom taught us applies, wash your hands if you cough or sneeze, use the bathroom or touch other people or surfaces especially money.  It isn't recommended that you go around with a mask unless you have an immune system that is already compromised or if you work in a medical setting.  As with any flu it is the most dangerous to the old and the very young.  The truth of the matter is this flu is here.  We can panic about it or we can realize that once our immunities to this virus have built up, our body will be able to fight it off and then this strain of the virus will go back to the swine community.

TEACH YOUR CHILDREN
I know that we hate it when we see kids wipe their nose on their sleeve but that is actually better than them wiping it on their hands and then climbing or touching you.  Teach your children if they don't have a tissue to use their sleeve.  To wash their hands after they cough or sneeze.  I would stay away from antibacterial soaps and instead use 100% alcohol gels.  Please everyone use the wipes provided at large discount chains and food stores.   And if you or your children are sick - PLEASE STAY HOME!

Here is a link to a free download to a song by Bill Harley for Kids called WASH YOUR HANDS

Here is a link for a PDF from Kid Scoop: GERM Patrol that can help you teach your kids why and how they should wash their hands.










Saturday, October 17, 2009

Cool Site to teach Kids How to Play Chess!

I decided that Chess might be a good game for Wesley to learn when I happened upon a video in our local Library on teaching Kids how to play chess.  It was a pretty low budget video - but that along with a $4.00 game from Shopko and Wesley is hooked.  So of course I don't want to play with him all the time so I google Chess games for Kids and find this cool link to a whole website to teaching kids how to play Chess.  Wesley is pretty excited as it has other games that they can play that are all geared toward skills in Chess.  Now we have only gone through the first lesson in the first class and Wesley didn't pass so he has to take it again and since Wesley can't read at this level I am reading him the lesson and the questions on the quiz.  Hope your kids have fun with it too!  (Clicking on the title above will take you to the link.)

Friday, October 16, 2009

What's up on my end?

Okay so here it is - Been more than a year since I last posted though I did have some in the started phase and never posted them. In some ways it seems quite silly to be updating something that I haven't let anyone know about yet. But that is soon to changed. I've been playing around with different sites and places to do a blog but really if you don't just use one - you end up not using any. To hard to keep them all up to date! So here it is - this blog is for me to just share what is going on in our life what is the happenings. I will write some stuff about homeschooling, getting overseas and maybe a few stories from South Africa (SA) I may or may not use names and things might change as we go. We shall see. So what the hey. I am not going to apologize for my thoughts and feelings on this site so if you don't like something just comment about it nicely. You don't have to agree with what I think and feel but you can still respect me for having a thought and a feeling - as my dutch friends would say - Aye. Oh so would my MN and Canadian friends. We are not so different after all. Perhaps.

So For what it is worth I am going to try to start writing something on here daily and maybe let a few people know about it.

Thought of today - went to a workshop that was very good - good news might be that I can still renew my National Interpreter license - bad news I might have missed the deadline to do this in Aug. But we shall try. Pray that they let it go through. I have some documentation to gather up so it all depends.

Homeschooling thought - Wesley is really doing well with Spell to Write and Read (SWR). I am getting the hang of it but have a lot to learn, but he is learning to spell!

Lucy and Irina are loving playing dolls - downside - my closet and bed are usually taken over by these naked dollies. What is it about a two year old and taking all the clothes off a doll?

I promise to share some things about SA outreaches at some point.