Pride and Prejudice

I'm re-posting this at the top for today, in honor of the DVD's release.

(I was given the DVD Pride and Prejudice free of charge by Special Ops Media in order to review it.)



I haven't read Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice yet - thought it is on my reading list for this year. After watching this beautifully romantic movie, I plan on starting it very soon.

Most of you know the story of Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy, so I won't retell it now. I want to talk about the movie. This was one of the most beautifully filmed movies I've ever seen. I know I was given the movie free of charge, but I think I've proven with my Mind and Media reviews that I try to go into any book or movie I'm reviewing with some objectivity. Trust me when I say this movie is beautiful. In so many movies set in England we are given the idea that it is always cold and wet, and never stops raining. Yes, there was rain in Pride and Prejudice. But there were also sun-drenched gorgeous scenes.

Mr. Darcy's Pemberly estate on the "well-stocked" lake was particularly beautiful. And the scenes on the Bennett's farm were quaint and charming. The costumes were very well-done, and so was the casting.

One of the special features on the DVD is HBO's First Look at the filming of the movie. Keira Knightley, who plays Elizabeth Bennett, talks about how every girl or woman who reads Pride and Prejudice feels like she owns the character of Elizabeth. They have very definite ideas of what she's like and how she should be portrayed. And in fact, when this movie was first released in the theaters, I remember reading on more than one blog that people were unhappy with the casting of Ms. Knightley as Lizzie.

Since I haven't read the book, I didn't have this experience. I believed Ms. Knightley as Lizzie - she portrayed her as very real, straightforward, and human. And Matthew McFadyen, who played Mr. Darcy, was equally well-chosen. Definitely a good pick. A handsome choice. Ahem.

The only casting I questioned as I started watching the movie was Donald Sutherland as Mr. Bennett. I've been watching Commander in Chief this season, and I thought I wouldn't be able to see him as an English country gentleman. That fear was unfounded - after the first scene, all I saw was Mr. Bennett.

This movie is not only beautiful, it is suffused with romance. The scene where Elizabeth is standing in the field in the pre-dawn fog and Mr. Darcy comes striding toward her across the field, the wind blowing his hair... And then when they come together and he leans his forehead down to touch hers, and the sun rises behind them - I love moments like that.

I definitely recommend this movie to all lovers of Austen and all lovers of romance in general.

The DVD includes many special features, including a portrait of the Bennett family, a short feature about Jane Austen, and HBO's First Look.

Visit the official Pride and Prejudice DVD site to view a preview, pre-order the DVD, see pictures of the production and see Behind the Scenes. The DVD releases on February 28th.

The Real Me

In honor of Randi's Friday challenge, here's a list of things I did today that I wouldn't normally post about. Sorry, no pictures - my husband is the digital genius around our house and he's working today.

Today, I:

~ sat on the couch and worried that I would have another reaction to the antibiotics until I was so anxious I wasn't sure if I was reacting or having a panic attack.

~ swept and mopped a kitchen floor that hadn't been swept or mopped in two weeks.

~ cleared a space on our dining room table for Jonathan to do his handwriting. The table is completely covered - with school books, valentine's cards that never got finished, crayons, pieces of Megaman and other assorted toys, piles and piles of school papers that need to be filed, etc. We haven't eaten dinner on our dining room table in a long time.

~ yelled at my kids to stop yelling at each other.

~ walked past a stinky hamster cage umpteen times and thought, "I'll ask Kevin to clean it tonight."

~ added yet another two loads of laundry to the stack of washed and dried but not folded clothes.

~ sat down at the computer to blog instead of cleaning the bathroom and vacuuming the living room.

~ read my Bible this morning with my mind wandering and focused on anything but God.


As I read back over this list, I am so glad God is gracious. And I am so glad there are other ladies out there who will be getting real today, and I won't be left half-naked all by myself!

And one surprising thing about myself? I have never washed a window since we moved into this house. I'm not proud, but that's the way it is.

P.S. Someone found me today by googling "brain vacuuming alien". Maybe that's what happened to me!

Our New Addition

When Kevin and I came home from our weekend getaway last Sunday, we brought home a surprise for the kids. One of these:



The kids have been talking about getting a hamster for about six months now. We thought it was just a phase, but it didn't go away - and then they started researching and checking out every book on hamsters the library had. We realized they were serious, so we brought home a Syrian golden short-haired hamster.

Her name is Lucy - after Lucy Pevensie. Kevin and I named her on the way home so that we could avoid the issue of four kids wanting to give her four different names. I have to admit she's pretty sweet. I'm not much of an animal person - never have been - but she's good-natured and gentle. She'd been in the Pet Smart store for several months and was already accustomed to being handled and being around lots of people and loud noises. Her neighbor was a huge parrot that barks like a dog!

The kids are enamored. Josiah goes around the house saying, "Lucy is the smartest, best, most wonderful hamster in the whole world." She is the best surprise we've ever brought home for the kids.

On the health front, I think I'm getting better. I have been feeling close to normal and then had a few bad hours this afternoon, with the shakiness and panic and nausea returning. It has since passed, and I am hoping that was the last of it. I'm exhausted and heading off to bed. Have a great weekend!

Review of The Witness

(The Witness was provided to me free of charge by Mind and Media, who received it from the publisher for the purpose of being reviewed.)



When I was packing for a weekend getaway with Kevin - no kids! - I knew that Dee Henderson's latest novel, The Witness would be the perfect book to bring along. I wasn't disappointed. Fast-paced, entertaining, and suspenseful, this book kept me hooked until I turned the last page.

The Witness is a romantic thriller about a woman named Amy who witnessed a violent murder. She goes into hiding to protect herself, her family, and the evidence she possesses. Her two sisters believe she is dead.

Fast-forward eight years. Her sisters have been thrust into the limelight and Amy knows that it won't be long until the people pursuing her are pursuing them. Amy is forced to make a decision regarding her own desire to remain hidden.

Throw into the mix a heroic, handsome chief of police and two homicide detectives, and you have the ingredients for a fun, thrilling read. I have enjoyed all of Ms. Henderson's books, and this one was no exception. If you like murder mysteries, thrillers, or romance novels, I highly recommend The Witness.

Ode to Barnes & Noble

Barnes & Noble
Emporium divine
Oh, if all your treasures
Could only be mine

Biography, History
Sci-Fi and Lit
Gardening, Parenting
Humor and Wit

Row upon row
Of treasures galore
Cinnamon dulce lattes
Oh, what a store

One request I make
Since your books I will buy
In your restrooms
Could you please stock two-ply?

Kevin and I visited B&N when we were away for our weekend. Here's our haul:

For me:
Good Grief by Lolly Winston
To America: Personal Reflections of an Historian by Stephen Ambrose
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

For Kevin:
Under the Black Flag: The Romance and the Reality of Life Among the Pirates by David Cordingly
A World War II book that I can't remember the title of

For Natalie:
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

For Noah:
Tale of the Toa: Bionicle Chronicles # 1 by Cathy Kapka

Quick Update and Two Articles

Update: I went to see my doctor this morning and he gave me a prescription for some more antihistamines. If that doesn't work, steroids would be next. Please pray the antihistamines work - I don't like the idea of taking steroids, what with all the yucky side effects. He said that the medication I reacted to can stay in my system for up to three weeks - it takes that long for the liver and kidneys to flush it all the way out. So antihistamines for at least one more week and then see how I'm doing. Thank you for all your prayers - and if you have time, a few more that the antihistamines work and my body flushes all the bad stuff out quickly would be so appreciated.

Two more articles up at Club Mom:

Confessions of a Semi-Organized Homeschooler
Dealing With Difficult Days

There is a typo (a misplaced comma) in the second article - I'm trying to reach editorial staff to get it fixed.

I'm off to spend some time with the kids - school and everything has been put on hold while I've felt so yucky, and I'm hoping to get back to a (sort of) normal routine. As normal as it gets around here, anyway. Have a great day!

Not Quite Normal

Thank you for your prayers and comments. The antihistamine the doctor gave me worked well enough that Kevin and I enjoyed our weekend, but she only gave me enough for three days. Yesterday was the first day I didn't take any, and I woke up at 2 a.m. this morning with a horrible reaction again: nausea, weakness, hives, and trembling so bad I shook the bed for 40 minutes. It took three doses of Benadryl to stop it. I've been on Benadryl all day today, which makes me feel groggy and loopy, but I couldn't get into the doctor to get the non-drowsy antihistamine because the clinic was closed for President's Day. Of course. Kevin was wonderful and stayed home today and dealt with kids and meals and such. My Dad's on standby for tomorrow to watch the kids when I go to the doctor and if I have a bad reaction again. Continued prayers would be appreciated. I know that this will pass, but in the meantime I'm emotionally at a low. It's quite an unpleasant reaction. Thank God, I've been able to keep the panic at bay and haven't had any panic attacks today. I hope to be back to normal soon and will post more about our trip.

Off We Go

Kevin and I are heading out in the morning for our weekend get-away. Half of the kids are already at their friends' houses, and we're taking the other half in an hour. We'll eat dinner here in town and watch a movie, and then head off to Spokane in the morning. I probably won't post until Sunday evening or Monday.

If you're the praying sort, I would appreciate some prayers on our behalf. I went to the doctor on Tuesday for this cough/sinus thingy, and she started me on some antibiotics for bronchitis. I am allergic to three different antibiotics, so she tried me on a sulfa-based one, which I'd never tried before. Well, I had a horrible reaction. Itching, panic attacks, shaky legs, muscle aches, nausea, and fever. My mom had a similar reaction to an antibiotic last year, so I called and asked what it was. Sulfa, of course.

Anyway, I'm on antihistamine to get rid of the allergic reaction, but I'm feeling pretty yucky. The panic attacks have stopped, but I'm feeling completely wrung out and still have a slight temperature. The doctor said there's no reason to stay home, the rest of the drugs should be out of my system by tomorrow. But I'm also starting a different antibiotic to finish killing off the bronchitis. It's one I've taken before with no problems - don't know why we didn't start with that one!

If you feel like sending up some prayers that this medication would clear from my system quickly, that I wouldn't have any more panic attacks, that the other medication would work to fight this cough, and that my stomach would settle and we could just enjoy our weekend, I would so appreciate it.

I'm not one to find satan behind every bad thing that happens to us, but there seems to be a pattern. Last year before we went away for our annual weekend, I was diagnosed with pleurisy. Could be a coincidence, or it could be the enemy trying to keep us from enjoying the one weekend a year we take for a break from the kids and a chance to talk about and work on our marriage.

I'm so glad we have a God who is faithful, no matter what.

So it's not just me?

Thanks to Sparrow for the laugh this morning.

Art Appreciation #2

Edgar Degas was a French painter known for his paintings of horses and the ballet, as well as portraits of his friends. Degas was an impressionist, but unlike most of the other painters of this school, he preferred to paint from extensive preliminary sketches. Here are two of my favorites that are different from his most famous paintings of ballerinas:





Francisco Goya was a Spanish painter. His paintings were unusual for his time, in that he used his art to portray his feelings toward the Spanish civil war. As well as paintings of the war, he is known for paintings of bull-fighters and women in traditional Spanish dress. Toward the end of his life, he produced a series of works called "The Black Paintings" which portrayed fantasy, insanity, and horror. To be honest, it was hard for me to find any of Goya's works that I liked, but after searching the extensive list of paintings at Art.com, I found two paintings of boys at play. In my opinion, if you looked at those next to his other works it would be hard to believe they were done by the same artist. Here they are:





Next up: da Vinci and Monet.

Art Appreciation #1

Happy Valentine's Day

Kevin and I celebrated early. Friday night we went to a concert, where we saw these people play Celtic music and watched these wonderful dancers:




If you like Celtic and world music, you can download a few An Dochas tunes here. (An Dochas means "The Hope" in Gaelic.) I used to play worship with two of these guys when they were still in high school.

I am remembering as I type that I posted about their annual concert last year, which means I missed my one-year anniversary of blogging. After checking my past posts, I officially started blogging over at Live Journal on January 17th, but switched over here to Blogger on February 5th. One year of blogging. Boy, time does fly.

I'm trying to get over a yucky sinus/bronchial thing in time for Kevin and I to go away for the weekend. Thursday afternoon I will be dropping the kids off at various friends' houses and then meeting Kevin for dinner. I'm hoping to talk him into seeing a movie here in town that night. I love going to the movie theater, but Kevin hates crowds, so the theaters down in Spokane (where we'll be spending the rest of the weekend) are out. But our little dinky Colville theatre is rarely crowded - unless it's opening weekend of Narnia!

Friday morning we'll take off for Spokane for the weekend. Lots of reading, window-shopping, eating out, sleeping in, and talking (with no interruptions) will follow. I look forward to this every year. I am so blessed to be married to my best friend.

Posting may be hit and miss for the rest of the week, what with getting ready to go and all. We'll be back Sunday afternoon. Any prayers you feel like sending up for me to get over this respiratory thing would be greatly appreciated!

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

The Year of Magical Thinking

As I read Joan Didion's memoir of the year following her husband's sudden death in 2003, this passage kept coming to mind:

"Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NIV

Those words stood out in stark contrast to this section from The Year of Magical Thinking:

"Grief turns out to be a place none of us know until we reach it. We anticipate (we know) that someone close to us could die, but we do not look beyond the few days or weeks that immediately follow such an imagined death. We misconstrue the nature of even those few days or weeks. We might expect if the death is sudden to feel shock. We do not expect this shock to be obliterative, dislocating to both body and mind. We might expect that we will be prostrate, inconsolable, crazy with loss. We do not expect to be literally crazy, cool customers who believe that their husband is about to return and need his shoes. In the version of grief we imagine, the model will be "healing." A certain forward movement will prevail. The worst days will be the earliest days. We imagine that the moment to most severely test us will be the funeral, after which this hypothetical healing will take place. When we anticipate the funeral we wonder about failing to "get through it," rise to the occasion, exhibit the "strength" that invariably gets mentioned as the correct response to death. We anticipate needing to steel ourselves for the moment: will I be able to greet people, will I be able to leave the scene, will I be able even to get dressed that day? We have no way of knowing that this will not be the issue. We have no way of knowing that the funeral itself will be anodyne, a kind of narcotic regression in which we are wrapped in the care of others and the gravity and meaning of the occasion. Nor can we know ahead of the fact (and here lies the heart of the difference between grief as we imagine it and grief as it is) the unending absence that follows, the void, the very opposite of meaning, the relentless succession of moments during which we will confront the experience of meaninglessness itself."

I'm sure the emotions and experiences she writes of in this passage are common to people who have lost someone that close to them. In the passage in 1 Thessalonians, Paul doesn't say "I don't want you to grieve." He says, "I don't want you to grieve like those who have no hope." It's the last sentence in Didion's passage that seems to be so hopeless: "...the relentless succession of moments during which we will confront the experience of meaningless itself."

Although Ms. Didion considers herself an Episcopalian and her husband John Dunne a Catholic, she flatly states that she does not believe in the resurrection in the body. She has no hope of seeing her husband again. After being married almost 40 years, it's horrifying to realize that your partner in life is gone and you will never be in their presence again. It's surprising to me that more people don't go insane from grief.

In Ms. Didion's book, I noticed two main differences in the grief experienced by believers and the grief experienced by nonbelievers. The first is this hopelessness. If we are Christians, the goodbye we say to a fellow believer who dies is, in fact, a "see you later." We have the hope of the resurrection, and that makes all the difference.

The second contrast I noticed is in the belief that grief must not be given into, it must be "handled." I think I understand why. If you have no hope, it must be better to push the grief aside and not experience it. There is no hope, and therefore the grief would be heavy enough to destroy a person.

When my friend Beve died last year, we grieved. I saw people cry and laugh and then cry again. I didn't get the sense that anyone was suppressing their feelings and just "handling" it. We knew that we could grieve and mourn and experience the loss of Beve's presence, and yet that wasn't the end. We weren't sad for her. She hadn't entered the "eternal dark" as Ms. Didion quotes her husband as describing death. Beve had entered eternal light! Knowing this - and that we would one day be there with her - gave us hope.

As I finished the book and read the last sentence, in which Ms. Didion mentions her belief that "no eye is on the sparrow," I found myself sad for her. I don't know her personally, but I pray that one day she will find the hope that is Jesus, and the knowledge that this life is not all there is.

Club Mom article...

...on using your public library as a homeschooling resource. The title isn't mine - I think they change things to make sure there are certain keywords in the article. This is the first time I've noticed any changes in one of my articles. It was minor - one sentence was re-written. I never realized how protective I was of my writing until I saw that and it got on my nerves! Guess I better get used to it.

(Also, I updated the reading list links on the sidebar. The kids' lists haven't changed since they're still reading the same books as last month, but you'll find some great titles in the February read-aloud list.)

Recommended Reading...

...for all Anglophiles and lovers of British literature:

More on the End of the Spear Controversy

Christianity Today has posted opposing editorials on the issue.

Here's a section from the one that particularly grabbed my attention:

"Christians are willing to go to tribal people, and seek to understand their culture. At the same time, our general approach to homosexuals is to avoid them at all costs. When we do interact, it's to tell them how wrong they are, rather than trying to understand what has brought them to the place they are in this life. Instead of building relationships and sharing the gospel, we shout rude slogans, and tell them they are all going to hell because they are gay. Instead of realizing we are in a war for men's souls, we say we are in a culture war, and treat homosexuals like the enemy.

The Waodoni tribesmen murdered those original missionaries with simple spears. The missionaries, who had guns, did not shoot back. They were ready to meet the Lord while they knew the Waodoni were not. After the killings, family members of the murdered missionaries went back to the Waodoni to bring them the Good News, offering their own forgiveness along with God's. The result? Many tribesmen were saved, and yes, their murderous behavior did change, but as a result of the Gospel, not as a pre-condition to receiving it. My New Tribes friends have told me that paradigm has not changed in the fifty years since the original story unfolded.

Meanwhile, in our current culture war we skewer homosexuals and drive them away from the Lord, all in the name of protecting ourselves and society. We insist that they agree with us, and change their behavior before we are willing to discuss Christ. How odd that Christians are able to forgive the murderers of their own brothers and sisters, dedicating themselves to save the souls of the killers, yet at the same time, those guilty of the supposedly greater sin of homosexuality are shunned by believers and left unevangelized."

Here's the opening of the opposing editorial:

"I have been waiting for a national Christian leader to comment on "End of the Spear" and the casting of Chad Allen in the lead role. Their voices are strangely silent. After all of their build up, that we finally have a movie of our own, they seem to be frozen in indecision or mired in accepting silly arguments for Chad's inclusion.

My deceased wife, Beth Youderian, was Roger Youderian's daughter. Roger was one of those men who died on "Palm Beach" in 1956, at the end of a spear.

Beth and I were strong supporters of the work Mart and Steve have been doing. Beth would have been appalled at this decision and I feel betrayed."

If you read the articles, please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts on the matter.

Since when is it acceptable...

...to use a memorial service as a political platform?

"[Coretta] Scott King's activism and character were the primary focus during six hours of eulogies and song at the ceremony held in a suburb of Atlanta.

But in reflecting on her legacy, some speakers took Bush to task over his policies at home and abroad.

Former president Jimmy Carter alluded to a difficult moment for the Bush administration when he mentioned the lingering racial divide revealed by Hurricane Katrina last August.

Saying the struggle for equal rights was not yet over, Carter said: "We only have to recall the color of the faces of those in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi -- those who were most devastated by Katrina -- to know that there are not yet equal opportunities for all Americans."

Black leaders and opposition Democrats have accused the Bush administration of botching the response to Hurricane Katrina, which claimed more than 1,300 lives on the southern US coast and caused the flooding of New Orleans.

Carter also made a thinly veiled reference to Bush's disputed domestic eavesdropping program, which allows for wiretapping of telephone calls and e-mail without court approved warrants.

The former president drew loud applause when he reminded the audience that federal authorities had once spied on and harassed Scott King and her husband, legendary civil rights leader Martin Luther King Junior.

The couple "were not appreciated even at the highest level of government," Carter said.

"It was difficult for them personally -- with the civil liberties of both husband and wife violated as they became the target of secret government wiretapping, other surveillance and as you know, harassment from the FBI."

In my opinion, this is very poor taste. If it's a memorial service, then remember the person who has passed away. But if the comments are going to have an agenda then call it what it is - a political rally.

I just love it!

Homeschooling, that is. The longer we do it, the more I love it. I love that my kids are with me all day and that we share our lives. I love that it stretches me. I love that they're not being stuck into someone else's ideas of what they should be learning and doing at the ages they're at. I love that it allows us to do things we wouldn't be able to do if they went to school.

Yesterday was one of those days. We spent the afternoon at some friends' house. They are fellow homeschoolers of their seven children. My kids spent two hours riding a pony, feeding goats and hogs, chasing chickens and turkeys, jumping on a trampoline, swinging on a hammock, getting completely filthy, and loving every minute of it.

I am definitely a city girl. I was never made to live on a farm or care for a lot of animals - I am too squeamish and germ-phobic. But since we make our schedule, and it doesn't revolve around public school hours, we were able to spend the afternoon at a farm.

Aside from riding the pony, Natalie's favorite part was getting to touch the cow's udder. "I've always wondered what they feel like, Mom!" She wanted to milk her, but the mama had just finished feeding her calf and there wasn't anything left to milk. So not only did Nan get to experience what her udder felt like, it was still slimy with all the baby calf's saliva! And she thought it was terrific. Nan and I are very much alike in a lot of ways, but that isn't one of them!

To the Seahawks...

You're still the champs to us! See you in the fall.

Art Appreciation #1

Remember how I posted that one of my goals for my own education this year was art appreciation? Well, so far I've learned a little bit about two artists and thought I'd share my favorites.

The first artist I studied was Mary Cassatt. Cassatt frequently chose mothers and children as her subjects. Here are two of my favorites:

Breakfast in Bed:


Young Mother Sewing:


The second artist I learned about was Pieter Brueghel. He painted biblical scenes, landscapes, and scenes of peasant life. Two favorites:

Winter Landscape:


Children Playing:


Next up: Degas and Goya.

Review of Living Under God

(Living Under God was provided to me free of charge by Mind and Media, who received it from the publisher for the purpose of being reviewed.)



Living Under God: Discovering Your Part in God's Plan by Toby Mac and Michael Tait is a patriotic book. It consists of 60 four-page chapters, each containing a story from America's history, a Bible story or passage, and a devotional designed to help teens apply the principles illustrated.

I enjoyed reading stories of some of the lesser-known figures from our country's history, like Angelina Grimke, Theodore Weld, and Peter Muhlenberg. These stories from the past show how people of faith relied on God for strength, wisdom, and supernatural help in times of struggle and hardship.

The devotions at the end of each chapter are definitely geared toward teens, dealing with topics like knowing God's will for your future, standing up for your faith, and how God desires for you to use your resources.

The only reservation I have about this book is the lack of a bibliography, footnotes or source notes. For a book that is full of quotes, stories, letters and anecdotes of historical figures, it is surprising to find no mention of sources. I know that history has sometimes been re-written to take God and Christianity out. I also have seen instances where the Christianity and faith of historical figures have been exaggerated.

Maybe I'm cynical, but in today's world of e-mails being forwarded that contain no truth whatsoever, even from our brothers and sisters in Christ, I found myself wanting to check other sources for many stories. I did not have time to check every one, and I did not find any glaring errors in the ones I did. In future editions, a bibliography and footnotes would be a good addition.

Because each story tells only a portion of the subject's life, they sometimes portray a one-dimensional view of the person. For instance, Sojourner Truth is portrayed as an evangelical Christian with an orthodox faith, and yet at one time of her life she was involved with a cult called the Kingdom of Mathias. Thomas Jefferson's Christian faith is emphasized, with no mention of the fact that he revised the Bible to omit any miraculous events. In a book with this format, I'm not sure how this could be avoided.

In the end, I would still recommend this book. Adults will enjoy the lesser-known historical anecdotes, and teens will be challenged by the personal application.

Enough is Enough!

For all of you who come to my site from a search engine, I do not know Carrie Underwood's:

~ home address
~ age or exact birthdate
~ parent's home address
~ weight
~ e-mail address
~ or blog, or even if she has one!

I also don't know what her life was like growing up, if she's happy, or how to get her hairstyle!

Computer-Free Week

The kids have been having a computer-free week. I did break down and let them play yesterday when their friend was over, but that was it. The normal deal is they can each play for up to one hour a day if their school work and chores are done. But this last weekend was not a good weekend. They were bickering left and right and being downright yucky to each other.

Sunday night, I'd had enough, and Kevin and I decided to take the computer away for a while. This week has been somewhat better in the way they treat each other. And they're coming up with some interesting ways to spend their time.

Plays have been performed almost every day, usually revolving around the topic of penguins. Either someone is getting a penguin as a pet, or the daddy and mommy penguin have to make sure their egg doesn't freeze. We just watched The March of the Penguins and the kids all loved it and for some reason it has triggered this dramatic phase.

I'm not sure what we're going to do about the computer after this week; we haven't talked about it yet. But I love the fact that there is more creative play going on. And I've noticed a huge improvement in Jonathan's behavior without the constant computer stimulus. It seems to affect him more than anyone else.

Do you have computer guidelines at your house? What works for you and what doesn't?

Now, I better end my computer time and get some laundry folded so we have clean clothes to wear!

The latest Club Mom article...

...is called For the Love of Books.

Must-Read Memoir

No, I'm not talking about that "memoir", the one we've all been hearing about that isn't really a memoir at all. I'm talking about this one:



I googled the title to make sure there weren't any controversies brewing about it's truthfulness and I didn't find any. Not that I was surprised. In the acknowledgements, Ms. Ryan thanks all of her brothers and sisters - nine of them - for help in fact-checking and memory remembering. And this book wasn't written with the intention of glorifying the author. This book is a love letter to the author's mother.

Evelyn Ryan, the prizewinner mentioned in the title, lived in a very different world than we do today. It was small-town America, but not today's small-town America. When I read books like this, I am always amazed at how much society has changed in just the last 50 or 60 years.

Mrs. Ryan lived in a time when spousal abuse and alcoholism was ignored. If the wife dared to speak out about what was happening, the blame was placed on her shoulders. Women were meant to be meek and submissive and keep quiet about their husband's faults, even if those faults were harming the family.

This woman was a victim, and had every right to curl up in a corner and go to sleep and ignore the world. But she didn't. She had ten children, and she used her ingenuity and love of words and writing to put food on the table and pay the bills. And win things like TVs, clock radios, cars, and cash. Her husband drank away his paychecks, and yet this family of 12 survived. And the love and gratitude that Terry Ryan feels toward her mother is evident on every page of this book.