Technology sucks!

My computer seems to have picked up some weird virus! I think we fixed it this time (knock on wood!), but we aren't all that sure. It doesn't seem to be eating anything, it just holds my computer hostage. I can't get to anything, and it's really frustrating.

It started with a pop-up telling my my computer was threatened, and would I like to Heal, Ignore, etc. I chose Heal, thinking it was my anti-virus software. My computer locked up for a bit, then everything seemed to be fine. I got offline right away. The next day, things seemed fine, til I tried to get online. That's when it locked up, and a pop-up for an anti-virus software kept pinging. The hubby checked online, and it seems to be a scam to get money. We found a download to get rid of it, but it happened again. I really hope that we got rid of it for good this time! Is it weird to sometimes really hate technology? Hopefully, I'll be back with some summer and home school posts. Hope you guys are having fun!

I want to move to the City!

So, we don't live waaaaaay out in the country on an 8,000 acre ranch or anything, but having an acre between each neighbour, and only having 8 houses in our "subdivision" feels like it to me. I am an Air Force Brat who grew up in base housing, and having space scares me to death! And, honestly............Nature freaks me out. I don't like bugs and snakes and things, being up close and personal. *Shiver*

But here's the deal. I married a man who loves space, and would be the only house out here if it were possible. And the house was already here, so what can I do, I love the man. For 10 years now, we have lived here, and in that 10 years, we've spotted many a bug, and animal. One night, I took pictures of an opossum roaming around our back porch and patio(from the safety of the living room and porch, of course!). I killed the biggest Black Widow I have ever seen in my life, right outside our front door two weeks ago. We've watched wild turkey's fly from our backyard, seen deer scamper across the fields, and hubby even spotted a coyote in the road one morning on his way to work. Raccoons and their babies walk along the road at night, and a baby skunk and I scared the crap out of each other once when I opened the door to let out the dog! Thank goodness my reflexes kicked in and I slammed the door before it realized what was going on! And the bunnies......oh the bunnies! Sadie the Greyhound is just dying to get her paws on one! And they taunt her mercilessly, the little devils. And yes, it all sounds wonderful, and it has been......until the night before last.

The kids and I were out "Bunny Hunting" with Sadie. That's what we call her evening "business" outings now, thanks to the taunting. The three fields around the yard have sprouted a huge crop of blackberries. And either it just started, or I've been totally blind for 10 years now! Anyhooo.....we found some that were hanging over into the yard (heck no, I'm not walking into the field to pick them! Helllooo, Nature Phobic!), so we discussed the stages of ripening, and picked some good looking ones. We were close to the road, and I just happened to look up. I spotted something out of the corner of my eye on the ground, and my heart revved. I told the kids to take Sadie in the house, and to tell the hubby to come outside. I backed away, but realized it wasn't quite what I thought it was. Hubby came out, and was amazed. I, on the other hand, am scared to death to walk around the yard now. Would you like to see what I found???

That is not a stick. That is a 5ft - something long, fully intact snake skin!!!!! Hubby is "pretty sure" it's a black snake. I don't really care, I think it's gross and horrible and scary. That thing is almost as tall as me, and I don't like it not one little bit. I am packing as we speak. City, here I come!!!

Crafty withdrawls

My craft room is a mess (again), and I hate it! I seem to be one of those people who feel all out of whack if I'm not making something. It might not be good, but I made it myself, and there is something to that. I embroider now, which is tiding me over a bit, but I also enjoy my new found paper mache hobby, as well, and am dying to combine the two. I also enjoy my stamp carving, which I cannot do outside my craft room thanks to the mess I make doing it.

My craft room has become a "catch all" room, thanks to lack of storage in our house. I walk by daily, and just sigh. There is something new in there every single day! I have become overwhelmed by the amount of stuff in there, but I have got to get started. My Mom has asked me to do a project for her, and I'd like to be able to do it for her rather quickly. It isn't hard, nor will it take long, but I need to do it IN THERE!

I miss my craft room, darn it, and all the weird and wonderful things in it. It's my getaway. It's where I stash my Anime figures (we are weird enough without those being out in public), My Alfred Hitchcock Barbie (The Birds!), my kids wonderfully abstract art, and hopefully soon, a Coraline doll (sigh). I need to be in there at least once a day to help calm the waters.

So...starting tomorrow, I will begin the tedious, and time consuming task of cleaning it out (again). Yay! Wish me luck!!

Ballet Slippers and Diva-ish Behavior

My youngest, Moongazer, has been taking Ballet through our Home school group for about 6 months now, I think. She enjoys it, but it hasn't become her passion. She preferred to show me the stretches they do in class, than the actual moves! I think that might have all changed last night.

She had her first recital, and looooved it! She wasn't nervous, "Not one little bit," she said. She did a wonderful job for someone who refused to practice at home. I'm not kidding, either, she flat out refused! She remembered a lot more of the dance than I thought she would. We stayed backstage the whole time, since we had seen the performances two days before, at dress rehearsal. I wanted to take pictures backstage, and she liked watching from there. I really enjoy backstage, although, I think we might have been in the way some. We weren't the only ones, believe me!
She was absolutely gorgeous in her costume, and I'm not partial at all I tell ya. Her hair is thin and short, so it took me awhile to figure something out. Especially, since I'm not a big Girly-Girl, and have loathed doing my own hair since I was young. We had to fix it backstage thanks to the rain, but it actually turned in to a blessing. It looked so much better the second time around. And honestly, I'm secretly hoping that there will be more of these sorts of things to come. Whether it be ballet, or theatre, I loved getting her all dressed up. I think having a little girl is starting to bring out the inner girl in me, as well! And being backstage was so much fun. I have secretly had a dream to work on sets and things, but have been too scared to go through with it.

Although, it seems like the costume had some sort of effect on my sweet, darling, daughter. There was more than one instance (as you can tell by the first picture) of Diva behavior. Frowns, foot-stomping, the dreaded "tsk" noise, the whole thing. It was weird, I tell you!

The rest of the girls (and one boy) were wonderful, as well. I loved seeing them all dressed in their costumes, giggling nervously backstage with their classmates, and watching in quiet awe as their lovely teacher danced a solo. Standing there, surrounded by giggles, tulle, props, and my little munchkin glowing with excitement, I was in Heaven. And I think I might not have been the only one.

Poor Sadie

My lovely greyhound Diva is depressed. And it's our fault. We brought home another grey, and man was he a sweetie! Sadie had met him while staying at her former Foster Home while we went on vacation, and they got along sooo well! She was already teaching him bad habits, and loving it. My husband and I went back and forth about it, and finally took him home. We were having a wee bit of a money thing (stupid economy, stupid us), but we thought we would be able to manage. Well.....being a one-income, homeschooling household, money for adopting another dog wasn't really there. So, it was either Wylie, or the kids' education. We are really trying to keep them home, and they have to have books. I feel horrible. We are all upset, especially our youngest who had become very attached to Wylie. The adoption group was very sympathetic, and luckily, they were able to place him in his new Forever Home 3 days after we called them. I know that some people won't understand how we could have given him back. But, homeschooling is something that we are very commited to, and believe me, it was sooo hard to do it.

But, in the past few days, I've noticed that Sadie is sleeping a lot. Now, for most greyhounds, that is normal, but Sadie didn't race, and is a little more active than most greys. She sleeps or lays around, but she has been doing it longer, and more often than usual. And today, she doesn't even want to really go outside. I hope that this is just a mourning period, and that she will come out of it soon. I feel so horribly guilty when I look over and see her just laying there. I'm sorry, my poor, lovely Sadie. I really am.

School starts back when?!!!

I've been talking about the summer quite a bit lately. To my Mom, the hubby, other homeschool Moms....and the question inevitably comes up; "When are you guys going to start back?" My answer is always, "Oh, probably in July, maybe the middle. I want to have time off at Christmas and stuff." And we go on with whatever else we're doing.

Well, I just realized that July is only a month away. One Month!!! What?? When did that happen? Where did May go???!!!! Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!

I am FREAKING OUT!! We haven't bought the curriculum yet, I haven't made any plans.....I have nothing! And believe me, I am the most unorganized person on the face of the planet. I need time to figure out HOW to get organized, THEN do it. One of the biggest problems we ran into this past year, was the fact that I didn't plan out and organize our weekly work very well. It was a sort of "fly by the seat of your pants" kind of year, and it bit me in the butt. I don't want a repeat of that.

Soooo, it looks like my nights will be busy with curriculum research, books, forms, and "How To Organize Your Home" tips. Ah, Internet, I love you.

Our Summer Plans

Our school year is over, and it's time for a break! We are more than likely going to be starting back in July, so I wanted to make the most of the time the kids have off. There are going to be library visits every week (they enjoy it, I swear! ), slip n' slide action in the yard, disc golf with Dad, aaannnnd.......Weird Side Trips! What better way for our weird little family to celebrate summer, than with The Summer of Weird! I love this book, and have the Weird U.S. one as well. We've actually been to a couple of the places in here already, but there are so many more that I'm dying to see! I mean, WE are dying to see,that's right, all of us.....

So, over the summer, the blog will consist of pics and stories (hopefully!) of all the weird and wonderful places we've discovered in our home state. If the kids look a little less than happy in the pictures, don't worry about it, they are probably just overwhelmed by the awesomeness of the things we are finding. Stay tuned!