Starbucks Free Coffee For Homeschool Parents

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(For something else interesting related to Starbucks click the link above.)

Isn't this a lovely thing for coffee drinkers and homeschoolers? Sadly, I am not a coffee drinker. Yes, it really makes me sad sometimes.

This coming Monday, September 29, (tomorrow) homeschool parents will be able to pick up a complimentary tall size (12 fl. oz.) cup of Pike Place Roast from Starbucks.

This promotion is part of Starbucks “Great Start for Great Teachers” promotion, and is now open to all teachers.

You will need proof that you are a homeschooler. For that information and more details click here.

Let's Hear It For Modesty!

I found this amazing post on a new blog I discovered. You MUST read it. Read it until the end. I was dumbfounded by the end. Come back here and leave me a comment. I want to know if your reaction was similar to mine or not. Let's not give up on modesty. :-)

To read it click here.

Speaking of modesty, have your heard about "Moms for Modesty"? Check it out here. I love what it says. I pasted their mission below.

Moms for Modesty Mission Statement

As a Mom for Modesty I believe in common-sense modesty for girls and young women.

I believe in refraining from sexualizing our girls and young women.

I believe that it is unwise and unfair to taunt boys and young men by permitting my daughter(s) to dress in an immodest manner.

I believe that true beauty comes from within and I strive to teach my daughter(s) this truth.

I will loyally shop at retailers that provide girls' and young womens clothing that is modest, affordable and stylish.

12 Things

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I don't know about you but I am always striving to be a better wife and mother. I ran across a very interesting post on "Doug's Blog". This is a post for wives. Please look at it and tell me what you think. To see the whole post click here.

As a bit of a teaser I am posting the entro and #1 and #7 for you below.

Gracious ladies, enter here. Vicious man-haters, beware. Camilia Brown is in the house, and her words are health to the homemaker, but hateful to the rapacious feminist. Camilla is part of the league of gracious, responsible lady bloggers, and the following is from an article entitled “12 Things You Should Not Do To Your Husband.” Read at your own risk:

#1 DO NOT treat your husband as one of your children. You are not running the household he is. So no matter how busy you think you are or how many tasks you might have to perform at once you should not address your husband in this way: “Honey come here! Do this! Hold that! Grab this! Deal with this or that!” Now I am all for asking our husbands for help when he is available to give it, but bossing him around is not becoming to a wife. We must conduct ourselves as his help meet and not treat him as if the reverse were true.

#7 DO NOT make him feel he doesn’t measure up to your expectations. Encourage, don’t criticize and most important...be content!

Vote YES for Sarah!

This may come as a shock to you but the National Organization for Women (NOW) has officially endorsed Obama. (OK, you caught me, that was sarcasm!) You would think they would be thrilled that she could be our first female VP but that is not the case.


Please vote on this!

This literally takes ONE SECOND to do - click on "YES" if you think Sara Palin is qualified to be V.P. and show the NOW group what you think.

Simply click on the link below.

VOTE YES - National Organization for Women Poll on Palin!


Click HERE to vote and pass this on to your friends. ALL women should vote on this.

The National Organization for Women (NOW) has put a poll on the PBS
website which says, so far, that 60% of people think that Palin is not qualified
as a VP. Of course, they have sent this to all their pro-death people to vote on.

I have counter acted by giving it my YES
vote. Will you do the same?
No requirement for name, address, etc.



Update: I voted today and the tables are turning. It is NOT 60% anymore. :-)

After you hit 30, it’s all downhill, right? Part 2

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Now this girl is old but YOU are not. She was 176 yrs. old. ;-)

This is part 2 of the article from yesterday. Again, my comments are in red.

4. Clean up your diet.
You just can’t build healthy new cells by eating devitalized junk food that has a shelf life longer than your life expectancy. We all need plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, adequate protein, lots of water, sunshine, and fresh air. More fruits and veggies, more water, and more sun! All the things a growing boy or girl need. :-)

5. Take supplements.
Everyone needs at least a good daily multivitamin. Brands like Centrum aren’t worth the money. You need a pharmaceutical-grade product with good antioxidant coverage. A great deal of physical deterioration is the result of free radical damage to tissues. Antioxidants gobble up those free radicals, and help tissue in the skin and everywhere else stay pliable, flexible and healthy. This is something I think is VERY important. I have a lot to say on this subject. Not taking vitamins is like not having car insurance. You don't want to ever need it but if you do you won't be sorry. Responsible, mature people have car insurance and more kinds of insurance than that. A cheaper insurance and much more valuable is vitamins. You should at LEAST take a good multivitamin. Store brands are not that great. They have the RDA. That just means the amount that keeps you from being DEAD. It is not the amount that keeps you healthy. I personally take a multi-vitamin from the health food store, in addition to Cod Liver Oil, Cromium, extra vitamin C & E, B-150, and a few more. I also add pectin, Benefiber, and Pomegranite juice to my daily routine. I am not saying that you will have perfect health but like insurance it is something you need to have. It does help!

6. Get up and boogey!
There’s only one reason why someone automatically loses muscle mass or range of motion with age: They stop using their muscles and bodies fully. Period. Physical deterioration has very little to do with age. It has a lot to do with being sedentary. You wouldn’t expect your car to start on the first try and run well if you left it sitting out in a field for five years, then tried to drive it – would you? Of course not. It’s the same with our bodies. Those who exercise regularly can expect to add at least six to seven quality years to their lives. Walking isn’t usually enough to build the kind of muscle mass you need to keep your weight normal. You also need weight training to build and maintain bone mass. Take it from someone who hasn't been exercising much for a long time. After getting back to the gym 3 times a week I have been thrilled to see how much MORE I can do.

7. Engage in creative pursuits and schedule things to look forward to.
It’s possible to keep your mind sharp and enjoy your life without becoming an exercise or food nut. I often meet very creative people whose minds are so engaged in their work and in what they’re creating for the future that they’re saturated with life force directly from source energy. This is one of the reasons why composers such as 70-year-old John Williams seem so timeless. Their creative process is such that they’re always touching the hand of God. Their work is divinely inspired. I don't really know who this person is or if he really is touching the hand of God. However, creative pursuits are very good to have. It is important to have goals and to focus on things. Don't get in a rut doing the same thing all the time. And that rubs off on the physical body.

You don’t have to be a world-class composer to tap into source energy. Prayer will do it. And so will dance or any other creative pursuit. The key is that you have to open yourself up to being a channel for something new.

8. Go to a spa.
A spa visit can help jump-start your new, younger life. A good spa is set up with all the food, exercise, great company, and creativity built right in. So it’s natural to get inspired at a spa. I am not sure about this last one but I have never been to a spa. One day I will and maybe then I can let you know if this is helpful or not.

Remember, youth is a state of mind. You can be young at 90, and old at 15. You get to choose.

Christiane Northrup, M.D.

This article came from HERE.

After you hit 30, it’s all downhill, right?

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I personally say NO! Here is part one of a great article we should all read if we are over 30. Leave me a comment regarding your thoughts on this matter. My comments are in red.

8 Great Secrets for Growing Young

After you hit 30, it’s all downhill, right? Not true. Your physical health and your mental well-being determine your real age, not the date on your birth certificate. In acknowledgement of Healthy Aging Month, here are eight tips for feeling young no matter what your age. Plus, are you doing everything you can to boost your life expectancy?

Getting older is inevitable. But aging is not. Here are my tips for staying young at any age.

1. Forget your chronologic age.
It’s a fairly meaningless number after the age of 30. It’s your biologic age that counts. People who understand how life energy works in the body often have biologic ages 20 or more years younger than their chronologic ages.

My 80-year-old mother is a good example. A few years ago she climbed four unmarked peaks (no trails on them) in the Adirondacks – jumping over boulders and downed trees like a mountain goat. She takes no medications whatsoever. She does, however, use a wide variety of supplements daily. It’s clear my mother’s biologic age is far younger than her chronologic age. I want to be like her!

The opposite is also true. I routinely see 35-year-olds who look, act and talk like people far older. I have seen this too. Very sad. They tend to hang out with friends and family members who talk the same talk and walk the same slow walk. When I meet such a person, I know I’m seeing the aging process happening right before my eyes. Their words, thoughts and actions are all about deterioration.......

2. Getting older is inevitable.
Aging is not. The process of getting older actually begins the moment our life begins in the womb! We can’t stop it. But we can certainly influence it dramatically. Though we really don’t understand what aging is, I have some theories that have stood the test of time.

Until age 30 or so, the “springtime” energy within each of us is so strong that our bodies are very forgiving. In other words, the average 18-year-old will be able to maintain a healthy weight and have lots of energy, even if he or she eats mostly junk food, doesn’t exercise, doesn’t take nutritional supplements, smokes, drinks alcohol, and is chronically pessimistic. But the natural forgiveness that nature gifts to the young doesn’t last forever. I am pretty sad about that. Why can't it last forever???

By about age 30, our lifestyles, including our thoughts and beliefs, catch up with us. Your body will be far less forgiving than it used to be. You won’t be able to stay up all night at parties drinking alcohol, then fuel yourself with several cups of coffee the next morning and still arrive at work the next day feeling alert. You won’t be able to live on caffeine and cigarettes and still have your complexion look radiant. You won’t be able to keep working at a job you hate while having no plans for change in the future without this taking a toll on your body.

When health-robbing habits catch up with people at about the age of 30 or so, they say, “You see? It’s my age. That’s why this stuff is happening to me. It’s natural.” Nothing could be further from the truth. When we don’t take care of our bodies (including our minds, emotions and spirits) our bodies are forced to send us louder and louder signals to get our attention.

Headaches, low energy, dull skin, joint aches and pains are just a few of the many different messages our body sends us when it needs better care. Our symptoms are not signs that our bodies are somehow “turning on us.” Our bodies are actually created from our consciousness and the behavior that flows from this. This may be starting to sound a bit new agey but I think this is true in another sense. I DO believe that our words are powerful and our thoughts help shape us. These are Biblical truths. I think that is why it is SO important that we watch our words because we will eventually believe what we hear ourselves say. That’s why it’s possible to remain vital and healthy, and keep improving in many areas throughout our lives!

3. Get conscious about ageism.
We live in a culture that is drenched with ageism. We automatically assume that someone is going to deteriorate as they get older. Recently, my massage therapist told me a woman called and described herself as “old and fat.” She was only 55! This is insane – and also dangerous to our health and well-being. I agree! Saying you are OLD at 55 is not right. I don't want to hear anyone say I am old, ever. OK, well maybe when I am 75 or so. Then I won't be offended...maybe.
It’s important to catch yourself engaging in ageism. I don't call it ageism but I do call it a negative confession. I don't want to make confessions that I will eventually believe. Do you ever say that you’ve just had a “senior” moment when you forget a name or a face? If you do, stop it. NOW. I’ve forgotten occasional names for my whole life. I’ll bet you have, too. We all forget things. This needn’t increase with age. I think I have been doing stuff like that since I was in my 20's and I certainly was not old then. Then again, I can't remember when that was....just kidding.

Many women, especially during perimenopause, complain of having a “cotton head.” They can’t seem to balance their checkbook. They’re certain that they are experiencing the first stages of Alzheimer’s. This simply isn’t true. Most of the “fuzzy head” that women talk about at perimenopause isn’t aging at all. It’s your inner wisdom telling you it’s time for you to tune in to yourself more consistently. It may also be time to make sure your hormones are in the correct balance. Check out my blog Happy Girls Use Happy Cream to see if this may be something you need.

Catch yourself in the act of using your age as an excuse for not trying something. For example, “I think I’m doing pretty well, for my age.” What does that mean? Though it’s true that most 65-year-old men and women don’t engage in as much risk-taking or thrill-seeking behavior as they did when they were younger (like driving too fast with a high blood alcohol level), this is because of a wonderful quality that comes with age: wisdom. I like this quality. It is a good one.

Christiane Northrup, M.D. Excerpted with permission from The Dr. Christiane Northrup Web site.

This is the first part of a very interesting article I found. I hope you will come back tomorrow to read the rest.

If you don't want to wait for the rest of this article tomorrow click HERE.

Beethoven Number 5 or Number 9?

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Geez! I had a funny experience yesterday. It felt surreal. I remember laughing during this conversation and thinking I would have never guessed that I would witness this. This was one of those "You Know You Are A Homeschooler When" moments.

I was sitting at the table with my two daughters, ages 13 and 17. My 17 yr. old loves to write. She has been working on a story for a few years now. She wants it to be published and later turned into a movie. She has done a lot of research for this book. You would be surprised at the titles of some books reserved at the library. The research that she is currently working on came in from the library yesterday. It was 2 CD's of classical music. Apparently, there is a very important scene that needs 'the perfect' music. It has to be a little bit sad and not too upbeat. She wants to say what the character is listening to during this time. The character in the story enjoys listening to classical music from time to time. I know this doesn't sound too funny, yet. I am getting to it. You need the back ground information on this one.


This is what happened. I am sitting at the table helping my 13 yr. old with some school work. My 17 yr. old comes in and sits on the other side of me. For several minutes we have been listening to Beethoven. Suddenly, like a scene from a movie I realize I am in the middle of a very passionate converstaion. My 13 yr. old is saying, "oh, no, you do NOT want Beethovens Number 5 sympony, Number 9 is much better. It has more of what you want. Number 5 is WAY too upbeat for this scene. The discussion goes on for a few minutes until I burst out laughing.

Shortly, after that there was a debate about who wrote the Sugarplum Fairy...I know the correct answer...Peter Tchaikovsky!


How funny is that? The fact that my 17 yr. old is checking classical music out at the library and then such a passionate discussion with a 13 yr. old? Surely, I have done SOMETHING right. I hope this gave you a laugh. I sure laughed about it yesterday.


Well, I am not sure what is funnier. The story above or the fact that my 13 yr. old loves country music AND classical music. She is an amazing child. :-)

Cultured Moms Favorite Things-Pectin & Grape Juice

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Some time ago, I heard from a friend about a very interesting treatment/natural remedy for arthritis and other similar pain. Thanks Jayne!

Time for another one of Cultured Moms Favorite Things.

Have you heard about Pectin and Grape Juice? Well, I had not heard of it before but apparently it is something that has been around for a long time (think 1940's). I had NO IDEA! I tried this when I hurt myself. I think I hurt my knee or something like that. It wasn't a big injury but it sure was hurting. I had been in pain when I started thinking about this idea. I figured if it helped arthritis and that is an issue with the joints maybe it would be helpful to me. I feel very confidant that it DOES help a lot. I did several experiments and my confidence only grew. After having a good deal of success I did some more research. I discovered that this was also good for people dealing with IBS.

If you are interested in trying this the most common recipe is 2 teaspoons of Certo in 3 ounces of grape juice three times a day. I don't think you have to take it 3 times a day but it may depend on how severe your issues are.

This website said the following,

"Within a week, most arthritis sufferers experienced significant relief of pain. They then either reduced the dose or discontinued Certo altogether until they had another flare-up of pain."

Here are two things I thought that were interesting when I read about this.

#1 Many people swear by the effectiveness of an arthritis Certo treatment, yet to date there have been no studies conducted on it to prove its efficacy.

#2 Certo is a thickening agent that can be found in most grocery stores. It contains an extract called pectin, which is a natural ingredient found in plant cells.

I found this information here. At that same site there are several other suggestions for help in this area.

I thought these comments above were pretty funny actually. #1 A lot of people swear this works BUT there have been no studies proving it? #2 Pectin is a natural ingredient found in plant cells. Have we ever heard how good it is for us to be eating LOTS of fruits and veggies? Well, do we really need a test to figure out how, why, and if this works?
I say do your own study.
Try it for several days and see what you think. It is certainly a lot cheaper than the medication prescribed for this issue. Also, there are NO side affects. How can you go wrong with this?

You can find this at the grocery store with the canning products, like Suregel, canning jars, or I think it is also in the jello/pudding area.

For more interesting reading here are a few more links for you. Be sure to read all the way to the bottom on the first one.

The People's Pharmacy
(there is even a suggestion that this helps with high blood pressure/high cholesterol

About.com arthritis

Submit Your Article.com

If you try this (or have already tried this) please leave us a comment with your results.

Tip From Cultured Mom:

You don't have to drink this in a full glass of juice. You can just use about 3 oz. if you like. I usually mix mine with Pomegranate juice (2 oz.) and grape juice (3 oz.) for a total of around 5 oz.

The main thing to know is to stir IMMEDIATELY or you will be drinking chunky juice...a lot like a chunk of jelly. Not very tasty to me.

Are You Kidding Me?

Now this? I don't even know what to say because this is so ridiculous...oh wait, I do now. THIS is the time they chose to talk about Jesus? Wow! You HAVE to watch this.

You Want Me To Do What?

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I didn't write this and I don't know who did. Saw this yesterday and thought it was excellent. What do you think? Leave a comment.

After being interviewed by the school administration, the teaching
prospect said, 'Let me see if I've got this right:

'You want me to go into that room with all those kids, correct their
disruptive behavior, observe them for signs of abuse, monitor their
dress habits, censor their T-shirt messages, and instill in them a
love for learning.

'You want me to check their backpacks for weapons, wage war on drugs
and sexually transmitted diseases, and raise their sense of self
esteem and personal pride.

'You want me to teach them patriotism and good citizenship,
sportsmanship and fair play, and how to register to vote, balance a
checkbook, and apply for a job. You want me to check their heads for
lice, recognize signs of antisocial behavior, and make sure that they
all pass the state exams.

'You want me to provide them with an equal education regardless of
their handicaps, and communicate regularly with their parents by
letter, telephone, newsletter, and report card.

'You want me to do all this with a piece of chalk, a blackboard, a
bulletin board, a few books, a big smile, and a starting salary that
qualifies me for food stamps. You want me to do all this and then you
tell me.......... ......


'I CAN'T PRAY?'

Typical White Person?

Update: I feel bad because apparently some people did not understand this t-shirt. I assumed every one knew about the Obama quote. If this t-shirt confuses you please read here or here to see what it is all about.

I just had to share this t-shirt with you. I SO wish I wore t-shirts on a regular basis. I would buy this in a heart beat. However, my teenager does wear t-shirts and she is drooling over it.

Go here or here to purchase one for you or your teen.
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Your Schooling Didn't Count?

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Got this in the mail today. You should read this. It is very important and very upsetting.....

Just when you think it couldn't get worse ...

The attacks on your faith and your constitutional freedoms keep on coming. In fact, they are intensifying.

In the midst of pressing deadlines and round-the-clock preparations for our upcoming crucial First Amendment Supreme Court case ...

We must confront the University of California and a federal court's decision IN FAVOR OF RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION.

Your generous support is needed now. Despite an enormous workload, we absolutely cannot ignore this dangerous ruling and will file an amicus brief to protect Christian school students' rights.

Here are the disturbing facts of the case:

The University of California (UC) has decided Christian school graduates don't meet its required "educational standards."

Under their flawed admissions policy, UC rejected multiple courses offered by Calvary Chapel Christian School and, therefore, would not consider their graduating high school students for admission.

For example, a history course taught at Calvary Chapel Christian School was rejected for, among other things:


failure to "teach critical thinking and modern historical analy[sis]" because it "instructs that the Bible is the unerring source for analysis of historical events, attributes historical events to divine providence rather than analyzing human action, [and] evaluates historical figures and their contributions based on their religious motivations or lack thereof...."


However, the federal court's decision to reject the Christian school's argument of discrimination may be the most unbelievable - and most fundamentally detrimental - aspect of this case.

Imagine ... graduates from a Christian high school told that their education is not good enough - that their course credits don't count - and that they won't be admitted to college.

Please give an immediate online gift right now to help the ACLJ combat this blatant, anti-Christian bigotry in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

The court's disregard for the basic rights of Christian school students is disastrous. It flies in the face of our constitutionally protected religious rights.

This case literally has the potential to impact Christian high schools and students across the country - making it much more difficult for students at Christian high schools to gain admission to public universities and forcing Christian schools to consider changing their curriculum.

I am committed to seeing a successful outcome in this important matter. In order to do so, our ACLJ team must delve deeply into the law and present the strongest possible case.

Please understand: Our amicus briefs are increasingly cited by the Supreme Court in its opinions. This means our briefs - from the very beginning of the process - are critically important.

Your donation today will help us dedicate the time and materials to researching case law, writing the necessary legal memorandums, and preparing our amicus brief.

We need your help immediately to move forward and to achieve success in protecting the rights of Christian school students and those of our children and grandchildren. Thank you.



For more information go here or to the the ACLJ website.

Watch!

If you are an American, please watch this video. Be sure to watch it until the end.