Jamie Lemon

Hi everyone,

I guess you can call this a "week in the life of an unschooling family". I
am just gonna ramble a bit about what's been going on around here. Maybe I
am feeling chatty, or maybe I just want to vent and cheer, etc. Here we
go...

Pool Parties.... The kids went to a pool party last thursday to celebrate a
friend's (Julia) 7th birthday. The child's brilliant parents requested that
no one buy gifts but rather make a card or gift for their daughter, Julia.
My kids were VERY happy about this, cause they love to make things for
people. We had made some "ancient" scrolls earlier in the week. Max (my
8yo) made a name poem for julia and put it in a scroll. Sam (my 11yo) made
a bead necklace and a basket out of rainbow colored craft sticks to hold the
scroll. They had a wonderful time at the party and Julia loved the gifts.

Hubby and I attended a pool party Saturday night. It is held every year for
the adults in our community. (we live in an apartment/townhome community,
my hubby works for the management company, he is the director of IS) There
is catered food (chinese this time, mmmm) and free beer and karaoke. We got
to talk to lots of friends who we have not seen in ages! We got lots of
compliments on the kids, how they have grown, how well behaved they are, how
polite, inventive, etc. My favorite part is watching the mostly "stuffy,
all business types" cut loose and dance and have fun. Oh and swimming at
night is great, because I am a redhead with fair skin and burn within only
20 minutes in the sun.

The next day there was a knock on the door, not unusual, kids are always
coming to ask Sam & Max to play. But this time it was for me!?!?! hahaha A
lady who lives a few doors down came by to drop off some pics of our kids at
her daughter's birthday party from a few weeks ago. She stayed and chatted
and we got along very well. I also discovered that my dog, MOJO, is more
well behaved than I give him credit for hehehe. Anyway, after chatting a bit
about painting the house, we went down to her place so I could see the
painting she has done. I was very inspired and have decided to paint our
home as well. After leaving there I was walking home and ran into some other
parents of my kids' friends. They asked about homeschooling. We chatted a
while, the father is a musician, he offered to teach Sam how to play her
keyboard if she is interested. He showed me his studio where he makes his
music, I was in awe at all the neat equipment! Oh and we also got invited
to goto the pool with another friend of ours. We went for about an hour, I
got sunburned but it was fun playing ball in the pool.

Monday, I got sick, very sick, coughing, sneezing, etc. I was miserable!
Not to mention I was in so much pain (back problems, 2 degenrated discs). I
did not sleep at all sunday night so monday I was in really bad shape. The
kids were angels! They very quietly played the computers (lego.com,
barbie.com, and other games, etc) I slept on and off while on the couch.
Hubby offered to stay home with me. But one of his employees was on
vacation then another one called in sick so he had to goto the office. The
kids were good all day. The lady down the street stops by to chat, had to
tell her I was really sick, didn't want to pass it to her baby. She says
"come over as soon as you are feeling better" (Good! I actually have a
social life now! hahaha)

Tuesday, got a call I have been waiting for for 3 months. Our insurance had
finally approved the IDET procedure for my back. Scheduled it for the 15th,
but uh oh! I have a cold and if it is not gone by then I have to reschedule.
So I called my doc setup an appointment for Wed. One of the nieghborhood
parents dropped off a bag full of books for Sam & Max. Sam found an oragami
book and loves it. She made me a candy dish for my desk, it is really cute!
Max & dh played alot of star wars on the Xbox. DH is coming down with my
cold now, we are both miserable.

Wednesday, DH called in sick, but worked from home. I goto the doctor. He
says he promises I will be well in time for the IDET, puts me on
antibiotics. When I get home a good surprise in the mail, The Lord of the
Rings DVD has arrived (with a free t-shirt). The kids scream with joy. We
all sit down to watch it again (saw it in theatres). I absolutely LOVE this
movie, we all do. DH is feeling very bad, we are both so sick, can hardly
move. Max caught a praying mantis in the backyard. He put it in his bug
collector kit. He is very excited!

Thursday, DH leaves for work, within 1 hour he is back home (sick still),
looks terribly ill. He spends the day on the phone and computer, trying to
catch up on missed work. I spend the morning catching up on emails. The
kids were watching Lord of the Rings for the 3rd time. We talk about the
movie and the books. We watch the special features (making of). My parents
call and say they are coming down next week. Going to get a hotel room with
a pool and keep the kids for a couple of days after my back treatment. I am
really happy because I don't like for the kids to see me suffering in pain,
it worries them needlessly. My cold symptoms are fading a little. DH is
still miserable. We order pizza for dinner, no one feels like cooking. We
had a long family discussion about unschooling. The kids didn't understand
why we were not doing school-at-home anymore, the asked lots of questions.
They seemed satisfied with the answers we gave. Max had me help him find
info about what to feed his praying manits. We viewed a video about flying
snakes too.

Here it is Friday. DH returned to work this am, he is still sick but
getting better slowly.
In some respects it has been a miserable week. But some really good things
happened this week. There is yet another pool party for all the kids in the
neighbohood tonight. Sam & Max don't want to go tho. I am not really sure
why, they just decided not to. They have lots of friends here, but some of
the other kids are bullies, especially at the pool and park. I think this
worries the kids. They don't like trouble and they tend to come racing home
at this slightest hint of problems with other kids. I think this is good.
I can trust them.

Well I have rambled long enough and if you are still reading and still
awake, thanks for listening! :-)

Zan

Jamie Lemon

I almost forgot!!!!
One more wonderful miraculous thing happened this week!
We were watching TV, a movie I think (something we had not seen before). There was a point when the TV screen faded and the words "One year Later" popped up.
Max (our loving little 8yo non-reading son) says "One year later.."

DH and I both smiled so big!

I said (as calmly as I could) "Max that was really great"

and he says "What?"

I say "You read that, 'one year later',"

He smiles and says "wow I guess I did read it...hmmm I CAN read, can't I?"

And I say proudly "Yes, Max, you can read"

It was a beautiful moment.

Zan


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[email protected]

Zan, thanks for sharing your week! I enjoyed the glimpse into your sweet
family. You need to hear about Echinacea! It's an extract from Purple cone
flower. It boosts your immune system so the length of your sickness is half
as long. DeWes


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[email protected]

About your son reading 'one year later'from the TV screen, my daughter was
lamenting that she couldn't spell, so I chimed "Rachael and Tony sitting in a
tree..." and paused. She added "k-i-s-s-i-n-g". Another great moment. That
was eight years ago and now she is our families best speller. DeWes


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Jamie Lemon

Hi!
Thanks for the advice. Where could I find Echinacea?
In a health food store maybe?
I don't know much about the benefits of herbs and such.
I really should look into it more tho.

Zan

----- Original Message -----
From: SeaweedMom7474@...

Zan, thanks for sharing your week! I enjoyed the glimpse into your sweet
family. You need to hear about Echinacea! It's an extract from Purple cone
flower. It boosts your immune system so the length of your sickness is half
as long. DeWes

[email protected]

Hi Zan! Yep in a health food store. But lately the regular grocery stores are
stocking health alternatives so maybe in the vitamin section of the grocery.
I get it at the health food store in a tinture form. But it does come in
regular pill form. Good luck! DeWes


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[email protected]

First thing to do before starting any new health care regiman (Whether it is
a synthetic prescription medication or Herbal remidy) is read about it. Do a
search on natural immune boosters, echinacea, golden seal.
If you are lucky to have a Whole Foods Market nearby, they have a number of
books on teh subject or a local health food store.
~Elissa Cleaveland
"It is nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction
have
not yet entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry." A. Einstein

zenmomma *

>>He smiles and says "wow I guess I did read it...hmmm I CAN read, can't I?"
>
>And I say proudly "Yes, Max, you can read"
>
>It was a beautiful moment.>>

Congratulations Max! Thanks for making me smile.

Life is good.
~Mary


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Jamie Lemon

I agree totally. I've spent the last hour or so now looking at info on the
web about Echinacea. We do have a whole foods market near here and plan to
check it out. I also have a dear friend (far away in Boston) that is much
more knowledgable about these things than I am and I plan on consulting with
her.
Years ago, when I was a child I suffered from allergies (mold, dust, pet
hair, etc) My parents had heard somewhere that golden seal root would help
me. After taking it for a while I was able to stop getting weekly allergy
shots from the doctor and my nosebleeds stopped. So I know there is truth
to the knowledge, now just to decipher it all :-)

Thanks for the input!
Zan

----- Original Message -----
From: ElissaJC@...

First thing to do before starting any new health care regiman (Whether it is
a synthetic prescription medication or Herbal remidy) is read about it. Do a
search on natural immune boosters, echinacea, golden seal.
If you are lucky to have a Whole Foods Market nearby, they have a number of
books on teh subject or a local health food store.
~Elissa Cleaveland

[email protected]

oh that reminds me of the first word i read when i was a kid.. it was END.. at the end of movies.. .. and i was teaching myself.. too bad i had to put so much learning on hold while i went to school shortly after that

L
----- Original Message -----
From: SeaweedMom7474@...
To: [email protected]
Sent: Friday, August 09, 2002 11:32 AM
Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] Oh what a week


About your son reading 'one year later'from the TV screen, my daughter was
lamenting that she couldn't spell, so I chimed "Rachael and Tony sitting in a
tree..." and paused. She added "k-i-s-s-i-n-g". Another great moment. That
was eight years ago and now she is our families best speller. DeWes


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Tia Leschke

>I agree totally. I've spent the last hour or so now looking at info on the
>web about Echinacea. We do have a whole foods market near here and plan to
>check it out. I also have a dear friend (far away in Boston) that is much
>more knowledgable about these things than I am and I plan on consulting with
>her.

I use a combination of echinacea, astragalus, and olive leaf extract when I
feel a virus coming on. It rarely turns into anything more.
Tia

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
Eleanor Roosevelt
*********************************************
Tia Leschke
leschke@...
On Vancouver Island