tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65023262578382153312012-01-28T22:46:51.499-05:00Connecting families with resources and resources with families. I blog about autism intervention from a developmental perspective while homeschooling. Stay tuned for our successes &amp; challenges, sibling stories, GFCFSF recipes, product and book reviews, &amp; <i>"stuff"</i>!Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.comBlogger10521100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-5509974419740916602012-01-22T20:57:00.002-05:002012-01-22T21:00:36.048-05:00

A family wedding. A church nursery. And my kid looks like the teacher here. Engaged. Playing. Actively participating. I love it! A little victory.

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-29591287365767844652012-01-22T19:18:00.000-05:002012-01-22T20:42:34.107-05:00

We received a really useful and interesting review item for our situation homeschooling a tween on the autism spectrum.We Choose Virtues is a company that produces materials that assist parents and teachers in teaching character in children. We were given a set of Virtue Clue Cards to review. The 12 clue cards are the size of business cards (but they feel slightly more sturdy than a standard

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-18537156231948986482012-01-17T11:18:00.005-05:002012-01-17T11:31:27.500-05:00

We did it.We (my husband and I) left the kids with a sitter overnight.A first.Hubby and I have attended a black tie event in January in Detroit for the past 10 or so years with his co-workers and their spouses. And this year, we flew up north for the event, a reception that preceded it, and a fancy dinner after. We flew home the next morning. We were gone just over 24 hours.The North American

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-91124600725405889772012-01-09T17:55:00.001-05:002012-01-09T17:57:20.080-05:00

Linda Hodgdon has a post up about using a Leap Pad in place of an iPad. Go here to read about it.

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-6892988781771316922012-01-07T16:35:00.000-05:002012-01-07T16:38:33.138-05:00

Air hockey?????orFoosball????

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-90575041810958818032012-01-06T00:00:00.000-05:002012-01-06T11:24:27.992-05:00

http://abcnews.go.com/2020/video/michigan-familys-harrowing-ordeal-investigation-nearly-tore-them-apart-2020-15288359

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-53765163802651858892012-01-05T03:35:00.005-05:002012-01-05T03:35:01.165-05:00

Homeschool conventions.I've gotten save-the-date and registration info from two organizations this week.The exhibit hall of a homeschool convention is a wonderful place to scout resources, whether your are a full-time homeschooler or a part-time homeschooler.If you are the parent of a child with special learning needs, and that child goes to a public or private school, chances are good that you

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-20575950960257535072012-01-04T08:45:00.008-05:002012-01-04T14:42:55.560-05:00

"Out of rational fear, many of us tell the child (usually non-verbally) I WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU NO MATTER WHAT. And it can be just that unnecessary 'taking care' that keeps the child in a learned helplessness, or as I prefer, a LAZY mode of operating.""Think of your job now as catching yourself when you are about to do for your child when he needs to do for himself... "--Dr. James D.

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-77199484266502514542012-01-03T20:04:00.002-05:002012-01-03T20:19:32.308-05:00

If you do not own a Kindle or a Nook or other e-reader, but have a laptop or PC, hop over to Amazon.com and install Kindle for PC.Why?Amazon offers a large selection of free e-books. Most of the classics are free to download and Amazon offers short-term freebies daily. A quick search has given me three web sites that list free e-books along with deeply discounted e-books. I'm guessing there are

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-80407475838949372212012-01-03T07:57:00.007-05:002012-01-04T17:37:42.489-05:00

My daughter began participating in a research project a few weeks ago. We drive to a hospital for a study that looks at a possible relationship between speech and sensory.Twice in a row, we have seen the student whose session is just before my daughter's session. He's an adorable little boy at a pre-k or kindergarten age.As soon as his session is complete, he is directed by Mom to get into his

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-43031314239461117282012-01-02T15:21:00.001-05:002012-01-02T15:21:00.568-05:00

We continue to chase interests in our homeschool. My reluctant reader needs books that interest her, that draw her in, that tell her more about a subject she likes, to give her the practice and experience that she needs.And last month, I found a series of books that is new to me, a series that will allow us to chase some interests and address some academics as well. I love a two-fer.Scholastic

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-32511167144429197262012-01-01T19:06:00.004-05:002012-01-01T19:21:40.126-05:00

I really enjoy telling you about resources, and I REALLY ENJOY sharing FREEBIES with you.Here's a free resource from a great company for you.Vintage Remedies is offering a free 8-week e-Class called 8 Weeks to Real Food.I own several books from Vintage Remedies (including Kitchen Herbals and Vintage Remedies 4 Girls and I have a Jessie Hawkins lecture on CD and I have attended her presentations

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-11506874473177572212011-12-23T10:24:00.003-05:002011-12-23T10:55:37.234-05:00

Explaining menstruation and puberty and all of the changes that happen to a daughter with developmental delays is challenging. All of the books I have seen are written for typically developing girls, meaning with more words and text than I'd like, with visuals that are not as in-depth as I'd like for my visual learner.Woodbine House sent me a review copy of The Girls' Guide to Growing Up, Choices

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-36442227763569936822011-12-21T01:39:00.001-05:002011-12-21T01:39:00.287-05:00

As I wrap gifts, I much prefer wrapping paper with visual guidelines on the back of it to two-sided or paper with a plain, white backside. My gifts are prettier when I am able to judge the right size of gift wrap. My work is faster, and I waste less wrapping paper. I enjoy the task more when my gifts look pretty when I am finished.Simple modifications to include an extra visual element are "

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-37630147547419686262011-12-20T01:09:00.001-05:002011-12-20T01:09:00.276-05:00

A facebook page worth sharing with you. If you are on facebook, consider 'liking' or joining the Autism Discussion Page.Status UpdateBy Autism Discussion PageNon directive learningMany therapies focus on prompting, directing, and trying to draw a response out of a child. This is very irritating for the child, creates performance anxiety, and the child often freezes, requiring repeated

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-72227357526545963272011-12-19T08:09:00.001-05:002011-12-19T12:01:45.935-05:00

The Prophets. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Daniel. Elijah. Jonah. Powerful stories of faith and courage from the Old Testament. Beloved stories that take me straight back to Sunday School as a child.Our family was given (to review) Volume 1, The Prophets, part of the CD series from The World's Greatest Stories.I requested and was given the NIV version. I had no idea what to expect. The

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-55892863269994872792011-12-14T19:43:00.000-05:002011-12-14T19:44:28.186-05:00

Cardboard is gluten-free, right?

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-76404269918652095612011-12-13T11:38:00.000-05:002011-12-13T11:40:27.444-05:00

Cupcakes:Suggested Bake Time23 - 22 minutes???

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-67007985333286187302011-12-13T10:23:00.000-05:002011-12-13T10:24:41.619-05:00

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-19399741970039562282011-12-12T19:58:00.003-05:002011-12-12T20:03:14.148-05:00

I made this dressing again.I used an orange champagne vinegar from Trader Joe's instead of the balsamic called for in the recipe. I added tangelo slices (from our marching band fundraiser), almonds, a goat cheese rolled in cranberries, some dried cherries to spinach. Delish.

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-84937917718940084662011-12-12T01:13:00.001-05:002011-12-12T01:13:00.627-05:00

Horizons Developmental Remediation Center has a web page devoted to allergen free recipes. It is located here.

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-32205757205983821082011-12-10T18:54:00.002-05:002011-12-10T18:58:28.482-05:00

A stranger walked up to me at the checkout line at the warehouse club today and asks where I found the mini candy canes. (Right by the cash register, lady.)First of all, I have to tell you, that would never, ever have happened in Michigan. And what happened next would not have happened in Michigan, either:And then she proceeds to tell me what she wanted the candy canes for. Dip a marshmallow in

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-47858378101443759102011-12-10T05:59:00.001-05:002011-12-10T05:59:00.503-05:00

Oh, the messages are bombarding me.Here's another one.

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-22591417930459327772011-12-09T14:42:00.002-05:002011-12-09T14:57:58.255-05:00

Our state's first lady has opened the governor's mansion for holiday tours. I signed my homeschooler and me up for a tour with some friends we met at art class. I'd never have considered this; I'm so glad our friends suggested it.We came home with a unique Christmas ornament - a 24k gold plate sprig of pine needles that came from the grounds at the mansion. And we purchased a $2 booklet about

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-68288582511707901612011-12-07T20:40:00.002-05:002011-12-07T20:43:45.070-05:00

Followup on previous post.Positively Positive's facebook status:“Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.”—Leo Buscagliaand, I phoned the ice arena to ask some questions. Lots of questions, actually. Some about my daughter who is typically developing and class options for her and some questions about what may better suit my daughter with an autism spectrum disorder.

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-60911611815298851272011-12-07T14:40:00.002-05:002011-12-07T15:23:27.667-05:00

The move across the country back in the spring still affects me in a big way, and it affects me a lot more than I would like. And not in a good way.I realized over the weekend that I am afraid in a big way. I'm afraid I won't find the right professionals, the right programs, the right opportunities to support our family as a family and to give my child w/ autism the practice and experience she

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-65051941949312360792011-12-07T10:20:00.002-05:002011-12-07T10:25:30.535-05:00

I'm all about passing along great resources and here is an excellent one:Chef and Autism Mom Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer is hosting a gluten-free-dairy-free-in-the-kitchen-w/-you- kids webinar, Friday morning. Go here to register and here to read about The Kitchen Classroom.

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-85016973969900701362011-12-03T13:55:00.003-05:002011-12-03T14:00:25.046-05:00

I wish I'd had the camera with the larger zoom. See the blue lights of the police escort in the distance? They're escorting a group of Civil War re-enactors this week, helping us to remember an important battle, blood that was shed, lives that were lost, impacting the United States we live in today.

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-30694237888545839922011-12-03T01:45:00.002-05:002011-12-03T01:45:00.867-05:00

Dear Jolesch Photography,I do not like your sales tactics.You are the official photographer of Music for All's Band's of America Grand Nationals in Indianapolis.As soon as our band's prelim performance was complete, the students were ushered to the stands for some group photos. One 'formal'; one, silly. Then they were ushered just outside the stadium for individual and small group (sections)

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-43181776074306719422011-12-02T11:18:00.003-05:002011-12-02T11:24:34.154-05:00

I often blog about slowing down and giving processing time so that my child can process communication and take her own action in reply. The professionals guiding us in the beginning taught us that reply speed is important and they pushed us to increase response time. I regret listening to them. We've spent the last seven years working on slowing down.On the topic of slowing down, I came across

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-31386402485103660582011-11-29T10:13:00.000-05:002011-11-29T11:11:15.889-05:00

This post is not about homeschooling. Or autism.This post is about something I did not get to do when I was in high school.This post is about what I like about marching band in general and about our marching band. The points are in no particular order. I typed them out as I thought of them. (I am not sure why I numbered them.)1) Music. Music affects the brain. Hearing it. Playing it. Especially

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-61010947512862307542011-11-28T05:13:00.000-05:002011-11-28T07:43:23.585-05:00

If you are studying joint attention in terms of autism intervention, here is a nice blog post about joint attention with some how-to ideas.I have a note of caution of my own to add:We made the mistake of checking off "pointing" on the ABLLS when we taughtpointing as a one-sided mand to request an item. Pointing is so much more than amand. Pointing is part of rich non-verbal interaction and joint

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-42219244546051906852011-11-18T07:33:00.002-05:002011-11-19T09:48:12.199-05:00

My homeschooler, whom I affectionately nicknamed, 'Rella, and I have been reviewing a reading resource called One Minute Reader from Read Naturally.I'll tell you up front - this is a product that I intend to stick with if it fits within my budget as we go along. (Read Naturally offers affordable options.)The program is research based. The concept and implementation are easy and uncomplicated.

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-52976437281549740962011-11-15T09:12:00.016-05:002011-11-15T13:30:52.129-05:00

Here is a picture of 'our' kids in the tunnel at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis last weekend. As soon as the band on the field performs, our kids are on. This is our view from the tunnel:I watched three competitions as a spectator earlier in the season this year. This was my first as a chaperone. The experiences are very different. Spectators get to see a lot of marching bands. Chaperones

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-59116495057657006422011-11-15T08:01:00.001-05:002011-11-15T09:02:41.062-05:00

Math Mammoth offers affordable math workbooks and worktexts in both hard copy and downloadable formats.I have reviewed several Math Mammoth products over the years and have gotten a couple more products in freebie offers. I've seen enough and used enough of Math Mammoth products that Math Mammoth is my priority go-to company when one of my children needs support in math. I like the fact that I

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-60435052369364537342011-11-10T07:22:00.002-05:002011-11-10T07:30:44.746-05:00

We are on our way to our biggest marching band competition ever.We're leaving later today. The band performs in the morning before lunch, Friday.Prayers for calm, peace, confidence appreciated,andthat these students would represent Christ(and the school)in a positive way.GO BAND!Readers, I'll 'see' you next week!

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-74566686721179415252011-11-09T19:42:00.001-05:002011-11-09T19:44:02.723-05:00

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine has a 75% off sale on some bundles. It's worth checking out. Go here. And no, I don't benefit should you choose to take advantage of this sale.

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-3450179711755173052011-11-07T04:27:00.001-05:002011-11-07T04:27:00.274-05:00

Ooka Island Adventure is an online learn-to-read program for ages 3-7. Ooka Island uses online games that are fun for children in that age group or developmental range to teach pre-reading and reading skills. This is a product that I'd recommend for parents and teachers of older children with developmental delays because the computer games are inviting and they don't look like "school" or "work

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-70127741706036678262011-11-06T10:36:00.003-05:002011-11-06T11:04:16.529-05:00

I am on the list of parents who will chaperone a band trip at the end of the week.I have not traveled with a group on a bus on a schedule without my own transportation in a very long time.I am getting a refresher course into what creates anxiety for my girl.In recent years, with mostly trips to Mom and Dad's or to see our autism consultant, I tend to be a last minute packer. I know that if I

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-22134932952973548152011-11-04T08:21:00.002-04:002011-11-04T09:22:38.756-04:00

I knew I'd love this book. We already own a Gary Bower book. My school-building school kids met him when he was a featured author at their school a few years ago. I wasn't able to attend his presentation at a homeschool convention in person, so I purchased and listened to the audio recording of it on the way home from the convention. The Bower's, Gary and Jan, rank pretty high on my list of

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-88630861148552265552011-11-02T12:37:00.002-04:002011-11-02T12:42:12.555-04:00

Schmully the Katz Man tells me that Katz Gluten Free has a ONE DAY SALE - today until midnight:coupon code OneTime (all one word) save $3 off an order @ katzglutenfree.comKatz has the most amazing bakery products! I can vouch for them. Their chocolate chip cookies and rugelech are so good - it's hard to believe they're gluten free.

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-65561115754484412302011-11-01T08:46:00.003-04:002011-11-01T09:19:00.156-04:00

I took my homeschooler for a 'try-out' for a research study that, if she is chosen, would give her free sensory-based speech and language therapy for several months at a respected institution.The 'try-out' was the administration of a standardized test, one that is mostly non-verbal.I watched through a one-way window/mirror.I was amazed at how far my girl got into the test. I know that she has to

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-15577202784797801472011-10-28T07:26:00.003-04:002011-10-28T07:37:22.144-04:00

Becky B won the Jeremy Riddle FURIOUS CD! Congrats, Becky! She was the only entrant.Entrant #8 won the Caterpillar's Math House giveaway. That's Gigi at The Last Six Brain Cells.I'll contact both of you for snail mail addresses.CONGRATULATIONS!

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-42756762140486120652011-10-27T08:30:00.002-04:002011-10-27T10:02:02.080-04:00

Say Anything from NorthStar Games is a game of perspective taking for 3-6 players ages 8+, retail priced at $19.99. If you're looking for a fun family game that works for a family that includes an individual on the autism spectrum, this is it.Say AnythingThe set up and rules are pretty simple. One player each round is the judge. The judge draws a card from the stack of Question Cards and

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-88445368437684016702011-10-22T08:47:00.003-04:002011-10-22T08:50:56.073-04:00

The marching band rehearsed last night in preparation for a competition today.What is the marching band equivalent of "Break a Leg!"?

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-72631252077001173702011-10-21T18:12:00.003-04:002011-10-21T18:30:53.615-04:00

The Mighty Macs opens in theaters nationwide today. My high schooler and I had the opportunity to preview the movie online last weekend. (There's something really neat about getting to view a movie before it is released. *grin*) Yes, the opportunity was free to us and it was for the specific purpose for telling you about the movie on my blog. I am not paid for this review and am not obligated to

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-54862259406508458042011-10-21T14:02:00.002-04:002011-10-21T16:32:37.386-04:00

I follow Jon Acuff's blog. He makes me laugh. He makes me think.Yesterday, he wrote about a discovery that I am making in my own life.He begins, "Anger makes you blind and sometimes it even makes your hand hurt. I learned that lesson a few nights ago." Read the blog post, here: Why you should never punch a shuttle bus. http://www.jonacuff.com/We left Michigan in April. We'd been there more than a

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-53519721070170420212011-10-21T10:33:00.001-04:002011-10-21T10:35:05.168-04:00

On GMA this morning, Emeril featured a pie with a gluten free crust.The recipe is here.

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-13278076551350639232011-10-20T09:25:00.002-04:002011-10-20T09:54:40.075-04:00

My Princess 'Rella is enrolled in an art class with a small group of homeschoolers. The class meets once a week for almost two hours.The studio has not enrolled a student on the autism spectrum before, I was told. (I suspect they've had some Aspies but no students with the challenges my daughter has.)Our primary goal with the class isn't art. It's self-regulation.And in the beginning, 'Rella

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-3198245716855550452011-10-18T10:03:00.005-04:002011-10-18T10:19:09.020-04:00

I hesitated when I was offered "Cooper and Me" to review. The story is about a child who is anxious about the first day of school, and my homeschooler has been asking to go to school. I was concerned that the book would increase her requests to go to school.I'm so glad I requested the book. "Cooper and Me" is adorable and we learned a new vocabulary word from reading it and have a story to

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-89749987262340383922011-10-18T08:54:00.000-04:002011-10-18T09:54:21.686-04:00

Always Ice Cream is an virtual-world type online game for girls.In some ways, it is very much like other online virtual-world type games my children have played.Always Ice Cream differs from other virtual-world type games in that there is a specific emphasis on learning (academics) as part of point-earning and playing. The bonus at my house for my homeschooler is that Always Ice Cream is

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-51209951279522621452011-10-16T10:10:00.016-04:002011-10-16T14:01:50.530-04:00

Timberdoodle sent me a copy of Raising Real Men, Surviving, Teaching and Appreciating Boys, by Hal and Melanie Young. As a member of Timberdoodle's Blogger Review Team I received a free copy of Raising Real Men in exchange for a frank and unbiased review. Raising Real Men was on my longish list of "to buy" books and I was pleased to have been chosen to review it. My book list is longer than my

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-49182107456882864652011-10-14T12:03:00.026-04:002011-10-14T12:18:37.969-04:00

BACKGROUNDMy food-related blog posts start with gluten-free and lean toward allergen free. My daughter is sensitive to many (not all) of the foods on the list of the big 8 allergens. Feeding a family when one of you has special food challenges is complicated. For years, I have been searching for recipes that I can serve all of us so that I do not have to make a special meal for the child with

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-77201351232713516222011-10-14T08:11:00.003-04:002011-10-14T09:18:28.304-04:00

Latin class.*yawn*I automatically think a couple of things, "boring" and "why bother?".A video based Latin program - really?A talking head - oh my - all I could think was "even more boring" and "WHY BOTHER?!"Guess who is surprised by how much she likes and enjoys Visual Latin, a Latin program in a video format? ME!Visual Latin sent me a DVD with Lessons 1 to 10. (There is an online option as

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-39691629107872736262011-10-12T09:54:00.002-04:002011-10-12T10:00:04.787-04:00

Marching band competition#1 in our class#1 General Effect in our class#3 overall, behind #2 by .05

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-38293845531788966182011-10-07T02:57:00.001-04:002011-10-07T02:57:00.064-04:00

My husband's grandmother wrote stories about her childhood and early married years. A Southern girl who married and moved to an industrial state in the Midwest for work, she had interesting and humorous insights about events that happened to her. I've often thought about putting her words into stories for children.Arleta Richardson has done just that, has taken her grandmother's stories and

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-73311768882900576472011-10-06T14:04:00.006-04:002011-10-06T14:22:21.504-04:00

Another item that arrived in the midst of our redoing the flooring in our second floor is Carlito C. Caterpillar's MathHouse Games.I wish I had found this product sooner.This is a brilliant flip-chart of 20 math games ($23.95) that you can do at home (or at school) with your child (or students) to build foundations for addition, subtraction, less than, more than, multiplication, and division.I

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-33414887555484131542011-10-06T12:39:00.006-04:002011-10-06T13:45:11.289-04:00

I am late on this review (and a couple more). I'm embarrassed. I have a good excuse - real life got in the way. Marching band competitions and some remodeling on the house have had our days in upheaval. We had flooring replaced in the entire second floor, which involved a lot of packing-up and moving-around stuff and furniture, not once, but twice, as the whole event had to be completed during

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-63480486782734225012011-10-05T08:03:00.000-04:002011-10-05T09:39:56.618-04:00

We naturally look for something familiar in the new. Scruble Cube is no exception. A blogger for Forbes calls it "Scrabble With A Twist". My first impression was a Rubik's Cube with letters. Upon closer inspection, our family has discovered that Scruble Cube has multiple uses for a wide range of ages and is lots of fun.The makers of Scruble Cube have given us a letter and word based game that

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-19255478025997890132011-10-03T01:33:00.001-04:002011-10-03T01:33:00.452-04:00

The finale of an exhibition of our county's high school bands featured more than the 8th graders who will join the bands next year. Look at the little boy under the director's stand:

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-56101588202660994252011-10-01T10:28:00.000-04:002011-10-01T10:31:14.648-04:00

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-63330666754469145852011-09-29T07:08:00.002-04:002011-09-29T07:13:37.977-04:00

Leslie from My Mama's Love sent me an email asking me if I'd let my readers know about this neat project.Leslie wrote, "I am actually selling my Fixx My Lips lip balms in bulk for below-cost pricing. The idea is to give people looking for greener, healthier trick-or-treat alternatives a solution. Also, in the spirit of supporting Green Halloween, I am donating 10% of all October sales to Ecomom

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-83396783389369025682011-09-28T09:14:00.001-04:002011-09-28T10:14:45.030-04:00

Aletheia Writing Magazine for Christian teens by teens is a full-color quarterly publication priced at $26 for U.S. subscribers that contains stories, poems, artwork, photographs, book reviews, interviews, and more. Some of my TOS Crewmates and I were given the Fall 2011 hard-copy and the Summer 2011 digital edition to review."Aletheia" is Greek for "truth" or "unveiling".You may read the Spring

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-563655717131313522011-09-20T10:01:00.003-04:002011-09-20T10:16:06.613-04:00

FREE UNIT STUDIESThe Curiosity Files™Details here.

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-23551989969338557952011-09-19T09:00:00.005-04:002011-09-20T07:41:03.181-04:00

I wish I had known about Five In a Row and Before Five In a Row when we were starting our developmental, relationship based, autism remediation intervention. BFIAR and FIAR are two little gems that I learned about late in the game, after I became an accidental homeschooler.Before Five In A Row is a learning readiness guide. I hesitate to call it a program. The BFIAR author uses the term "little

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-39362153170157407152011-09-16T17:36:00.003-04:002011-09-16T18:00:06.909-04:00

I have to watch 'Rella closely when she's on the computer. She has figured out how to sneak and watch cartoons that we forbid her to watch.Like many parents of children on the autism spectrum, there is a part of me that celebrates when I catch her deceiving me. Takes a lot of perspective taking, theory of mind, joint attention to lie. She will open several windows so she can quickly close an

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-78401009971852721362011-09-16T17:09:00.001-04:002011-09-16T18:11:40.250-04:00

I was given a math and science book/CD combo to review at home. AIMS Educational Foundation sent me Solve It!, a $24.95 workbook-slash-activity-book that covers problem solving concepts of 3rd grade math and science, using very hands-on, in-context, tactile and visual ways.I really like this problem-solving set. The text covers nine different solving problem strategies that include using

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-80608067956166108082011-09-15T10:35:00.004-04:002011-09-15T11:00:50.838-04:00

If you lost your voice for several days, could you and your child(ren) communicate actively and richly?One of the most offered piece of advice from my own journey is "lose your voice". And not just to parents of kids w/ special needs.Our kids with developmental delays and special needs often over-rely on words and "talk" and miss a lot of communication, because more of our interactions are

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-80531255026479368802011-09-14T18:01:00.002-04:002011-09-14T18:08:41.123-04:00

'Rella and I are using the wacky Guinness Book of World Record writing prompt cards I found at Staples on clearance last week. (I blogged about them here.) Today I chose a picture card that featured the biggest bubble-gum bubble.'Rella always wants to know the name of the person who holds the record. In this case, it is Chad Fell. (There's a photo the bottom of this page.)One of the writing

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-56007866744136458712011-09-11T14:57:00.005-04:002011-09-11T19:09:11.835-04:00

My children like baked potatoes. I usually bake more than we need for one meal, but my children complain that leftover, warmed-up baked potatoes are yucky and they refuse to eat them.Today, I sliced cold, straight from the refrigerator leftover baked potatoes, drizzled them w/ oil, salt, and pepper (actually, hubby did that part), and wrapped them in parchment paper and reheated them on the bbq

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-1929228990512178672011-09-10T23:12:00.002-04:002011-09-10T23:16:05.605-04:00

It happened this week.One of my kids instinctively said, "y'all" instead of "you guys". *grin*I knew they would.I didn't know it would happen this soon. We just passed our five month mark in a southern state after 15 years in the Midwest.I predicted it here.

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-14320774542133174412011-09-08T08:24:00.007-04:002011-09-08T08:36:03.187-04:00

Spotted on the clearance rack of an office supply store yesterday (for under $5):Wild & Bizarre Guinness World Records Creative Writing Prompt cards.I'd never seen anything quite like these before. Yeah, I bought them. I am not interested in focusing on creative writing prompts yet. We'll use them for experience sharing, attention sharing, creative composing aloud (and I may write down whatever

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-22320612350484908662011-09-07T09:34:00.006-04:002011-09-08T08:20:16.209-04:00

I stay on the hunt for recipes and meals that I can prepare for our entire family so that our kitchen less resembles a coney-island type restaurant.I'm finding that old-timey cookbooks are better (because the recipes were written before the easy access to cans of cream-of-something soup and to cheeses); meat cookbooks are better; and whole-food and market style cookbooks are better for

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-83531146316876509152011-09-04T16:10:00.010-04:002011-09-05T10:07:10.805-04:00

I opened How to Have a H.E.A.R.T. For Your Kids with a teeny bit of hesitation.***(see background, below)There was no need for my hesitation.I was relieved and pleasantly surprised to have been given a book that is encouraging, written by a mom who is authentic and not at all holier-than-thou, whose words do not make me feel criticized for not homeschooling all of my children, who offers rich

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-20454724186100619712011-08-31T11:12:00.011-04:002011-09-05T12:01:55.627-04:00

Games! We love to use games to work on relationship building and social experiences in autism intervention at our house. Games that sneak in some academics are a bonus. Flea Circus from RnR Games is a game for 2-6 players ages 6 and up. Packaged in a box that reminds me of animal crackers, Flea Circus is priced at $15.95. The game comes with a deck of Flea Circus cards and one set of dog

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-41419407107102287672011-08-29T15:24:00.000-04:002011-08-29T15:25:42.268-04:00

Good enough to share: Five Ways To Prevent Dawdling

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-24957182987370386152011-08-27T20:25:00.003-04:002011-08-27T20:30:53.837-04:00

Ya never know when you'll stumble onto a nature study...

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-24972581820942526442011-08-25T13:36:00.004-04:002011-08-25T13:59:08.955-04:00

Two pieces of non-verbal communication are context and past experience. Maybe you have seen the "fact" that is often quoted that only 20-30% of our communication is verbal, that 70% or more of our communication is non-verbal. (I have not located the source of that particular statistic.) Today, I opened this poorly written email from school: Next week, Aug 29-Sept 2 is our annual can drive

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-87453110805289634112011-08-22T14:21:00.002-04:002011-08-22T14:25:04.915-04:00

When we were doing heavy behavioral intervention (years ago), we spent a lot of time on photographs of people dressed up to show different occupations. We taught our daughter to identify those photos, but not much else. The Old Schoolhouse has some mini-unit studies on different careers and occupations that go way beyond identifying photographs. And at the moment, they're free. If you are on

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-38414343919878252722011-08-22T09:45:00.000-04:002011-08-22T11:25:07.813-04:00

In addition to asking here on my blog, I asked friends for ideas on what 'Rella can do during football games and marching band competitions other than screech, "I hate football!". And of course, my peeps came through, in a big way! :) Here are some of the great ideas I was given: What about 'videoing'. I am thinking of Valerie Foley and her son Billy. He creates footage and adds to youtube.

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-27044627690259098292011-08-20T21:14:00.005-04:002011-08-20T21:33:56.808-04:00

Marching band season has begun. We want band events to be a family affair. Football games are ripe with challenges for a tween on the autism spectrum. The bleachers are hard and uncomfortable. The stands are crowded and people (strangers) are too close. The band next to us is too loud (and I forgot the ear plugs and have no idea where our noise canceling headphones are). The crowd is loud. We had

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-58898561820215676692011-08-18T08:49:00.006-04:002011-08-18T10:39:57.620-04:00

I have a new favorite vocab resource. Webber(r) Core Curriculum Vocabulary Cards are a new item from Super Duper, and two review sets arrived at my house last week. The cards come in a tin, which makes for easy storing. Each set contains 200 cards the size of playing cards, and the cards cover 100 high frequency vocabulary words. There are 25 vocabulary words each in categories of science,

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-20897829865513662812011-08-17T11:10:00.001-04:002011-08-17T11:10:00.816-04:00

One of my favorite magazines is The Old Schoolhouse. The most recent magazine to arrive features an interview with Guy and Angie Penrod. You may 'know' Guy, as I do, via his music with the Gaither Vocal Band. In the fantastic interview with TOS's Deb Wuehler, Angie Penrod makes a statement that makes me stop for a moment of a little pity party: "Because of the kids' genuine interest..." All

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-50787887986601942952011-08-16T10:22:00.005-04:002011-08-16T10:48:07.908-04:00

Engaging Students, The Next Level of WORKING ON THE WORK by Phillip Schlechty is a new offering from Jossey-Bass, aimed at teachers in school buildings that comes from Schlechty's experience, education, and expertise about how we best learn, how we teach, and how to align teaching to meet the way we best learn. I really like the message of this book. "Too often teachers confuse work with

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-85082190941030577072011-08-16T10:01:00.002-04:002011-08-16T10:02:17.158-04:00

Winner of the Robert Pierre CD Giveaway is Comment #2: Becky! Congratulations, Becky!

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-44435105981701695782011-08-16T09:47:00.002-04:002011-08-16T10:12:39.017-04:00

The cover of this cookbook draws me in. It looks fun to me. And as I open the cookbook, I quickly relate to the author. Sheri L. Sanderson is the mother of a child with celiac disease, and and Woodbine House bring us Incredible Edible Gluten-Free Food for Kids, 150 Family Tested Recipes. Finding foods that our kids will eat and that are gluten free (and more) can be a challenge, and Sanderson

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-3825360414497786212011-08-16T08:59:00.000-04:002011-08-16T11:29:40.875-04:00

Pastor Greg Laurie brings us Let God Change Your Life, How to Know and Follow Jesus. The book is for anyone and everyone, believers and seekers alike, written in Laurie's down-to-earth and easy-to-follow style, about exactly what the title suggests. I visited a church in recent months where I left the sermon frustrated that I didn't feel like I had anything to bring home with me to ponder and

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-61889953306667329482011-08-12T07:53:00.002-04:002011-08-12T08:06:39.073-04:00

I am tired, tired of having to think so much, tired of not being able to put my brain / mind on "automatic". I have to think and concentrate multiple times every day about information that should be automatic, and it is not automatic because we are so new here. Getting around town requires thinking and concentration. Remembering what each grocery store carries in terms of GFCF food takes a lot

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-57964089031591444092011-08-11T20:41:00.003-04:002011-08-11T20:50:06.564-04:00

Finally. A reason for the dysregulation and upset (read the last several blog entries for more info) of the past two weeks: 'Rella complained of a sore in her mouth yesterday and last night, I noticed that she was grimacing every time she swallowed. Autism mom Tammy Vice is familiar with the phenomenon of out-of-nowhere dysregulation that preceeds illness, and she shared with me me her name for

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-9596373545011181142011-08-10T10:35:00.002-04:002011-08-10T10:42:53.206-04:00

One early non-verbal foundation of joint attention (theory of mind) is referencing. We reference the physical and concrete (manipulative mode) first, and later, reference at higher, abstract levels. A child will not be able to reference meaning in someone's mind if that child does not (can't) reference in physical and concrete ways. Giving the child opportunities to reference visually is

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-60036418777501211512011-08-09T06:25:00.004-04:002011-08-09T08:20:53.371-04:00

Here's a Susan-less moment from the weekend (yes, there were some): Because our new state and our new hometown have much less to offer the tween and teenage crowd on the autism spectrum, I am looking for thinking-outside-the-box opportunities for my girl. One opportunity is an art class. I have exchanged several emails with the owner of an art studio for children. He has not had a student with

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-58303650784988159562011-08-08T08:37:00.004-04:002011-08-08T08:49:27.730-04:00

Something's wrong. My girl is dysregulated. She can't tell me why. I haven't figured out why, yet. We've experienced months of progress and good days and now this. She can't sleep. She was almost terrified last night. Upset. She cut her own hair in the middle of it. (ugh) Susan helped her. (see previous post) Did she get into the cheese again? (That happened before we moved.) Has she had a

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-56508850465595682011-08-07T10:17:00.002-04:002011-08-07T10:44:43.183-04:00

When I was a little girl, I had a dozen imaginary children and some imaginary friends.My 'Rella has begun to have imaginary friends. One of our rec therapists thought that 'Rella was hearing voices and she quit before I could fire her. (I did talk to two professionals in our lives about the imaginary friends, both familiar with development, who said that the imaginary friends are not 'voices' but

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-58117491964323870982011-07-29T23:00:00.002-04:002011-07-29T23:05:20.487-04:00

My son is playing in an important baseball tournament. (We won two and lost one against three state champs - not bad.) Tonight, Miss 'Rella wanted to go get a snack from the concession stand. The concession stand window was just outside of my line of sight. I could see her until she went right around the corner.She knew how much the snack cost. I gave her the money and let her go.She came back

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-69075423523770447462011-07-29T08:40:00.005-04:002011-08-14T17:19:47.788-04:00

Band camp is over. My sweet firstborn is home! Thanks to Mrs. Wooten for the wonderful photograph. :)

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-69092144612446355832011-07-28T09:19:00.004-04:002011-07-28T11:07:05.873-04:00

I made a deal with my girl. Read about the deal here.She does not agree with me that if we don't read together that we do not count that day. She wants to simply cross 100 days off of the calendar.We have read together three days. We started a junior classic version of Moby Dick. She has picked up several chapter books to read on her own. That's new. Brand new. We went from picture books to

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-21969390260058687132011-07-26T09:07:00.002-04:002011-07-26T09:26:58.073-04:00

Every type of media - from bloggers to network and cable news - is making fun of Mariah Carey at the moment. There are clips of Carey on a tv shopping channel where, instead of focusing fully on selling her wares, she talked quite a bit about her recent twin pregnancy.One statement that is being mocked quite a bit is this one:"I was literally 47 weeks pregnant."Come on, bloggers and reporters - '

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-17350508669007486042011-07-25T08:53:00.002-04:002011-07-25T11:40:35.770-04:00

I love music. I love Christian music from hymns to worship praises to gospel to contemporary Christian tunes. When I was offered a CD of Christian music, I quickly said "yes, please!".And then I had a moment of doubt. What if I didn't like it? What would I say on the blog?Thank goodness, that did not happen!Robert Pierre's CD, I'm All In, arrived and I popped it into the player in the car. Eldest

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-84003847510045781402011-07-24T04:57:00.005-04:002011-07-24T04:57:00.180-04:00

In preparation for band camp, football games, and band competitions, the students have practiced in the school parking lot during the summer.In early June, they marched with the loud cadence of cicadas in the background. This week, the intense heat has kept them indoors learning music until the day darkens and temps cool enough to march outside. One night, (not the night I snapped this photo),

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6502326257838215331.post-39381046435153951592011-07-23T07:18:00.001-04:002011-07-23T07:18:00.255-04:00

My homeschooler wants an expensive toy.She thinks I should go to the bank, get the money, and go get her the toy.The toy costs approximately $100.I told her I'd make a deal with her.You must understand that reading for her is a chore. It makes her brain hurt, she tells me. She is reluctant to try for so many reasons. You must also understand that she has become addicted to electronics in a big

Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646382031666180357noreply@blogger.com3