Snowball Fight

Don’t send a lame Holiday eCard. Try JibJab Sendables!

Amy’s Epiphany

The other day, Amy called me at work a little after lunchtime. She was telling me about her lunch with the kids. She made them bologna and cheese sandwiches and was a bit surprised about how much the kids liked them. She said she was thinking about why kids seem to like bologna so much when it came to her that “bologna is just flat hot dogs.”

This realization of Amy’s really made me laugh. It also made me want to have a bologna sandwich. I think it would make a great ad campaign for Oscar Mayer, “Bologna – It’s Just Flat Hot Dogs.”

Homeschool, Are You Crazy?

I just finished having a great conversation with my friend Tonya who is starting to homeschool her kids. She kept saying things that piqued my interest in it once again. Several years ago I did a little reading on the subject and thought it would be impossible for me to pull off. It seems so daunting trying to take the education of your children completely on your own. But there is funding for it, and groups to join, and education counselors… maybe it wouldn’t be so hard. Everyone I talk to that has done it loves it, and it seems appealing to integrate chores, and music lessons, and road trips into your curriculum. I have been increasingly frustrated by the amount of time that school takes. They are there for 6 hours and then come home and spend all afternoon on homework, and there is barely time to do the basics like chores and a few extra activities such as scouts or dance. I may get this book that Tonya recommended, 100 Top Picks For Homeschool Curriculum to see what the options are. This is supposed to be a great resource for finding the teaching strategies that best suit your goals. What are your thoughts?

It Works 100% of the Time

Or so the claim goes. Have you seen the email circulating about curing a persistent cough by rubbing Vapo Rub on your feet and covering them with socks? I have tried this with Hannah, who has had a cough for a few weeks now, and it seems to help. She asks0 for the feet cream when she gets going on a real coughing fit. You can read more about it at snopes.com. Has anyone else had luck with this home remedy?

Meteor Shower to Peak Thursday

A Geminid meteor streaks across the night sky, with circular star trails whirling the background, in a time-exposure photo made by astronomer Jimmy Westlake in December 1985.

What could be the best meteor display of the year will reach its peak on the night of Dec.13-14.  The Geminids perform excellently in any year, but British meteor astronomer, Alastair McBeath, has categorized 2007 as a “great year.”

Last year’s display was hindered somewhat by the moon, two days past last quarter phase. But this year, the moon will be at new phase on Dec. 9. On the peak night, the moon will be a fat crescent, in the south-southwest at dusk and setting soon after 8 p.m. That means that the sky will be dark and moonless for the balance of the night, making for perfect viewing conditions for the shower.

The Geminids begin to appear noticeably more numerous in the hours after 10 p.m. local time, because the shower’s radiant is already fairly high in the eastern sky by then. The best views, however, come around 2 a.m. local time, when their radiant point will be passing very nearly overhead.

Heidi, Heather, and Mel you have the best chance of seeing this since you’re up at this time anyway.  I will probably miss it, so I expect a full report. 😉

Gotta Love Josh

Last night was the Christmas tree lighting at Rockefeller Center in New York City. The opening act was one of my favorites, Josh Groban. Rob took me to one of his concerts a few years ago as a Christmas present, and it was so much fun. He’s got such an interesting mix of fans from teens to Grandmas and it was great! I love his performance of this song. It seems so sincere, not just for show. Enjoy!

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFq2JhPce5I