Lydia Loves to Read!

Lydia started reading about two years ago.  It still excites me that I taught someone to read!  (Although she didn't learn until she was good & ready.)  Now she is an avid reader.   She just broke all her previous records by reading 30 books in 18 days!  Yay, Lydia!

Here's the list of books...

Junie B. Jones Is Not a Crook

Magic Tree House #2 - The Knight at Dawn

Magic Tree House #6 - Afternoon on the Amazon

Magic Tree House #7 - Sunset of the Sabertooth

Magic Tree House #8 - Midnight on the Moon

Magic Tree House #9 - Dolphins at Daybreak

Magic Tree House #11 - Lions at Lunchtime

Magic Tree House #16 - Hour of the Olympics

Magic Tree House #20 - Dingoes at Dinnertime  

Magic Tree House #24 - Earthquake in the Early Morning                
Junie B. Jones Loves Handsome Warren

Junie B. Jones and That Meanie Jim's Birthday

Cinderellis & the Glass Hill

For Biddle's Sake

The Fairy's Mistake

Junie B., First Grader - One Man Band

Junie B. Jones Is a Graduation Girl

Junie B., First Grader - Aloha-ha-ha

Junie B., First Grader (at last!)

Junie B. Jones Smells Something Fishy

Junie B. Jones Is a Party Animal

Junie B. Jones Has a Peep in Her Pocket

Junie B. Jones and the Mushy Gushy Valentine

Magic Tree House #3 - Mummies in the Morning

Magic Tree House #13 - Vacation Under the Volcano

Magic Tree House #19 - Tigers at Twilight

Magic Tree House #17 - Tonight on the Titanic

Magic Tree House #12 - Polar Bears Past Bedtime

Magic Tree House #21 - Civil War on Sunday

Magic Tree House #22 - Revolutionary War on Wednesday   

Defeat (An Over-dramatization in One Act)

Scene - A darkened stage.  A single spotlight comes on to show a woman standing alone.  The scenery far to the rear of the lighted area conveys the impression of a confessional but on a larger scale. When 'the boy' is mentioned, the woman gestures and a smaller spotlight shows a toddler in bed to the right.

The woman speaks loudly and clearly but does not make eye contact with her audience.

"My quest to right the transgressions of my disposable diaper using years has met with a small defeat in the form of a rashy bum.  After only one night back in a cloth diaper, his poor little behind was once again a raw, red mess.  My head hanging low, I made the long walk of shame down the diaper aisle of a store I'd rather not mention.  The boy now sleeps soundly, swaddled in plastic & polymers, his tushy free from painful sores."

Both spotlights go out at once and the stage is dark again.

(Don't get your hopes up Mom,  they're only for nighttime. ;)

My Fight With Borders - Update!

This morning I called general manager Doug Thompson again.  This time he was there.

I explained the events of Wednesday to him.  He told me that the manager involved had already told him of the incident.  Realizing that he was not familiar with homeschool laws, he looked them up.

As a result, Borders in Elk Grove has decided to be more lenient towards homeschoolers than they previously have been.

I received a very nice apology and a promise that my replacement educator's discount card is on its way to me in the mail.

I was completely ecstatic!  (I actually danced around the house singing, "I win, I win, I win!" for a while.)  I don't always get results when I start these battles, so it was nice to have confirmation that all my emotional outbursts are not wasted.  Fighting for the things I believe in, no matter how small, is a part of me I just can't turn off.

Yay, me!  ;)

My Fight With Borders

As you may or may not know, I recently lost my purse.  Most of the things in it were very easy to replace.  A few calls to bank and credit card companies and my new cards were rushed right to me. As of this Wednesday, I only  needed replacement Borders cards (their rewards card and educator's discount card) and a driver's license.

Easy, right?  Thanks to Borders, it wasn't.

Wednesday afternoon I went to Borders to do some gift and school shopping.  After about an hour I had 12 items piled in my stroller.  At the cash register I explained my plight to the cashier, fully expecting to fill out some paperwork and receive new cards.  To my surprise, I was told I would have to call an 800 number to replace my rewards card as well as come up with proof of being a homeschooler.  I would be eligible for no discounts and my purchases would not be credited toward my rewards.  The cashier was completely uninterested in helping me any further.

If you know me, you know I expect to be treated a certain way when I am spending money.  If I do not receive the treatment I expect I take my money elsewhere. (I haven't been in a Subway since they refused to give 3 year old Molly milk with her kid's meal instead of soda.)  Consequently, I left my intended purchases at the register and left.

I quickly decided to go back into the store and speak to a manager.  I just couldn't believe that a long time customer would be treated this way.  Surely the manager would realize that a discounted sale was better than no sale at all?

I was wrong again.  After a long wait, a manager finally came to speak to me.  I restated my problem including that I had no proof of homeschooling my children.  He explained to me that as a homeschool parent the state provides me with curriculum and has to monitor me and make sure my children are "...up to par...".  He also informed me that IF I were a homeschooler the state would issue me proof of that.   Surprisingly still calm at this point, I asked him how familiar he was with home schooling in California.  His answer, "Not very".

Thinking I could educate this man regarding the legal ways to homeschool in CA (It is possible to join a group with an i.d. card, I had one from San Francisco in my lost purse.  The state does not issue homeschoolers i.d. cards.), I began explaining the various methods.  I was wasting my breath.  The manager repeated to me that I had to have proof.  I asked him if the receipts with my name &  address that I had filled out with each purchase over the last 5 years were proof.  He said, " You expect me to search through thousands of receipts to find those?  We box those up and send them to corporate."  (Too bad there isn't a convenient way to store, sort and transmit large amounts of information in these dark ages.)  I lost my temper when he said, "If you can't understand that you have to have proof, then I can't help you."  I assured him I would spread the word of their unfriendly treatment and left the store again.

After getting home and doing some research I came across this on the Borders web site.

Homeschoolers in states without certification should contact a manager at the store for instructions on how to document your status as a homeschooler.  

Apparently the Borders Corporation better understands that there is more than one way to homeschool. 


I obtained the name and phone number of the local general manager and placed my call to him early this morning.  His day off.  I'll be calling back tomorrow.


http://www.yelp.com/biz/borders-books-and-music-elk-grove?rpp=40&sort_by=rating_asc

I ♥ Jamie Oliver

Well,  I love the mission he is on to improve the quality of food served in schools.

Wave and I watched every episode of Food Revolution and were amazed at what we saw.  Not having children in the public school system made it a little less disturbing for us, but it was still very shocking.

I was most appalled at the flavored milks being offered for lunch.  As a parent, I would be extremely angered if a school official were encouraging my child to drink sugar milk.

If  you believe it is time to change the way children are taught to eat in this country, take a moment to sign the petition.  http://www.jamieoliver.com/campaigns/jamies-food-revolution/petition  If you don't care, at least take a second to look at the map.  I find it fascinating to see the states that have higher numbers of folks who are behind this cause.

Can't Get Enough Of Me?

Well, here's more!
http://thethingilearnedtoday.blogspot.com/