Happy New Year

  Well, that's a bit late, and I've already grumbled this year, but Happy New Year, anyhow.
I typed up the Kindergarten requirements for my state, and made a snazzy chart, so I could check off what we have completed, with notes on where we stand.  I really dislike categorizing my kids, but for home school sake, I need to have some type of reference point.
  I'm pretty excited this year so far.  Co op classes start next month, and we are taking some neat ones.  Ds is excited to learn, "Rock and Roll", and have fun in art class.  The class is Montessori/Waldorf based, and they do some neat things, like using beeswax and felting.  We are doing pretty well in our basics too.  Once again, kudos to the Phonics Road program.  It's amazing what he knows, and we are only half way through it.
   Dh has quit smoking!  That's the most exciting news here.  It's been one week, and I couldn't be more proud of him.  He had cold laser treatment, and I'm giving him a bunch of herbs to help.  He was only grumpy the first day, so I'd say they are helping-a lot!  We are spending more time together, and I really enjoy it.  I have noticed the kids are not as clingy to him, as they used to be.  They are definitely enjoying him more.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed this is a permanent thing.
  On the news front, I swear, nutrition and vaccines are being attacked more than ever right now.  I honestly feel it's based out of fear that the government is realized there are a growing number of people out there, who just won't stand for their crap.  We will grow our own food.  We will have our organic farms.  We will not inject poison or take poison into our bodies.
  My New Year resolution, if I'm to have one.  Successfully have a garden this year.  And become a worm farmer.

Bits and Pieces after Christmas

  Well, I hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday.  I did.  But of course, it's back to the grind.  So many things have caught my eye the past few days.
   Our paper reports on an article from the Atlantic, on how terrible the US school system is. Here it is, " Your Child Left Behind ".  I have yet to dig into it, but just from the reading I have done over the past year or so, and my observation of both children and young adults, I do have to wonder what is going on in public school.  I'm going to go on a limb and say that private has it's own set of problems as well.
   The news, had a few eye catching tidbits.  Apparently, milk based infant formula, contributes to obesity.  Formula's that increase weight gain, I did a little searching around on the type of substitute formula's that are recommended for those infants who can not tolerate milk.  I'll probably have a whole blog article on it, with the information I found.  How about this?  Let's just educate women and families about the benefits of Breastfeeding, the effects of formula, and help women accomplish breastfeeding and overcome any problems that arise.
    Here was another new bit-SIDs and New Years Day.  Well, who exactly is researching SIDS, what causes it, the contributing factors etc?  Every so many years, there is something new to do, to try to avoid SIDS.  That would bring us back around to the above mentioned formula, and a slew of other things.