It's Time to Light the Lights

Oh my friend inspired me to write about yes, the MUPPETS.  Do you remember when the Muppets first happened?? I do, I was in second grade and that little weekly reader talked about THE MUPPPETS. I am sure if you google you can find the first show. The Muppets have been a part of my life since I was in second grade but right after second grade I would have to take a break from any of the shows because I was headed overseas, and so for my 3rd and 4th grade of life, NO MUPPETS.

There is one Muppets movie that I remember the excitement when my sister saw the commercial. She loved Miss Piggy. In this movie they add a special effect (yes this was the 80's) Miss Piggy has bubbles coming from HER NOSE. She's underwater, and swimming.

The Muppets have added so much to our entertainment. My highschool years of singing, "The Rainbow Connection". All my friends in the Muppet gang, and more were part of my growing up years.

Yoda, who could forget the brilliance of this puppet and all the things the art work added to in the Star Wars series of the 80's. Something was lost when the creator of these characters died. I cried, knowing Jim Henson was gone and with him many happy memories of creatures.

Somewhere along the way, I went behind the scenes and learned about the power in the creation part of muppeting. I also learned how much work it is. A full time job if one is to film it the way one wants to, getting those creatures to become human is not as easy as they make it. Hours must be spent to get things the way one creates the being in ones mind.

I've only done a few shows with puppets, it isn't easy. I started and realized the power in puppets when I was about 17 and working at a pre-school. You can terrify a three year old with just the sight of a puppet. Being able to come out from behind a puppet show and share with the child what is real and what is fake is a gift. You can't see this from a television screen.  The key of a child overcoming this fear is often their relationship with you. Puppets can be a great teaching tool.

One of the wonders of puppetry is they can speak another language with the hit of a switch. You just need to know the timing of the tape (ahem now that would be CD or whatever you use.) Although my puppeteers could speak Korean and English, I could not. I found local Bible stores and purchased CD's in Korean. Our puppets did the entertaining to their own language, as we visited orphanages and anywhere asked to perform.

One I was in USA, I learned of Puppet Productions and One Way Street (now called Creative Ministry Solution). I enjoyed visiting Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta. Colleges have puppet degrees? yes, they do. For years I stood in front of a puppet screen watching puppeteers achieve the levels of puppeteers. All this began with probably Sesame Street, but that scholastic reader in second grade first told me about The Muppets. Time to find that first show on youtube.

Time Flies and so does my baby girl

Ah sigh, and cry for a while because time passes so quickly. Senior and graduating...today it is photos for her scattered homeschool class, we'll get together for a moment and click some pics.

Halloween Meanderings from my Youth and Now.....

October 31st.... yes this day occurs every year and once again I find myself wishing November 1st was here.....this day a distant memory. I've chosen to enjoy this day, not celebrate it but to enjoy it. I don't get into the pretending, dressing up part, spending hours on a creative costume.

This year my daughter will be pretending, she'll be acting...no by October 31st her play will be over...but I am trying to think what the reason is that I do not like costumes....I guess it's because I don't know who is behind the mask, but God does.

I was raised in a home that gave out candy and tracks in foreign countries, in America I don't remember the tracks. Overseas you'd find them days after on the road or other places, always wondered if anyone learned anything from them....perhaps.

This year I took a stand that I would not be part of anything involving witches or ghost. Mostly because my son who has hemihypertrophy says, "I a ghost..wooooo...or I a witch." it's kinda funny but not something I want him doing later in life so I'm not going to anything that encourages this type of thing. Also if I wanted to pull a Bible card it's Biblical but let's just say after hearing this a few times from my son....it is annoying!!!

So I've learned to say on October 31st, this is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.....and hey ummm yeah eating a carmel apple but then again why wait, this is also the day that the Lord has made!!

Time Flies....

Over the years it has often been just me....but not with so many children that are older, more grown up, still children but yet more independent so sure of themselves and yet for a moment still the babies I remember. The wonder years they are in, or have passed with so many different ages under one roof, it is the Wonder Years for me.

Reflections of who I once was and what I have become.... a Mom of five children, I'm not a writer and it's hard to recall things they just happen around here. I wonder how often my Mother just listened to the laughter and sat there quietly enjoying just being. I know she did it. I wish I could remember how the conversation went but I loved listening to my children talk to each other.

I miss my husband being here to hear them and smile at his little boy all too soon he's going to grow up and I can't believe how quickly his brothers have.

Apologia Science

Oh the journey of Apologia, I love the elementary program Astronomy, Botany, Swimming Creatures, Animals, Animals, Human Body......

The year I did astronomy I was pregnant with Nate but it was the year my son Jay, became aware of Apologia. He loved the book, and we moved on to Botany, and then Swimming creatures this past year.....our adventure has continued by purchasing plants, birds, an aquarium or two. Turtles, clown fish, and others.

The adventure continues for his younger brother as he moves on to Biology.

June 2013

Church Picnic...pretty sure it's that week at my folks farm. Growing up we had these every year at the Owens farm in New Jersey...I guess over the years it was held at different places. It is where I get my ideas for parties often. We seemed to do something different each year but it was fun.

This week I'll be doing something I haven't done since I was in Highschool. I'll be packing up my van (as a kid it was a camper.) I won't have a dog, or a cat to make the adventure more of one. I'm thinking the last time I did this it was with my two brothers and my parents oh it's a blur.

The last trip driving across country I remember is with Jelly Bean aka JB. JB was the dog I picked up from Collingswood auction. She was a mutt....no a serious mutt, she had beagle in her and was a bit of an idiot but in the end one awesome dog, filled with memories of my childhood. Wondering if you should get your child a dog....do it.

My adventure across country will be different. I'll be going with my two daughters and my 4 year old son. I'm sad that my husband hasn't made it a priority to do a trip with just our family each year, but he's wrapped up with getting our sons that Eagle award or as many scout trips in as he can. It's memories for my sons but leaves my daughters out. I feel that the girls have become unattached to family and do whatever they want to do.

At least my oldest wants to return for her college years. We shall see. For now she has a job to do for the summer.

End of 2013 School Year!!!!

Congratulations to me, I have survived another year of homeschooling. I'm going to start with my youngest, Nate, he actually has his own blog as he has hemihypertrphy. The twist and turns of this child. He started at preschool but I pulled him out. He ended the year, still challenging and not up to age level, but he graduated to the 4 year old program. He'll keep moving on as best as he can.

My 10 year old....whew, now a scout he's bridge over. He's done well at Trinity, enjoyed his homeschool days there, at co-op, and Classical Conversations.

14 years-whew many challenges lie ahead as he continues to learn at his own pace. He's doing great for all the times we struggled to get this child reading, he seems to of taken his own way of studying and succeeds at learning and doing it by himself.

16....could she be a little less independent. Sure this was my goal, I didn't want my kids relying on me to get things finished, but she doesn't want any help or guidance. Glad she has had some teachers that really care about her. Not enjoying the Administration of her school, and she is debating on what to do next year. First her SAT and then she will decide what and where she wants to graduate. ONE YEAR LEFT!!!

19-2 semesters of college done, and on her own!! She's loving learning, a goal met!!

Keep going kiddos, the journey continues. Love of Learning is my goal.