The EAGLE has landed!

Our last meeting of EAGLE was today. It's been a SUPER first semester. We have a lot of bugs to work out but all in all everything went really, really well. We start planning our next semester officially tomorrow. It's already underway but tomorrow it goes on paper.
The weather is finally looking up. Even though it's been raining, I've seen glimmers of sunlight and that makes me very happy indeed.
I picked up a rain barrel and some buckets today. I hope to set my entire balcony up with potted plants to increase the garden yield. It could still be weeks before my garden spot is dry enough to till. The ground cover is still mud! We're also going to concentrate on making our garden beds "raised" so we won't have this issue in the future.
I have so many plans for the garden this year! I want to experiment with seed banking. This seems like a must because of the f o o d m o d e r n i z a t i o n a c t. I want to concentrate fully on foods I can put up and can.
And speaking of canning...
I can't wait until next week! I'm going to go learn the intricacies of canning meat. This should be a huge help in the food storage department. A very generous friend of a friend is going to give us a class.
This Thursday we're going to get together for our first book club meeting! We're reading "The 5000 Year Leap" and man... is it GOOD! This will make my third time through the book and I am constantly finding something new in it. Just a spectacular read.
That leads me to the next thing. I live this guy so much. Bob Basso rocks so hard. His newest message is very exciting to me!

I wish I could rattle off with passion like him! I didn't get my entire speech from last week recorded but here's a few seconds!

I'm still a little jacked up!

Yesterday was amazing.
To see so many people stand up for their country as it was founded did my heart good.
THERE IS HOPE PEOPLE!!! Because so many of us care. We are truly not alone.
I'm so honored that I was able to speak yesterday. Now I'm not saying that I wasn't terrified (oh man,, and it showed!) but it was definitely a once in a lifetime thrill!
The weather on the other hand was FOUL. We were wet and frozen to the core but do you know what? So was George Washington when he crossed the Delaware. The Hessians weren't expecting him because of the weather. I wonder if Washington was expecting us?!
Here is my little speech from yesterday:

Good Afternoon!

I (too) want to thank you for coming out today when it would have been easier to stay home.
I want to thank those of you who have never done anything like this before but are ready to say "I'm mad as Hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!"
I respectfully stand in awe those of you who are steadfast and strong and have decided to stand on your principles.
I commend those of you who are afraid,,, but you're here anyway.
And for those of you who lie awake at night and worry.........
This homeschool mom of 2 awesome boys and wife of an incredible soldier who served his country until they made him come home.....
I would like to offer you a shoulder... because I understand.

When I began to ask people to join me here today they would inevitably ask me "What are you protesting?"
This gave me pause.
I hesitated again when Anne asked me why I felt like today was important.
Why do I feel so passionately about our presence here in Charleston WV? Why are people all over the nation raising their fists and saying "DON'T TREAD ON ME!"?
I believe we run the risk of becoming fractured if we do not come together and agree on a purpose.
I understand that without purpose there is anarchy and anarchy acts as a vacuum to which anything will rush in to fill the void.
So I needed a purpose, I settled on three major reasons:
My first is that I am terrified by the massive leaps towards socialism that this country is taking. What was skipping in previous years, is now a full fledged run. I cannot stand by while the greatest nation the world has ever known is destroyed from the inside out. President Reagan said it best when he reminded us that "if we loose freedom here we have no place to escape".
My second is our liberty. Liberty is what I hold dearest. I mentioned before that our family educates our children at home. This is only one of hundreds of liberties that are dangleing precariously ready to become over regulated and nearly impossible if the current transnationalist friendly administration gets it's way. We are entering into an age where state protectionism, economic interventionism, and regulatory policies are becoming the norm.
Thank you but no thank you Mr. President, I am a free citizen of these United States and I will fight while clinging to MY GOD and MY GUN, to keep it that way.
Last and certainly not least is OUR Constitution. The greatest document ever carved out by common patriots. The framers went to great lengths to prevent the type of tyranny they fought so hard against. The idea that political rule should be according to a document, not the will of kings is the essence of the republicanism (small r) that has made the US government great.
Right now? I don't feel like it is. I feel like they are making up rules as they go along. "Social Policy" they say. We are a nation of Laws not Men and NO ONE should be above the law.

Do we still know the freedoms that were intended for us by the founding fathers? I challenge you to pick up a copy of the Constitution, read it, and cross off the parts that you don't want or that you are willing to compromise on. I'm willing to bet that it remains uncut.

I hear so often when I ask people to stand with me, "I'm just one person,, what can I do?" or "It won't do any good, they don't care". I understand this all too well because I too am only one person, as are you.... and you... and you.... and you. Together we are not "one person" together.... we are a MOVEMENT. While we may disagree on policy, I think we can all agree on the values of a peaceful society. The time has come to hold our representatives to these values as well.
Honesty
Reverence
Hope
Thrift
Humility
Charity
Sincerity
Moderation
Hard Work
Courage
Personal Responsibility
Gratitude
I know these are the values that YOU live your life by and the time has come to send a clear message to our representatives that they work FOR US! They are held to OUR standards, we are not ruled... we are a REPUBLIC.
Thank you.

Here are some pictures

More Grown-uped-ness

I mentioned the other day that I barely recognize Thomas anymore. This is bittersweet of course. Life is cruel ya know. On the one hand you want them to grow up and get out but on the other hand watching it happen is hard. Life is also cruel because the plan was (in my head anyway....) that they would grow up and leave me so that I could buy a pair of Harleys and Chris and I would keep the roads hot.
Now I'm too old and achey to fathom hurting myself. I just don't heal like I used to!
Youth is wasted on the young!
This year my kids said "NO EASTER BASKETS" Ugh... they stink. They suck all the pleasure right out of my life. LOL They wanted cold hard cash. Fine. I should be grateful, it's easier but there was something very anti-climactic about it. They're happy tho and that's what matters on a day like Easter. I guess we did get something Easter-y
We got baby chicks!!!
Our plan was that we would get hens but there were none to be had. Well,, none that didn't have one talon in the grave so we decided to just brood up our own. Oh, baby chicks are so sweet! We got two Barred Rocks and two Buff Orpingtons. By fall we should have a dozen eggs every other day,,,, IF.... none of them are roos. We were assured they were all pullets but we shall see. We have no need for roosters!
I also took an Easter Portrait of the boys:
Domestic Terrorists? No.... but according to some we are! LOL

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Happy Easter!

1. Low in the grave he lay, Jesus my Savior,
 waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!
Refrain:
 Up from the grave he arose;
 with a mighty triumph o'er his foes;
 he arose a victor from the dark domain,
 and he lives forever, with his saints to reign.
 He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

2. Vainly they watch his bed, Jesus my Savior,
 vainly they seal the dead, Jesus my Lord!
 (Refrain)

3. Death cannot keep its prey, Jesus my Savior;
 he tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord!
 (Refrain)

Huntington Junior Business College

A small group of Middle and High School homeschool students went on a college shopping field trip today. The staff at Huntington Junior Business College welcomed us with open arms. I admit, I knew very little about about "junior colleges" before attending today's meeting. I was really impressed by the staff and the casual feel. It really does seem like a place where a younger non traditional student could excel.
You see, in WV a homeschool student can graduate at 16 if they can successfully complete their GED. If nothing unforeseen comes up, we suspect that this will be what our oldest does. My youngest is a totally different story but that's for another post. We just can't see any reason to waste 2 extra years going over stuff we've already covered just because someone says he has to stay in school "this long". So, he'll need a transitional program to enter. We assumed it would be some kind of "vo-tech" program but now that we've spoken with the Jr. College... we're not so sure! This is a serious possibility!
We met the teachers, sat in on some classes, at lunch, and talked to the financial aid director. It went really well.

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My Heart Hurts a Little

So... My boy.. my little boy... is not so much a little boy anymore.
Today I took him on his first College Shopping trip. Now granted.... it was just the Junior College but all the same. It hit me like a Mack truck when I realized that we could be shopping for financial aid in as little as 30 months. Then it hit me even harder when he said on the way home " I can get my Medical Assistant degree from the Junior College, then I'll be old enough to join the Army and become a Medic and then when I get out I can use my GI Bill to go to St. Mary's School of Nursing"
SOB! OMG!
When we went to pick up Tristen, I was standing beside Tom and realized... HE'S TALLER THAN ME. Holy moly. He wasn't taller than me last week! All his pants are also about 4 inches too short. He's like... a smallish man.
SOB! OMG!
So on the way home.... he wanted to stop by the graveyard and drive the car. I said "Ok, if it isn't busy for the Easter holiday" Well, there were no cars there so I got out and let him drive. YES... I know this is illegal but we're on private property and all the people there are already dead, so there. It's the same graveyard where I learned to drive. He did GREAT, I mean really, really well. He's quite a driver for 12 years old! LOL
again...
SOB! OMG!!
Oh well, just had to get that off my chest.

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The best quote I've read today.

“Remember, write to your Congressman. Even if he can’t read, write to him.” - Will Rogers

Big Week Ahead...

What else is new right?
Monday- Giving a test at noon- Band at 3:00pm
Tuesday- E.A.G.L.E. + Science Club
Wednesday- Field trip at the Huntington Junior College.
Thursday- Uhhmm,, I have nothing this day... yet but probably prep for the party
Friday- Dr's Appt. and Tristen's Birthday party!
Saturday- Lucasville Flea Market
Sunday - Easter (Plus it's Tristen's Birthday)

You are invited to Tristen's 10th Birthday Party!

When: Friday the 10th at 5pm (till 7)
Where: Skateland in Altizer


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Testing... VANQUISHED!

Well, not completely but the biggest part of it is done. Today was our big testing day. All of the children were very well behaved while they were taking their tests and we had a pretty good showing. We had a few hiccups that I'll undoubtedly spend the next month cleaning up but all in all I'd say it was a success.

My parent volunteers were awesome. I can't thank them enough. Testing day wouldn't be possible without them.

I'm tired. Man am I tired! I'm going to try and catch a nice snooze before I head out to Mom's Night Out tonight! Whoo Hooo! Mellini's here I come!
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I can't wait for summer, swimming with pool floats, gardening and just warm weather,, how 'bout you?!!
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