Our Next Home

My son found this amazing website. A low impact home built by the owners and "help from passers by".

Imagine - No mortgage. No utility bills. No traffic. Just living. I think you have to have an amazing garden if you live there. Its a requirement. You also have to bake bread every day. I'd have to have power to run my sewing machine, but then again, when you live in a house like this you stitch everything by hand. Or you cut out the patterns, and at night while you're sleeping, little fairies come into your home and stitch everything together for you.....

Now to find the land to build it on.

Check out the website here.

Its a Boy!

I'm an aunt again. My brother Bob and his girlfriend Rachel just had their baby. He was born Saturday morning around 1:00 am by c-section. Bob said the umbilical cord was wrapped around his waist and it was holding him in like a seatbelt. The new baby is 20 3/4 inces long and weighs 7 lbs. 12 oz. He doesn't have a name yet, but Bob promises to email everyone once they decide on one. What a beautiful baby. I can't wait to hold him!

Supreme Court Recognizes Homeschooling

"For the first time, homeschooling has been recognized as a viable educational alternative," writes J. Michael Smith.

A case which recently went to the U.S. Supreme Court, Morse v. Frederick, involved whether or not a public school can limit freedom of speech. The case was decided 5-4, saying that the school principal did not violate the rights of a student when she removed a banner of his that advocated illegal drug use.

In his opinion of the case, Justice Clarence Thomas stated, “If parents do not like the rules imposed by those schools, they can seek redress in school boards or legislatures; they can send their children to private schools or home school them; or they can simply move.”

So, the good news, is that homeschooling is finally recognized by the Supreme Court. The bad news is that public schools have ultimate authority over our children if they attend the school.

Read the Washington Times article here.

Which Jane Austen Character are You?

You are Elinor Dashwood of Sense & Sensibility! You are practical, circumspect, and discreet. Though you are tremendously sensible and allow your head to rule, you have a deep, emotional side that few people often see.

Take the Quiz here!

When I changed an answer that could go either way, I became Elizabeth Bennett. Not so sure about that one. I'm not tremendously attractive, and sometimes I AM the sea of silliness. I am rather judgemental though, so perhaps it is correct.

You are Elizabeth Bennet of Pride & Prejudice! You are intelligent, witty, and tremendously attractive. You have a good head on your shoulders, and oftentimes find yourself the lone beacon of reason in a sea of silliness. You take great pleasure in many things. You are proficient in nearly all of them, though you will never own it. Lest you seem too perfect, you have a tendency toward prejudgement that serves you very ill indeed.

Take the Quiz here!

Uncle Sam Wants Your Children

The Maryland State Board has ruled to allow a curriculum in middle and high schools that will teach children that homosexuality is perfectly ok. The curriculum will also teach children the correct way use a condom. Great. Just what our kids should be learning in school. I guess since they are failing at teaching kids how to read and do math, they've decided to teach our kids more about sex. They've been doing that for a while, and just look how successful they are! The teenage pregancy rate is doing very well. STD's are also doing very well. So finally, the state schools have found something they are good at - corrupting our children.

If parents don't want their children taught this curriculum, well, too bad. The state board wrote, although a parent does have a right to control the upbringing of a child, "that right is not absolute. It must bend to the State's duty to educate its citizens". Nice. Since when is it the State's "duty" to corrupt my children or indoctrinate them with ideas that are not ours?

Read the full article here.

Why Do Americans Get Married?

According to a survey completed by Pew Research, Americans have changed their opinion on what determines a successful marriage. Once upon a time, the reason for marriage was to bear and raise children. Now, by a margin of 3 to 1, the reason for marriage is for mutual happiness and fulfillment over having children. So we've gone from roles of responsibility, sacrifice and adulthood, to "What will make me happy right now?" No wonder the divorce rate is so high! If you wake up one morning and don't "feel" happy, its time to check out and find someone new to provide for you happiness and fulmillment.

In the survey, 62% of respondents said sharing household chores was an important determining factor for a successful marriage. Why not just hire a maid or a handyman service? Why do you need to get married to share chores? Back in 1990, 65% of people surveyed thought children were very important to a good marriage. Now only 41% say children are important. Of course, in this day and age, you can also pay for services to become pregnant or add to your family - IVF, Egg donors, surrigate parenting, adoption, etc. And you don't have to be married. Don't get me wrong, I think the technology we have to allow infertile couples a chance to have a baby is wonderful. And I think adoption is a great way to become a parent whether you can have biological children or not. BUT. I still think (call me old-fashioned), that children should be raised in a home with two parents of the opposite sex who are committed to a lifelong relationship. Its called marriage. Till death do we part.

We, as a society, have a long way to go to return to the things that made our country great.

Read the article here:
Marriage Survey