The Weight Loss Cure

I am not impressed with this book. The author gives no real data, no studies, no factual evidence...just simply his opinion as he sees it. I'm not sure that his information is wrong, just that he does not state his evidence of why he is right. He is not a doctor, but a journalist! Most books like this at least state references to studies and other books where they got their information. This book has some references listed in the back, but it is not annotated to know which study belongs to which statements, making it hard to research his information.

The logic behind this author's arguments is flawed. In Phase 1 of the diet he stresses over and over about illuminating hormones and such by eating only organic food. Then Phase 2 is using the HCG hormone shots. What? How can you say ALL hormones in foods and such is bad, then turn around and promote giving yourself shots of another type of hormone? It does not add up and quite frankly seems fishy to me.

Raising Literate Boys

Today I read this article: How to Raise Boys That Read (goes right along with my review of Boys Adrift).

I have to say that I think this article is right on. Our boys and young men are distracted from reading good books. It is not that they are less capable. I believe that all people, regardless of gender, are geniuses in their own right. My job is to bring that genius to the surface.

The appearance of the boy-girl literacy gap happens to coincide with the proliferation of video games and other electronic forms of entertainment over the last decade or two. Boys spend far more time "plugged in" than girls do. Could the reading gap have more to do with competition for boys' attention than with their supposed inability to focus on anything other than outhouse humor? - "How to Raise Boys that Read"

Chris doesn't like books that aren't "real". He wants stories of people who have done heroic things but are real human beings...not super heroes, aliens, or elves. It took me a while to figure this out. Then I stumbled upon Robinson Crusoe. I know...stupid that I didn't think a classic like Robinson Crusoe would interest my son. First of all, I didn't think he could read such a "hard" book (this was two years ago). Second, I thought we needed to "ease our way" up to those kind of books.

Boy was I wrong! (How could I ever be wrong, right?) He loves adventure books about men who are real people, experiencing hardships and trials and overcoming them through ingenuity and hard work. Some of his other favorites in the past year have been Ender's Game, the Sackett Series, and now The Count of Monte Cristo. I'm terribly disappointed in myself for trying to find lower caliber books for my son to read. I should know better. It took me awhile to figure out what types of books were interesting to Chris. Once I figured that out, the rest has fallen into place and I was able to pull several classics from the library shelves that fit his reading interests.

I also realized that our read aloud books needed to be about family oriented people who work together and love each other deeply enough to sacrifice for the good of the family. We finished the Little House on the Prairie series and are almost done with The Hiding Place. I'm planning on starting Little Britches next, which I think will be a family favorite (it is one of mine!). The fathers and young men in these books are hard working people who love their families and treat females with love and respect. Of course, it is a blessing that Mike, as the patriarch of our home, is such a great example of these characteristics as well.

Family Moods

Our family seems to have different "moods"...I guess that is the best way to describe it. We did not have as eventful of a summer as we usually do, leaving everyone feeling a bit antsy about what the Fall will bring. Our lives have changed quite a bit, adjusting to life in "The Ozarks" versus life in the Rocky Mountains, and before that, the Arizona Desert. The changes of location definitely have their advantages and disadvantages. Each location has been an adventure.

I was talking with Mike last week about my concerns in our new location. Chris is the only active Aaronic Priesthood boy in our city. He has a few friends within a 30 minute drive, which makes frequent contact difficult. My children do not attend school, so finding local friends has been difficult, adding in the fact that we live in a duplex and apartment area without a lot of older kids. For Nayna, we have a few young women for her locally, but the majority of her friends are also 30 minutes away.

The very next day after discussing my concerns with my husband, the calls started coming. The kids were invited to a movie, Chris was invited to a birthday party, a concerned new friend asked to help us with our truck repair problem, and so on, and so on. Neither Mike nor I spoke with anyone about our concerns...other than with the Lord.  I know that He heard our concerns and answered our prayers about what we can do to increase social contact for our family.

I still don't know the answers to all our issues, but I do know that Heavenly Father is aware of us and our needs. It seems such a small thing for Heavenly Father to be concerned about. And yet...I am so thankful that He is.

Boys Adrift

Boys Adrift: Five Factors Driving the Growing Epidemic of Unmotivated Boys and Underachieving Young Men is an excellent book discussing why we are seeing such a trend of men and boys who are happy to be underachievers. I remember watching the movie "Failure to Launch" and thinking how funny it was...until I realized how true it was. My own two youngest brothers fit that category...even though they have both been married and each have kids!

I have also seen many examples of men who have no desire to support their families or even to marry at all. It is also scary to see so many women willing to raise children in single homes.

I highly recommend this book. The part that probably scared me the most was the chapter on plastics. I think that is that only thing from this book that is a change I need to make in our home. (See more about Endocrine Disruptors here and BPA Fact Sheet). The main concerns for boys are lowered sperm counts and too much estrogen which effeminates the males.

Of course, the author does not advocate home education as a possible fix for boys who hate school. He advocates same-sex schools instead. Other than that I was pretty impressed with this book.

Check out the Boys Adrift website.

As A Man Thinketh

This is a great little book, As A Man Thinketh, about positive thinking and attitude. I have needed to ponder this book a bit and see how to apply it better. (Free Online version in text and audio)

I agree with a great deal of this book. Our society likes to place blame on everyone but oneself. If one is poor, it is because of the economy. If one is rich, it is luck. Where is the dependence on self-reliance? Too much emphasis is placed on success in monetary forms rather than of personal morality and virtue. I like the features of this book that discuss personal responsibility and positive attitude towards one's circumstances.

One part of this book that I do not agree with is the worldview expressed through Buddhist practices of wealth simply through positive thinking and illness being solely due to impure thoughts.

There is also a rather obvious lack of God and the role of thankfulness to God for all that we have. The author mentions being "blessed", but there is no clear understanding of what is meant by that. I found this blatant omission a bit telling. The author stresses too much self-reliance and not enough reliance on God. There needs to be a balance between the two.

Garden Burgers

Low fat, low sodium, healthy alternative....we hear the mumbo-jumbo all the time.

Let's face it...Mike and I are getting older and need to watch what we eat. Add that some of us can't eat red meat or dairy and it makes for a lot of changes in how we eat compared to the average American family. We have been eating ground turkey for a few years now and although good, sometimes needs some extra flavoring. Here is a recipe I have come up with for a very flavorful burger! The whole family loves it...even my red-meat-craving husband.

Garden Burgers

1 lb. Ground Turkey - (Jennie O is my favorite)
1 egg
1/2 c. oats
1/4 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. chopped green pepper
1/4 c. chopped carrots
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 t. Mrs Dash - (Garlic and Herb is my favorite flavor for this meal)
1/4 t. pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Divide into 6 equal parts. Roll each part into a ball and press into patties. Fry in a non-stick pan on one side about 4 minutes at 300 degrees (medium heat). Flip over. Fry until cooked through, about 8 minutes total.

The recipe is close to a meatloaf recipe. The egg helps to hold it all together, the oats cook up so that it mimics the meat and the vegetables add flavor while acting as a hidden source of vitamins. When cooking turkey meat, note that it does not have grease...much healthier for those watching their cholesterol and triglycerides. :-)

NOTES: I forgot to add that you can substitute any vegetables that you want, even those grown from your own garden! Some other suggestions are any other types of peppers, shredded zucchini, or celery.

Innovative Thinking?

I found this video on chistianlogic.com and thought it was so interesting.

I have been asked many, many times why I do what I do for free. Why would I offer my time to build a homeschooling community? Why am I not charging for my TJED Teens Club? Why do I spend so much time doing freelance projects - websites and blogs? Why am I a substitute and not a full-time teacher?

Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us

Could this phenomenon be true? What do you think?



After watching this video...

If purpose is our highest level of motivation...is it so hard to see why people are drawn to deschooling and/or Thomas Jefferson Education (TJED)? The cornerstone to TJED is that each person has a mission in life...a purpose for living...a reason for existing. This mission or purpose is then transformed into a reason to be educated. Powerful stuff for human beings who want to be autonomous.

"Barraged by Voices"

Yesterday, Mike played all of the videos available on lds.org. I couldn't help but cry through them all, they have touched me so. I thought about all the things in this world that bring pain and suffering. I also thought of how blessed I am to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am blessed to know my Savior Jesus Christ, His Plan of Happiness, and to partake of the New and Everlasting Covenant.

This video is one that I have felt strongly about for some time. I have worked to limit our entertainment and bombardment with things that "suffocate you with information." The words "Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?" fill me with understanding of one way that Satan is successful with LDS people. He tempts us with over-stimulation, "too much of a good thing" as I have heard it called.

The "Voice of the Spirit" is sometimes hard to tune into. It takes practice. It takes patience. It takes obedience to the commandments of Heavenly Father. It is also something each of us is capable of accomplishing. I know that I need to focus on listening, truly listening, for when I do...it works.

Book Review: "Pastwatch"

With Orson Scott Card it can go either way with me, some of his books I love and some of them I hate. Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus ranks with the "hate it" category. It was very interesting in the beginning, then started to turn weird, and ended down right disturbing. Basically, the premise is that Christopher Columbus, and Europeans in general, were the cause of all the heartache in the world, most importantly slavery.

It is also written from a non-Christian point of view, yet ends with the characters helping to convert everyone to Christianity. The logic is just not there to follow the plot in this way. It seems to poke fun at the belief in many biblical figures like Noah and has the characters discrediting everything they did with some scientific findings rather than any belief in God speaking to His prophets.

I had read once that Orson Scott Card is Mormon, but after reading this I don't know how he can be.

Towards the end of this book are also several disturbing occurrences of rape and one horrible scene of self-mutilation. I do not recommend this book, especially not for children or young adults.

2010-2011 Curriculum Picks

I've stated a few times I'm sure that Thomas Jefferson Education (TJED) is not a curriculum, it is a set of principles when used properly can result in a fantastic Leadership Education. When we view what type of education many of the great thinkers in history had, we find that they had many if not all of these principles in tact. I, for one, want this type of education for myself and my children...really, if I'm honest with myself, I would love to help everyone be educated in this manner.

That said, here is a glimpse of some of the curriculum items that are helping us along this path. We add more throughout the year as new concepts are sought, breakthroughs discovered, and our minds are expanded to new ideas.

Language Arts
Reading List - All books on the TJED for Teens booklist (pages 23-34) click here for a checklist download. In order to understand what the "levels" mean on the checklist, please refer to TJED for Teens pages18-22. I have asked my Scholar Phase children to look to this list first and work their way through the list that is appropriate for their age, also making sure they cover anything before their "age" that they have not read.

Read Aloud books - This year I plan to read aloud "The Hiding Place", "A Beginner's Guide to Constructing the Universe", "The Taming of the Shrew", "Hamlet" and "The Making of America".

Grammar - Nayna is studying Latin and Chris is studying Japanese, which both cover and reinforce their English grammar. (see more under Foreign Language)

Composition - Each child writes essay's about the books that they read and daily journal entries. Nayna is in the process of writing another fantasy fiction novel.

Mathematics
Math is one of the areas in which I do buy "curriculum", we are still using Math-U-See.

Mathematical readings - "Mathematicians Are People Too" book 1 and book 2. "Flatland" which is largely geometry related.

History
We spend a great deal of time on history, especially American History. I purchased the American Classics Series (one recommended by Glenn Beck as well as the TJED books - pictured at the top of this post). We are hoping to get through all three over the next two years. We are also adding "A Brief History of Time".

Science
I think this is my most challenging subject to keep interesting. We are using a series of Discovery Channel DVD's from the library in addition to our Concepts and Challenges of Physical Science, Chemistry for Every Kid, Biology for Every Kid, and 150 Captivating Chemistry Experiments Using Household Substances books. One thing I like about the 150 Captivating Chemistry...book is that it also has the chemical formulas in the book and helps describe the actual reactions.

TJED Teens Club
I started a club for youth to meet together and discuss ideas on freedom, participate in simulations, and build friendships. We are using "The 5,000 Year Leap", "Robert Rule's of Order in Brief", "You Decide", and "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens" as curriculum for this class. Nayna and Chris are very excited about this class as are the other youth involved!

Logic

I have looked at several logic books and curriculum packages. Some I purchased and thought they were OK, but not really teaching what logic is at a level even I can understand (feeling a bit dumbed down in this area). Then I ran across "The Fallacy Detective" and "The Thinking Toolbox". I really love these books! I have learned a ton from them myself. We just go over one lesson a week, reviewing past lessons as needed. I have found that I make a lot of errors in logical thinking. We have been able to pick apart several political speeches lately for fallacies...pretty interesting stuff!

Foreign Language
Latin - Nayna is studying Latin. We decided to continue with a video format with First Form Latin. It is more than I would like to spend, but she learns it so much better with the videos.

Japanese - Chris found a book at a garage sale last week for 50 cents, Japanese in Thirty Hours, and has not been able to put it down. He decided he does not want to continue with Latin, so I am still looking into more curriculum for him in Japanese language. This little book does a nice job and in combination with Chris' ability to find ANYTHING on the Internet, he is already finding his own way to learn the language.