Tuesday, January 10, 2012
My First Lemon Blossom!
I've had my lemon tree for almost a complete year and I am so happy to see my first lemon blossom! This is a Meyer lemon tree and I can't wait to taste the fruit.
I love lemons, can you tell? If you want to know more about lemons, I have info on my cooking blog- www.pattieskitchen.blogspot.com
Geaux Tigers!
This is what I found when I walked past my oldest son's room this morning. The shirts he has not washed all season long:
I wondered, for a moment, "Is he throwing them away or going to put them in the wash?" He's worn these shirts for every game this Season and wouldn't let me wash them. He's learned that lucky charms don't work. Even with the defeat at the National Championship, LSU still had a great season. 13-1 is nothing to scoff at. They were undefeated in the conference, won the SEC championship and only lost one game this season. Like Les said in this video interview, "They accomplished a lot this season." It hurts to go out the way they did in the last contest, but over all-- it was an amazing season, Tigers. Les' post game interview
Friday, January 6, 2012
The Latest in Politics
Santorum won Iowa. I consider it a win. If Romney, who has been campaigning for President for 5 plus years can't pull off winning by more than 8 votes, it is a win for Santorum. Now that he did so well in Iowa, the attacks have begun. Santorum's Catholicism Attacked is an article I read this morning. As I read it, I thought, "Of course they are going to attack his Catholicism." They won't attack any other religion, but they WILL attack Catholicism" Where are the people attacking Romney and Huntsman's Mormonism?
McCain endorsed Romney the other night and we had a good laugh. I'm not sure that helps Romney. McCain attacked Romney's flip-flopping on many things, but was particularly hard on his pro-choice-pro-life flip-flopping. I had to wonder why McCain didn't endorse a candidate with pro-life views, like Santorum or Newt. Oh, that's right, he is a moderate, so of course he'd endorse the MA moderate in the race. In my opinion, Romney is a liberal. MA conservative = liberal in my book.
I'd love to see a Gingrich/Santorum ticket. I like them both. Romney's dirty politics and negative ads turn me off. His not being a true conservative turn me off. I'm hoping the Republican establishment doesn't nominate him just because he is an establishment Republican that they feel has the best chance to win. There are many of us out here who believe the only way to beat Obama in the next election is to run a true conservative against him.
McCain endorsed Romney the other night and we had a good laugh. I'm not sure that helps Romney. McCain attacked Romney's flip-flopping on many things, but was particularly hard on his pro-choice-pro-life flip-flopping. I had to wonder why McCain didn't endorse a candidate with pro-life views, like Santorum or Newt. Oh, that's right, he is a moderate, so of course he'd endorse the MA moderate in the race. In my opinion, Romney is a liberal. MA conservative = liberal in my book.
I'd love to see a Gingrich/Santorum ticket. I like them both. Romney's dirty politics and negative ads turn me off. His not being a true conservative turn me off. I'm hoping the Republican establishment doesn't nominate him just because he is an establishment Republican that they feel has the best chance to win. There are many of us out here who believe the only way to beat Obama in the next election is to run a true conservative against him.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Elements, moles and equations, oh MY!
We've been working on Chemistry with fervor the last few days. It has been nice having time away from doctor's visits! We can put forth 100% of our energy toward school, well, after everyone got over the cold they shared, they have put forth about 95% effort into school! ~smile~
My favorite Chemistry curriculum is Friendly Chemistry, in case you're just dying to know. We are not using it in high school, but used it in middle school as a foundation for high school chemistry. It could certainly be used by high school students, though. It covers the topics very well and make it very easy to understand the concepts. In fact, we used it as a reference a few times the last few days. We also like the videos at Khan Academy - check them out! They are free. Their videos cover topics in all school subjects and we've found the biology and chemistry tutorial videos to be quite helpful. Of course, we love our chemistry set, too.
Yesterday, we were going over Avogadro's number and figuring out problems using it and I kept thinking of Avocados. The names sounds similar. I couldn't help it. Today, we balanced more equations than I care to admit, just to be sure the oldest truly understood the concept. I'll be dreaming of equations in my sleep. Which brings me to my next point.
Each child is different. My two youngest seem to remember chemistry from middle school, while my oldest seems to have dumped it all from his memory! How can it be that the two children in my house NOT taking chemistry are yelling out the answers and the one who IS currently enrolled in chemistry sits with a blank stare? Followed by one of the other two saying, "Dude! Mom has gone over this with us every year since we were in fifth grade!" I just have to laugh. Ask my oldest about politics, the US Presidents, the Catholic faith or the NFL and he seems to remember everything. He seems to do well in the things that interest him. Isn't that true for us all to some degree?
We'll wake up tomorrow, say a prayer and hope he's retained enough to pass the test! ~smile~ I'm sure he'll do just fine. I know he can balance equations!
My favorite Chemistry curriculum is Friendly Chemistry, in case you're just dying to know. We are not using it in high school, but used it in middle school as a foundation for high school chemistry. It could certainly be used by high school students, though. It covers the topics very well and make it very easy to understand the concepts. In fact, we used it as a reference a few times the last few days. We also like the videos at Khan Academy - check them out! They are free. Their videos cover topics in all school subjects and we've found the biology and chemistry tutorial videos to be quite helpful. Of course, we love our chemistry set, too.
Yesterday, we were going over Avogadro's number and figuring out problems using it and I kept thinking of Avocados. The names sounds similar. I couldn't help it. Today, we balanced more equations than I care to admit, just to be sure the oldest truly understood the concept. I'll be dreaming of equations in my sleep. Which brings me to my next point.
Each child is different. My two youngest seem to remember chemistry from middle school, while my oldest seems to have dumped it all from his memory! How can it be that the two children in my house NOT taking chemistry are yelling out the answers and the one who IS currently enrolled in chemistry sits with a blank stare? Followed by one of the other two saying, "Dude! Mom has gone over this with us every year since we were in fifth grade!" I just have to laugh. Ask my oldest about politics, the US Presidents, the Catholic faith or the NFL and he seems to remember everything. He seems to do well in the things that interest him. Isn't that true for us all to some degree?
We'll wake up tomorrow, say a prayer and hope he's retained enough to pass the test! ~smile~ I'm sure he'll do just fine. I know he can balance equations!