Hooray!!!

All the Mandatory evacuation has been lifted in my town!!!!!!! The fire is at 45% containment!!!!

Limbo

Living in limbo is hard, not knowing if we are going or staying. Living out of suitcases with three small kids. Never fully being able to relax, getting a stomach ache every time the wind picks up. Trying to act like it doesn't bother me so my kids don't get worried.

Half of the town is closed of our 7,000 ish population, 1/2 are gone. Half of the city is closed, 50% of the open half is closed because so many people are gone, they have no workers. My husband is off work and has bad cabin fever.

We have played at Mcdonalds, visited with family that was still here, working in our garden. We have harvested enough spinach to fill two gallon size freezer bags, tons of radishes. Our peas are blossoming!!! We had one surviving zucchini plant, with these record highs some of our plants suffered. Broccoli never sprouted. Today we are doing a second planting with summer squash and beets. I decided we needed to get more radish seeds also. I have completed my lesson plans for next year, deciding to include a section on fire awareness. I am going to see if we and a few other home school families can visit the fire department, meet smokey, drive through the burn area, and even plant new trees. I feel this natural disaster can and will be an incredible learning tool for my kids. We can cover so many environmental , science, humanitarian topics.

We took the time to check out the new all natural store here in town!!!! I am so excited. Plus, shopping locally will help the town economically. I was glad to see there prices I felt were very reasonable. I will be going back to get some almond milk, organic dip mixes, honey and several homeopathic items I found. For those of you who don't know my children have all started out lactose intolerant. My two older ones can have dairy in moderation. However the baby cannot, being that I am nursing, the way we accomplish this is by myself eliminating dairy. I discovered what a huge difference this made very shortly before I had to quit nursing my 2nd, so this time around when I started seeing the signs I just made the changes. I still take a prenatal, eat lots of broccoli, hummus etc... to ensure I am receiving enough calcium and protein. I will be discussing with the dr. even taking a supplement as I have begun craving milk. Until then I am playing around with Soy and Almond milk. I personally cannot stomach the lactose free kind. I also need to be kind to my wallet.

Cloth diapering has been on the back burner, how does one cloth when you might go to a place with no washer or dryer? Or the place you do go (cough my mom's) requested please don't use my machines? So we are using pampers. I have been able to continue making home made baby food. Due to the delay in the produce trucks to our little town we have been consuming more canned/ frozen fruits and veggies then I would like.

But all in all these are small inconveniences for being safe.
My heart and prayers go out to the family or the deceased.

Evacuating

Today the evacuation lines for Woodland Park were moved from per-evacuation to mandatory. I think after all the losses last night they are just trying to be really careful. We were among the many who were declared mandatory. I have had everything packed for days and we have been living out of suit cases. When the call came I was ready, Chris was at work so I had to load what was left quickly along with the three kids and drive across town to my mom's. My adrenaline was kicking.

I had explained to my older kids (5) and (3) when this first started about why we evacuate and how it's all just to be safe. I tried to explain how if anything did happen we could always buy new things. However, this concept proved very hard for them to grasp. There were a lot of tears and they have been rather clingy. How do you express the importance of leaving without causing extreme fear? There just isn't a manual for these things.

My mom's house is listed as pre-evacuatory along with the rest of the city. The winds are blowing east and have been, I am feeling confident we will be safe. Then guilty for feeling safe knowing my safety mean the fire is blowing into another city and there is another family filled with fear.

This week we are just trying to keep calm and ready to leave at moments notice.

Keeps us in your prayers!

Tragedy

I don't have the words to explain what happened today!
My strength as a mother and person have been tested.

The Waldo Canyon Fire still burns, thankfully we have not been evacuated. Thankfully no one has been hurt. The pass ( hwy 24) is still closed, even after the fire  passes the risk of mud slides, and falling boulders is huge. I prayed really hard today for the winds to shift, for us to be safe...

This afternoon the winds shifted and carried the fire quickly like 1 + mile in 30 minutes. It went over the ridge and into Colorado Springs. On the news we watched people running to and from their house as fire burns in the back ground. Homes have been burnt to the ground, I-25 shut down, 32,000 displaced tonight. my heart cries and we can't go anywhere to help. As a nation we have been sheltered from many devastation's, tonight it looked like a war zone. We are writing an unwanted history.

I am grateful for my own safety, and for my families safety. I feel guilty. The amount of people without homes tonight is 4x the population of our little town. I want to help, volunteer, drop off food or something, but we can't.

My kids don't understand. I'm struggling for words to describe the seriousness of the situation without dousing them in fear. My eldest was crying a lot last night. He doesn't understand. I am praying and hoping the fire lays down tonight, that their are no winds, that the fire fighters can work on the offensive.

Praying Hard!

Thankful

               During the Waldo Canyon Fire...Continued from "Perspective".
33) That God has kept us safe.
34) That we filled up our cars before the gas stations ran out of gas.
35) That we have plenty of food, as the stores are unable to get their deliveries.
36) Thankful, that Chris has been home with us the past two days.
37)  Thankful, for the wind that has blown most of the smoke away from us.
38)  Grateful, that all my friends and family are safe.
39) Blessed to have a solid evacuation plan.
40) Grateful Chris and I made it up to Woodland Park yesterday before the pass was closed.


   Praying for the safety for all who are displaced at this time and for the brave firefighters doing their best to control this wildfire. Continuing to pray for the safety of everyone and continued calmness in my own home, as we prepare to evacuate if need be.

Waldo Canyon Fire

There's a wildfire in Waldo Canyon, they have closed HWY 24, evacuated Cascade, Chipita Park, Green Mountain Falls and all of Manitou Springs.

Nothing like being faced with the possibility of having to pack up only the important things and evacuating, to really show you what matters and what doesn't.

I have never been one to focus heavily on material objects and I'm thankful. I have the important stuff ready to go if need be, but am not stressing out about leaving most of it behind. It's just stuff.

I honestly hate the panic and worry. I tend to feed off the emotions of others and I hate the way it makes me feel. Logically, I know we have full tanks of gas, clothes ready to go, money in the bank, tons of family to stay with. But, I worry about the unknown. it seems everyone you talk to has an "inside connection" and knows the REAL truth; which is always worse then what the news is saying.

What are we nervous about? Losing some stuff, that can be replaced? The inconvenience of evacuating? The Haymen, was bigger, the Haymen was closer , and we were just fine.

I pray that being faced with the possibility of losing everything, that people take the time to be grateful for what they have and realize what truly is important.

Perspective

  In trying to keep things in perspective, I want to focus on the things I'm grateful/thankful  for and not all the things we don't have.
 I'm thankful for...
1) God, and all his amazing blessings.
2) Being able to be a SAHM.
3) My children.
4) My house.
5) My mom, who has helped me out countless times.
6) My close knit family.
7) Life long friends.
8) New friends.
9) My awesome, supportive, loving Husband.
10) That my honey has a job that pays the bills.
11) Our health.
12) Answered Prayers
13) and Unanswered prayers.
14) Having the freedom to worship God.
15) The library, that helps support my book habit.
16) Spending time together as a family.
17) Letters from a friend.
18) Nice neighbors.
19) Fresh fruit.
20) My Garden.
21) Coupons!!!
22) Dental insurance.
23) Having a reliable car.
24) Weekly coffee with my friends.
25) Date night ( thanks to my mom)
26) A wonderful Marriage 8 years and counting.
27) Chapstick
28) Spell Check
29) Silent Moments
30) Baby cuddles
31) Laughing with my kids.
32) My new microwave

...

Bliss

I awoke lazily snuggled in bed with all three of my babies. Sun steaming through the window, birds chirping joyously. My youngest nursing quietly, staring at me with large blue eyes. I had nothing pressing, and the day was promising. Jasey was peacefully sleeping her white blond hair strewn across the pillow her arm propped on her brother C.J. his peaceful face tucked towards her. I stare at his amazingly long eye lashes, his new haircut all messy with sleep. Alex reaches one chubby arm towards me, his idea of a hug while nursing. His eye lids drooping. I think for a minute all the things I could do, should do...  I stare at my babies my heart almost bursting with love, I snuggle down and close my eyes. The world can wait, because what in the world could be better then this?

See dad...

I don't know what dad is talking about.... this is easy!

     If only I had a real gun. Then I could be a hunter like my dad.

Photo drop!

Daddy holding Alex for the first time!

7lbs. 5oz, 19 1/2 in long

Introducing Alexander Lucas!!! Took long enough uh! Hard to believe this was 5 months ago! I love my baby so much!

Homeschooling Part 5: Socializing II

 When a parent thinks about their child and socializing, 90% of the time we are concerned about if they will make friends. Will they be accepted? Will they be liked? All parents wish the best for the children and realize that having childhood friends is a wonderful part of growing up. If you consider your top ten best memories growing up I bet a best friend is in half of them.
  There are a couple points I would like to high light:
(1) There is no guarantee a child will get along with every child in their classroom. Many times children click with only a few children out of the many they meet, and that's okay. Quality over Quantity. People normally have many "friends" and only a few "close friends". However, on the flip side. Many children across the nation despise going to school because of the kids in their class. Either they are bullied, or left out, feeling lonely, and having lower self-esteem. Both of the above listed examples are also a form of socializing.
(2) There are plenty of children who go to public school k-12 who are isolated socially i.e. social loners.  Not everyone is Mr. or Mrs. popular. Not everyone flourishes in group settings. Basically, there are many children who DO attend public school for 12 years and are not socially graceful. There are plenty of children who attend public school who are not liked or likeable for many reasons. Thus, disproving the idea that a child needs to be socialized in a classroom to become adequately socially developed.
(3) When desiring your child to be likeable, what qualities are you considering likable? I ask that you consider this, because often socially undesirable behaviors are often strongly reinforced among peer groups in the 10-14 year age range. Often crazy mistakes are made in the attempt to be cool, accepted, and respected. What happens when the behavior traits we (the parents) desire are not considered cool or acceptable by the peers our child spends 40+ hours a week with?

Click here for full article

. Social Norms are, the rules that a group uses for appropriate and inappropriate values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors. These rules may be explicit or implicit. Failure to stick to the rules can result in severe punishments, the most feared of which is exclusion from the group. A common rule is that the some norms must frequently be displayed; neutrality is seldom an option.

Other norms include:

• Injunctive Norms are behaviors which are perceived as being approved of by other people.
• Descriptive Norms are perceptions of how other people are actually behaving, whether or not these are approved of.
• Explicit Norms are written or spoken openly.
• Implicit Norms are not openly stated (but you find out when you transgress them).
• Subjective Norms: Expectations that valued others have about how we will behave.
• Personal Norms: Standards we have about our own actions.

Norms are often transmitted by non-verbal behavior, for example with 'dirty looks' when people act outside the norms. They may also be transmitted through stories, rituals and role-model behavior.    

   Many social norms are recognized and accepted in one's own behavior, and are not solely develop in the classroom. We will spend time with other kids their same age, kids of different ages, kids with special needs, adults and the elderly. We will converse, dine and interact in many different settings and situations. I am fully confident my kids will understand and use many of the social norms, but by not being strongly influenced by peers 40+ hours a week, I hope they will hold strongly to traits their father and I feel are important.

    Social appropriate behavior are the social norms that a group of people have agreed upon.In short, my children will understand the social norms of our society and exhibit behavior that is conducive to making friends and not unacceptable.

Homeschooling Part 5:Socializing I

 Socializing and home schooling have for long been a top concern of many, or really the lack there of. I feel that when homeschooling is done correctly in a very loving and consistent environment the children will develop and flourish socially. Looking at what socialization is, how it is acquired and the importance of socialization or being socialized. I feel I can put the many concerns to rest.

   Let's first show the difference between socializing and socialization. Socialization is defined as 1. a continuing process whereby an individual acquires a personal identity and learns the norms,values,behavior, and social skills appropriate to his or her social position. 2. the act or process of making socialistic: the socialization of industry.
Socializing is defined as 1. to make social; make fit for life in companionship with others.2. to make socialistic; establish or regulate according to the theories of socialism.

 Glen H. Elder Jr. a Research professor of sociology and psychology at the University of North Carolina wrote an amazing article on Peer Socialization in Schools, He wrote I quote,

         "There are three time emphasis in the socialization of children: (a) on the past- molding the young in the image of the older generation by transmitting the cultural heritage and by reinforcing traditional behavior; (b) on the present- orienting the child towards the standards of membership and role performance in his current groups such as the family, age group, and the classroom: and (c) on the future preparing the child on the anticipated requirements of future roles, groups and transitions.

While, I recommend reading this, I doubt this is the socialization many are talking about when they express their concern of our choosing to home school. However, I would like to address the above cited points of emphasis on socialization and how it directly relates to our personal decision and implementation of home schooling.

(a) on the past- by being with my children every day and having control over what is learned or not. I can transmit not only our personal cultural heritages, but enforce positive traditional behavior, along with trying to eliminate unwanted traditional behavior. I say trying because I know the child has free will. For a very basic example; I will enforce holding the doors open for women. I will try to eliminate referring to women as chicks, hotties and so forth. Both above stated social norms have been more popular at different times.

(b) on the present- One way of orienting a child towards the standards of membership is allowing them to participate in group activities, not limited to the classroom; Such as Cub Scouts,and team sports.

(c) on the future- Not only will my kids be learning state required subjects, but as they get older I will personally require life skills budgeting, coupons, balancing a check book, changing a tire, changing the oil in a car, proper manners and etiquette of introducing oneself, good interviewing skills, plus many more things that will hopefully prepare my children for the future.

  Understand that purely being involved in society, and watching behavior modeled by myself and others, my children will learn all appropriate social skills.
  Bringing my second point what is socially appropriate social skills?