The Autodidact

The winter doldrums are consuming me and I feel like I'm stuck in quicksand. White, cold, slushy quicksand, to be exact. I don't mind the lack of sunshine so much, just all the rest of Winter's joys. But then I start noticing things in the house, since I am hibernating. When the 6 year old prays before dinner, he always thanks God for a glorious day. I wasn't even sure he knew that word, let alone thought that each day is glorious. In the Winter. In the North. But every day to him is glorious. Especially if it includes a game of Monopoly and Go Fish. The 18 year old, who is clearly his own man and ready to take on the world, was recently found in the couch, buried under a mound of pillows and cushions and blankets with the younger 4 kids laughing and running around the couch, delighted with their prisoner. The 3 year old, after a traumatic bathroom incident which ended in a warm bath, told me she felt much better because I had helped her. I mean, that's my j...

Store bought tortillas are convenient but can be filled with ingredients hard to pronounce or not healthful. Sometimes I make my own, and I am always glad I did. Combine 4 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder. Stir in 1/2 cup olive oil and 1 cup warm water. You will need to drizzle in some more water to get it soft and pliable. Turn onto a floured surface and knead for a minute or so. Shape into a ball, cover and let sit for 15-20 minutes. Divide into balls slightly bigger than golf balls, roll out on the floured surface. If you are fortunate as I am, you may have a cutie pie like this one helping you. But if not, they will taste almost as good. In a preheated, un-greased cast iron skillet, cook on each side just a few minutes. When it bubbles like this, turn over. They cook quickly, so keep an eye on them. I have two skillets going at the same time, and they are cooked up in no time. Then, you fill them with whatever you want. Tonig...

Valentine's Day is upon us and there is a flurry of talk and debate and arguing about how to spice up your love life by reading or watching explicit and pornographic materials, or by going to parties that sell sex toys and discussing details of their own marriages. My thoughts on how this day has been hijacked by folks with a preoccupation with sex are spelled out in  another blog . But this rampant discussion among married women who want to liven up things in the bedroom is going about it all wrong. It assumes that if we just get the bedroom in order, our marriage will be great. But we need to make our marriage great, and then the bedroom will follow. Women think that all their supposedly dull husbands need is to watch other people engage in intimate acts to give them some ideas. These poor wives, desperate for some attention or excitement or fulfillment resort to desperate measures by consuming pornography with their husbands. Be warned: once you view pornography as a means to ...

So many times I hear of moms in co-ops and play groups sharing disturbing stories. Stories of other moms gossiping or bossing around others. Stories of kids acting out and their moms who are unwilling to call junior into account. Stories of squabbling and hurt feelings and being forced to comply with the academic rules of the co-op. Stories that just make me shake my head in wonder. Are homeschool co-ops that important that a woman would subject herself to this? Isn't keeping a home, raising children and taking care of a husband not enough stress? Aside from my feelings on co-ops mentioned  in this blog , I would never put up with this kind of treatment. I would not subject myself or my kids to ridicule or gossip or the pressure some co-ops put on families. I know that many moms just feel they need the support of being around other homeschool moms. I know that some moms just don't feel they can homeschool completely on their own. And I know that not all co-ops have these...