Small Town

Written by Fermin Washington

Being from a small town meant that when I moved I had no idea what to do about home security. I had a big dog and I figured that was enough, that is, until one of my neighbors’ houses got broken into. I just didn’t imagine I was so vulnerable but you know, when something like that happens it really forces you to think about things. I went to www.homesecuritysystem.com and got a home alarm and actually had all the locks changed since the previous owner was, in a word, sketchy. I feel better now about being here along and I actually want to buy expensive stuff to decorate. You know, there’s nothing like owning your own home and really being part of the process and that’s what I’m in the middle of right now. I love that this place is mine and that I’m the one responsible for taking care of it and at the end of the day, that’s all that matters. Owning your own home is the most amazing feeling ever!

Excellent ideas

We were looking for a floor mat for the science lab and it struck me that if I shopped through the industrial sector I might find a higher quality floor mat with some anti-slip stuff for fall protection, too and that's exactly what I found. Now, if something toxic happens to spill we're not in danger when we're trying to get to safety. And even if it's just water on the floor, we won't have to worry about slipping and spilling something toxic. I was thinking we would all need some rubber soled shoes or something, but it just didn't seem practical, the kids enjoy doing science experiments all the time and I can't imagine trying to monitor what shoes they wear when they head into the science lab, I mean... can you imagine? Anyway, what have you done in your house to create a safe space for science? It's only really chemistry that's been causing such a dilemma I mean, we had a few chemical uses in physics but not nearly like we're having this yeah and the entire family has been enjoying it, too. That's another cool thing about homeschooling, it's just so much fun.man, i wish I could go back in time because I definitely would have wanted to be a homeschooler when I was a kid. I guess it's never too late, is it?

That special blankie

Oh don't you just love it when your friends are expecting new babies? I just love watching their bellies grow and sharing every moment of pregnancy, it's such an amazing time and I always make a habit of knitting them a crib blanket or buying a special organic baby blanket for every one of them. I always make a point to get only the best with the hopes that my blanket will be the one they cling to when they're toddlers. I was lucky with my friend Kathryn, the blanket I got her was a jewel toned organic cotton blanket with a matching beanie. I even got a teeny little doll blanket that goes with it. When I was a kid, I loved having doll-sized things to match my own belongings. Little Chloe Luna is only a year old right now, it's too soon to say if she has any special attachment to the blanket or not, but every time I go visit her I make sure to snuggle with that blanket and bring her little presents and stuff. We'll see if it works, I guess I'll let you know in a few years ;)

Making ends meet

One thing all families can probably universally agree with is that it's important to keep a budget and make sure that everyone's needs are taken care of. I'm not sure what your situation is, but if you're like many Americans, you've had your ups and downs, right? I know we have.  I'm a spreadsheet fanatic, so I really like to document where our money goes every month and where it comes from. I can't stand it when a creditor calls and wants you to run down all your expenses with them so they can "prove" to you that you really CAN make a payment agreement. It doesn't take rocket science to know that it's difficult to raise a family on a small budget, right? For many people, the key to financial well-being is to Stop Collection Calls because all that stress makes life way more difficult. Whether the solution lies in a consolidation loan, lower interest rates or even just paying off everyone a teeny bit at a time, it's just nice to know that there IS a solution and you don't have to put up with all the nastiness and stress that these guys like to put out there.

Best advice ever

I'm about to share with you the number one best homeschooling tip ever .  When my oldest was about 8 months old, we joined a local homeschool support group in the city where we lived, it was the AV Rose Rock Inclusive Homeschool Support Group, it was a chapter of the nationwide Rose Rock group of inclusive homeschool support groups, started by Bonnie Carter and Kim... shoot, what was Kim's last name... I don't remember. Either way, it was one of a chain of support groups that welcomed families of all faiths, homeschooling styles and whatever else. We had a family drop out once because she read our guidelines and realized that we'd welcome a same-sex couple and just thought that was far beyond her comfort level.. That's why we defined the term inclusive before we started, right. We wouldn't have WANTED the presence of someone who was judgmental, or otherwise believed that diversity could hurt their children. We specifically invited everyone and believe that everyone has value.

Anyway, it was in this group that I decided I wanted to get to know these homeschool moms better, so I asked a few if I could come over for a visit to see what they do at their house. The very first place I visited was a woman named Lisa who had 3 children. We were house-hunting at the time and she advised me to go for hard wood floors because you can always put rugs over top of it and clean them without having your floors ruined.  best.advice.ever.

Keeping everyone dressed

One awesome thing about traveling (other than the fact that the kids have been able to tour a million museums and meet awesome people all over the country) has been the shopping. We've seen outlet malls, we got to spend some time in the Los Angeles Fashion District (cute pink hoodie for a steal), we got to check out the Epic Threadz company, they travel the world shopping for handmade items and then bring them all back to the US to resell and every piece has a story. Every item on the rack was made by someone they remember. Imagine living in some third world country and making your beaded jewelry and having some American come and buy it all in one day, it would feel like winning the lottery, right? I love supporting individuals but as a mom sometimes, we just need to focus on supporting our own kids. And our husbands, that's why I like shopping online from major retailers. I was able to get some hoodies and mens t shirts for such a bargain. The cool thing about shopping online is that you know you're probably getting a great deal because they don't have to worry about a sales staff, most of the work is automated. You don't have to finance the staffing of a person that folds clothes all day, re-shelving things, and stuff like that. Anyway, keeping everyone dressed is a constant dilemma, might as well make it fun, right?

Here's a story

So a few years ago at the county fair, my husband bought himself an RC helicopter. he played with it all the time, he loved it and it was his favorite toy. Grown men don't often get to indulge in playing with toys so this was definitely a treat. Well, one day we were gone and the kids decided they wanted to play with it, too. They crashed it into the irrigation canal and it broke. It's been broken ever since, sitting in a box in our closet and he looks at it all the time, wanting it to be repaired. But the silly thing is that the cosmetic damage was easy to repair, it's one little soldered connection inside where some wire needs to be reattached to a circuitboard. Can you imagine letting your favorite toy sit undisturbed and unplayed with for like 4 years just because of one $25 repair. It's $25 if he replaces his soldering gun- I think that's what we paid but nevermind that, we have a friend with a computer repair shop who soldered things all day long. I'm sure that if he wanted to, he could walk in and use HIS soldering gun instead of buying one, then the repair would be virtually free.

Anyway- it just dawned on me that it wouldn't happen with the kids' stuff, it would be repaired or given away or thrown away much faster than that. Why would an adult- who has the means to make it work for himself- choose to let his toy sit dusty and unplayed for so long?  Who knows? I just know that whenever I need a cheap (or free) gift for him all I need to do is get that helicopter fixed and he'll be so happy.