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Blog Party Introduction

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Ultimate Blog Party 2008

For those from the Blog Party, welcome. For the rest of you… 5 Minutes for Mom is hosting a Blog Party with presents! So go check it out! Now for my intro. I am a SAHM, homeschooling mom of 4. These blogs are an outlet for all the craziness and information in my head. Someday I hope to actually make money off of them so go look around!

Now the other blogs…
NerdFamily Food
NerdFamily Things
Making Money, Keeping Money

Separately, here is my Cast of Characters:
NerdDad: My wonderful and loving husband
NerdBug: My eldest boy, who is now 6 years old
NerdPie: My sparkling little 4 year old girl
Nerdling: My cute 2 year old boy who is built like a linebacker
NerdPud: My 7 month old little girl. She is the Pud (short for Pudding) because she is the last course.

Homeschoooling, politics

Homeschoolers: Be Ye Attentive But Not Panicked

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I have been emailed quite a bit about the ruling that came down in LA County last week. Some people had wondered if I had heard about it while I have been sick since I hadn’t blogged on it. Yes, I have heard but I am not worried, yet. First of all, I encourage everyone to read the ruling. Don’t rely on news reports, articles and others to give you a picture. Go find out for yourself.

Having read the ruling (or what ever it is the court released), I have strong concerns but nothing has actually changed yet. The most concerning part is this part:

It is clear to us that enrollment and
attendance in a public full-time day school is required by California law for minor
children unless (1) the child is enrolled in a private full-time day school and actually
attends that private school, (2) the child is tutored by a person holding a valid state
teaching credential for the grade being taught, or (3) one of the other few statutory
exemptions to compulsory public school attendance (Ed. Code, ยง 48220 et seq.) applies
to the child.

While this is very alarming as a legal precedent, nothing has changed. You can still go file your forms to homeschool in the State of California. Now the HSLDA is currently doing many things to deal with this ruling. The big one that has made it around the homeschooling internet is the petition to get the ruling depublished. From what I have read, depublishing the verdict means nothing has changed. Then this ruling will not be reversed but it will not be considered part of the body of law which constitutes legal precedent. On the whole I am not a big fan of depublishing any verdicts. I think it should either right or wrong. This is a very political way to tell the court what they did in that case was right but let’s not use it for everyone. Some things I have read said that this is the easiest way to deal with it because it rocks the boat the least.

I don’t really think that the State of California is going to change how we homeschool or if they do, not very much. A big benefit that I do see out of all of this is unification. I am on a few yahoo groups and I am seeing secular, unschoolers, and Christians homeschoolers banding together for a common cause. I think this is great! Studies have shown that homeschooling in whatever form is better for the kids and for society. We need to come together and protect our rights together! I would love to see the homeschoolers of California to maintain some of this unity after this issue has been dealt with.

Technorati Tags: homeschooling, California

Food

Easy Chocolate Souffle

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So I found this easy individual chocolate souffles that only have 79 calories (and 0.6g of Fat) in Cooking Light. These are all ingredients that are usually on hand, so it is great to meet that craving or entertaining guests.

Ingredients:
4 1/2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 Tablespoons Dutch process cocoa
2 Tablespoons fat-free milk
1/4 Teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg white
1 Teaspoon powdered sugar

Process
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Coat 2 (6 ounce) ramekins with cooking spray; sprinkle each with 3/4 teaspoon of sugar
3. Combine 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, flour, cocoa and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook 2 minutes, stirring until smooth. Spoon chocolate mixture into a medium bowl; cool 4 minutes. Stir in vanilla.
4. Place egg white in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Add remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form(do not overbeat). gently stir 1/4 egg mixture into chocolate mixture; gently fold in remaining egg white mixture. Spoon mixture into prepared dishes. Sharply tap dishes 2 or 3 times to level. Place dishes on a basking sheet, bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until puffy and set. Sprinkle each souffle with 1/2 teaspoon powdered sugar. Serve immediately.

Now of course I had to make a couple of changes. I used 2% milk (that is what we had). I also used sweetened cocoa because NerdDad doesn’t like things to dark chocolately. It was great!

Technorati Tags: Chocolate,Desserts, Entertaining

Food

Asparagus – Quick and Easy

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When I got married I realized that there were many elaborate recipes containing vegetables but there were very few sources to tell me how to just cook it. One of my favorite veggies is asparagus but I don’t want it just boiled. That is a promise that all the flavor and vitamins will be in the water not in the asparagus. So here are 2 easy ways. In prep for both, bend 1 spear of the asparagus until it naturally breaks. Depending on when in the season you are is how much of the end needs to go. So this gives you the perfect indicator. Then cut the rest to match. Then toss the asparagus in the oil of your choice (olive has the best flavor) and salt, pepper and garlic salt.
The Indoor Method:
Set your oven to 400 degrees. Put your prepared asparagus on a jelly roll or sheet pan. Roast it for 15 to 20 minutes.
The Grill:
I have a little rack that is made to warm buns. I put my asparagus there and cook it for 10 minutes. Make sure you turn it so it cooks evenly.

All times are approximate. When the asparagus starts to go a little limp, it is done. Eat it by itself or add it to rice or salads!

Technorati Tags: asparagus

TV

Project Runway is Over!

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So Project Runway is over for this season. Due to illness it has taken a while to get around to commenting on it. Now I preface my opinions with the fact that I admit that I am not, by any means, fashionable. More accurately you could say that I dress more like a housefrau. But, if money, size and life style (washing dishes and getting spit up on doesn’t work well for clothes) were no issue, I would be fierce;).

So Christian won and I am a little disappointed. While I do think that Christian was the most artistic, I am not sure if he is the best clothing designer for women. Jillian and Rami both seemed to have looks that a woman with some sort of curvature could wear. I have heard in a few places that no one but Victoria Beckham, Christian himself and pre-pubescent girls could wear his clothes and I agree. Will it do Christian any good to have his line sold on BlueFly? Will it be bought by people to wear or as collectors items? I think he could really be great one day as long as he learns to temper his flare with the actual human form. Only time will tell his real potential.

Seperately, there is a great interview with Tim Gunn in the Chicago Tribune. Even more interesting is Victoria’s response on Blogging Project Runway to part of that interview.

Technorati Tags: Bravo, Project Runway

life

Urban Myth: Don’t Flash Your Headlights

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So I received this in the email today:

DON’T FLASH HEADLIGHTS AT ANY CAR WITH NO LIGHTS ON!!Police officers working with the DARE program have issued this Warning: If you are driving after dark and see an on-coming car with no headlights on, DO NOT FLASH YOUR LIGHTS AT THEM! This is a common “Bloods” member “initiation game” that goes like this: The new gang member under initiation drives along with no headlights, and the first car to flash their headlights at him is now his “target.” He is now required to turn around and chase and spot that car, then shoot and kill every individual in the vehicle in order to complete his initiation requirements. Police Departments across the nation are being warned. Their intent is to have all the new bloods nationwide drive around on Friday
and Saturday nights with their headlights off. In order to be accepted into the gang,
they have to shoot and kill all individuals in the first auto that does a courtesy flash to warn them that their lights are off. Make sure you share this information with all the drivers in your family! Please forward this message to all your friends and family members to inform them about this initiation ritual. They are also known to drive with high beams on and will do the same as indicated above.

So the first thing I did was go to Snopes. And there it was as an urban legend that has been recycled since 1993 in print. Apparently it was existed in story since the early ’80s.

Whenever you get shocking emails, especially those that are “warnings”, you have to question them. If something like this was true, you would probably already know it. If not something like this would make news agencies the nation wide. So when you get something shocking, just go check it out before you forward it around the world.

Snopes points out that sometimes these are given more credence due to WHO forwards them. By the time the sender has debunked it, it has been passed on a few times with their names on it. So take the time and research before your reputation takes a hit.

Technorati Tags: Urban Legends, Don’t Flash Headlights

life

You Know You Are Sick When

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You know you are sick when you go to the doctor and end up with 3 prescriptions and 2 other drugs in trial size. I have a double ear infection, the start of an eye infection and we don’t know what else. It is sad when the doctor says we won’t know if I have bronchitis or a sinus infection until the other things are cleared up. On the up side, it took all this illness to get me down;). I must be tough! So you will understand why blogging has been, and might continue to be, slow.