Songs About Texas

This will likely be the last post before the annual beach get away. Well, it's not quite a get away any more. It's actually a family vacation, and we camp so it is actually almost more work than being home, except I have an excuse for laying around!

Here are pix of yet another annual family tradition-Texas Bluebonnets. I included a series of shots leading up to the "best" picture which I used to replace the old title photo. Please check out all the fake smiles and beautiful bluebonnets to boot. These pictures were taken on a borrowed camera but they look great on the TV. Hopefully I will be able to pick up my camera before the trip. Mom's camera doesn't have a memory card and it only holds about 20 pix. I take 20 pix just trying to get one good shot of everyone's face!

Did I mention that my camera is out of commission and all the "convincing" I have laid on Dom hasn't helped get that big, new, expensive camera yet? However he managed to purchase a new bike..."this is to help us cut down on costs baby." Well, he's got me there. I like bikes anyway. It is used and he is replacing some parts but he did purchase an extra helmet so I am looking forward to riding a little with him once he has it ready.

In other news, this week we went, um...everywhere! Mady stayed home more than the rest of us since she was pet sitting, which she loved, loved, loved. We went to hang out with some of our friends @ their houses and we went to the zoo...yes, AGAIN! We went over to my sisters house to weed her flower bed for her since she has an ow-ie from the training @ the academy and can't walk too well. We hung out @ Deer Creek for a coupe of hours and talked about where water in creeks comes from. Storm drainage, and rainfall got the most votes. We also talked about why it is so important not to pollute our earth and why we need to take care of it.

Our family has been talking considerably about why it is important to be a little more self sustaining lately. We have stocked up on a bit of propane for cooking and deisel fuel for the generator as well as food and water. We have decided to go ahead and plant vegetables even if it is a little late. Some harvest is better than no harvest @ all. Dom and I have both been reading more and more in the news about predictions of food shortages with the increase of fuel prices. I could go on and on about this but instead I will let this guy do it. Watch this clip.

Are Friends Electric?

Well, what do you think, are friends electric? My camera has yet to drive itself to Best Buy to be shipped back to Sony so I suppose electronics are still inanimate objects not friends. It appears as though all the vacation pix will have to be scanned in unless I convince Dom to buy me that new camera now instead of with Economy Stimulus package...what would it take to get that new camera now?

We have the laptop back up and running and thanks to a friend of ours we have an older, but very respectable, cpu hooked up to the new flatscreen! Do you have this @ your house? Have you surfed the internet on a BIG screen? Insane isn't it? Mady walked in from a play (named Lipstick put on by the local High School) and I had the internet up on both the laptop and the TV in our bedroom so Niki and I could play, and Mady nearly fell over.

Then I was thinking about all the technology we all carry around with us or use everyday. So here is a technological break down of a typical day @ the Ortiz house.
Wake up, use remote to open shades, log onto the WWW. Check in with our friends using IMing & text messages to see what we are doing for the day. Load up the car with cell phones, movies for the in car DVD, Nintendo DS, and iPods and possibly the laptop depending on what we are going to do that day. Strap in to our personally programmed seats and turn on the GPS to direct us on our days' adventure. Arrive to hang out & play with our friends and take tons of pix with our awesome cameras or cell phones. Begin our drive home, stop to pick up lunch we ordered on the way and pay for food with a piece of plastic that is actually money! Go home, remotely open garage door, & unload all the days equipment. Plug the camera into cpu and upload all the pix and add them to our blogs and distribute to friends with a few clicks of our cordless mouse.

One interesting thing about all this is the fact that each family member has all their own equipment. Mady and Niki have mp3 players and cameras (though they rarely use their cameras) and we now have 2 computers. Judging from the way things are going, I do not believe it will be long before Mady has her own computer. We are all recording our own version of History. Makes you wonder a little about all those history books doesn't it?

Another thing, isn't it almost the worst day when some of your technology is down? I use my camera everyday. I am periodically cataloging everything we do. Am I personally going over the edge? I have to admit I do not do a very good job of catching everything I see on my camera the way I actually see it. When I look back @ the pictures I have taken they rarely appear as I recall. I tend to think it is bc my camera is too slow but it's highly possible I need to read more and take some classes to learn to take better pictures! But come on, there is only so much one can do with a point and click! If you have viewed the ol' Amazon wish list and saw Wish List Camera, and you know Dom, you would know how almost impossible it is to convince him to spend any chunk of money. He believes I take enough pix to warrant a better camera!

The kids and Pam and I visited a local ranch today where one lady, sort of a local historian, has kept and collected all sorts of pioneer farm equipment, and household furnishings/accessories and displays it in all of the ranches 10 or so log cabins/buildings. This family ranch was established in 1854 and is still growing. There is a home from each generation on the ranch, it is quite a progression worth seeing. The best part of all this is it is free once annually. What a generous family. Niki was extremely interested in all the old artifacts. She was actually able to touch some of the items from the pioneer time period dentist office and bank. While the boys napped the girls and Pam and I ate lunch @ a local cafe and headed back home to rest on the porch and swing.

Tomorrow's plans? Eat with the family @ Nenaws and Papaw's of course, what else do ya do on Sunday?

Technology

Well, isn't technology great? Just when I am about to snap some great pix of the kids playing in the mud the freakin' camera takes a dump! Then we had computer issues. I have to wait for 2 weeks for Sony to send a new camera...I have to send it off first which I absolutely have to do tomorrow or it will not be back int time for vacation to Galveston. I can't wait! Every year our entire family goes to Galveston for a week or so. This year is difficult bc my mom and sister just started new positions or careers so they will not be joining us until the weekend. As has been typical lately I have a ton of things to report just not enough time. Here are some pix of the bowling but other than that I got nuttin' as far as pix go.

Mady is pet sitting 2 doggies for some friends of ours while they are out of town. This is her first official paying gig. So far it's going alright. I think they are keeping her up @ night. She went to bed early tonight. She has been staying with them all the time. Tomorrow we are going to attempt to go to a park for awhile. The doggies will stay in Mady's room while we are out, fingers crossed it goes well.

Niki is infatuated with a little boy who lives across the street. We have lived here for almost 7 years (Niki is only 5 and the neighbor will turn 7 on Monday) and they have only just met. They are too funny playing together. One of the girls took their picture when they were hugging each other bye yesterday afternoon.

Luke and Ezra are into everything. Surprisingly, they are the most well behaved boys when we go out...unless we go to eat in a restaurant, not doing well in that department. They aren't even 2 so what can I ask of them? They are tearing up everything too! Niki has a rather large wooden play kitchen she was gifted @ Christmas when she was 2. She has played and played with it and nothing has ever broken on it. The boys have been playing with it for about a year and they have pulled one of the doors from the hinges and part of the oven is coming apart! I am told boys are generally much harder on toys hence the metal cars and bulldozers, man those things are fun to play with!

Good night!

7 Random Facts About Me

I have was tagged by Tanya-That Breese Family so here are 7 Random Facts about me.

1) I enjoy posting about myself. I try to post about the kids and family mostly. I know that they are my thoughts and often I post random crap that has nothing to do with the kids learning, but I am learning so much I feel as thought I want to have a chronography of my own learning as well. I think it will just go to show you never stop learning and you do not have to be in school to learn.
2) I have a fetish for Samari Sword Fighting and fencing which I hope to one day take up as a hobby.
3) A beloved family friend passed away Friday morning. Our vet helped our horse Lucky go to that big pasture in the sky after 34 years here in our pastures. We had a graveside service for him Saturday with family picnic after. We took pictures and read a poem and sprinkled some oats in his grave. Thanks to our vet and thanks to Frank for the gentle burial service.
4) I wanted to play music @ Lucky's funeral but my family thought it was morbid.
5) I am learning how to roller blade. I have not fallen once!
6) I love to read blogs that have nothing to do with anything in my life. They are an inspiration for me to start something new or @ least read about something new.
7) I love internet friends. People you don't see, but exist. People you can either be completely real with and tell them everything about yourself or people you can describe yourself to as the person you hope to become and just tell them the qualities you wish to have.

That wasn't too hard and hopefully that was random enough.

Here are my Tags
Snagley
Stuff about the Duff's
Majikfaerie

Happy Birthday Mady!

The kids had a blast. They played with Brother Beal in the studio. We all went for a ride around the pasture in the back of the truck. The kids played on the lawn mower giving each other rides and we swang and ran around with the chickens. We also sang Happy Birthday to Mady and Aunt Hedie, her birthday is one day after Mady's.

You Are My Sunshine

Luke loves new friends.
Are there minnows in this creek?
Faster! Faster!
L climbs a tree.
Circle of friends.
The boys are picking up trash @ every place we adventure in!
Niki is swinging on her own for the first time ever, thank goodness I had the camera! Do you see S and E running as fast as rabbits in the background?
Sarah and Mady talk about pet sitting!
I adore all the pix I got of the adults chatting with the kids.
We were finally able to celebrate Mady's birthday this past weekend. All the kids had a blast. Mady and Niki were both able to have a friend or 2 over and they played ALL day. I won't go on and on instead I will try to quickly add some of the pictures of all these rays of sunshine. Enjoy!

I lied! As I was perusing the pix I saw the ones of the "Butterflies in the Garden" we went to see this weekend. After all the ticket hassles we finally got in. Anyway, Niki picked up a dead butterfly from the ground and we got yelled @ by an older lady wearing a bright yellow shirt with Botanic Gardens embroidered on the shoulder. Niki stood on one of the rocks in the rock border and up pops another yellow shirted older women, Niki touched the huge leaf of a plant to see if there were any bugs on the underside of it and yet a third yellow shirted lady converged.

Niki was very upset.I was holding Niki's hand the whole time but each of these ladies felt they needed to tell me why Niki shouldn't be doing any of these things. I never said a thing, I turned away before they could complete their speeches and went on to the next park of the exhibit.

I thought the place was a garden for goodness sake not an ancient museum with irreplaceable artifacts.
Once we were outside in the garden, instead of the Butterfly exhibit, we had a much better time. The kids ran through the door and began examining everything around them asking questions and enjoying nature. They ran, played in the mud, tried to climb in all the fountains, and smiled and laughed the rest of afternoon. Isn't that what a garden is for?

We also had a milestone moment this week: Niki can swing on her own-completely! Not that I will stop pushing her...

Stay With You

I actually have a ton to post, sadly, I also need a ton of time to post it!
Last week we spent every day @ a park day with a different group. It was crazy busy. We were up early every day and @ a park by 10am to play with friends. We were usually there until about 2ish then it was off to the library or errands or our little side jobs. We weren't arriving home until 8 or 9. Then it was time to eat, shower and sleep. We usually read a few longer kids novels per week, but due to all the new friends we are still reading the same book this week that we started last week.

So, what was gained from all this socializing? New connections, insights, & family fun time. We probably met 20 new families last week and some of them are actually local enough we could hang out. On the other hand, since we are unschoolers, we don't always mesh well with traditional homeschoolers. I honestly try to be accepting of all people. I enjoy learning from others. I also enjoy taking bits and pieces of newly gained knowledge and applying the knowledge to my life in a way that improves my lifestyle or my point of view. I truly try to listen and consider all points of view. I believe every person has to learn their own truth.
What I mean is, just bc I enjoy eating organic food for my health and, I believe, for the planets health, you may not believe the planet benefits bc it takes 1.5 acres to grow organic vegetables when a farmer could raise that same amount of non-organic vegetables on 1 acre. So, there is a truth for you and a truth for me. So, I say again, I try to be understanding and accepting but I am coming to realize I don't want to be around people that do not treat their kids like people. Some parents treat their offspring as a dog by barking commands @ them and making decisions for them constantly.
I find most unschoolers also practice gentle parenting-I am disliking labels more and more these days but I have to have some way to describe our parenting style that the mainstream has heard of. So, when I hear parents barking orders @ their children, it truly makes me cringe. Sometimes, when you witness a child being reprimanded in public by a parent, you can see the child recoil as if to attempt to hide inside oneself. I have to look away. There is nothing I can do in a situation like that. I feel as though there is nothing I can do. I have found that parents who are behaving this way towards their children are often devout Christians and do not believe there is any other way. Not always, but most often that is the case. Some of the parents believe that is how a loving Christian God would have us raise our children-with discipline and making their choices bc you are the parent and, after all, you do know best, right?
After one short week of exposing ourselves to as many local homeschoolers as we could locate, I find that after all this, we are right where we need to be. There are 2 groups we are active with, though they are small, they have love for our children and they are comforting. They feel like home.

Sadly, we will not spend time with many of the new families we met bc I do not wish to have our children exposed to people who believe that young children's frontal lobes haven't developed and they don't realize the long term effects a decision can have on their future lives. That is a direct quote people. Those of you reading this who unschool and practice gentle parenting can see how these types of comments have no place in our lives.

Are we truly that different? Is it that hard to see that our kids are people? It makes me wonder how these people treat their spouses? Do you tell your spouse to stop playing a game just bc you believe they have been playing it too long? This entire week has really made me realize, the way we are raising our kids is very different from the mainstream. I think we have just been surrounded with our unschooling friends for so long that we forgot what the "real" world is like.

One of our friends posted a comment about living our lives by our core values and by doing so we pass that way of living onto our kids. This way we pass on qualities to our kids that we would like to see them posses without the constant fear of consequences which only lead a child to fear and self rejection. This is a personal truth I have lived myself as a child, so I believe in this comment whole heartedly. I do not want my children growing up believing I only love them if they behave a certain way.

My parents are accepting of me now. I no longer feel as though I must behave a certain way for my family to love me. I know that my family will love me just bc I am me. I do get great joy from behaving in accordance with my own truth, my core values, and from passing that onto my kids. I am feeling less and less pressure to comply with mainstream society. I find myself pulling away from it more and more.

Happy Easter

Everyday Love

In case no one has noticed, all my posts titles are song titles as well. Some days, I will scroll through my i-tunes library and choose a cool sounding title and post something that suites the song title. Other days, I choose a song that has lyrics that describe my day, and still other days I scroll through the i-tunes library and find nothing, then I log onto some lyrics site and read lyrics for half an hour and realize I have a song in the library that would suite something I have been contemplating writing. Today, I had nothing @ all then I saw this title and realized I didn't post anything about my parents recent anniversary. So, here goes.

My parents have been married for 29 years. Yes, to each other and no one else, ever. I didn't look up any statistics on marriage, but the media has us believing it is a rare thing for people to actually make it to the "death do us part" of marriage. I am fortunate to know several couples that have been together for many years and will be together for many more. (Dom and I have been together for 8 years...WOW!)

I know that my parents began with nothing. My parents both grew up poor so there were no trust funds or college funds or funds period for them. They found each other and they made their way together in this world. My parents have grown over the years. They didn't always seem to grow together. I watched my parents almost split up 5 or 6 years ago. I commented to my dad that if they didn't make it I didn't know how I could have faith in my relationships. What one has to do with the other I really have no clue. I believe I just wanted to let my dad know I always thought of them and their relationship as an example, even as an adult. My parents worked it out and they have always supported each other weather they took care of each other is another story. All in all, I admire my parents. They are not in any kind of consumer debt, they own some properties, they have good retirement packages for when the day comes, and they have each other.

My parents seemed to me, when I was little, as a couple that were infatuated with each other. They were always kissing and holding hands and whispering to one another. Then there was a long period when they both worked so much I forgot what they looked liked. Suddenly I was an adult and soon after my parents went through a tough time in their relationship. They worked it out and they seemed to love each other more than ever. My parents are not one of those older couples that fight, argue or disagree all the time, though they have their quirks. My parents love each other, respect each other and have grown together after all these years. I don't know if anyone thinks theirs is a great love story, but they are in love and I admire them.

I hope everyday I let my family know how much I love them. Since I have posted this, I feel as though it is a good reminder to always make sure I am affectionate to Dom as well as the kids. He is going to San Antonio this week and since my amazing sister is in the police academy and my mom has recently returned to her career, I cannot go with him. San Antonio has many memories for us. We used to hang out on the River Walk often when we were first together. Dom has also been talking about going overseas again maybe a deployment maybe contract work. I know he will be gone for @ least a year. I am starting to miss him again, even though he is right here. Vacation, vacation, vacation.

We Never Change

Busy, busy, busy...I don't think I will be able to catch up on all the things we have been doing. I will just have to add photos as I can.
I think this blog entry may appear as a group of random thoughts to elaborate on more later.
Do you ever just leave your kids in the yard to play all by themselves? Do you secretly watch from the window? I was cleaning the house while the boys were playing in the yard. There are four windows along that side of the house all looking into the yard from a different room so I could watch them from whatever room I was in. I left the windows open so I could hear them. The boys didn't communicate verbally @ all. They were laughing and giggling together and they followed each other and played together and they even disagreed-all in silence. We have a couple of the big battery operated plastic jeeps for the girls (2 small ones for the boys too but they prefer the larger ones.) There are all kind of movable parts on the jeeps, phones, windshields, the bar across the back with the non working lights attached. The windshield was up. Apparently, as they were driving, Luke felt it needed to be down, so he leaned forward and pushed it down. This displeased Ezra, he reached up and put the windshield back in place. Luke placed the windshield down, Ezra returned it to its upright position, Luke put it down again. This went on and on. The boys left it alone for a bit and then one of the boys moved the windshield and the silent disagreement continued. After this Luke and Ezra decided they didn't want to play together any more and they put the length of the yard between them. I went to put clothes in the dryer. When I peered out the window again in a few minutes both boys were playing in some water they discovered in a pail. I spoke to them through the slightly open blinds in my best motherly voice, "please stop playing in that water and go play with your jeeps." Luke looked right @ the window I was standing @ and then turned and walked away from the water. Ezra also looked directly @ the window I was standing @, he didn't see me and he continued to play in the water. I asked him about 3 times to play with something else. Ezra knew I was @ the window but I feel like he thought I didn't really see him. I walked to the front of the house, peered through blinds in another room, Ezra's playing in the water. I went outside, once he sees me he leaves the pail of water.
I am aware this does not make for riveting blog reading but these are memories for me. It was a bit of study for me about twins and communication. It was also a bit of psychology for me, observing the children's behavior when they believe they are alone. I am trying to find more peace in everyday life. Our family has chosen to participate in a learning co-op in the coming months. There is a great deal of work in trying to contribute to a leaning co-op. I am trying to let Mady make choices for herself. I am trying to help provide opportunities for Mady to participate in learning activities she feels she is interested in. I am also trying to give myself an education I would not have appreciated as a child but feel I am interested in now, as a, dare I name it? Adult!
One of the things that has caught my interest lately is a book titled "The Fourth Turning" authored by William Strauss and Neil Howe. I have not read it yet but I have read about it and read about the meaning of the fourth turning. This little search led me back to more classics.

Is anyone else captivated by the way history repeats itself? Do other people sit around and wonder when our next crisis will happen? What will the crisis be? Will our country, population, society, triumph or will we fall like the Roman Empire? Do other people ponder the fact that we are all connected? Every person all over the globe is connected, not just to each other now, but to past and future generations? Yes, other people do ponder these things. Other people have had these same thoughts before me and still others will have them after me. Now to expose my children to past events which have shaped our lives and continue to document how the things we, as a family, are doing now to effect future generations.

Did you ever see a picture of a relative framed in you grandparents house and wonder, who is that? Obviously it is someone important and close to your grandparents, but you don't know who. Now, I am beginning to think it doesn't matter so much if you know who that nameless relative in the photo is as long as one can appreciate the fact that whatever this relative did here on earth, they are a part of who you are, genetically as well as, psychologically, socially and so on.

Tales from the Wild

Frankie the Anole
Reeses the Dachshund

Low the Chinesse Fighting Fish

Scarlett the Rabbit

As promised here are the pictures of our pets. Vienna the chihuahua's picture is missing she is staying with some friends for the weekend. I tried for sometime last night to upload pix with no luck. Now I have 2 more to add and I cannot get blogger to do a thing...has anyone else had a problem today? What a pain. The picture of the mouse is missing. I don't even know if Mady named her.

More updates to come...whenever Blogger will let me add pix. Hope you had a good weekend!

Typical Situation

Hi! I have not posted in almost 2 weeks. Things are a bit harry here. We have had some snow...some ringworm...some cleaning the house like a mad woman...some field trips...some trying to locate more local friends for the kids...and just general crazy days. We have made it to a few outings with friends and we have a new family member-Frankie the Anole lizard! Mady gave him to me on her birthday! Wasn't that sweet of her to get me a present on her birthday?
I secretly, ok not so secretly now, want a ferret some day when the kids are bigger. I think it would be a good pet for me around the time the boys are about 4. It seems like every time the kids out grown that baby phase, I think I would like to have more kids! I am fairly certain I don't want to have any more children. I am absolutely certain Dom doesn't want any more kiddo's!

I will post some pictures of the snow and the field trips and the lizard tomorrow. I am so tired. I do have plenty to post about. Mady has said she wants to return to PS next year...I hope she will come to my, I mean, her senses before the end of August rolls around. Good night.

Accidents Can Happen

I have been lacking in content lately, not for lack of things to post but rather lack of time.
Here's the scoop. My loving father facilitated a purchase of 20 acres in East Texas for our entire family to use as an escape from the rest of the world. (The cabin will be used weekends and vacations, not a permanent day to day home.) Since we officially signed the papers a couple of weeks ago we have been camping @ the property on and off during the process of building a small cabin. Dom is unable to help since he is still under Dr.'s care after his back surgery so my dad and Brother Beal have been doing the work.

This past weekend we all ventured out to the cabin to do some "work." My sister came with us for the first time (YEAH!) and we camped for a couple of nights. There is no running water @ the camp and no electricity. There are plans for a small hand dug well but I am uncertain how long it will be until an indoor outhouse will emerge!

Jess and Niki and Luke and Ezra and I explored as much of the property as we could this weekend. We discovered 1 awesome deer blind and 2 small deer stands as well as some animal scat trails and many freshly dug animal dens. The property is overgrown with briars and thorny raspberry bushes (note to self-add machete to the camp box for next trip.) We had a bewildering time finding our way back to the cabin once we ventured off the road. Our saving grace was the dead tree about 50 yards northeast of the cabin...oh and my dad cutting a path with the chainsaw after we were yelling Marco Polo to him! The weekend was relaxing and full of educational opportunities, right up to the end, even the part where someone nailed their own thumb to the top of a corner post of the cabin. I have debated about posting this for many reasons, one of which is I didn't want to appear to be an irresponsible parent because I had the kids around a construction zone. In the end, I have to post this because this is our on-line scrap book and without the picture and this post, part of this history would be missing...not that any of us could ever let my dad forget he nailed his thumb to the cabin. Now it truly has his blood, sweat, and tears!

In other news, my sister made it into the police academy. Today was her first day and she said it was what all the cadets expected with the trainers yelling and having cadets stand @ attention for half the day. Jess does not recognize what a unique individual she is. I am uncertain what the statistics are but she is in the small percentage of Americans who have never tried any illegal narcotics, doesn't drink, doesn't lie...she is a shining example of a good person. I am the mean big sister! Everything bad that has ever happened to my sister started out with my handy work. It's ok, I have accepted my role in the grand scheme of things! LOL!

In still other news, Dom has re-enlisted in the Army National Guard for another 3 year stint. He is still on Medical Hold after the back surgery so he will not resume his duties until he is released. Once he is I am certain it is off on another deployment he will go. Secretly, well not so secretly now, I kinda want him to go active so we could travel. We would probably be stationed somewhere nasty @ the end of the earth so maybe it's for the best.

Yes, more news, Mady has her first job. She is scooping dog poo for a whopping $100 a month! This is an awesome job. It is one day per week after lunch and shouldn't take more than an hour. Mady is excited! Of course she is already speculating about her extravagant purchases. Her 10th birthday is this week as well. Wow! 10! Where does the time go? I am so thankful we started this blog so I can keep up with day to day happenings. I like to reflect on what we have been up to. Even though we haven't done much with our homeschool groups lately, I still feel so busy. Niki has gymnastics, Mady has art and the rabbits with 4H, the cabin, now it is time for our garden, and the boys are talking a blue streak. Luke and Ezra repeat every word we utter lately. The rate their vocabulary is growing is amazing. Each of the boys recognize and respond to everything we request of them as they mimic every action any adult around them is engaged in.

Enough rambling. Here are some recent pix.