Right or Left? That is the question!

Did you struggle through school or do any of your children? Research shows that 50% of us are left brain dominant and 50% of us are right brain dominant. Well, it's no secret that the schools are geared toward left brainers--which means that many of us were, and many of our kids are, not being taught in the best/easiest way possible. (If it's not obvious to you--just google "right brain learning" and you'll find all the info you care to know on the subject.) I am left brained and therefore excelled in school and always believed I was smart. Little did I know, the kids who got B's and C's regularly were just as smart as me, they were just having to work twice as hard in the school setting to do what came easily for me. Well, we recently found out that Mark is not just right brain dominant, but almost exclusively right brained. I've been madly researching all I can about this (hence this blog--and the absence of blogs over the past couple weeks) and have come to the conclusion that Mark will not reach his full potential (or even come close) if I leave it up to our "left brained" school system! So, what does that mean? Well. . .after much deliberation, prayers, pondering, advice, dead ends, etc. . . we've decided to homeschool Mark for a little while. Yes, you did just read HOMESCHOOL! And, yes, I've always had all the same reactions you're hearing in your heads right now (huh? ugh! weird! wacky! Nutso, etc. etc.) to people who say they homeschool or were homeschooled themselves. But after all my research, I am totally committed to our decision and I'm actually VERY excited about it. We're going to do the rest of this year (3rd grade) and possibly/probably next year (4th grade) at home (hopefully getting through the 6th grade curriculum in that time) and then re-evaluate. We'll focus on helping him learn how to adapt what he'll get in school to what he needs to learn and be able to send him back for 5th grade and beyond!!! Since this is all so new to me (and since I LOVE hearing from you guys). . .just curious what all y'alls thoughts are. . . !

Updating

So, I guess I've just been waiting for my blog to update itself . . . ?! I find myself checking it almost every day--like it might have changed or something. . . but I can't get myself to update it. Anyway, sorry. Maybe when I get a few other things finished it'll become more of a priority. But, meanwhile, thanks for updating yours--I love to read them.

Scrapbooking

So, it's no secret that I love to scrapbook. I don't know if it's even so much that I love to scrapbook as much as I love having scrapbooks for my kids (and I) to look through. THEY LOVE IT! And, I love that I can do that for them. They are my journals, as I don't keep one otherwise (well, unless I can now count this--my blog--as one! hee hee). I always make sure to journal on each layout and I'm one of those who likes to cram as many pictures as possible on each layout (you know, tasteful cramming, cropping is key). I have too many books already to be putting one picture per page! I know it's cute that way, but, c'mon! . . .is it really feasible?!

Here are a few example layouts of mine, nothing spectacular, just pictures and journaling:
Anyway, nothing extraordinary, but we LOVE them! So,now I'm on the verge of looking into digital scrapbooking, I'm just not sure I want to make that leap. If I was convinced that it was either cheaper or faster I would really consider it. Dave just got me a laptop because I've always said that I would never dream of digital scrapbooking without a laptop, but now that I have one, I'm not quite sure where to start. Any ideas? I suppose I should buy a program (I've heard Photoshop is the best) and just start playing with it (but the time I spend doing that could be used catching up on my other scrapbooks!). Anyway, I suppose either way I'll still get to invite my friends over every month or so for scrapbooking parties--and that's really what it's all about, right girls? :)

Reality TV

Are there any other junkies out there? Maybe I should be *embarrassed* to admit that I watch these shows, but it's ok if it's in the name of m-o-t-i-v-a-t-i-o-n, right? I only justify watching all of these because I work out during each episode (or I watch a second one while I cool down and fold laundry)!! I just don't know how I'm going to catch all of them anymore: Biggest Loser, American Idol, Mamma's Boys, Survivor, Bachelor, you gotta love Extreme Makeover--Home Edition, Apprentice (what happened to that anyway?) and now there's the new one, True Beauty, that looks like it's going to be hilarious! Sheesh! Now, c'mon guys, fess up--do you watch any of these? (are there any good one's I've missed?--not that I have room for any more!) How do you all choose and/or justify spending time watching these??? Or do you NOT? (be honest) :)