5 things you learn when you begin to homeschool:

1. School soooo does not have to take 8 hours. Upon realizing this, you also begin to realize how flawed our public education system is.
2. You don't know nearly as much as you think you do... Also, that you are never too old to learn something new.
3. Your kid(s) is (are) AWESOME!
4. Learning comes naturally ( and so much faster) when it is fun.
5. Socialization does not only take place in the schoolyard- actually, the schoolyard starts to resemble the Lord of the Flies through the eyes of the homeschooler, with all the cliques and social debauchery rampant these days...


Are there any awesome revelations you have had as a homeschooler?

I just don't understand how people can be so hateful...

Let me tell y'all a story- this one doesn't have an ending yet, nor will it likely for a while...

Once upon a time, there was a man that thought that Jesus sent him to El Paso to convert all the heathens so they could be saved.

 This may or may not have been his vision. Just go with it.

So, he came to be in the desert, married a native, and made babies and a church with her. All was well- he had a decent sized following, and he did what he thought Jesus sent him out to do....

 Sadly, somewhere along the way he heard another voice- one which surely had to have been Jesus again, he was sure of it. 

This voice told him there were too many gays working for the city getting benefits for their partners. Now, as in almost every other part of the country,  gays are still not allowed to marry each other, so naturally they were unmarried. The man decided to follow the suggestion of the voice, and make it so the gays could not provide even health benefits for their partners if they worked for our city. He and a few of his flock wrote up a proposal, followed protocol, and that proposal was put out to a vote. People came in handfuls, as they always do in the desert- sometimes it is just too damned hot to be out- and they voted. Many came out perplexed- they did not know if they had voted the way they wanted- there were too many vague descriptions in the proposal that made them want to say yes to it- words like traditional family values, and keeping people off the taxpayer bill... Who wants to say they are NOT traditional ? (Besides heathens like me, that is) So many voted for this proposal, when they actually felt that the proposal was wrong. The head tribunal of the heathens in the desert saw that this was a bad thing, to hurt a small group of people by denying them the same access to healthcare that their hetero counterparts had, so they overturned the ordinance. 

Now, this made the desert Jesus man and his flock very, very, angry. 

 very, very angry- on the behalf of his Jesus.

 So he enlisted his army, and declared battle on the heathens that were against his proposition and the tribunal that overturned what he had hoped would be a victory for his Jesus. They made banners, and drew petitions. They hired lawyers. They yelled- a lot. They gave arguments for why they were right, and they painted the war to seem as if they had been victimized because they were disallowed to treat the gay heathens as second class citizens...Worst of all, they demanded that the heathens make it up to them by spending a lot more money to remove the head of the heathen tribunal and a few of his helpers. (Y'all, in the desert, and on the border,especially, budgets are tight for everyone- including the city...)

The head of the heathen tribunal...As portrayed by the flock- the very angry flock. 

Some of the heathens (this heathen included) decided that enough was enough. They would much rather not do battle- they preferred to co-exist peacefully, even allowing members of the flock to bleat at them on occasion, but this was enough. So, a small group was formed with a very simple message.

See, y'all- the heathens prefer to keep it simple, and non-violent.

The heathens, including some very sweet religious leaders, have made a few peaceable protests, and held a few assemblies- but they see no reason to go to the extent that Jesus man and his flock have. They believe that their fellow heathens see the rationale behind their movement, and the absurdity in ever having started this war to begin with.

Unfortunately, this is where the story stops as of today. Is this heathen wrong? 

And, as a side- I mean absolutely no offense to any Christians out there- this particular pastor seems to have forgotten the meaning of Christianity entirely, and, as he is a very enthusiastic speaker, has led his followers down the same sad sad path. I doubt that Jesus would have encouraged hate in his day- based on the stories about him, he was a fiery, short-tempered dude at worst- but hateful? never. And I grew up Catholic, y'all- they make you study allllll the books- not just the abbreviated KJV. 

What do you think? I'd love to hear your take- just, please- nothing derogatory.  This heathen prefers to keep it civilized.

So, today hubs went on a field trip with our Homeschool co-op....

I belong to a local (secular - or at least, poly-tolerant ) Homeschool Group here in town- and man! are these ladies on their game! I missed all the planning meetings this summer as I was taking care of some relatives in the place of their primary caretaker, so it has been a pleasant schoolyear so far to find all these awesome things already laid out for me. I really have to reciprocate next semester. Seriously. This mama is a former Girl Scout General (jk- no offense to any current  leaders. I was just really, relleh active...that's all) and therefore can plan a large group activity like no one's business. Anywho- I cannot take credit for any of the following adventure, but I can say that once the dam is open again for the season I can see hubs and the kiddo and myself out here for a mini-vacay...

 He is looking more grown every day, and I love him every minute of it.

 how could you not love that desert sky?

 Almost there- can you see the difference in the landscape?

their mountains are a little smaller, but still very pretty

Today's trip (Hub's very first with our HS co-op) was to Radium Springs, NM, more specifically Leasburg Dam State Park. This very quaint and super quiet town is only about an hour's drive from where we are on our mountain,  but looks like we are considerably farther.  I am gonna be lazy about this and simply give you a couple link-ups to this hidden gem, so you can at least find it if you ever decide to head out there. Quite a bit of history, and lots of nature to explore. I give it a thumbs up myself...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radium_Springs,_New_Mexico
http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/prd/leasburg.htm


The dam itself was closed, which threw our plans a little, but that didn't deter our kids from having a ball. They made the playground theirs, and a the few dads that were able to attend alternated trail guide duties. I love co-op days- as I explain it to my son, they are also mommy's playdates. I get to have adult interaction, and he gets to either learn or play to his heart's content.

Hey there- we're just visitors. Don't bite!

 In the desert clouds like this are rare, and therefore relished.

 ...like that forbidden half-gallon of ice cream

 our plants might seem homely, but all you have to do is look closely

 and in the most unexpected places

 so as a desert rat, you learn to look, or you yearn to leave. it's that simple

 the traditional adobe oven. the southwest desert's history is rich with these.

 the ants can teach us a thing or two about community

 and we can be especially glad that they didnt sting our toes when we stop to admire the flowers

 yep, what makes that barbecue sauce great comes from the desert too...well, if you like mesquite barbecue sauce. which i am allergic to. boo. 

The poor park ranger wasn't expecting us, but put on a decent impromptu presentation about the park. Poor ranger. You could tell all these rowdy city kids were overwhelming him. Us homeschoolers are so weird. 

 I was trying to be sneaky about taking his picture. Can you tell?

 We are all interconnected through our history...

Bye, oh cutest town I have seen in a while!

I didn't add pictures of our co-op friends because, frankly, I didn't ask them if it was OK. Maybe they will let me introduce y'all next time...If I remember to ask...

So tell me, what treasured memories did you make today?

Gluten Free GREEN enchilada sauce

So, for those of you who don't know, most green chile enchilada sauces are NOT gluten free...Actually, most processed foods are no- but I will save that for another post, as that is another ball of wax altogether. Today I am celebrating the fact that green chiles are still in season, and that means that I can make a sauce that hubs, pops (Ethan), and I can eat and enjoy together.
For this, you will need :

Green chiles ( I used about a pound and a half steamed - you can roast them, too- and de-seeded)
Mushrooms - this one is to taste. friends- I like a more mushroomy sauce, so I went with approximately a quart
Gluten free all purpose flour blend ( I used Bob's Red Mill for this recipe because that is what I had on hand- i think you could get away with pretty much any flour blend, so long as you added tapioca/arrowroot/ a gum to bind it all together)
Coconut Milk- I used the asian one in the can because that one is serious. There is CREAM. YUM
Coconut Oil (or your preferred oil of choice- just make sure it can withstand a sautee without hitting its smoke point)
Garlic - 2 to 3 cloves
Salt, Pepper, pinch chipotle powder

Med. Saucepan
Jar with tight fitting lid, or gravy shaker, or whisk and bowl (I am using the jar method)
Blender

 I love our local produce guy. He packages everything in onion bags, which I promptly return to him the following week. Some of these are from my mom's garden, and some are from the garden of a little old couple in a town adjacent to us. I love food with a story, don't you? Better well said, I love to be able to tell the story of my food. So much more satisfying than mystery food. 

Pull out your favorite medium sized saucepan, and add your oil. The amount will vary with your tastes, but I add roughly a Tbs. Set to medium heat. Roughly chop your chiles, mushrooms, garlic, and toss in the pan. Once your mushrooms start to sweat, you can toss in your spices. I add a pinch of chipotle because I steam my chiles (so much cooler in the kitchen to do that!) , but you can omit it- it is not necessary. As that is going, grab your jar and add 2 heaping teaspoons (or so) of the GF flour blend- if you like a thicker sauce, add more- I am kinda bad at writing recipes because I am one of those that refuses to follow one. So bear with me, and experiment, please. I highly encourage everyone to find their 'flavor' in the kitchen. You will be amazed at the changes you start to make in your diet once you do... But, I digress- where were we? Yes- the jar. Insert flour, add water, and shake. Shake, and dance while you do it. Smiles are a great additive to any mexican dish. I promise, you CAN taste the joy. Ask hubs when you see him. He will tell you. 

My stuff doing its best sautee

  Jar left (red top) is the flour/water mix; Jar right (gold? top) is my beloved coconut milk. SOOOO good. Not for drinking, though- this one is the consistency of heavy cream. 

Once your mushrooms look mostly cooked, toss the flour water mix and about 1/4-1/3 cup of the coconut cream into the pot. mix well- once you have reached the thickness you like, remove from heat and pull out the blender. 

This stuff is soooo good- if you like a chunky sauce, just pulse a couple of times. I made it super smooth just for hubs...this one time....

If you are devious like me, you can pretend you are in some random horror movie and make all kinds of tortured cat noises while you run this so your kid can come running around the corner in a panic because he thought his mom was actually blending the cat...... Oh, wait. That really might just be a Ms. Chris thing. I admit it. This heathen mama is DEMENTED sometimes. I torture my kid that way. Hey, at least he's got a really sharp wit because of it, right?

Cat-free deliciousness. I promise. 

Now, I am pretty sure this can be canned, should you care to-  but, if you are like me (probably not), this sauce most likely won't make it past a few days. It also freezes well... I make my enchiladas FLAT, in the MICROWAVE....think mexi-lasagna. Saves me from eating excess grease ( no-frying with my method) and I can make a plate for each person in about 10 minutes. Beats the hell outta the all-afternoon operation that my grandma puts forth. Oh! Also- if you are dairy free, Daiya 'cheese' shreds are about the best thing ever...but if you are dairy free, you probably already knew that, huh. We just got them here in town- there is a whopping one Sprout market here, and the nearest Whole Foods is about 4 hours away by car... So I am a little excited...

How do you eat your enchiladas?

I badly need a workspace...

...So I can go back to making stuff like this. Or, revamping it- however you choose to view it.

Soon, soon. I need space to create soon! I am quickly running out of t-shirts to alter ! Anyone here have a preferred outlet for stress/pent up creativity?

So, We have this garden.....

This year our garden sucked. It did, and I am not ashamed to say it. We had so many 100+ degree days this year, that not even our cacti wanted to live. It was miserable. Until about 3 weeks ago. The weather began to be a little kinder to us, and what did survive outside EXPLODED, most especially our basil. So- I trimmed it back today-
And THIS is what I cut off. To be fair, I was saving the plants from any potential caterpillars or other basil-eating bugs...never garden when you are hungry. (I left plenty to regenerate, though, haha)

Bless hub's grandma, for she helped me process all of this stuff. Easily 10 pounds of basil- stemmed, of course.
Yes, I know that there is some rule about cutting basil just before flowering, but really, we paid little to no attention to the garden this summer since everything was dying in the heat. We just kind of resigned ourselves to having to buy produce this summer, and with a sad heart we did. So imagine my surprise when I walked out and saw 2 and a half feet of basil. But the flowers have not gone to waste. They now sit atop the kitchen table and make a most interesting arrangement. See?

 I would never throw away the blooms. That's where all the seeds that will make me more basil next year are. The dining area smells divine.

So, de-stemmed I think this is still a pretty impressive amount of basil leaves.

SO. With alllll those leaves, and olive oil, salt, pecans, pine nuts, lime zest (can do lemon juice, friends, but I was out of lemons so I made do with this), and some love, I made pesto. And a lot of it. That was really a lot of leaves, y'all. They filled the right side of the sink. At least, before I washed em down a few times.

10 jars- all full to the brim. All I can say is whoah.

Pesto is delicious- and traditionally blended with parmesan....Since I have discovered that life is better for me dairy-free, ours is made without, but I added tons to this 'chicken pesto salad' that hubs loves. I made enough for him and a co-worker or 2 to share, since he has a friend at work that always asks for it. Basically it is canned chicken (not my favorite, but it's late and I didn't want to have to cook up some actual chicken to shred), freshly shredded parm, 2 or 3 heaping tablespoons of pesto and extra pine nuts mixed together . He almost never comes home with leftovers. Since I used pecans in the pesto itself, I am hoping this time will be the same...

Since I cannot eat this (as much as I love- LOVE- parmesan, it kills me), I decided to make myself a pesto-tomato salad with some nice smooth goat cheese crumbles. It. is. DIVINE.

 I might not have mentioned it yet as this blog is still in its infancy, but Pops (our very doted on son) and I are gluten free and dye free (we try, anyways, with the dye- that crap is in soooo much these days), and I am dairy-free too. This has made for some very interesting dietary changes for us- and I will share some recipes, and probably from my soap box, too. ( This post very nearly started out as a rant based on my witnessing a man giving his infant RED GATORADE in her bottle today at pop's game. I vented, erased, and re-posted. These days I am trying for mega-positivity- but that soapbox is still here somewhere)

So, what do you all grow,if anything? If not, what incentive would you need to start a little garden of your own? I have fixed the commenting issue, I think, so if you have something to share, please do! I would love to hear from you!

So tomorrow is my birthday.....

I have the odd fortune to have been born on Sept 12th, 1980. My birthdate hadn't ever been anything significant or special (unless it fell on Grandparent's Day- and, really, it still isn't), but it was mine and I was happy with it. When I went to bed on September 10th, 2001, I was a very angry (internally- externally I am usually cheery) young woman looking forward to getting trashed the minute her plane landed in Vegas for her birthday. I had been struggling with lots of things in my adolescence up to young adulthood (adhd and anger management issues being among them) and had a very hard time being able to see the bright side to much of anything, unless it had to do with partying- my parents and my uncle and his then-wife (my aunt) were to come out with and we were going to do some serious celebrating. Waking up on September 11th changed my life- of course, I didn't realize it then, but the day that caused so much devastation was my salvation. I always had a hard time waking that year because I never went home to bed at a decent hour. Naturally, this meant that my mom/boss was in charge of waking me up..and I will never forget the panic in her voice when she did that day.

"Shit, Christi. Get up. You have to see this. A plane just crashed into the World Trade Center" (We are all afflicted with Trucker Mouth. Luckily, most of the people around us tolerate it and understand that our curse words are not always venomous.)

I jumped out of bed, bleary-eyed and irritated with the world for happening all around me, and walked into her room across the hall- just in time to watch the second plane hit. By this time, my mom, assuming that this was an accident, was away from the TV brushing her teeth. I cried out for her to come see what had happened, totally certain some dumbass air traffic controller had gone off his meds and killed so many by allowing a second plane to crash. We both rushed to get ready for work so we could turn on the TV there and follow the story.
By the time I got to work, we Knew. And my world would never be the same.

We had decent internet service at the body shop we worked at, so I immediately got online and was accosted with so many of the images, live feeds, and assorted testimonials from ground zero. Even we, out here in the middle of the desert, were in shock. As angry as I was, I could not fathom what could drive the People That Did This To Us to sacrifice so many innocent people. We spent the rest of the day mostly in contemplative silence, unless there was business that needed tending to.
After work, I ditched my friends for our home computer. I needed to see what was happening across the country- partying wasn't so important already anymore. I don't have to sum up all the details here- I know everyone remembers the horrors.
What really got me was watching all of the jumpers. One by one, desperate to escape the hell inside, they took their chances and plunged to their deaths. It was too much for me. Something in my head finally clicked- what I was doing to myself was a slow suicide. I was a recovering drug addict, still a binge drinker, and in an abusive relationship. I was angry for reasons unknown even to myself, and couldn't see the sunshine even as I burned in it...I knew then that I was done with the lifestyle that was destroying me. I decided to search out help for my addictions, to make a conscientious change in my negative mentality, to own up to my actions and accept the consequences... 10 years later, I sit here in a pool of emotions. I know that what happened on September 11th had absolutely nothing to do with me, but when I meditate on this day and enter my 'happy place' I always acknowledge those who  helped, indirectly, to change my life with the end of their own.

By the way- we had the privilege to fly into Vegas on 09/13 and honor those who had died on the darkened strip. The trip had a somber tone to it, but we managed to still have fun. That trip also helped to teach me how to find the positive in every situation, even when the world seems pretty bleak.

OK, y'all- please don't run for the hills! The next posts up will be business as usual. Just thought I would share a little piece of my personal history with all of you.

Why, YES, I AM a dirty hippie....

Now that we have this homeschooling thing down, Ethan and I get to attend our local homeschool co-ops and park days, and other social events where 'getting-to-know-you' is involved. Apparently this is a bit of a shocker to lots of people, so I will come out and say it outright.
I do not wash my hair (at least, not with shampoo), use deodorant (not from the store!), brush my teeth with toothpaste (from a tube), or use facial cleanser or moisturizer (hello eczema...and acne...and wrinkles). Or even wash my clothes with commercially made soaps (again, hello, eczema! and asthma...and ashy, ASHY skin).
Luckily, according to my husband and a few other trusted friends, I manage to NOT do all of this without smelling like 'sweaty fat broad'. (No, it is not only on account of the fact that I do not sweat- no, y'all, you don't really wish this on yourselves. It SUCKS) Since (I needed something to write about, and) I am really getting tired of 'splaining it to the Lucies, I figured I would put my basic recipes down on here and let it be understood HOW I manage to NOT do all of this and still smell relatively ,well...nice. Did I mention that the cost of all of my raw materials combined (as in, for everything I make) cost about as much as one purchase of each product (storebought) combined per year? Without further ado- this is what I DO:

Shampoo

I am a no-poo'er almost no-poo'er through and through. I do not use shampoo straight out of the bottle on a daily (more like bi-weekly) basis; rather,every other day I 'wash' (clarify seems to me the better word) my scalp and the roots of my hair with a mixture of 1/4 tsp baking soda, 4oz. water, and (depending on the weather) a teeny tiny drop of tea tree oil. I put my mix in this bottle

which usually lasts me through 2 washes. Every 2 weeks (this is where the almost comes in) I use a dime sized drop of a mild shampoo added to the mixture to remove all the gunk that builds up in my hair. ( I really am a gringa- at least my hair is- and it tends to become too weighed down between my natural oils, desert dirt, and the occasional dousing of hair spray- for people with coarse/wavy hair, this may never be necessary. Sadly, for me, it is, at least bi-weekly, at least for now) If my hair starts to dull or look/feel coarse, I mist with a 60/40 water/apple cider vinegar rinse (that I don't rinse, ha!).

Yes, friends, for about an hour or as long as it takes your hair to dry, you will smell like salad dressing. Once your hair dries, the smell dies. So don't fret about that. For any extra conditioning I may need, I usually opt for a drop or 2 of avocado oil with a drop of patchouli oil massaged into my palms, then into my hair.

Deodorant

Yes, y'all, I really do not sweat...but I can get smelly! To remedy this, I combine coconut (or sweet almond, if I am out of coconut) oil, baking soda, a pinch of alum (the mineral, not aluminum), and drops of my favorite essential oil (usually patchouli). I personally do not measure this, but rather add oil until it is a nice firm, almost saltdough-y consistency. Then, I plop it in a jar and call it a month. You really only need a pinch under each arm (or less maybe but I have large underarms) and I find, for me, that this works like a charm. 

Toothpaste

This, my friends, has been the wildest experiment. These days, we toss in a jar: baking soda (usually til the jar is nearly full), lemon oil (appx 1 tsp), and a drop of peppermint oil. shake until thoroughly mixed, and pinch/scoop some out as needed. I find that my teeth stay cleaner longer using this, and it kills even the worst garlic breath, too.

If your teeth need whitening, rinse (DO NOT SWALLOW) with a capful of hydrogen peroxide for about 10 seconds. I do this occasionally, and I hate it- but I would rather not have to use the dreaded chemi-strips....So I suck it up and go with the lesser of the 2 evils.

Facial Cleanser

Baking soda (i fill the jar til nearly full) Sweet almond oil (1-2 tsp...maybe more if you use a relleh relleh big jar) Glycerine (literally, 3 drops, pre-shaken into the almond oil-again, adjust amount to the size of your jar)

The baking soda should be pasty when fully mixed, and should be applied as a scrub. Be careful, though, not to sit with it too long, or to scrub too hard, because it is pretty abrasive! If you have moderate acne, you can also mix in a drop or 2 of tea tree oil, but I usually do not. To tone, I again, spray with my handy dandy water/acv mixture. This, friends, will become something you develop a skill for- a bit of advice- keep your eyes shut, and hold your breath until the mist has subsided! I also use this as a body scrub. I love it- and I find that my skin glows if I use it regularly....

I do generally wash my arse- but with castille or hand-crafted, all natural, irritant free soaps. I find that essential oils, for the most part, do not bring out my dreaded E, but almost all synthetic scents do, and with a vengeance. The longer I go chem-free, the worse my reaction is to them- matter of fact, that is usually how I can weed out a fake 'natural' or 'unscented' product (aside from reading the label). If any of you are on hard times(or not), these ingredients can be had for 20 bucks or less,can make everything above, and can last you a pretty darned long time. It takes a bit of getting used to (especially the hair, because we are all used to having dried out, artificially silky locks), but in the long run, you just might find it is worth it. I know I did. I highly suggest Dr. Bronner's line of soaps- especially the liquids- but if you choose to use them please remember to DILUTE! Failure to do so WILL result in a sticky sorry mess.

Laundry Soap

1 bar washing soap (most common being fels naptha or zote) appx 1c washing soda (yes, there IS a difference!) appx 1c baking soda (I buy it in bulk at costco for about 6 bucks, y'all. it is my go-to for just about everything...that and lemon juice) appx 1c borax appx 1c oxy clean (not really necessary, but some folks don't feel right about washing their whites without it) you will need a grater and a food processor...and a vessel to keep the powder in.

1. grate the soap bar 

2. toss the whole lot into the food processor 

3. pulse until it looks like a laundry soap you would use ( generally you want the grated soap to be powder-fine)

4. store in an airtight container We use an old oxy-clean scoop (the small one)to measure out our soap- about 2tbs will clean a large load, but you can adjust the amount of soap to your liking. Also makes a great pre-treat paste- just add water, rub in about 20 mins before wash time, and toss in the wash. Always remember to check for colorfastness- I want no ruined Sunday t-shirts on my head!

For softener, I use 1/4c white vinegar in a 'downy' ball or the softener dispenser, depending on where I am washing clothes. Again, no stink, so don't worry. If you feel that that might not cut the mustard for you, I made my own 'dryer balls' using recycled tennis balls with a slit cut into them; I add a drop or 2 of my favorite essential oil to the INSIDE of the ball, and have yet to have an oil stain from it.

So, now you all know how I can be such a dirty hippie, still smell good, and be proud enough of it to tell it like it is. Enjoy!