Patron Saint for NQLB Blog

There's a poll over at No Question Left Behind to help the team decide on a patron saint. Problem is that the voting is a dead heat right now and there is no clear winner in sight. Help us decide on a patron and go vote today (check the sidebar). Voting is open until All Saints Day so you have time to tell all your friends, family, and neighbors to vote too. Post it on your blogs, your Facebook, your favorite email list. Don't let the saints down.

Fantastic Contraption

I have six workmen in my basement hammering and banging away. It's far too loud in here to concentrate on school work and my van is on the fritz so we can't escape to the library. So, instead of workbook pages and boring textbooks, we've been playing all morning at Fantastic Contraption. You've got to visit this interactive online game. It is so fun and yet so educational. It teaches all kinds of great thinking skills and basic physics too.

Thank you At Home Science for bringing it to my attention.

Franciscan Students for Life

Christian is part of this group (you can see him at about 1:10) at FUS. The students go to Pittsburgh on Saturdays to pray in front of an abortion clinic. As one who has lead a teen pro-life group and prayed with them in front of clinics, I was really touched by this short video. It gives one so much hope to see those teens grow up into young adults and carry on the mission of promoting the sanctity of life. And on their own. I'm really proud of Franciscan Students for Life.

The Dating Scene at Franciscan University

Steuby students also have too much time on their hands, as well as a good sense of humor.



Hat tip: My kid

God Please Bless All the Aliens

Super Boy saying his prayers:

"Dear God please bless everyone in the whole entire world. Specially help the bad guys so they turn good. Bless everyone in the whole entire universe and everyone in space and all the spacemen and all the aliens floating in space and living on other planets. And bless Jesus and all the angels floating in heaven and my whole entire family. Amen."

Teen Help Blog

Thank you Steve Ray and Mark Shea for helping get the word out about No Question Left Behind. Both blogged on the teen blog this week.

Do you know a teen who may benefit from learning about the No Question Left Behind blog?

Bush, the Economy, and Military Rule

According to the boiler repairman who was at my house today, President Bush suggested the recent bailout plan in order to give the economy the one last push it needs to collapse. Then, when chaos breaks out, rioting in the streets, looting, and the such, Bush will declare military rule, refuse to step down, and place himself in the position of dictator. This is the most interesting conspiracy theory from the boiler man in a while.

Hunting Season Around the Corner

My teen daughters: "Dad, come help us put up the tree stand."

My vegetarian husband: "I'm not helping you kill Bambi."

Teen Daughter One: "We don't want to kill Bambi."

Teen Daughter Two: "No, we want to kill his dad."

Looking to Buy a Foreclosed Home?

How to Buy a Foreclosure over at The Thrifty Homeschooler.

The Secret to Being a Good Husband

Love in the Little Things by Mike Aquilina is one of my favorite books. It's enjoyable, simple, and yet profound. If you don't yet own this sweet little book, you can get a taste of it here: The Spousal Secret. Go. Read. Now.

Regina Reviews Twilight

Regina Doman has a review of Twilight by Stephenie Meyer over at Hollywood Jesus. While I don't agree on everything Regina writes, it is a very interesting take on the book and worth the read.

UPDATE: Regina's review of New Moon, the second book in the Twilight series.

Government Bailout

Anyone else worried about this 700 billion dollar bailout? Seven hundred billion! And we all know that if that's what the government is estimating that it'll actually be more like 7 trillion. I think this will affect each and every one of us in ways we never imagined. Time to pray.

Co-ops and Microscopes

I've been putting off buying a much needed microscope hoping that a good deal might cross my path. I think I've found it finally.

Have you heard of the Homeschool Buyers Co-op. It's really cool. Much like schools pool resources in order to gain discounts on texts, services, and supplies, Homeschool Buyers Co-op pools together homeschoolers from all over the country to increase our purchasing power.

Their current deal on microscopes is a perfect example. If you buy a microscope through the co-op you can get up to a 40% discount. The only criteria is that at least 10 other homeschoolers sign up for the deal. That shouldn't be too hard as the co-op has thousands of members.

Even if you're not in the market for a microscope, check out the Homeschool Buyers Co-op. If you sign up, you'll get a weekly email listing the current deals. I've saved a bundle on curriculum and software thanks to those emails.

If you are in the market for a microscope, here's a webpage to help you discern on the best one for your homeschool: Buyers Guide from Great Scopes. And a brief note from my friend MacBeth Derham:

On the microscope front, remind your readers to check for glass optics. Plastic optics, no matter how inexpensive, are going to give poor results. Also, beware of any scope that offers better than 1000x power. It's physically impossible. While you can get a bigger image, the magnification is empty, providing no more resolution (clarity) than 1000x. The laws of physics matter! Also many of the scopes available today are made in China, unless you are willing to pay big bucks.

I'm not sure if the lenses of the co-op microscopes are glass or plastic. I'm waiting to hear back from the manufacturer.


Addendum: I heard back from Bolden

All of the microscopes have real optical glass lenses and are imported from China.

Premiere and My First Lab™ are owned and distributed by C & A Scientific Co., Inc. 7241 Gabe
Court Manassas, VA 20109-2434 USA

Steubie U, Scott Hahn and Bible Study

Christian writes:

"Scott Hahn has a bible study on Sunday nights"

I want to go to Steubie! Why do the kids get to have all the fun?

Sarah Palin's Glasses

It seems that everyone wants Sarah Palin glasses and there's a two-month waiting list to buy a pair. If you're in the market for Sarah's glasses and don't want to wait have I got good news for you. Just go to Staples. Yep, Staples. Rob and I were looking at the reading glasses last night and sure enough there were 3 or 4 pairs there just like Sarah's. Well, not just like them but sort of like them. Kind of. Though if you need glasses for distance, you're still going to wait 2 months.



Interestingly, some are accusing Mrs. Palin of wearing fake glasses to dump her beauty queen image. Geez.

Homeschoolers on YouTube

Homeschoolers obviously have too much time on their hands. They also have a good sense of humor.

Teen Blog Patron Saint

I'm so excited. Sister Mary Martha, my most favorite blogger, posted about No Question Left Behind today. How cool is that! Well, I admit it's not like she did it out of the blue. I asked for her help in picking a patron saint for the teen blog and she answered on her blog. She does read No Question Left Behind from time to time so it's still very cool.

I'm going to have the teens vote on their patron saint, but I'd like to hear your opinions too. St. Raphael or St. Augustine? Or someone completely different?

Catholic Homeschooling Conference Omaha Nebraska

ADDENDUM: The Nebraska conference has been canceled for 2009 but will return 2010.

If you're anywhere near Omaha, mark your calendar for June 26 and 27, 2009. I'll be visiting the Catholic homeschooling curriculum fair there. I'm really looking forward to it. I'll probably be giving my God's Wildflowers talk and Relax You Can Do It talks. No other details yet, but I'll make sure to keep you up to date as the date gets closer.

Courageous Love in Light of Suffering

Ten years ago, my friend Linda's dad, Tom, passed away. Tom suffered from mental illness most of his adult life. As with any illness, physical or mental, Tom suffered. His wife and children suffered. Yet, as we know as Catholics, goodness can come suffering. His children grew up to be loving, caring, and devoutly faithful individuals. In good part because of his illness and because of their mother's devotion.

Linda's mom was a saint who treated her husband with nothing less than love and respect even though it would've been so easy to complain and seek pity. She stuck with him for decades even though it would have been so easy to pick up and leave. Her life was a testament to selfless marital love and we can all learn from it.

Linda's sister Lisa shares on her blog, Faithfulness, her eulogy from Tom's funeral. Go and read it.

Gianna Jessen and the Born Alive Act

When I share with family members or friends that abortion is legal up to nine months, up to the point of delivery the baby's head, they look at me with complete disbelief. Tell them about Partial Birth Abortion and they think I'm making it up. After all, how can such a horrible thing be real? How can it be true? They look at me with similar disbelief when I share Barak Obama's position on infanticide. Here is the video to share with those unfamiliar with this candidate's voting record on the Born Alive Act. Quite a story:



Hat tip: Mark Shea