Archive for ‘Living’

Elizabeth Gilbert is brilliant!

By Monica Brand, 25 January, 2010, No Comment

Elizabeth Gilbert lived in amazing places. Italy! India! Indonesia! And where does she choose to set up housekeeping with her new hubby ? Care to take a guess?

New Jersey. Ha. Take that nay-sayers. Not only is Gilbert planted in my Garden State, but she’s right here in my part of the Delaware Valley.

We’re practically neighbors. I could bump into her at the IGA or the coffee shop or she might come to my church. (Errr. She’s probably not coming to church) Hey, how cool is it that after exploring an exotic place like Southeast Asia, it’s my unassuming little patch of Earth that she decides to call home.

Brilliant choice of real estate investing, Liz. Welcome, welcome.

Today I finished Gilbert’s latest book, Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage and this week I will be sharing my thoughts.

Have you read it? Do you plan on reading Committed?

Let’s discuss it together.

New Jersey teens arrested for plotting Columbine-like attack

By Monica Brand, 14 December, 2009, No Comment

Two New Jersey high school boys arrested for planning to bomb Bridgewater-Raritan High School.

This is just heartbreaking.

Friends, please pray for those involved: the two teen boys arrested, the high school students who were their alleged targets and for the community of teachers and parents. I grew up in the Martinsville section of Bridgewater. I graduated from one of the old high schools, before there were combined to form the one school there is today. I’m shocked and saddened that this level of evil found it’s way to my hometown.

An egg of a different color

By Monica Brand, 10 November, 2009, 2 Comments

Are you guys tired of me talking chickens yet?

Today we found our first blue Ameraucana egg. It’s been way too long since we’ve had blue egg layers in our chicken coop. Of course, the kids went crazy when it was discovered. Like finding a nugget of gold. Such is the life of the home schooled kid with chickens as “pets.”

Here’s a picture.

And with that… maybe now I’m really back into the blogging mode? I can’t believe how lazy I’ve been lately. I want to record what busyness we have with Life, Home Learning, etc., yet at the end of the day I find myself unwilling to devote the time to sharing. I feel guilty, which is ridiculous because it’s’ not like this blog is necessary for our daily survival. Blogging is supposed to be FUN.

Anyway. We have a blue egg! That’s the most important thing right this moment.

As I was saying…

By Monica Brand, 13 October, 2009, 3 Comments

Preoccupied with homeschooling these days, still trying to find a balance in what to do with the boys, how much to push them, and if they aren’t doing “school”, what should they be doing in replace of it.

So far this fall, we’ve tried letterboxing, started back to Community Bible Study classes and AWANA, resumed Wednesday night church youth programs and various other activities. I enjoy busy, but busy doesn’t write pithy blog posts or get the housework done or let me stare out the window as much as I’d like. I’m a big fan of daydreaming…

Vacation. Never did blog about it here like I wanted. We had a nice time. Did a lot of hiking, biking, beach combing, and swimming. For me, one of the highlights of the trip was listening to Peter – unprompted – read aloud. That was a memory to remember. It wasn’t much, just the packaging from a fast-food toy, but it’s something, right?

And that thought brings me to an quandary that may be to blame as to why I’ve been so quiet here. I’m not sure how much I want to share about my kid’s performance with the 3R’s in a public forum. Will they come to resent it? Will they be embarrassed later in life? I’m glad I had the foresight to not use their real names.

Not sure how I’m going to resolve this dilemma. If any of you have thoughts as to yea or nay in regards as to how the home learning is going, I’d like to know. Do you care if I write about homeschooling or not?

As for reading, I’m deep into three books at the moment. The United States of Argula by David Kamp, Homeschooling on a Shoestring by Melissa L. Morgan and Judith Waite Allee and Family Feasts for $75 a Week by Mary Osten. I’m reading Dinotopia aloud to anyone willing to listen. I need to prepare intelligent thoughts about a book for a book tour by the end of the month. Overloaded is the key word here.

Okay, then. I guess I’m back. All is well here. Normal fall back to busyness.

Poor, neglected blog

By Monica Brand, 25 September, 2009, 3 Comments

Physically? Home in New Jersey.

Mentally? Still on the beach in Corolla.

It’s all an ebb and flow, this blog keeping, isn’t it? I’m sure I’ll get back into the writing here soon. Until then, have a go at the archives. Or – better yet: Go outside and play. (This is my kind of weather. I heart you, fall. Such a pity you leave us so soon.)