Let's see: Dropping another $200 into my car.. spikey tires are not a cool thing. Ugh...

Now for the pictures:

GABE SMASH!

MY SISTER'S BABYSHOWER CAKE, NOAH'S ARK, DONE AT PUBLIX:

I DON'T CARE WHAT MY MOM SAYS, HE IS STILL ADORABLE:

DADDY HERCULES STALKING MY HERMIT CRABS:

YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH A LOVE MUFFIN THIS ONE REALLY IS:

I HATE THIS BRIDGE, BUT I LIKE PLAYING TOURIST AND TAKE PICTURES WHILE I'M DRIVING UP IT(this is the Skyway for the curious):

~~Toni

But this time, I could not help it--DH and I FINALLY got a weekend alone, without kids and we went to Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure.

BIG MISTAKE. HOT. BUSY. STUPID PEOPLE. YES THAT PERSON AHEAD OF YOU MOVED, SO YOU MOVE TOO. THAT'S IT. WALK--RIGHT, LEFT--GAH!! DON'T FECKING STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FECKING WALKWAY!!

But--we did have fun. We truly did, just he and I. Hotel by ourselves. Jaquizzi.. alcohol. Unlimited food.

We started at CityWalk, where we saw Indiana Jones' new movie and met this guy:

Then, it was on to Universal Studios, the next day, where we met:
Woody Woodpecker:

Some weird Coca-Cola Cooling Station Alien:

A Giant Shark before lunch:

And after lunch:

BeetleJuice and His Graveyard Review Crew(an excellent show, btw):

Met some gorgeous man at the Hardrock Cafe:

Who took me straight on to Suess Landing:

Where I promptly boarded the Pie in the Sky, Suess Trolly Tram Ride:

And off in the distance, loomed the massive, frightening structure that belong to none other that Poseidon himself:

But I was not afraid, because when we departed the train, I met up with a long lost love:

Who I promptly dumped for the most favored one of all:

But alas, I had to leave him to approach that which gave me quivers on board the train:

He called to me, I just could not resist. Poseidon's Temple beckoned:

But fear not! For I made it out of Poseidon's grip easily enough, only to be met with this; stalking and waiting for me:

And then, by shear sudden surprise, I found the one thing I wasn't looking for (because I had him all along); being dragged around by a slobbering, humongous hairy beast:

To which I promptly responded:

~~~~Fin

~~Toni

I normally don't link to things like this, but it is food for thought and I happen to like the title "Educational Anarchist".

"The response of California's teachers' union to pro-family attempts to protect home schooling in that state has outraged one attorney who is working on the case."

This past Sunday, Parade Magazine ran a brief poll along with an equally brief summarization of why they were running the poll. This poll basically asked if homeschoolers should receive teaching credentials in order to be able to homeschool. 95% of the people polled said "NO". I am quite certain the poll is skewed (thinking that many homeschoolers are the ones who took the poll, seeing as how this made the rounds of just about every list/board I am on), but nevertheless, even the "Yes" answers were few in number, which only shows that there had to have been someone in the "No" column who doesn't homeschool.

From the Dictionary:

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
an·ar·chist Audio Help [an-er-kist] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun 1. a person who advocates or believes in anarchy or anarchism.
2. a person who seeks to overturn by violence all constituted forms and institutions of society and government, with no purpose of establishing any other system of order in the place of that destroyed.
3. a person who promotes disorder or excites revolt against any established rule, law, or custom.

[Origin: 1670–80; anarch(y) + -ist]

—Related forms
an·ar·chis·tic, adjective

On its face, "educational anarchist" wouldn't make sense, since homeschoolers (well, most) aren't actively seeking ways to overturn or excite revolt against the governing school system by way of removing it completely and not finding ways to establish a better one(def. 2). We are actively revolting against the school systems(def. 3), of course, but it's more of a passive activism--we just pull our children out and don't bother the school systems (as opposed to them actively bothering us--which would make THEM (the educational system) the true "Educational Anarchist", by definition 2.).

I truly do not know any homeschoolers who are actively seeking ways to shut down the entire school system and remove it from existence. Working to make it better-yes. Working with our lobbyists and governing peoples to "fix it"--absolutely. But completely shut it down and erase it from history-no.

But the reasons *I* like the title "Educational Anarchist" are: 1)At heart, I am an anarchist. Always have been. Though not entirely a True one(by def. 2), because I do try to actively seek a way to replace that which I've worked to destroy(with a better method or mode). 2)But by definition 3, I am a true one because I have always questioned authority (just ask my mom) and have always been the "outsider" due to my convictions and how strongly I defend them AND I've actively sought out ways to revolt against any rule, law, or custom that is unjust, unfair, bigoted, or hate-filled.

I wish I could change or add to the definition and make it so that it reflects the type of Anarchism I believe in--actively protest, promote, and violate all unjust, unfair, bigoted, or hate-filled, laws, forms, governments, or institutions(this includes religious institutions that promote this kind of behavior), by way of promoting disorder or commotion within these confines and then actively seek ways to make them NOT be unjust, unfair, bigoted, or hate-filled.

The NEA and the individual teaching associations are trying to get the lawmakers to label us as "educational anarchists" and make it so that we cannot homeschool without stricter laws/regulations that would almost(and pretty much) choke us, out of existence. California's first big mistake was in not writing homeschooling in to their constitution. Having a Governor state that "homeschooling is a viable and legal alternative" is not enough. They should have taken a few pages from Florida's Constitution where it explicitly states that we have this right. Stating that we were given this right by the Constitution of the United States is not enough. While all 50 states abide by the Constitution, they are also free to enact laws pertaining to their individual location and constituency. It needs to be written in all 50 states individual constitutions. While Florida has its share of troubles, they are so few in between that they almost don't make the radar.

I like "Educational Anarchist" because it suits me and my family. I am actively seeing other means of education that are going against any norm established by society and I am proud of this fact. All homeschoolers should be proud of it.

I may just change my blog title to reflect this. It really does suit me well.

~~Toni

Occasionally, I go someplace that is the one place I actively boycott. I go there because it is interesting to read just how warped their minds are and it actually grounds me in my own choices--knowing I've made the right ones. Today I went there and I saw two posts that caught my attention. One was discussing, as usual, their motto "home where they belong" and how they "don't always attack teachers" (bullshit, every other post is about how horrible teachers and the school systems are) and how they were called "liars" because they don't use respectable and reputable news reporting agencies (they don't.. they rely on World Nut Daily for their "news").

While the first one made me laugh, the second post really caught my attention. Someone had the audacity to "challenge" them and tell them just how ludacris and offensive their whole board really was. They posted this:

So, why am I angry with you, this forum, and everyone who participates?

1- I believe in the power of women and men, working together, in equality and harmony. However, my perception of you all is that you believe in an inferior (by varying degrees) position of women. I do not believe that women should be considered better than men, but I righteously proclaim the absolute necessity for male-female equality. From several women's blogs, I have gathered that, ultimately, you, women, defer to your husbands. That shakes me to my core. I could wage a war over it. If I had lived in the 1960s, you'd better believe that I would have been burning my bra and marching in Washington. I remember learning about the women's suffrage movements of the 1920s and the feeling of my heart soaring with pride! Then I remember realizing just how lucky I had it! Born free in America!

And I am no lesbian (although I see nothing wrong with them). In fact, I absolutely adore men.

So... when I (masochistically) visit a forum, upon which my actual OPPOSITE view of humanity is plastered, obviously I freak out. By the way, I also don't believe in the slaughter of animals (however humanely) to furnish my dinner table. So, when I see goat butchering parties, downed hawks by young ladies, prairie home skirts, everyone woman sporting long hair, many women (in a sort of brainwashed and/or indignant mode) go off in some sort of ecstatic glee of serving their men... i just want to vomit.

So, to know that your OPPRESSIVE teachings are molding your children into little copies of yourselves makes me feel like I must stand UP against women who are propagating beliefs that hurt themselves, their children, and ultimately everyone.

And to whomever this person is that posted it, I owe you a beer and want to shake your hand. We only disagree on the meat eating part(I am a full blown, unapologetic, carnivore ), however you've hit on every reason why these people make ME want to vomit. Kudos to you, dear ma'am, kudos.

Like you, it's part mashochism that I still read them on occassion. But I think it's more like "know thy enemies" more than anything. I mean, as long as I know they are out there and know where they live, I can avoid becoming neighbors with them. Of course, I could always stop reading, but then, just where would I get my "news" from?

~~Toni

The turtles needed a new tank home. They are now residing in their 55 gallon paradise.

And, we finally had enough money to get that black out of her hair. It still isn't the blonde that she is naturally, more of a mix between light red, brown and light brown. But it looks good and it looks like she paid a fortune to have it done that way--it naturally streaked as the lady was fixing it.

~~Toni