Or shotgun sign ups for events!…
Deena Ortiz is just messing around!
However, the deadline for the FATJEF IV early bird registration is fast approaching…
and that isn’t a joke!
December 31, 2009 at 12 midnight! …As in tomorrow!
Any and all registrations after this date will be the new pricing for 2010.
Early bird pricing: $45.00/person, $75.00/couple, $30.00/scholar-aged youth
Pricing after December 31st: $55.00/person, $90.00/couple, $35.00/youth
What are you waiting for?!
This promises to be one of the best opportunities of the year!
I’ve seen the speaker roster…
Go get an envelope, a stamp and a check and download your registration form on this page now…
“Getter done” and mailed without further delay!
You’ll be so glad you did.
Looking ahead to 2010…
And it’s not far to look, my friends…
We are going to be hoppin’ here at Tommymom.com…
Ohhh..yes indeed, it is the place to be!
Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday in 2010!
There will be a series of “series” on different topics and elements of life…
and clear examples of how TJEd applies.
Fabulous “In the Spotlight” interviews, with moms,
and many others in our society…
who are exercising and exemplifying great examples of leadership…
and practicing TJEd principles in their homes and lives.
FATJEF presenters…
because we would all like to know “why we’re really going to that conference.”
and the grand introduction of …
“TJ, who is married to Ed.”
~Your extended family and friends aren’t the only “pieces of work” walking the planet…
who “love” and “support” what you do…NOT!
Some of you have asked incredible questions of TommyMom.
We’re going to do our best to answer…
So be sure to stay tuned!…Don’t touch that dial! ( or in this case keyboard…)
There will also be fabulous prizes!…
whenever the spirit moves our lovely moderator. ( Hold your applause)
And speaking of prizes…
may I draw your attention to this year’s final “We Have a Winner Wednesday” giveaway?
It is generously given to us
by Trish Hugulet, of
on Etsy.com
I’m certain by now that the holiday photos are piling up!
These darling little Christmas Flag Albums are the perfect solution…
You simply trim your pictures, mount them, add your sentiment or recollection and send!
Wah-Lah!
The perfect memory keeper for distant relatives, friends, or even someone in our military!
They’re light, compact, and easy to mail or “cart around” without much space.
I’ve known Trish for a long time, and her craftsmanship is stellar.
She makes beautiful cards and stamped papercrafts,
and I am the proud owner of many of her wares!
Nothing says “I Love You” or “I Care” quite like handmade.
I’ll tell you what…
I’m feeling so generous during this season of giving…
that I will choose 2 winners this week, and both will receive 2 of these little albums!
Tell me what you got for Christmas…
and what you look forward to discussing on Tommymom
in the New Year…
Leave your comments!
I would like to introduce you to Joelle Mancuso.
I absolutely adore this woman…
and her lovely family.
She lives in Simi Valley, California.
She came to TJEd’s Leadership Education model in stages…
She attended an amazing parenting program that exposed her to how children learn best.
She was then “no longer a trusting, ignorant parent who was going to leave education up to others.”
She saw Oliver DeMille deliver a keynote at a homeschool conference…
She tried every method of ’schooling’ under the sun but nothing was working, or felt ‘right.’
She and her husband attended a FATJEF conference in Rancho Cucamonga
and committed to the principles of TJEd in their home.
This journey took a total of four years before she arrived where she is now.
She’s been married to Joe for 16 years.
Has three children, 11, 9 and 7.
Her greatest challenge in implementing TJEd? “Inspire, Don’t Require.”
Greatest strength? “You, Not Them.”
She also keeps a strong connection with her kids, avoiding “conditions’ on how she shows love and acceptance of them.
Favorite book: at the moment, The Great Conversation: The Substance of a Liberal Education.
“It’s giving me strength and inspiration to stay the course of my own educational path.”
Before children: She had a few lives!
The first was as an actress doing movies and commercials.
Her second was as a dancer.
The third was as a fitness professional which took her around the world and gave her the opportunity to write and be published.
Presently, she and her husband, Joe, own Joe’s Gym in Brentwood, CA
and a high-tech, home integration company called Chameleon Technologies.
Joelle will be organizing the vendor hall for the FATJEF IV. She is a delightful woman and I’m sure you’ll enjoy the fruits of her expertise when you attend the FATJEF forum.
Below is a piece she has written to encourage and help moms when frustration is at the forefront.
Enjoy.
The Dump
You are not going to believe this, but sometimes my mornings aren’t perfect.
No, really, every morning my children spring out of bed, excited to see what they can offer the world.
At the breakfast table they are dressed and smiling as they eat their hot cereal (they made it themselves)…
and their pleas for me to read from a classic; or go over a story about their favorite scientist or mathematician, are incessant.
After breakfast they happily choose their chores.
In fact, they argue over who can do the most difficult ones
because they know that “doing hard things” is just what CORE Phase is all about!
As they race to do their chores perfectly,
I catch up on my reading assignment from my George Wythe University course…
“Mom, mom, mom!!!! Wake-up! Christian is making fun of my clothes
and he just put 5 bags of oatmeal in the microwave….”
Yes, I was dreaming during the above paragraph.
I had overslept and that always gets my mornings off to a difficult start.
The rest of the morning was filled with kids bickering,
educational work nowhere to be found,
and classics still on the bookshelf catching the day’s dust.
A few long hours later,
I’m sitting in my car, at Park Day, wondering what is wrong with me.
Why can’t the kids just do what they are supposed to do?
If I was only doing it better.
I’m sure Deena and Teri had perfect TJEd mornings. (What is she smoking!?!?)
Maybe I could pack my kids up and send them over to their homes.
It is mornings and days like these that inspire me to practice THE DUMP.
The DUMP is actually a small journal that I keep in my purse.
Whenever I have a really challenging day I sit somewhere quiet (usually in my garage, sitting in my van, doors and windows closed) and just start writing about my morning-from-hell.
I don’t stop for punctuation or organization-this is the easiness of THE DUMP.
It is literally that, a purging of all of your insecurities onto a piece of paper.
Yes, it has to be on paper or it’s therapeutic properties won’t work.
After the DUMP, which can be a page or a chapter,
you will notice your shoulders relaxing into their normal position,
your jaw unclenching, and breathing resuming a normal rhythm.
The Dump allows you to see a snapshot of your day without the emotions muddying up the water.
As you read your DUMP, your thoughts come from the frontal lobe of your brain instead of the reptilian part of your brain
(the part that turns you into Dragon Mom).
The Dump gives you space to see the worthiness of the morning.
Let me show you all an example from my DUMP:
“…the kids are nowhere to be found. I can’t believe that they think they can just leave the house and run around outside. I find them playing football in the driveway. What would the Doctors say (Oliver and Shannon). I’m blowing it. Is football the only inspiration I’m providing in my TJEd environment?”
POST DUMP, FRONTAL LOBE thought process…
“It was very nice seeing them playing so cooperatively. There was no fighting. The sun was warm and they were needing some physical movement. What would have happened if I threw the football with them instead of ‘throwing’ my angry voice? That would have been a nice connection. I’m going to try that next time. “
I know there is NO WAY I could have looked at my morning in an intelligent way if I couldn’t take a step back and breathe.
This is the magic of THE DUMP and I encourage you all to give it a try.
In fact, maybe we should be brave and post a few DUMP comments on Teri’s site, followed by a frontal lobe viewpoint?
What do you think?
Joelle Mancuso
May your Christmas be filled with cherished memories, wonderful food, family, friends and the love of Christ.
We have a cat…
He’s a dude with a ‘tude for sure.
Even people that hate cats, love Lucifer…
He’s just one of those animals.
I got tired of being pestered by him for some equal time on this blog…
So here he is, with his helpful eating tips for today, that he found while reading MY e-mail!
Consider yourselves blessed…
CHRISTMAS EATING TIPS
1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet
table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see
carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they’re serving rum
balls.
2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It’s rare. You can’t
find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it
has 10,000 calories in every sip? It’s not as if you’re going to turn
into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It’s a treat. Enjoy it. Have one
for me. Have two. It’s later than you think. It’s Christmas!
3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That’s the whole point of
gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of
your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.
4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they’re made with skim milk or
whole milk. If it’s skim, pass. Why bother? It’s like buying a sports
car with an automatic transmission.
5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control
your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat
other people’s food for free. Lots of it. Hello?
6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New
Year’s. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do.
This is the time for long naps, which you’ll need after circling the
buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of
eggnog.
7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like
frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position
yourself near them and don’t budge. Have as many as you can before
becoming the center of attention. They’re like a beautiful pair of
shoes. If you leave them behind, you’re never going to see them again.
8. Same for pies …. Apple-Pumpkin-Mincemeat, have a slice of each. Or
if you don’t like mince meat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always
have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor
Day? I don’t think so!
9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it’s loaded with the
mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost... I mean, have
some standards.
10. One final tip: If you don’t feel terrible when you leave the party
or get up from the table, you haven’t been paying attention. Re-read
tips: start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner…
“We Have a Winner, Wednesday!”: Amber Snow! Congratulations, Amber!
Please e-mail me with your address, and we will get your soaps in the mail. However, there is a slight proviso to this particular contest. Hero Hubby and the Family have agreed that Tammie Lewis, Miss Early Bird…Miss OverAchiever…got right in there with all of the answers and they were correct, except #7 which is partially correct( thus doing the bulk of the work for those of you that apparently copied your way through school), so she and her princess will be receiving one bar on us for being such a wealth of information! ;0)
Thank you again to Lauren at SunBasilGarden on Etsy.com for her generosity to Tommymom.com Please consider our generous supporters when you have gift giving needs.
Here are the answers: 1.William Booth, and his wife Catherine 2. England 3. Oakland Ferry Landing, California 4. December 1891 5. Captain Joseph McFee 6. To provide dinner for the destitute and poverty stricken, and now dinner is also served at Thanksgiving as well 7. Coffee, donuts and blankets were provided during WWII at no charge. This was huge, as many charitable organizations charge during a time of crisis. The Salvation Army never has and never will. 8. False 9. False 10. It is a part of the Universal Christian Church 11. “Blood and Fire” is the motto of the Salvation Army 12. 90 years, making them the longest running entry in the Rose Parade.
We will have one more giveaway for this calendar year, to be announced and begin play, next Wednesday, December 30, 2009.
I am in love…
with “another man.”
It’s a love that is deep and constantly abiding…
Has been…
ever since I was a little girl.
And tuned in with millions of my closest fellow Americans…
first, once a week for the show…
and then annually for the Christmas program.
My mother has shared the same adoration complex with me…
So imagine our shock, then surprise, then absolute anticipatory joy…
(Geez, Teri, get a grip, will you?)
When Son #1 and Hero Hubby presented the two of us
with an early Christmas present.
Box seat tickets to…
The Andy Williams Christmas Show.
It was Sunday evening…
At the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert.
I’d like to tell you that my love affair with this man has dwindled…
After his spectacular performance, that would be a blatant lie.
He opened with “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”…
the Christmas song that I have personally adopted as my annual theme for jest and sarcasm…
but dearly love.
He closed the evening with “Moon River”.
He even brought back the dancing bear from his television program.
I was prepared to hurl myself over the banister of my private box and onto the stage…
then thought better of it.
It is an action absolutely lacking in proper decorum and personal self-governance.
I did, however, come home with an autographed copy of his memoirs…
and a beautiful souvenir program of the Christmas tour.
SIGH.
My life could very possibly be complete.
p.s. Son #1 very casually inquired as to whether or not he had mentioned to me…
that one of his co-workers has a high school friend…
that is married to Andy.
I think I know who I am going to be “getting to know better” in the new year!
Kidding…
No really.
I am kidding…
Do I look to be the stalker type?!
What iconic Christmas album/singer/or entertainer can YOU not live without…
at “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year?”
Please remember to leave your comments at the bottom of Wednesday, December 16th’s post by tomorrow at noon for a chance to win 3 designer soaps from Sunbasilgarden. So far, no one has 100 percent of the answers correct. Right or not, you are entered to win for the comments you leave! Thanks for playing!
In 1976, my family lived in a rural community filled with farms, cattle, and friendly people…
My father was the pastor of a small country church and we lived in the parsonage next door…
I had a best friend…
And a “cool” young teacher couple in our congregation.
They had summers off,
and worked 7 miles up the road at this camp as the program directors.
The Cliff Notes version ends up with my best friend DeDe and me working at the camp..
DeDe with campers and other responsible counselors…
me, on the coveted award that I received at the end-of-the-summer-staff banquet…
“Most Likely to be Out After Curfew”
We both returned for a second summer…
with one of us being the more desirable employee.
Lifelong friendships built on camp experiences
have been one of many benefits in being introduced to The Salvation Army.
I also acquired a husband out of the deal!
Not that particular summer…
I was 16.
I’m talking “down the road a piece.”
More on that later…
“The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” in America
gravitates toward self focus.
What I will give and receive…
which party invitations I accept or decline…
Many people undoubtedly practice charitable giving and benevolence…
especially during the holiday season.
The Salvation Army, however,
consistently lives them out.
When I did finally marry,
It was into a family with quite a legacy in this organization.
Here, you can see my father-in-law, age 8, attempting mastery on a band instrument
while a friend encourages him.
(Looks exactly like Son #5.)
This legacy is multigenerational on my husband’s side…
Clear back to the founding.
Here is my nephew, Nick…
It’s safe to say that he has mastered his horn…
It is a joy to listen to him play.
My brother-in-law, Derek…
Who is up to his eyeballs in kettles, concerts, and counting right about now…
And my sister-in-law, Nancy, (Nick’s mom, but not Derek’s wife)
who is just so darn cute in her uniform that I can hardly stand it!
I’ve learned a lot of things from the stellar people in this organization over the years…
It would take a year of posts to list them all…
but then again, we do have a new one coming up.
I have learned that people often lose their way…
but choices today don’t necessarily have to be your legacy tomorrow.
That while much of society focuses on itself…
there are just as many people focusing on serving others.
Your community, my community, most communities in our country…
Cannot fully function without the work of The Salvation Army…
On both simple and complex levels.
They care for the homeless, the needy, the addicted, the lost.
They help repair broken lives, broken dreams and broken hearts.
Their hearts are dedicated to God…
Their hands, to mankind.
Hands that help, heal, and encourage…
Hands that because of lifestyle and priorities lived,
are squeaky clean.
Happy 19th Birthday Son #2!
As a teenager with raging hormones and full of angst..
I boldly yelled declared to my poor mother…
that I would NEVER, EVER be rude and thoughtless enough
to give birth to a child in December.
I didn’t lie…
Instead, I gave birth to two!…
Back to back…
Who, along with their mother, have birthdays at “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!”
Hardly convenient…
But, you, Son #2, are the glue that holds the group together!
Loyal, a friend to all, and consistently being a peacemaker are character qualities
that endear you to everyone you meet.
You are devoted to family…
and a lover of all things Disney…
especially Pixar shorts and Winnie the Pooh.
You consistently practice servant leadership…
and are tireless in your goal of making others feel validated and special.
A tender heart for “little people” as well as the Lord has caused you to serve both faithfully.
You love all things pertaining to theater, and have a zeal for Shakespeare.
Laughing with people ( and getting away with it, I might add)..
Is also one of your “greater” strengths.
Women adore you and can’t wait to” grow up and possibly marry you”…
well, at least one consistently fits this category…
and Dad and I couldn’t be prouder or more privileged to call you our son.
We hope you have a wonderful birthday and that this is your best year yet.
And don’t worry…
When you turn 21…
You’ll be “treated” to the same photo montage and tribute that Son #1 received…
consider yourself warned…
Yeah, I know…you can “hardly wait!”
Love,
Mom
“We Have A Winner Wednesday!”
The winner of this week’s contest is…drum roll, please #4..Tiffany Bellah, Orange County, CA!!!!
She is the lucky recipient of a couple’s registration to the April, 2010 FATJEF IV in Rancho Cucamonga, CA.
Congratulations, Tiffany! We’ll look forward to seeing you there!
Just remember…
YOU could be the next lucky contestant on ” We Have A Winner Wednesday!”
please direct all further complaints and comments regarding this contest to Mads Haahr, Dublin Ireland.
For this week’s contest and fabulous prizes….please read on.
It is my distinct privilege to introduce you to this brilliant, entrepreneurial, fantasticly
is that a word?!…it is now
mom, Lauren Miller of:
Click on her banner and it will take you to her Etsy page…
where creativity and visual stimulus abound!…
Her soap creations are nothing short of amazing!
The colors!…
The creativity-combined-with-real-life-scents…
Take the art of hand washing to a whole new level!…
At least at our house…
where admittedly, we could possibly need to get out more!
When packages arrive from Lauren, Son #5 calls a hiatus from all current activity.
Here at the Helms, thanks to Sunbasilgarden, we have happy hands!
Let’s face it…
It’s the little things in life that sometimes matter most…
Or as Lauren’s tag line says,” Because life is too messy to not use happy soap!”
I don’t gravitate to bar soap…
please remember: 5 Sons + 1 Hero Hubby = 6 Males…
This is not a bar soap equation.
This fact being clearly stated regarding bar soap…
Let me be perfectly clear.
Lauren’s soaps are NOT just bar soap…
Any more than Etsy is “just another place to shop.”
Etsy is a place to buy and sell all things handmade.
I love it.
I can support really smart, innovative people…
never leave the drive way…
Not have to take any “little Sons” to the women’s restroom in a crowded mall because no “big Sons” came along…
And I get one-of-a-kind, “where did you get that?” things!
I’m in…
This week’s winner will not only get 3 of Lauren’s beautiful, handmade wonders…
but will also receive the joy of “finding things out!”
I hope you become a “Smartypants” with your kids in tow!
We are still posting our comments under the initial prize post for each week...i.e. this one.
With the “rules” firmly in place…
Part of excellent social leadership, involves the key components of…
community involvement and stewardship.
Here, at “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”…
Let’s “test” your knowledge of this organization…
those of you that regularly default to customary fill in the blank, true/false knowledge acquisition are cheering…
Others of you are possibly sweating…profusely.
A TEST?!
No one told me that was TODAY!?!?
The Salvation Army has historically had great taglines over the years…
“Caring is Sharing.”
“Heart to God and Hand to Man”…
(Lauren and I want you to have “happy hands”, wherever you live in this amazing country!)…
See how thematic I can be?!
Over the next week, simply post the answers to your research…
All in one post, please, and you will be entered to win 3 custom soaps!
For the “other” posting days, simply return to this original post and comment…
Even if it’s just that you read the post…
It still counts as an entry.
More on this incredible community organization to come…
Ready, set, go!…
You Smartypants, you!
1. Who was the founder of The Salvation Army?
2. In what country did it originate?
3. Where was the first kettle placed?
4. In what month and year?
5. By whom?
6. What is the purpose of placing kettles?
7. During WWII, what did The Salvation Army typically give to soldiers?
8. True or False? Santa sometimes rings a bell at a kettle.
9. True or False? The Salvation Army has orchestras as well as bands.
10. True or False? The Salvation Army is a church.
11. What is the motto of The Salvation Army?
12. Counting the upcoming 2010 Rose Parade, how many consecutive years has The Salvation Army marched in the Rose Parade?
Thank you for playing!
Post comments for this week’s prize on Monday, December 7th’s Tommymom. You have until tomorrow at noon PST. If you do so, you are entered to win a couple’s registration to the FATJEF. Good luck!
“The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” is in full swing.
The following is another simple, great addition to your holiday wish list…
I hope it finds its way into your home.
You’re about to see what a cutthroat dynamic addition it’s been to ours…
Please remember, if you will, that I live in a house full of men…
Even the pets are male.
Go figure.
Aside from my own mother, God bless her very existence, there is nary another female in sight…
The competition at times is stifling.
There is no such thing as a “friendly” game of anything…
Please don’t misunderstand…
For the most part, Sons #1-#5 are great sports…
But there is only so much you can do with an environment that is constantly dominated by males.
May I draw your attention to an addition to our continuous and constant educational pursuits that is a tremendous asset?…
Behold… “Potty Points”…
It has a nice ring to it, does it not?
I must give full credit for this idea to two individuals…
my friend, Jeanne Bradley, and Bill Gates…
I’ll explain another time about Bill…I promise.
The concept is a fabulous one…
You post a simple white board in a space that is susceptible to “useless down time”…
or “potentially productive time” that is otherwise “wasted.”
I don’t think that I need to elaborate any further for you where ours is located…
On this board, you converse with family and friends…
or in our case, anyone that happens by, in need of a restroom.
I post photos and memorabilia…
topics related to what we are currently studying…
“Love notes” to Sons #1-#5…
(I’m quick to admit that they don’t necessarily see them that way)…
It is great for ongoing conversations…
Educational reinforcement…
Encouragement…
Slipping pop cultural references into our studies…
Poor, poor “Office” obsessed child…I’m praying for you.
( I actually found it quite clever and hysterically funny…don’t tell Son #1.)
In keeping with the spirit of the season…
I decided that we would engage in simple word derivatives/word formulation activities,
so I posted this…
The question was:
How many different words can you make out of Merry Christmas!
For the remainder of this post,
my personal thoughts are italicized for the sake of ease and clarification for the reader…
I’m just reporting this as it happened…
and continues to happen.
I started the game with several words…
Others chimed right in…
“Hmm, this is fun…a nice respite to the often heady nature of this board.”
Day #2: I came in to this message about a third of the way down row #2
“Nice try, Madre…you thief! Please ‘thank God for the effort to be polite here‘ see #15 and delete #38.”
Later that evening, my husband comes to me where I am deeply engrossed in reading.
“May I speak to you?” “Uh oh…what’s Son ( fill in a number here) done?” “Is it bad?” “Are stitches needed?”
“It seems that you have overlooked a rule in the word formation game.” That’s it?!?!
Good grief!
“You can’t use a letter more than once if it’s only in the word(s) once, you know.
I think that word #32 is your writing.
Can you change that asap?”
“Good Lord, you’ve got to be kidding…this was supposed to be a FUN activity!”
Enter Son #5 who doesn’t yet read beyond simple words…
“Can you come to the bathroom with me?”
He points to the board and says, ” I would like to add the word myrrh to the list. And please put an initial behind it for my name. I want people to know I did it.”
“Myrrh?!?” Hmm…am I spelling this correctly? Can it be that Dr. Raymond Moore and Dr.Oliver DeMille are indeed, correct??!?…that if I “leave a child to learn naturally, they are fully capable through a third grade education?!” That if I “inspire don’t require” it all works out in the end?!?!?
Son #2’s initial contribution?: Cher.
He, along with #1, needs serious intervention measures.
This morning at 1:00 a.m. …
It’s “hero hubby” again…
“Do you know who is using double letters that don’t exist in the phrase?!?” Word #s 75,76,and 77 are all infractions.”
“For the love of everything moral and decent! Do you know what TIME IT IS?!?!”
Followed by…
Son #2: “Psst…Mom!” ( urgent whisper)
“Do you think we could move to a holiday phrase or song title next?”
“That’s IT! Where’s the eraser?!…
Happy Hanukkah to those celebrating!..
do Driedle games ever resort to this?!
Postscript: Son #5 has contributed 5 words as of this post…the last of which was “mime.” I’m seriously following up on the reading claim..
I mean it.
For some points of clarification…
1. I, Teri, moderator, founder, and conceptual creator (pretty impressive, huh?!) of TommyMom.com…
cannot win the prizes that are being given away.
I’m stunned to think that you could even begin to assume that I am running my blog
the way the Federal Government is attempting to run our country.
2. I am not choosing the eventual winner of said prizes. Random.org is.
If you go to Random and even briefly read the defining factors of this site, you’ll realize that you’re in good hands.
Mads Haahr, the creator at The School of Computer Science and Statistics at Trinity College, Dublin Ireland, kindly offers you the definition of true random numbers.
This school prides itself (and I’m quoting here) on its name being an “innovative and energetic centre for study and research.”
I slept considerably better after I internalized this information…
but I didn’t come up with those adjectives to describe what I personally saw there.
I searched their website for a gift shop that offered cute, chic, designer pocket protectors…
There wasn’t one.
I can confidently say, that I doubt Mads learned his multiplication tables watching SchoolHouse Rock in the 1970’s…
Just remember, wanna-be-winners, to go to TommyMom’s Monday Post each and every post day
of any ” We Have a Winner Wednesday” giveaway week…
Then you will be automatically entered for each comment you leave.
If you forgot and left a post on Wednesday of this week…
I’ve got you covered…
It might be helpful to review your days of the week from Core/Love of Learning phases for future giveaways…
Just being helpful…
Because I want for all of you to win…
and yes, the rest of the country will benefit from future prizes…
Not just Southern California…
although we’d love to have you visit for the FATJEF!
In finishing up the “Festival of the Trees” series of thoughts…
I want to share with you what we did the day we took it all down…
As I was saying…. ( so many posts ago!…)
Familial buy in is huge to reinforce family identity and a sense of belonging…
The Festival committee begins wrapping the trees for delivery and dismantling the pens promptly at 4:00 p.m.
on the Sunday following the week of the event.
We took the entire family in for this “extravaganza”…
So we could all see the trees together…
And Sons #1-#5 could make numerous trips to the car with stuff we needed to clean up…
At times, they’re convinced it’s why we had them…
For strength in numbers when we need manual labor done…
The Mission Inn is a historic landmark in Riverside, California.
I am well aware that not all of you live here…
The point is, what do you have in your area that could be meaningful, inexpensive, family fun…
That promotes holiday spirit?
Their lights and decor during the holiday season are famous…
They are two blocks from the Festival of the Trees.
Just look at the atmosphere of celebration, fun, and community that was going on…
We had a ball!
And…our mission was accomplished…
Our older children saw the value in serving the greater community good…
Our Core and Love of Learning children “can’t wait to help spray paint” for next year, and loved the trees and family fun!
This really is a freeing way to pursue education…
I am blessed…
What are you doing as a family to get ready for the upcoming holidays?
pssstt…Go to Monday’s post to comment! You can link above…
Four years ago this coming spring, Deena Ortiz realized a dream.
She had wanted to host a forum where people could come be rejuvenated and inspired on a deeper level; in their quest to practice Leadership Education.
It was a tremendous success.
I was fortunate enough to be in attendance for that first forum, and haven’t missed one since.
I have been asked by more than one individual what FATJEF stands for.
First Annual Thomas Jefferson Education Forum.
This is my creative license...Deena uses another photo for FATJEF
Because that’s what it was…
And the acrostic stuck….
This happens…
Even though we all know that the first “F’ will only apply for First, Fourth,( we’re in an on- a- roll year, folks),
Fifth, Fifteenth, Fiftieth, Five Hundredth…you get the picture.
This event has taken on a life of its own.
People from all walks of life, all educational forms, and all levels of knowledge regarding Leadership Education, enjoy attending.
And lunch is included for this day long event.
This means that it’s pretty much a one stop gig for enlightenment, educational methodologies, epiphany and eating.
My kind of function!
A day for intellectual stimulus, adult “fun”, frivolity and fellowship… sans kids.
Unless you’re in scholar phase at your house…
Then it’s a semi sans kids situation, since your cherubs are in the same building with Dan Ralphs.
Who happens to be one of the best youth presenters ever to walk this planet.
I know this, not because I myself am youthful…(Lordy!)
But rather, because Sons #1-#3 have attended multiple events with this man…
the”Ghandi-of-all-youth negotiatiors”…
They would pretty much walk over hot coals for the guy.
Therefore, it unashamedly “works for me” to have them bask in his presence…
whenever it is humanly possible.
It is with confidence that I announce that this year of the FATJEF promises to be the best ever.
This is not a marketing ploy.
Let me remind you that I must return to this website and face you three times a week…
I have seen the roster of speakers.
And since I maintain pretty much an “open book’ policy on this blog,
I have decided to feature speakers in upcoming posts…
I will also be spotlighting individuals, who for the sake of God and country,
have agreed to assist us with the FATJEF, so you are afforded a great experience.
Right now, if you go to Monday’s post and leave a comment, you will be eligible to win a couple’s admission
to the FATJEF on April 24, 2010!
That’s currently a $75.00 value.
It never hurts to put tickets to FATJEF on your holiday list…
Or safer still…just flat out ask!
You can download the registration form and mail it in by December 31, 2009…
And you will attend at last year’s prices!
$45.00, person
$75.00, couple
$30.00, per scholar age youth
Jan 1, 2010 pricing: $55.00, person; $90.00, couple; $35.00, youth.
So, print your form, enter to win by leaving me a comment on the link above…
If you’ve been…
What did you enjoy most?
If you haven’t…
Tell me why you think you’ll go!
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