So, I greatly disagree with you that "basics" have to be learned before
"complex". For our right-brained learners, often "complex" is easy and
"basics" are hard, so why not have the complex be their true representation
of their style of learning? In other words, "complex" is their "basic" and
"basic" is their "complex". So, when we hold them to their left-brained
counterpart criteria, we are making them do hard first and fun last. Why
not fun first and hard last, like their left-brained peers get to enjoy?

Our culture has determined what is "basic" and what is "complex". It
doesn't mean it is so or it is the only or even preferred method to acquire
knowledge under various subjects.

~ Cindy Gaddis

I have found that contrary to popular wisdom, Jason learns better by focusing on the high-level concepts (which engage his right brain) and filling in the "math facts" as we go along, rather than following the more typical sequential approach to math of focusing on having the math facts "mastered" before moving on.

So I wanted to pass on information about some really delicious hot chocolate that my Mom introduced me to last year. Holy Chocolate.

Holy Chocolate instant hot chocolate takes one back to that time when hot chocolate was made with real cocoa, whole milk, and pure sugar for unsurpassed taste. That is what is in Holy Chocolate Hot Chocolate. Just add hot water for a true drinking chocolate free of all the chemicals; real whole milk from Californian pasture cows is already in it – free of antibiotics or rBST.

Holy Chocolate is available in 6 divine varieties: Amaretto, Amsterdam Super Dark Chocolate, American milk chocolate, European Dark Chocolate (With spices), Mint Chocolate, and Swiss Milk Chocolate. 

I just ordered some for us as well as a few gift packs. The boys favorite is the American blend. I am partial to the Swiss blend (actually I like all of them, but if I had to pick one, it is Swiss).

Enjoy!

On October 30th, Throwing Marshmallows turned 3 years old. Over that time, I moved from Blogger to HomeschoolJournal.net and finally found my home here at Squarespace with my very own domain name (I think I will stay awhile.)

I have poked around but can't seem to find an easy way to see exactly how many posts I have made. But you can do some poking around yourself and see that I am usually quite talkative (though I am going through a bit of a dry spell right now!)

My first post was back on October 30, 2005 (Where to Start).

My most popular post by far was on August 15, 2008 (About That ADHD Serving A Purpose Thing). I am still getting hits from StumbleUpon.

Some of my favorite search terms have been:

• how to make organic marshmallows.com (I have no idea!)
• right brain memorizing techniques homeschool right brain (with search terms like that they were bound to find me!)
• why can't homeschoolers go to go tech (hopefully this is not true!)
  
• the things we can do with marshmallows (I won't ask)
  
• coping with being right brained (not too hard actually, much harder for the left-brained mom than the right-brained kid!)
• marshmallows sherlock holmes (I really have no idea)
• using marshmellows to teach kids to be quiet (really? this can be done?)
• homeschool henchman (makes us sound so evil...)
• liberal homeschooling moms (yes, we exist!)
• palin marshmallows (won't go there)
• dumb people are right brained (probably a little bummed to find my blog)
• "her feet arewere biggerlargerlonger than" (won't go there either)
• is it safe to eat marshmellows cook off a gas stove (I have no idea...)

Well, thanks to everyone for hanging around with me. I do hope to get back in the groove of posting soon. Here's to another great year!

Today was fun...spent about five hours helping out at the polls. There were lines early, but no lines throughout most of the day. I was a little worried about that as we were really depending on high turnout. What was reassuring is that we had over 50% of the registered voters vote before noon.

The boys had fun checking on the returns with us as the evening went on. Kyle really liked coloring in the states as they were called.

Still can't believe that Virginia turned blue! Off to watch Barack's victory speech...

It is so great to have wonderful homeschool friends who are willing to help out...I am dropping the boys off with my friend Leslie who will get them to their forensics class and then Not June is taking them to park day. Thank you!

So if you are voting in Northern Virginia, don't forget to bring a book or iPod and don't forget that you will not be allowed to wear/display anything promoting a candidate inside the polling stations (stupid, I know).

Let's keep our fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly tomorrow. Needless to say it should be a very interesting day!

And then maybe I can get back to blogging about homeschooling stuff...

Did you know that I am not a "real" Virginian? According to McCain spokesperson Nancy Pfotenhauer, northern Virginia is just an extension of Washington DC and therefore not part of "real Virginia". Because after all, we just don't count. Only people from small towns who vote Republican count. The rest of us are chopped liver and are not real. The thing that she seems to be forgetting though is that we do get a vote, just like those other "real" Virginians. Watch it:

I certainly agree that Northern Virginia has gone more Democratic. … But the rest of the state — real Virginia if you will — I think will be very responsive to Senator McCain’s message.

Real Virginia, I take to be, this part of the state that’s more Southern in nature, if you will.

"I've lived here for at least 10 years and before that about every third duty I was in either Arlington or Alexandria, up in communist country," Joe McCain said at an event in Loudon County, Va.

"We believe that the best of America is not all in Washington, D.C. We believe" -- here the audience interrupted Palin with applause and cheers -- "We believe that the best of America is in these small towns that we get to visit, and in these wonderful little pockets of what I call the real America, being here with all of you hard working very patriotic, um, very, um, pro-America areas of this great nation."

Now in the big grand scheme of things, this type of rhetoric is just silly. Are there really "anti-America" parts of the country? I think that Biden had a great response to this question. Does questioning our political leaders or disagreeing with where our country is headed make us "anti-American?" Of course not. One of the most "American" rights we have is free speech. And questioning our country's policies (such as the use of torture) does not mean that we hate our country. After all, I dearly love my children. But that does not mean that I think they are perfect nor do I overlook things that they do that are wrong.

While on the surface, this rhetoric seems silly, what worries me is the underlying theme that seems to be permeating lately. You are either with us or against us. There is no middle ground. I just don't understand this "demonizing" of political rivals. And I worry about where this type of attitude is going to take us. If we feel that the other "side" is the "enemy" then how can we come together and move forward? How can we find common ground to solve the big issues that we face? I personally believe that the two "sides" have more in common then we think if we could just get past the "everything is black and white" and "we can't show any signs of compromising" attitudes.

One of the things that I really like about Barack is that I do not get the sense that he demonizes his political opponents. He likes to discuss and debate ideas and he listens. He has a history of trying to find the things folks have in common and working from there. I also get the sense that he is comfortable enough with who he is and his beliefs so that he does not take things personally. I think this is how he is able to keep so calm and "cool." Which is something that I feel we so desperately need at this point in time.

Will he be able to succeed in uniting this country or at least bringing us closer together? I have no idea. But I do believe that he is the best hope that we have right now. And yes, I do know that he is a politician.

Because look at the craziness we have going on right now with a member of Congress calling on the media to investigate which members of Congress have "anti-American" views...starting with Obama and other liberals. Watch it:

Scary stuff folks. Makes me glad that I spent part of the day today canvassing for Obama. Something that I never thought that I would do in an election, but something that i feel that I must do, since Virginia is, as they say, "in play."

Speaking of which...here are some other Virginia political news related links:

• "A new Virginia state policy prohibits material such as T-shirts, buttons and stickers that “expressly” advocate for a candidate or issue. They aren’t allowed within 40 feet of a polling place entrance. Poll workers can ask voters to remove or conceal the material. Election officials will be advised to have material to cover up any political apparel."
• More on the ground game here in Virginia. The contrast between the two campaigns is pretty stark (just look at the official demonizing of Obama by the Virginia GOP chair...in front of a reporter no less).
• Yes, there are some challenges facing Barack here in the Old Dominion.
• It still amazes me that Virginia is a swing state.
• I have not always agreed on everything with my Republican Senator, John Warner. But I have always been impressed with his integrity and willingness to stand up for what he believes in (yes, he stood up to George Bush at times). So I am glad to see that he is not endorsing Jim Gilmore, the Republican nominee to take his senate seat. Warner is a man of integrity and does not suffer fools gladly.

Hope to be back to blogging soon!

In the meantime, Jennifer has blogged some of our pictures if you want to check them out (she even used one of our pictures for her blog header!)

One of my favorites is the seagull picture...it was Jeff's idea to feed the seagulls french fries and we got some really great shots as they swarmed. I also really love the b&w picture of the boys in the lifeguard stand...it captures our summers at the beach so perfectly.

If you are any where near Ocean City or Easton Maryland and need a photographer, I highly recommend Jennifer. She was great to work with, great with the kids and took tons of time to get just the right shots.

(Quick note...yes we survived our camping trip and had a blast...more on that hopefully soon because we had quite a few adventures...)

I am looking forward to some computer free time to rest and enjoy good company.

Try not to have too much fun without me!