When the Kids are Asleep

by Idaho Dad on January 24, 2012

Shhh. Do you hear that?

It’s a quiet house. Teeth have been brushed, books have been read, glasses of water have been requested.

And now the kids are finally asleep!

Which means it’s time for the parents to sneak away for a little adult fun.

You know what I’m talking about.

Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, Dexter, Homeland, Spartacus. The kind of TV shows you told your kids they couldn’t watch until they’re 35.

They are some of the best series on TV right now, and they are definitely not for children.

Speaking of Spartacus, the second season of this Starz series premieres in just a few days, on Friday, January 27, at 10pm ET/PT.

Yes, it’s got blood-soaked action and exotic sexuality!

Yes, it has epic villainy and heroism!

Yes, it stars Lucy Lawless and Liam McIntyre!

Yes, it has pizza and t-shirts!

Wait, what? That’s right, Starz has offered me one of those very cool giveaway packages that I can’t resist. If you’re a longtime reader of this blog, you’ll know how much I love my contests.

Someone’s going to win the following Spartacus: Vengeance Premiere Party Pack:

4 Spartacus T-shirts, 2 Spartacus water bottles, fake blood, and a $20 Domino’s Pizza gift certificate.

So, what you do is invite a few friends over to watch the new Spartacus series, put on your Spartacus t-shirts, order a pizza, then spread the fake blood all over yourself and your house and wait for the Domino’s guy to show up. If you’re lucky he’ll throw the pizza down and run away screaming.

Or maybe you should just pay for it online with the gift certificate.

Anyway, go watch the show on Friday. Spartacus: Vengeance, on Starz. If you haven’t seen the first series, Spartacus: Blood and Sand, I highly recommend it for those who like gladiator epics. Loads of mindless fun. Just make sure the kids are asleep!

If you want to win the Spartacus Party Pack, leave a comment here telling me your favorite TV show to watch after the children have gone to bed.

I’ll pick a winner this weekend.

{ 7 comments }

Big Decision

by Idaho Dad on January 20, 2012

We’ve been homeschoolers for over five years now. It seems like forever, and I can barely even remember when my kids were in a brick and mortar school.

My kids have thrived at home, learning and growing at a rate beyond my expectations. It’s a real pleasure, and kind of fun as well, to guide them through the education they’ll need to find success as adults.

And yet, despite all of that, I’ve never truly accepted the idea of homeschooling. Not completely, anyway.

I left the door open. The possibility of my kids returning to public school was always there. For years, I’d end homeschooling discussions with statements like, “We’ll do this for a few years, maybe until high school.”

In my own mind, I began to prepare, mulling over the best options for my son as he approached the end of middle school. I wondered how he would adjust to sitting in a classroom with 25 other kids. Or if the honors courses would be challenging enough for him.

So, last summer I started talking with parents whose kids were in the local high schools, including one highly regarded college prep charter school.

I heard a lot of stories and advice, from both parents and teens. It was all good and positive, but it was heavy on the social scene. I learned a lot about clubs, sports, and video games. Not so much about inspiring teachers or challenging coursework.

It was discouraging to me that the schools don’t seem to be so much about learning as they are about hanging out with friends.

One morning, just last week, I was again thinking about our options for returning to public school when I had a sort of epiphany. For the first time, I asked my son what he wanted to do.

His answer was clear and confident. “I want to continue homeschooling.”

The door that I’d left open suddenly started to close. Actually, it was more of a slam.

Just like that, I realized there was an option I hadn’t been considering. And it really is the best option. I mean, look at what we’re doing: one-on-one teaching, creative curriculum, independent learning. Who wants to argue against that?

So, the big decision I’ve made is that I’m finally buying in to homeschooling. Absolute and total acceptance of the system which has been in place in our home for over five years. About time, huh? I am rejecting all other options as inadequate for my children’s educational needs. We’ll take this thing all the way to high school graduation and never doubt if it’s the right choice for us.

My kids are homeschoolers. They don’t just learn different. They learn better.

{ 12 comments }

Warming Up with Subway

by Idaho Dad on January 13, 2012

Ever since a new Subway opened up just down the street from our house, my kids have been asking for that when we need a break from the usual lunchtime PB&Js or mac ‘n’ cheese.

Fast food, to my kids, is no longer defined as burgers and fries. And thank goodness for that. They are perfectly happy with a turkey sub on whole wheat bread, stuffed with spinach, tomatoes, and olives. A much healthier alternative.

I’ve never had a bad meal at Subway. Whether it was a Chicken Teriyaki picked up in Forks, Washington, or a Spicy Italian that filled my famished tummy in Carlisle, England, the taste and quality of their sandwiches has always been consistently satisfying.

The good folks at Subway have graciously offered up a wintertime gift card giveaway for my readers. They want you to warm up with one of their delicious hot sandwiches, like the Big Philly Cheesesteak or the Chicken and Bacon Ranch Melt.

And if the tasty sub isn’t enough to heat you up, they’ve included some very cool, or should I say warm, accessories for me to send along to the winner. A pair of touchscreen glove liners, a pack of instant heat hand warmers, and a Kelty insulated lunch tote.

Quite the fun gift package to help keep winter’s chill away, at least during the lunch hour.

All you have to do to win the $15 Subway Gift Card and the gift package is leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite Subway sandwich.

I’ll pick a winner next week.

{ 20 comments }

Saying Goodbye

by Idaho Dad on January 4, 2012

Basil, 1996-2011

Three months ago I wrote about our old cat, Basil, and his paralyzed back legs. He had made an amazing comeback, but never regained control of his bowels and bladder.

Just before New Year’s, his condition was worsening, so we made the very tough decision to say goodbye to him.

It’s the end of an era for me. Sixteen years ago, my wife and I adopted two kittens from the local shelter. Basil was mine. We didn’t have kids yet, so he was sort of my practice son. Version 1.0, you could say.

Two years later we would welcome my son into the world, but Basil never failed to remind me that he was my firstborn. Stalking through the house, loudly demanding attention, acting like he owned the place. Which he did, of course.

The kids loved him, and he loved them. He slept on their beds when they were sick, followed them around the yard as they played, and even patiently attended my daughter’s tea parties.

Once the kids were asleep, he’d let me know that all was well in the house. Then he’d jump into my lap, content to sit and watch me click and type on the computer. He rarely complained as I wrote blog posts late into the night.

Now Basil joins his brother under the feathery purple leaves of a Japanese Maple in the backyard.

And the house feel different to me. We have two other cats, recent additions to the house last year. But they belong to the kids. They are not mine. The bond is not there for me.

I’ll never have another pet quite like Basil. Right around his 7th year, I gave him a nickname, “Best Cat Ever,” because he really was. When I called him that, he’d look up at me with a knowing expression and purr just a little louder. I said those words one final time last week, and he closed his eyes knowing he’d lived a good life and been loved by many. That’s really all anyone could ask for.

{ 11 comments }

Love/Hate Christmas

December 21, 2011

I love setting up the Christmas tree, lights, and assorted decorations. I hate taking them down just because they never seem to fit back in the boxes I took them out of! I love looking out at the snow. I hate driving in the snow. I love giving fun toys and games to my kids. [...]

Read the full article →

Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One Before

December 14, 2011

I think I’ve found the best joke book ever. For a history buff like myself, The World’s Oldest Joke Book, by Dan Crompton, is an awesome collection of ancient jokes that are both funny and fascinating. This is basically a translation of a Roman joke book from the 4th century AD, called Philogelos, which just [...]

Read the full article →

A Free Lunch at Wendy’s

December 7, 2011

Take a good long look at that burger. Now, if you’re a burger kind of person, which I am, you’re probably drooling right about now. Because that’s one good looking sandwich. When you order the new “W” burger at Wendy’s, it’s not going to look quite as perfect as that photo, but your tastebuds won’t [...]

Read the full article →

The Small Things

December 1, 2011

Julia Sheeks knows that it’s the small things we do for others that sometimes have the greatest value. She was reminded of that last year while volunteering with the Salvation Army’s Operation Clothe A Child. The program is quickly gearing up for its second year of easing the burden on some parents in the community [...]

Read the full article →

The Best Mad Scientist Book

November 21, 2011

As a homeschooler, I’m always on the lookout for ways to bring science to life for my kids. They can learn only so much with their nose stuck in a textbook. It often takes the hands-on approach to teach some of the more difficult concepts and to let the kids see for themselves what science [...]

Read the full article →

Playing with the ’80s

November 16, 2011

As if I didn’t have enough to clean up around the house, from cluttered closets to piles of laundry, my computer beeped at me the other day to announce that its hard drive was starting to look like a hoarder’s living room. So I took an hour to clean out the digital clutter. Most of [...]

Read the full article →