Jamin's Discussion with Jeff Baldwin

I'm sure we'll be hearing bits and tidbits for weeks to come about camp. When I asked Jared if there were any books we needed on the resource table at camp, he said, "They were all books we already have." LOL

Jamin was able to have a discussion with Jeff Baldwin. Jeff has written: "The Deadliest Monster", "The Twelve Trademarks of Great Literature", and "Super Thinker Worldview Primer" (for teaching worldview to your grammar students - I plan to get this one). He may have written more books.

His advice to Jamin is to self-publish his first book. He said if your book sells 50,000 copies they will come and ask YOU to let them publish your book. He said if you get a writing agent and your book doesn't sell, your career is over.

My questions are: 1. How much does it cost to self-publish? 2. Are "they" really watching the self-publishing world enough to spot a book that is doing well? 3. How do you market a book on your own well enough to sell that many copies?

Guess we have more food for thought in this maze that Jamin has pulled us into. ::snort::

Reading Anyone?

I am quite sure that Zander is not going to sit still for the bells and whistle phonics program that has helped five of the children learn to read. Bre learned with Abeka. Jamin was JUST LIKE ZANDER and got so fed up with the phonics program that we laid it aside. He then picked up Calvin and Hobbes and taught himself how to read. I'm not sure HOW - but he's written a 300+ book so I guess he's got the whole LA thing down fairly well. ::snort:: Seven children that now read with varying fluency.

I am thinking Zander will be a lot like Jamin and not put up with a bells and whistle program. Today in the mail I received a gift from an online friend of "Teach Your Child to read in 100 Easy Lessons". Sheri, a local friend, has loaned me "Reading Made Easy" by Valarie Bendt. I have Alpha Phonics. I checked out "The Ordinary Teacher's Guide to Teaching Reading" by Jessie Wise. I'll be comparing and reading about reading for the next bit of time. ::snort::

I'm currently trying to decide if I want to teach him letter names or skip it and teach sounds. Josiah was reading fluently before he decided he needed to know the letter names. Really - you don't NEED them to read - only to spell and answer questions in Sunday School like "How do you spell your name?" ::snort::

Cookbook Giveaway

I weed out the cookbooks every move. I STILL have an entire bookshelf full of cookbooks. Our eating style has changed so drastically that I really don't use more than 3 or 4 of them any longer...but I'm not ready to make a complete break. ::snort::

In my search for Pampered Chef Season's Favorites book I've happened upon zillions of those little cookbooks that you can buy for a couple of dollars at the check out stands. I have Pillsbury, Betty Crockers etc. All sorts. If you are interested in adding to YOUR collection...leave a comment below. We'll choose a winner or winners on Wed. I'll put as many as can fit into one envelope for each winner. LOL

BTW, it was FUN to thumb through the Pampered Chef books and see how recipes have changed from just the 90's till now. ::snort:: I've spent so much time trying to find the "right" recipe for a yummy ring, that I no longer have time to make one. I'm going to just take an assortment of fruit, granola bars, and make a pan of something (maybe brownies)....pretty much what we've been doing - why fix it if it isn't broken? ::Snort:: Next time I sign up I'll do brunchy things. Maybe.

Biking thoughts....

The weather was cool this a.m. Curves doens't open unitl 10:00 on Saturdays. Mike was sleeping in the room with the exercise videos. All lined up for a BIKE RIDE. LOL

As I was biking, I began to think of a couple of things. Help me out here!

1. You know all the wonderful Pampered Chef recipes? Thinking of the rings here....what would you substitue for crescent rolls if you wanted to make a ring from scratch. I have food for the fellowship hour tomorrow and was thinking....... LOL I love my PC recipes, but haven't used them much since we changed our eating style since so many are made from highly processed foods.

2. Texas Pride
I love Texans. Wonderful, friendly, helpful, salt of the earth types. I'm not so crazy about the scenery, bugs, or HEAT (one season - summer) of TX.....but Texans really, really love their state. As a military family we look for "state" mementos to take with us when we move. I love the ease of finding TX mementos....but as I rode this a.m. I was struck by the pride folks down here take in their STATE. Tiles on their houses that say "Texas" (in case you forget where you are?), stepping stones in yards and gardens in the shape of the state, cast iron signs on houses that say TX or are shpaed like TX, huge tomb stone like stones in the shape of the state planted in the yards.....this was only a 20 - 30 minute ride. I love that Texans love Texas. I have heard from several military kids that it is TOUGH to NOT be from TX and attend the schools (public and private) around here. But I love the pride in TX.....so I'm not dissing TX - it just made me go "hmmm" and then "huh". I also noted that Texans are inordinately loyal to the colleges they attended....

I've lived in many states.....I loved Oregon. I loved Montana. I really loved Alaska. I don't remember seeing the shape of the state in lawns, on houses, children's notebooks, bags and purses... tell me is this common in the state you live in - or is this uniquely Texan - or have I been totally unobservant everywhere I live? Note this is not a random house here and there - many, many houses down here are decorated with shapes of the state.

Now what should I do about snacks tomorrow?