Losing A Loved One Twice

My mother in law was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease a few years back. She lost her battle with that horrible disease Febuary 28. It was a long, hard journey for her and our family. Being a woman of faith, I know I will see her again. This is just a temporary loss of communication. She has simply changed her address to our permanent home. Below is a guest post written by my brother in law, Eric Moore. He is the Sports Editor for our local paper where this article was first published.


Losing someone close to you is the hardest thing you will ever go through, but with Alzheimer's Disease you lose that person twice.

My mother, Jo Ann, recently lost her bout with that horrible disease, but I lost my mom well before she passed away. In the months preceding her death, you could see her mind start to go. The worst part about that part of the disease is that she noticed it too.

There would be days where she would be light-hearted and laughing, and there would be days when she knew the disease was destroying her memory, causing her to burst into tears. Watching her go through this and knowing there was nothing I could do to help her put a pain in me that still exists. 
My mother was my inspiration for a lot of things in life. She nurtured my love of learning and did everything she could to make sure I was always taken care of.

Because of her, I became quite the movie buff. There are few movies made after 1939 that I haven't seen. I had heard how devastating Alzheimer's Disease was, but until you witness it first-hand affecting someone you hold dear, words cannot accurately convey how truly awful it is.

I still remember when I finally allowed myself to believe it was Alzheimer's Disease and not just a case of old age forgetfulness. We were watching one of her favorite movies (we had probably watched it a dozen times before) and I saw this confused look on her face. She asked me what we were watching and when I told her the name of the movie and how it was one of her favorites, she said, "I've never seen this before."

She was adamant in her denial and, in retrospect, she was right. The disease had stripped away all her memories of seeing that movie.

Luckily the one thing the disease did not take from her was the knowledge of her loved ones. In the weeks preceding her death, we received several visitors daily. Our entire family came out to see her one last time and tell her goodbye.

By this point, she had forgotten how to eat, and drinking was difficult for her.But each time someone would walk in to say "hello," she would shine the world's biggest smile and attempt to say something back. There were no words, however. Sounds would come out, but she couldn't form the words she was searching for. You could see in her eyes how happy she was to see all of her family members one last time.

Alzheimer's Disease can cause a lot of damage, and not just to the ones suffering from the disease. My father, brother and I were with her almost constantly up until the end and saw her disappear before our eyes.

She was more than just a mother to me. She was also one of my best friends, and I will miss her terribly. Let your loved ones know how much they mean to you on a daily basis because tomorrow is never promised.

New Online Academic Resource Launch

Varsity Tutors recently launched a new academic resource for teachers and homeschoolers. The comprehensive platform includes completely free practice tests, digital flashcards, questions-of-the day for standardized tests and academic subjects of all levels from elemetary to higher ed. The platform also includes free web-based classroom assessment software.

You also have the option of creating a free account that will allow you to save test results and keep track of progress. Even better, you can create your own tests and invite others to use them. This massive free practice test resource already contains tens of thousands of practice problems with thousands being added every month.

Things To Do In Arkansas- Digging For Diamonds

Where can you find a diamond and keep it? Arkansas! Crater of Diamonds State Park in southwest Arkansas is the only diamond producing site in the world where you can search for diamonds and keep what you find!

My family took a trip down there a few years back and even though we didn't find anything, we still had lots of fun. The kiddos loved digging and playing in the dirt. We went in the Spring and I would suggest that time of year (or Fall) simply because the area that you will be spending the day is just a wide open space with very few, if any, shade trees. You will be searching over the eroded surface of an ancient volcanic crater that over 100 million years ago brought the diamonds to the surface. All in all about 37 acres! This is definitley a one of a kind experience.

 Recently, there has been several diamonds found. Over 30 diamonds were found during the month of October, some noteworthy! Some of the finds during this month include two 9 pt diamonds and a 4 pt. You can find a list of the lastest recorded finds here http://www.craterofdiamondsstatepark.com/digging-for-diamonds/recent.aspx. Don't worry if you don't have the tools, you can rent or buy them on site at the store!

Aside from the diamond mine, the park also offers camping, a water park, trails, a wildlife observation blind, interpretive programs and fishing opportunities are located nearby.

So, if you are looking for a unique vacation, this may be it!

Things To Do In Arkansas- The Arkansas Frontier Pumpkin Patch/Living History Farm

If you are looking for a pumpkin patch in Arkansas that is fun, unique and educational, I have the perfect place for you! Arkansas Frontier is not just your ordinary pumpkin patch. They offer all the traditional activities you have come to love and expect plus they offer a living history farm.

Arkansas Frontier has plenty of activities sure to please the whole family. What little boy (and girls, too) wouldn't love spending the day digging for dinosaurs/dinosaur eggs? All little princesses love to wear gem stones-she can find her very own at The Gem Mine. Possible finds include fools gold, garnets and rubies or maybe an emerald. And, all the treasures you find are yours to keep!

Perhaps you have always wanted to take a trip back in time. Stop by and see the covered wagon that early American pioneers used to travel (pictures are allowed). Take a tour of the old fashioned school house, complete with the inkwell desks. Explore what early frontier life was like at The Pioneer Homestead- grind corn into cornmeal, cut firewood or milk a cow.

Ever wonder what life was like for the Native Americans? Take a stroll through the Indian Village. Arrowheads and spearheads have been found in this region where many different Native American tribes lived and hunted.

The whole family is sure to enjoy a walk through The Enchanted Forest. Here you can enjoy all things nature AND see some of your favorite childhood storybook characters along the way such as Little Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks, and Hansel and Gretel, just to name a few.

After you have had all that fun, you can enjoy the traditional hayride, get up close with the farm animals, which include some that are not so common (like a lama), compete at the duck races, pick a pumpkin, and let the younger kiddos enjoy the train ride. Then end your day with a picnic in one of the areas they have set up!

Arkansas Frontier is located in Quitman, Arkansas at 1625 Wesley Chapel Road. It is the perfect outing for families, youth church groups, homeschool groups and school field trips. Very reasonable pricing packages are available. Call them at (501)589-3122 or visit their website at http://arkansasfrontier.com/ to learn more. It's more than just a pumpkin patch and a great value!

Homemade Paint How To

Who doesn't love saving money on things that you can do yourself? I especially love when it's something that my family uses a lot of! There are several DIY paint recipes out there, but this is the one I use most often. My daughter is turning into quite the little artist and she uses this up in no time. For storage, we use ketchup bottles but you can use whatever you have handy.

Ingredients-

1 cup salt

1 cup flour

1 cup water

Food coloring

Directions-

Mix all ingredients together, add your choice of color. Store in bottle. This recipe is for one bottle of paint. To make more, just repeat the process. Enjoy!

Pizza Soup

A friend shared this recipe awhile back. It was something new and different to me and sounded good. It has now become a favorite of mine and I make it often. It is a hearty, comfort soup that is a change from the ordinary.

Ingredients-

4 zucchini

16 oz Italian Sausage

14 oz pizza sauce

4 c water and 4 beef cubes

28 oz can Italian diced tomatoes

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 of 5 oz bag pepperoni ( I love pepperoni, so I use the whole bag)

Medium onion

8 oz can mushrooms

Directions-

First, cook sausage and drain. Chop zucchini and onion. Add all ingredients together in a large pot and let simmer for about 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Easy Peasy Homeschool Curriculum

Several of the homeschool support groups I am a member of are buzzing about Easy Peasy Homeschool. Awesome resource so I thought I'd pass it along so that others can enjoy it as well. A Christian homeschool mom of 6 put all of her children's assignments online from preschool through high school, has made it available to everyone and it's FREE! The grade levels and courses all include 180 days of assignments/lessons. I probably should also say that this is a Christian curriculum, in case that is a concern for some of you.

I have looked over the site and have not decided whether I will try and use this as a stand alone complete curriculum or if I will just supplement here and there using it. I love the fact that Bible lessons are included and will probably use that feature on a daily basis. The grade levels and individual courses are easy to find on the side bar, so it is fairly easy to navigate. All lessons are done online and are intended to be college prep, so for me that is another plus!

I wish this would have been available when I first started homeschooling 6 years ago! This is an awesome find, especially for new families that have no idea where to start or what to do. The mere fact that it took hours upon hours of time and hard work for this mom to put this together and then offer it to everyone FREE is a blessing. This is also great for families that are on a tight budget but still want to homeschool, families that are struggling with health problems, families where both parents have to work outside the home or if you are like me, just need a break from all the planning that goes on in our environment. I encourage you to take a look at the Easy Peasy website and see what it has to offer!

There is also a Facebook group here~://www.facebook.com/EasyPeasyAllInOneHomeschool as well as a blog you can follow. Happy Homeschooling!