The Italian girl with the yellow bow in her hair....

Rosalia Lombardo a.k.a. Sleeping Beauty was born in Palermo, Italy on December 13, 1918, and died of pneumonia on December 6, 1920 (over 100 years ago).

Image from Mummipedia

Rosalia's father was so distraught by his daughter's death that he turned to Alfredo Salafia, Sicilian taxidermist and embalmer, to preserve her by any means available.  To this day, Rosalia's mummy is considered to be one of the best examples of the embalming process.  That is obvious just by looking at her.

Image from Amusing Planet

Rosalia's mummy can be found at Catacombe dei Cappuccini (Capuchin Catacombs) in Palermo.  She was the last mummy to be admitted to the world famous catacombs in Sicily.  And Catacombe dei Cappuccini is a completely fascinating place which, of course, that blog post will be coming soon...

One final note, visitors have reported Rosalia's eyes open and close but Italian scientists have explained it away as just being an optical illusion having to do with the lighting but check out this YouTube video and decided for yourself.  Even if it is a simple illusion, it is kinda creepy.

Cito, Longe, Tarde...

Leave quickly, go far away, and come back slowly!  This famous Latin phrase coined by Hippocrates and Galen in the mid-1300s during the Black Death.  Lets talk quarantine!

Did you know that the concept of a quarantine (quaranta giorni-40 days/Italian) can be traced back to medieval Italy?  The general idea was to protect coastal cities from epidemics.

From Eyewitness History

Ships arriving in Milan and Venice were require to sit at anchor for 40 days before landing.  This concept has been the cornerstone of disease-control and came about in an effort to avoid a second bubonic plaque epidemic with the first being in 1348.

New York Public Library

Genoese merchant ships going around Europe with supplies also held many, many rats which carried fleas and in turn the bacteria yersinia pestis ran rampant through the people, animals, and goods on the ships.  

At this point, not much was understood about what bacteria or a virus was, they just understood they had to do something to stop the spread.  

The initial quarantine time was 30 days but was soon extended to 40 days because they figured out the life cycle of a plaque was about 37 days with the carrier becoming contagious around the 12th day and showing symptoms around the 33rd day.  Ultimately, an additional 20 days would be added to any crew member who showed signs of continuation of infection.

While the measures they took were a step in the right direction, they had to improve on things a bit.  

By the time the second bubonic plaque hit Naples, Italy, in 1656, the death toll was nearly half of the residents.  This is when the concept of the "hazmat suit" of the bubonic plague doctors was fashioned. 

The Halloween costume-looking suit consisted of long waxed coats, gloves, goggles, a top hat, a long stick, and the ever famous bird-shaped beak face mask.  The beak was lined with cleansing herbs to clear the air of toxins but still allow for plenty of room to breath while wearing it.  

An interesting thing to note is that these "plague doctors" were either new graduates, shady doctors, or knowledge-deficient doctors but no one seemed to care.  Another problem was that these doctors were sent out by the government to basically take notes, keep details, witness will signings, and attend autopsies.  They were not sent out to cure anyone.

Another innovative idea from Italy was the introduction of a quarantine station-lazaretto.  The first was in Venice in 1468 and was on a small island around the harbor.  Ships could anchor for 40 days to ensure there were no contagions.

Wiki

The ideas of quarantine safety measures and lazarettos were eventually implemented across Europe, Australia, Philadelphia, the Delaware River, and New York harbor-Liberty Island home of the Statue of Liberty.  Times change but it is fun to look back on history and see what we have learned, where we are, and where can we improve from here.  

This current pandemic has really kicked all of our butts.  We have obviously learned a lot of new techniques and prevention measures.  We don't know exactly when the next pandemic will hit but we certainly know as long as there are viruses and bacteria, there will be another pandemic at some point in the future.

When I hear someone say...

the Coronavirus is no big deal!

Curriculum for our final year of homeschooling...

Finally had a minute to get this 12th curriculum post out.  I am more than just a little busy even with grown kids.

A17 is in 12th grade ((GASP))!

Its awesomely fantastic and fantastically awesome!

Apologia Physics 
Hewitt Lightening Lit 
Hewitt Speech
Spanish II-Mango and Duolingo
Writer's Inc.
Teaching Textbooks PreCalculus 3.0
Economics
Magruder's American Government
Khan Academy
ACT Prep various resources
There will also be a mix of acting jobs, volunteering, book clubs, a little traveling, babysitting, pet sitting, and whatever else she decides to do along the way.

Happy homeschooling......

ACT help.......

More helpful ACT links.

ACT science
ACT strategies and tips
ACT math prep
More ACT tips and tricks

Tropical tubers.......

I'm not talking about YouTubers.  I'm talking tapioca.  Tapioca is the starch extracted from the Cassava plant.  This is a highly toxic plant and can be fatal for humans and animals if not prepared properly and yet half a billion people around the world still use this super starchy, poisonous tuber and foods containing it.

Tapioca a.k.a. Cassava plant, manioca, mandioca, Brazilian arrowroot, and yuca dates back 12,000 years to South America while today, Thailand is the highest importer of Cassava and Nigeria is the greatest manufacturer.

Tapioca can be made into chips, ground into flour, baked into crackers and breads, and grated.  While tapioca is gluten-free, it is also heavy in calories.  The process to form the Cassava pearls that you see in the US is an extremely important process.  The moistened starch has to be pressed through a sieve, either small or large depending what the finished result will be used for.  The most important goal is to properly treat the plant to avoid cyanide poising but in reality only between 80% to 95% cyanide loss occurs even under the best circumstances.

Cyanide poising (linamarin and lotaustralin) can occur with improperly treated Cassava plants.  Rapid pulse, rapid respiration, dizziness, headaches, vomiting, convulsions, confusion, thyroid problems, neurological problems, pain, and diarrhea are all symptoms of cyanide poisoning.  This is a cheap source of starch and carbohydrates but I'm not sure the risk/benefit ratio is worth eating it.

Back in 2010, a total of 27 children died and more than 100 children became ill after eating Cassava at a Philippine school.  You can read about that here.  The Japanese Ministry of Health prohibits the use of Cassava plant in any form for human consumption.  There have also been recalls on many food items containing Cassava plant (tapioca) all over the world, as well as illnesses and deaths.

The proof is in the pudding.  Here are a few tips to hopefully help you avoid eating toxic Cassava if you prepare it yourself.  You will have to take your chances if it is an included ingredient in foods you are buying.  Always check the labels on your food.  Prolonged soaking, boiling, peeling, grating, and then sun drying are all necessary to encourage fermentation.  The smaller the piece, the better.  Many nutritionist and dietitian do not recommend Cassava-containing foods.

~

Why dairy is like crack cocaine........

Want to go vegan but having a hard time giving up dairy?  This may help.  Next time you go to grab that gallon of milk or coffee creamer from the dairy case, take a good, long smell.  The smell is so rancid.  The entire case smells like soured milk.  I hate when grocery stores put the nondairy milks and coffee creamers with the dairy variety because it smells hideous!

I know, dairy products can't possibly be addicting but in reality, they are and research dating all the way back to the 80's proves it.  Cow's milk contains morphine which is clearly seen using microscopic technology.  No one is adding the morphine to your milk, that is crazy!!!  Lactating cows naturally produce the opiate-like chemical on their own.  Its called beta-Casomorphine-7, and it makes you feel euphoric.

Dairy products have two types of protein:  Casein (the primary protein in milk at 80%) and whey protein (20%), a.k.a. curds and whey.

The difference between casein and whey is how they are digested and how your body reacts to them.

Whey proteins are digested quickly and rapidly in to the bloodstream which can cause an increase in insulin which in turn triggers IGF-1 which creates new cancer cells.

Cheese is the hardest dairy product to give up (even with its horrible, horrible smell and considering how it is made) because it has the highest concentration of casein.

Casein breaks down slower than whey and can wreak havoc on your health.  Minutes after casein consumption, casomorphins are released which attach to opiate receptors in your brain.  This is what makes you feel addicted.  This response is comparable to that of a heroine addict.  The more milk you drink, the more milk you need.  The more cheese you eat, the more cheese you need.  It is a hard cycle to break for most people.  Your body literally becomes physiologically addicted.

Casein is difficulty for your body to breakdown.  You may notice gas, bloating, diarrhea, digestive problems, respiratory problems, and excessive mucus production.  Your doctor can recommend you use lactase enzymes and antihistamines over the counter to aid in the above symptoms but that is just forcing your body to accept something that does not belong.

Beware of some brands of "vegetarian cheese," such as Go Veggie, because they are loaded with casein.  YOU HAVE TO BUY VEGAN.  Casein can also be found in fabric, glue, plastics (don't even get me started with how much I hate plastic), paint, and adhesives.  Casein has many names so check the ingredients to avoid this toxic protein.  Casein, caseinates, potassium caseinate, sodium caseinate, and calcium caseinate.

Factoid:
~Did you know casein is the most relevant cancer promoter ever discovered?  Now you do.

Dairy products have also been directly linked to depression and the lactose in milk (sugar) is the #1 allergy of people in the US.  It is estimated the 75% of people around the world are lactose intolerant.

On a side note, dairy products also contain naturally occurring and synthetic hormones, fungicides, herbicides, pesticides, antibiotics, veterinary medications, fertilizers, additives, preservatives, and pus. (((Yummy)))

Learn more:
Dreena Burton's blog, love her!
Free From Harm-Going dairy-free.
Free From Harm-Soy myths and misinformation.
Mark Hyman, M.D.
Healthy, Wild, and Free.
Onegreenplanet.org.

FYI meat people.......

Did you know that the majority of all food poising, i.e.- E. coli and Salmonella, originates from eating animal-derived foods or being contaminated by them? 

So you might order a side of spinach but get a side of Salmonella. 

But how do fruits and vegetables like strawberries, spinach, and lettuce become contaminated?  There are a few reasons. 

The majority of crops are fertilized by animal poop (estimated to be around 500 million tons of manure a year; that's a lot shit). 

Water.  Livestock require massive amounts of food, crops have to be grown and fertilized (with the poop), runoff from fertilized and pesticide-encumbered fields carry pollutants to lakes, streams, and groundwater which is directly passed to our water supply. 

Producing livestock requires 80% of the agriculture which causes water pollution, i.e.-the leading cause of water pollution. 

Plus the fact that these animals are usually confined to small places which in turn leads to heavy concentrations of urine and poop which, again, the runoff from this ends up in our water. 

Cooking can also lend itself to the spread of bacteria. 

Keep all uncooked meats far away from your veggies or anything else you are cooking.  It does not take much juice/blood from whatever uncooked animal you are carving up for dinner to ruin your dinner and possibly land you in the hospital. 

And lastly, always wash your hands. 

Less meat consumption would be helpful across the boards a fact that is not disputable. 

Luckily research is showing a growing trend towards less meat consumption with a rise in the vegetarian/vegan population.  Not eating meat means not growing crops to feed animals born to slaughter and contaminate our water.  Its a win/win........

Name the only place in Romania that even native Romanians are afraid to go to at night.......

 If you said the Hoia Baciu Forest, you would be correct.  In fact, this forest is so taboo, most Romanians will not even speak of it out of fear of what my befall them.  

Hoia Baciu Forest translates to Shepherd's Forest and is also referred to as the Romanian Bermuda Triangle.  Sorry Dracula, it looks like the legend of the Hoia Baciu Forest is gaining in popularity. 

The forest gets its name from a sheep shepherd who mysteriously disappeared along with his flock of 200 sheep; just vanished in the thick of the trees never to be seen or heard from again.  

Another interesting fact to note is Hoia Baciu is the world's most haunted forest even surpassing that of the Japanese Suicide Forest.  

A few facts about Romania's mystical woodlands:  

~The forest is located west of Cluj-Napoca.

~At one point the local villagers began to build steps up to and into the forest until they found themselves beleaguered by the acute onset of headaches, skin burns, nausea, and extreme anxiety.

~The forest spans roughly 618 acres.

~Back in 1968, a local military technician, Emil Barnea, brought attention to the forest when he captured a photograph of a UFO hovering above the forest.  Apparently, this is the best documented photo of all times of a UFO.

~People have reported a myriad of ailments while in or near the forest including apparition siting, ghost, unexplained images in photographs, migraines, nausea, and vomiting.  More than 1,000 people have gone into the forest but never returned.  It is like they stepped right off the planet.  Some people report lapses in time while in the forest.  Reports of strange lights and blowing wind which seems to speak to people.  There are also reports of magnetic anomalies inside the forest.

~It was reported a 5-year-old girl went into the forest and returned 5 years later wearing the exact same clothing.  She was cleaned and unharmed but had no recollection of where she had been or what happened to her.

~Other commonly reported phenomenon are the voices of females laughing, people being scratched, and mysterious orb-like lights in the sky above the forest.

~It sounds extreme but there are actually people who believe this forest is a gateway to another dimension.

~The trees inside the forest have odd curvatures about them.

~If you dare to venture in to the forest be on the look out for a 300 meter, circular dead zone where nothing grows or has ever grown.  Scientist have conducted countless soil studies which yield no explanations for the lack of vegetation growth.  Legend has it hundreds of Romanian peasants were murdered in the forest, and their spirits protect the clearing which is, in fact, the gateway to other dimensions.  Randomly-appearing thick, black fog is believed to be the tormented souls of the peasants making their presence known while making it difficult for you to see.

~Another theory is that the forest is the lost Atlantean civiliation (Atlantis) and the ancient peoples use this area for teleportation in which they travel anywhere in the universe.  (I know).

To sum it all up, I think there is no denying something extraordinary is going on in this forest which continues to baffle specialists in all fields of study and attract people from all over the world to pay a visit to this mysterious forest of doom.  We may never know what is going on and honestly, it might be better that way.

Winter Solstice..........

In case you did not know, the eclipse of the century is happening.........

                          Here is a great interactive map from CNN.

The wisdom of stem cells.............

I absolutely love my job as a medical transcriptionsist, and I think I am pretty good at it if I say so myself.  

Anyhoo, I used to work in the dental field and currently transcribe for several dental accounts, and I have been learning some pretty fascinating information pertaining to wisdom teeth.  Turns out these useless, cavity-collectors are potentially gold mines for stem cells so

if you are still in possession of your wisdom teeth, keep reading.  

First of all what the heck are stem cell?  Stem cells are a similar cell of a multi-cellular organism which have the capacity to give rise to an infinite number of cells of the same type which in turn specific other types of cells arise by differentiation.  Sounds good to me!  

Basically stem cells are the foundation for every organ and all the tissue in your body.  

There are, of course, a few different types of stem cells; embryonic stem cells (ES), Adult stem cells-i.e. somatic stem cells.  Then you have induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)-i.e. produced in a lab by reprogramming adult cells to generate ES characteristics. Totally lost yet?  No worries.

No matter what type of stem we are talking about, all stem cells can self-renew and differentiate; which is a fancy way of saying make copies of themselves and develop into more specialized cells.  

Stem cells are transplanted routinely to treat a host of blood diseases, bone marrow disease, blood cancers, and immune disorders.  Stem cells have the potential to repair and regenerate damaged skin tissue.  Stem cells can also replace neurons damaged by a spinal cord injury, as well as help people who have had strokes, have Parkinsons or Alzheimers, repair damaged heart tissue after a heart attack, and produce insulin to treat diabetes.  

Recent studies have shown that stem cells can actually regrow tooth tissue, which means they are a natural alternative to fillings.

Did you know that since the 80s, skin stem cells have been used to grow skin grafts for patient with life-threatening burns on large areas of their bodies?

Stem cell treatment is the transplantation of blood stem cells to treat disease/conditions of the immune system and blood and/or restore blood systems after treatments for specific types of cancers.  

Can you believe that in Europe over 26,000 patient are treated with blood stem cells each year?

How about the fact that stem cell treatments can repair damage to the cornea-i.e. the surface of the eye after an injury such as a chemical burn?

So where is the wisdom in this?  Well, turns out stem cells are found in teeth.  They are predominantly found in baby teeth and wisdom teeth.  

These magical cells are located with the teeth are Mesenchymal Stem Cells.  MSC are multi-potent stromal cell (connective tissue) that can differentiate into a variety of cell types including osteoblasts (bone cells), chondrocytes (cartilage cells), and adipocytes (fat cells).  This type of stem cell can be used to regenerate bone and tissue throughout the entire body.

Okay, so unless you are in the medical/dental field, a scientist, a doctor, of just extremely smart, the majority of that probably went right over your head but because this new concept could be life-altering, I will explain it in English.

Stem cells from teeth is a fairly new concept but basically the stem cells are extracted from the pulp-i.e. living connective tissue and cells (odontoblasts).  It is found in the center of the tooth.  Any soft tissue adhering to the tooth is removed and disinfected.  After that, enzymes are added to release the cells from the matrix pulp, the cells go into a culture dish, and they grow.  With stem cells a little goes a long way.  The tiniest amounts can literally produce millions of structural stem cells.  

If you have your wisdom teeth or have a child that is due to have them removed, you may want to check out a tooth bank before extraction.  Yes, tooth banks are now a thing, sorry tooth fairy.  

I just wanted to share the info because I thought it was very interesting.  

Newton's Laws: Crash Course Physics #5

College majors can be difficult to choose so I am sharing a few things I find out..............

My 12th grader wants to be a writer, a musician, and an astrophysicist.  That is this week but of course that is subject to change at any moment.

Time to narrow down the college plan.  I still cannot believe I have a high school graduate this year. The Class of 2017, mind blown......This is one of the most exciting and stressful time for young adults (and their parent/parents).

There are a few questions that should have been answered by now but one question that according to studies does not need to be answered by this point is what will your college-bound senior major in.  Guess what?  An estimated 80% of high school students entering college have no officially declared major.  They are heading into college with an undecided major.  That seems insane, right?  How will they pick a college, apply to college, and start a degree with no idea what they are majoring in but on the flip side of this, an estimated 50% of students who actually have a declared major end up switching majors as many as three times during their college journey.  What?

It is very important that high school students be given opportunities to grow and develop so they are able to make good life decision which includes their college major.  Homeschooling has provided my kiddos with a myriad of opportunities, and they know they are the lucky ones.  They have not been stifled sitting in a cold, brick building with fluorescent lighting for eight hours a day with 30 other kids all the same age year after year after year (YAWN).  They have been on the outside moving and shaking.

I have learned a few tips on choosing a major.

Picking a major is really about beginning your future.

Be flexible but also pick a major that is realistic for you and your situation.

Take a career/personality test.  Links below.

Follow your passion, otherwise, you are not going to be happy at the end of the day.  What inspires you?  Usually people do a better job if it is something they love doing.  Getting paid for it is also a good thing, a necessary thing unless you plan to live off your parents for the rest of their lives.  HA!  I know a few of those.

Know as much as possible about your career choice.  You may have this career for the next 20, 30, or even 40 years.  Is that doable?

During your high school years, take at least one public speaking class or something similar so you will be more comfortable with an audience.

If you are able to shadow someone in your chosen field, go for it!  This is a great way to get a firsthand look into what the day-to-day will look like.

It is not generally a good idea to major in a field because another family member or members have that job.  If your mother is an attorney, it does not mean you should also be an attorney.  Makes sense to me unless being an attorney is your passion.  If not following in a parent's footstep causes disappointment, then they need to learn to live with it.  You have to live your life independently from theirs.  It is your life.

My final tips is if you can give back to your community through your career, everyone wins!

Good luck college-bound graduates and anyone else reading this.

Majors Career Quiz.
12th graders college checklist.
More Aptitude tests.
One more link for an Aptitude test.
Student's guide to choosing a major.

What in the world is cloaca prolapse?

The picture at the bottom of this post may be disturbing.  I am only posting it in the hopes that if someone has this issue with their parakeet, they might learn something from this post that can help their keet.  There are many sites with pics just like ours that helped up figure out what was wrong with our keet.  I am so grateful there was.

  

Over the years, we have had many, many pets.  We have also had many, many pets that have had many, many babies.  We have experienced the birth of a horse/pony and the birth of a mule.  At one point, we had two guinea pigs give birth to at least 5 baby guineas.  An outside cat had a litter of kittens we helped out with.  We have witnessed parakeet eggs being laid, incubated, hatched, and die.  We have found wild bunnies alive with their guts hanging out in our yard and tried to help.  We helped out a Red-bellied woodpecker and a blue jay after a stray cat attack.  We tried to help out a hermit crab that was dragged out of his shell and stabbed in the abdomen by another hermit crab who wanted that shell for himself but last night was a first for us.  A parakeet laying an egg that got stuck.  UGH!  The girls discovered that our only female keet was having trouble passing an egg.  There was blood every where.  Her cage looked like a mini-crime scene, and the egg was literally hanging outside of the keet's body in a bloody mess.  Just entered freak out mode!

So what happened?  This is what we found out.

C17 was navigating the internet and giving us the information and the skinny on what to do.  (She is the web queen, she can find anything and everything).  Of course, going to the vet was the top of the list but since this was 11:30 at night, and I did not have $500, that was not going to work.

My future vet, A15, went into action and between A15 and C17, things went pretty well (I mean pretty well as far as finding our 3 ounce keet a bloody mess).

An oviparous animal (animals that lay eggs-reptiles and amphibians) have an oviduct which is a special part of the bowel.  This is a tube that an egg passes through from an ovary.  

A bird also has a cloaca which is an opening for the urinary tract, genital, and intestinal canals to empty.  The outermost part of the cloaca is called a vent.  When a prolapse occurs, the inner tissue protrudes through the vent opening which can lead to exposed uterus, cloaca, or intestines.  You've got to be kidding.  This is not good or pretty, not at all.

When a bird is straining and having trouble passing an egg, cloaca prolapse can occur.  Calcium deficiency is usually the reason for this to occur.  Female birds need a calcium supplement to help prevent weakening of the muscles.  You can simply put a few pieces of rinsed spinach leaves or a little rinsed kale (organic).  

What we ended up doing was this.  We filled up a small plastic container with warm water, and A15 held the bird/egg in the water.  This actually worked really well.  Our keet seemed to be trying to push the egg out into the water.  Then we bundled her up in a towel, and A15 amazingly massaged the egg out.  What?  She also tried to push back in some of the tissue that was protruding out, OMG!  That did not go so well so she cleaned off the area with water, wrapped her up, and put the heating pad on while the keet was in a dark room.  Back to the internet..........there was too much information on things to try.  We ended up sprinkling sugar on the injured area and rinsing it off 15 minutes later with warm water.  Did I mention it was midnight?  It was midnight.

I was really surprised how calm this bird was for most of this.  I was worried she and I both would died from being stressed out.  We both made it but they still wanted to make a midnight run to an emergency vet but sadly, there was just no way that was going to happen.  We did read that even when birds have emergency surgery for this type of injury, they can still die anyway.

I finally convinced them to leave her alone for the night around 1:30 a.m., even though I went back in at least five times between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. myself to see if she was okay (okay as in not dead). Luckily, she was alive every check considering all the trauma.

It is amazing that exactly  24 hours later, she is still kicking.  I am so glad.  I know there is still a possibility she will not make it but these girls were veterinarian rock-stars last night.  They are so awesome!  I am kind of awesome too, they get it from me.

This is a good place to learn more.  Pet MD

High School Physics - Metric System

Motion in a Straight Line: Crash Course Physics #1

Skeleton plan for 10th and 12th grades coming up in about 3 weeks........

Cannot even believe it but here we go again!  A new school year already.

The saddest part is by this time next year, I will have a graduate (sniff, sniff).  It has truly been an amazing adventure with C17 from the beginning to the end.

A15 will be in 10th grade, and I still have a hard time believing that too!  Luckily, I have great kids and luckily they both know how good they have it!  As with most homeschooling moms, anything can change in curriculum choices even on day one.  At the moment, this is what my brain is telling me looks good so hopefully all of this curriculum will get us where we need to be by the end of the year.


12th grade (EXTRA LARGE GASP)- Amazingly C17 has taken more electives than she ever needed to and that is why none are listed here.
Teaching textbooks PreCalculus 2.0

Apologia Physics

Advanced Biology
Hewitt Lightening Lit British Lit
Hewitt Speech
Spanish II-mango, duolingo, along with various other resources.
Economics-undecided at the moment.

10th grade
Teaching textbooks Geometry 2.0
Apologia Chemistry
Hewitt Lightening Lit Part 1 and Part 2
Spanish I-mango, duolingo, along with various other resources.
Driver's Ed.
Health II
I am going to add something else to this load, just not sure what she wants yet.


Both
Magruder's American Government This is a good year to do this with both since the election is coming up soon.
Writer's Inc
Co-op classes
Music
A whole lot of volunteering, babysitting, and pet sitting.

We will also be using many of the resources from Schoolhouse Teachers.com.  Click here to buy or in my sidebar under affiliates and thank you!

We will also be using curriculum from CurrClick.  Click here to buy or in my sidebar under affiliates and thanks again!

Check out Bright Ideas Press for so many goodies like the Mystery of History.  Click here and thanks!

Don't forget to check out Molly Green Magazine here.  So many helpful tips and goodies here!

Khan Academy is a site we cannot get enough of, please check them out here.

I will be posting updates here and there, and there is a good chance in a month from now, this will all look different but you have to do what works and keep the kiddos happy to be learning otherwise, it could be a catastrophe!

Happy homeschooling..............

For shark week. The most unusual shark in the world, drumroll..........

Mollisquama parini.

This shark belongs to the Dalatiidae family a.k.a. sleeper sharks.  Thirty-six years ago off the coast of Peru, the first of this species (a female) was discovered and at that point, the only one ever seen!

This first pocket shark is held in a museum in Russia.

Another of these rare species (a relatively young male) accidentally turned up in 2010 in a batch of fish that was collected off the shore of Louisiana while the study of what sperm whales eat was underway.

This little guy was literally discovered by accident in a bag of fish in a freezer.  These sharks are so unique not much is known about them.

Interesting facts about pocket sharks.
~The most interesting fact is probably that there have only ever been two discovered but scientist believe there are more out there.
~No one has ever seen a pocket shark alive and only a handful of people have seen the two that have been discovered.
~There are unusual photophore agglomerations (light-emitting organs) on their bellies that are not seen on the majority of sharks.
~This type of shark has a pocket gland with a large slit external opening which is located above the pectoral fin.  No one is certain what the purpose of these mysterious pockets are but the working hypothesis is that the pockets hold glowing fluid or pheromones which are secreted by the pocket sharks.  The fluid could be used to attract prey or mates and/or elude predators.
~The pockets are said to measure about 4% of the shark's entire body.
~It is believed that pocket sharks are bottom-dwellers.
~The closest relative to the pocket sharks are cookie-cutter sharks and the kitefin sharks.

As I said not much is known about these fascinating little creatures.  What is known is that they are simply amazing and adorable!

Read more here and here.

Happy shark week!