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Our family is on an Adventure. We go where God leads us, learn where God guides us and share His love where we are.
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And there was evening, and there was morning
Sunset, May 10, sunrise May 11, 2009
 Technically, this isn't a picture of the sunset, it's the clouds in the east opposite the sunset.
That was a beautiful evening and morning. Thanks, God!! |
Posted: 7:28 AM, Jun. 28, 2009 |
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My New Look
I am trying out a new template. I have had the crazy green coffee cup since I started this thing about 2 years ago. Time for a change. Like my life. It all started with Derreck's change in jobs, changing cities, then changing countries, changing back to the US, changing the inside our house with all the remodeling, and I'm going to change curriculum this upcoming school year from Weaver to Sonlight. (I think!) Whew!
I'd like to change my whole wardrobe and hair color too, but not this go around...
So here's to my new look!
 This is my old look! But a great memory! Keukenhof Gardens in Holland April 08. This I wouldn't change for anything. I am so glad our family got to experience living in The Netherlands for a short time. We have been very blessed. |
Posted: 12:37 PM, May. 5, 2009 |
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The Spider
This is what was in our laundry room the other day. After I captured it and let it die, we then examined it. Here is some pictures.
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Posted: 4:40 PM, Apr. 29, 2009 |
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Tea Party, Albuquerque NM, April 15th, 2009
Our family was lucky enough to be visiting Albququerque for the Homeschool convention during the Tea Party. It was amazing to be part of. There were around 1500 supporters, all with one voice - Enough is Enough! Stop the spending. No more!!! It was very encouraging, very non-partisan, and very peaceful. And very loud! Which was great!!!
Here are some pics.
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Posted: 12:34 PM, Apr. 24, 2009 |
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Seder Supper at Vista Pointe
| This evening we had a Seder Supper at our church with special guests Dr. Jack Meadow and his wife Alice from Jews for Jesus. It was such a wonderful opportunity to learn about the traditional passover meal. Aaron was chosen by our pastor to be the "son" so he got to participate in the passover by asking the questions and then finding the hidden matzah at the end of the meal. It was such a wonderful learning opportunity and to partake in the history of Jesus' last meal. We were very blessed to have the ministry of Jews for Jesus come to our church. |
Posted: 10:20 PM, Mar. 22, 2009 |
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Photo Booth Fun
The kids and I were playing around on the iMac the other day. What fun you can have with Photo Booth!
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Posted: 7:53 AM, Mar. 12, 2009 |
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Gearing up for a homeschool convention
I am headed to the big city of Albuquerque in about a month for the homeschool convention. I used to live there, so I am so glad to travel the 300 miles to see my good friends again and shop at my favorite stores and maybe even eat at my favorite restaurants!
I currently use The Weaver and really like it for many reasons, but the few reasons I don't are weighing on me as my oldest child gets older. That nagging question - am I teaching enough? As it is mostly guidelines, not a straight out of the teacher manual curriculum - so I wonder...
I am considering switching to something else, but I feel like I've already invested so much money into this one I'm not sure it's the best thing. Maybe just supplement it? But my other thought is also that the older they get, the more involved teaching is. I don't want to create even more work for myself unnecessarily because I already run short on time.
Anyone have any thoughts? |
Posted: 7:36 AM, Mar. 12, 2009 |
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Check out this Tee Shirt Site
I found this Christian Tee Shirt website through one of my other favorite blogs, the Pioneer Woman. Anyway, it's called Wild Olive Tees and they are so cool with verses on them. Check it out! Click on the link on my sidebar! It's a great company with a great message and mission.
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Posted: 8:59 AM, Mar. 11, 2009 |
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Germ gel and Brain Poop
| With our family being really sick for 6 days now, we've been keeping our sense of humor. My 8 year old son has been blowing his nose so much I told him he was going to start blowing his brains out. He said, "No mom, it's brain poop!" We had a great laugh over that. Until it threw him into a coughing fit. So we keep using the germ gel to try to quit spreading those bad germs! |
Posted: 10:20 AM, Nov. 30, 2008 |
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Math, Science, Art, and Gardening all in one!
Heidi was set up to learn some fractions and colors, so what better way than with colored water! We got out her measuring cups and made recipe cards for different amounts of different colored water, and Voila! Instant fun and learning all in one!
So we mixed up our concoctions outside and wrote down the results of our recipes. And then watered some plants with the water we used. Yea, these are the best days.
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Posted: 8:16 PM, Nov. 22, 2008 |
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Pioneer Days, etc
We've been having a really fun time studying the pioneer era and play acting and making crafts and foods from that time. The kids are learning a lot and enjoying our studies.
 Here are the kids and the "Johnny Cakes" we made. We weren't too sure about them looking at them, but they turned out to be pretty tasty!
 Here are the kids building their covered wagons, and then playing with them.
 And we put up our tree! I decided to put it up now because we will be traveling for Thanksgiving and not home the day after (our traditional decorate day) and then we'll be picking up Derreck from the airport in just 5 days after that. I wanted everything ready and not have to stress out about it, so it's already done!
And it is just 13 days from now that Derreck will be back in the US and we'll be together!! |
Posted: 8:08 PM, Nov. 22, 2008 |
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Fall Bugs
We have had an infiltration of grasshoppers and caterpillars. Aaron collected a bunch of caterpillars and put them in a bucket in his room. He's hoping to see butterflies (moths?) but we'll see what happens. I guess if we start smelling something...
Every step you take outside grasshoppers go jumping. It's really strange. I don't know if that's just what happens in the fall in the southwest or what. There are all different kinds, sizes and colors. Here's one on Aaron.
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Posted: 7:57 AM, Nov. 11, 2008 |
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Whirl wind tour Part II
I finally got some pictures downloaded so I am posting them now while I wait for my husband to call.
 This is me and the kids at Lake Erie. When I was a kid my grandparents owned a cottage here and while my parents were in between jobs and looking for a new house we lived here for one summer. I loved living on the beach. I was about 7 or 8. I'm glad to share a day of it with my kids.
 This is Derreck and I with Frank Lloyd Wright's "Falling Water" house in the background. Wright built 2 houses east of Pittsburgh and they are both AMAZING! I can hardly believe I lived in PA for so long and had never been to Falling Water. Maybe I wouldn't have appreciated it then. At any rate, Derreck and I loved that little trip the two of us took together while my folks watched the kids.
 Here is a shot of the Horseshoe Falls (Canadian side) from the Maid of the Mist. It is an awesome site, viewing God's creation up so close - feeling the power. God is mighty! Derreck and I and the kids went up to Canada overnight. We had a super great time. I think the kids really caught a glimpse of God through the falls.
 And here is Aaron on his 8th birthday. He had a pirate party and the kids went on a treasure hunt. They all had a good time and his best friend got to sleep over. I'm a sucker for punishment, so all of us - that's the 2 boys, Heidi and myself - slept out in the living room. We watched Peter Pan and played Pirate and ate popcorn and then I finally got them all to be quiet and go to sleep. |
Posted: 7:38 AM, Nov. 10, 2008 |
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What a whirlwind tour I've been on...
We are back from our visit to Pennsylvania to see my family and my husband was able to meet us there! We had a wonderful time together. The kids were so excited not only to see Daddy again, but their grandparents they had not seen in 2 years and cousins they hadn't seen in 4 years.
My parents are well and it was such a good visit. It was really hard to leave, not only did my husband and I have to separate again, I was also saying goodbye to my parents knowing it will be at least another year or more before I see them again.
The time since we've been back has gone by fast. Aaron turned 8 last week! I need to download pictures!! And of course we had fun on Halloween. Then the kids and I volunteered with the Republican party for the elections. Aren't we good citizens! It will be even more important now for more people to get involved!! And soon Thanksgiving will be here. We'll be traveling to Albuquerque for that and to spend a few days there. I am looking forward to that. I still feel like ABQ is home. I still do not feel like Hobbs is home, except for my house. We moved about a year and a half ago. Is that normal?
School is going well. We are studying leadership, just in time for the elections. The kids are learning about Abe Lincoln and are really enjoying it. They had some interesting and intelligent questions on slavery. In light of the recent elections, it was a good opportunity to talk about how historic this election really was. And that even though he was not my pick, it shows how far our country has come, not only from slavery, but to not that long ago, segregation and the whole civil rights movement. I was fortunate to grow up in a house where my parents taught me right; that any kind of racism is wrong. I now live in a place where unfortunately racism still exists and I am making sure I teach my kids how wrong it is. Skin color matters not, God loves us each the same. Ok, off the soapbox now. Good night all! |
Posted: 9:05 PM, Nov. 8, 2008 |
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5 days and counting
| In 5 days I will see my husband again! The kids will see Daddy! He has been working in the Netherlands since February. We were so blessed to live there for 3 months and Derreck had some time to come home for a visit in July. This time for his visit we are all meeting in Pennsylvania to see my family. The kids and I will go to Albuquerque on Tuesday to spend some time with friends, then fly out on Thursday. Derreck will fly in on Friday. We can't wait.
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Posted: 7:16 AM, Sep. 21, 2008 |
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My favorite chocolate bar
I have found the BEST chocolate. This is not for the faint of heart chocolate lovers. Only those who appreciate pure dark chocolate, the perfect combination of bitter sweet chocolate. It's so good, so rich, a few bites will do a day. And you can leave it in plain sight, since the kids won't like it and won't want it.
YUM! I didn't realize how much I loved it until it was gone. Unfortunately, I don't live in a town where these are readily available. I got it on my trip to Albuquerque. Thank you Wild Oats, soon to be Whole Foods.
Look, 87% pure extra dark Chocolate. A bit of heaven on earth for your taste buds. |
Posted: 8:46 AM, Sep. 7, 2008 |
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Grade Levels - who uses and who doesn't?
| The topic on my mind now is grade levels. My daughter is now in Kindergarten - her first year of school. I can accept this. She would be in K if we sent her to Public School. So that's fine. My son was once in Kindergarten too. But now it's been several years since we started. (And with him, being first born and all, and me being gung ho and all, and him being somewhat ahead of the game, and me being that Proud mom, I started him a year earlier than if he were in Public School.) All that to say, technically, he could be in 3rd grade. And his math book says 3rd grade on it. That's really the only thing that says a grade on it. And he proclaims it to anyone who asks - because we all know that everyone asks a homeschooler what grade they are in. I'm more comfortable saying he's between grades, because as a homeschooler I can! But then they start quizzing him and comparing him to their kids in that grade. He is not a grate speller - see where he gets it from? But he can read very well. I don't know what kind of science they cover and what period of history they cover in such and such grades here in the PS, but we're doing different things. I feel like I have to defend him and I know this is part of our choice to homeschool. Frankly, it just stinks! It makes me want to retreat into our homeschool bubble and just do our thing. Then one day when he graduates, we'll come out and say, "See, I told you so!" Ok, not the best plan, but still...
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Posted: 6:49 AM, Sep. 3, 2008 |
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Unit 2, Weaver II
 Today was about Responsibility. Our Bible lesson was about Moses' family and the responsibility of the family members. We wove little paper "reed" baskets for baby Moses. This unit is just one week, and I missed all of Monday because of a doctor's appointment out of town. (A side note for anyone living in my town - go ahead and make that trip for an out of town doctor who's not overbooked and understaffed. It will make your life much easier even with the 200 mile round trip trip.)
Anyway, I have to be responsible and fit in what we missed from yesterday. Even though I feel like skipping it. What's that about actions speaking louder than words?
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Posted: 9:07 PM, Aug. 26, 2008 |
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King Cluck's Embalming
We have enjoyed studying the Ancient Egyptians and learning about their beliefs, customs, etc. The kids were excited and squeamish about handling King Cluck, but have been enjoying the process of mummification. It's very simple and educational, and it really does not stink, as my critics proposed. In fact, Heidi said she wanted to eat him!
The kids have really liked this first unit. They have been building different pyramids from blocks, clay and sand. They made their own pyramid poems. I was really impressed with their ideas.
The character trait we studied the first unit was Respect. We have made some headway, but still have a ways to go. Our trait this week is Responsibility. If I could get them to be respectfully responsible, wouldn't that be nice!
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Posted: 8:54 PM, Aug. 26, 2008 |
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