I'm sooo excited; today we finally found an AWESOME church home!!

This church is full of wonderful God loving people, the music is FABULOUS, and they have horse playdays to boot!!We meet in a gorgeous barn complete with horse saddles and hay...the pastor and his family are just wonderful.

It's called Cross Trails Cowboy Church, and we saw it when we first started looking at property in Orange Grove. One of my co-workers mentioned it to me and so we decided to give it a try this morning and I have to say I've NEVER felt more comfortable and at home in a church, especially the first visit!! The girls were thrilled with it too!

I can't say I've been to a church (except our wonderful church on post at Fort Hood- the chaplains are truly annointed and I can't even do them justice to try and explain the blessing that they are!) where I just can't wait to go back next Sunday, and can't wait for a few Sundays to go by so I can get to know everyone better!  The ministry at this church is unbelievable and I can see plainly that God is blessing our family with this church home. I've prayed faithfully for many years for such a place.

Check it out!!Cross Trails Cowboy Church

Our GOD is an AWESOME GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know I raved about The Old Schoolhouse magazine digital issue recently, so I'm back to review the magazine again because they have fabulous gifts to give away with a one year subscription.  I have to admit the first time I subscribed to TOS magazine, the free gifts I received were definitely a determining factor for me. I was like a kid at Christmas receiving these and going through the gifts, and there are so many of them!

 So, I wanted to tell you all about The Old Schoolhouse Magazine's Fall
Special here. You can get two years of the magazine, 6 fabulous physical
gifts (no downloads!) worth over $120, plus the current issue of The
Old Schoolhouse Magazine that is full of ideas for the new school
year, so you start receiving your magazine in a flash!

It really is one of their best deals ever and you don't want to miss
out. In fact, they've got a really cute Homeschooling with Heart tote
bag (valued at $13.95) for the first 1000 to subscribe. About half of
them are gone, but you should still be able to get one if you hurry!
(They will remove the info from the subscription page when the bags
are all gone.) The total value is over $212, but you receive it all
for only $39 - 50% off of cover price! Plus subscribers get their
online monthly Teacher's Toolbox which focuses on a different topic
each month, giving you words of encouragement, hands-on teaching
ideas, book recommendations, field trip ideas, and a bonus download
item.

 If you've never read the magazine, this is your chance!

If you are due for renewal, here's your chance!!

www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/US_Promotion.php

I'm so excited to have been chosen to be a part of the TOS Homeschool Crew! It's a focus group that will review many different types of homeschool products. I have always LOVED to do this on my own, so it will be really exciting to benefit others from my passion for homeschooling and homeschool products!!

We began preparing for this hurricane the first of the week when it seemed to be heading right for us, but by the end of the week it had taken a Northern turn and we didn't even get one drop of rain out of it.

We hosted family who were evacuated from the Victoria area, and they ended up being fortunate in no damage as well. Incidentally we had a nice visit.

We are praying for the many folks in Galvaston and Houston areas who were less fortunate. A couple of million folks in the Houston area are to be without power for up to a few weeks. I lift up all those dealing with the after-effects of Hurricane Ike.

I happened across an awesome homeschool website a couple of years ago (I sure wish I could give credit to the source of the link) that I have really come to love. It's one of those cool families that I feel like I've gotten to know just from following the pictures and comments on their website and newsletters! I shared great pictures of a family wedding and heard all about Mr. Erskine staying home to care for the farm while the family went on vacation! 

They have three great websites with lots of freebies, some great packages they put together for order, and a premium site that is really worth the membership!!

The first one I found is their Homeschool Radio Shows "Living Books for the Ears." www.homeschoolradioshows.com/

They have free programs for download, a mailing list you can join, and lots of special deals they put together that are just awesome. At first I wasn't sure my girls would really like the "old timey" sound, but they just love it. It's really GREAT for developing listening skills.

They have a great Premium site that has a ton of other programs for download and include "listening guides" for some of the programs that are pretty cool. I had been debating on joining the premium site because I don't always have time to incorporate these programs into our studies, but once I decided to join I have been so glad I did.

They also have a neat video site: wholesomechildhood.com/homeschoolvideos/

And as if that's not enough, they launched a fantastic freebie of the day site... and have had some AWESOME resources on it.homeschoolfreebie.wholesomechildhood.com/

BIG THANKS to the Erskines, I look forward to sharing my latte with you every morning!!

Okay, I just can't decide which exclamations to use first in reviewing the TOS planner.

WOW, HEAVENS SAKES ALIVE OH ME !!, OH MY!!, INCREDIBLE, fabulous, glorious, wonderful, super-great....

No, no, no that's just too "over the top" and unbelievable. Kind of like this new TOS planner, LOL.

OH, it's coming to me..... yes.... I got it.

Seriously useful, surprisingly enjoyable.

Enjoyable?? A planner, enjoyable??

Well, yes!  It's not only every useful form you have ever thought and not thought of to use, a spacious calender with perfect layout, but also cool and fun charts of facts, figures, recipes, tips, answers to some common and not-so-common questions about homeschooling from some fabulous tried-and-true fellow homeschool teachers, inspiration, encouragement, and "you're not alone out there" tidbits.

I do no justice in saying "so much more," but it's true.

So my closing statement is simply "Get over there and check it out NOW!  Hurry hurry, what are you waiting for? You'll never believe it!  marvelous, spectacular, too good to be true....."

www.theoldschoolhousestore.com/index.php

Update: Thanks to those who entered, I have given this away!

YOU CAN WIN A ONE-YEAR DIGITAL  SUBSCRIPTION TO TOS MAGAZINE!!

www.theoldschoolhousestore.com/index.php

We are getting the top bands of Hurricane Dolly here, so mostly just  rain, which we need. I soooo hope it's raining this much out at our property to fill up our pond for the duckies and turtles!

The girls are having fun making weather reports, and everyone is home from work today (blah, LOL).

Fun fun!

Tayt's Eight!!!!!!!!

Monday the 14th was Taylor's eighth birthday. I won't even bother to say "how did that happen?" LOL.

It's been so hard living with relatives, all of us in one little room, most of our things in storage, not much room for playing or studying or much of anything for fear it will be "in the way." Not to mention that there is absolutely nothing in this town and it's a good hour drive to get to any kind of shopping or life out there.

So I was more determined than ever to make this birthday a special one,  to let Taylor know just what a blessing she is to me and our family. More than anything she wanted to go to Build-a-Bear. The closest one to this hole in the ground is 100 miles south, so she certainly didn't think it would happen. I told her we could go to the mall for her brithday, but she thought we were going to the Corpus mall which is about an hour from here. I told her she could spend her birthday money at Bath and Body,  and some other favorite places.

So on the morning of her birthday we got up and set out to "the mall". After the time it usually takes to get to Corpus mall she says," wow this trip seems long." I assured her it was just because she was excited, but wondered how the rest of the trip would go since we were but halfway!

Well, we made it to the Mcallen mall, and parked at Macy's since they have one at the Corpus mall. When we got out she says, "hmmm, looks like they redecorated a bit." Morgan and I just smiled. Once we got in, I had no idea where anything was, and this was a HUGE mall. But after walking through Macy's the first place we came to was Bath and Body, so we went in. Once we were done there, we set out to find Build-a-Bear, and she says," wow they got some new shops Mom!"

Oh the innocence and trust of a child!!

Well it wasn't too long until we turned a corner and Morgan nudged me that the shop we were looking for was ahead to the right. So I said, "Well, Taylor, you said this seemed like a really long trip? Well, look over there (pointing to the Build-a-Bear Workshop), that's why!!"

She almost fell over with excitement, but still thought that Corpus had just added a Build-a-Bear, making it even MORE exciting once I told her we had driven twice as far to get here. Believe me when I say she truly appreciated the special day knowing how much we've conserved trying to save with gas prices so ridiculous.

We had a wonderful day in the great mall we found, then drove home and stopped by to get her a cheesecake that she had requested to be her birthday cake.

Everyone say "CHEESECAKE" !

She wanted the limited edition "USA Spirit Teddy," so I called and had them put a couple in the back for the girls.

Here is Taylor and "Libearty":

This was Levi's first Build-a-Bear. He named it Ted D Bear (of course to him it's Teddybear). MOrgan named hers Annie after one of her friends on the Build-a-Bear website.

Oh, and by the way- Levi's hairdo is fondly known as "Roosterboy" when we gel it up after getting out of the shower, LOL.

Happy Eighth Birthday my Precious Girl!!!!!!!

I got some great photos of the kids on the fourth of July

I need to post a cool blog, and it's not that nuthin is goin on; just kind of in the spin cycle right now.

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sick of staying with relatives; trying so hard to take in everything God has for us to learn in this situation; trying to focus on patience, trying to find the light at the end of the tunnel.

No actually, I think I'm tryin to find the tunnel. LOL

I have gone back to working every other Fri and Sat when my husband is off to keep the kids. The first day back was pretty unnerving... since it's been 5 years that I've practiced as a doctor. The surgery was no problem, and I have quite enjoyed it, since I've continued to catch myself standing at the sink scrubbing my hands staring off into space the past 5 years, LOL. I was overjoyed when asked if I could come in and do their surgeries!!  Seeing clients has been a bit more of a brain-strain, but the doctor I am working for is very cool. So far the absolute best vet/employer I have run across. Has been very nice to have a different level of conversation, and to have a break from the worries of homelessness for a few hours.

I continue to pray for a plan, for patience, for a mysterous large sum of money in our mailbox. LOL, just kiddin. I guess a situation is only hopeless when one can't laugh anymore.

The 8th Annual Regional Homeschool Choir, Band and Orchestra concert was last Thursday night.

The girls were very excited, as this was their very first concert. They both did so great and the instructor, Mr. Peter Cheaney, has had nothing but good to say about both their violin skills as well as vocal skills.

The beginning violins consisted of Morgan, Taylor and another student. They played "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and "Mary Had a Little Lamb". Morgan led the group. I didn't get a photo since I recorded it, but did get a couple of great shots: one of Morgan rosining her bow while Taylor bonded with her instrument before the concert:

This is the girls with their instructor Miss Jenna.

Her family homeschools and actually was "instrumental" in talking Mr. Peter into starting the group 8 years ago.  Ms. Jenna started violin under Mr. Peter 8 years ago, and this is the first year she has instructed. The girls absolutely loved her.

Her sisters and mother and her did an "advanced  orchestra" piece which they had worked on all year under the direction of Mr. Peter, and it was just phenominal.

And last but not least, the fabulous Mr. Peter Cheaney. He has a masters in music education and was a member of the Air Force band and choir. He plays all instruments, but his main one is the trombone. His voice is unbelievable, and he is the best choir director I have ever seen- and I have taken voice lessons and been a member of numerous choirs myself.

The neat thing about this group is that it is open to homeschool families, kids as well as adults. I would have loved to be a part myself, but had my 2 year old to chase after, so wasn't a possibility this year.

As the Advanced Orchestra played, Mr. Peter sat down on the front row and shared his master sheet with Taylor as he followed along. I couldn't miss the opportunity for this wonderful photo!!

Morgan played "London Bridge" as a violin solo, and did just great. Mr. Peter said he couldn't believe that she is such a natural; he says it takes on average 4 years of playing to really get going. He said as she played he couldn't believe she was aready adjusting tone and pitch as she played as this is something that violinists usually figure out after many years of playing!! Morgan was very encouraged to keep practicing, practicing, practicing!!   Again, I didn't get individual photos since I recorded it.

Last but not least the choir sang two songs. Mr. Peter instilled so much besides just music in the kids. He told them often that "music is best when done for the Lord" and "it must say something to whom it is being sung. It must have a message, and you must tell it".

I did get some great pics of the choir, but of course it has the whole group, so I won't post it.

God Bless Mr. Peter!! We are praying that gas prices won't be prohibitive in our participation next year, as when we moved we are now an hour and a half drive away.  Hope we see you next year!!!

   I have spent countless hours researching and praying about how to present history, since I was a typical public school "date memorizer, then forget it".  I have been validated over and over that I was not the only one for whom history was a dry and boring subject.  As I have dug further into this matter, I have excavated the TRUTH about HIStory, and been left feeling, I'm just sure, like an archeologist who just uncovered ancient ruins!!

I have read method after method of teaching, all backed individually by valid reasons why to do it "this way or that".

The one thing I have found to work the best above all, is teaching through character study,  and God's plan for his people. I found recently that we were getting quite bored of American History, though. I had started chipping away at our own country after feeling that the younger children can and should relate to their own history first, and reading over and over that there is much too much excellent literature written about American History  for elementary ages to pass up. I feel that the past few years of studying our own beginnings has really meshed well with our military lifestyle and experiences, and has seated a firm foundation and patriotism from  the many different platforms and mediums, methods and materials from which it was presented: from  living books, to traditional text books, dvd's to re-enactments to live plays, Army museums and Memorial ceremonies of our fallen soldiers, to girl scout projects and badges. But all that said, we were only through the Revolutionary War period of our great country. So after much prayer, and allowing myself to step out of the "have to do it THIS WAY" mindset (again, LOL), I asked the girls if they would like to move on from America into ancient lands. There are no words to describe their response, LOL, so I won't even try. 

So,  I found myself  preparing for a new season of learning: HIS story of our world.

I won't even embarass myself by getting into me figuring out where to start.

Of course I new it all began in Genesis and the Old Testament and have covered most of that, but where from there, and what order???

It all stemmed from Morgan going through the Drive Thru American History which we both thought was so cool. So I ordered the world history which consists of four dvd sets: Rome, Turkey, Greece and Asia Minor. www.drivethruhistory.com/ I thought these would be a fabulous introduction in themselves to Ancient History, especially since we loved the American History study so much.  They are just awesome sets with great info, but sparked a great interest for more, more, more! So one thing led to another (figuring out my timeline of events for starters!) and I found myself smack dab in the middle of ancient history!  God led me right to a whole bundle of Greenleaf guides and materials that led the way for a whole new season of discovery.

So we are in the middle now, of Ancient Egypt. It has been fun, exciting, and packed full of adventure for us. We started at the library, and although tempted to just order every book recommended by the guide I was using, decided I could surely handle through prayer and God's hand the task before me with what the local library had to offer, as long as I have my Bible on the top of the pile.

We started with salt maps, which I had read about several places, but never implemented.

WOW!! It truly is a way to ingrain the geography of a land into your memory. After drawing out our maps, we all worked diligently, though in different manners, to fill in the lay of the land onto our maps. Then after they dried, placing the cities and regions, and significant events being studied on them. We have referred to them as we have studied each place we encounter through our Greenleaf Ancient Egypt Guide www.greenleafpress.com/catalog/index.php  as well as the Egypt section of "A Child's Geography, Explore the Holy Land"  www.achildsgeography.com/volume-two/which  which has been recently redone and sold through Knowledge Quest. (Wow, talk about exciting, I just can't even say enough about that one!)

This is Taylor beginning to place the salt dough on the map that had been drawn:

Morgan working on hers:

Taylor working on hers:

And Mommabear's before labels, though I am proud to say I can point out numerous places without the labels now!!!:

So as our homeschool is abuzz with Pharaohs and Queens, heiroglyphs and the Rosetta Stone, Moses and the artifacts found in the Red Sea, the girls' imaginations are filled with new adventures. We ended up on a great website yesterday as Morgan began to create authentic costumes and dress from the period:  www.fashion-era.com/ancient_costume/egyptian_fancy_dress_1_tunics.htm  , and much to my surprise, an "extra credit" project was presented last night:

We started today listening to the audiobook "Cat of Bubastes" by G.A. Henty:  www.theoldschoolhousestore.com/index.php  after, of course, we plotted Bubastis on our salt maps. .

Final comments just cannot go without saying that homeschooling ROCKS. Never in my wildest dreams...........

Well, we drove 5 hours to Texas A&M yesterday so I could take my vet licensing test, then ate lunch and drove 5 hours home. I have been a bit nervous about the test for many reasons.  I have tried to make the time to "plug in my brain" and comprehend the pages and pages of information, but that is very hard with my current "job" and situation. I have found one must be much more alert and overseeing when you are living with others (and other's stuff) with a toddler.  So I have enlisted the help of the two older ones, and it has definitely been a test of everyone's patience and temperance. For that reason I'm glad it's over!  I didn't feel ready for the exam, but turns out I did know most of it. Some of it was just knowing from experience of having practiced, but each state is a bit different, and much of it is something you would just look up if you were ever in the situation  as far as time limits and days, numbers, values, etc.

The other thing I was so torn about was that my husband who was suppose to take the day off to keep the kids ended up having his National Guard duty scheduled during that time which he found out AFTER I had put all the work and money into the application and renewing process. So I was thinking and praying a lot about being a professional who has CHOSEN to stay at home, yet needing to maintain my professional license as well as some way to continue paying back my loan.  I have such a heart to stay home, and just can't imagine throwing my precious children to the wolves.

God has provided a very special, awesome person through all of these challenging times. My sister-in-law whom we are currently living with has been such a blessing to myself and the kids. She is soooo patient and kind. She volunteered to take a day off of work, and go with us to hang out with the kids while I was taking the exam.  It was a long trip in the car just to turn around and drive home and we had to leave at 4:30 a.m.  I feel the Lord really blessed our day:  we feasted our eyes upon the beautiful green pastures full of flowers the whole way home and just kept saying over and over, "Wow! Look at that!! Looks like a postcard!  Feast your eyes on that!"  We both wished we had brought a camera as the pastures full of beautiful trees, ponds and cows with their calves were also full of trillions of wildflowers. The ditches along the side of the road were also strewn with many colors of flowers which looked like the Lord had just taken a paint brush and dripped globs of bright yellow, orange, purple, blue and pink paint everywhere!! They have had much more rain in North TX  than we have down here, and we noticed the bright green turning to lighter green then yellow, then brown the closer we got to home. :-(   We all definitely appreciated the artwork of God.

I am awaiting results of my test, but feel pretty positive about it. If I don't get a qualifying score, then I know it's all good. God is in control.

Hard for a lot of people as they get up each morning out of their warm cozy bed and have a nice cup of coffee, to really comprehend just how many individuals we have overseas missing their families and friends for us. Even more impossible to comprehend how LONG a year is when life goes on without them.

This is so well done:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ervaMPt4Ha0

I finally got some good pics to post about the blog that follows!

Morgan with Panzer and BumbleBee

Tayt with AFLAC and Dragonfly

And one more, this was ALFAC painting a portrait this week:

I LOVE Spring!!

Probably mostly because I love blooming things, new baby flowers, but especially new baby animals.

I LOVE BABIES!!!

So we got the girls the new little chicks, which are rapidly growing into chickens. They have long since moved from the kennel to the outside kennel that was originally built for the guineas last year (who are now a flock of 8 roaming the neighborhood expressing themselves very LOUDLY, lol).

Last week when Daniel came home from the feedstore with hay for Blazen Grace I could see him over in her pasture with something in addition to the hay. When I walked over, there were two precious, fuzzy, itty-bitty baby goslings swimming and playing in Grace's water tub!!!

Well, Taylor my animal whisperer, just couldn't bare to leave them alone in the kennel all night, so for a few nights she slept on the floor in the room with the goslings in the kennel. Then early one morning Daniel went in to check on her and found a tragedy unfolding as he found the kennel door open and only one gosling huddled in the corner. He knew when he rolled her over what he would find.

Taylor awoke to Daddy doing CPR, knowing it wouldn't revive it, but as a medic he did what came natural. I understand this all too well as a vet, and I also understand all too well the consoling of a grieving heart when a pet is lost.   But when it's your own child considering the circumstances, we had a very tragic couple of days.

So once the sun came out to help us, we made a trip to the feed store, understanding that Splash couldn't be replaced, but that BumbleBee would be happier if we found her a new friend.

There we found three goslings, but none were the spotted, mottled ones like the others, only yellow fuzzies and a bit larger. So we picked one out, and then they noticed in the cage under them a whole cage full of dyed Easter ducklings!! They had already spotted the loads of dyed Easter chicks in the top cage, but knew that we really didn't need any more chicks. But those ducklings were just so adorable!! (Of course I know the many animal rights opinions on dyed pets, but I refuse to comment on this issue.)

We had a pet duck "Pete"  growing up, and so loved him. He was so funny and had a killer personality. So of course the girls picked two, one green one and one orange. The goslings (Panzer and BumbleBee)and ducklings (AFLAC and Dragonfly)  have been such a joy to watch, and I must say the chicks and goslings and ducks have been one of the best homeschool projects we've undertaken ever!!

Happy Easter, Happy New Beginnings, And Happy New Baby Season!! 

    We couldn't resist the baby chicks at the feed store. We're not even close to moving onto our property yet, but where we are staying we do have room to care for them. There are two free range game cocks that roam the area, along with several other flocks of wandering chickens, so that is what prompted us to get the chicks; although now we have decided to coop them and collect the eggs since the girls have become quite attached to all 6 of them, giving them names and handling them a lot.

The chicks are Peeper, Scramble, Lacey, Omelet, Buttercup and Bluebonnet. They are "Ideal 236" pullets which were bred locally from Leghorn, Auracana, and Californian chickens to produce bigger and more eggs and more meat. We won't of course ever know about the meat part .

So this has been quite the learning experience for the girls. I have let them COMPLETELY care for them cleaning, watering and feeding. They are pretty good with the animal chores I have given before, but have never accomplished total responsibility for the other pets which consist of 2 dogs, a cat and the horse.

So as Levi has watched and tried so hard to follow the rules so he could participate in caring for them, holding and petting and playing with them, he just hadn't been able to be gentle enough not to squeeze them or drop them. The girls have been very patient in helping him play with them, but doesn't take long for him to end up squeezing a bit too hard.

Well, a couple of days ago, he was sitting in the floor trying it again, and ended up getting so frustrated that he took off running out of the room with one to go play with it. We got it back and he was groaning and moaning, and then just sat down and watched them, contemplating the whole situation. Then, just like that, he got up and ran from the room as if he was on a mission. We looked, but he hadn't chicknapped a baby, so we waited, and here he came back with, of all things, a small plastic cup. He held out the cup asking Taylor to put a baby chick in the cup. Well, we all about fell out with amazement that he had reasoned that he might not have to worry about squeezing too hard if it were protected by the cup!!!! So Taylor fixed him up with a chick in the cup, which the chick seemed not to mind at all. Morgan said, "Hey, not only will he be able to play with it like that, but when it poos, (which seems to happen quite too often!), it won't get everywhere!!"

So, off he went happy as can be with his chick. The chick especially enjoyed the big wheel ride!! LOL