Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - BFS #27: Summer

Summer Vacations

With summer rapidly approaching, many homeschoolers are finishing up and planning some summer events. Please share this week on your blog, some of your plans for keeping cool, relaxing, vacationing and planning ahead for the upcoming school year

We are officially finished with Kindergarten and we both passed!  More on that in another post.  But just because school is over, doesn't mean learning ends at our house.

Our summer plans are pretty simple and laid back.  I have a book of 365 Outdoor Activities that we will go through and pick out what interests us to try.

I plan on study and/or collecting trees, flowers, insects, and we are hoping to lure some birds to our yard, but so far, no takers.

Last year we raised Monarch caterpillars and I want to try that again this year.  It was FASCINATING.

We also are going to do some science experiments here and there.  I have several books with easy and fun things to try.

We will continue to read.  We enjoyed The House at Pooh Corners so much that I checked out Winne-the-Pooh from the library.  We have some other chapter books that we will read through the summer as well as our plethora of picture books.

Another thing we have plans to do is to try and take advantage of any and all free activities offered in the area.  The library has a summer reading program, Lowes and Home Depot have free projects every month,  there are parks and nature walks, and anything else that comes our way.

I'm also thinking of working on a passage of scripture for us to memorize.  I will have my 12-year-old brother-in-law a lot this summer and I think it would be neat for all three of us to work through a passage of scripture together.

A big goal for this summer is Cameron learning to ride without training wheels.  He is not doing well so far.  I think this is mostly my fault.  I just don't have the stamina to walk around hunched over, try to keep him steady and make him go fast enough so that he can learn to control the bike.  But, it took us a while to learn to ride WITH training wheels.  That involved me taking him to a slight hill and giving him a push.  I don't think that method will work this time.

We will don't take vacations.  Unless you count house sitting for people while they are on their vacation.  That's always fun to do and it involves packing just like a real vacation.  We may take a trip to stay with some friends, but that is the extent of our travels.

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Friday, May 4, 2007 - BFS #25

“Nature Speaks”

This weeks assignment involves our natural surroundings. One day this week, take a stroll around outside and let God’s beauty speak to you. Listen for the rush of winds, the leaves swaying, or even just the total silence. Look around for signs of God’s love and power. Do you see symbols of His great works? For instance, after a light rain, you might see your footprints and be reminded of the spiritual popular poem “Footprints” and can vision God carrying you. Share your findings either in a description or a picture

I'm going to kill two entries with one post!  I was going to blog about our tadpoles and this week's assignment just happens to be about nature!

There was a song that I sang when I was young that went something, like, "Bullfrogs and butterflies, they both been born again."

The change that happens to tadpoles and caterpillars is a great picture of what happens when we give our heart and life to Christ.  There is a dramatic change that is visible, just as the change from tadpole to frog and caterpillar to butterfly.

Cameron and I both had such a great time raising caterpillars last year.  We both learned a lot from this up close experience.  When I found a book about frogs a few weeks ago, I was excited to try again to learn first hand from God's creation.  The book tells about different types of frogs and also how to catch and raise tadpoles to adult hood.

My mother and her husband have a pond on their property and gave us their permission to take some eggs and tadpoles home.

The eggs are in one continuous strand that twists and turns much like a telephone cord.

We took a few of these eggs to see if we are able to watch them hatch.

My mother helping Cameron rescue some tads from his net.

The book said to feed them algae or boiled lettuce.  I got some more algae from the pond but they seem to really like the boiled lettuce.

They are very tiny right now but it is great fun to sit there and watch them swim around.  They seem like just a little black dot with a tail.  It is hard to see much of anything else. 

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Thursday, April 12, 2007 - BFS

Posted on April 11th, 2007 by Sprittibee

One of our team at the Homeschool Blog Awards site, Heather of Especially Heather, has found out that she has a brain tumor today. Please be in prayer for her. At this time, voting will continue and polls will automatically shut down Friday at midnight. Please understand that response time to email and problems will be slower. We invite you to stand with us in prayer for her healing and comfort.

If you would like to know more, or leave her a note to let her know you are praying, you can click her blog link above. I also wrote a post about the dedication and work she has given to this project on my blog tonight.

Thank you for your prayers and patience with us. We are still in shock.

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Monday, March 19, 2007 - Blogger Friend School #21

Hands

This weeks assignment is meant to be on the lighter side and add some creative fun to your blogs!  Our hands play a very important role in our lives and sometimes we take such things for granted.  This week’s light part of the assignment is to take a picture of your hand and post it to your blog.  (OR you can trace your hand if you do not have access to a camera.)

The deeper part of the assignment is just to think about the importance of each part of your body and how its perfect creation (even if God’s plan was to have some parts missing) has blessed you.  I know that sometimes I don’t even realize the importance of each individual part until it’s injured or hurting, but amazingly I’ve been surprised to see other parts help with balancing out those hard times.

I had this idea for my hand picture.  So me, my hands and son stopped over at Babymakers house for a photo session.  There were several photos to chose from and the final choice was just to hard, so I will post two pictures of my hands.

It's actually kind of weird to see my hands playing because I really don't look at them a whole lot while I am playing.  And if I do happen to look down I don't think I really see them.  I love playing the piano.  I wish I could play better.  You know the ones that just sit down with a brand new piece of music and play it almost flawlessly.  The same piece of music that would take me 6 months just get the first page. 

But, I must admit.  I cheat when I play the piano.  When I was 18, I was asked by my future uncle-in-law if I would consider playing for his gospel group, Carpenter's Union.  I hemmed and hawed about not really being very good and that I would try but it wouldn't hurt my feelings when they told me no thank you after playing.

That first night of practice was interesting to say the least.  They never sang anything in the key it was written in.  So my knowing how to read music was useless.  In fact 95% of their music was words on a paper with the guitar chords above certain words.  Yikes!  What is this?  So at 18, I taught myself how to play chords.  I sort of knew them a little just from regular piano playing through the years.

Now, that skill I have learned has become invaluable to me.  Those few years with the Carpenter's Union really stretched me musically and taught me how to "create" music. 

My FIL stretched me even further in pushing me to figure out the chords in songs that didn't have the handy dandy chords already.  I think he was just tired of me bringing him music to figure out. 

So, I can't sit down and play a hymn from the hymnbook.  People who think I can play are shocked and  appalled when I actually do try and play what is written. But if there are chords, it is a whole other story.

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Friday, March 9, 2007 - Blogger Friends School #20

BFS - Assignment #20 - “Heart” Schooling

Our assignment this week, is to blog from your “heart” the details behind your choice to homeschool.  If you feel led to elaborate, I enourage everyone to write out their Educational Philosophy of your homeschool.  State what general category your teaching method falls into (Classical, Charlotte Mason, Principle, etc.)    This is a special time to prepare your “heart” and organize your mind for the upcoming school year.    Do you have a homeschool name? –Share!

Why do I homeschool? It was actually my husband's idea.  We weren't even married yet when he mentioned it.  My first reaction was "Me?? No way!!  I don't know the first thing about homeschooling."

He mentioned it again when I was pregnant with our son.  I wasn't as opposed to the idea this time.  I thought that once they got through elementay school, I could take over and do high chool.  I just couldn't imagine teaching a child the fundamentals of educations.  He on the other hand thought that it was more important to homeschool those first formative years.

After Cameron was born, he mentioned it again and I thought, "Maybe."  He never really pushed, just kept gently nudging me and encouraging me that I could do it.  Then something trauatic came to knowledge and when Cameron was 16 months old, my husband went to jail for crimes that he had committed.

But the seeds he had planted about homeschooling had taken root.  There were several ladies at my church that are homeschoolers and were a huge encouragement to me.  I wasn't sure that we would even be able to do it because of our circumstances.  I wasn't sure what my Dad, whom we live with, would think about me homeschooling.  But the Lord has allowed me to do what is now my hearts desire.  We started with some pre-school and then full force with Kindergarten.  Now, I know that this is what I really want to do. 

I am so blessed to have this opportunity to be able to homeschool.  I cherish each and every day.  I love the flexibility.  I love that we can learn what is important to Cameron.  I love that it is Kindergarten and I am learning things I never knew.

We do not have an official name for our homeschool.  But someone recently asked where Cameron was going to school and I said, jokingly, Cameron Academy. 

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Tuesday, February 27, 2007 - Blogger Friend School #19

“On the Drawing Board”  This week’s assignment is to post a picture of one your family’s/child’s art projects or drawings. Be even more daring and post one of your own! Journal about the project.

Back in December, Cameron and I painted his two bedroom windows.  They are still up but we have plans to change them this week.  He did the sheep all himself.

And just today, we worked from a book that has hundreds of ideas to make with circles.  It will be a great book to use later to renforce fractions.  Here is our finished handy work.

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Monday, February 19, 2007 - Blogger Friend School #18

SHARE YOUR LOVE

Your assignment is to visit 3 Classmates blogs and tell them that you are praying for them this week!  This is a really simple assignment, but important to share with one another that you want to encourage them.  When you are finished with visiting your classmates and leaving them a comment, post on your blog 3 ways that you can show love to a neighbor or friend!

Even though I'm a little late in posting this assignment, I will spend an entire week, or more, praying for my selected blogger friends. 

Sombra at More Little Wilsons Journal

Pam at Beyond the Red Door

Slacker Mom at The Realm of Slacker Mom

Three ways to show love to friend or neighbor.

1. I think the biggest thing I can do to show love and care for someone is to pray for them
2. I think second biggest thing that I can do is to just listen.  Whether a friend that just needs to talk or the neighbor that is sitting on his porch, people like to have a friendly ear.
3. Something that happened recently was I shoveled my neighbors walk as I was out doing my own.  They had used a snow blower earlier in the day so just running the shovel along the walk quickly cleared it for them and the mailman.

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Saturday, February 17, 2007 - Blogger Friend School #17

Assignment #17 - After School Snack Time

Today’s assignment is to post a few of your favorite snacks.  If they are homemade, share a recipe.  Take time this week evaluate your snack and share ways that you can make this healthy for you and your family.

I don't know why I've put this assignment off for so long.  So, here it finally is.

We don't really have a bunch of snack ideas.  Cameron pretty much grazes from breakfast to early afternoon.  Things that we snack on:

• Organic raisins
• Cheese sticks
• Applesauce
• Baby Carrots
• Cucumbers
• Hard boiled eggs
• Apples
• Grapes
• Bananas
• Green Peppers
• Tomoatoes (he eats them like apples)
• And for the really desperate times, just a plain piece of bread.  No butter, no jam, no peanut butter, just a piece of bread.

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Thursday, February 8, 2007 - Blogger Friend School #15 (revised)

I got some good ideas thrown at me and once I had some direction it was much easier to spend my play money.

Rosetta Stone
	Spanish I	195.00
Hanes
	Boys Briefs	11.00
	Boys Socks	7.00
Amazon
	Boys Dress Shoes	12.99
Lane Bryant
	Bra	34.00
Staples
	5 shelf, 72" Bookcase (49.99 x 2)	99.98
	Electric Pencil Sharpener	14.98
	Hole Punch	9.90
	Manilla Folders (box of 100)	10.98
	Composition 2pk	3.78
Giam
	BalanceBall Chair	100.00

That gives me a total of $499.61

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Saturday, February 3, 2007 - Blogger Friend School #15

This assignment I hope proves to fun and exciting!  This week you are given $500 PRETEND online spending money!  The rules are simple for this assignment.  Using ANY online store...write out a shopping list of what you would buy!

List the name of the website with a link and include product item # and cost...you must use all your $500 without going over!    Show your savings

This assignment has been very hard to me to come up with an answer.  I have been thinking about for over a week now and I still don't have an answer.

If this were a real $500 to be spent on the Internet, I would probably nickel and dime it to death.  And it is such a broad category my thoughts go in a hundred different directions.  Now if I was given a category in which the money had to be spent, I might do a little better.  Or if it was for only one site that might help.

LOL How pathetic am I?  I am not a shopper.  But I also can't make a decisiion very well.  My dad still takes me out for a birthday dinner with my sister and it is to the restaurant of my choice.  Oh the torture of picking a silly restaurant to eat at.  My mom takes me out for lunch for my birthday but give suggestions and it is much less painful.  LOL

So, with all that said, any help with this assignment?  And great deals out there that I should "spend" my money on?  Or is there one big purchase out there that I could "blow" the whole lot on in one blow and just be done with it.

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Friday, January 19, 2007 - Blogger Friend School #14

Assignment: Post to your blog your family's menu for 1 week.  Include Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Snacks!

Sunday:

• Bowl of cereal. 
• Roast beef sandwich/frech fries (FIL "cooked" and stopped at Arbys)
• Potato Soup, Salad.  DS: Grilled cheese, fries, cookie

Monday:

• Bowl of cereal
• Homemade soup.  DS: tortillas, banana, raisins, baby carrots (he made his own lunch because I was fighting a migrain)
• More homemade soup.  DS: bread with peanut butter, apple, cheese

Tuesday:

• Bowl of cereal
• Soup, cheese and crackers
• Spaghetti and salad
• Ice Cream

Wednesday:

• Scrambled egg.  DS: dry cereal (we were out of milk)
• Soup and peanut butter bread
• Salad

Thursday:

• Scrambled egg.  DS: dry cereal (still no milk)
• Soup, strawberries, peanut butter bread, baby carrots
• Homemade cheese pizza with tomato

Friday:

• Bowl cereal (went shopping)
• Soup and strawberries
• Rice, broccoli, tuna fish

Saturday:

• Bowl of cereal
• Big surprise.....soup and applesauce
• Dad surprised me and brought home KFC (not my favorite but when the man makes an effort...)
• May have a salad later tonight.  Had dinner VERY early.  Or maybe ice cream.

I really need to get back to meal planning!

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Friday, January 12, 2007 - Blogger Friend School #13

Blogger Friend School - Assignment #13
CAPTURE Your Uniqueness

Write about or list several ways that make you or your family unique and/or different.  Ponder a while as though you were an outside looking into your family home and envision "how" they might see you uniquely made through Christ.   Does something set you apart that immediately shows that you are a child of God?  Share!

Hmm, what makes me unique? 

One thing that Cameron and I love to do is scare each other.  It is not uncommon for one or the other to be hiding behind a door, around the corner or even in the bathtub waiting for unsuspecting victim.  When we "get" each other we have a huge giggle fest about how good they got you.  There are even levels to "getting" each other.  There is the unsuspecting startle, the out loud frighten, and the full-blown scare.

Cameron and I do almost everything together.  Laundry, grocery shopping, dishes, making beds, errands, etc.  He is rarely without me.  And I never feel the need for a "break."  When I do feel that my child is going to cause me to lose my sanity, I invite my two nephews over.  They play, I get a break, and it is always nice to go back to just the one boy.  I should be good for a while.  My nephews are spending the night right now.  LOL

I don't know if I come across as a child of God to outsiders.  I hope I do.  I know that I do not do enough for the cause of Christ.

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Friday, January 12, 2007 - Blogger Friend School #12

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Thursday, December 28, 2006 - Read, Set, Goals! Assignment

  Blogger Friend School Assignment #11

READY, SET, GOALS!!!

It's really hard to believe that this will be our last assignment before the year 2007 is upon us.   I know that I am shocked that calendars pages have turned so quickly.

Every year, I "try" to set goals.  Some I accomplish, and others get put on another year's list.  Our assignment this week is to take time and write out a list (Big or Small) of goals that you would like to accomplish for the new year. 

Post your goals on your blog for this week's assignment.  You will have a nice reference for the upcoming year.  As you accomplish them, you can cross them off or add a star.  Give yourself praise throughout the year for completing each task.

Extra Credit:  Write out a list of rewards!  Accomplish a goal and choose a reward :)

I have not really ever set goals or resolutions.  A friend of mine just gave me a book to read that she found interesting.  It is all about goals and getting organized.  Even in just the first few pages I was hit over the head with something.

Goals need 2 things.  A quantity and a deadline.  We never accomplish most goals because they are too open ended and they have nothing by which to measure them by.

For example, a goal could be, I want to eat more healthy.  That isn't necessarily a bad thing to want to do but there is no way to really measure it.  A better way to set that goal would be, I want to eat at least 4 servings of fruits/vegetables every day for 4 weeks.  Or I'm going to limit my junk food intake by only xyz every other day or once a week.  Those are goals that you can measure.  Yes, you may fail but you can also accomplish the goal.  Another example, I want to grow in my walk with God.  That to is a wonderful aspiration but how do you measure it?  How do you check on yourself?

So with that in mind, here are my goals for the coming year

Read my Bible every day.  I've tried to read through my Bible in a year but there would be days that I would miss and then I would be overwhelmed with the days reading that I missed.  I think a better goal for me is to read EVERY day.  I don't want it to be feast or famine in my daily intake of the Word.  I want a steady diet.  I want it to be feast and regular meals.  My goal is no famine this year.    Quantity and time: at least a column every day

I want to drink more water.  I was doing very well with this a while back and then I kind of fell out of the habit.  I want to start consciously drinking 4 quarts of water a day.  I read or heard somewhere that your body needs half your body weight in ounces of water each and every day.  So for a person that weighs 120 pounds (I don't) that would be 60 fluid ounces of water a day.  Water will help keep my system flushed and hydrated and it will also help curb the munchies. Quantity and time: 4 quarts water every day.

Cleaning.  I am not the best housekeeper.  My goal for this year is to keep the kitchen in great working order.  Quantity and time: clean stove, counter and sink every day.

Grandmothers.  I need to make more of an effort to reach out to family.  I need to go visit my elderly family and let them know we love and appreciate them.  Quantity and time: At least once a month I need to go and visit my grandmother and grandmother-in-law.

That is all I can think of for now.  There are some more private ones that will be just for me.  I think these are all manageable so far and don't want to overload myself.  If I put too many goals up to start with, I'll never get started because it looks like too huge a task for me.

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Wednesday, November 15, 2006 - Bountiful Blessings Assignment

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