I'm back from our quick trip to Kentucky to see my nephew married and then a week at Ocean City, NJ. It was a fun family time and relaxing. I have tons of pictures and a few videos (I learned how to do that function on my digital camera, so I will try and get those posted or at least linked to this week. In the meantime, here is one video for your enjoyment (or torture LOL)
I know my past few wordless wednesdays have been the baby or kittens, but they are just to cute to resist, so here are a couple more and I will try to post something different next time.
If you noticed I didnt blog yesterday, it was because we were having to much fun at the Hay Creek Festival at Joanna Furnace.
From their website: "MORGANTOWN, PA - Travel back in time and relive 18th and 19th century life at historic Joanna Furnace Iron Plantation. Feel the cool air of the shaded groves, hear the sound of the steam Engine’s whistle, smell the homemade kettle soups cooking in the open fires and watch the Early American craftsmen demonstrate their skills of a time past. Nestled in the groves along Route 10 three miles north of Morgantown, Joanna Furnace was once a cold blast, single stack, Charcoal-fired iron furnace, producing early America’s iron until 1898."
Bees!
We had a great time watching the glass blower, chair caning, woodcarving, the huge saw mill, blacksmith, (Last year we also saw the potter working on his wheel and the cider mill press, but we missed those demonstrations this year).
Chair Caning
This was the prefect field trip for our American History studies this year.
Glassblower
One of the children's activities were experiencing what it would be like at an archeological dig. Here is Abigail piecing together a broken cup.
Emily is carefully picking at some clay to see if she could find something (she did, there was an old coin inside) For the younger ones, they had a box full of corn with things hidden in it:
They also had rubbings (different plates with Joanna Furnace pictures on it, take a plain sheet of paper place over the plate and rub the image on the paper with a crayon) and a stamp hunt (8 different stamps, if you collect them all you get a prize at the end)
A. I was first introduced to blogging when my dh and I were visiting with his family at the shore. There his niece was blogging on her laptop, I had never heard of it before and thought it was "strange" that people would want to put stuff up for perfect strangers (as well as friends) to read. A couple of years later (2003), a friend I had met online through a yahoo group started blogging and in order to read her blog, you needed to be a registered reader, so I registered for a Xanga account. I tried blogging a couple of times, but didnt really continue. It wasnt until December, 2005 that I really got into blogging. I signed up for a homeschoolblogger.com account and then a homesteadblogger.com account. I started getting comments on my blog and visiting others blogs and leaving comments and it was so much fun getting to know people who had things in common with yourself, but lived all over the country.....and I have not stopped blogging since (Except for a few months when I did not have internet service).
B. As far as a dream place to blog, probably where I do, right here at home where I am most comfortable. I like to visit different place, but I am definitely a homebody! All my other places I would either be to busy doing other things or just thinking to blog!
C. I usually blog in the morning before school, afternoon between lunch and quiet time, or in the evening after my children have gone to bed.
D. My favorite beverage besides spring water is freshly squeezed lemonade in the summer with stevia or a cup of hot licorice & peppermint tea in the wintertime!
E. My favorite fiction book is Pride & Prejudice. Non-fiction - the Bible
F. My favorite dessert (thats a toughy) is brownies and Breyers mint chocolate chip ice cream....(and then there is blueberry pie, apple crisp, peach cobbler and watermelon)
G. A scripture that has been an inspiration to my spiritual growth is Philippians 4:8, reminding what I need to be thinking about. Another is Micah 6:8
There are several contests going on so I would thought I would cover them in one post.
1) Aligirl is having a contest in honor of her blogging for two years. The prize is a 1 year subscription to The Old Schoolhouse magazine. (I hope I win ;) ) 2) My daughter Emily is having a drawing in which she is giving away a copy of the "Boxcar Children: Blue Bay Mystery". She has two copies so she is giving one away. Her blog is only viewable by registered users of homesteadblogger.com or homeschoolblogger.com so if you are not a registered user, but still would like to enter, blog about her contest and leave a comment on my blog.
3) Felicia is also having a contest, all you have to do to enter is leave a comment about why you like to blog and you will be entered to win a record book for moms.
SMS Book Reviews is having a Book to Movie Challenge. Between September 1 and December 1 you need to read 3 books that were made into movies and then write a review. Watching the movie is optional.
Here is a list of 3 books that I have chosen:
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter The Last Sin Eater by Francine Rivers
1. What is your schools name and why? D-------- (our last name) Family Homeschool
2. How is your weather today? Sunny & Warm
3. What steals your joy? The little things such as children bickering, kittens chewing on a library book, running out of Breyers mint chocolate chip ice cream and dh forgetting to pick me up some.
When we lived up in NY, I was leaving church one Sunday and the pastor said to me on the way out "Don't let Satan steal your joy". I was like, why did he say that because now I KNOW I am going to be tested that week. I kept expecting some big thing to happen that would steal my joy, but it wasn't, looking back, I saw it was the little things.....its the little foxes that spoil the vines.
4. Name 5 blessings you received this week? 1. Meals from friends
2. Smiles from my children
3. Eggs from my chickens & produce from my garden.
4. Kisses & compost bin from my husband (and ice cream only it was moose tracks )
5. This wasnt this week, but is has been in the past couple of weeks, somebody gave us a digital camera!
6. Who in the Bible do you think you are most like? Sometimes the sluggard. I am like Mary, I would sit and listen, and forget to help in the kitchen (not that I dont want to, I just wouldnt think of it)
7. The passage of scripture you read last? Acts 7, the account of Stephan's testimony & stoning before the high priests
8. Have you praised God for something weird? I am sure I have although nothing comes to mind.
9. If you were making a greeting card for God, what would you say? "Thank you!"
10. What is the best miracle God has performed in your life, or what is you favorite answered prayer? My husband and children are the best miracle God has performed in my life.
11. What is the most fun thing that you have done lately? having a c-section. Just Kidding, actually swimming with my oldest dd and having my both my sisters visiting at the same time (we can get pretty silly, but it sure hurts to laugh right after you have had a c-section)
12. How did you choose your screen name? Is screen name different than user name. My username kayinpa is pretty obvious. My name is Kay and I live in Pennsylvania. The title of my blog (maybe that is my screen name), is pretty obvious also....this is a blog about our homeschool experiences, a journey of sorts. I am thinking of changing it though.
Today was our first day of school and it went pretty well. We started slow, Emily did 3 subjects (Math review, grammar and history), Abigail worked on reading (still like pulling teeth) & history and the boys worked on their letters and listened as I read history. Nathanael took a short nap while we got started, but thankfully I can nurse and teach at the same time.
There are a couple of songs that have been going through my mind this week. Do you know how frustrating it is to try having a pity party and this song starts going through your head? LOL!
How Great is Our God
by Chris Tomlin VERSE(1):
The splendor of a King,
Clothed in majesty
Let all the earth rejoice,
All the earth rejoice
He wraps himself in light,
And darkness tries to hide
And trembles at his voice,
And trembles at his voice
CHORUS(1):
How great is our God,
sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see How great,
How great Is our God
VERSE(2):
Age to age he stands
And time is in His Hands
Beginning and the End,
Beginning and the End
The Godhead, Three in one
Father, Spirit, Son
The Lion and the Lamb,
The Lion and the Lamb
How great is our God,
sing with me
How great is our God,
all will see How great,
How great Is our God
Name above all names
You are Worthy of all praise
and My heart will sing
how great Is our God (x2)
The Other Song is:
O The Deep, Deep Love of Jesus
by S. Trevor Francis, Music by Thomas J. Williams
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!
Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me!
Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love
Leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above!
O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
spread His praise from shore to shore!
How He loveth, ever loveth, changeth never, nevermore!
How He watches o’er His loved ones, died to call them all His own;
How for them He intercedeth, watcheth o’er them from the throne!
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, love of every love the best!
’Tis an ocean full of blessing, ’tis a haven giving rest!
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, tis a heaven of heavens to me;
And it lifts me up to glory, for it lifts me up to Thee!
My children were complaining the other day about there being so many rules to remember. I said "Yes, it may seem like a lot of rules, but they really fall under five basic rules.....if you can remember these rules and ask if what you are about to do fits under these rules, then life will be that much easier on you."
Here are our five basic rules:
1. Show Respect.....respect others, their property, yourself & your property
2. Obey the first time and as soon as you are told!
3. Clean up after yourself.
4. No loud or repetitive noises in the house.
5. Think before you act...is what you are about to do end up being harmful to yourself or somone else or does it follow the above rules?
Jacque over at Seeking Rest for Ancient Paths posted about books that are favorites for their children who are 5ish. I have 3 that I consider to be in that age group and having just finished our library Summer reading program have added several new authors and books to our favorites list. Here are some of our new favorites:
Lynnly Dodd books: Slinky Malinky
Slinky Malinky Opens the Door
Schnitzel Von Krumms Basketwork
Hairy Maclairy Sit
Hairy Maclairy's Bone
Hairy Maclairy's Scattercat
Sniff Snuff Snap
Scarfact Claw
Obadiah the Bold by Brinton Turkle and other Obadiah books.
One of my recent discoveries are children's books that were written back in the late 30's and 40's by Marguerite de Angeli (She won the Newberry Award for The Door in the Wall). The most of the books take place in Southeastern, PA so I am familiar with the territory of which she writes. While I havent read all of the books we have to my children, we have read Yonie Wondernose which my children loved. I have also enjoyed reading to myself Skippback School, Henner's Lydia, Thee, Hannah and Elin's Amerika.
There are of course some which are classics such as: Curious George books by H. A. Rey, Madeline books by Ludwig Bemelmans, Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant.....we also enjoyed "When I was Young in the Mountains" by the same author. Ask Mr. Bear, The Story of Ping and Angus and the Ducks by Marjorie Flack. Fox on the Job, Fox in love, Fox on Wheels and other Fox books and the George & Martha books by James Marshall, The House on East 88th Street and other Lyle, Lyle Crocodile books by Bernard Waber, Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell, Beatrix Potter books, Frog & Toad and other Arnold Lobel Books, just to name a few.
My boys loved books about Johnny Appleseed, one by Steve Kellogg being a favorite.
Virginia Lee Burton is another favorite author of Mike Mulligan and the Steam Shovel, Katy & the Big Snow, The Little House, Mabel the Cabel Car, and Choo Choo"
And what is a walk in the woods on a snowy night without Owl Moon by Jane Yolen . She also has some cute dinosaur books out such as How do Dinosaurs Clean Their Room which my dinosaur loving boys love.
Patricia Polacco's books can be thought provoking and education. Some of our favorite's are: The Butterfly (a great way of introducing your child to WWII) Just Plain Fancy (what happens when a peacock egg lands in an Amish barnyard) The Keeping Quilt(shows changes in tradition as a quilt is passed from one generation to the next) Rechenka's Eggs (the beauty of Egg decorating) The Bee Tree
If you want to add a little art appreciation into your read aloud time, check out the Katie books by James Mayhew....we have enjoyed Katie and the Mona Lisa and Katie and the Impressionists there are several more in this series. Even my boys enjoyed sitting for these books.
For those who enjoy slaying the dragon from the safety of their home or perhaps making him into a pet check out:
St. George & the Dragon by Margaret Hodges The Knight Who Took All Day by James Mayhew The Reluctant Dragon by Robert Lawton Custard the Dragon by Ogden Nash and other Custard books.
For my horse lover, the discovery of C. W. Anderson's Billy & Blaze books was a treasure find. So was The Mare on the Hill by Thomas Locker. His books have beautiful pictures, each picture is beautiful enough to frame and hang on the wall.
Oh and can I forget Tikki Tikki Tembo or The Five Chinese Brothers?
If you post about your favorite 5ish books add your name and the link to your post on Mr. Linky. This will add your name to both mine and Jacque's website as well as other who have copied this particular linky to their blog......for more information check out on Jacque's blog
)
I am like Mary, I would sit and listen, and forget to help in the kitchen (not that I dont want to, I just wouldnt think of it)
