LadyPoet

• Jun. 14, 2008 - 2008 Homeschool Prom Pictures!!!

 

I am finally getting around to posting our Prom pictures.  I've been busy.

Here is my 15yos with his friends (showing off muscles and pretty faces).

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We had a limbo contest and started out with many homeschoolers...

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By the end of the limbo contest this young man (the one going under the stick) won...I think you can see why.  Hubby and I held the stick...(boy...I need to lose a few pounds!  lol).  It was amazing to see how limber these kids were...not many left at this point.

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We had lots of ballroom dancing.  There was instruction before the dance (my son taught the class).  Here are a couple of our homeschoolers practicing the waltz...don't they look elegant?

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We had several contests.  This one is for best costume.  The youth had to where costumes that represented a decade of the last one hundered years.  My 15yos won...he had on a 1920's costume...but he wore tennis shoes, because he said his sunday shoes weren't good for dancing.  lol  He won a cd player and he loves it!  He is on the end in the black suit with red tie.

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Again I express my gratitude to Calvary Chapel for letting us use their facilities for this dance.  Not many places allow homeschoolers to use their facilities, and this church has been very kind to us in letting us use their facilities.

The gals who put this prom on did a great job!  Thanks for all your time and talents!

LadyPoet33

 

 

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• May. 28, 2008 - Busy...Busy...Busy...as a bee!

 

I apologize for not posting sooner.  We have been working extra hard on putting in our grass.  I got half of my garden in (and it is a very big garden...about 1/8 acre).  I will be canning like a crazy woman this year.  lol

I will post photos soon.

My son did a ballroom dancing class for our homeschool PROM put on by UHEA.  It was such fun!  Hubby and I went with him and really enjoyed it.  My son won the best costume contest and won a cd player. 

The  gals that put this on really went all out.  We also appreciate the church that allowed us to use their facilities for our dance.  They have been really good to homeschoolers.  The name of the church is Calvary Chapel, and they also allow us to hold graduation ceremonies there.  I am not a member of their church, but I really appreciate what they have done to allow homeschoolers to use their facilities.

LadyPoet33

 

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• May. 10, 2008 - Nature hike pictures and a fire pit

We went on a nature hike again.  Now that the weather is at least tolearable, our family is taking off our shoes and running around barefoot at the parks again.  lol

On Thursday, I invited other homeschoolers to join us at one of our favorite parks.  It has a pond with guppies in it, and we like to catch them and look at them.

It also has a walk way through a wetland, and you can catch bugs, identify plantlife and ask the kids if it is edible or not.  I love to quiz my kids on this kind of stuff.  My mother used to do that to my brother and I all the time, and I can still recognize many of the plants, and have added many more to my list through study.

We caught lots of bugs, dragonflies and butterflies.  No snakes this time...too early.  ;)  Mom was happy!

Here are the pictures:

Josh with his bottle of bugs.  He is our resident bug hunter...he loves this time of year. 

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Here are my two youngest with the bug net:

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Nothing beats an underdog from big brother:

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Now, dad has been framing up the fire pit in the back yard.  His uncle (who drives a cement truck) came to help him.  He has been a great help to us as we did our cement work.  I need to make him a batch of cookies or something. 

Here they are smoothing out the cement:

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One thing I should add, the fire pit itself, is a piece of a rock crusher (not sure the scientific term) that my husband's uncle got for us.  It was broken, and he just brought the piece we needed here for us.  Now we have to wait 2 weeks to build a fire in it.

I am so excited to see my yard coming together.  I can't wait to finish the garden and the grass in the back.

LadyPoet33

 

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• May. 3, 2008 - Green, Green Everywhere!!!!!!!!!

As most of you know.  We built our home 3 years ago.  We haven't had the money to do the yard.  This is what it has looked like:

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Cute home...but no grass.  This is hard on a homeschool family...especially a bunch of nature lovers like us.  lol

My hubby has been working feverishly for a few weeks getting in a sprinkler system and putting down top soil, getting my flower garden ready etc...  Today we got our sod for the front.  It's so pretty.  We spent the day laying it out and fitting it to our yard.  I just had to share pictures.

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This is my hubby (middle) our 15yos (right) and a gentleman from our church who dropped by to help.

Even the little ones got in there and helped.

My 7yos:

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and my 9yos:

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and here is the (almost) finished product:

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Tomorrow we put in some flowers, strawberries, and maybe a bird bath and some flowers to attract butterflies.

Our whole family is so excited!  I just want to do the happy dance.  We also poured a cement patio in the back, and have a fire pit framed so we can sit in the back yard by the fire and gaze at the mountains...when we aren't hiking and camping in them!  lol

Did we do okay?  Hubby used to do this stuff when we first married.  He worked two jobs, one running a printing press and another doing landscaping.  Doing this lawn brought back a lot of good memories.

LadyPoet33

 

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• Apr. 28, 2008 - Pics of my "Wild Child"

 

I had to post pictures of my "wild child".  When this son of mine was born, we KNEW he was going to be an active child from day one.

He is 15, and he uses my camera to post pictures of himself doing acrobats and gymnastics.  I see them on my computer after he docks the camera and then he gets chewed out.  lol

I don't even think I need to explain the pictures.  If you have questions ask.  ;)  I will try to answer them without cringing everytime I think how he could break his neck.  The kid is going to grow up and join the circus...I am NOT kidding!  LOL

He had his little brother (my 9yos) take the pictures.  UGH!!!

Off big brothers. car:

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Using the stop sign on our corner (and No, he isn't in a hurricane, just showing off!  LOL):

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Of the SUV:

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and off the house (boy did he get chewed out for this!):

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and the neighbor's (another chewing out):

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Sometimes I wish I had never taught him basic gymnastics...he is too daring for me!  ;)

 

LadyPoet33

 

 

 

 

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• Apr. 16, 2008 - Nature hike pictures

 

I have been sick!  I have a sore throat, swollen tonsils, runny, stuffy nose, sneezing etc... 

I'm sorry I haven't been on here. 

I promised to post pictures of our nature hike, so here they are:

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Here are my kids from my 20yod to my 7yos.  My daughter is holding hands with a young man that has been courting her. 

It was cold, so most of us wore coats, but as you can see, a few of the rebellious ones didn't.  LOL  They suffered the consequences.  Here we are walking over a frozen lake.

Here is a better picture of the lake:

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My 15yos had to climb up to the top of the island in the middle of the lake and have dad take his picture.  I was at the bottom panting to death.  LOL

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And dad had to take one last photo of the sunset before we left and came home for Sunday dinner:

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It was too cold that day to do much more than explore and find some cool stones, some animal tracks, and throw rocks at the ice in the middle to see how big of a rock we needed to break through the weak part.  LOL

We did some paintings of a frozen waterfall, but I don't have pictures of them.  I'll have to post them another time.

Happy Learning!

LadyPoet33

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• Mar. 29, 2008 - Easter Pics

 

I just thought I would post some pictures of our Easter.

This is one of the kids at the top of the stairs waiting for the go ahead to get started.  They are SO tired.  The little ones got everyone out of bed at 6 a.m.  LOL

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This little guy (my youngest) gathered in more eggs than anyone else.  He did share though.  :)

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Then they went looking for their baskets.

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Here is my 15yos, and his 17yo brother in back still looking for his Easter basket.  LOL

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Sister found hers...brother still looking for his in the background.  LOL

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Finally he found it!  LOL...Now he can go BACK to sleep...NOT!!!  We have early morning church services.  LOL

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We took a ride later, and walked across a frozen lake.  I'll post pictures later.

LadyPoet33

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• Mar. 12, 2008 - China and nature studies

We did a co-op today.  We studied more about China and the words they use.  We learned a few words in Chinese...including our names.

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Here is a closer look:

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Then we studied about rocks and minerals.  We had a box and all the names, we had to sort the rocks and put them in their proper place. 

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And we studied a bit more about the qualities of gems, rocks and minerals:

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I can't wait until it warms up so we can do some nature walks and collect flowers, plants, butterflies, bugs, and rocks.  But today, we did some stuff inside.  It was a lot of fun!

LadyPoet33

 

 

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• Mar. 2, 2008 - It's a ZOO!!! Pictures!

We took a day last week and went to the zoo.

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Here are my two youngest in front of the white alligator.  This alligator was found in Florida, it is not an albino, but is actually this way for some other reason...which I didn't quite understand.  LOL  But it was cool to watch!

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Next we wandered over to the eating area, and the turkeys were just running around.  They are really fun to watch.  My youngest said they looked okay from the front, but not the back. LOL

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Here is a good photo of the female turkey:

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And this was my favorite part.  Getting so see the new baby giraffe.  She is so cute.  We spoke with one of the workers who was getting their food ready.  He was chopping up vegetables and getting bales of hay ready for the giraffes.  The baby is being weaned, and we learned so much about what they eat.  We also got to watch as they were fed.  I felt bad for the people who didn't take the time to speak to the gentelman in the small room with all the veggies, they missed out on a lot.  LOL

We made sketches of the baby giraffe for our nature notebooks.  Very fun!

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Dad got some great photos of the tiger and the other big cats.  I don't have those.  It began to snow (unexpectedly) and we ran for our car to get home before it got too bad.  But is was a fun day!

LadyPoet33

 

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• Feb. 7, 2008 - Chinese New Year Celebration...Homeschool style!!!

Well, the last few weeks have been crazy for me.  My daughter had a reaction to the Lamictal the doctor gave her for seizures and she broke out in a deadly rash and had to be taken off of it...so we are back on the guinea pig route...I hate that about having epilepsy...every doctor looks at you like a guinea pig...Maybe they don't but it sure feels that way.  Well, she has to wait 10 days and then go on another medication called Keppra.  Time to do some studying.

In the mean time I will show you the Chinese New Year Celebration we did this year.  A few friends and I started a small homeschool co-op, we meet just 4 times per month and we learn Spanish, geography, science, cooking class, and history.

Well, this week we did a Chinese New Year celebration (well, I helped a bit, my friend Clarissa did most of the work LOL, she is much better at this than I am).

Here are some of the pictures:

These are called courtship dolls.  Given to couples when they are married.  When they are loving...they face each other...

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When you are mad at one another...they face away from each other...

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This would never leave a husband in doubt if his wife was mad at him, if she gave him the silent treatment.  LOL

This is one of the little girls who attends our co-op.  Her mom dressed her up in an oriental dress, put her hair up in a bun and put a chinese word on her face...I cannot remember what it says.  LOL  Isn't she DARLING though?

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The kids made oriental food for cooking class (Lo mein noodles and fried rice):

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Here is my 9yos making fried rice with his sister's help:

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Here is my 7yos enjoying the food:

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The kids made paper dragons and then danced with their dragons to Chinese New Year music...very fun!

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We spent so much time having fun, that we didn't do history this day.  I sent home a small paper about the great wall of china and a coloring page for their timeline.

I encourage all homeschool moms to set a low key co-op group up with mothers who have your same values.  It is very fun for the kids, and I don't worry now about science, geography etc...

Happy Learning!

LadyPoet33

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• Jan. 22, 2008 - VERY Funny!!!!

LadyPoet33

The Bitter Homeschooler's Wish List

By Deborah Markus, from Secular Homeschooling Magazine, Issue #1, Fall 2007

1 Please stop asking us if it's legal. If it is — and it is — it's insulting to imply that we're criminals. And if we were criminals, would we admit it?

2 Learn what the words "socialize" and "socialization" mean, and use the one you really mean instead of mixing them up the way you do now. Socializing means hanging out with other people for fun. Socialization means having acquired the skills necessary to do so successfully and pleasantly. If you're talking to me and my kids, that means that we do in fact go outside now and then to visit the other human beings on the planet, and you can safely assume that we've got a decent grasp of both concepts.

3 Quit interrupting my kid at her dance lesson, scout meeting, choir practice, baseball game, art class, field trip, park day, music class, 4H club, or soccer lesson to ask her if as a homeschooler she ever gets to socialize.

4 Don't assume that every homeschooler you meet is homeschooling for the same reasons and in the same way as that one homeschooler you know.

5 If that homeschooler you know is actually someone you saw on TV, either on the news or on a "reality" show, the above goes double.

6 Please stop telling us horror stories about the homeschoolers you know, know of, or think you might know who ruined their lives by homeschooling. You're probably the same little bluebird of happiness whose hobby is running up to pregnant women and inducing premature labor by telling them every ghastly birth story you've ever heard. We all hate you, so please go away.

7 We don't look horrified and start quizzing your kids when we hear they're in public school. Please stop drilling our children like potential oil fields to see if we're doing what you consider an adequate job of homeschooling.

8 Stop assuming all homeschoolers are religious.

9 Stop assuming that if we're religious, we must be homeschooling for religious reasons.

10 We didn't go through all the reading, learning, thinking, weighing of options, experimenting, and worrying that goes into homeschooling just to annoy you. Really. This was a deeply personal decision, tailored to the specifics of our family. Stop taking the bare fact of our being homeschoolers as either an affront or a judgment about your own educational decisions.

11 Please stop questioning my competency and demanding to see my credentials. I didn't have to complete a course in catering to successfully cook dinner for my family; I don't need a degree in teaching to educate my children. If spending at least twelve years in the kind of chew-it-up-and-spit-it-out educational facility we call public school left me with so little information in my memory banks that I can't teach the basics of an elementary education to my nearest and dearest, maybe there's a reason I'm so reluctant to send my child to school.

12 If my kid's only six and you ask me with a straight face how I can possibly teach him what he'd learn in school, please understand that you're calling me an idiot. Don't act shocked if I decide to respond in kind.

13 Stop assuming that because the word "home" is right there in "homeschool," we never leave the house. We're the ones who go to the amusement parks, museums, and zoos in the middle of the week and in the off-season and laugh at you because you have to go on weekends and holidays when it's crowded and icky.

14 Stop assuming that because the word "school" is right there in homeschool, we must sit around at a desk for six or eight hours every day, just like your kid does. Even if we're into the "school" side of education — and many of us prefer a more organic approach — we can burn through a lot of material a lot more efficiently, because we don't have to gear our lessons to the lowest common denominator.

15 Stop asking, "But what about the Prom?" Even if the idea that my kid might not be able to indulge in a night of over-hyped, over-priced revelry was enough to break my heart, plenty of kids who do go to school don't get to go to the Prom. For all you know, I'm one of them. I might still be bitter about it. So go be shallow somewhere else.

16 Don't ask my kid if she wouldn't rather go to school unless you don't mind if I ask your kid if he wouldn't rather stay home and get some sleep now and then.

17 Stop saying, "Oh, I could never homeschool!" Even if you think it's some kind of compliment, it sounds more like you're horrified. One of these days, I won't bother disagreeing with you any more.

18 If you can remember anything from chemistry or calculus class, you're allowed to ask how we'll teach these subjects to our kids. If you can't, thank you for the reassurance that we couldn't possibly do a worse job than your teachers did, and might even do a better one.

19 Stop asking about how hard it must be to be my child's teacher as well as her parent. I don't see much difference between bossing my kid around academically and bossing him around the way I do about everything else.

20 Stop saying that my kid is shy, outgoing, aggressive, anxious, quiet, boisterous, argumentative, pouty, fidgety, chatty, whiny, or loud because he's homeschooled. It's not fair that all the kids who go to school can be as annoying as they want to without being branded as representative of anything but childhood.

21 Quit assuming that my kid must be some kind of prodigy because she's homeschooled.

22 Quit assuming that I must be some kind of prodigy because I homeschool my kids.

23 Quit assuming that I must be some kind of saint because I homeschool my kids.

24 Stop talking about all the great childhood memories my kids won't get because they don't go to school, unless you want me to start asking about all the not-so-great childhood memories you have because you went to school.

25 Here's a thought: If you can't say something nice about homeschooling, shut up!

(while I wouldn't say shut up...I would wish that they would ask their questions appropriately, instead of going about it with the erroneous idea that they know everything there is to know about homeschoolers.)

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• Jan. 17, 2008 - Yikes!!!

Yikes!!!  Our lives are crazy right now. 

My daugher has been diagnosed with epilepsy (like me), she has gran mal seizures.

The same day, half our family was diagnosed with strep.

Tristen got bit by a spider, and it swelled up and I had to take him to the doctor.

Because of all the stress and the fact that my doctor neglected to call in a seizure medication for me, I had a close call with a gran mal seizure 5 nights ago.

I have been running myself ragged and finally had to quit my job because of the stress.

Currently we are all sick in bed...I have not left the bed for 2 days. 

I apologize for not being on here, but I hope you understand.

Please keep us in your prayers.  We need the Lord's blessing right now.

LadyPoet33

 

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• Dec. 18, 2007 - True Christians!!!

I just wanted to do this blog to thank all the true Christian homeschoolers who have helped my foster nephew Tristen.

I wanted to send out some photos so you can see what you have helped to happen.  I am tearing up as I write this.  Jesus said "By their fruits ye shall know them"...I know true Christians...because they have showered this little boy with such love and help that I find myself in awe of how loving people are.  The parable of the "Good Samaritan" is happening. 

When I found Tristen (I have not seen him for several months, and was under the impression that he was in another part of the state with his mother.  He wasn't.  His mother is my foster sister (we lived in the same home, she was my foster parent's natural daughter), so we grew up together.  Tristen has known me as is aunt his whole life.

This is where he was living:

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He lived in the front part, in a makeshift room.  He was living with his grandparents (my foster parents) who have some serious health problems.  So, it was very hard for them to care for him.

I drove home that day crying, and feeling like our family should do something to help him.  He had a small tree 1 1/2 foot tall, and 2 presents wrapped in newspaper.  I literally sobbed the whole way home.

My hubby and I prayed about it into the wee hours of the morning...and got an answer...we HAD to bring him into our home, and take care of him until his mom gets out of jail, and gets a place and a job.  He needed us, and the Lord had been guiding us to him...we just didn't realize it.

I picked him up the next day.  The grandparents were very glad, because they were having such a hard time taking care of him.  They both are home bound with their health problems.  My foster dad has MS and my foster mom has emphazema (sp?) she is on oxygen all the time.

Tristen's message to everyone who has brought by clothing, coats, food, money etc... is:

"Thank you very much!  I love you!  Have a VERY MERRY CHRISTmas!" ~Tristen

Here are some pictures of him and my boys at home:

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My son isn't smiling (LOL).  He and Tristen have a lot of fun together.  This is pretty much, what they do all day...wrestle around.  ;)

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Here he is with my boys in front of the fireplace. 

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This is a picture we took in front of a home that is sponsored by the "Make A Wish Foundation".  The lights dance to music.  We have a tradition of driving around one night before Christmas, and looking at all the lights and Nativity scenes.  We end the night with a big mug of Hot Chocolate.

My friends, you have no idea what a difference you have made in the life of this child.  He is such a sweet boy.  I can't thank you enough...it simply isn't possible.

God bless you..and have a Merry Christmas!

We will!

LadyPoet33

 

 

 

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• Dec. 16, 2007 - Christmas Party!!!

We had such a fun Christmas party.  I called the local skating rink, and asked them if I could bring my ipod with my own songs with clean lyrics...they said yes.  So we had a wonderful Christmas skating party that was clean.

I had so many moms come up and thank me afterward, saying that this was a good party, and they loved the music.

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Anyone like Hokey Pokey?  (yes, they are ALL homeschoolers!)

We had a cooky costume contest (say that fast three times).  These are some of the winners:

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This little gal dressed up as a Christmas tree.

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This little gal was an elf.

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This little gal dressed up as a present.

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There were prizes for each costume, and for some trivia questions.  This gal won a copy of my book, by  being the first to come up with the definition between a simile and a metaphor. 

We had such fun.  We had a limbo contest, and skated to some wonderful classics from the nutcracker ballet, and some "Mercy Me" songs, mixed with a lot of Christmas music.  It was very fun.

I shoud add, that we have taken in a young boy whom was in a bad situation.  I will post info about it later.  He is my foster sister's little boy, and he was in a bad situation.  I will post info about it later.  He is safe, warm, clean and living in our home.

Have a Merry CHRISTmas my friends!

LadyPoet33

 

 

 

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• Dec. 2, 2007 - Snowstorm and Grasshoppers!!!

 

Well, we got our first real snowstorm, and this is what we did.  We built a snowman, made snow angels and began construction on a snowfort.  It got warm today and so it is melting, so we have decided to suspend construction on it until Tuesday when we are expecting more snow!!

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Many of you may remember the post awhile back when we were cutting down the weeds in our yard, of how my (then 6yo) son, grabbed all the grasshoppers he could find and let them loose in my fake tree, because (as he put it) we were cutting down their wild, and they need their wild to live.  So, he thought the fake tree would do well enough for them.  LOL  We caught most of them and put them outside before it got too cold...but we must have missed one.  Well, the poor thing was discovered a couple of weeks ago...

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In the fold of my victorian couch.  LOL  It must have lived quite some time, because we clean that room regularly (it's the room we entertain in).  I know the photo is fuzzy, but it's the best I could do.

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Yes, this is a bit fake.  I called his big brother to get the camera and when I had it, I took pictures of the grasshopper.  My 7yos came in to see what was going on, and his eyes lit up like this.  I did not catch it with the camera, so I told him to make that face again.  This is pretty close.  He was so exicted to find it, but sad that it had died.  He buried it in the yard.

This child constantly keeps me laughing.  I just can't seem to stop to catch my breath.  My last post was about him chopping off his dinosaur's head so he could pickle it in a jar like the scientists do.

My two younger boys have turned their bedroom into a doctors/scientists office, and they go to "work" every morning reading books on the human body...and then treating their "patients" (who are the stuffed animals they have).

I bought them dolls for Christmas.  They don't know this yet.  They have been using the stuffed animals to play "Dad" with.  They named them, and have been wrapping them in blankets and co-sleeping with their "babies".  I was even asked to babysit a couple of times.  I was told not to let "grandpa" watch them, because he always takes them out of his bed where they put them under the covers, and puts them on the floor.  LOL  So, I bought these dolls for them.  I bought clothes, blankets, bottles and such too. 

They will get all the boy toys too of course, but I thought this was a fantastic way to let them practice their dad skills.  Who said only girls can get to practice with dolls?  LOL

Happy Learning!

LadyPoet33

 

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• Nov. 6, 2007 - Hilarious!!!

Do you have a child that just lives in his imagination all the time?   I do!  LOL  I had to share this photo of my 6yos, who had decapitated his dinosaur and pickled the head for his "laboratory". 

 

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I couldn't stop laughing as I was taking this picture.  He had made his room into a "science lab" and had this on display in his "lab".  I almost peed my pants laughing at this!

Do any of you other homeschool parents have a child that just keeps you in stitches?  Do they just live by their own set of rules and keep you constantly laughing yourself silly?  I LOVE homeschooling!

The other pictures are of our Halloween day.  We made Spider hats, and read "The Spider and the Fly" by Mary Howitt.  Very fun!

11-5-07251.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

11-5-07250.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

We are getting ready for Thanksgiving.  We are having only one family member over.  I wish there were more, but everyone is going elsewhere because my in-laws are still in Australia.

Happy Learning!

LadyPoet33

 

 

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• Oct. 26, 2007 - Florida...AHHH!

Okay, I've been hanging out at the beach writing poetry.  Hubby's company sent us to Naples, Florida for a week.  He had to come to a seminar and I came along for the beach.   He is in the seminar all day, so I am alone laying on the beach writing poetry...I love it!

Here are some photos and one of my poems.

View from our hotel:

10-26-07003.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

10-26-07001.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

My spot for the last 3 days:

10-26-07006.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

Some birds I found on my nature walk:

10-26-07027.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

10-26-07030.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

A lizard.  (these run all over here and each one looks different).

10-26-07005.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

This is a little friend I found on the beach.  There is a cute story that goes with this.

10-26-07022.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

It seems a universal truth that as soon as a grown up heads out on a nature walk, any child around that person will follow.  LOL 

I set out on my nature walk, and began looking for shells and birds.  I found I was being followed.  By several children.  The most friendly one, was a little boy.  He came right up to me on the rocks (right after I found my little crabby friend) and when he saw it, his eyes got HUGE!  He started asking me how to find one.  I told him where to look.  I told him that in California these are all over the place.  He couldn't believe that.  He said he lives in Miami and hadn't seen these except in cages. 

He began looking for one.  Soon joined by other children and some parents.  I took some pictures of this little creature and was planning to set him free.  This little boy was so cute.  I had to do something.

I gave my friend to this little boy, and he could not believe his luck.  He was so excited.  I made him promise to ask his mom first, and make sure to get a proper cage and food.  He ran to do so.  His mom said yes, and he showed me the cage and the hotel gave him some food for the hermit crab. 

He kept coming up to me all day and talking to me about things he had found.  He gave me a big shell he found (to thank me for the crab).  LOL

He asked me if I lived in California, and I told him no.  I said I live in Utah, and he said: "Wow!  You are lucky!".  Here I am thinking this kid lives in Florida and he thinks I am lucky...?  I asked him why he thought so and he said it was because I have snow where I live.  I thought that was funny.  He said he had never seen snow before, and he spoke about it like it was something magical.  I hated to burst his bubble, that it is messy, wet, and very hard to drive in.  LOL

It's been a fun few days!

I do love how warm and nice it is here.  The ocean is so warm, and the sand so soft.  I am so glad I came here with hubby.

Here is my poem, I wrote it while I was laying on the beach.  While I did say "Mother Moon", I do not mean to imply that I am a nature worshiper.  I just thought of it as the moon watching over the waves, much like a mother watches over her children.  I just wanted to make that clear that I love the Lord's creations, and I KNOW who made them.  That being said, here is my poem:

 

Encore!              By Debbi A. Edmons 10/26/07

 

Sentinals stand guard in the distance

Arms outstretched

Whispering their approval

A devine glow about them

Mother moon watches on

Each flowing movement; a birth

Her creations are breathtaking

She allows all to look on in wonderment

Pulling and tugging

Like a puppet master at work

She makes them dance

For all to see

Fluffy white gossamer curtains

Draw closed

But the sound of the dance goes on

Bravo!  Encore!

 

LadyPoet33

 

 

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• Oct. 17, 2007 - Paintings and Lapbooks

My children's grandparents (on hubby's side) are in Australia serving a mission to the aboriginals, teaching them about the Lord.

We decided to do a unit study on Australia, and the aboriginals.  I think you'll like what we did.

10-17-07002.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

Here is my 6yos getting the canvas ready for our aboriginal paintings.  You have to paint it all black the night before.

Here is our lapbook.  This is the front:

10-17-07004.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

This is the inside of it.  Many things to do, and we learned so much!

10-17-07006.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

Here is the back with our aboriginal art book:

10-17-07026.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

Here is inside the book, and all the symbols they use for their artwork.  Also some samples of the artwork on a canvas and on boomerangs.

10-17-07027.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

10-17-07028.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

Here we are the next day painting on our canvases. 

10-17-07035.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

This is my 6yos painting:

10-17-07033.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

This is my 8yos painting:

10-17-07037.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

and here is mine:

10-17-07036.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

I know they are rough, but hey...it was our first time!  LOL

Each painting tells a story.  My 6yos is about a camping trip we took.  My 8yos is about a camping trip we took in the desert, and he even remembered catching the "goanna's" (lizards), and incorporated that into the painting.

Mine is about a camping trip we took in the mountains this summer.  My in-laws had come back from Australia for a bit, because my mother-in-law's mother was dying.  I put them around the campfire with us on the bottom right, they are the one's with headresses.  On the right and left of the painting you can see a man and a woman in white...I used those to represent my mother-in-law's parents who are both passed on now. 

We learned so much about Australia with this.  Even learned that they have a queen instead of a president...guess who it is?  Queen Elizibeth II of England.  She rules Australia as well. 

I still think the most fun part was trying to do the aboriginal paintings.

Happy Learning!

LadyPoet33

 

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• Oct. 15, 2007 - Nature fieldtrip and seizures

 

We took a couple of small excursions to the mountains, and got these lovely pictures.  We do love being outdoors and traveling as much as possible.  For us 4 hours is a short drive.  LOL

 

This is a picture of some falls called Bridal Veil Falls because they look like a bride's veil.  They are huge and very pretty with the leaves all changing colors around them.

RonBridalVeilFalls.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

We ended up at a place called Cascade Springs.  This is a set of natural springs that flow all year round...even when it freezes.  There are fish "brown trout" that have been in these springs for longer than anyone can remember.  They are quite fun to watch, as they jump out of the water to catch their bugs.  There is no fishing allowed here.

Ronbrowntrout.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

Here is everybody but my two oldest, they had to stay home for work this day...on a bridge over the springs.  I actually got dad in this one, because he is usually the one behind the camera.  I have my own, so now I can capture him from time to time.  ;)

10-14-07003.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

Here is a classic "Dad" picture.  He is our photographer.  He has taught me quite a bit, but you still have to get my amateur photos...he keeps his on his computer. 

Ronwithcamera.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

Here is my 17yos.  He is wearing his classic blank t-shirt, and a smile, because his sister was behind me teasing him about girls.  LOL

RonRJ.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

Here is my 14yos on a nature trail around the springs.

RonJacob.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

Here he is showing off for the camera on an overlook of the mountains.  If you think this is something, you should see his backflips.  This is the one we can't keep still for 2 seconds...this one and our 6yos.  I wish I could bottle that energy and sell it...I'd be the richest person in the world!  LOL

RonJacobHandstand.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

Here are my two youngest.  Enjoying the leaves of Autumn.  Isn't this just beautiful?

RonCorbinJosh.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

Now to my daughter.  She has had a rough week.  She broke off the courtship with the young man that was courting her.  She felt he wasn't taking his faith seriously enough.  She takes her faith very seriously.  This was a biggie for her, and I am very pleased that she called it off.  I think it shows great maturity that she was able to see that this would not be good for her future, and called it off before they got attached.  Even then, she is having a tough time of it, because he was a nice guy...just not marriage material.

She was also robbed this week by a guy at the bank.  He stole her wallet right there in the bank.  He dropped it outside, when my hubby (who had driven her there) took chase  and the bank called the police. 

On top of all that, she went for a doctor appointment (she sees a female naturopathic doctor) because she caught a cold that turned into bronchitis.  The doctor prescribed some antibiotics and asked her to get an injection of magnesium to boost her immunity.  She passed out after the injection.  Then she went to sit in the car with her brother who she had taken along for the ride, and she went into a seizure.  We were called to come and get her. 

10-14-07059-Copy.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

Many of you know that I am epileptic.  But you may not know that my mother was epileptic as well, and my grandmother had seizures, but they never diagnosed her with epilepsy...it was before the modern technology we have now.  So we have a history of this in the women in our family, and it is directly related to hormones...progesterone levels to be exact.  My mother passed away when I was 14, so I cannot go to her to ask questions, and grandma passed away in 1998.  So, we are weathering this alone.

I am taking her to the neurologist this week to get a CAT scan done to see if she has the same brain anomoly(sp?) that I do.  If she does, then we go back to the naturopath for treatment.  This is the same doctor who stopped my seizures 3 years ago with hormones.  If she doesn't have the anomoly, then we can assume that it is caused by the magnesium and we will go from there. 

I am told it could have been caused from the magnesium injection.  We are hoping for that possibility.  While epilepsy has it's blessings, it is a very difficult thing to live with.  We would prefer that it was a one time thing because of the injection, rather than epilepsy.  But, the Lord's will, will be done.

Please pray for our family.  We need all the prayers we can get.  We need the Lord to bless our daughter with good health if it is his will.

She has had a rough week with the break up, the robbery and now the seizure. 

LadyPoet33

 

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• Oct. 3, 2007 - Comic...my first

No matter how hard I try I cannot get the words from the NEA quote to show up in here.  They do on my copy, but when I go to view it, it has erased it.  I don't know what else to do.  Giving it one more try.

I was inspired by Jugglingpaynes to make a comic.  I have to warn you that it is a bit of satire.  Many seem to to see the humor in my comic.  I'm not as good as my friend is.  This is my first comic, so give me a break.  

  

Many have asked what it says in the bubble.  It's a quote from the NEA's latest list of resolutions:

"When homeschooling occurs, students must meet all state requirements, including taking and passing assesments to ensure adequate academic progress.  Instruction should be by persons who are licensed by the appropriate state education licensure agency and use a curriculum approved by the state..." ~NEA 2007 Resolutions  

 

I feel like I am being chased by the Borg!  I must be assimilated or die!  LOL

I think it is comical how so many times science fiction mirrors true life.  Tell me your thoughts on this...and please...laugh!  If we don't laugh about this, we will give them power and we will go crazy!
 LadyPoet33

TER2.jpg picture by LadyPoet33

 Happy Learning!

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About Me

I am new to this blogging thing, so you'll have to put up with my inexperience. I am a homeschool mom of 5 (for the last 10 years). I love poetry (reading and writing), oil painting, water colors, cooking and scrapbooking. I love science fiction, and enjoy the mountains in the summer and fall. We enjoy bug collecting, rock collecting, and plant pressing. We love our nature notebooks, and our nature walks. I look forward to learning from you all. I love Charlotte Mason, be we use in conjunction with other forms of learning. We are flexible. LOL

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