Well I must admit that the highlight of our day, was at the end of the day. We were driving on one of the roads just inside the Smoky Mountain National Park and we came across this. 

This picture gives you a better idea how close this bear was! There is the side mirror. Of course that was on Lisa's side of the van...Since had I been driving it would have been a closed window with a bear that close! 

Here the mamma bear decides to cross the road in front of us!  I think they need bear crossing signs! 

The next class we attended for the Jr .Ranger program was the Let's Be a Scientist class at Sugarlands Visitor Center.

We learned about insects and how they affect the environment. We used screens to catch falling bugs off trees. A shaker box, and these cool suck em up thingies.

Libby holding a millipede.  

                                                          Getting a closer look at what we found. 

For lunch we stopped at Cades Cove picnic area. After eating the kids waded in the water. Well they did more than wade, and I guess we should have been prepared for swimming.

But they eventually dried out!  

  A cool looking dragon fly! I love the neon green!

Today we went and did some Jr. Ranger classes in the Smoky Mountains. This is always a delightful time in our summers.

The first class we attended was Extreme Explorers at Elkmont. We looked for clues to see what animals we might could identify were there currently or had been previously.

We learned to look for tracks, scat, and other signs for animals.

We Identified a bird nest. (A very shallow one.) So we need to look this type up. An Animal Track The lovely creek there.

Hard to see, but they are water spiders.

Termite Holes

Cool looking Fungi A large Toadstool Small orange fungi A wild looking tree Very large woodpecker holes. The ranger said they were from a Pileated Woodpecker? We gotta look that up too!

This week is our church's Vacation Bible School.

It should be alot of fun.

We had a great time earlier this week. We went to tour one of our local TV stations. We went with a group of homeschoolers. We got the chance to learn about how the news is learned and reported. We got to meet the news anchor and the weather man.

Inside the newsroom. 

                                                      Above, the news anchor, below the weatherman. 

                                              Behind the scenes camera man. 

Today we decided that Dollywood would serve as our classroom. We went with some friends.

It was the last day of the Festival of Nations, So I wanted to hit some things I believed would be truly educational for the kids. The first place we went was to see the Acrobat Show "Imagine".

It was incredible. These acrobats could ride unicycles on rolling balls and jump rope, with the unicycle on the ball. Crazy wild. We saw things we had never seen before.

Then we saw the Zamian Vocal group. We learned a little about Zambia, and Africa and the tribes etc.

We heard them sing Acapella. (A great treat.)

Then we saw the Eagles. I must admit these birds are intimidating up close. They are really large birds. We even got to see a bald eagle nest. Look how big it is

 Later during the day we learned about gravity. We learned that if get on Daredevil falls

and ride way way up, you will go way way down, way way fast! 

So next time I will stay with the little girls and let Lisa take the boys on the ride.

We also learned that if you get in a raft in a river, you will get wet.

But we also learned that we dry quickly when we dress right.

So we had a great school day today and we all learned alot! I love Homeschooling!

Friday we took the day off. We never celebrated the childrens' grades, because I normally don't make a big deal about grades or even print report cards.

But there is a local fun place that you can take your report card to. They will give you $2.00 credit for every A and $1.00 for every B. (Up to 6 grades.) So I printed out the kids semester report cards.

And of course being the little geniuses that they are, they made all A's. So they were able to get $12.00 each in play time. We had a really great day out. We will do it again at the end of our school year.

Last Friday night Lexi's GA class at church went on a camping trip! This was her first camping experience and she loved it. (Well most of it, except for the hollerin 4th and 5th graders at 5 in the morning.)  Tony and Sharon Sellars, members of the church, opened their home to us.  Tony supplied and set up all the tents for us. They also have a ministry called Anglers for Christ,  Sharon is also one of the girls teachers in GA’s.

Here are some pictures.

The sellars home.

Some of our camping buddies

Checking out the tent.

 

marshmallows and made smores.
.

 Me and Lexi by the fire.

                       Next morning crafts

Designing and signing pillowcases.

                                  Salvation bead key chains.

 Haystacks with Sharon

Last week we had a playdate with some other homeschool friends.

We had a great time. SInce we were in Knoxville, we decided to hit McKays

used book store. (We did a trade in.) And we also got a delicious pizza from

Papa Murphy's. You gotta try one of these!  We got one of the cinamon wheels too. :yum:

Even some of the moms were getting a little crazy...