This morning we woke up and went to the church to help get some decorations ready for VBS and was there for about 2 hours. After we left we went to lunch and then Walmart and Ingles for groceries and supplies. We got to come home for about 1 1/2 hours before leaving again for my nephew's birthday party. They had up one of those big blow up water slides and the kids had a real good time with that. I went ahead and came home about 7:00 because I was already pretty tired. Hubby and dd stayed and played volleyball until 9:30. Now time for showers and calming down for bed.

Nothing really special going on today. We stayed home most of the day. Finished a book. Dd finished Anne of Green Gables and absolutely loved it. Later in the afternoon we picked up two of dd's close friends and went to the library for a paper bead workshop. They made necklaces and braclets. After the class we took the girls home and went to Zaxbys for dinner then walmart to pick up a few items. Once we got home the director of our homeschool group came over to pick up some items for park day today and she stayed and talked for awhile. We are having troubles with our pool and the temperature has dropped some in the pool so we haven't been swimming for about a week. Hopefully that will change for this weekend.

As I have mentioned before our church started a food pantry about 5 months ago. We meet on the 2nd Wednesday of each month to hand out food to the needy. It is always such a blessing to meet the people that come in. It really makes you appreciate what you have compared to the troubles you see in other families lives. Today was our highest total every... 100 families came in to receive free boxes of food. I think this next month we will need to start filling more than 100 to hand out. Dd enjoys going each time also. She hangs out in the gym and helps carry out the boxes to families cars.

After lunch me and dd went to the library to turn in some of her hours for tickets and find some more books for her and me. I had gotten done to almost nothing to read. I tend to go through about two books a week. But that is only in the summer. Once school starts there is no way for me to read that much. Dd has been reading Anne of Green Gables and throughly enjoying it. We watched the movie a few months back and she loved it too. Maybe one day soon we wil watch the second in the series.

Today we went to a local art store and they had alot of buy one get one free items. I got two paint by numbers sets, two comic book drawing kits, and a rock painting book for kids.

   

Here is two of the items we purchased. Right now the trick is to keep dd from getting to them and working on them now.

I do alot of different crafts. Beading, cross stitching, quilting, and crocheting. All of these items are in various plastic bins around the house. I thought it might be a good idea to have them all in one area where I can get to them easily. Well, I have a 12 drawer dresser in my bedroom that holds under things, socks, shorts, night clothes and bathing suits. But alot of the stuff in the drawers were never worn. First thing I did was go through each drawer and pick out the items that we would not use anymore, then put the items that we would use in plastic drawer type bins in our closet. One for hubby and one for me. Now I had all of those drawers to fill with my craft supplies. Yippee!! I want you to know that I filled every single drawer. I have alot of fabric which took up about 4 drawers just on its own. It took about 3 hours to do but I am so glad that I did. Now everything is at hand if I get the urge to do something.

                       

This morning I woke up and felt like doing something for my country. This picture is of our local courthouse in Habersham County. This morning was scheduled a July 4th Tea Party. I am an avid watcher of Fox News and especially of Glenn Beck, so I definitely know what a tea party is. We are a small community so our turn out was probably about 100. The tea party had to compete with the local parade and everyone else's plans. I just really felt the need to go. I do not agree with how things are going with our country. Changes need to be made and quick. After I came back home I was really glad that I had gone.

Tonight we are heading over to my sister's house for a July 4th party. Food, volleyball, friends, and a homemade ice cream contest. Who could turn down that invitation.

I have always wanted a full size globe. We have a huge map of the United States and one of the world hanging on our walls, but it just isn't the same. Today we went to a yard sale on our way to the store and low and behold I found a globe that looks just like this one and it only cost me $1.00. Yeah! Can't wait to start using it.

 

God Bless America!!

I have read so many blogs over the past week about families that use the workbox system. Everyone talks so much about going to places like the dollor store, target, etc and getting really great things to put in the boxes. I don't know if it is because I am looking for older children items or what but I really haven't been finding anything that is that good. I did find alot of items from the dollar tree to go in my reward box. To start the school year off with as little grumbling as possible I have decided to do a reward box for good behavior and nongrumbling. I have been thinking about some things that I already have here at home to go in the workboxes and this is what I have come up with so far:

• Beading Projects
• Cross stitch
• Baking
• Sewing
• Where in the World Game
• Drawing
• Art and Craft Projects
• Write Letters or Cards
• Geography Terms Index Cards
• Dice Math Games
• Rock Painting
• Digital Photography
• Audio Stories
• Measuring Liquids and Linear
• Keepers At Home Projects
• Jumping Rope
• Computer Games
• Crosswood Puzzles
• Listening to Classical Music
• Counting Money
• Piano Practice
• Spelling Blaster Game
• Math Blaster Game
• Scrabble Card Game
• Exotic Birds Puzzle
• Matchstix Games - Logic
• Nature Journal

If anyone has any other ideas I would really appreciate your commets. These ideas would be for a 10 year old girl.

Today is my sister's birthday. We are all meeting for lunch at Longhorns to celebrate. I got her a shirt and necklace as her present. After lunch we are going to the library to turn in a bunch of books and dd needs a couple of new ones for her reading program. The library is also have a pottery workshop we hope to attend. Dd is really looking forward to that. So far we have attended all of the programs initiated by the library this summer. Wonderful free entertainment. Hopefully when we get back this afternoon we can hop in the pool to cool  off.

    Okay, pound cake is my very favorite cake. I have never been a fan of frosting. Just to sweet. My grandmother used to make the best pound cake ever, crusty top, yummm! But her recipe passed on with her 17 years ago. So I have been on a search for years for the perfect recipe, and yesterday I found it. I made this yesterday and it is delicious.

Eliza's Pound Cake

• 2 sticks butter
• 1 cup shortening
• 2 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 5 eggs
• 3 cups plain flour
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tsp. vanilla

Cream butter, shortening, sugar, and salt together. Add eggs indivisually and beat well between each addition. Add flour and milk alternately and beat well between each addition. Add vanilla and beat until vanilla is mixed throughout. Bake in a greased and floured pan at 300 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Oven may vary. Use the clean toothpick test to make sure center is done.

2 tsp. vanilla

I was wondering if anyone out there would like to have their child be a pen pal. My daughter who is 10 is very interested in doing this. We live in Georgia and it would be great to meet some girls her own age from other states and compare lives. If you are interested, please email me at knechtslodge@yahoo.com.

I really didn't know how else to title the entry. As I have written before, my aunt is battling terminal breast cancer. We got the call two nights ago that she now has edema and are treating it with lasix. This type of edema is from the cancer which has spread so rapidly in her body. Eventually the edema will take over which makes her have shortness of breath and will start shutting down her major organs. A few weeks ago the doctos had said maybe 6 months but now they are talking only a matter of weeks. Me, my mother, and my sister went to visit with her yesterday and she was having a really good day. We stayed for about 5 hours. She didn't have to start using her oxygen until about 1 1/2 hours in to our visit. It is hard to look at her right now and know that she will not be with us for much longer. She is totally okay with everything and ready to leave this world and move on in to the next and sit at the feet of Jesus. The day was sad but also alot of laughing took place. She also had her daughter, one of her sons and some other people in the house too. It was kind of like a subdued party. We plan on going back again on Monday or Tuesday of next week. She lives about one hour away. Me and my aunt have always been very much alike and she has always kidded that I was actually hers (she has 6 children of her own and I think 19 grandchildren). We have always been able to talk very frank about everything, even her leaving this world. Yesterday I told her it would be really great if once she was gone she could give me some kind of sign that she was in heaven and okay. But I was quick to point out that I didn't want a hauting. Ha! Ha! Some may find that comment morbid but she thought it was hilarious and she just laughed and laughed and I think that is what she needs right now instead of people staring at her and crying all the time. Anyway I am looking forward to going back and seeing her as much as possible. At this point she has zero pain. She is asking everyone to contineu praying for her to have little to no pain. Please pray for her and my family as we go through this process. Her name is Linda.

Okay, everywhere these days I am coming across blogs discussing the uses of this workbox system. I myself have investigated it more than once. At first I was gung ho about doing it, then the more I read it just seemed like it was for the younger crowd, mine is going into 5th grade. But again a couple of months later I am reading alot of encouraging things about the system. So I have taken the plunge and we will start using it the 1st of August when we start back to school. Today I went to the dollar store to purchase all my containers for just a dollar a piece, not to much of an investment. While I was there I also purchased some activities books to use for fun. Luckily I don't need to purchase the metal rolling rack because I have built in shelving right beside our school table that can be used. I am looking forward to this concept because dd needs to start working more independently and this will help her move in that direction. As I purchase items I will let you know some of the fun stuff I have added to go with the regular daily materials.

Friday was the last day of Mosaic Art Camp. Dd was very sad to see it end. Friday night the church had everyone come back and see what their kids had been working on all week. Drama, dance, music, storytelling, and instrumental all performed. They had the rest of the gym set up like an art gallery. Dd also took art and a few of her creations were on display. Much to our surprise when we got there her drawing called The Colorful Peacock won a second place ribbon. She was very excited about that.

Today (Saturday) was fun also except for all the money spent at the grocery store. We started the morning off with a trip tot he library for a program on felting. Dd mad a coaster and a finger puppet. After the program we picked dad up and went to Red Lobster for lunch. We had not eaten there since New Year's Eve. When we were finished, it was delicious, we went to super walmart for groceries. One hundred and seventy dollars later we made it home and decided to swim. It is incredibly hot today. Nice to get in the pool for a while and cool off. Tonight we will grill out hamburgers for dinner and I will do some more work on my cross stitch piece.

Today was dd's third day at art camp. She is having such a great time. They are learning a dance to  perform on Friday night for all the families in dance class, an oil pastel project in art, and writing a story in creative writing. Today I had to pick her up about 15 minutes early to head off to a puppet workshop at the library. She got to create her own puppet. She really enjoyed that too. We got home a little after two. We have been so busy and the summer is passing by so fast. I had planned for us to do alot more in our Zoology book, but fun things just keep getting in the way. Family, friends, swimming, summer programs, and relaxing. I think we are going to put it on the back burner and pick it back up again in August when we start school back. Last year we started back in July, but I think we need more of a rest this year. When August gets here not only we will have school, but two fine arts classes at Trinity and a art and music co-op at our house twice a month. So we might as well rest up while we can.

This morning started the first day of dd's art camp. The camp was held by one of the local churches and it is called Mosaic Arts Camp. They pull professionals from the community to come in for a week and teach classes for children 1st - 6th grade. Classes such as drama, music, guitar, photography, dance, art, storytelling, and pottery are offerred. You pick your top three and hope for the best. 130 children signed up and they had to close down for any more. Dd signed up for dance, art, and photography. Unfortunately she didn't get photography but storytelling instead which is actually creative writing. I was very proud of dd, normally she is incredibly nervous about new situations, especially if she is by herself with no buddies to hang out with. But she came through like a champ. When I picked her up she said that was the most fun she had ever had and couldn't wait to go back tomorrow. Yeah!! After returning home and eating lunch I plunged in to organizing all my paid bills and important paperwork. This took about 3 hours. I had planned to do some work with dd tonight with the bird book but my son is taking his GED tomorrow and wanted my help with some last minute math work. If you think about it, please take some time out of your day to pray for my son and the GED test tomorrow and Wednesday. He is very nervous and really wants to get this behind him.

This weekend has been pretty low key. Friday hubby was gone all day to a friend's house to help fix his motorcycle. Dd had a friend over to play and swim. Saturday morning me and dd went to the vet to pick up my mom's dog. They were out of town and coming back that day but didn't know if they would be home by the 12:00 deadline. After lunch we decided to just hang out and have a family day out by the pool. We were out there for about 3 hours just floating, talking, and hanging out. After we dried off we decided it would be fun to go get Mexican for dinner, which we did. Then we headed to the pet store to get some fish for the pond that was up and working again and then to Wal-mart for some essentials. Today, which is Sunday, we got up and went to church. After lunch I headed over to see my dad for Father's Day. I got him and hubby a gift card to amazon. Spent some time talking with my mother then came back home. I think tonight we are grilling out hamburgers and swimming again. So far this pool has really be alot of entertainment. Tomorrow dd starts art camp. She is taking classes in photography, dance, and art. I hope she has a good time.

Tonight we read another chapter from Voyage of the Dawn Treader. I think dd is having a little trouble understanding some of it. I have to stop sometimes and explain what is going on a little further.

We finished the chapter on feathers from our Zoology book. Tonight we started an experiment about bird baths. We set up two areas for bathing - one on the ground and one is raised. This experiment is to see if birds know instinctively to use the raised because it is safer for predators or the one on the ground because that is where they typically find puddles. We learned about sunbathing, dust bathing, and water bathing. We also read about colors of feathers through pigments, items they eat, or sun reflecting off of the feathers.

  It was interesting to find out that flamingos that are kept in zoos do not normally get the kinds of foods they need to have their feathers pink, red , or orange. So zookeepers have to add carotenoids to their diet to make them stay this color.

  It was also interesting to learn that the gemlike coloring on hummingbirds as well as others is from the sun reflecting off the feathers.

We checked this book out at the library a few days ago. As I mentioned before dd still enjoys reading pictures books. This past year we had read Ben and Me and did the study guide that went along with it through Queenhomeschool. I thought looking through this book would be a good refresher on what he did with his life. Dd had a really good time looking and reading this book. The book shows what Ben invented and then looked at some of the modern day inventions that stemmed from his inventions. It brought up really good discussion about what a lightening rod was, and the second hand on the clock that Ben invented. This book has nice illustrations too.