Jun. 3, 2009 - Summer Plans

We school year-round ... but don't tell my children!  They need an end date. They want to be able to tell their friends when their last day of school is.  So I pick one. Usually it's the last Friday of May -- that way they get to be the first ones to be finished among their peers! LOL!

However, I have  no intention of stopping their education just because it's summer!  Don't get me wrong -- I always plan to be finished with formal homeschooling by the end of May.  I fashion my lesson plans to coincide with a "normal" school year.  But you know what? Life happens!  Man plans but God laughs!  In 20 years of homeschooling, we have never gotten 100% through with every lesson in every subject.  And I've learned .... that's okay!

Ask some public school teachers that you know ... do they finish every page of every book? No!  And why do they spend the first month back to school going over stuff from last year? Partly to review and refresh their students memories, partly to teach the stuff that didn't get taught the year before!  :o)

It's not all work throughout the summer at our house.  But I do loosely plan our days. Every day I want my children to do something:

• Physical -- bike ride, jump on the trampoline, push mow the dog pen ... something that gets the blood pumping!
• Educational -- Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays are math-related. Tuesdays and Thursdays are English/grammar/writing-related. I also read to them during lunch-time, usually a book from whatever historical time period we've been studying.
• Intellectual -- read a book, write a story, research a topic of interest, create a game, design a bird feeder, plan a party ...
• For someone else -- write a note to grandma, walk the neighbor's dog, bake cookies for their Sunday School teacher, clean out dad's car.

Some days they have friends over, but that doesn't stop me!  I can usually make sure they (and their friends!) get their 4 R's (requirements!) in ... and they usually don't even realize it!

I'll have more ideas for filling the 4 R's next time!

 For more summer fun ideas, visit Works For Me Wednesday at We Are THAT Family.

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Apr. 29, 2009 - Wordless Wednesday

My darling hubby and my 88-year-old Grandmother!

For more Wordless Wednesday pictures visit 5 Minutes for Mom  and/or Wordless Wednesday

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Apr. 22, 2009 - Creation Museum

Pssst ... don't faint!  This almost qualifies as a REAL POST!!!!

What do you call 24 people ranging in age from 5 to 80-something, who drive 300+ miles in rain, sleet and snow for 4 days in northern Kentucky?!  Crazy? LOL! Yep, crazy homeschoolers taking a fieldtrip to the Creation Museum!

Sixteen of us made the journey from southern Michigan in our motorhome.  We had a great time playing games, eating, laughing, and enjoying each other's company.

A few of the children gathered in the kitchen.  We were blessed to be able to stay at on the property of a home in the beautiful Kentucky foothills.  The family who own it were gone for the week, and gave us full reign!  It was wonderful and crazy! 

This is the main lobby of the Creation Museum.

Adam naming the animals.

Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden ... see the snake in the upper tree branch?  This entire exhibit was very multi-sensory, with water falling, the breeze blowing, birds chirping.

After the Fall.

The entrance to the bookstore ... but also a nice segue into the dinosaur picture!  :o)

Rebekah pointing out some sort of flying dinosaur to me.

We went thru the Aviary ... it was so cool to watch the birds eating right out of people's hands!

Matt (my dear husband) on the left with 2 other dads and a teen all wearing red ... totally unscripted!

We also visited the Newport Aquarium!

Unfortunately, my camera batteries died before we got to the shark-petting and penguin areas. :o(

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Apr. 21, 2009 - What she said ... #13 - Some prayer requests

In keeping with my "non-posting" posts (!) ....

Stellan is weighing heavily on my heart and mind today as he undergoes surgery.  Please, please pray fervantly for him and his "McFamily".

I have been following Katherine Wolf's blog since the beginning.  What an amazing Christian woman, wife, mother!!  Please, if you read nothing else today (well, except for the other blogs I'm mentioning today!), go read her awesome testimony -- One Year Later.

De'Etta and her family are moving to Japan!  I'm sure they would also appreciate your prayers as they prepare for this huge adjustment!

Please leave me your email or web address so I can "talk back" to your comments! :o)

Apr. 16, 2009 - Tasty Thursday!

Well, since I can't seem to put together a "real" post, I decided to try my hand at a new-to-me meme -- Tasty Thursday!  So new, in fact, that I don't even have any pictures ready to go with my recipe ... but believe me when I say that my Peachy-Lemon Cheesecake is to-die-for!!

I made two pies for our Easter dessert -- what a hit!  They looked beautiful, and you can just taste spring oozing out of every bite.  :o)

Peachy-Lemon Cheesecake

• 1 graham cracker crust
• 1-8oz. block cream cheese, softened
• 1 small container whipped topping
• 1 T. powdered sugar
• 1 large can peaches, drained
• 1 small box instant lemon pudding
• 2/3 cup milk

Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.  Fold in 1/2 whipped topping.  Spread over graham cracker crust.  Top with peaches.  Refrigerate.  Whisk lemon pudding and milk together for two minutes.  Mound over peaches.  Chill.

Mouth watering!!

I have also made a chocolate-cherry version by substituting chocolate pudding for the lemon and cherry pie filling for the peaches.  Ummhmmm!

Please leave me your email or web address so I can "talk back" to your comments! :o)