Posted in Homeschool Adventures
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Time DOES fly...all too quickly. Here it is November - I've not blogged for almost 3 months - and the holidays will be here in a blink. In talking with a friend today after church service, we both were sharing about how much "chauffering" it seems we do with the children. She told me that some days when her husband returns home from work and asks her what she did all day, she states matter of factly: "I drove"! How much time do you spend in your vehicle in a week's time? This past Wednesday I put 80 miles on my car. Praise the Lord that the fuel prices have maintained a steady downward descent! In addition to running hither and yon, we HAVE been busy with school at home. We are enjoying using Jeannie Fulbright's Exploring Creation with Zoology 1 with another home school family. Together we made ant habitats- and since doing that last Monday, my kids have been watching in awe as the busy, red ants move sand, make tunnels and even carry the dead bodies of some of their habitat mates - to where, I'm not sure. Mom (that's me) has gotten to be the official ant feeder, as no one else in the family seems to be brave enough to lift the cheese cloth cover and and drop the apple pieces in. It's been an interesting endeavor, and we have had fun watching the ants. I just pray that they don't get loose in the house. The mama deer and her twins have been frequent visitors to our home. One morning last week, they were camped out under our crab apple tree for the longest time. A four-point buck was with them (which is quite an unusual sight for daylight hours) and he appeared to be "standing guard" and not doing much eating. Soon the crab apples will be nothing but rotting mush in the lawn and on the drive, and I suspect we won't see our deer family so much. We'll look forward to more babies next Spring! Back to my lesson planning. More updates later. Happy Trails!
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Following In Momma's Shadow The time we have with our precious children is so short. Daily I am reminded of this as I see critters in God's creation change right before my eyes. This transformation causes me to pause, to reflect, to make mental notes about spending more time with my young while they still remain in the safety of my shadow. Yes, I know, God is ultimately responsible for their lives - He holds us all in the palm of His hand. I think I'll take a bit more time today and relish the gift of my children, enjoying the simple truth that they are near. Before we realize it, they will be having families of their own - with little ones walking in their shadow.
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Nothing ever stays the same, and that's a good thing. This mama doe and her young one were scampering across our front driveway area a month or so back. They live in the neighborhood near the river bottom. Just this evening -as I was driving back from town - there they were again, only this time they were munching fallen apples from a neighbor's tree. I could not believe how the little fawn had grown in such a short time. Yet it was still right under it's mama's watchful eye. I wonder if she is aware of the changes?Posted in Family Activities
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Fair week has come and gone, and we are all exhausted. The girls had wonderful experiences this year with their horses and can't wait to do it all again next August! Here are a few pictures of them in action with their buddies.
took a filthy horse and made it sparkling clean. This year it was no small challenge, as the horse they used was grey to begin with. These 3 young women look pretty happy about the result, wouldn't you say?
The next day my younger daughter competed in horse judging, horse bowl, and hippology. These events require the 4-H youth to "know their stuff" when it comes to horses. Miss A. says everything is a-okay! Even though the week was quite tiring, we enjoyed the excitement of it all. Thanks for stopping by to share in our memories!
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Groom Squad competiton was held the first night of the fair. A team of 3 (my daughter is in the middle)
In 4-H, the parents are not allowed to help with the horses in any way (unless of course the matter at hand is a safety issue). Here my girls are working together to get Kody ready for his showmanship class. He looks more interested in what's going on over at the arena.
Way to go! A blue ribbon for showmanship. All that cleaning and primping payed off, and Miss M. did the pattern just right too!
Showmanship class for Miss A. was a success as well, and her horse is always ready to perform. Amazing to think that this Arabian is 23 years old! What a wonderful friend she has been to both my girls.
Riding English is probably Miss M.s favorite riding discipline. Here she holds up her high blue ribbon that earned her a place in the championship round.
A high blue ribbon for her Western Equitation class as well. Miss M. was thrilled to find out that she once again has made the state team in the senior division for performance riding. Now it's back to work to get ready to ride at the state fair in September!Posted in Family Activities
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The photos of our home school happenings and my children were 2 years old, so I decided to enlist the help of my oldest daughter to get them up-to-date! Since she is a computer wizard (and I unfortunately am quite technically challenged) she was more thatn delighted to help me whip a new slide show into shape for my blog. County fair begins for us this week, so we'll be just about living there. I have one son away at church camp, one gone to Boy Scout camp and the girls home - working dilligently with their horses. Competitions begin tomorrow. My hubby has been the in-house home remodeler for the past couple of weeks and he has the children's bathroom almost completely re-done. And then there is this year's school to start thinking about...well, maybe not just yet! Happy Trails! |
Posted in Family Activities
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Where has the time gone? I cannot believe that it has been a MONTH since I posted here. From the time school ended in mid-June, our family has been living life at what seems like the speed of light. Ever have weeks like that? June not only brought the final of days of schoolwork for our clan, but also many family birthdays to celebrate, and Father's Day too. Then came an 8 day father/son CA. skate boarding/boogie boarding road trip for my hubby and two boys. (And for the curious - no, my husband does not skateboard.) Next up, it was my and the girl's turn to hit the road...or, um, skies at it were. My two dds and I flew to Wisconsin for 6 days to visit with dear friends - and be eaten alive by mosquitos! (Enduring the peskiness of these tiny, blood seekers was well worth getting to be with those we love.) Upon our return form the mid-west, my hubby was smack dab in the middle of a bathroom remodel and my boys had headed off on a Boy Scout canoeing adventure down the John Day River in Central Oregon. Whew! And that's not all. July began as June ended - with a flurry of activity. We spent the 4th of July roasting marshmallows and making S'mores, while sharing fireworks with our neighbors. The same weekend, it was off to Worldview Academy Leadership Camp for my two oldest children. (What an awesome week they had! Go to www.worldview.org to learn more about camps for your students for next year.) Now here it is, almost the middle of July, and I'm still waiting for the "lazy dog days of Summer to begin". I think I've resigned myself to the fact that those "days" will only come as I consciously put forth the effort to make them happen. Yesterday afternoon - for example - I donned my bathing suit top, a pair of shorts, and set off for the lush-green front lawn with my towel, book and peach, iced tea in hand. It was a short lived respite (only about 35 minutes), but for that sliver of time it did indeed seem like I was enjoying a "lazy dog day". Got to scoot. Time for horse chores. Until next time - Happy Trails!
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Posted in Family Activities
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What a happy trio! Grandpa came to see our sweet girl ride her 23 year old Arabian in an open horse show a few weeks back. The day was warm and full of good memories for all the riders and their mounts. Our girlie earned several 2nd and 3rd place ribbons that day and had a visit from her Sunday school teachers too. It was a joyful day we will all long remember! Now it's time for both our girls to start getting ready for the county fair - it will be here before they can say "nay"!
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It's our annual, local home educator's used book and curriculum sale this week! The gigantic pile of "stuff" to be labeled and priced is awaiting my attention in the basement - oh joy! It is a task that needs doing, and with the dreary, drizzly weather outside, getting the job done won't be as much of a chore as if it were a sunny day. My dd is going to help me and this should make things go more quickly. One can only hope! This year I have 120 items to sell and I am praying that they all find new homes. The monetary reward for selling my items is definitely worth the work. So I'm off to get the job done! |
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Hi Blog Friends! I have not posted in such a LONG time. What have I been doing? Just living life, I guess. The Spring months always seems to be a mighty crazy time of year for our family - but then, what time of year is not this way for the average home school family? I want to let you know of a fabulous website that I happened upon. (Not quite sure how I landed there - but I did.) It is called Living On A Dime and you can access it at: Tawra has some unique and creative ways to help us stretch our monthly budgets! She covers everything from: finding great deals at the grocery store, to pairing down our wardrobes and making the most of what we have. In these times of rising costs, it is becoming even MORE important to live carefully. I encourage you all to pop by the Living On A Dime website and spend a few minutes. You won't be disappointed. On a frugal note, do you ever have broken and slightly stale graham crackers that you are not sure what to do with? After seeing the price of a prepared graham cracker pie crust in the grocery store the other day, a light went on in my brain. I immediately saw the ziplock bag of broken graham crackers that I have been stashing in the back of my pantry. I hadn't been sure what to do with them, but I did know that I couldn't throw them out. Upon returning from the grocery store, I pulled out my bag of crackers and my food processor and began pulsing those neglected and set- aside crackers into several cups of graham cracker crumbs. In less than 10 minutes I processed enough crackers to have crumbs for making 3 pie crusts right in my own kitchen - and for a lot less money. This is probably a no-brainer to many of you veteran, frugal-minded gals, but it was an exciting, new discovery for this lady! Hmmm...I think I'll whip up a pie for dessert tonight! |
Posted in Family Activities
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Playing In The Snow... A Vacation TO the snow or AWAY from the snow you ask? Why to it...of course! All of our kids LOVE to snowboard and tube on the Central Oregon "white stuff". We spent 3 glorious days there having fun: boarding, tubing, drinking hot cocoa in the lodge, and hot tubbing and relaxing at the cabin. And how can I forget the inhaling of giant, homemade ice cream cones at our favorite ice cream shop? What a blessing to have a time to go away together as a family and enjoy God's amazing creation and of course, one another. My hubby and I left the "extreme sports" to the young ones and we spent the majority of our time cheering them on! God is so good - we thoroughly loved spending time together in the brisk, beautiful surroundings of Central Oregon. Back at home this week, my goal has been to get caught up on the laundry - which I call my "Mt. Never-rest"! So it was from the glorious mountains of Oregon, back to my laundry mountain at home I traveled. Every day is a new adventure and indescribable blessing from the Lord! See you all again when I conquer my sky-high laundry pile.
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Okay...so I spoil my kitty. Mr. Murphy - our barn cat - arrives at our kitchen, deck window every morning precisely around 8:30 AM. While the kids and I are finishing up our cereal or waffles, guess who shows up begging at the window? Normally he will jump up on the window sill and stare in at us, with a look on his face that begs, "Where's mine?" I suppose it is the nurturing momma in me that prompts me to set aside my own breakfast for a moment, run for the fridge to grab the milk, and then quickly retrieve his white bowl from the sill. I Fill the bowl half way with milk, pop it in the microwave for 8 seconds, and then plop it outside for my tubby feline to lap up. On this particular morning - for whatever reason - Murphy decided to stand on his hind legs to have his morning treat instead of hopping upon the window sill. How could I not snap a photo? His antics are just the start of this mom's normal home school day - and I love spoiling my cat as part of it!
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I've not done much blogging lately - caught up in the intricacies and demanding, every day issues of a home school mom's life I guess. But the weather today here in the Pacific N.W. demands the attention of being written about. Blue skies, light breeze, temperature near 60 balmy degrees, what more could signal the onset of Spring. My daffodil bulbs are poking their greenery about 6 inches above the still-cool ground, and I know that their lovely, creamy, yellow blooms will soon follow. It seems all of God's creation is aching to announce that "Spring is here", and my heart gladly sings along in anticipation of new life. Some of you (as are my dear Wisconsin friends) still find yourselves in winter's strong grip -under a heavy blanket of ice, snow and severe temperatures. To you my heart goes out, because I know that you too, long to see Spring arrive. Keep thinking about it - it's just around the corner! "This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24 |
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Talk about out of the ordinary! When I lived in Illinois as a little girl, tornadoes were commonplace; but the one we had here in town today was definitely an oddity for the Pacific N.W. Actually, we live about 15 miles north of where the tornado touched down, but it was close enough to give us a whopping thunder and lightning storm out here in the country. Our lights flickered a time or two and we were blessed to have not lost power. My hubby called from his truck where he was running an errand in town, and it turns out that he was just a mile or so south of the tornado's fury when it touched down. Thankfully, there was not one person killed, or even injured during the storm. God is so good! Tomorrow's weather looks to be quite a bit more calm! |
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Can you hear me panting? We officially returned to our school schedule today, and all of us are huffing and puffing our way through the rest of life's responsibilities in addition. You know, the laundry, lesson plans, meal planning, shopping, orthodontist appointments and piano lessons - I guess it's back to a "not so picked-up" house for a while too. Most likely, it's going to take me a couple of days to feel like all this is normal again. I actually was showered and dressed by 7:30 this morning (which is a record, considering that the last couple of weeks off of school, this has NOT been the case.) Vacation time is so wonderful, but now it's back to reality. Got to go...the laundry needs folding, supper is yet to be prepared, and there are horse chores to be completed. God bless each one as you EASE back onto the "treadmill of life"! "Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality." Colossians 3:23-25 |
Posted in Family Activities
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"We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!" Our 4 precious children...and 1 scruffy pooch! My wishes for a "Merry Christmas" have come a bit late, I know; but they are from the heart all the same. I have enjoyed my time away from blogging - believe it or not- and instead I have delighted in getting caught-up with my family and friends. Ours was a Christmas day blessed with snow (an unusual occurance for the Pacific Northwest). What a delightful Christmas Eve we had celebrating together at church with our family in Christ, and then coming home to a quiet and reverent Advent celebration around the kitchen table. God is so good, and the gift of His Son is one that we celebrate every day of the year. As 2008 is poised to begin, may the Lord our gracious Savior be our sufficiency. "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20 Blessings to all for a Christ-filled New Year! |
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"How sad'" you say! I know, I know. Not a very good excuse for not blogging, but it's the truth. After having company here for 8 days in early November, then having a houseful for Thanksgiving (23 to be exact), trying to get some schoolwork done in there some where, and then STARTING to think about Christmas gifts, well...it all has left me a bit pre-occupied. I miss getting on the computer and sharing my heart, my life. Blogging will just have to take a comfortable back seat for a time I have decided, as I put the needs and priorities of my very busy family ahead of this silly screen and keyboard. I wish for you my blog friends a joyous, Christ-filled Christmas with your families and dear friends. Signing off for now... Blessings~ Ladyjane |
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Our dear friends Fred and Keiki from Hilbert, Wisconsin (that's them above) are due to arrive here for a visit this Thursday. They will stay about a week and be our guests at what they call "The Ranch." Last time they were here, February last for our oldest dd's 16th birthday - they snuck in under cover of night and surprised all of our tribe! Many fun memories were made together and we are looking forward to creating more during their upcoming stay. Personally, I have been besieged by a nasty head/chest virus the last week or so. Lots of Echinacea Tea has been drank, and I have downed at least a half package of Cold-Eze zinc losenges. I always tell my family "I don't have time to be sick!" I ask you, what homeschool mom does? God in His grace has allowed me to be feeling much better today, and hopefully I won't overdue things (like housework) now that I am feeling a bit more spry. Hope all is well with each of you, my blogger friends. Have a great week! |
Posted in Family Activities
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This is a recent photo of my sweet doll, enjoying a snowcone (that's almost as big as she is) at Silverwood Amusement Park in Idaho. Have you ever seen an icy dessert that big in your life? No snowcone for her today on her birthday, but we treated her to lunch at a nearby restaurant, and she got to have a pumpkin milkshake. She was extremely happy about that! Happy 10th Birthday dear one!
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Pictures of A Very Active Young Man As I was at the computer this evening, my youngest young man announced that he wanted to see the pictures on my blog. Upon looking there, we both discovered that I did not have many photos of his cute, smilin' face; so I determined to change that immediately! So if you will indulge me...here is a sampling of my busy guy's life!
"Hey mom, check out this cool dude!"
My skating boy doing a high kick-flip.
Doing tricks in a cool alley in the little town of Sandpoint Idaho.
"Mom and dad, I finally caught a fish!"
My boy scout getting his merit badge awards at the last Court of Honor.
My little guy is growing up and bringing our family more joy with each passing day. Thank you Lord for the gift of sons!
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In and out, in and out. This has been my computer time as of late. One minute I can get on and access Homeschool Blogger and the next minute I cannot. Our computer seems to have a mind of it's own. Today it is aimiable, gracious and willing to take me visiting all over blog-land. Tomorrow - most likely - it will dig in it's persnickety heels and refuse to budge an inch in the direction that I want it to go. I have come to be content with whatever it's mood, and move onto "bigger and better" pursuits while it is in an obstinate mood. At this moment, I have been given a window of opportunity to write away, and yet nothing significant comes to mind to share. It is a lovely morning here in the Pacific N.W. and the fog is gently rising from the pasture. This is not Earth shattering news, I know, but it's the best I can do for now. Thank you Lord for a beautiful, brand new day - and, okay...thanks for computers too! |
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Greetings Friends! My weekend was a full one, starting out with soap making. My house was filled with the sweet scents of Lavender, Clary-Sage and Bourban Geranium. I would have snapped a few photos earlier on in the soap- making process, but I didn't realize unitl after the fact that I had a camera to use! Here is part of my batch of soap. You can see by the drizzle effect on the surface of the soap that I got it into the mold "just in time!"
Here are my bars of soap after I cut them into pieces to cure. I line my tray with brown paper from a grocery sack and then lay the bars on top of it. They will remain this way - on a shelf in my basement - for 4 weeks. Then they will be ready for gift giving!
Here is a little bit closer shot of my finished product! I wish you could SMELL it through your computer. I haven't given my soap a name yet - any ideas? I always name my soap bars.
In addition to soap making, much of my weekend was spent outside basking in the lovely fall weather. I took some snapshots of my kitty, Murphy, and several of my girls riding their horses.
Every time I called Murphy's name so that I could get a snapshot of him, he would say "meow". So...that's why he looks like a scary, growling kitty in both the picture above and the one below. He really is a sweety!
"Meow", he said to me again.
Last but not least, here are a couple of pictures of my girls riding their buddies! It was such a beautiful day.
My youngest dd on her special friend, Abenique!
My oldest dd on her horse, Kody - with the wind whistling through her hair. And there is Murphy again, quickly sneaking out of the way so as not to become smoosh! Here ends my weekend photo update. Now it's back to the books. Have a great week everyone! |
