So far our homeschool history club has covered Samantha and Kaya of the historical American Girls. We will learn about Felicity in March. Some of the group met yesterday at a local dollhouse museum and had a great time looking through the time periods we have been learning about.

Here is our group at a recent meeting with their dolls.

Saturday we went to an American Girl tea party.  The girls could dress as a favorite American Girl and bring a doll. The wonderful library gals put this on for us. They served cakes and cookies with teas and hot cocoa. There is also a private American Girl doll collection on display in the front entrance. Thanks Miss Kathy, Mrs. Cathy, Mrs. Jan, Sarah too. hope I didn't miss anyone.

Here is some of the girls that attended and their dolls.

Yesterday I made a couple of loaves of homemade bread. I took one to my parents. I think both loaves

were devoured quickly. I plan to make butter soon also.

Today we met with other homeschoolers for Lego time. It was uneventful. We had fun tho.

My dad has been making bird houses. I have two to put somewhere soon. We bought some bird feed today.

We did watch birds during the backyard bird count but didnt really count.

We have a girl scout event on Friday night and An American Girl Tea Party on Saturday.

 THANK YOU PRESIDENT BUSH!

There are times when you just know that you need to speak up and times when you need to be quiet. There are times when the words come easily and times when they don't.  There are events that beg for acknowledgment and others that do not.  Today is one of those days. A day when words must be spoken, when those words come easily and when an event absolutely must be acknowledged.  To what am I referring to?  Today is the day that President George W. Bush leaves office.  Today, I want to recognize a man that is worthy of respect and of gratitude.  Today, I want to say "Thank you".

President Bush has been in office for the past 8 years. While many have attacked him on every side - MOST have attacked him on every side, our president has stood tall and not sunk to the level of his attackers.  Mr. Bush, I say THANK YOU!

Thank you for serving our country so honorably

Thank you for realizing that right isn't always popular but it is right.

Thank you for showing that silence is acceptance and not sitting idly back while others sought to destroy our country.

Thank you for doing your best to protect our country from attack.

Thank you for being faithful and for being a good example of how a president should conduct himself.

Thank you for showing grace and composure amongst much pressure.

Thank you for not letting the liberal media sway you.

Thank you for being honorable.

Thank you for standing for the lives of the unborn.

Thank you for trying to uphold the sanctity of marriage.

Thank you for having a vision for our country that is based on the same vision of our founding fathers and for realizing that your actions today touch the lives of those many years past your term in office.

While you haven't been perfect, nobody is.  While we may not always agree, I have never doubted for a second that you didn't seek this country's best interest in your decisions. Thank you! You have served us well.  I have been  proud to call you my President and I am sorry your second term is over.

This year brings new hope. It has nothing to do with a new president. However I do wish him a good term.

I have hope of good learning experiences for Willow Academy. I have hope of good family times this year.

Candace is coming later today for a visit.

Yesterday Colton and I began a Lego Club with other homeschool boys. We had a small group but should be adding more next meeting. The boys had fun building and battling :) I think.

Next week Cayleigh and I will host our American Girl Club at our home and will study Kaya.

Chad will be here at the end of next week for about 2 weeks.

We are planning to attend a family wedding next weekend. Cayleigh and I went to a cake tasting /tea party and helped choose the cake for  the wedding. fun.

We are in the start of Girl Scout Cookie sales and it is going well. We also have a skating party planned and a sleepin planned with the girls soon.

Looking forward to it all.

Well you know how they go right?

But the thought counts for something. Right?

This year I want to "polish up", inside and out.

I want to improve myself...

I will I will.

I will choose healthier food.

I will get some kind of exercise everyday. (I just read you can burn 34 calories by sitting and watching tv)

I will do better than that.

This list is under construction and will be completed at a later date.

The year is coming to an end. As usual I waited until the last minute to shop and surprisingly it wasn't too stressful. Our list was shorter this year. As many others we only did close family members and our close friends. Buying was more meaningful this year. The kids got less but still too much. We talked about what the gift of love means. They are sweeties.

This past year has been tough with Mom having cancer and several surgeries for back fractures. However God has been with us and carrying her at times. She is now cancer free. Days are still tough at times but managable. She is suffering from the effects of osteo arthritis. Any suggestions out there?

We didn't have Chad with us but did get several phone calls and he will be home in a few weeks for a visit.

We are blessed.

God is good! I have been blessed with many things in my life. I give God the praise in it all. Each day is sometimes a struggle to think and walk in the path that I know to be the right way.

I thank him for today

I thank him for yesterday

I look forward to tomorrow.

I pray for my family, friends, and our country.

I thank our troops and their families for all they sacrifice for me and my family.

I pray for our leaders.

I am thankful for being able to read  updated inspirational blogs.

I trust this quote with all my heart.

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. - Proverbs 22:6

I like this one too.

I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. – Confucius (551 BC - 479 BC)

Do you have favorites?

JUDGEMENT HOUSE 2008

John Cartwright, Jennifer Mackey, Matthew Burke, and Jake Rhoades are living different lives, in different places, with different struggles, aspirations, and routines. They have very little in common. One a lawyer, another the captain of the cheerleading squad, another a happy student looking forward to a life of mission work, and another just looking for trouble. Their spiritual conditions are as varied as their lives, but the one thing they do have in common is that they each only have 59 minutes left to live. The stories of their lives serve as a reminder that time is short, and extremely valuable. Follow each of these characters through their final 59 minutes on earth and find out how prepared they were for eternity. How would you spend the last 59 minutes of your life? Would you finally tell someone that you loved them? Would there be things you would not want left undone? Would you draw your family close and hold them tight? Would you finally take time to think about God before it's too late? How would your life change if you only had 59 minutes...?

join us at Liberty 1st Baptist Church Liberty Ky

every night this week, and Friday and Saturday next week

free to public

for those who love checking out new blogs-here is a great one! Tricia and Nathan have an amazing little miracle girl sent from a lovng God. Her name is Gwyneth Rose.

http://www.cfhusband.blogspot.com/

I have been following them for about a year now. An amazing story here!

Last week brought good news on my Mom's cancer. Some of the last tests and procedures show no cancer. Yah!!!! Xrays shows she does have a new fracture which is what has been giving her so much pain. At least we know, now she has to decide where to go next. She had surgery a few months ago for 3 fractures. She doesn't want to do it again but I think she should. Her decision.

While she was having tests at the hospital I talked to the manager of the hospital gift shop. I left some of my embroidered "Upceaz" burp cloth/pads with her after she wrote me a nice check and asked for more.

hopefully this link is working to see a photo of them

http://ceamz.webs.com/apps/photos/photo.jsp?photoID=12666619&prev=1

Yesterday was homecoming at our church. I just remembered I didn't take any pictures. We had guest singers and lunch. This week is revival too.

Last night we went to another church that we will be participating in a 10 night drama there. We started buiilding our room "Heaven".  We did a similiar drama last year with them too. It is lots of work and late nights but so worth it. I am looking forward to the rewards.

I'm so sick of seeing Obama on tv lately. check out youtube on abortion and Obama... HOW  TO START EACH DAY WITH A POSITIVE OUTLOOK  1. Open a new file in your computer. 2. Name it 'Barack Obama'. 3. Send it to the Recycle Bin. 4. Empty the Recycle Bin. 5. Your PC will ask you: 'Do you really want to get rid of 'Barack Obama?' 6. Firmly Click 'Yes.' 7. Feel better?   GOOD! - Tomorrow we'll do Nancy Pelosi!

burp pads with Seuss book names

Baby Cade arrived on 8-21, weighing in at 7lbs 1 3/4 ozs. He is soooooooooo cute! He has a head full of hair. Well I will just show you....I will add pictures of his Dr. Seuss theme later.

 quilt made by great-grandma and auntie(me)

  I did bumper pads and a pillow too!

 I will be doing a few more things over the next little bit. (maybe take him something when visiting again)

I am going to be a GREAT Aunt today!!!

My husbands niece is having her first baby today. His name is Cade. We are definatly a C family.

My father inlaw's name was Charles

His son's Charles (Cricket) and Clifford (Chuck, my husband)

his children Carrie, Crystal and Charles

Carrie is having Cade

our children Candace, Chad, Colton and Cayleigh

once my sister inlaw Pat and I started with the C we couldn't help ourselves, the tradition lives on...

COLTON- grade 5

BIBLE

The Bible

Parables study

READING

Pathway Readers/workbook

library books

WRITING/SPELLING/GRAMMAR

blogging/penpals

daily grammar

MATH

a variety of worksheets now but want to get MUS

iknowthat.com

HISTORY/CIVICS

library books/unit study/lapbooking and travels

SCIENCE

Alpha Omega 5

Magic School Bus series

HEALTH

my body unit/lapbook

CAYLEIGH- grade3/4

BIBLE

The Bible

Parables study

READING

Pathway readers/workbook

Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Lessons

dolch list

WRITING/SPELLING/GRAMMAR

emails/penpals

daily grammar

MATH

a variety of worksheets now I want to get MUS

HISTORY/CIVICS

library books/unit study/lapbooking and travels

SCIENCE

Alpha Omega 5

Magic School Bus series

HEALTH

my body unit/lapbook

family reading list - Little House books, Little Women,  Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Treasure Island, Little Britches...