Howdy Partner! Welcome to the blog of a 14 year old cowgirl! I have been homeschooled my entire life and I seem to be happy :) I work at a wonderful Equestrian Centre very close to my house which is amazing! I love riding and horses alike. This blog is going to have some of this and a little of that, sprinkled with laughter and tears. This is the story of my life so, won't you join me? ~CowgirlUp http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CowgirlEntrepreneur/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Sat, 24 Jan 2009 16:54:00 -0600 Sat, 24 Jan 2009 16:54:00 -0600 Hey everyone! Sorry it has been so long (again) since I have posted! I have been VERY busy editing and revising my NaNo Novel... Big cheers for everyone who participated! I would like you all to rate this excerpt and give me feed back. There are five questions and a brief teaser... CLICK HERE to leave feed back.... Let me know!!!!! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CowgirlEntrepreneur/649876/ Sat, 24 Jan 2009 16:54:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CowgirlEntrepreneur/649876/ This story is uplifting and may make you cry and question yourself each day to live to the fullist, help others, and stop whining about high gas prices and the cold weather. Warning, don't read if you wish to remain the same person you are today.  Someone very special in my life shared it with me, and I felt compelled to share with the world - starting with all of you. Enjoy...   In Phoenix , Arizona , a 26-year-old mother stared down  at her 6 year old son, who was dying of terminal leukemia. Although her heart was filled with sadness, she also had a strong feeling of determination. Like any parent, she wanted her son to grow up & fulfill all his dreams. Now that was no longer possible.. The leukemia would see to that. But she still wanted her son's dream to come true. She took her son' s hand and asked, 'Billy, did you ever think about what you wanted to be once you grew up? Did you ever dream and wish what you would do with your life?' Mommy, 'I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up.' Mom smiled back and said, 'Let's see if we can make your wish come true.' Later that day she went to her local fire Department in Phoenix , Arizona , where she met Fireman Bob, who had! a heart as big as Phoenix She explained her son's final wish and Asked if it might be possible to give her 6 year-old son a ride around the block on a fire engine Fireman Bob said,  'Look, we can do better than that. If you'll have your son ready at seven o'clock Wednesday morning, we'll make him an honorary Fireman for the whole day. He can come down to the fire station, eat with us, go out on all the fire calls, the whole nine yards!   And if you'll give us his sizes, we'll get a real fire uniform for him, with a real fire hat - not a toy -- one-with the emblem of the Phoenix Fire Department on it, a yellow slicker like we wear and rubber boots.' 'They're all manufactured right here in Phoenix , so we can get them fast.'     Three days later Fireman Bob picked up Billy, dressed him in his uniform and escorted him from his hospital bed to the waiting hook and ladder truck. Billy got to sit on the back of the truck and help steer it back to the fire station. He was in heaven. There were three fire calls in Phoenix that day and Billy got to go out on all three calls. He rode in the different fire engines, the Paramedic's' van, and even the fire chief's car. He was also videotaped for the local news program. Having his dream come true, with all  the love and attention that was lavished upon him, so deeply touched Billy, that he lived three months longer than any doctor thought possible. One night all of his vital signs began to drop dramatically and the head nurse, who believed in the hospice concept - that no one should die alone, began to call the family members to the hospital. Then she remembered the day Billy had spent as a Fireman, so she called the Fire Chief and asked if it would be possible to send a fireman in uniform to the hospital to be with Billy as he made his transition. The chief replied, 'We can do better than that. We'll be there in five minutes.. Will you please do me a favor? When you hear the sirens screaming and see the lights flashing, will you announce over the PA system that there is not a fire?' 'It's the department coming to see one of its finest members one more time. And will you open the window to his room?' About five minutes later a hook and ladder truck arrived at the hospital and extended its ladder up to Billy's third floor open window-------- 16 fire-fighters climbed up the ladder into Billy's room With his mother's permission, they hugged him and held him and told him how much they LOVED him.   With His dying breath, Billy looked up at the fire chief and said, 'Chief, am I really a fireman now?' 'Billy, you are, and The Head Chief, Jesus, is holding your hand,' the chief said With those words, Billy smiled and said, 'I know, He's Been holding my hand all day, and The angels have been Singing..' He closed his eyes one last time. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CowgirlEntrepreneur/636367/ Wed, 24 Dec 2008 15:47:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CowgirlEntrepreneur/636367/ Gosh, it has just been 'one of those days'. Here, where I live, it is FREEZING cold!  Since it has been snowing the fire won't catch.... it is just getting to feel comfortable in here now.... (70*) I have been thinking about possibly publishing my novel that I am beginning to revise (I have a feeling it will be a LONG road ahead.....) I created a Wiki earlier this fall.... You all are welcome to check it out and join! just go to http://www.dreamforme.wetpaint.com and check it out! Its theme right now is for my novel.....  Leave me a comment and PM me if you want to chat!  Tori http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CowgirlEntrepreneur/630196/ Tue, 9 Dec 2008 20:07:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CowgirlEntrepreneur/630196/ I CANNOT believe I haven't posted since JUNE?! Wow.... I must have been busy! Well...The monthe of November was amazing! I managed to type 50K+ words to complete NaNo Wrimo...YAY! Last year I only made it to 14K words and then I blew out. Yep, I threw in the towel of dispair. I had decided I would never be able to write that much in just 30 day!!!! But, voila! I decided to give it another go this year and I made it! WAHOOOOO!!!! Okay, so since I haven't posted in soooooo long.....I decided to make it up to you. I am going to post part of a short story I am writing that, right now, is titled: FATE.       "Will you marry me?" The words took Lindsay moore by surprise. She had not expected him to propose. What should she say?      "No," she said silently, looking down. "Please, God. Help me." Aloud she said, "Brad, I can't. Not now anyway. Please, don't be mad. I just..." She trailed off, not really wanting to tell him no after all this time.      "Why? Why can't you marry me? Do you not love me?" Brad asked, his deep blue eyes meeting her gaze. She faltered.       "Yes! Yes, of course I do! What would make you doubt that?"       "Then why won't you marry me?" Brad persisted. "What stands in your way?"         "I can't! Oh Brad, I want to finish college before I commit to anything," she said firmly, trying to meet his steady gaze. "Don't you understand?" she pleaded. "I need time." He was a year and a half her senior and had completed college the May before. She had no idea that their friendship would lead to a proposal. They had known each other since they were 11 and 13 years old. They grew up in the same neighborhood and had alot in common. But yet, she had never realized that it all built up to this. The moment she dreamed about as a girl. Was he her knight in shining armor? Was Brad Kepton the prince she had imagined was hers during all those years of watching Cinderella? How was she to know? A bitter silence hung in the air like a spell. How she wished she could break it. But Brad beat her to it.      "If that is the way you want it." he said, quietly. He turned to go, and then changed his mind. "You are the one I dream of. I won't stop dreaming, Lindsay. I just hope that someday, you will share my dream." He turned, and left without another word. Leaving Lindsay hurt, confused, and alone to cry. So how did you like it? Leave me a comment and let me know!!!! Thanks again for stopping by, ~Tori   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CowgirlEntrepreneur/628960/ Sat, 6 Dec 2008 19:50:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CowgirlEntrepreneur/628960/ Is finally open! It will still take me awhile to get everything on it and such.... click here to see it!!!! Comments welcome as always! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CowgirlEntrepreneur/554345/ Mon, 30 Jun 2008 03:53:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CowgirlEntrepreneur/554345/ Hey Guys! I am helping my mom plan the 4th annual homeschool retreat at Singing Hills Christian Conference Center in Plainfield NH! It is Tues Sept 30th - Friday Oct 3rd. Our guest Speaker this year is Vicki Bentley. Opening night entertainment is a Chuckwagon Potluck and music from Skip Gorman!!!! If you would lke a borchure or more info email me on here at BrennaM! I am currently working on a blog for this event as well! Talk to ya soon! Brenna http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CowgirlEntrepreneur/554214/ Sun, 29 Jun 2008 18:59:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CowgirlEntrepreneur/554214/ oohhhh this is good! A science professor begins his school year with a lecture to the students, "Let me explain the problem science has with religion." The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand. "You're a Christian, aren't you, son?" "Yes sir," the student says. "So you believe in God?" "Absolutely." "Is God good?" "Sure! God's good." "Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?" "Yes." "Are you good or evil?" "The Bible says I'm evil." The professor grins knowingly. "Aha! The Bible!" He considers for a moment. "Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?" "Yes sir, I would." "So you're good...!" "I wouldn't say that." "But why not say that? You'd help a sick and maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't." The student does not answer, so the professor continues. "He doesn't, does he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to heal him. How is this Jesus good? Hmmm? Can you answer that one?" The student remains silent. "No, you can't, can you?" the professor says. He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax. "Let's start again, young fellow. Is God good?" "Er...yes," the student says. "Is Satan good?" The student doesn't hesitate on this one. "No." "Then where does Satan come from?" The student falters. "From God" "That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son. Is there evil in this world?" "Yes, sir." "Evil's everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything, correct?" "Yes." "So who created evil?" The professor continued, "If God created everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil." Again, the student has no answer. "Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?" The student squirms on his feet. "Yes." "So who created them?" The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question. "Who created them?" There is still no answer. Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized. "Tell me," he continues onto another student. "Do you believe in Jesus Christ, son?" The student's voice betrays him and cracks. "Yes, professor, I do." The old man stops pacing. "Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?" "No sir. I've never seen Him." "Then tell us if you've ever heard your Jesus?" "No, sir, I have not." "Have you ever felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that matter?" "No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't." "Yet you still believe in him?" "Yes." "According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?" "Nothing," the student replies. "I only have my faith." "Yes, faith," the professor repeats. "And that is the problem science has with God. There is no evidence, only faith." The student stands quietly for a moment, before asking a question of His own. "Professor, is there such thing as heat?" "Yes," the professor replies. "There's heat." "And is there such a thing as cold?" "Yes, son, there's cold too." "No sir, there isn't." The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The room suddenly becomes very quiet. The student begins to explain. "You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, unlimited heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything called 'cold'. We can hit up to 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder than the lowest -458 degrees." "Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it." Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding like a hammer. "What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?" "Yes," the professor replies without hesitation. "What is night if it isn't darkness?" "You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word." "In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?" The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will be a good semester. "So what point are you making, young man?" "Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed." The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time. "Flawed? Can you explain how?" "You are working on the premise of duality," the student explains. "You argue that there is life and then there's death; a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought." "It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it." "Now tell me, professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?" "If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes, of course I do." "Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?" The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where the argument is going. A very good semester, indeed. "Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?" The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has subsided. "To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student, let me give you an example of what I mean." The student looks around the room. "Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor's brain?" The class breaks out into laughter. "Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the professor's brain, touched or smelt the professor's brain? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, with all due respect, sir." "So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust your lectures, sir?" Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable. Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers. "I guess you'll have to take them on faith." "Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with life," the student continues. "Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?" Now uncertain, the professor responds, "Of course, there is. We see it everyday. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil." To this the student replied, "Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light." http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CowgirlEntrepreneur/551171/ Sun, 22 Jun 2008 14:02:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CowgirlEntrepreneur/551171/ You guys have probably given up all hope for me!!!!! LOL I haven' fallen off the face of the earth (yet) We have been amazingly busy! Tomorrow (Thursday) my family and I begin our travels to VA to the HEAV homeschool convention......if any of you will be there look us up! We will be at the Hands Of A Child Booth! Talk to you guys when we get back! C ya lata! Me http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CowgirlEntrepreneur/539384/ Wed, 28 May 2008 15:50:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CowgirlEntrepreneur/539384/ thought that I should pass this along! Lear more about Cindy Rushton and The Ultimate Homeschool Expo by clicking here! Enjoy the Science notebook! One Happy Cowgirl It is Spring! Why Not Begin a Science Notebook? by Cindy Rushton http://www.cindysaffiliates.com/go.php?offer=8merrills&pid=1 Today being inside just tortures me! It is STUNNING outside! Even the little birds are begging us to go outside. Are you like me, dying from "cabin fever" and ready for spring? This is the perfect time to begin Nature Notebooks! Not only will you have an abundance of treasures awaiting your exploration, but these are perfect days to try something fresh. Ready? Let me help… Chances are you already have many things that could be included in a Science Notebook around your home. Look for those "goodies" that do not have their own special place and add them to your Science Notebooks. This is the perfect opportunity to develop "a place" for those "goodies" while developing a nice product for displaying all the growing knowledge of nature all while your children are keeping special memorabilia! One of the things that I like about using supplies intended for scrapbooking is that there are so many products that enable us to keep bulky materials safely inside of our notebooks. Not to mention, scrapbooking makes EVERY notebook so much cuter! J And…to imagine that we call this "school!" Want some ideas of things to include in your notebooks??? · Sketches...Don’t forget to include date, time, place, Latin name, and common name. Oh! Don’t forget to document where you found it. · Snapshots…Don’t forget to journal about your snapshot! · Pressed flowers, leaves, feathers, butterflies, etc. · Glossary of terms studied… · Artwork… (Nature art, original drawings, coloring pages…) · Diagrams… · Poetry… · Information about discoveries… · Lists of new findings… · Handouts from trips… · Narrations from trips, outings, hikes, nature walks, books read about nature or scientists/naturalists… · Timeline…Mark your excursions, inventions, famous men and women, so on! · Instruction Sheets on "How to Care for..." or "How to Collect..." etc. · Booklets... · Project data... · Bible verses... · Journal entries… · Details from outings… · Favorite quotes about nature… · Reading list… · Research... · Reports... · Essays… · Science experiment logs… · Notes from any Science study… You can add a lot of life to your Science Notebooks with special supplies you find along the way! I have found that the little touches have made our notebooks so much more fun and in the process hooked my children. Encourage your children to use die-cuts, frames, stencils, shapes, and edgings galore to make their notebooks fun and beautiful! My children now beg each weekend to work on our binders/scrapbooks. We have taken these simple skills into other projects for our Science studies such as creating books or booklets…making cards with pressed flowers, sketches, poetry and Scripture verses…and displaying our collections. The key is to just have fun and enjoy making your notebooks all yours! Happy Notebooking! Cindy ************************************************** About Cindy Rushton… Cindy Rushton is the hostess of the Ultimate Homeschool Expo, the very first online homeschool convention. She is recording Preview Chats for the Ultimate Homeschool Convention RIGHT NOW! Join her wonderful guests FREE for the next weeks as they count down to the Ultimate Homeschool Expo (April 28-May 3, 2008--BUT! NEVER ENDING because it is an ONLINE Convention!). Get your ticket NOW and receive her awesome A Quick Start for Notebooking Mini-Set FREE today! Check out all of the details here: http://www.cindysaffiliates.com/go.php?offer=8merrills&pid=1 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CowgirlEntrepreneur/512719/ Tue, 8 Apr 2008 12:49:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CowgirlEntrepreneur/512719/ "By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established, through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures."  Proverbs 24:3-4 With out wisdom how could a house be built? Could you establish a house without understanding what needs to be done and how to do it? Could you fill a house with antiques and priceless treasures without knowing their needs or care? All of these examples work in our spiritual lives too! Without the wisdom of God in you, your heart could not be the House of God. Without understanding the word of God your house (heart) could never be fully established. Without the knowledge of how to keep your God given blessings, talents, and treasures safe they would perish! Comments? http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CowgirlEntrepreneur/505510/ Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:47:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CowgirlEntrepreneur/505510/