Rice's Ramblings
May. 21, 2008 - The Class of 2008!
Grace Homeschool Co-op Graduation took place on Saturday, May 3, 2008. Six students participated in the graduation ceremony (including my sweet Katie Rose.) The ceremony began with the ceremonial blowing of a shofar and was followed by prayer and a graduation address. Each student was given a "charge" and then spoke briefly. Parents awarded diplomas and flipped tassels.
Following the ceremony, we had a cake and punch reception. Each graduate decorated a table with childhood memories. Katie decorated her table with samples of her artwork a display board of photographs, and her most recent scrapbook.
Four of the graduates spent their senior year fundraising to take a 7 day cruise on the Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas. Each student took their mother as a chapperone (WOW it was a lot of fun). We visited Labadee, Haiti; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; George Town, Grand Cayman; and Cozumel, Mexico. Our trip from Georgia to Miami was exciting and included a breakdown on the Florida Turnpike, beach activities at South Beach, Miami, and a 5 hour white stretch limo tour of Miami the night before the cruise.
Now we are home and trying to unpack and get ready for a graduation reception and Memorial Day. College is just around the corner and I want to savor the last summer with all of my children at home! |
Comments (0) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
|
Apr. 24, 2008 - GRADUATION is upon us!
Just a few more days and graduation will be here. I can not believe Katie will be going to college in August, it seems like just a few short years ago she was a nursing toddler asking me to read just one more book!
Congratulations to the class of 2008! Congratulations to your teaching parent(s). Good luck in the next phase of your life.
|
Comments (0) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
|
Nov. 19, 2007 - Homeschool Psych has been printed!!!!!!!!!!!
I am so excited to announce that Tim's book, Homeschool Psych: Preparing Christian Homeschoolers for Psychology 101, is done. Our website is up and running - www.homeschoolpsych.com and it looks great!
More on the book later,
Tina |
Comments (0) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
|
Jul. 8, 2007 - Homeschool Psych dot com
Ah, a lovely summer evening. I hear the crickets chirping. I hear the bugs hitting the window trying to get in. I don't hear children (they are all asleep). I love this time of day (or night?).
VBS is over and was a success. I made a note to myself, DON'T do crafts involving balloons! Make sure your supplies are all available WEEKS before Bible School (some of mine did not arrive in time).
Our shcool year is mostly over and for that I am thankful. I wanted a break, and my kids needed one.
This week I am teaching tie dye at the Blue Ridge Mountain Arts Association. My class is big (13 students) and young (5 to 8 years old). I love to teach tie dye!
We started a Yahoo small business website to promote Tim's book and my tie dye. Stop by at www.homeschoolpsych.com and check it out.
Awana Camp was FABULOUS this year. Each year is better than before. It seems like I get a total blessing out of my week, I feel refreshed for ministry to children, and I don't have to cook for a week!
We had a great trip to Montgomery for Tim's graduation - wow he is Dr. Rice now! We travelled to Statesboro, Georgia, to see my cousin Mark. The Caldwell family joined us for a few days and we visited Savannah, and then travelled to Hilton Head Island. Tim and Daniel caught 9 (yep 9) sand sharks! What a thrill for a 7 year old boy (and for 43 year old me)!
Katie is working at the gallery part-time. She is also cleaning cabins. Melissa is hanging out, working on the website (she is the creative team), and reading a lot. Daniel and Abigail are having fun with lots of swimming and friends.
Thanks for stoping by and may you have a blessed day.
Tina
|
Comments (0) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
|
May. 2, 2007 - Long time no blog
I find blogging interesting, but don't do it often? I wonder why since I love to read others posts. I think it is the transparency of writing down what is up for public viewing.
That said, this is what is up with me! Our co-op year is coming to an end. I am planning on teaching several classes next year and hoping that our co-op decides to meet earlier (9 to 3 NOT 12-5).
This year I taught elementary science and speech during first semester and journalism during second semester. I was joined by a WONDERFUL helper who actually knew about publishing a newspaper. It has been a mostly great experience. The bad of it is the apathy of some students. I wonder if they skip assignments at home? Motivated teens are so much better to hang with!
Last week I went to DC with Tim (as a late 20th anniversary celebration). He had a conference and I had three days to wander Washington. I had not been there in 22 years, so it was a bit changed. I loved the FDR Memorial and the WWII Memorial. The Korean Memorial was pretty fantastic too. If you go to DC make sure to go to the postal museum next to Union Station.
On a sad note, while we were away Tom Kinnebrew died due to injuries he received in a bicycling accident (he was wearing a helmet). He leaves behind a wife and 4 daughters (one of whom is my 2nd daughters best friend).
Awana is coming to an end. This is good and bad. Good because I am BURNED out and bad because I love Awana.
I am doing crafts for our church VBS. I need ideas for worthwhile carfts (not mindless busywork that wastes money) that go with the water park theme. If you have any, let me know!
I joined Spark People and am working on loosing the last 10 or so pounds (I have lost 40 over the past few years).
Blessings to you on this beautiful morning.
Tina
|
Comments (0) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
|
Nov. 29, 2006 - Tina's Tie Dye is in a show!
I love tie dyed clothing and gifts! I love to make tie dyed items, I like to give tie dye as gifts, and I love to wear tie dye. I have been making and selling my tie dye for three years, but recently was asked to participate in the local arts' association show. I was sooooooo excited and honored.
I spent weeks preparing new inventory that I felt would be more 'gift like.' The show opened November 18 and there were many who came by my area to look at my scarves, shirts, boxers (a popular item with teen girls), dresses, and sarongs.
I was hoping for HUGE sales, but what I got was just lookers. I felt let down. Why didn't all those folks buy my stuff? Then I realized they were not rejecting Tina, but that they did not want/need any tie dyed clothing. What a relief to let go of "let down."
Maybe someone will buy my items before Christmas, but if it does not sell it will make great gifts for my family!
Tina
|
Comments (0) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
|
Aug. 16, 2006 - Paul and Gena speaking at our HS group!
National Homeschool Speakers Coming to Blue Ridge
Paul and Gena Suarez, Publishers of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, will be encouraging area home educators during the annual Blue Ridge Area Christian Home Educators Homeschool Night.
Blue Ridge, GA – The Blue Ridge Area Christian Home Educators are pleased to announce that Paul and Gena Suarez will be their featured speakers for their annual homeschool night on September 18, 2006, at Temple Baptist Community Center from 7 – 9 pm. All area home educators or people interested in homeschooling are invited to join them for an uplifting evening of encouragement.
Paul and Gena are not only the publishers of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, but they are homeschooling parents themselves. With their own four children ages 10 – 16, Paul and Gena have made it through the preschool, elementary, and middle school years and are staying the course through high school. Paul will be sharing the hard facts about today’s public schools and important reasons for parents to keep their children home where they belong. Gena will be sharing about how you can easily integrate homeschooling into your family life to create a joyful, relaxed environment in which parents and children, together as a family, integrate a love for life and learning. For more information about the Suarez Family, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine or homeschooling in general, you can call 888-718-HOME, go to www.TheHomeschoolMagazine.com, or visit Gena's blog at www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/TOSPublisher.
Tina Rice, Blue Ridge Area Christian Home Educators Coordinator, invites area home educators not only to join them for this night of encouragement, but for their regular monthly meetings and activities as well. Tina says, “Blue Ridge Area Christian Home Educators is a support group for the tri-state area of Georgia/North Carolina/Tennessee. We strive to meet the social and educational support needs of Christian home educators in the tri-state area with monthly co-op meetings, field trips, and socials.” Monthly meetings are held August through November and January through May. Most meetings are held on the second Thursday of the month at 1:30 p.m. at Temple Baptist Church Community Center in Blue Ridge.
.
|
Comments (0) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
|
Jul. 20, 2006 - Travel and summer stuff
Katie is in California. She flew out on 7/15 and will come home on 8/5. Her daddy and I think this is a LONG time to be gone. She is having a blast with her Nana, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and friends. I am not ready to have my little girl that far away!
Melissa is in Arkansas. She left on 7/7 for Florida with her best friend Kelsey. They spent a week in Tallahassee going to drama camp. Then they drove to Arkansas (where Kelsey lives now) and are having a lot of fun. Melissa flys back on 7/22. It was only $80 to fly her from Memphis to Atlanta (gas would have been over $200).
I have taught 3 tie dye classes at Blue Ridge Mountain Arts Association. We had a lot of fun and I earned about 1/3 of what I'd like for curriculum for the fall.
Abigail and Daniel are missing their big sisters.
I am reading a chapter of Proverbs every day and trying to read James each day.
Happy Thursday!
Tina
|
Comments (0) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
|
Jul. 1, 2006 - Safe Eyes Parental Control
Jul. 1, 2006 - Awana Camp was AWESOME!
|
We are back from Awana Scholarship Camp! WOW, it was awesome! Melissa said it was the best camp ever. I agree, they get better every year.
The theme for Dixie Mountain Scholarship Camp 2006 was “All over the world.” During the week we traveled to: The Wild West, Mexico, Hawaii, Hollywood, and India. We ate 17 meals in under 17 hours (the average time to get all campers and staff through the meal line and out of the cafeteria was 48 minutes) and counselors averaged 6 hours of sleep per night (high school campers got about 7 ½ hours and middle school campers got about 8 ½ hours). We spent over 10 hours in evening worship, 5 hours in morning worship and personal devotion time, and 5 hours in intensive Bible study. During the rest of the day we were on the game field for activities (Awana style games on a GRAND scale), at Bible Quizzing, or having free time.
I was co-counselor in a small cabin of 15 girls (most cabins had 22 girls). The girls ranged in age from 10 to 13, most being 11. We got them up at 7 am and into bed by 10:30 pm (most nights J ). Willette and I worked hard to keep up with them. Our girls came from Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. All of them arrived at camp professing a saving faith in Jesus Christ and left camp with a deeper relationship. Two of our girls could use your continued prayers - Eugenia and Lacey. They are sisters who are raising themselves after being abandoned by their mother and left alone by their father and stepmother. They live in an economically depressed area and their Awana leader shared with me about their home life. Eugenia is a serious 12 year old and Lacey is an 11 year old prankster. They love the Lord, and were sent to camp by their church so they could be kids for a week and dig deeper into God’s word. The camp motto was: Send us your best and we’ll send them back better. I believe we did just that!
Our worship leader was Matt Papa of The Matt Papa band. Check out his website at: http://www.mattpapa.com. Matt and his band are four Godly young men with a passion for reaching students with the Gospel of Christ through music. Our camp pastor was Carey “Skeeter” Hudson and he did a fantastic job of ministering to students and adults. He will be organizing camp for 2007 and you can see his website at: http://www.dixiemountaincamp.org. The website just got up and running on June 10, so it is in its earliest stages.
In 2007, Abigail will be able to join us at camp and she is very excited about joining her sisters in the ‘greatest week of the summer’. Abigail earned her Awana Excellence award this year, and will be in her third T&T handbook in the fall.
Daniel and Abigail had a great time while we were gone. They spent Monday with Tim. Tuesday and Wednesday were spent with our friends the Stafford’s. They took A and D fishing at a friend’s pond and Daniel caught a 2-pound catfish. (We’ll be happy to send a photo if you want, just let me know.) On Thursday they were with the Cole’s. Sarah took them shopping for Father’s Day and swimming. My Friend Jeanne watched them Friday and Abigail said they got to run in the sprinkler, eat banana Popsicles, paint, and watch a movie. Tim says Abigail turned into a “little mother” and cooked frozen pizza, washed dishes, did laundry, and bossed her brother around.
We are looking forward to the 2006-07 Awana Year. Camp always gets me excited about working with kids. I love the Awana motto: Because Kids Matter to God! That is what keeps me serving year in and year out. On June 24 I will attend an all-day training to be able to train Awana Leaders. This will be really helpful for our area because we do not have a local Awana Basic Trainer, and to attend basic training leaders have to travel to Atlanta.
Katie and Melissa will be Awana Journey 24/7 Students and Leaders in Training in the upcoming club year. They began a 12-week study of the book of Revelation at camp and will continue with that through the summer and fall. Both girls will work with our T&T clubs (3rd through 6th graders).
Tina
|
Comments (1) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link
|
|
|
|
|
