Yes, our chickens are eating the cherry blossoms that have fallen off our ornamental tree. I know that cherry leaves contain cyanide (did you), but hopefully the blossoms aren't tainted. If they are, I have my next blog post!!!
Speaking of a post....
I actually thought it had been eleven months since my last post; at only ten, I'm encouraged!
Well, about that truck......
The transmission was fixed, and Andy has been driving it. I got a 'neused' truck via Craigslist because the Escape was having other issues. As of last weekend, it looks like the engine is losing compression (whatever that means ~ there is a bunch of oil all over the inside under the hood). We'll keep driving it; there's always the other truck for a backup.
So many things change in ten months!
Bobo and Coco joined our family, two wethered goats. They were supposed to be pasture-mates for a dairy goat, Lilly, who joined us in February.
Unfortunately, Coco couldn't be kind to his new friend and had to find a new home. So he left with a nice family from Goodview.
Lord willing, Lilly will kid in mid-June, and we're looking forward to goat milk and late-spring kids!
The girls are plugging away at co-op, school and church. Speaking of church, we've joined a church just up the road As far as our garden Burnt Chimney ~ and are glad to be active there. We're also involved in a Bible study with some other homeschooling families, strengthening relationships and encouraging one another in our parenting journey. So thankful for the relationships there.
Lesseee, Andy survived a bout with MRSA after a scratch from a branch when he was cleaning out the woods behind our house. While it was scary for a couple days, once the antibiotics began to work, he's well on his way to recovery. We're so glad it didn't have more serious, long-lasting effects.
I had considered not blogging anymore. Time is scarce around here, what with schooling, keeping up with the house and animals and doing whatever it is we do. But I enjoy reading others' blogs and keeping a sort of record of what is going on in our lives. So, I'm going to try and start back again.
One problem was that our desktop computer is in the basement, away from our day to day activities. I've been using the laptop which allows me more freedom to move around.
Another problem has more to do with privacy concerns. I'm still not sure where I stand on that. When I log on to the Internet, do a Google search and pull up my name, my kids' names, my parents' names, where I've lived, my political views, etc., etc. on just the first couple pages of my search, I wonder if blogging is such a good idea. Notsomuch for "bad guys," but for the government and REALLY bad guys. And as I grow older and my kids grow older, I find myself having really radical ideas insofar as the mainstream is concerned. Nothing wacko or crazy, but just momma-bear conservative. I dunno. I'll have to think about that a bit as I decide what to write.
Anyways, look for more garden posts and chicken posts and goat posts and family posts. November marked our first full year in this home and I'm starting to get the hang of seasons and cycles here. Its going to be a great year!
Showing posts with label homeschooling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label homeschooling. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Truck Troubles
I Thessalonians 5:18: "In everything, give thanks, for this is the will of Christ Jesus...."
1. We're thankful that only the "Drive" gear went out 22 miles from home and we still had "1 and 2" left to drive back.
2. Thankful that when 1 and 2 gave out, it was in walking distance to the house.
3. Thankful for Hannah's and Andy's strong legs to carry them up the hill and around 1 "S" curve to the house.
3.A. Thankful that I was not alone with the girls when it gave out!
3.B. Thankful that the weather was pleasant when it gave out!
3.C. Thankful that we were on a straightaway when it stopped going forward.
4. Thankful that, although its gonna' cost a whole stinkin' lotta' money to fix my truck, we have the means to get it done.
5. Thankful that we were safe on that long, long drive home, and that the transmission didn't actually fall OUT of the truck, even though pieces of the transmission fell INTO the truck.
6. Thankful that we live in such a beautiful area and got to drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway on the way home!
7. Thankful that the transmission place was able to send a tow truck and include the cost in their bill.
8. Thankful that they were able to get my truck first thing on Monday morning and get right to work on it!
9. Thankful that the girls and I enjoy being "homebodies" and, to us, there is really no such thing as "being stuck at home."
10. Thankful that Andy saw this may have been a roundabout answer to another prayer we had about another venture we were going to pursue.
Coincidentally (yeah, right), our history lesson today was about the Greek mathematician Archimedes. He's the one who first used ropes and pulleys, which provided a better way of lifting. It was a great tie-in to the use of a winch to drag my heavy car up the back of the tow truck. It made history come to life ~ exciting! So there's a reason #11!
All aboard....
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| Hey, look at those pretty flowers! |
Going.....
Going............
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| Gone! |
Thursday, May 17, 2012
math laugh
OK, so I had Han finishing up the (Virginia) third grade SOL test this morning....you know, the most recently-released one on the DOE website? Even though she's only finishing second grade, I wanted to get an idea of where she is; there's a couple areas we haven't learned yet.
Anyways, she got to number 42*:
Hannah stared at the problem for a minute, before she said,
"uh-uh! I'm NOT puttin' MY hand in THAT bag for NOTHIN'!"
"What?"
"You can't get ME to put my hand all the way in that bag for NOTHIN. NO way."
"Han, what are you talking about? Read the problem again."
"I DID. And I'm not putting my hand in ANY bag without looking first. There might be a scorpion in there."
(Allow me to point out that I had prayed for patience this morning, because I knew we'd be doing many many possibly difficult math problems in this test and she tends to go balky during long math sessions. THIS is how God answered my prayer.)
((Scorpion??))
[Laughing so hard] "What do you mean? Why would there be a scorpion in the bag? Look at the problem and just do the problem."
"Nope, I'm not putting MY hand in THAT bag. Maybe there will be another hand in there that will pull me in."
[!]
"Hannah, its a lunch bag. She brought it from home. Its new. There are no scorpions or hands in it."
"Then why can't I look?"
"Hannah," (trying not to get exasperated) "its not you doing it."
"But there might be another one of those caterpillars in there that would bite me. Or a scorpion. Or fire ants."
"You're not actually the one doing it, though. The girl is."
"OK, then, it would be blue."
"Why did you choose blue? (I only asked on this one problem, as I was devastatingly curious!)
"Because its at the bottom and on the side and if I kept my hand on the side to avoid whatever is in the bottom of the bag....."
OBVIOUSLY, probability needs to be included in our curriculum for next year.
Anyways, she got to number 42*:
A girl placed eight blocks like the ones shown, in a bag:
She pulled one block out of the bag without looking. Which color block is she MOST likely to select?
a. red
b. green
c. blue
d. yellow
*not copied exactly so I don't get in hot water with the DoE
Hannah stared at the problem for a minute, before she said,
"uh-uh! I'm NOT puttin' MY hand in THAT bag for NOTHIN'!"
"What?"
"You can't get ME to put my hand all the way in that bag for NOTHIN. NO way."
"Han, what are you talking about? Read the problem again."
"I DID. And I'm not putting my hand in ANY bag without looking first. There might be a scorpion in there."
(Allow me to point out that I had prayed for patience this morning, because I knew we'd be doing many many possibly difficult math problems in this test and she tends to go balky during long math sessions. THIS is how God answered my prayer.)
((Scorpion??))
[Laughing so hard] "What do you mean? Why would there be a scorpion in the bag? Look at the problem and just do the problem."
"Nope, I'm not putting MY hand in THAT bag. Maybe there will be another hand in there that will pull me in."
[!]
"Hannah, its a lunch bag. She brought it from home. Its new. There are no scorpions or hands in it."
"Then why can't I look?"
"Hannah," (trying not to get exasperated) "its not you doing it."
"But there might be another one of those caterpillars in there that would bite me. Or a scorpion. Or fire ants."
"You're not actually the one doing it, though. The girl is."
"OK, then, it would be blue."
"Why did you choose blue? (I only asked on this one problem, as I was devastatingly curious!)
"Because its at the bottom and on the side and if I kept my hand on the side to avoid whatever is in the bottom of the bag....."
OBVIOUSLY, probability needs to be included in our curriculum for next year.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Schoolin'
The end is in sight!
Less than one month to go for Hannah's second grade year, and WHEW, what a pull these last couple weeks will be!
We were interrupted by a major household move this year, and that, in addition to the various trips and illnesses, as drug our school year out much longer than I'd planned. There was a point when I thought we were going to be finishing in April ~ ha!
("For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord)
As it is, we're planning to school right on through the summer, although with a different schedule. We'll probably keep on going with math and grammar, but we'll put more emphasis on science and art.
There is a homeschool book sale coming up in a couple weeks that will help me fill in any missing holes. I'm looking for a few books and a few other things for our "classroom."
WHICH is on my to-do list. Our current setup doesn't seem to be working as well as it could be. I was so used to schooling at the kitchen table that when we moved into this (huge, to us) house, we kind of kept close to the kitchen and living room. But that is proving to be so very distracting to Hannah. I'm planning to convert part of our basement into a school room, encouraged by the models I've seen in some of my friends' homes and online. I'll start on it soon, but probably won't finish it until later this summer.
In the meantime, co-op wrapped up for the year with an end of year party complete with a moms vs. kids kickball game, pizza and popcorn & cotton candy.
Less than one month to go for Hannah's second grade year, and WHEW, what a pull these last couple weeks will be!
We were interrupted by a major household move this year, and that, in addition to the various trips and illnesses, as drug our school year out much longer than I'd planned. There was a point when I thought we were going to be finishing in April ~ ha!
("For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord)
As it is, we're planning to school right on through the summer, although with a different schedule. We'll probably keep on going with math and grammar, but we'll put more emphasis on science and art.
There is a homeschool book sale coming up in a couple weeks that will help me fill in any missing holes. I'm looking for a few books and a few other things for our "classroom."
WHICH is on my to-do list. Our current setup doesn't seem to be working as well as it could be. I was so used to schooling at the kitchen table that when we moved into this (huge, to us) house, we kind of kept close to the kitchen and living room. But that is proving to be so very distracting to Hannah. I'm planning to convert part of our basement into a school room, encouraged by the models I've seen in some of my friends' homes and online. I'll start on it soon, but probably won't finish it until later this summer.
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| What a great group of moms and kids we've met. I'm looking forward to many years of learning and growing with these Christ-seeking and Jesus-loving folks. |
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Hats
THIS is the hat that won FIRST PLACE in the Awana Crazy Hat contest at church last week.
THIS is the girl to whom the idea occurred to use cicada castoffs on her hat and who spent only a very little time collecting their exoskeletons (science lesson!).
We just witnessed the Magicicaida Brood I emergence....of 17-year cicadas. Fascinating. If you click on that link you can scroll down to a recording of the sound with which we've been deafened for the last two weeks. They are quite melodic.
We turned this project into a homeschool science lesson (of course!), and learned that these little critters, whose "shells" she collected, emerged from underground after seventeen years of feeding on the roots of deciduous trees such as oak and tulip poplar (with which this region is well-supplied).
Typical cicadas with which you might be familiar don't emerge until later in the summer and are completely green with shades of brown. These beautiful babies have startlingly red eyes and an orange tint to their body. Hard to see on this picture, but THIS little girl is wearing one as a ring:
But back to That Hat:
When I saw the finished product, I kinda knew the other second graders didn't have a chance. And I think she knew it, too.
Of course, I warned her: you will forever be known as The Girl Who Wore Cicadas to Awanas.
She can handle it.
And had the Cubbies held a similar contest, I think you'd be looking at a picture of the winner. Talk about a fascinator!
Friday, April 13, 2012
Homeschool Co-Op
The first thing I did before we were even wholly moved in down here was to research homeschool support groups in the area. We're so fortunate that there are several in the area, so we were able to choose one that was a good fit for our family. I can't tell you enough how important it is to me to have a group of kids and moms who are fellow travelers on the journey ~ every time we get a chance to talk I'm amazed that they have or have had the same challenges as we do as far as parenting, schooling or family relationships.
In Alleghany, my girls were some of the youngest in the support group and I benefited from the experience of the moms with older children. Unfortunately, there weren't many cooperative learning (co-op) classes in which they could participate. I don't think they were necessarily missing out, but I know as the time grew closer to when we actually moved to Franklin County, Han had started to ask for more opportunities to interact with kids her age.
Here in Hardy, we belong to CHEF ~ Christian Home Educators of Franklin (County), and what a blessing it is to us! We literally thank God daily for the relationships we are developing among this remarkable group of families. These are "real people," (my favorite kind) who pray for one another and share their struggles...
hmmmm, reminds me of:
Probably easiest, most natural, and most enjoyable precept I've ever followed!
A whole 'nother post could be written about the elephant who sidles up to the (very predictable and not uncommon) conversation when someone finds out we school at home:
THEY: And where do your girls go to school?
US: We homeschool.
THEY: (awkward pause)
US: (in my mind: "Here it comes....")
THEY: But aren't you concerned about socialization?
US: Well, they're in AWANAs, Sunday School, Children's Church, co-op, and they take other classes in the community....
WHAT I'M REALLY THINKING: (Yeah, like I really want them to go to a government school, learning all sorts of disrespectful, non-Christlike behaviors from their same-age peers, artificially separated into groups by age, developing a type of "us vs. them" mentality, being exposed to ____________ all kinds of garbage - not to mention teachers/admin who can't/don't share our desire to put Christ FIRST, etc. etc.)
So, uh, co-op helps to mitigate some of that.
We meet one day a week for 15 weeks a semester for two classes, and then it is (often) off to the park where the moms chat and the kids zoom. We have monthly field trips and other impromptu get-togethers ~ most importantly, a monthly "Mom's Night," where we do a lot of that "supporting, bearing and encouraging."
Speaking of Biblical mandates, I saw this verse applied to a co-op group a bloggy friend attends, and I can't imagine a more perfect verse for this topic:
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| Younger homeschoolers getting ready for a nature walk |
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| (Isn't she just beautiful?!) |
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| After a field trip to see "The Velveteen Rabbit" ~ a game of D, D, G in the food court of Center on the Square |
Here in Hardy, we belong to CHEF ~ Christian Home Educators of Franklin (County), and what a blessing it is to us! We literally thank God daily for the relationships we are developing among this remarkable group of families. These are "real people," (my favorite kind) who pray for one another and share their struggles...
hmmmm, reminds me of:
Galatians 6:2: Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the Law of Christ.
Probably easiest, most natural, and most enjoyable precept I've ever followed!
A whole 'nother post could be written about the elephant who sidles up to the (very predictable and not uncommon) conversation when someone finds out we school at home:
THEY: And where do your girls go to school?
US: We homeschool.
THEY: (awkward pause)
US: (in my mind: "Here it comes....")
THEY: But aren't you concerned about socialization?
US: Well, they're in AWANAs, Sunday School, Children's Church, co-op, and they take other classes in the community....
WHAT I'M REALLY THINKING: (Yeah, like I really want them to go to a government school, learning all sorts of disrespectful, non-Christlike behaviors from their same-age peers, artificially separated into groups by age, developing a type of "us vs. them" mentality, being exposed to ____________ all kinds of garbage - not to mention teachers/admin who can't/don't share our desire to put Christ FIRST, etc. etc.)
So, uh, co-op helps to mitigate some of that.
We meet one day a week for 15 weeks a semester for two classes, and then it is (often) off to the park where the moms chat and the kids zoom. We have monthly field trips and other impromptu get-togethers ~ most importantly, a monthly "Mom's Night," where we do a lot of that "supporting, bearing and encouraging."
Speaking of Biblical mandates, I saw this verse applied to a co-op group a bloggy friend attends, and I can't imagine a more perfect verse for this topic:
Hebrews 10:25: Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing,
but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
It gives me a shiver of a thrill to read that! Me, who would much prefer to live a hermit-ly life, staying home all day every day and poking around the house and yard ~ I don't need to be encouraged to meet together ~ for the good of my girls or for my own (very needful!) good!
Monday, April 2, 2012
Didn't I just mention how one of my students is easily distracted? And here I am ratcheting up the beguilement!
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But all too soon, it was time to turn off Chicken TV and get to work:
Alas, all good things must end, and after our Bible and History lessons, we moved indoors for the rest of our (less distracting) studies.
But what a beautiful morning to enjoy our freedom to school at home!
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| "Is that history? 'Cuz I just LOVE history!" |
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| "Yes, Jeremiah, my favorite prophet! Go on, go on, read!" |
This nice Aracauna is right; we were reading from The Mystery of History about the prophet Jeremiah, also called the "Weeping Prophet."
Hannah read some from the book of Jeremiah and from Lamentations:
Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:
Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:21-23
And THAT reminded me of the hymn, "Great Is Thy Faithfulness," of which we sung the first verse and chorus together...I couldn't remember the rest! The Broadman Hymnal I picked up at a yard sale a couple years ago didn't have it ~ doesn't that seem strange to you? Its such a perfect hymn. Anyways, we did what we could with what I remembered and sang it through a couple times.
I think the chickens liked our singing, even though they didn't act very reverent (ahem).
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| "More blossoms? I see blossoms. Are these cherry blossoms? No? What about bugs, any bugs on these flowers?" |
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| "Did somebody say, "QUIZ"?!" I'm outta' here! |
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| Chicken roundup! |
But what a beautiful morning to enjoy our freedom to school at home!
Rockin' the Homeschool
In a recent "aha!" moment, I made one simple change that has helped Han surge ahead in her learning ~
If you guessed, "Let the cat supervise her writing assignments," that would be pretty funny, but - wrong.
I was having so much trouble with her leaning her school chair up on two legs, rocking it backward on the back legs, leaning sideways to 'thunk' it on the floor and generally being wholly KINETIC while I was trying to get her to read/write/work out her math, that I was becoming distracted.
My parents bought us one of those great Cracker Barrel rockers for Christmas, and I used it to sit and read or teach. But one day I just switched it for Hannah's flat chair and ~VOILA!~ the kinetic energy was still there, but it is directed to back and forth movement and not balance or 'thunking.'
Yes, its a little too big and she can't sit back in it, but she does very little desk work right now; mostly math. I'll keep my eye out for a (cheap/free) rocker more in her size. In the meantime, this is working out GREAT and I can tell a HUGE difference in her attention span and concentration. Who'd'a thunk?
Now if only I could get that cat to come up with a few lesson plans.....
If you guessed, "Let the cat supervise her writing assignments," that would be pretty funny, but - wrong.
I was having so much trouble with her leaning her school chair up on two legs, rocking it backward on the back legs, leaning sideways to 'thunk' it on the floor and generally being wholly KINETIC while I was trying to get her to read/write/work out her math, that I was becoming distracted.
My parents bought us one of those great Cracker Barrel rockers for Christmas, and I used it to sit and read or teach. But one day I just switched it for Hannah's flat chair and ~VOILA!~ the kinetic energy was still there, but it is directed to back and forth movement and not balance or 'thunking.'
Yes, its a little too big and she can't sit back in it, but she does very little desk work right now; mostly math. I'll keep my eye out for a (cheap/free) rocker more in her size. In the meantime, this is working out GREAT and I can tell a HUGE difference in her attention span and concentration. Who'd'a thunk?
Now if only I could get that cat to come up with a few lesson plans.....
Friday, March 9, 2012
God's Gifts
As I write this post, Andy and Han are at Lowe's picking through their discards bin for chicken coop lumber. I'm home with the little one, having cleaned up after she emptied her stomach twice - once in the car and once on me and the downstairs couch. She's now watching an old movie musical on TBN with a trashcan beside. The situation lends it to an opportunity to update my blog!
So many changes since the move, and I've felt God's presence throughout. Things have not always gone as we've hoped or expected, but nonetheless, I've been blessed - by truly feeling His presence throughout everything. One or several of us was sick for most of February, yet we still managed to make it through work, homeschooling, housekeeping and our new engagements.
The girls took swimming lessons at the far-away (20 miles?) Green Ridge Recreation Center, and I am more than satisfied with their progress. One girl who wouldn't put her face in the water for me is actually swimming under water for significant distances, and the other quickly shot to the top of her class, demonstrating that she is, in reality, actually a water bug. They've each "graduated" to the next level, and if we decide to re-enroll them, they'll begin again after a weeks' break. For Abigail, her goal is to be able to swim well enough to "go down the big indoor slide"; check out their website at the link above to see what she means.
Homeschool Co-op through CHEF (Christian Home Educators of Franklin County) has been an abundantly rich experience for both me and the girls. While I truly enjoyed the Alleghany Highlands, I often felt they isolated in terms of other homeschoolers. True, we had a small core group (whom I miss, miss, miss, Margie!), but here we've connected with even more. They go weekly for five week sessions ~ Hannah is studying Alaska and the Iditerod race, Royal Rangers Together, and last session she was in well-organized and presented poetry class. Abigail is in a preschool class and a gym class. We've gone on a couple field trips and I've been to - sadly - only one Mom's Night, but the friendships and support I've built through CHEF are priceless.
This is an example of God's timing and grace for our family. I have a hard time making friends. I do! And as far as co-op, I wasn't sure if I'd want to relinqish any of my teaching time or schooling to someone else. I wasn't sure if it fit into my overall plan for their education. But my heart has changed at the same time the I saw how much they (especially Hannah) would benefit from it. And its not even that socialization thing. But it ends up being that. And while our children are engaged in their activities, I'm making developing relationships with other moms who have many of the same interests, goals and desires for their kids - all as sisters in the body of Christ. Its something wonderful, really.
And along the lines of making friends, God has blessed me in other ways, too. I mentioned our neighbors, right? I'm so thankful for ours ~ we've been out to dinner a couple times and have enjoyed ourselves together as families - laughing and yukking it up in the yard and in the snow. I know, I know, PICTURES, right? They'll come.
But I've also met friends out at random: Andy sold his truck to buy a 20+ year old Dodge so he wouldn't have a payment. Chatting with the folks who bought it, they homeschool and have kids the same ages as ours. We've cahtted by e-mail and have promised one another 'playdates' once the weather stabilizes some.
And of course there's more ~ even at the doctor's office for a physical today, I met a nurse who - um, "coincidentally" (yeah, right) is also raising chickens, hoping for goats soon and working toward a more self-sufficient lifestyle. So we exchanged particulars and here I am writing about her.
God is so good! He takes care of needs I didn't even know I had, overly and more abundantly than I could ever ask for hope for.
So many changes since the move, and I've felt God's presence throughout. Things have not always gone as we've hoped or expected, but nonetheless, I've been blessed - by truly feeling His presence throughout everything. One or several of us was sick for most of February, yet we still managed to make it through work, homeschooling, housekeeping and our new engagements.
The girls took swimming lessons at the far-away (20 miles?) Green Ridge Recreation Center, and I am more than satisfied with their progress. One girl who wouldn't put her face in the water for me is actually swimming under water for significant distances, and the other quickly shot to the top of her class, demonstrating that she is, in reality, actually a water bug. They've each "graduated" to the next level, and if we decide to re-enroll them, they'll begin again after a weeks' break. For Abigail, her goal is to be able to swim well enough to "go down the big indoor slide"; check out their website at the link above to see what she means.
Homeschool Co-op through CHEF (Christian Home Educators of Franklin County) has been an abundantly rich experience for both me and the girls. While I truly enjoyed the Alleghany Highlands, I often felt they isolated in terms of other homeschoolers. True, we had a small core group (whom I miss, miss, miss, Margie!), but here we've connected with even more. They go weekly for five week sessions ~ Hannah is studying Alaska and the Iditerod race, Royal Rangers Together, and last session she was in well-organized and presented poetry class. Abigail is in a preschool class and a gym class. We've gone on a couple field trips and I've been to - sadly - only one Mom's Night, but the friendships and support I've built through CHEF are priceless.
This is an example of God's timing and grace for our family. I have a hard time making friends. I do! And as far as co-op, I wasn't sure if I'd want to relinqish any of my teaching time or schooling to someone else. I wasn't sure if it fit into my overall plan for their education. But my heart has changed at the same time the I saw how much they (especially Hannah) would benefit from it. And its not even that socialization thing. But it ends up being that. And while our children are engaged in their activities, I'm making developing relationships with other moms who have many of the same interests, goals and desires for their kids - all as sisters in the body of Christ. Its something wonderful, really.
And along the lines of making friends, God has blessed me in other ways, too. I mentioned our neighbors, right? I'm so thankful for ours ~ we've been out to dinner a couple times and have enjoyed ourselves together as families - laughing and yukking it up in the yard and in the snow. I know, I know, PICTURES, right? They'll come.
But I've also met friends out at random: Andy sold his truck to buy a 20+ year old Dodge so he wouldn't have a payment. Chatting with the folks who bought it, they homeschool and have kids the same ages as ours. We've cahtted by e-mail and have promised one another 'playdates' once the weather stabilizes some.
And of course there's more ~ even at the doctor's office for a physical today, I met a nurse who - um, "coincidentally" (yeah, right) is also raising chickens, hoping for goats soon and working toward a more self-sufficient lifestyle. So we exchanged particulars and here I am writing about her.
God is so good! He takes care of needs I didn't even know I had, overly and more abundantly than I could ever ask for hope for.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Still Here, Praising
I considered abandoning this blog all together, based on the randomness of my postings, but I think I'll give it another shot. After all, I still have MUCH to say on so many things, AND I appreciate the encouragement from comments and e-mails that these posts encourage.
I'm very selfish, you see....
Many changes, great and small, have taken place in the last several weeks and months since I've updated. Most momentously has been our move from the Alleghany Mountains outside of Covington down to the Blue Ridge Highlands of Franklin County. God has moved in ways that are evident and we are thankful for His many gifts in this whole process.
Without dwelling on past experience too much, I'll share some of the ways we've been blessed by this move, both directly and indirectly:
1. DH's commute has gone from almost 80 miles each way to 18. He's home by 5:45 rather than 7PM.
2. We have 5 acres - compared to 1.5, and our neighbors are thrilled to hear we're planning on having chickens!
3. We have joined a large, God-centered, homeschool group here in Franklin County and the girls attend co-op with dozens of other children weekly. Praise God.
4. Our home has enough bathrooms that we don't risk an impromptu biology or "family life" lesson when daddy is in the shower and a little girl "has" to use the potty. Ahem.
5. We have a dishwasher.
6. And central air.
7. And a hot tub.
AND, the girls gleefully attend AWANAs on Wednesday night at the church we've been attending, which is just 7 or 8 miles up the road. We have been encouraged by the relationships we're building in Sunday School and have talked about once again opening our home to a regular (weekly? bi-weekly?) Bible study once we're completely settled.
We continue to pray and ask the Lord to work in the details of the home purchase, safety for Andy and each of us as we travel on two lane country roads, physical health and motivation toward personal goals of spiritual growth and a healthier lifestyle. For the girls, we have asked for help in parenting and direction in schooling.
Personally, I am struggling (as always) with self-discipline, motivation and organization. But that is another post; one which, I anticipate, will be written in the near future.
Thank you for reading!
I'm very selfish, you see....
Many changes, great and small, have taken place in the last several weeks and months since I've updated. Most momentously has been our move from the Alleghany Mountains outside of Covington down to the Blue Ridge Highlands of Franklin County. God has moved in ways that are evident and we are thankful for His many gifts in this whole process.
Without dwelling on past experience too much, I'll share some of the ways we've been blessed by this move, both directly and indirectly:
1. DH's commute has gone from almost 80 miles each way to 18. He's home by 5:45 rather than 7PM.
2. We have 5 acres - compared to 1.5, and our neighbors are thrilled to hear we're planning on having chickens!
3. We have joined a large, God-centered, homeschool group here in Franklin County and the girls attend co-op with dozens of other children weekly. Praise God.
4. Our home has enough bathrooms that we don't risk an impromptu biology or "family life" lesson when daddy is in the shower and a little girl "has" to use the potty. Ahem.
5. We have a dishwasher.
6. And central air.
7. And a hot tub.
AND, the girls gleefully attend AWANAs on Wednesday night at the church we've been attending, which is just 7 or 8 miles up the road. We have been encouraged by the relationships we're building in Sunday School and have talked about once again opening our home to a regular (weekly? bi-weekly?) Bible study once we're completely settled.
We continue to pray and ask the Lord to work in the details of the home purchase, safety for Andy and each of us as we travel on two lane country roads, physical health and motivation toward personal goals of spiritual growth and a healthier lifestyle. For the girls, we have asked for help in parenting and direction in schooling.
Personally, I am struggling (as always) with self-discipline, motivation and organization. But that is another post; one which, I anticipate, will be written in the near future.
Thank you for reading!
Psalm 27:8
When you said, "Seek my face," my heart said to you, "Your face, O LORD, I shall seek."
Monday, October 3, 2011
Thankfulness Journal
We've begun a new unit on Miracles in our Sunday School class, and it motivated me to follow through on something I've been meaning to do for a couple years: create a Thankfulness Journal.
I had one years ago when I first started working - it was a confidence booster at the time, where I wrote things people said that (what to me at the time) seemed to validate my work, my competency, etc. I needed it when I was feeling unsure of myself.
Other times I've written lists of things for which I am thankful, but those were impermanent and I couldn't put my finger on them now if I had to. Therefore, I'm going to dedicate one of the many hard-backed, blank, lined journals I pick up here and there to a Thankfulness Journal.
What does Thankfulness have to with miracles? Well, for me, I am SUPREMELY thankful when I see God play an active part - even in small ways** - in my daily life ~ some people call them "God Sightings" or "God Winks," but neither of those phrases really grab me, so until I find a new way to describe them, I'll just refer to them as things for which I am thankful and write them in my journal. Personally, I think they are "Mini Miracles," because, I mean, hey, isn't it a MIRACLE that the GOD OF THE UNIVERSE cares about little ole' me?
I see God alive and at work in my life in the smallest ways. I mean, VERY SMALL. An atheist or agnostic might dismiss things that I notice as coincidence, I take it as evidence that God cares about every part of me and is involved in the mundane day to day activity in my life.
FOR EXAMPLE, and here is a Homeschooling Moment:
This morning we began our school day as we always do - with our Bible lesson and memory verse of the week. This week's verse is
(OF COURSE, we sang This Little Light of Mine)
But to put our verse in context, I backed up some....
We had a lovely discussion about salt losing its saltiness ~ (background: If the four year old finds a salt shaker on the table and pours it out on said table, licks it....licks it...licks it.... she throws up. She doesn't say why she is retching, however, but Mama's detective skills are improving. We Have Learned That Too Much Salt Is Not Good For Our Bodies And They Reject It.) ~ which has been a pertinent issue in our home at least twice. They know about salt.
Anyways, we moved on to History.
We are using Mystery of History as our backbone curriculum and (more on that in another post) this morning we began to look at cultures outside of the middle east, specifically, China. We did the lesson, learned about the first couple dynasties and, as a surprise, I took the girls to "Chinese" for lunch. We compared the characters of the Chinese alphabet on the back of our chopsticks packages to hieroglyphics and cuneiform writing, talked about the differences in food and the different gods (idols) they worshiped ~ Chinese restaurants aren't complete without a Buddha!
Lovin' us some homeschooling!
So then it was Fortune Cookie Time.
Now daggone it if I didn't lose my 'fortune,' but it said something about filling someone's head with knowledge vs. teaching them to learn for themselves. I "just happen"** (see above) to be reading to be reading a book about Classical Education vs. Outcome-Based Education. Right on target! Hannah's fortune was: Keep negative comments to yourself, avoid any disputes. Eh? Maybe not. Nice, but not necessarily words to live by.
But what I thought was REALLY NEATO was that on the back her "Learn Chinese" word was, SALT.
Really?
Yes, really.
Its going in the journal.
I had one years ago when I first started working - it was a confidence booster at the time, where I wrote things people said that (what to me at the time) seemed to validate my work, my competency, etc. I needed it when I was feeling unsure of myself.
Other times I've written lists of things for which I am thankful, but those were impermanent and I couldn't put my finger on them now if I had to. Therefore, I'm going to dedicate one of the many hard-backed, blank, lined journals I pick up here and there to a Thankfulness Journal.
What does Thankfulness have to with miracles? Well, for me, I am SUPREMELY thankful when I see God play an active part - even in small ways** - in my daily life ~ some people call them "God Sightings" or "God Winks," but neither of those phrases really grab me, so until I find a new way to describe them, I'll just refer to them as things for which I am thankful and write them in my journal. Personally, I think they are "Mini Miracles," because, I mean, hey, isn't it a MIRACLE that the GOD OF THE UNIVERSE cares about little ole' me?
I see God alive and at work in my life in the smallest ways. I mean, VERY SMALL. An atheist or agnostic might dismiss things that I notice as coincidence, I take it as evidence that God cares about every part of me and is involved in the mundane day to day activity in my life.
FOR EXAMPLE, and here is a Homeschooling Moment:
This morning we began our school day as we always do - with our Bible lesson and memory verse of the week. This week's verse is
Matthew 5:16: Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
(OF COURSE, we sang This Little Light of Mine)
But to put our verse in context, I backed up some....
Matthew 5:13: You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how [e]can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.
We had a lovely discussion about salt losing its saltiness ~ (background: If the four year old finds a salt shaker on the table and pours it out on said table, licks it....licks it...licks it.... she throws up. She doesn't say why she is retching, however, but Mama's detective skills are improving. We Have Learned That Too Much Salt Is Not Good For Our Bodies And They Reject It.) ~ which has been a pertinent issue in our home at least twice. They know about salt.
Anyways, we moved on to History.
We are using Mystery of History as our backbone curriculum and (more on that in another post) this morning we began to look at cultures outside of the middle east, specifically, China. We did the lesson, learned about the first couple dynasties and, as a surprise, I took the girls to "Chinese" for lunch. We compared the characters of the Chinese alphabet on the back of our chopsticks packages to hieroglyphics and cuneiform writing, talked about the differences in food and the different gods (idols) they worshiped ~ Chinese restaurants aren't complete without a Buddha!
Lovin' us some homeschooling!
So then it was Fortune Cookie Time.
Now daggone it if I didn't lose my 'fortune,' but it said something about filling someone's head with knowledge vs. teaching them to learn for themselves. I "just happen"** (see above) to be reading to be reading a book about Classical Education vs. Outcome-Based Education. Right on target! Hannah's fortune was: Keep negative comments to yourself, avoid any disputes. Eh? Maybe not. Nice, but not necessarily words to live by.
But what I thought was REALLY NEATO was that on the back her "Learn Chinese" word was, SALT.
Really?
Yes, really.
Its going in the journal.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Do U See Math?
Did I mention that we had changed our math curriculum?
Based on outstanding reviews from friends, we switched to Math U See this year. It has three components: a DVD lesson, a teacher's guide and a student workbook. Oh, there's the manipulatives, too - base 10 blocks I guess you could call them - interlocking from the bottoms and used heavily in the lessons.
The program is geared toward various learning styles, and we've really enjoyed it so far....Han is in the second book, "Beta," and will finish that book (30 lessons) by the end of next week. We'll move into the "Gamma" book directly afterward. It is largely self-paced - and that is the point. They want to ensure that each concept is nailed and learned solidly before the next one is introduced. Much of the "Beta" work is review from our program of last year, which is another reason she's flying through it.
I haven't mentioned that a Very Good Friend shared her teacher's manuals and DVD's with us. What a money-saver....almost $200 worth! Wow. She even shipped them out here from Oklahoma! OK! Thank you Lesly!
But wait, there's MORE!
In order to begin the program we had to order the student workbooks. We needed the Primer (for A) and the Beta for H (we skipped the Alpha, the basic math facts). We also needed the manipulative blocks.
So I went to the Math U See website and placed the order. Rats. They were out of the blocks, pictured here. "Temporarily Out of Stock" the note said. Nonetheless, we wanted to get started right away so I placed my order for the books.
The next day I went back to the website to check and see if the blocks were available....they were! Now, to try and stop my order from shipping, I contacted the customer service "help chat" and told the Nice Lady my story.
This Very Helpful Person said she would try and stop my order before it left the warehouse so that the blocks could be added to the box to save me a second round of shipping costs (almost $12!). I told her that if it couldn't be done, I understood, as I probably should have waited to place my order. She said she'd get back to me the next day.
Alas, my order shipped separately as I was informed by email. No big deal. After all, the Instruction Manuals and DVDs were Free To Me so it was a pretty good deal to begin with. We were still in our school budget for the program. And as it turned out, shipping was much quicker than the 5 days suggested on the website.
(((time passes)))
A couple weeks later Andy asked me if I expecting a rebate check from Math U See.
"No, lemme see it!"
After a lively discussion of "its mine,"
"NO its MINE" etc.
ensured, I emerged victorious and was able to see the amount.
THIS NICE COMPANY refunded the cost of shipping my second package! Without even being asked! And loooong after the whole incident was pushed far from my mind. Really? They did that for US?
So, not only am I impressed with the quality of their teaching, but the company itself is devoted to its customers as well.
The money refunded will be turned around again next week and used to purchase the next book in the series, but isn't that a great story? They really did the right thing. And now, I'm going to try and reciprocate by passing along my experience to you!
Based on outstanding reviews from friends, we switched to Math U See this year. It has three components: a DVD lesson, a teacher's guide and a student workbook. Oh, there's the manipulatives, too - base 10 blocks I guess you could call them - interlocking from the bottoms and used heavily in the lessons.
The program is geared toward various learning styles, and we've really enjoyed it so far....Han is in the second book, "Beta," and will finish that book (30 lessons) by the end of next week. We'll move into the "Gamma" book directly afterward. It is largely self-paced - and that is the point. They want to ensure that each concept is nailed and learned solidly before the next one is introduced. Much of the "Beta" work is review from our program of last year, which is another reason she's flying through it.
I haven't mentioned that a Very Good Friend shared her teacher's manuals and DVD's with us. What a money-saver....almost $200 worth! Wow. She even shipped them out here from Oklahoma! OK! Thank you Lesly!
But wait, there's MORE!
In order to begin the program we had to order the student workbooks. We needed the Primer (for A) and the Beta for H (we skipped the Alpha, the basic math facts). We also needed the manipulative blocks.
So I went to the Math U See website and placed the order. Rats. They were out of the blocks, pictured here. "Temporarily Out of Stock" the note said. Nonetheless, we wanted to get started right away so I placed my order for the books.
The next day I went back to the website to check and see if the blocks were available....they were! Now, to try and stop my order from shipping, I contacted the customer service "help chat" and told the Nice Lady my story.
This Very Helpful Person said she would try and stop my order before it left the warehouse so that the blocks could be added to the box to save me a second round of shipping costs (almost $12!). I told her that if it couldn't be done, I understood, as I probably should have waited to place my order. She said she'd get back to me the next day.
Alas, my order shipped separately as I was informed by email. No big deal. After all, the Instruction Manuals and DVDs were Free To Me so it was a pretty good deal to begin with. We were still in our school budget for the program. And as it turned out, shipping was much quicker than the 5 days suggested on the website.
(((time passes)))
A couple weeks later Andy asked me if I expecting a rebate check from Math U See.
"No, lemme see it!"
After a lively discussion of "its mine,"
"NO its MINE" etc.
ensured, I emerged victorious and was able to see the amount.
THIS NICE COMPANY refunded the cost of shipping my second package! Without even being asked! And loooong after the whole incident was pushed far from my mind. Really? They did that for US?
So, not only am I impressed with the quality of their teaching, but the company itself is devoted to its customers as well.
The money refunded will be turned around again next week and used to purchase the next book in the series, but isn't that a great story? They really did the right thing. And now, I'm going to try and reciprocate by passing along my experience to you!
Friday, September 23, 2011
Blogging - And Why I Haven't Been
I've been Living the Life! I think about something almost daily to write about, but when it comes time...there IS none! I've mentioned before how my computer time is usually in the evenings when Andy is asleep or trying to drift off. My 'clicking' over here would be MUCH too distracting for him, so I try to do more 'mouse clicks' than keyboard clicks. (There should be a clever way to phrase that, but I can't come up with it now)....
The girls have made friends with a little girl who, along with her parents and older brother, moved in with her grandparents across the street. She comes over 3-4 afternoons a week and my girls are thrilled. They have never had a child live so close by that they could just show up, unannounced, without hitching a ride from a parent. I love it, too ~ it reminds me of when Amy and I used to play with our friend, Diana, who lived down the street. They're pretty content to play on the swingset, in the creek, in the carport and under the pine trees, AKA the Tearoom. She's over here now, which is why I can sneak a few minutes on the computer!
All the same, I am eager for our house to sell so that we can move closer to Roanoke and more homeschooling families, events and activities. I want the girls to get involved in 4H and ballet (Abigail), but I don't want to start here and have to change mid-year. Of course, only the Lord knows the plans He has for us, and we could very well be here for another year. I hope not, because I don't like the idea of Andy driving 76 miles each way in the wintertime with snow and ice in the forecast. Its hard to be patient... and yet, 1 Corinthians 13:1 lists patient as the first descriptor of love. Hmmmmm....could my having patience about a move be a testimony to my love for God? There's a lesson in there somewhere....
We've enjoyed being outdoors a lot this early Fall. We've taken a couple quick family walks in the woods and two nice long bike rides down the (Rails To Trails) Jackson River Trail. I hooked the "Wee Ride / Co-Pilot" tandem bike to mine and Hannah rides a new bike our neighbor gave her last year, and we trek away. I hope to get over to the Greenbrier River Trail, too, pretty soon to take advantage of that as well. Here in Callaghan there are few areas to really ride....its 45MPH in front of our house and that's the low end of the scale for the speedies who fly by.
I'll leave you with some pictures of the girls' adventures....
The girls have made friends with a little girl who, along with her parents and older brother, moved in with her grandparents across the street. She comes over 3-4 afternoons a week and my girls are thrilled. They have never had a child live so close by that they could just show up, unannounced, without hitching a ride from a parent. I love it, too ~ it reminds me of when Amy and I used to play with our friend, Diana, who lived down the street. They're pretty content to play on the swingset, in the creek, in the carport and under the pine trees, AKA the Tearoom. She's over here now, which is why I can sneak a few minutes on the computer!
All the same, I am eager for our house to sell so that we can move closer to Roanoke and more homeschooling families, events and activities. I want the girls to get involved in 4H and ballet (Abigail), but I don't want to start here and have to change mid-year. Of course, only the Lord knows the plans He has for us, and we could very well be here for another year. I hope not, because I don't like the idea of Andy driving 76 miles each way in the wintertime with snow and ice in the forecast. Its hard to be patient... and yet, 1 Corinthians 13:1 lists patient as the first descriptor of love. Hmmmmm....could my having patience about a move be a testimony to my love for God? There's a lesson in there somewhere....
We've enjoyed being outdoors a lot this early Fall. We've taken a couple quick family walks in the woods and two nice long bike rides down the (Rails To Trails) Jackson River Trail. I hooked the "Wee Ride / Co-Pilot" tandem bike to mine and Hannah rides a new bike our neighbor gave her last year, and we trek away. I hope to get over to the Greenbrier River Trail, too, pretty soon to take advantage of that as well. Here in Callaghan there are few areas to really ride....its 45MPH in front of our house and that's the low end of the scale for the speedies who fly by.
I'll leave you with some pictures of the girls' adventures....
 |
| Keepin' on keepin' on! |
 |
| A funny face after a long ride |
 |
| "Wading" in the Jackson River at Petticoat Junction |
Thursday, May 12, 2011
GIA
A quick testimony of how God is at work in my life:
Homeschool moms can relate to the stress related to choosing a curriculum that will suit their children, their schedule, their teaching style. It might only be a minor stressor, but the decision is an important one. My friend Kay, after providing a recommendation for a curriculum she enjoys with her children, admonished me to "first, pray and allow God to show you His plan." What great advice!
Sometimes, regarding school curriculums or any other decision, large or small, I forget to "pray first and seek God's will." I don't think I'm being willfull or rebellious, but rather not thinking or not allowing the habit to develop in my life.
I took Kay's advice, and prayed over curriculum choices. I thought I had the answers on most of them, but Math was a sticky wicket (a timely phrase!). I want to change from our present curriculum series to another, more rigorous one. I'd made a decision, but since math is not my strong suit and I want Hannah to have the best possible foundation in the subject, I was a little unsure.
Week before last we went saleing. YARD sale-ing, that is. I found a "Hooked on Math" box for $1 over on Douthat Road. I was excited only because of the name. I figured it was a sister program to "Hooked on Phonics." Not that I know anything about the program, but it was marketing, baby, pure marketing, that sold me.
When we got home, I saw that it was missing much of the contents. Oh, well, for a dollar, what did I expect? I put it aside.
I revisited a couple math curriculum websites and tentatively made a switch. I gave Hannah a pretest in the program and saw where she should begin. Even though she passed the pretest, however, she wasn't strong in the basic skills. I would put her where she would be according to her testing level, but I was a little unsure because the program stresses that the student be strong and proficient in each previous level before advancing. This is the key to success in this particular program, as it is designed slightly differently than other approaches.
Cleaning off our homeschool bookcase, I opened the Hooked on Math box to see if I could toss the bulky box and keep the insides. Upon closer inspection.....
(and this is the whole point of the post, GIA - GOD IN ACTION)
I saw that what was included in this program -
what was not discarded by the previous owner -
was the BASIC reviews of the first level of the new math program I'd tentatively selected for next trimester!!
In other words, it is the review, the preparation, the foundation for Hannah's math program that she'll begin in the fall!
Now, is that a "GOD THING" (I dislike that phrase, but it fits!), or WHAT?!
It is exactly what we need to prep her for this new curriculum. The flash cards, the prompts, the games, etc., ALL of it is what I need to develop her confidence for our next roud of math!
And I'm giving God the Praise for it!
Homeschool moms can relate to the stress related to choosing a curriculum that will suit their children, their schedule, their teaching style. It might only be a minor stressor, but the decision is an important one. My friend Kay, after providing a recommendation for a curriculum she enjoys with her children, admonished me to "first, pray and allow God to show you His plan." What great advice!
Sometimes, regarding school curriculums or any other decision, large or small, I forget to "pray first and seek God's will." I don't think I'm being willfull or rebellious, but rather not thinking or not allowing the habit to develop in my life.
I took Kay's advice, and prayed over curriculum choices. I thought I had the answers on most of them, but Math was a sticky wicket (a timely phrase!). I want to change from our present curriculum series to another, more rigorous one. I'd made a decision, but since math is not my strong suit and I want Hannah to have the best possible foundation in the subject, I was a little unsure.
Week before last we went saleing. YARD sale-ing, that is. I found a "Hooked on Math" box for $1 over on Douthat Road. I was excited only because of the name. I figured it was a sister program to "Hooked on Phonics." Not that I know anything about the program, but it was marketing, baby, pure marketing, that sold me.
When we got home, I saw that it was missing much of the contents. Oh, well, for a dollar, what did I expect? I put it aside.
I revisited a couple math curriculum websites and tentatively made a switch. I gave Hannah a pretest in the program and saw where she should begin. Even though she passed the pretest, however, she wasn't strong in the basic skills. I would put her where she would be according to her testing level, but I was a little unsure because the program stresses that the student be strong and proficient in each previous level before advancing. This is the key to success in this particular program, as it is designed slightly differently than other approaches.
Cleaning off our homeschool bookcase, I opened the Hooked on Math box to see if I could toss the bulky box and keep the insides. Upon closer inspection.....
(and this is the whole point of the post, GIA - GOD IN ACTION)
I saw that what was included in this program -
what was not discarded by the previous owner -
was the BASIC reviews of the first level of the new math program I'd tentatively selected for next trimester!!
In other words, it is the review, the preparation, the foundation for Hannah's math program that she'll begin in the fall!
Now, is that a "GOD THING" (I dislike that phrase, but it fits!), or WHAT?!
It is exactly what we need to prep her for this new curriculum. The flash cards, the prompts, the games, etc., ALL of it is what I need to develop her confidence for our next roud of math!
And I'm giving God the Praise for it!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Schooling at home
One of the most rewarding things so far about schooling at home is watching Hannah as she has progressed from a non-reader/non-writer to a beginning reader/writer. She is left-handed and often has trouble with left/right writing and letter or number formation.
Much of this is developmental and she'll grow out of it. She needs to keep practicing to train her brain and her hand to work together to form characters correctly. I've read and seen that drawing "figure 8's" is one way to reinforce this eye-hand-brain coordination. Occasionally I've set up the big dry erase board so she can full-arm these motions. The other day I had her doing it while I was washing dishes. I sensed somehow (Mommy 6th sense) that those figure 8s weren't forthcoming and I turned around to see this:
Much of this is developmental and she'll grow out of it. She needs to keep practicing to train her brain and her hand to work together to form characters correctly. I've read and seen that drawing "figure 8's" is one way to reinforce this eye-hand-brain coordination. Occasionally I've set up the big dry erase board so she can full-arm these motions. The other day I had her doing it while I was washing dishes. I sensed somehow (Mommy 6th sense) that those figure 8s weren't forthcoming and I turned around to see this:
"What are you doing? You're supposed to be drawing your figure 8s."
"I'm making a figure 8 person. Its you, mama!"
"Han, draw your 8s please!"
"OK! OK! I'll have to ruin this picture of you, though!"
I mentioned, too, a few posts back that we had been reading through the Old Testament according to Penny Gardner's timeline I found via Ambleside Online. Using some leftover clay and toothpicks I wanted them to build the Tower of Babel, using this kid's model as a guide:
Here's what we got:
 |
| Hmmmmmm...... |
And then, as I think you're supposed to do when studying geography - we made a salt map of the United States. Actually I made the salt map and Han labeled it with our "important" points of reference. (How's Texas lookin atcha?) Pretty good, right?!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
conversation drifting down the hallway....
Hannah dropped her crutch and Abigail ran to pick it up for her:
"Thank you, what would I do without you, little sister?"
3 year old: "One day I'm not going to be here; I"m going to be dead. But I'll be in heaven."
6 year old: "Don't worry, I'll be dead long before you and I'll be waiting for you there."
Hannah lost one of her top teeth this morning. One of our learning objectives this year is having the first grader use different technologies for writing, so we "sent an email" to her tooth fairy, Butterfly. Whoever has the email address of butterfly@toothfairy.com is going to wonder who in the world Hannah is. But Hannah planned out what she wanted to say and then typed it out with me spelling the words to her while I folded laundry. After that she sent an email to her granny letting her know the same.
Did you know that Hannah broke her foot in two places? We go back to the doctor on the 31st for a follow up x-ray. I'll let you know and post the results!
"Thank you, what would I do without you, little sister?"
3 year old: "One day I'm not going to be here; I"m going to be dead. But I'll be in heaven."
6 year old: "Don't worry, I'll be dead long before you and I'll be waiting for you there."
Hannah lost one of her top teeth this morning. One of our learning objectives this year is having the first grader use different technologies for writing, so we "sent an email" to her tooth fairy, Butterfly. Whoever has the email address of butterfly@toothfairy.com is going to wonder who in the world Hannah is. But Hannah planned out what she wanted to say and then typed it out with me spelling the words to her while I folded laundry. After that she sent an email to her granny letting her know the same.
Did you know that Hannah broke her foot in two places? We go back to the doctor on the 31st for a follow up x-ray. I'll let you know and post the results!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Christmas Cheer
There are many, many things that I love about the Alleghany Highlands. I'm going to share one thing that is especailly close to my heart, one that I hold in high esteem.
I've told you before that every Monday is "trash day" in our part of the county. The girls get the biggest kick of running out and saying "hi" to the "trash guys," telling them about something that's recently happened, probably even airing a little Morris dirty laundry here and there and generally just connecting with a few guys who they consider their great friends.
Last year we were bowled over when they pulled the big white truck up to the end of the driveway and got out with two wrapped Christmas presents for the girls. Read about it here.....
Today, I got a lump in my throat when it happened again. I dunno, maybe I'm just a little emotional today or something, but it really touched my heart.
The girls were so excited because this was the last Monday before Christmas....and they couldn't WAIT to give their friends cards, fudge and cookies that we'd made. They excitedly talked about their friends ("I love them!" and "They're my best friends!") as they made glitter-loaded cards for these great guys.
I've told you before that every Monday is "trash day" in our part of the county. The girls get the biggest kick of running out and saying "hi" to the "trash guys," telling them about something that's recently happened, probably even airing a little Morris dirty laundry here and there and generally just connecting with a few guys who they consider their great friends.
Last year we were bowled over when they pulled the big white truck up to the end of the driveway and got out with two wrapped Christmas presents for the girls. Read about it here.....
Today, I got a lump in my throat when it happened again. I dunno, maybe I'm just a little emotional today or something, but it really touched my heart.
The girls were so excited because this was the last Monday before Christmas....and they couldn't WAIT to give their friends cards, fudge and cookies that we'd made. They excitedly talked about their friends ("I love them!" and "They're my best friends!") as they made glitter-loaded cards for these great guys.
For the girls, this was all about GIVING and not receiving. Not once was a reference made to them "getting" anything from the "trash guys*." The word "exhuberant" comes to mind as they looked forward to giving their presents.
*Hannah has called them "the trash guys" from the first time she went out to see them.
The name has stuck, although they signed last year's cards "The Trashmen."
We were just finishing up our first half of school when the cry arose, "TRASH GUYS ARE COMING!" And two little girls strapped on their flip-flops, grabbed a glittery stack of cards and treat boxes and trotted out in just-below-freezing-temperatures toward Johnson Creek Road.
The pictures show the rest of the story...
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