Friday, October 1, 2010

Beginning of Fall

September has been very hot until lately. The weather has been so hot that we have had to have A/C on and we hate to use it. We really enjoy having windows open. The fresh breeze just does something to you. Helps relax the environment! Fresh air is good for the soul!
We start the month out with Labor Day weekend. It is the one way the Government encourages the companies to allow the people who work a day off. Labor Day occurs on the first Monday in September and was first celebrated in the United States on September 5, 1882. The kids thought it was neat to read and understand why we have the holiday. they all thought it has something to do with military. weird I thought but then I was thinking about it. We have a Memorial day, veterans day, Freedom day,Armed Forces Day etc. So it made since they thought that. But after we read and looked in to it we realized it was for everyone who worked!

 

 Mr. Turtle came to stay with us in September 2009 he was no bigger then a silver dollar. He is a Red Eared Slider!

 Well this year in September 2010 he was 6 inches long. He was very healthy and happy.

 We felt he was ready to be let back into the wild. Makenzee was worried at first that he would become gator bait.We explained and showed her that there are lots of turtles and he will be just fine. We really enjoyed having him but we are so glad he is on his own freedom is good!



We have found a really neat site! It is called Keys for Kids. They have a new story about everyday life. It is helping build character for everyday life. We strive to keep a Godly way of living. But it isn't always easy to be Godly or have a Godly attitude. The now day stories help the kids understand why they need to always put God first. It is Gods law! We listen to the story and discuss what the story was about as well as there is always more verses that it has for you to read. Life saver for me when it comes to time.

We spent September learning about Edward Hicks 1780-1849. He did the peaceable Kingdom paintings.There are over hundred of them some he redid several times. He was considered an American painter, he was the leading folk, or naive, artist of the first half of the 1800s. 


We also study a musician and his work. This Month we studied Johann Strauss Jr. October 25, 1825 - June 3, 1899 the music he wrote and conducted was considered the Romantic Period. He grew with a father who was a wonderful conductor. Johann's father did not want him in the music business he wanted him to be successful as a banker. But Johann's mother helped him practice when his father was away from home working! He turned out to better then his father when it cam to writing and conducting music. You can hear his Polka.

My children have been working on the Solar System we will continue through October. There is so much to discover and learn. We have touched base on the milky way, inner and outer planets, comments, meteoroids etc. We are starting to look into the sun. I try to take a week on each thing sometimes we go longer or sometimes we move on depends on how interested they seem to be. We are going to be making a planet book. The kids are really excited!

Jon-Jon has resumed doing Boy Scouts. His troop 119 is a very active group. They always have something going on. They do a lot of hiking and camping. Jon really enjoys being apart of it. He is now a Tenderfoot. Doing what we can to help him stay with it. 
Troop 463 is back for the year. The girls are really coming together as a troop. We are working on learning the law, promise and motto. They are doing so good. We are also learning how to say and do sign language with them. We are having our first camp out. the girls are so excited we will be learning what the s'more means to a girl scout! 

It's Time for S'mores!

Most girls think s'mores are the official food of the Girl Scouts. And you know what? They're right! You can't have a campfire without them! And although the true origin of s'mores seems to be a mystery, the first documented recipe for s'mores came from a Girl Scout publication in 1927! Girl Scouts have been loving s'mores for a long time! With these recipes, you can too!
The girls are playing soccer they are so loving. Makenzee is playing on the Bad News Sharks their colors are lime green and Navy Blue. She is doing so well going after the ball. Lileigh's team is the Tigers. Their colors are Burnt Orange and Navy Blue. She is also doing very well. The first game she would watch ball go past then chase the ball. Well this past weekend she was actually going after it. Very proud of both of them.
Kenzee is participating in the Girls in Action (G.A.'s).  
For girls in grades 1–6, Girls in Action—or GA—is dynamic missions discipleship. GA members pray for missions and actively serve in their communities and around the world.


 Fall has come yay! Besides windows being open for not sure how long before another heat spell or it become winter over night. I am soooo dreading WINTER. I hate cold I love spring and fall. The kids have been going out side and sitting and watching nature they then come to me and explain what they saw and heard. Sometimes they take paper and colors. They think they are just outside doing nothing. But little do they know they are going an understanding of Nature and learning to open their way of seeing things and enjoying what nature has to offer. to end September the kids and I decided we would learn about Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman). So we are doing everything we can with Apples. So reading, writing, math, science etc. is all based on apples. They are really digging it. We have decided Friday is our special Habit training day. We will make every meal and snack with apples. 
                                                                                                             Breakfast: 
                        
                                           A.M snack: 


                                            Lunch: 
    P.M. Snack:  
    Apple slices and Caramel Dipping Sauces












           Dessert: 

            The kids were so excited.
             
            Makenzee said "Apples are a sweet delicious way to make foods happy!"

            Lileigh said " Wow apples can do that their good!"

            Abbigale said "Ummy Appy" 


            “If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas.”

            Wednesday, September 1, 2010

            August has come and gone

            As fast as August came it left. Thomas and 3 of our children went on a road trip to New Mexico to see my parents. The kids have not seen them since Christmas 2008. Unfortunately they have not gotten to meet Abbigale.  Abbi and I were not able to go because we only have a 5 seater and when there is 6 persons plus car seat there is no room at all. We make it work for around town. They went through Texas and camped at Copper Beak State Park  They said it was beautiful! When they got to New Mexico they got to go to The Albuquerque Zoo. They also went camping in the mountains in New Mexico.

            They really had an awesome time with their dad and being able to see their grandparents was bonus! 
             Then we come to the end of August and we have Abbigales birthday the 29th. She has fir the first time made it known she loves Dora the Explorer. So I made her a dress and added Dora on the bottom. Daddy made her a bracelet out of her Dora ribbon. and I made her a Dora cake. She was so excite for being 2 years old she was so happy.
                                                                      Having a BBQ is sooooo Exhausting!
            "Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning."  Benjamin Franklin Quotes

            Saturday, August 7, 2010

            The way of adventure!

            Today, I am giving you a




            DAILY SURVIVAL KIT




            to help you each day............




            Toothpick ... to remind you to pick the good qualities in everyone, including yourself.






            Rubber band .... to remind you to be flexible. Things might not always go the way you want, but it can be worked out.




            Band-Aid ... to remind you to heal hurt feelings, either yours or someone else's.




            Eraser ... to remind you everyone makes mistakes. That's okay, we learn by our errors.




            Candy Kiss ... to remind you everyone needs a hug or a compliment everyday.




            Mint .... to remind you that you are worth a mint to your family & Me.




            Bubble Gum ... to remind you to stick with it and you can accomplish anything.




            Pencil ... to remind you to list your blessings every day.




            Tea Bag ... to remind you to take time to relax daily and go over that list of God's blessings.

            These things we need to always remember our children will cherish them to know that simple things can mean much more specially in GODS eyes!


            Since we have started school the kids are doing well. They have enjoyed reading and doing work that goes with Lewis and Clark expedition all the neat things they ran into.The cultures and land. 

            They have done quit a bit but there is always more to do. My husband Thomas, Jon-Jon, Makenzee and Lileigh are so lucky they are headed to New Mexico to see my Mom and Dad. The are planning on stopping at Copper Breaks State Park to put tent up and sleep then explorer the place. The will resume  to New Mexico after they explore the area. What an adventure. On the way back they are are going to Palo Duro Canyon State Park TX.. They better have lots of pictures! I explained to the kids that they are being a Lewis and Clark and try to find something new and have fun!


            View a larger version of this image.

            Copper Breaks State Park




            View a larger version of this image.

            Palo Duro Canyon State Park

             I am so missing them. I have not talked to them since 7:30pm last night. Being away from them isn't what it is cracked up to be. Sure I have Abbigale here but it would have been so awesome to go with my family. The words can not describe how I hope my children are taking in everything and will remember this trip with there daddy the rest of there lives. What an adventure!


            The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – St. Augustine

            Sunday, July 25, 2010

            First week of school

            We started back to school July 19. The kids have been so excited about starting back! Makenzee finished her New Mexico Project she had a lot of fun making it. We got to read lots of neat things about New Mexico.
            We are working on Lewis and Clark adventures. Noah and the big Flood. They are also working on oceanography. Working on mastering the colors in English, Spanish, and sign language. Over all this has been a good start to a new term even tho we had a couple doctor appointments. We only have one next week and that is Jon-Jon's eyes. Hopefully he don't break his glasses this time. We will continue to work on what we have been doing. Looking forward to another rewarding week!

            “To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children...to leave the world a better place...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”Ralph Waldo Emerson quotes

            Monday, July 19, 2010

            Over All View/ New term!

            There has been so much that has gone on since I last blogged.We have gone through May had Lileigh's birthday she is 5 years old May 5th. May went fast. June came and the Girls had VBS (Vacation Bible School) at our church they learned about being western. The girls also got to go to Hemphill Texas to a library camp. They learned about puppets and had an awesome time.

            Jon-Jon got to go on a week long hiking/camping trip the end of June. He got to go to North Carolina,Tennessee,Georgia. Rode horses, water rafting, 13 mile hike in 2 days, rope climbing and more.

            Well now it is JULY Makenzee turned 7 on July 2nd. She requested we go to Chuck E Cheese so we did the kids had a blast. We were there for 4 hours and spent $65.00 the whole time. For a family of 6 that's really good. The girl got to go to another VBS in July and learned the high seas.

            Today is the first day of school. The kids are so happy to be back on our DAILY GOALS. It went rather smoothly we listened to a few songs that are positive to wake up to. Good Morning song, Days of the week song, Months of the year,  My were loving them! We were very successful! 
             
            The kids are learning colors. Yes colors in Spanish, and sign language. Lileigh who is my  kindergartner will be learning the words for the colors as well as say them in Spanish and do the sign for color. Makenzee who is in second grade will be learning to spell colors, say them in Spanish, and sign them all. Jon-Jon who is in 8th grade will be spelling them all English/Spanish and sign language as well as do the signs for colors. They watched a color video for saying colors in Spanish and sign language. Makenzee and Jon-Jon used index cards and worked as a team. Makenzee wrote the English name on one side and Jon-Jon wrote the Spanish on the other side. They then flashed carded each other. Wish I thought of something like this sooner. Thank you to Sunset Learning for giving us the idea!

            We are learning about Noah and the ark. We read about him t has told us about what kind of man he was and what God told Noah to build and when to be done. Noah was a good faithful man. We read Genesis 6. We are also learning about the ocean. The kids started working on the world map you know oceans, continents, seas, and more. Memory verse for week is Genesis 1:9&10. We are also learning about Lewis and Clark's expedition. We read a short story on Lewis and the kids did a cross word puzzle. We finished with watching the documentary of Lewis and Clark Expedition.

            You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives.  ~Clay P. Bedford