Homeschool Memoirs- Summer Photo Essay

THEME
This week I want to invite you to take a moment and post a Summer Photo Essay memoir. Starting from around the official date of Summer to this past week - just give a basic summary of your summer as I know someone of you are photoholics!

We don't do a big summer vacation in our family. We spend our time close to home enjoying the great outdoors.

We will spend our time kayaking...

Or at the pool...

Or at the lake...

Or picking strawberries. We put up strawberries, blueberries, zucchini, corn, peaches, and pears this summer. Applesauce isn't done yet, so I can't include that.

This year we didn't get to go boating at my mom's. We ran out of time and were sorely disappointed. I guess that means next year we will have to go extra!

Free Sale

Free Sale

We are in the process of setting up for the annual free sale. What is amazing to me is all of this is just from Thursday set up. The church family has all day today to bring stuff in also. I can't imagine what it is going to look like tonight!

Homeschool Memoirs- Favorite Things

THEME:
Since I’ve been making you work really hard on the previous Memoir themes I decided to take a little break, and do something fun! This week I want to invite you to share a few of your favourite things. I know the list of favourite things could be never-ending, but I’ve made a list…

Magazines/Carnivals - About the only magazine I read is Readers Digest, the kids read Keys for Kids and Highlights

Freebie sites - any sites that offer freebies or often have giveaways-5 Minutes for Moms

Homeschool news/informative-?

Forums/book clubs -?

Networking, Blog “About” (sites that offer tech-support or tutorials for computer/internet) &

Quick Links -?

Mom site - a sites just for moms -5 Minutes for Moms

Inspirational/encouraging/motivational - Greg Laurie, Dave Ramsey

Youth/kid - sites geared towards youth/kids or owned by them-Fun Brain

Memes --Wordless Wednesday, Photo Hunt Saturday, Homeschool Memoirs

Organizing/crafts - sites that you look to for organizing tips or crafts -?

Homemaking/Homesteading ?

Bible-focused - sites mainly about God’s Word-?

Homeschool Method - sites that offer a lot of info on a certain method ?

Family blog - sites that give you a glimpse into another family’s life, run by a family -This is where I can't pick a favorite. My side bar has many blog, all of whom give insight into families

Businesses, particularly homebased-?

This was actually a really hard week for me. Obviously I don't spend a great deal of time on many different sites. Actually I spend less and less time on the computer, which is probably why my blog never gets updated. I check email, check bloglines, and check facebook (and play Scramble when time permits). I do this a couple times a day. Unless I have something I need to purchase or look up I don't stay on the Internet. The kids spend time looking up information for their lapbook research but they are not allowed to just surf in the Internet either. Hopefully next week will be easier!

39 Clues

As a family we have been reading what is going to be a new series. The 39 Clues: Maze of Bones came out last week. I had heard about it from the today show and thought it sounded interesting. It is interesting, educational, and keeps the kids begging for more.

Actually the last time I read the book to them J-Bell started laughing so hard that she fell over backward in the chair she was sitting in!

It is fun to see the kids all so interested in a book, and in the same topic.

*Just as a disclaimer, this is not a Christian series. If you are looking to read it, use your own discretion

Thankful Thursday

13 4 Things I am thankful for today

1. Choices. I am so thankful I have choices. I don't have to do what everyone one else is doing, and they don't have to do what I'm doing.

2. Homeschooling. It is work, but I love having my kids around, and there are so many teachable moments throughout the day. I would hate missing those.

3. Friends. I am bad at finding a lot of time for life outside of my family, but my friends seem to understand, and forgive me for not always being there.

4. Grace. Not only do my friends lavish grace upon me, but I have been forgiven much. I am SO thankful that God and people have bestowed grace to me.

*I was going to do a Thursday Thirteen but ran out of time. Thanks for catching that Molly!

Homeschool Memoirs- Something New

This is our assignment this week:

Planning your homeschool is a lot of fun, especially if you’re going to be trying something new. Just like finding a shiny new penny, you’re excited to use it. This week I hope you’ll share something new you’re using, why you’ve decided to use it, and if you have used it how you like it.

We are trying a quite a few new things but my favorite is Spelling Power! For years we tried the old way of give them a list to memorize, test them on Friday, watch them feel like a failure. It just didn't work for us. At all.

A friend suggested Spelling Power. It is not graded. You start with a test to put them at the level they need to start at. The book then does tell the parent what grade level this is, but that information is not for the child. They test for 5 minutes every day, only working on the words they get wrong each day. The student workbooks are set up so they write out the rule for the list they are working on, have a 10 step study guide to work on their words, plus a place to write sentences. Then you are supposed to do 5 minutes of skill building activities. 15 minutes. No tears, no feeling helpless or like a failure, and the kids see progress.

What more could you ask for?

Homeschool Memoirs-Routines

The assignment for this week reads:

I know some people are very routine oriented while others may be more “day-by-day”, and it all depends on your family and what works best for your life-style. This week please post hat your planned homeschool routine is.

I have a routine that I try to stick to, but as with anything it is more of a guide than a schedule. I came up with a daily schedule, and also a school schedule for each child. This helps me to be able to teach those subjects that require more teaching time to each child, and since we have a couple subjects done on the computer they needed to make sure our school day keeps going instead of waiting for others. Our Daily Schedule looks like this:


Schedule
7:00 am Wake up
7:30-8:00 Out of Bed/ Room Cleaned
8:00-8:30 Breakfast
8:30-9:00 Clean up/ Chores
9:00-2:00 School
2:00-5:00 Free Time
5:30-6:30 Dinner
6:30-8:00 Free Time
8:00-8:15 Straighten up house
8:15-8:30 Get ready for bed
8:30 Bed Time
9:30 Lights Out

Our school schedule looks like this:

School Schedule--J-Bell
9:00-9:30 Devotions
9:30-10:00 Math
10:00-10:30 Recess
10:30-11:00 Reading/ Tapestry
11:00-11:30 Spelling/ Grammar
11:30-12:00 Spanish
12:00-12:30 Lunch
12:30-1:00 Writing/ Typing
1:00-1:30 Science/ Critical Thinking
1:30-2:00 Art


School Schedule--Desti
9:00-9:30 Devotions
9:30-10:00 Math
10:00-10:30 Recess
10:30-11:00 Reading/ Tapestry
11:00-11:30 Spanish
11:30-12:00 Spelling/ Grammar
12:00-12:30 Lunch
12:30-1:00 Art
1:00-1:30 Science/ Critical Thinking
1:30-2:00 Writing/ Typing

School Schedule--Rara
9:00-9:30 Devotions
9:30-10:00 Spanish
10:00-10:30 Recess
10:30-11:00 Math
11:00-11:30 Reading/ Tapestry
11:30-12:00 Writing/ Typing
12:00-12:30 Lunch
12:30-1:00 Spelling/ Grammar
1:00-1:30 Art
1:30-2:00 Science/ Critical Thinking

School Schedule--J-Bird
9:00-9:30 Devotions
9:30-10:00 Art
10:00-10:30 Recess
10:30-11:00 Math
11:00-11:30 Reading/ Tapestry
11:30-12:00 Science/Critical Thinking
12:00-12:30 Lunch
12:30-1:00 Writing/ Typing
1:00-1:30 Spanish
1:30-2:00 Phonics Tutor

I have this printed up and we refer to it often. The subjects in bold are the ones done on the computer (Art being art history). That is roughly how we spend our day. The only other thing I really try to do is to turn off the phone once it is time for school to start. I keep my cell on in case someone really needs to get a hold of me, but most people know that I am available in the afternoons, not mornings.

Homeschool Memoirs--The Agenda

This week’s theme is about sharing your 2008-09 homeschool agendas and plans. You’ve been preparing your plans for sometime and you’re ready to go. Or you’re still in the planning-stage and need some inspiration or tips on what to use. Because many use different curriculum and methods there is always something new to be gleaned from other homeschoolers. It’s always fun and interesting to see what other’s are using and the WWWWH as Robin Sampson suggests. So this week I hope you will share what you’re doing this year for your homeschool agenda.
Share the different curriculum you’re using. You can also include what age/grade you’re using it for, how long you’ve been using it, and why you like it.

After some years of using the school at home method (Bob Jones, A Beka) I found that style of homeschooling was not working very well for our family anymore. We branched out and chose to do Tapestry of Grace as our main curriculum. It covers history, reading, geography, writing, church history, and art. I enjoy this because we can all explore the same historical times yet each of them having the curriculum tailored to fit their levels. It is somewhat teacher intensive in terms of planning but we are getting our niche down and I am enjoying seeing my kids excited to read some of the books it calls for. We are doing Rosetta Stone for Spanish (great for learning to speak it, not so great if you want to learn the grammar behind it), Easy Grammar (looks great but haven't started it yet), Math U See (love, love LOVE MUS!), Spelling Power (again LOVE this, so much better than list memorization spelling that did NOT work for my kids), as well as supplementing some with Creativity Express for more art instruction(cute and fun, plus they are learning art history), Draw Write Now for how to draw(kids have fun with this and their drawings have improved), Typing Instructor (haven't started yet) and some thinking skills books and games. For science we are going to go through the Moody Science videos along with some hands on books and science kits.

We have lots of games that we play that are educational but fun. Some of our favorites are the 10 Days games for geography, and Zookeepers Nightmare for thinking skills.

Because there are so many different subjects and some are on the computer I have come up with a schedule for each child so they have their time on the computer, time for me to teach them, and time for them to work independently, along with much needed recesses. We don't have this completely set it stone, after all we homeschool for a reason and want some flexibility but our goal is the schedule.

Fishing

On friday I took J-bird fishing and we were doing great we pulled in a couple of big Bass. It even made the bee stings not hurt so bad. I was starting to think we were going to limit out, then it happened. A guy comes up behind me as I,m pulling in a big one and asks how were doing. Five minutes later The man brings his son and grandson. They sit five feet from us and start casting in our spot. I was doing great at being kind even though our bobbers were with in a foot from each other. I asked them where their from. They said the twin cities which made me wonder if they like sitting on top of each other while they fish over their. Well I hope I taught J-bird how not to fish as I pointed out to him how bad what they did was. I also think God was trying to teach me something because when I got home I picked up the Bible to read the next chapter and it was on what good is it if I gain the whole world and lose my soul. It was a blessing to enjoy Gods great outdoors with my son.

Homeschool Memoirs

I have decided to the new meme Homeschool Memoirs in hopes that it will help me blog more. When someone tells me what to blog about it really helps me get over the "I don't really have anything to say" mood.

This weeks Theme:

The first theme begins today, August 20th, 2008. This week, we want to hear about YOU. The author behind the words. The Momma behind all the homeschooling kiddos. Just write up something about you, your family, and your home. How long you’ve been homeschooling and why you decided to homeschool.

My name is De. I have been married for 14 years and we have 4 great kids (12,11,9,7). Both my husband and I became Christians almost 12 years ago and we have a great church that has become a great second family to us. I really enjoy photography, kayaking, and reading. I tend to drag my family with me when I want to hit the water or go take pictures but normally they are up for the adventure. We have our own business so we run our work and school week Tues-Sat.


We made the decision to homeschool when we had to start thinking of school for our oldest. We knew that we didn't feel she would be ready to be sent into the world to spend most of her waking time with people that may not share our convictions, values, and beliefs (not to mention we just didn't really like what was being taught). We felt that we could do the same or better job academically with them and we would better be aware of issues and problems as they arose so we could address them. Over the years we have had many days of school that turned in a whole different direction as issues, theories, or teaching opportunities have presented themselves. We have said we take it year by year but in reality we just "never say never" about sending them to public school. The plan right now is to school them through high school. We both really enjoy having them all at home and as we continue on this journey we find that we feel stronger each year that we have done the right thing.



That's it in a nutshell. I am so thankful that I have been able to be homeschooling the last 7 years (starting my 8th on Tuesday). I wouldn't want to change it for anything.

Scattergories

I got this in an email from my sister, and since I know I have been neglecting my blog lately I thought I would post it instead of forwarding it on.(I RARELY forward anything)

The rules are you have to use the letter of your first name for all the answers, nothing can be made up and the girls or boys name can not be your own. Go ahead and play along.

WHAT IS YOUR NAME? De

FOUR LETTER WORD: Dear

VEHICLE: Durango (that's a vehicle, right?)

TV SHOW: Days of Our Lives (is that still on?)

CITY: Dayton, OH

BOY NAME: David

GIRL NAME: Debbie

OCCUPATION: Dentist

FOOD: Donut

SOMETHING FOUND: Diamond (obviously not found by me)

REASON FOR BEING LATE: Dead Battery (on your car)

***Warning... Shameless Plug!***

Today I recieved a comment on my blog that made me do the happy dance. It was from the 5 Minutes for Mom Team. It read...

I am visiting from 5 Minutes For Mom, to let you know that you are a finalist in our Summer Fun Photo Contest! Congrats!

Yeah Me! So if you feel so inclined hop on over to Summer Fun Photo Contest and vote*. There are some really great photos. If you can vote for mine in good conscience that would be even better, but vote for what you think is the best.

Thanks all!

*You will not need to sign into anything so anyone can vote. (That means you, Mom!)

Summer Fun Photo Contest

5 Min for Mom is having a photo contest. I took this photo on our camping trip and I just love it!

Photo Hunt #5 -- Clouds

For more Photo Hunt click here

The newest sports fan

Just hours after blogging about nothing the kids let me know that we have a new Packer fan/golfer in our family. They were having a great time, and believe it or not, so was Allie.

Strange kids... even stranger dog. With that said, we learned that Allie loves to go fishing, almost as much as my mom's dog. She liked being on the dock watching them cast and loved it when they caught a fish!

What shall I say?

I have nothing.

I want to blog, but with nothing to say the post is going to be pretty short.

I have a sick kid and because of that I have barely seen the outside of my house in days so I have no news. No funny stories. No big adventures. Nothing. Nada. Zip.

Aren't you glad you wasted your time coming here to find that out?

Photohunt #4 --Hanging

For more Photohunt click here

Another Update

So you know my commitment about blogging more, therefore keeping my mother from wondering if we are alive or dead? Oh, you can't tell I've made that commitment? Maybe that's because I am horrible at following through when the weather outside is anything but frightful. (and for those wondering... Yes, my mother keeps up with my life here rather than the phone. Why? Because neither one of us are horribly great at calling anyone, let alone each other!)

Ok, update time...

Strawberry season was late this year. We were able to head out to pick 4 times throughout the season and have lots of strawberries and strawberry jam in our freezer. Expensive, but I'm hoping that it will last until next summer. The kids were excited the first time we went out but quickly remembered that it isn't as fun as they think. We only do a basket a person each time we go so it is not so long picking and I have time to get them in the freezer.

We also had a family reunion of sorts. Knights side all got together at the farm and spent the day enjoying each others company. The family doesn't get together much as a group anymore and it was nice to see everyone. The kids were able to go on a hay ride. J-Bird loves playing with all the boys in the family. Most of them are around his age so he is in heaven not having to hang out with girls. J-Bell and Desti also have girls there own age so they were off exploring the farm on their own.

We also took the kids camping for the first time. We cheated slightly and borrowed my moms "cabin" (a camper set up at a resort). The kids wanted to tent it, so we brought the tent and let them sleep there, while we had the bed. They had a good time and they loved taking the kayaks out to the middle of the lake and jumping off. That was the plan to avoid the leeches (it worked).

I am aiming to start school in a couple weeks so then I will be back on schedule and hopefully blogging more regularly. Between times of cleaning, going to the pool, and kayaking I have been preparing for that.

Pictures to Enjoy

A friend of mine emailed me some pictures she took. I asked her if I could share them here. This is what she emailed with the pictures...

On July 4th we were on our way to our traditional **** family picnic
when we passed this site at a gas station. It was way too good to pass up,
so we pulled over and took a couple of pictures.
Enjoy! Ruth

Thanks Ruth for sharing!

Lessons from a 9 year old

Knight took Rara to work the other day. She doesn't have much exposure on the route yet, but J-Bell was gone and Desti was sick. That only leaves 3 choices: go alone, take Rara, or take J-Bird. J-Bird has long since proven that he is too young yet. Plus Rara loves to go.

So Knight is supposedly having a bad day, except it is really hard to have a bad day when you are with someone so happy and full of life. He shared some of what he learned having her around:

• It is nearly impossible to walk from the truck to an account. It is much preferred to hop, skip, run, or use another mode other than walking
• There is a difference between skipping and Wizard of Oz skipping. Wizard of Oz skipping is where you go twice on one foot, then twice on the other. Rara was more than happy to share this information with workers and managers alike.
• When someone compliments you on your beautiful hair, it is cuter and funnier to tilt your head and repeatedly bat your eyes at them instead of saying "thank you"

We always say that with Rara the glass isn't half full, it's overflowing.

Update

I know I need to get more committed about posting. Not because I have so many interested readers who are waiting for some witty comment out of my mouth. Those people who came for that gave up a LONG time ago. I just have this need for a creative outlet, and since most of mine are geared for the 9 long winter months we have up in these here parts, I haven't had any outlet for my creative genius (ok, not so genius, but, whatever!)

So here's the update of our lives...

My two youngest were baptized on the 6th. Pastor was suddenly nervous about baptizing J-Bird when, while they were in the changing room before going to the baptistry he asked Pastor if he could do a cannonball into it. Rara went first and when J-Bird came out he had a strict warning that no cannonballs were needed. Picky picky!

We had some blue jay parents ready to be empty nesters and kicked those babies out or the nest. We had what I think was two different babies land at different times on our slip n slide and sit there for a long time, one for most of the day. We went to bed and it was still there. We are hoping that it flew away instead of becoming lunch for a neighborhood cat. I wouldn't let the kids touch it, but they enjoyed being as close as they could to it.

Other than that, if you are looking for us, you can find us at the pool, or on the river kayaking. Speaking of which, I need to get ready. We are heading out again today, this time a new river. Hopefully I'll be able to get some great pictures to share. Anyone up to going out with me???

Photo hunt-- Pointed

Fireworks from last night. Well, at least they look pointed.

Declaration of Independence

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new guards for their future security — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. — The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our People, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from Punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free system of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein
an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislature, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions we have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have we been wanting in attention to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do.

And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

John Hancock, president of the Continental Congress

Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry, Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery, Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott, William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris, Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark, Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross, Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean, Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton, George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton, William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn, Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton, Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, and George Walton.

Photo Hunt #2--Bright

To veiw more PhotoHunt go here.

Is it getting warm in here?

For the first time since we have moved into our house I sit surrounded by insulation. The insulators came today and filled our walls with expanding foam insulation.

They got the WHOLE house done in 6 hours.

When they were about halfway through the kids and I stopped home to grab a couple things, check on the progress, and grab some lunch. We came home to the door wide open (that is how they got the hose inside), windows still open, with the men working hard.

One of my wonderful, home schooled children looked at me and said, "It's starting to work already mom. It's already warmer in the house!"

I personally think the heat had something to do with the fact that it was hot and muggy today.

At least they are looking for positive signs!

Wordless Wednesday--Watch out for the horse Zebra!

It was an African theme at camp this year...

FYI

Just to let you know...

If...

your family enjoys kayaking, but is just getting into it and figuring it all out...

and if your husband decides he wants to see how the dog will do kayaking...

and if his plan is to get a blow up raft and put the dog in that and tow it, having one of the kids sit in the raft holding the dog...

and if you have never seen this dog around big bodies of water so you don't know if it likes it...

then...

...you may have a dog that does not like the raft

...the dog may jump out of the raft a couple times

...the dog may crawl up onto the tandem sit on top in the middle of the lake

...the dog will keep shaking all the water off, but it is now in a kayak with you, spraying you.

...the dog may kiss solid ground when you finally reach shore again.

I'm just sayin'

Sharing the Love

Melody over at Slurping Life has decided to share some love with me. Melody is such a neat person, has such a talent for photography, and those boys! I just want to show up at her door some day and let our kids get rambunctious and crazy together. Thank you Melody for the love. You know you would be getting this from me had I got it first :)







For the ones I'm sharing my love with...
Amy from The Junk Drawer (previously Laughing Through the Tears) She is a special bloggity friend whom has never stopped praying!
Leeann from The World: Through the Eyes of Me I have been blessed by her honesty and love for life.
Cindy from Still His Girl Her and her husband has been an inspiration to us.
Rach from Greene Acres. She is a truly a blessing and a beautiful person, inside and out!

I am going to cut myself off at this point. Awards go around and spread so quickly in bloggityville that I wanted to leave some love for everyone else to share.

Photo Hunt #1 (for me)-- Water

I have decided to play along with PhotoHunt.

About PhotoHunt: A theme is given for each Saturday. Post a photo, on your site,
that best represents the theme.

This weeks theme is water. This was taken from the comforts of my kayak.

Didja Hear?????

They're Gone!!!

The girls are at camp for the week. All settled in, their beds made, and thrilled I was leaving the last time I saw them (well... the backs of their heads anyway! lol) We only have the boy. He loves being an only child once in a while.

A new blog...

As I was reading my daily fix to some of my favorite blogs, Big Doofus posted about The “Blog” of “Unnecessary” Quotation Marks. Yes, it's a real blog. And I found it hilarious!

...but maybe that's just me.

For more "Unnecessary" quotations you can read Miss Sniz (wife to Big Doofus) post on the subject

Sew..Sew...Sew...

I just finished this years swim suits. Camp is next week so I was on a time crunch. I'm done sewing for now. Woo Hoo!!!

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i feel so bad i was sad that i would have to work today and my sisters and brother got to do fun stuff all day so my dad took me to the movies and i dint eat that much but ether i got food poisoning or somethings going around so i vomited 3 times (my mom doesn't like me saying the other words for vomit) so my dad went throw all that for nothing so jurnee had that shoppers in discise thing so ciara got to go she has not done a full day she has only done 4 stops but there are 10 stops on my route she was very exited but when she is going to have to do it every 3 weeks she wont like it well by

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hello today we might get to go garage sailing today but tomorrow I'm pretty sure I'll have to get up at quarter to 4.00 and have to get sorry try to get done with the route and and get home at 11.00 so we can do camerama in Cameron if you don't no what the route is its were me and my dad go and sell little Debbie's and i think this is the order of the stops walmart in lady smith county market in lady smith the food mill the corner store 2 skabrouds that are my favored stops on the route i don't no the name of this one i call it the farm store 2 bp that one the people are Reilly nice and they have two stors and one is way out in the county so they let us drop of the little Debbie's there and they bring them out two the other store and then finely jimmy boys there Reilly nice to then we get to go home i love to eat at county market they have perfect cheese omelets there if you think I'm weird taking about food after all this if you tried them you would love them its the only thing i Reilly like about the route well the only people that Reilly no all this is Rebekah Lia Brandi and Sarah my best friends so as you see I'm very busy tomorrow and happy birthday to mom,gram pa,Burke,Gina,grandma,Angie,Josie other gram pa,Isabella pasters mom,Kristi and Mrs helms new baby

Baby story

For a great childbirth story read Mommy's post about her newest daughters arrival. My kids were wondering why they didn't drop off the other little ones for us to babysit during her ob check. Excuses, excuses. How many people can say that their garbage man picked up their garbage at 9am and helped deliver their baby an hour later? Congrats Mommy!

**I'm sure our face friends have read it. I am putting this on for my readers who don't know them.

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i am very happy one of my cosines may have gotten saved with me in the basement of my gram pas house i told her aloud about it and right there me and her knelt down and i think she got saved but who knows but the heavens were rejoining i hope it took alout of explaining to but it was worth it and congratulations Mrs helms on the baby i rely want to see Anica please pray for Isabella her mom is not saved thank you by

Fishing at Dads

My Birthday

Yesterday we went down to my dad's house to celebrate his birthday. Since my birthday is today there were some presents waiting for me there as well. Becca gave me Digital Photography Workbook for Dummies and Digital Photography: An Introduction two books that will be very helpful in helping me really learn how to do this photography thing the way I want to. Gina gave me a great tripod for my camera. It has some features I have not seen on other tripods (not that I've looked a whole lot either). The tripod was on my wish list. My mom combined my two passions and got me a water proof case so I can take my camera with me on my kayak. Woo Hoo!

After that mom, Becca and I hopped into the kayaks mom and I brought to dad's, paddled to the other side of the lake, portaged across the road to the river, and paddled down to moms house. It was the first time I was out in our tandem kayak, and first time out this year.

Now I'm REALLY remembering why I love kayaking.

Paradise.

Business

Have I ever let you know that I really dislike doing Knights job? I help him out on Saturdays at our mutually most hated store ever (sorry, I can't tell you who...you never know who may read this). Today I went and finished the work I normally do, and then I had to set up a demo at another account.

This did not make me happy.

Mainly because I had planned to bring my kids down to a birthday party and be available in case they needed or wanted help. He let me know the night before that I was needed at 11am for this demo.

Grrr!

So I worked at the icky place, picked up the kids, brought them to the party place (they were riding horses at a stables) run back into town and set up the demo, wait for the demo girl to get there.

And wait.

Um....

Nope, she didn't show. Talked to person at customer service. She hasn't seen the girl. Manager on duty? Nope, she didn't see her either.

Demo girl actually works for this customer as her main job.

I pack up and leave.

So glad I ran back wasted an extra 45 minutes driving for that.

She won't be hired by us again.

Great quote

I found a great quote through one of the blogs I read. It was on a completely different blog than that but I found it.

"People say public schools are bad, but that isn't true. They're very good at what they were designed for -- to create people who could work in factories. They teach you to arrive at a bell, go to lunch at a bell and leave at a bell. You learn to sit at a desk and do the same work everyone else is. These things don't really have anything to do with education.
People don't realize that these things aren't inborn. In the old days, people regulated their lives by the schedules of agriculture. It took public schools to teach people to show up to the factory on time."

I know this may offend some people. But one of the arguments I have thrown at me as a reason not to home school is that my kids need to live by a schedule so they will know how to get up and go to work on time everyday.

Maybe my kids won't want to punch a clock. My husband doesn't. Very few people that I know (that enjoy what they do) actually punch a clock. I know they will have to at some point in their life, but that is why I'm teaching them responsibility.

And for the record, I'm not against public schools. I know their are some benefits. But they are not for us at this point in our lives.

Ok, I'm done now. :)

I feel like I'm 5

My dad's birthday is today. His party is Sunday. Our parents are always hard to buy for since they generally have everything already or just go buy it if they want it. Quite a few years ago I gave my dad a birthday calandar. He loved it because he could remember the grandkids birthdays.

Then he moved to WI.

And lost it.

He has mentioned a couple times how he would like to have another one. So I went shopping.

Nothing.

Ok, not nothing. There was one, in book form. Very girly. Not that I think that would bother Dad. At all.

But not what I wanted to give him. So I did what any good daughter would do... I made him one.

Hope he likes it.

Who's stuff did you loose????

Last night we were one of the last families to leave the church. Knight was talking, kids were playing, I was talking to different people while trying to keep an eye on the kids. A typical Wednesday night.

Knight and I got into the car and drove over to the playground to pick up the kids. They started piling in and Rara was still walking across the grass carrying 2 of her babies. No big deal. They Desti asks, "Where are your shoes?"

That becomes the question of the night.

A couple of my kids volunteer to help her look. Then I make the rest of them look. They recruit their friends to help them. Still nothing.

How do you loose a pair of shoes you were wearing?

So I get out to look. And I ask which pair she wore to church.

The answer is "Your sandals."

What?!? You lost MY shoes??

In true mommy fashion I ended up finding them. Only took 10 people searching for 30 minutes.

Can't you see my Supermom cape through my robe?

Wordless Wednesday--Cannonball Aftermath

**On a side note, I have started a blog just for my pictures. I am hoping to post a new picture everyday. Since this is a family blog I will still share my family pictures here. The new blog is just for the art side of it. If you're interested you can check it out.

Update...

Knight has been working very hard lately. Very long days (12-16 hour days). On Friday I talked to him and knew he was really beat down. He was worn out to the core. I knew he needed to get away so I started to look for places that I could take him. Our first choice for a get a way was booked full so that was out.

Then I remembered that we had not ever let the kids play at the park inside MOA. So off I went to set it up, not telling Knight. A friend offered to take Allie. I found that the cities were pretty quiet since people were leaving town for the weekend. (well, quiet comparatively to when we have been there before. It always is a jarring reminder of "oh yeah. I forgot what a big city really is like)

So I talked to Knight Saturday morning while we were both working and told him we were leaving town, staying a couple of nights. He, not being the control freak I am, just said ok. Didn't need to know where we were staying and what we were doing. I told the kids that they needed to get the house done while I was working in the morning.

Work got done, and we were off. All the kids knew was that we were not staying in WI. They figured out pretty quickly we were going to the cities. They played some travel games I printed off and had fun. We got to the hotel and let the kids play in the pool the first night.

They still were trying to guess what we had planned the next day and had their hopes up for the children's museum. We got to the mall and they were excited to find out we were going to buy them wrist bands for the park. We played ALL day and at the end of it everyone was wore out.

We came home yesterday and I crashed. I woke up last night to J-Bird telling us he had thrown up. I am thankful his sickness held off until we were back home to reality.

The last picture I have is for Cindy who has always wanted to go to the Mall of America. They were having a tap show in the middle of the mall. Just thought I'd share a picture of part of the mall. :-)

WHAT?!?!?

I received an email today asking me to leave feedback for something that I purchased on Amazon. I submitted my feedback and then my eyes fell to the "Recommended Based on Your Browsing History" section.

I have recently purchased some items for a friend of mine. Most of it was not things I have purchased, but it was all for her home schooling. Normal, educational books and items. These are the type of items I purchase from Amazon. Not a big deal at all.

So my list included...
Carson Micro Max Lighted Microscope (ok, I can totally see that.)

30x Jewelers FOLDING EYE LOUPE... (wow, didn't know they had something like that. Sounds kinda neat)

Scientific Explorer's Disgusting... (the kids would love this. This should be on my list for next years schooling)

Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower's Bible (WHAT?!?!?)

And good news... if you buy the last book and the High Times Growers Series: Jorge Cervantes' Ultimate Grow DVD you can get a discount! (btw...I think the title is so funny!)

Do you think they have misjudged their recommendations just a tad?

Too funny

Wordless Wednesday--Sunset

Shutter bug

As most of you know I have been playing with my camera a lot lately. I printed out and hung the first collection of my pictures yesterday afternoon but I'm still taking pictures. This is a hobby I enjoy.

Last night we took the kids to Prince Caspian. Near the beginning of the movie when the kids get back into Narnia and they are playing in the water there is a beautiful beach scene. The water is blue-green and clear. There are some really neat boulders and other unique landscaping.

J-bird, seeing this, turns to Knight and says, "Mom would take a picture of that rock."

My kids know me so well.

College soapbox

**Warning, you may want to click off the blog now, as I am about to vent frustrations.**


*climbing onto my soapbox*


I am finishing my first class at the college and I will admit that I couldn't be happier. I have been frustrated at the lack of challenge this class has provided. I had expected it to be harder, something I would have to work at. The set up is each student has to post an answer to some questions each week. Then we have to reply to at least 2 other students during the week. This week is the last week and the subject is how you have improved your writing skills. A fellow classmate posted this...(copied without any editing)




"Improvin Writing Style
I need to work on all those areas my self , but u can do it we all can
i have determination and my 12 yr old son cheerin me on. I need to do well in
this class hopefully to get a better job that is were the typing skills come in
handy cause i am an administrative assistant ( office assistant) where most of
my job is typing.. The studin and note takin are an important part too because u
need to know how to wrtie note like for a letter.. Small brakes helps in
concentration u can learn more if everyhing is not so jumbled in my head, it
also give u time to rest and think about the next subject or topic.."

I just wanted to reply..."Seriously???"

I'm sorry but for 5 weeks I have listened to the professor ask the students not to use "u" for you, "i" for I, etc. I know I am less patient today, but each week it gets harder and harder to respond to posts like this.



And it bothers me that she will get full credit for it.



GRRR!



Ok, I'm done.



*climbs back off the soapbox*

Wordless Wednesday

Pictures

I've been playing with my camera lately. Here are some of my favorites taken locally.

Wordless Wednesday--The hope of Lilacs

My Hero

Anyone who truly knows me, knows that I love nature, animals, all that. I'm not really much of a camper but I love to see God's handiwork untouched by human hands.

Most of the time.

Today we took the kids to the park the next town over. We have had a lot of rain lately and our streams are still high from snow melt. I had my camera along and went to take a picture of the little man-made waterfall. The kids followed along hoping to make it into my pictures.

Then they spotted them.

Carp. Around 9 huge carp.

Helpless. Gasping. Some already just a body. Some still fighting to live.

They were now stranded mostly out of the water that had just receded.

I begged my Knight to be my hero and put the ones still alive back into deep water, thus saving their lives. (There were only 3 that were still living enough to hopefully save.) I'm not a princess but I am kinda girly. I'm not touching a fish unless I have to.

He graciously complied with my wishes.

Remember they were huge. (He estimates around 20-25 pounds each.)

He picked them up from the ground by his feet and put them in the water on the other side of the wall.

They swam away.

I don't know if they will live, but we did our part.

*The dark stick looking thing by Knights right hand is the tail of one of them. Sorry the photo is b&w but that was the setting my camera was on when we found the fish*

knights amazement

Today I met someone I look up to. He doesn't play football, He doesn't even want to be looked up to, He just looks at his life as a job God gave him to do. He doesn't brag he just tells what God is using him for. I decided not to even give his name because in one case a person from another religion hacked into the computer system and screwed it all up and then posted that jihad had begun. I will just call him Mr S. One of my kids said he is fearless, So I asked him do you have any Fears. He said all the time, then he quoted scripture and said a spirit of fear doesn't come from God. This year God has sent him to a country that is 91% Muslim. What amazed me was how they view women.
On my route last week one of my customers was having a problem with vender's because a manager would give them a display and then say no I didn't say that. So the guy that checks me in came up with a form that vendor and manager would sign and eliminate the confusion. It had a spot for salesman's signature and a female vendor threw a fit because it didn't say salesperson so she went to the management and got him in trouble when all he was trying to do is help all of us vender's. In comparison I was amazed that in this Muslim country their view about women is that they don't have souls. So that is where evil spirits come from. The women their are not allowed to pray in church and at funerals they participate by washing the body. That way the men will not be defiled by touching the dead body. But the women are not allowed to go to the funeral it has something to do with their tears are bad, Ill have to listen to this guy on tape are church tapes everything. Also when a girl is born to them they look at it as a curse and boy is a blessing and when a boy reaches the age of 7 he then becomes smarter than his mother because he is a boy and he is only to receive instruction from his father. Mr S has had his marriage become a witness to the people because they will ask him why do you love your wife? They don't understand shes more then property to him. He tells them about the God of the Bible that commands him to love her.

Mr S witnessed to and saw over thirty people get saved over their in just a few months. The differences between over here and over their is over here we will ask if you have gotten saved or asked Jesus to come into your heart and have a personal relationship with him. Most people would say yes or I'm a Christian. Over their if you tell anyone you excepted Christ you lose your job, and your family disowns you and in some cases your family kills you and says its for jihad. Also the government will keep track of what you do and try to find out where you are getting money to live on in order to get rid of that source. So to except Jesus and turn your life over to him is not easy. Mr S said God has put it on his heart that the people over their just lost and going to hell and God has sent him to show them how they can get to heaven. That's where I look up to Mr S my first instinct is to worry about protecting me and my family. I use to think of those people as just nuts. But after hearing him I just see them as needing a savior and trying to find what I have found. His love for those people is amazing. He believes this is where God has told him to go. I cant imagine having the guts to go where other people have told them about Christ,been captured had their fingers and toes chopped off then their wrist and ankles chopped off then stabbed 168 times before having their throat cut and the government looking at it as a good thing. Sometimes I struggle with deciding which video game to play on the we today. Oh what a rough life I have. God has sure blessed us with freedom and wealth, maybe not according to Americas standards but definitely according to Gods.

Knghts first post

Today was a huge blessing, I had j-bell with me on the route and we almost sold double what our goal is. She is starting to surprise me because she works so hard. We worked a twelve hour day. We have had to tighten our belts a little because of some set backs. But god is providing. These days I have been thankful just to have a job the way the economy is going. Also when I got home we played a board game and rara was so funny, we just sat and cheered after each move. I hope she gets into comedy some day. Sometimes it seems like the less we have the more fun we have.
Good night all
Knight

Dinner, homeschool style

I have heard it said that you should turn the tv off during dinner. That way a family can share what went on during the day. Our little home school family knows what went on that day. We were together. But we don't have a TV in the dining room, and we no longer have our dish hooked up, we don't have cable, and we have not hooked up an antenna to the main tv. So our kids improvise.