Thursday, October 30, 2008

Homeschool Memoirs # 11

Homeschool Memoirs #11: Field-trips


Written by Miss Jocelyn on - -




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I’m a dreamer. I dream of visiting all the historic places and foreign countries. Not sure if it’s in God’s plan that I will, but still I’d like to. Over the past few years, as homeschoolers, my family has thought of visiting quite a few different places. When we went on vacation last June we had planned on visiting the Roy Rogers’ museum as well as a few places in Texas and New Mexico. Things didn’t workout so we’re able to but it would have interesting to visit I’m sure.


THEME:  This week I’d like to invite you to share your favourite field-trip that you’ve been able to go on since you’ve started homeschool. I’d encourage you to include photos, but you don’t have to.


Ahhh field trips!!  I don't think I could pick just one favorite field trip we have done so many!  They are one of the many reasons we love homeschooling. We can take a field trip anytime and get real hands on learning.  The best part we love is going places "off season" on our own schedule!  We love to travel as a family whether it is to the local zoo or all the way to South Dakota which we were blessed to get to do this past summer.  There are yearly field trips that we always do such as the State Fair, The pumpkin patch, zoo lights, the arboreteum, things like that and then we do special trips. Ok I guess I could pick a couple that stand out.....


Mt. Rushmore was incredible even our littlest kids were impressed. We read books and looked it all up on line before we went.  So it was neat getting to experience it in person. 




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 Two years ago Anastasia and I got to go spend a day in the "Life of Laura Ingalls Wilder" and that was a great trip.  Anastaisa wore a prairie dress we packed a picnic lunch and it was a wonderful day.  We learned how to make candles and butter, learned how to dance the Viginia Reel, make rope and tie knots.  (I will have to find some pics)




I would have to say another favorite of this past year would be the Hall of Flame Museum here in Phoenix.  It has the largest display of fire trucks.  We were able to tour the museum, learn about fire saftey and then the kids got to shoot the fire hose and participate in a bucket brigade.




Ok I could go on but I will end with stating that our ultimate goal is to spend a year "field tripping" (my new word)  We want to get a motor home and just go travel the USA.  We want our youngest to be old enough to remember most of it and Jay will need a job where he can telecommute.  Wouldn't that be awesome!!!

Another Milestone...


This is the week for big events!!!  After an absence for awhile, Tristy, the littlest tooth fairy, stopped by our house this week.  Joshua lost his first tooth (naturally anyways!) He was so excited he went to bed early and woke up before 6:00am.  The cause for all this excitment  was Tristy.  Tristy was daddy's and then Anastasias tooth fairy so Joshua has heard the stories of the notes that she leaves.  She loves collecting teeth to build her houses and Joshua had an extra special one.  It was two teeth that grew in fused together. (one permenant will take it's place).  So Tristy left him a special note and $5.00 (yes a bit excessive  by mommy's standards but daddy was sure it was because it was his first tooth and a special one!!)


Now Savannah and Alexa keep wiggling their teeth and want to know when they are going to start loosing some.


Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Blogger Friend School #107 When There's No Tomorrow


Intro: When There’s No Tomorrow. (Marketing credit: Mercury)



Please listen to the song. Imagine you’re standing before God. There’s no Tomorrow, you can’t go back and finish up what you had planned on getting to sometime in the future.  What was that thing that you planned on getting to, that thing that now, you’re standing before God and thinking “I wish I had gotten to that…”



Assignment:
We only have today. Should God take you today, have you accomplished everything that you wanted to, needed to. Have you said all the things that needed to be said?  Let’s have no regrets, let’s make sure we get to those things, so that when we’re standing before the Lord, the only thing we need to do is to worship him.. and not regret not getting to that thing on our to do list. Stop - go take care of that thing…. then, come tell  us what you choose to share. Don’t embarrass yourself or any of your loved ones.

Picture ideas: Be creative, go photograph something that “REPRESENTS” tomorrow. We can’t photograph time.. but we have ways of “showing” time in images.. how do you see “tomorrow”. This might be the only thing you choose to share about if you can’t publicly share what you needed to get done, and that’s alright too. Somethings are just to personal.





Share your favorite scripture in your post.





Wow what a thought provoking assignment this week and the timing is amazing.  This week our music pastor's mom (she was also our pianist) died.  We just went to her funeral (or as I like to say Celebration of Life service) yesterday.  This has been emotionally hard on both  Jay and I, especially Jay, as our music pastor had a wonderfully close realtionship with his mother (Just as Jay did with his).  So the emotions came flooding back of when Jay's mom died almost 5 years ago.  We got to say our good byes and have no regrets except of course that she died too young and we selfishly want her here still.  But we know that she is in heaven with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  The song in the video above also has special meaning as that is the song that Jay and our (at the time 6 yr. old daughter) sang at his mom's funeral.  So of course I got all teary eyed listening to it.

The thing that I have learned these past few years is that my only goal is to make sure (pray about because I can't control it) that my children and then as they get married their spouses and then their children grow to accept Christ as their Savior and that our treasures will be built in heaven.  Jay's grandma and mom got to see this before they both died.  This was their goal and through lots of prayer and guidance and God's grace it happened. 

God is amazing in His timing because Joy's (Jay's mom) last Sunday in church was the same Sunday that Anastasia went forward to accept Christ and we also had Joshua's baby dedication.  At the time we did not know it would be her last Sunday.  God is so gracious that she was allowed to witness these two events before going Home.


So the picture I am sharing this week is one that my daughter drew over at her Papa and Mawma's house on one of the days before the funeral.  It is a picture of heaven from the eyes of a six year old who just lost her best friend (her Mawma)  It's her, her Mawma and her Papa all up in Heaven.




Matthew 6:19-20  Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.



Memory Verse: Ecclesiastes 1:13-14


I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men! I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.



 




Weight Watchers Wednesday

I think I will alternate this post with my What's for Dinner Wednesday.  Jay and I are in our 4th week of Weight Watchers and are doing good.  I have lost a total of 11 lbs. and he has lost 14.  The best part is that it is fairly easy and we are doing it together!!!!  I was actually able to put on a pair of pants that I haven't worn for quite a while!!  Now that is motiviation.  Our goal is that by Christmas to reach our 10% goal.


 

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Pumpkin Carving


We had a pretty hard day today which you can read more about in my Blogger Friend School Assignment this week.  So to lighten things up we decided to carve our pumpkins tonight and then we watched "It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown".


Jay always carves the pumpkins and the kids help scoop out all the "goop" then we roast the seeds.  Usually after Halloween I get a couple more pumpkins to cook and make mash then we use the mash for bread, muffins, pancakes and pie!  Yum, Yum.


Here is a poem we always do with one of our pumpkins:


The Pumpkin Prayer


Dear God,

As I carve my pumpking help me say this prayer:

Open my mind so I can learn about You;

(Cut the top of the pumpkin)

Take away all my sin and forgive me for the wrong things I do.

(Clean out the inside)

Open my eyes so Your love I will see;

(Cut the eyes out in heart shapes)

I'm so sorry for turning up my nose to all you've given me.

(Cut a nose in the shape of a cross)

Open my ears so your word I will hear.

(Cut the ears shaped like the Bible)-we did rectangles

Open my mouth so I can tell others You're near

(cut the mouth in the shape of a fish)

Let Your light shine in all I say and do! Amen.

(Place a candle inside and light it)


Here are verses to go with it:


Open my mind...  Know that the LORD...is God.  Psalm 100:3


Take all my sin...If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us.  1John 1:9


Open my eyes... Open my eyes, that I ma see Wonderous things from Your law. Psalm 119:18


I'm sorry...Create in me a clean heart, O God.  Psalm 51:10


Open my ears...Incline you ear, adn come to Me.  Isaiah 55:3


Open my mouth to tell others...I shall...declare the works of the LORD.  Psalm 118:17


Let Your light shine...[Jesus said,] "Let your light so sihine before men. that they may see your good works adn glorify your Father in heaven."  Matthew 5:16



 



 



 



 


Sunday, October 26, 2008

Baby Milestones

Sunday night was Tasha's big debut with baby cereal.  She is nursing more frequently and stopped sleeping through the night so we thought it was time.  The kids were so excited that Tasha was actually going to eat "real food".


We got out the video camera and each kid had to have a turn feeding her.  She tolerated it all really well!  LOL.  She did the typical "what is this? And get it out of my mouth" so I am not sure how much she really ate.  We will just keep trying slowly.




 



 



Joshua has such a soft spot in his heart for Tasha.  He wants me to have more babies but he doesn't want them to "get bigger".  When we were all done feeding Tasha he said, "When I grow up to be 35 I will tell her I saw her as a baby and fed her.  She will grow up to be a mommy".  How precious!

Friday, October 24, 2008

Christmas Ornament Exchange


Ok I have been putting off blogging anything about Christmas because I could go on and on about it.  I even want to change my blog paper for Christmas!!  I love Christmas and you have probably noticed my countdown that has been on my sidebar for over a month already!


But now I have come across smoochiefrog's site and she is coordinating a swap.  If you would like to participate or find out more details click here,


Enjoy!

Jammie Junk Food Day


We held Jammie Junk Food day a week early this month since next Friday is Halloween.  I had already been to the story twice this week and had forgotten about JJFD and I refused to go back!!  So I acutally made homemade cinnamon rolls.  This was a first for me making them completely from scratch.  And if I do say so myself they turned out great and only 3points a piece to boot!  So I got to eat 2 of them, yum yum!  We had it planned (at least I did) to watch The Muppets Treasure Island.  I loved watching the muppets growing up.  Well the kids weren't that excited about it and it lost their interest pretty quickly.  Alexa actually fell asleep.  Joshua and Savannah went off to play but of course Anastasia stayed to watch it  because she knew she could avoid school work this way!



The above picture is the rolls before they rose and the one below is after they were baked.



 



 



 




Tasha wants some too!!

Thursday, October 23, 2008

The State Fair


Wednesday was homeschool day at the fair.  Usually there are two days that homeschoolers can choose from to sign up to get in to the fair for almost free.  I organized a trip for my group.  Kids are free and 1 free adult for every 5 kids and then it is only $5.00 for other adults.  And FINALLY after so many years they let us go on a special ride day meaning Wednesday was $1.00 ride day which was awesome.  Usually rides take anywhere from 4-7 tickets and tickets are about .75 cents each.  So $1.00 ride day was great for us and our pocketbook.


We got there at 10:30 and stayed until 6:30!!!  It was a great day but exhausting as well.  The kids look forward to the fair each year and I can always mark their growth by what rides they progress too.  Jay was able to just go into work for a few hours and then we picked him up so he could go with us.


Our first stop was the animal exhibits.


This first picture I took for my nephew and niece.  It's a hamster's dream come true.  They would get lost in there!!!


It's Emperor Kuzco



These next pictures were too cute!!  The Three Little Pigs, Billy Goat's Gruff and Little Red Hen!  I thought it was great as these are the stories we are doing right now with folktales and fairy tales.



 



 



 


 Billy Goat's gotta beard....


 



 


 Lunch time!  We brought our picnic lunches and this is the only picture I got of our group at lunch.  We were too busy eating, nursing the baby, taking the others potty, etc.   Of course even with bringing our food we had to have some fair food....turkey legs, corn dog and cotton candy. (We cheated and brought the caramel apples from Wal-mart a lot cheaper!)


 This is the only picture I got of almost our whole family.  My camera batteries died before the end of the day right as I was having someone take a family pic.  So I didn't get any pics at night with all the lights.  I love the fair at night!


Mommy got to ride the bumble bees!!


They ride the pink elephants every year!


Taking care of his little sisters!



I only got a few pics of Anastasia on her rides as most of hers were bigger and too hard to get pictures.


All four of them went on this ride.  It goes forward and then backwards and a sheet comes over the top and covers it.  Alexa loved it but Joshua never wants to go again!


Our fair has the gigantic enclosed ferris wheel.  I didn't get a picture of it but it is huge.  Well I chickend out so Jay took the kids up in it.  This is the only picture he got and then he didn't do to well on the ride!!


Tasha enjoyed her day in the stroller or in the carrier on me.


Somebody is tired!  Is it daddy or Savannah?


She still got in an afternoon nap!


The kids had a great day and fell asleep before we even got out of the parking lot!!!