Getting into the Fall of Things

Yes, it is here.  School.  I really wanted to get back to school photos for the children.  So, I mixed it with a date to the local garden in Palmer and brought watercolor and supplies.  The children in the sun were able to see the beauty and capture it via the art.

For Bronwyn grade 3:
Bible in year and journaling
IEW Student intensive writing A, plus Young Writers month in November, Tapestry of Grace Writing Aids
Tapestry of Grace History, Geography, World View, Reading, Arts and Crafts
Atelier Art plus Tapestry of Grace Art book called "Artistic Pursuit"
Pioneer Club
PE at local Elementary School
Anatomy and Physiology by Apologia
Math U See Gamma
The Phonetic Zoo (audio spelling program)
Fix it Grammar (Institute in Excellence in Writing)
Typing Tutor (online typing program free)
Battle of the Books
Drama
Animal Control (learning how to train dogs)

Max: Grade 5

Bible in year and journaling

IEW Student intensive writing B, plus Young Writers month in November, Tapestry of Grace Writing Aids

Tapestry of Grace History, Geography, World View, Reading, Arts and Crafts

Atelier Art plus Tapestry of Grace Art book called "Artistic Pursuit"

Pioneer Club

PE at local Elementary School

Anatomy and Physiology by Apologia

Teaching Textbooks 6/7

The Phonetic Zoo (audio spelling program)

Fix it Grammar (Institute in Excellence in Writing)

Typing Tutor (online typing program free)

Lego Robotic

Battle of the Books

Drama

Bible in year and journaling
IEW Student intensive writing B, plus Young Writers month in November, Tapestry of Grace Writing Aids
Tapestry of Grace History, Geography, World View, Reading, Arts and Crafts
Atelier Art plus Tapestry of Grace Art book called "Artistic Pursuit"
Youth Group
Ballet
Anatomy and Physiology by Apologia
Math U See Zeta/Pre-algebra
The Phonetic Zoo B (audio spelling program) + Scripts Spelling B (for Nintendo DS)
Fix it Grammar (Institute in Excellence in Writing)
Typing Tutor (online typing program free)
Battle of the Books
Drama
Photography

our little visitor center

hugging Balto

State Fair, Sunny Days, Blueberries, and the Start of School

Life has went into hyper-gear.  We started school and took many sunny days off to enjoy the last of summer.  As I am sitting here typing I hear the wind rock our home a bit as a strange winter storm is a bit early is beating our home.  I am thankful to take those sunny days off.  I learned it from the book "For the Children's Sake".  She was teaching in England so she couldn't plan ahead non-rainy weather.  She had to "take them" off when she could.

The Alaska State Fair allowed my children opportunities to be creative and to learn about the human body.  Hannah, Bronwyn and some friends entered the Scarecrow Contest and the Spam contest.  They didn't win but enjoyed the teamwork.

Bronwyn did get a 1st place ribbon for her "Electric Color".  Max said, "The fair is a big advertisement and some shows spaced out 45 minutes apart".  He kept his fair money to save up for a special item (not sold at the fair).

I even got into the fair flavor by entering "Spam-a-licous" baked spam dipped in Chocolate.  Yum.

 James and I both enjoyed judging again this year "Moose Calling" and "Parent-Child look a  like".

Blueberry picking couldn't be any better with Kim and family and Nonna (James' mom). Captain and Willow enjoyed frolicking the meadows.  Three gallons later, our freezer and tummy are full.

Birthday Thanks

Okay, thanks for all the birthday greetings on my 100th post.

I am going away to a little cabin in the far far away woods with friends and family.

Ps:  Bronwyn and Max started PE today at a public school.  How fun is that!

My Annie is Back

There is an amazing gal named Annie who is full of life and passionate for Jesus.  She just got back from serving the King in China.  I love missions and I wanted to help by giving her time to debrief and reflect and to teach me.

Of course, sitting around a cup of tea would be a normal debrief.  We did things different.  We went on the most exhilarating mountain bike single track ever.

We often find ourselves in adventures together.  So riding down a single track the wrong way, getting lost, going over jumps, feeling like I was on a fast roller coster, and riding perpendicular to the ground was just some of the ride today.

During the trail, we mostly screamed.  We did have time to talk on the drive to the trail and home. It was so encouraging to hear the lessons learned and the challenges and joys she faced.
"I learned this over the summer in China that it is worth laying
down the pride of independence to introduce Jesus to someone for the
first time" by Annie Rowland.

Why I want no electricity

I am so thankful to be able to have an Ipad this year for school (Mat-Su Central). People in this amazing state of Alaska can sign up for a school district that allows us to teach at home.  While under the umbrella of this home education, we are given a teacher and money to purchase supplies and classes.  The teacher provides me with the checks and balances for what we are teaching to what the child is learning.

Having an Ipad makes finding information so easy.  So, while I was spending time in God's Word I had my ipad right next to me.  Every time I had a random thought (which surprisingly I have many), I could just touch my ipad and find my answers.  After 2 hours of "spending time with Jesus" I had yet to pray.

The ironic thing is the passage that I was reading was the Luke 22 garden of gethsemane prayer with Jesus and His disciples.  Since the disciples were suppose to pray (Jesus told them to) but they fell asleep. I didn't fall asleep.  But, I did fall into temptation for information.  I should of heeded Jesus' request to “Pray that you will not fall into temptation."

So, after a conversation with Mary (missionary in South Africa--love her), I decided candlelight, tape recorder for music (not the ipad), coffee, and a printed bible plan (not on the ipad), and a Bible (not a online bible) will be for me and Jesus in the morning less I fall into temptation.

Science Comes Alive in a bink (even at the kitchen table or couch)

I don't know where it started, but I am sure others have done this for years.  But, when we got a Kindle Fire (mini tablet), it was sitting right beside me where I was reading from Exploring Creation (Sea Creatures).  The book was giving a great explanation of a deep sea creature, but the illustration looked odd. It was like a knot.

So, I went to You Tube and plugged in Rag Fish and pop.  A most interesting video of a live Hag Fish that words can hardly describe.

My children and I will be impacted by the live action of this amazing creature.  God's garbage disposal creature from the inside out.

However, I now keep a tablet by me when I am teaching so that if we want to see something in action, one quick search and voila!  It comes alive.

The Drama Can Begin...Now.

"The drama can begin...now!" That is what I would say when I dropped my children off at the Valley Performing Arts.  They were able to be in a musical drama camp with a performance at the end of the two weeks of intense rehearsals.

I began the two weeks by taking Max to the doctors to have a written approval of freedom from the itchy chick pox virus.  Yeah, he passed!

Hannah, Max, and Bronwyn all loved learning how to block, memorize lines, choreography and speaking with the character in mind.

However, during the last week, Hannah came down with a fever and yes... Chicken pox!  She was heartbroken, but she took it well.

The performance was good with Bronwyn hitting every note with gusto.