I spent this past Saturday in delegation for the Republican party for the 2008 elections. Hearing the local and state representatives as they discussed what is at stake this year for America was quite a sobering experience. My previously jaded views (brought about by the mistrust I have of government based on un-kept promises and the unabashed leftist agenda of the media) have all but vanished. I suddenly realized, sitting in that high-school auditorium with over 500 other conservative voters, that I could either complain and whine about the future while I did nothing to change it... or I could stop talking and start doing something about it.

This is probably the most political post you'll ever see on this blog. I am a realist and understand that people aren't perfect and politics are a necessary process, but I am usually one to favor discussion that doesn't divide. I don't like division and long for that heavenly destination where all men truly can come together as equals in a utopian state of love. It is a sad truth that it won't happen until Jesus returns; but that should never stop us from trying to aim for peace today. My dislike of arguing is probably why I don't talk of politics more often. That doesn't mean that I am not a fierce believer in the conservative and level-headed foundation our nation was built on - and it certainly doesn't mean that I am not aware of the facts surrounding today's political minefields.

With the seriousness of this election year in mind, I am setting aside my 'let's not talk politics' stance to share with you a little piece of my heart. It isn't just a part of me - it is a part of America. Don't think I didn't consider sleeping in Saturday instead of getting up to drive many miles to attend that delegate convention. I had a lot I would have rather done. So did my husband and my kids. But when my eyes popped open at six o'clock, I felt the hand of God pulling me out of bed and sending me on a very important mission... one that is close to HIS heart, too. It isn't until you truly understand that politics affect PEOPLE'S LIVES that you can see why God cares if you are involved. God really does love America. I know because He gently pushed me out of bed Saturday morning and gave me eyes to see how important the issues really are. They aren't just for making talk-radio-show-hosts or CNN get ratings. They affect us all. Today's issues and our political answers to them will eventually touch every life in this country... and that is why involvement in politics is a MUST. Whether you like difficult discussions or not - God is calling you to speak up.

Here below is the essay I wrote in my head on the way home Saturday after 4:00PM. My husband was napping in the car and the kids were quietly drawing. My heart had a heavy burden for this country and this is what came to mind:

Conservative American Ideals: Worth Fighting For
... speaking out against apathy in politics.

There may be smoke on the horizon, but our flag still stands. Our nation is at a precipice that will determine the course of our future. Much hinges upon the elections of 2008 – not just at the presidential level, but at every level. Considering this historic upcoming moment, I have been inundated by thoughts of the great Mother of civilizations: Rome. I Googled the term “looking back at rome” and came across an interesting article written in 2006 about Rome's panic and subsequent fall after the government began to take away its citizen's freedoms because of pirate attacks. The greatest empire of the ancient world was ultimately weakened and set up to fall by the mass panic of its citizens - eager to give over their freedoms for false security and empty political promises. It seems America could learn a lesson from Rome. I hear a lot of people asking for change - but not many who have an idea of what type of change they want. I fear that the blind will be "leading the blind" off of a political cliff if we don't stop to take a look at what our true values are. Voting for something "different" just because it is "different" is like playing a lottery of chance. Without a goal in mind, we are doomed to get the natural rewards of entropy - a 'holy mess'. The outlook that most conservatives have envisioned for America if the winds of 2008 blow to the left is indeed grim.

Just like most lackluster students of the American education system, I was content for most of my adult life in thinking that voting was enough. I thought that showing up at the polls was my only American duty besides paying faithful taxes and staying out of trouble. It seems a stretch of imagination to merge today's life of consumerism in suburbia with the reality of heroes serving America in the military and those who have died to preserve freedom in our past. What does a great nation require of us? Service would certainly be preferable than blood. However, it would do us all a great deal of good to read back through the pages of U.S. History to see what men WERE willing to die for. It seems that one reason our nation is having such trouble today is that people are in need of a cause... and once we have one, we are in need of the motivation to stop resting on our laurels and do something about it. As I read about the ‘Bravehearts’ of young America’s history, I find that many idealists gave more than most of us would dream: their duty, their honor, their very lives – for lesser injustices than we are enduring even today. Men died because of unjust taxes and a nation was birthed out of an impossible band of Bible-literate farmers and merchants – the pioneers of freedom. What would those intense men think of the spiritual and moral landscape of America in 2008?

A popular song by pop artist “Coldplay” sums up the feeling of today’s cause-less mob: “I’m gonna buy a gun and start a war. If you can give me something worth fighting for…”. My question for us today is: What is worth fighting for? Not only what, but HOW can we fight for it? Many fights are won without the use of WMD. Much of the troubles we have today could be corrected with simple INVOLVEMENT of caring individuals. Maybe our fight should be against apathy, lies, and mediocrity rather than against our political enemies. Not much can stand up against a stellar example, a life lived with passion, a frequently spoken and valiantly defended truth, and a genuine and selfless act of service. “Not with guns, but with love” – I can almost hear Jesus say it himself… and love is an action – not just a feeling.

In the pivotal moments during the American Revolution, a flag stood waving above our defenders. It stood for freedom and the ideals that lay the foundation of this country. It was larger than life… a flag so large that it could not be mistaken from out at sea. It was that flag (the landmark of liberty) that inspired the moral of a desperate band of vagabonds that burned to be free men. They held up the banner of their country through the “perilous night” under enemy fire unto their death. It was bodies that held up that flag; bodies donated with courage and given over wholly to their convictions. They gave more than an hour or two on voting day to attend a precinct convention. They gave more than a Saturday to attend a delegate meeting for their party platform to be hammered out and state delegates to be chosen. They gave more than a simple vote for President or a blog post about politics. They gave their blood so that their children could live a life of liberty.

Today our freedoms are going up in smoke - smoke as thick as that which rose from Fort McHenry on the night Francis Scott Key penned our anthem. Political correctness and the plague of apathy towards the future of this country has left people across the nation hopeless and despairing - and completely faithless in our government and its processes. It is no wonder that the keywords of this election have been “hope” and “change”. Both are something we need urgently. We see the landscape changing for the worst. What seems to be growing on the horizon is something awful and new: the death of personal liberty and the rise of socialism… a life of servitude and slavery to an industrial monster that we have made of our government. So much worse than a tax on tea… So much more threatening than a King across the sea… our destruction awaits from within our own walls – already standing by and armed. Francis and his comrades would cry at the thought. I know I have. But it doesn’t have to end this way.

Satan would love for us to give up and throw in the towel. Our silence is only fuel for the fires of apathy and victory for those who can yell and scream the loudest for America's destruction. Our understanding of the importance of today’s issues should leave us anything but hopeless. It should create in us a driving passion to stand and come to the aid of our country. We aren't made of lesser stuff than the founding fathers - we just need to think like they did and choose a path of action. After all, we CAN make a difference with our voice and our vote. We can offer our time and spread the news of hope for a restored conservative America. It isn’t too late as long as God is on the throne. Last I checked, He was still there. So I invoke you to call upon Him and offer yourself to the cause of His country. If you believe we are truly undivided – under God – please give up your fear and move to action. Do more than talk. Do more than vote. Be involved. It starts with each one of us… and if we come together, America will not end with socialism and economic devastation. I pray that a resounding voice of reason will prevail in 2008… that all of us who still love freedom and our God will do everything it takes to speak and act before it is too late.

I'm Sprittibee and I approved this message.

Be sure to visit the Heart of the Matter when the next issue is published for my (much more lighthearted) re-cap of our county delegate meeting. I hope it will inspire you to become more politically active and raise up a generation of kids who will become future conservative leaders.

* Note: go watch the video (which is actually just pictures put to an awesome sound-bite) under the link about the flag - it is something every American should hear.


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Labels: advice, faith, personal, politics

Go check out what's up at the HSBA. We have four new team members that we are going to announce next Wednesday! You might find out who they are by peeking in on the site over the weekend as Dawn adds their bio pages to the sidebar!

Oh... the flowers? Those were from today's post at the HSBA, too!


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Isaiah 16:5 ~ "In love a throne will be established; in faithfulness a man will sit on it— one from the house of David— one who in judging seeks justice and speeds the cause of righteousness."

I have had this certain book on my "to-review" list for ages. Since before we moved home from Arkansas, actually. I'm ashamed to admit it, but at least I do have a smidgen of an excuse - since we've had one thing after the other happening in our lives that has prevented me from being the "big reader" that I long to be. That's what my Winter Reading Challenge list was about... and now March 17th has come and gone... and I only have read 1.5 books. So I started this book to add to the homeschool book I'm still working on. The new book? "God's Ultimate Passion". It's by Frank Viola. It came recommended.

The cover page is kind of plain, but once I began reading it, I have been completely enthralled. The last time I picked it up was before our 'out of state' move and my life turning upside down. I was a bit distracted. I only made it a few pages last time. So far, this time, .... now that I'm not so distracted, I've been able to note that all the scriptural references have been valid. With each page I turn, I'm getting more deeply involved. That's a good sign in a biblical-based book. It is great when you can take scripture and make it come alive with images that help you retain the message forever. There's nothing like a good Bible study. While this book isn't sold as a Bible Study, it has had me wanting to get the Bible out and study along on more than one occasion.

Frank Viola's claim that "God has a driving passion" sounds strange at first, but as you reason with Frank about what that passion is... you just might get as hooked on this book as I am so far! I certainly agree with him that we need to be set free from a "me-centered" gospel. There is much to be desired from today's feel-good mega-church sermons as far as I'm concerned. Frank Viola's books on radical church restoration sound interesting enough, but I'm glad to have read this one first - the book which he claims is his "flagship" book. I am beginning to see why. It isn't every day that you hear from someone that God is passionately in love with you. It isn't every Christian writer who can turn such an intimate and physical emotion in to an adjective that describes our creator.

Take these brief quotes for example (I warn you... you might end up wanting to read this book, too!):

"...the story of a God who is an ageless romantic driven by one consuming pursuit."

"Each tale flows out of the ultimate passion that lies within the throbbing heart of God. They are, as it were, His central intention behind creating the universe."

Good stuff, no?


I saw this book sitting on my desk tonight and considered skipping this blog post so that I could curl up and read more. Maybe I will later. But before that, I want to leave you with this invitation from the forward of the book... it sounds too good to resist:

"Part I of this book is dedicated to presenting the Bride. Part II is dedicated to presenting the House. Part III is dedicated to presenting the Body and the Family. Interestingly, all of these images are different aspects of one reality.

This progression is also rooted in Scripture. And it is the core essence of the Biblical story... the metanarrative (overarching story) of Holy Writ. The Father obtains a Bride for His Son. He then builds a House in which He, the Son, and the Bride dwell together. The Father, the Son, the Bride live in that House as an extended household and they have offspring. The offspring constitutes a Family... the new humanity called "the Body of Christ".

If you have been a Christian for any length of time, terms like "Bride of Christ", "Body of Christ", "House of God", and "Family of God" are all too familiar to you. They may even be worn out and tiresome. It's not an overstatement to say that our wearied familiarity with these words has blunted their edge and diluted their impact. We Christians have been given a steady diet of Biblical terminology. We speak it fluently because it's the tribal language. But the reality and the power behind our terminology has largely been lost.

My hope, therefore, is that after you have finished this book, a fresh coat of paint will have been applied to these familiar terms. I pray that the Holy Spirit would fill them with their original beuaty and awe to this end: That you would be given a dramatically new - if not a staggering - look at the ultimate passion and purpose that drives your God. For that purpose and passion is the very reason why you exist."

Wow. I want to know. HIT ME WITH IT, BABY. I'm ready!

So I guess I have to finish this book now - without another long pause of six months in between pages. I feel like I've been passed a steamy love note from Jesus.

I'll let you know how the rest of the book turns out. So far, it has gotten progressively better with each chapter... but I'm only in chapter 4.


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I gave the kids a simple assignment one day on our last week of school before Spring Break or so. I was busy and had to get something else around the house done, so I let them use their own creative mind to come up with HOW they would accomplish the task. I didn't give them any guidelines at all. "Create a nature journal cover on a sheet of paper." I told them. They were excited to work on the project and quiet for over an hour or two!

Here's what they made (and what is now on the front cover of their spiral bound nature journals):





Kids are so creative! I love their nature journals. We're going to write in them again today about yesterday's field trip with our co-op. We saw the coolest lizard that I want them to draw. I got a photo of him (and another 149 photos to go with it).

Get out your art tools and be creative today! Doesn't matter what age you are. It is good for the soul!


Other Quick Links:
Nature Links from Sprittibee
Reasons to do a Nature Walk
Green Hour

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That's Plan B-ing It. You know. Doing Plan B perpetually because Plan A never seems to work out. Does that sound like the story of your life? It does mine.

So I was only going to take 3 days off for Spring break last week, right? Then came 'Good Friday' - which I would have noticed, had I broke out the planner before it snuck up on us. So we did the Easter Egg Hunt and the Birthday Party... and only ONE day of school really happened last week: Thursday.

So we decided to make it a full WEEK off and take today off, too. You just can't go to school when it is 70 degrees outside in Texas - no matter what season it happens in. Because it is only 70 degrees in Texas three days out of the year, people. I don't care what type of school you go to - private, public, homeschool, charter school - whatever. Today was a playin' HOOKEY day! I think everyone should have called in sick today from work, too, ... in fact. It was GORGEOUS!

So we opted for some Spring Cleaning on our 5th day of Spring Break. That happened after I accidentally almost got killed opening my daughter's closet door early this morning. Not only could you not walk to the clothes that were hanging in the closet, but I discovered that she's been rolling up her clean clothes in a sleeping bag so she didn't have to hang them up. Tell me something, will you? What takes more time? Rolling up your clothes in a sleeping bag and hiding the sleeping bag under an insane amount of toys that shouldn't be on the floor? Or just HANGING THEM UP?!?!

Don't answer that question. She didn't. She figured it was better to just help clean the closet until Mommy's ears stopped steaming. Smart kid.

After cleaning out the closets, we took stuff to Good Will, dropped off some things with a friend of the family, got some groceries, ate at McDonald's, and worked REEEEAL hard on finishing our weaving for art class tomorrow. Poor Morgan began to think that weaving was a form of Chinese torture after the second hour. So we stopped for tonight. It stinks being a procrastinator. I guess the weavings (weavi?) will have to get done between now and next art class at the end of April. I'm sure we'll be moving on to some other fun artistic medium tomorrow since we've done weaving for the last two classes. What's one more unfinished project to add to the list?!



Speaking of ART... another thing we've been enjoying (on Spring Break) is GeeArt. My kids ask to do GeeArt on weekends and holidays... and I have to use it to BRIBE them to do their Math. Every GeeArt lesson we do is just more and more amazing. I honestly can't imagine homeschooling without it. If you haven't tried it - go take the free lesson with your kids at the link provided above in this paragraph or in my sidebar (I think they will still give you a discount if you sign up through my site!). GeeArt is the creator of Creativity Express software. We've been having so much fun with GeeArt that we haven't played much with CE. That will be our next project when our licenses expire for this school year. Honestly, if you want a fun and easy way to add art in to your homeschooling - GeeArt is the best thing since sliced bread.

I'll 'see' you again after art class tomorrow!


Past GeeArt Memories...
GeeArt Lesson 1
GeeArt Lesson 2
GeeArt Do-Art Project


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Labels: advice, art, curriculum, fun, getting-it-done, homeschool, parenting, reviews, teaching

I'm sure many of you have seen this movie, but it makes me cry every time I see it. I was cleaning out my email box and watched it again today. What a better day to see it again than Easter. I can't express my thanks enough to my God and Christ for the new life He gave to me. New life isn't just for AFTER you die.





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Follow the link behind the picture and enjoy the very LONG Easter poem I found on the net. My favorite part was this:

In the beauty of that desert place,
The Savior of mankind
Faced all the ugliness
His charges could offer:
The pain, the hate,
The sin, the sorrow,
The waste, the wickedness,
The pride, the poverty,
The deceit, the ignorance,
The doubt, the fear,
The betrayal
--And even the
Loneliness--
Alone.

cross cross cross

As His immortal, righteous blood
Was spilled, like sweat
From every pore
And fell to the thirsty earth below,
I cannot hide
My honor and my awe
At His great love for me;
Neither can I hide
My shame,
Self-reproach
And regret. For
How many of those precious drops
Am I responsible for?
--As He suffered
The bitter cup,
Alone.

I'm praying your Easter is a joyous one and that the savior has you wrapped in love and filled with joy.

May you... find time,
sigh big,
laugh from down deep,
spring with your step,
and be wrapped by the arms
of your beloved ones.

May the light of Christ be in you.


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There were a lot of "supposed to"s this week that didn't happen. We had three days of Spring Break visiting with friends, a few doctor appointments, some sinus issues - and LOTS of allergy medication (hello Spring!). Today was no different. We were "supposed to" do some school like we did yesterday; however, the sunshine, pollen, sinus medicine, Easter Egg Hunt, and birthday party kept schoolwork at bay.



It was a "Good Friday", though. You can't beat 70's in late March here in Texas. We cowpoke can hardly focus on work when the weather is so fair. So what does a good Texan do when the weather is good and we've got some time to spare between lunch at Chipotle and cake at the park?

Feed longhorns, that's what!



And so we did. Until the unsocial cutting horse ruined the party and rounded up his bovine inferiors. We sang our little song as we drove away...

"Moo Moo Cow Cow,
Moo Moo Cow Cow,
Moo Moo... Moo Moo, Moo Moo Cow Cow...
If I were a cow,
I'd like to see,
Someone say "Hello" to me.
Moo Moo Cow Cow,
Moo Moo Cow Cow,
Moo Moo... Moo Moo, Moo Moo Cow Cow."

Another lovely day in Texasville. All is well.



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I keep records of the curriculum books/resources we use for each year that we homeschool and add the records to an ever-growing Homeschool Series post. Although my style has been eclectic, my purpose is very solid - to train up my children in the Lord. You'll find a lot of things on my list of curriculum that can be used by homeschoolers in various different methods of teaching. My advice to you is not to go off of someone else's 'list of favorites', but to get out and GO to the book fairs and SEE for YOURSELF. TRY IT and see if it works AT HOME - with YOUR family.

We have always homeschooled on a tight budget and have used the library and field trips with our unit studies as a main source of curriculum. I'm not big on a heavy amount of packaged curriculum, but as you can see - we do use some A Beka and have had success with it. Even with the packaged stuff, there is often a lot of good if you pick and choose what works for you and don't load yourself down with "busy work" or "twaddle" that will kill the love-of-learning your children need to succeed.

Most homeschool kids have a lot of opportunity to do extra curricular things outside of regular academics. My list of those type things was slim for this particular school year - partly because of the state we lived in (not as many resources available in Arkansas). Some of the reason was due to finances, also. When you don't have enough money to afford piano lessons, you wait until you can afford them and pick them up again. Thankfully we were able to find Rosetta Stone online through a library for free and enjoyed learning some Italian.

Below is a short list of things we used for the 2006-7 School Year. If you have children who are younger than 3rd or 4th Grade, check out my previous years that are listed on the Homeschool Series Post.

If you have any questions; please by all means, leave them in the comments section. I will get to them as I can (if you log in and leave an email address when you comment, I can email you back as well).

MAIN CURRICULUM for 3rd & 4th Grade
KONOS Unit Studies - History, Science, Life skills, Etc. (Christian perspective)
Library Books / Our Home Library (on and off topic per unit study)
Bible
Field Trips (I review most of my field trips here on my blog!)

DEVOTIONALS/ADDITIONAL BIBLE MATERIALS
Our 24 Family Ways - Clay & Sally Clarkson (devotional)
Prayer journals (daily)
Bible (daily readings)
Songs of Faith and Praise (Hymn Book)
Biblegateway (internet site - for copy work scriptures)
Church Bible Classes, Small Group and Worship Services (weekly)
Purpose Driven Life - Rick Warren (devotional)
Home Making - JR Miller (devotional)
Jesus Freaks Vol. 2 - DC Talk (devotional)

PHONICS/LANGUAGE/HANDWRITING/SPELLING
Explode the Code (phonics workbooks - higher levels)
Generic Grade-Level Workbooks (for Reading, Grammar, Comprehension, etc.)
Journal (blank spiral notebook - just add creativity!)
A Beka Penmanship workbooks (Grades 3 & 4)
Draw∙Write∙Now! (Drawing lessons and handwriting workbook - rolled in to one)
Spelling and Copywork (correcting misspelled words and writing assigned by mom)
Correspondence (pen pals, birthday cards, thank-you notes - weekly)
Scott Foresman Online Free Grammar/Writing PDF Worksheets

MATH
A Beka Math (Grade 3 & 4)
Math videos (from the library)
Generic Grade-Level Curriculum Workbooks (for extra help with areas of weakness)
Multiplication Table Charts (internet free print-outs)

EXTRA HISTORY/SCIENCE/GEOGRAPHY MATERIALS (not required by KONOS)
Visualize World Geography by Theresa A. Blain
A Beka Science Reader "Exploring God's World"
A Beka History "Our American Heritage"
Families Around the World, One Kid at a Time
Geography of the World (DK Atlas)
Usborne World History
Online BBC Science Quizzes

COMPUTER/ART/FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Mavis Beacon Typing (computer program)
GeeArt
Rosetta Stone Italian (travel version online)



Up next in the series will be:
Post #4 - 3rd and 4th Grade Learning Enrichment Ideas
Post #5 - Favorite KONOS Memories from Third and Fourth Grades
Post #6 - Photos and memories from the unit we pick as our favorite for 2006-7

Check back in here every day for more on this series and encouragement for homeschooling in general.

Have a super Thursday!


Quick Links:
2/3 Homeschool Curriculum
1/2 Homeschool Curriculum
K/1 Homeschool Curriculum
PK/K Homeschool Curriculum
Sprittibee's Homeschool Series


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Labels: books, curriculum, homeschool, parenting, teaching

Morgan took this shot Monday and I doctored it in Fast Stone Image Viewer for your viewing pleasure. She's getting to be a regular little photographer lately! We are on Spring Break (visiting with out of town friends) until tomorrow in case anyone was wondering why it was so quiet in here. See you then!


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I have had this little graphic on my desktop since January. Shows you how "ahead of the game" I am with blogging 'to-do-list', eh? I was sooo proud of myself when I created these little dandies. I figured that with my new black ink cartridges only costing me 9$, printing my own personalized calendar inserts would save me money. Not only that, but making them myself finally give me the ability to customize my planner to fit my needs as a homeschool mom.

My favorite planners have the "week at a glance" when open on your desk. I like room to keep notes about my day so that I can create my endlessly long Christmas letter that all my friends and family members dread every year. What spam does to email boxes, my Christmas letter does to IRL (in real life) mailboxes each holiday! Merry Christmas!

So... my new and improved planner pages include Mon-Wed on one page with a bonus "notes" section, and Thurs-Sun on page 2. Each day includes a menu box for breakfast, lunch, and dinner... because that's what being a mom is all about - nourishing your kids, right? It also has a TO-DO-LIST section, a Journal Section (where I keep aforementioned notes about our day), and appointment times in case I get really organized one day and use them. I also included a "Teacher Reminder" section specifically for homeschooling - where I might put our most important list item on the school assignment sheet, a note to remind myself to buy supplies, a co-op friend's phone number, a field trip idea for our group, a reminder about the library, etc.

My favorite part of the page (besides the handy menu) is my BIRTHDAY and TO GO area. It's in yellow (highlighted) so I will remember to get my cards in the mail (I love snail mail and am a greeting card junkie). The TO GO spot is for the day's main events (because without the reminder I would certainly NOT show up). That's where I list our field trips, dentist appointments, lunch dates, or other out-of-the-house appointments that can't be missed. Before, I was keeping them inside the list of to-do items for the day and sometimes overlooked them. I tried using little stars and highlighters, but couldn't keep up with the mess. Now I have a spot to put them on the paper where I will be sure to look - and it is bright and colorful so I won't miss it!

This project wasn't really that hard if you have basic 'Office' skills. I think this file is created in Excel. If you have a lot of time on your hands you could even type the pages in as you go and print them fully loaded with your info so you wouldn't have to write it in by hand. I'm not there yet. Maybe one day!

I used to do custom forms for people on the side for money now and then for homeschooling, but haven't in a long while. I enjoy stuff like this. I make home made worksheets for the kids all the time... spelling and vocabulary lists, handwriting sheets, geography quizzes, etc. The computer is an awesome tool if you learn how to use it. I think it is essential to teach computer skills to today's kids.

Now if only I could remember to get my items on the list checked off so I wouldn't have to carry them over to the next week all the time?! Sometimes it is necessary to spend less time making lists and more time doing what needs to be done!


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Labels: getting-it-done, motherhood, parenting, printables, scheduling, teaching

The HSBA had only 3 sets of swappers last month. They are changing the procedures for the swapping so that the swaps are now 2 months apart... to give more people time to join, mail their gifts, post photos of the presents on their blogs, and email their links. The swap has been a really fun thing for those who have participated. Check back at some of the links below to see the gifts that have been showcased! If you have been thinking of participating, today is the day to sign up! To sign up you just have to: 1. be a blogger, 2. be a homeschooler, 3. agree to play by the rules in the sign-up post, and 4. comment on the post to say you want to join (with a valid email address).

Here’s the schedule:

SIGN UP: By March 15th (Sat.)
PAIRED UP: By March 20th (Wednesday)
MAIL SWAP: By April 17th (Thursday)
POST PHOTOS: By April 30th (Wednesday)
EMAIL LINKS TO ME: By May 7th (Wednesday)
NEXT SWAP: May 10th (Saturday)

Here is the link to the sign up post:
March and April Saturday Swap!

Here are past swaps you can check out:

October 2007 Swap Intro
November 2007 Swap (October Highlights)
December 2007 Swap (November Highlights)
January Swap Time!
February Swap 2008

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Buzz Words: Homeschooling, Homeschool Blog Awards, Fun, Friends, swap, gifts, Homeschool, Personal, Buddies

Labels: friends, fun, Homeschool-Blog-Awards, swap

Green hour has turned in to a tree-planting frenzy around here in Texasville. This past week we have planted two small red oaks, one ash, a cypress tree, three Texas lilacs, and two redbuds (the redbuds could hardly count as sticks, much less trees!). The ash was the biggest. We had to pay someone to pick-ax the rock in my back yard to plant that sucker. I'm hoping Mr. Ash will shoot up like a rocket and provide me some serious-blockage-of-view (the neighbor behind me has dogs that chew and teens that smoke).

You wouldn't believe how much fun digging and planting has been for my 9 and 11 year old. You would have thought I bought them a Star Wars Video Game and let them eat an entire bag of Mint Chocolate Milano Cookies. After we were done with that last blasted rock-filled hole, my son said, "I could dig all the way to China!" And that he probably could! "Youth is wasted on the young." Hopefully he'll feel the same way when we tackle the flower bed out front. I think we may make the front yard our target "Green Hour" zone tomorrow.

Hard work in the yard doubles as PE when you are homeschooling. That's the beauty of being the boss around here. And the kids think they are "having fun". Hey, at least I don't make them weed the cactus garden like I did when I was their age!

Photos in order, top to bottom, left to right...
- Grub on clay
- Tupperware cups (we drank all the water) - Morgan took that one!
- Birdseed
- Pupa of some unidentified encased bug (UEB)
- Texas Lilac/Vitex/Chaste Tree stem - budding! Thought it was dead!
- Hole in the fence - Morgan took that one, too!
- Grandma opening the bag that holds the pot
- Pretty unidentified green butterfly (UGB)
- The fence again (another Morgan shot)
- The garden hose and my brown grass (Morgan again!)
- The weeds we picked
- Baby red oak after planting
- Morgan making a pot out of clay
- Kaden "the diggin'est boy"
- "Sharp Shooter" shovel
- Red Oak with Sprittibee hiding behind it


Quick Links
Nature as a Teaching Tool (all my nature links, quotes, books, etc)
The Pond, err... Drainage Ditch
Our Vow to do Green Hour and one reason WHY
Insect ID links
Green Hour Blog


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Buzz Words: Charlotte Mason, Insects, Teaching, Nature, Yard, Pictures, Landscaping, Outdoors, Children, Fun, Trees, Homeschool, Kids, Parenting, Gardening, Spring

Labels: bugs, fun, getting-it-done, homeschool, house, motherhood, nature, parenting, teaching, Texas, w

I made it from 1304 back to 1200 today. During Math time. Mom was here to help with the little schoolies. We had soup for lunch. Like you needed to know that.

Sorry for the randomness of this post, but I'm feeling distressed by an overwhelming number of things I really need to be doing right now... and I'm not. I'm stuck on this blog party like white on rice, baby. This stuff really isn't good for your health. Blogging, I mean.

I know this. You wanna know how? I went to the doctor yesterday. They told me I needed to take medicine for GERD. Great. There went those enchiladas, and the rest of the hot and spicy foods I love the most. I heart jalapeños. The doctor said that a "sedentary lifestyle" (ie: butt in chair) is not good for your digestive tract. Age doesn't help, either - nor does gaining some weight (which is brought on by age and slowing metabolism... vicious cycle!). Another culprit besides blogging, of course - would be GREASY FOODS. WHAT??? You mean that I can't eat at McDonald's once a week and stay healthy? I thought that if they have salads on their menu, they were "new and improved"??? Too bad I usually order the BIG AND TASTY. I don't care what you think about it... I do think it is tasty. I guess our weekly trips for fast food on the nights we are out and about will have to come to a grinding halt. Better to give that up than blogging. Stinks to be forced in to dietary changes. Now I know what my poor friend Amy feels like who discovered this year that she has a deathly allergy to gluten. I'm feelin' her pain. But at least it wasn't my heart (as I had suspected).

I really don't want to take medicine so I can eat... and not get cancer of the throat. But alas... for now, I'm going to take the pills and try to make some lifestyle changes. One of those requires REAL exercise. I guess Green Hour will have to be daily, and blog time will have to be - well - TIMEd.

Timing your computer fun is ok, I guess... as long as there's not a blog party going on. Because that is too difficult to resist. Like chocolate chip cookies or Michael Kors cologne when you have a "Ben Frankie" to spare in your wallet (which is rare in my case). You get the picture.

AND... my blogging time is up today. Already. I haven't even chosen what prizes I want. I guess I'll have to forgo the visiting tomorrow and get to the business of party favors so I don't get left behind. But seriously... I think maybe next year the twins should consider making this party last about a month or so... or maybe just having the visiting time last a week longer before prizes are given out? What do you think?

Better get back to real life. Before I don't have one anymore!


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Buzz Words: health, blog party, fun, friends, networking, moms, women bloggers, personal, GERD, blog addict, exercise, eating, diet, mommy, habits, blogging

Labels: blogging, food, personal

As promised, here is my field trip list for:

OUR 5th YEAR OF HOMESCHOOL: 3rd GRADE and 4th GRADE (2006-7)!

Do you have kids that are younger than 3rd and 4th Grade? Go visit my previous field trip lists (linked with photos and reviews). They can be found on my Homeschool Series post by year/grade level.



Below is a list of field trips we took when my children were in Third and Fourth Grade during the 2006-7 school year. In case you are just "tuning in" (and I apologize up front to the regular visitors for sounding like a broken record), our kiddos were 7 and 9 at the time. As my "Field Trip Foto Friday" Series progresses, I'll try and stop back in here to add links with detailed reviews of these field trips.

If there is a review of the field trip, it will be linked below and marked with asterisks (***) so you can go read the review.

Field trips are our favorite part of the school year. Of course, I did not list the numerous times we went to the park or library - those are frequent 'field trips' for us. Some of these field trips may seem a little on the cheesy side also (Scrapbook Day - spent at a scrapbook store learning to use their art tools - being the main one I'm talking about)... but you would be amazed at what you can learn if you HEAD OUT SOMEWHERE with the intention of LEARNING something new! Even a trip to the grocery store can be an educational experience if you set goals, bring tools (calculator), have an idea of what you aim to teach, and make it FUN!

I plan on starting back up with my Field Trip Foto Friday series again to flesh out the details and bring you the pictures from each of these that I can. I may be unable to find a photo for all of them, but I will do my best.

Enjoy!

2005-2006 Field Trips (Second/Third Grade)

• Visit an audiologist's office (look in ears, see ear tube up close)
***

• Park Picnic with Friends


• Walk with a mailman on his route


• Go to Blind lady's home and talk with her


• Visit an ophthalmologist's office (take eye exams & see model eye)


• Swim at the Gym with Daddy


• Jam session with Church Music Minister


• Guitar Shop (hear a guitar teacher play for us on an electric guitar) ***
  


• Natural State Expo - Arkansas (ecology fair)


• Chili Social at friend's house in Searcy, AR


• Pinnacle Mountain Rendezvous (Indian Pow Wow & Living History) ***
  


• Lower White River Museum & State Park (swamp boardwalk, monument)


• Louisiana Purchase Historic State Park (tour guide, butter, cabin, pearl buttons)


• Monroe County Arkansas War Memorial & City Hall


• Harvest Party at friend's Church


• Trip Home to Texas


• Burns Park Fall Photo-Shoot


• Wagon Ride (eat jerky and berries, dress up like pioneers)


• Art Museum in AR ***


• Toltec Mounds in Scott, AR (Indian games, blow-darts, dugout canoe)


• Drive to Memphis - see movie "Miss Potter" (life of Beatrix Potter)


• Central High in Little Rock (Black History Month)
  


• Arkansas River Footbridge


• Camping Petit Jean State Park


• Old Mill - North Little Rock


• Pinnacle Mountain (trails)


• River Market & Trolleys


• Hiking Petit Jean


• Scrapbook Day


• Clinton Presidential Library


• Private Creek - Fishing with Friends
  


• USS Razorback Submarine


• Bike Riding in Burns Park


• 4H Headquarters


• Pick Green Beans & Squash in a friend's Garden

Up next in the series will be my list on curriculum, learning enrichment ideas, favorite KONOS memories, and photos or links from our favorite unit we did in 2006-7. Check back in here later this week for more homeschool records for third and fourth grades.

Have a super Tuesday!


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Buzz Words: Homeschooling, Children, Homeschool, Enrichment, Day Trip, Education, Family, Parenting, Arkansas, Extra Curricular, School, Field Trips, Learning, Fun

Labels: Arkansas, field-trip, fun, homeschool, lesson-plans, parenting,