An Artist at Heart

Since H could talk, she has wanted to "take art lessons".  We've done some here and there along the way, mostly week long art camps, and she has loved them.  But this year Mom got her in with an art teacher after being on the waitling list for almost a year.  She also had to have a birthday so she'd be old enough to be accepted in the art studio.

She loves it!

After three weeks of lessons, it has proven to definitely be worth the 30 minute drive each way once a week.

 Week 1 - A Goose

Her teacher had to help her erase and correct several times on this one.

 Week 2 - A Sideways Goose

Her teacher only had to help a couple of times on this one.

Week 3 - The Squirrel

Her teacher gave H a compliment on this one - and this teacher doesn't say things just to make the kids feel good.  She is doing very well and did I mention...she loves it!

We're excited to see how God uses this talent to glorify Him.

El Paso, Texas

Dad and Mom flew to El Paso, Texas this past weekend.  Thanks to some good friends, our children were left in safe hands and with lots of playmates.  We flew out early Friday morning and returned in the weeeeeeeee hours of Monday morning.

We had our camera with us the ENTIRE time but only managed to take three photos.  Still not sure how that happened.  It was Dad's first time that far west in Texas.  I think his favorite discovery were the rock gardens for yards.  Now he's wondering if he could get away with that here at home. 

(Rock garden + no grass = no mowing!)

We had some yummy food the entire weekend.  These were taken at the top of the hill where we had some scrumptous Texas BBQ.

And we had plenty of Tex-Mex.

We had so much good food that we never even made it to the store to get Blue*Bell.  You know we were eating good to miss Blue*Bell!

And we made some new friends.  Dad preached that Sunday morning (the purpose of our trip) and it was a powerful service.

Our 4-H Officer

Our 4-H Club had it's new officer installation today.  H is old enough now to serve the club.  She was nominated and elected to be the Parlimentarian.

"Will you keep the meeting in order and keep the other 4-H'ers on task?"  Translated - You may bang the table with the mallet if it gets too loud.  She's very excited about the mallet!

Our 4-H'er.

Concert and Covered Bridge

The kids and I drove south of Raleigh to hear Jeff and Sheri Easter in concert.  (Dad had a deacon's meeting.  Missed him being with us!)  When we walked in the auditorium, the front two rows were empty.  We walked up there to see if they were reserved.  No reserved sign.  So guess where the kids wanted to sit!?  Front row!!

Madisen, Sheri and Jeff

Madisen, Morgan, Sheri and Jeff

On the way to the church, we saw a covered bridge.  Since we didn't know how much further we had to go, I told them we'd stop on the way back.  The concert lasted longer than I expected it to last.  By the time we got back to it, the sun was down just enough to make it dark with all the trees around us.  So I left the headlights on and we walked across the bridge.

It was exciting to see a covered bridge.  But the concert was even more exciting! :)

We have two new cd's for our listening pleasure.

Family Fun Day

The church where Dad is Interim Pastor had a Family Fun Day today.  They had bounce houses, balloon animals, bean bag toss, and lots of other fun things.  There was a magic show that was quite entertaining.  The "magician" always brought the lesson back to the Truth.  Magic is illusion, Jesus performed miracles.

He used the crowd in most of his "tricks".  H was part of one.  The funny part is that she never put down her snowcone.

Ready...

Set...

POOF!  (Snowcone still there!:)

They were also giving wagon rides.  Our kids rode two times.

Fall is almost here....

The Christmas Battle - December 1914

One of the joys of our home school journey so far has been our co-op.  We all use Tapestry of Grace and meet each Friday to do some learning together.  This is our fourth year in the co-op.  TOG is a 4-year curriculum so we're finally in the 20th century.

This year I am one of the four teachers for the Lower Grammar class.  Today we were taken on a field trip to the backyard of one of the other teachers.  She had plastic spread across the yard to represent the "trenches".  The kids reenacted the battle that happened Christmas 1914.

The "bullets" were mini-marshmallows.  The "grenades" were bean bags.  The medics used toilet paper for bandages.  Once a "soldier" was "hit", they were "dead" until a medic "bandaged" them.  They immediately came back to life for more "fighting".  (Since we only had 6 on each side, they had to resurrect or else the battle would have ended after less than a minute.)  No one was actually injured or harmed during the reenactment.  But I'm quite certain several of the soldiers didn't have an appetite for lunch because they ate too many of their "bullets".



Firing on the enemy.  B was using a tree to block himself.

The girls, two on each side, were the medics.  Here's E running out with her friend to care for their wounded.

No time to waste!  Get back to the trenches!!

E out in "no man's land" caring for a wounded soldier.

Christmas Day - both sides came out and played soccer together, exchanged gifts, some received hair cuts, and the battle was forgotten.

After Christmas, the General arrived.  "These are not our friends!  They are the enemy!!"

New troops arrived who had not played on Christmas Day.

The battle resumed.  FIRE!!

C caring for a wounded soldier.

The kids had a wonderful time and remember so much about the battle now that they have experienced it.

Thanks, Eve, for a great lesson!  (For our three and me!)

Uncle Stephen's Surprise

Look what Uncle Stephen sent home with Dad and B when they came back from Tennessee!

Our front porch is already looking like fall.

Thanks, Uncle Stephen!

Vocational Ambition

At lunchtime today, C said,

"When I grow up, I'm going to be a police girl so I can drive fast and run red lights!"