I haven’t participated in this meme before, Blogger Friend School, which provides a weekly “blogging homework” theme. As I was browsing through some of the amazing blogs listed over at the HSB Awards, I clicked onto this week’s theme for the BFS, and was totally inspired to join in, since it goes hand in hand with thoughts and observations I’ve been having here in the last couple weeks anyways. Technically, I believe that the “assignment” is supposed to be posted on Tuesday?, but in my natural way, I’m posting mine a day two days late!
The passion to sing, the passion to draw, the passion to build, the passion to ride, the passion for reading, the passion for nature… the list is endless. Some children exhibit their passion from day one, others need an experience to spark that passion.
Assignment: Share a field trip/lifestyle learning experience where you really felt you were […]
Original post by Beth
AS Homeschooling Challenges I have an AS child. We teach at home. We have challenges, just like any other home with AS’ children or just like any home with a child, for that matter~!
We are happy with our set-up. We have fun. *(sometimes)*
When I had a trip planned to the Fire Station today, J. did not want to go. He seen the fire trucks “last time”, he says. He said he has “already been”. Why go again!!?? Did I “make” him go? NO! Is he being a bratty-turd? NO! Why make all parties involved miserable, that is starting to be my philosophy.
Original post by learningaswego
I just returned home from our local library, where I’d taken the kids this afternoon, to pick up some history tales and biographies. It was a disturbing visit this time, a first for me at this library… I’ve come to expect that we’ll (obviously) sometimes be faced with plenty of contrary opinions in such a public arena of published thoughts, and the ensuing questions that then result from our visits have usually been fodder for great discussions and learning opportunities. It just goes with the territory, right? Fine. and. Dandy. I’m just glad that I didn’t have to discuss this one with the kids, though I did with the librarians… but I’m getting ahead of myself.
So, after I’d stacked baby S’s stroller high with the books on my list, I wandered down past the “Junior Biographies” section, heading over towards where N was, near the children’s computers. I was just […]
Original post by Beth
My 9 year old daughter, T, has been wanting me to “do a real horse-study” with her for over a year now, and finally, we have begun. Yes, today, on Friday, at the end of the week we’ve officially begun our study, a bit earlier than I’d planned. *smiles* But she is so ready and was literally begging to start this afternoon. After having her wait for over a year to start, I didn’t want her to have to wait any longer… especially now that with this guide, she really needs minimal direction from me anyhow.
Our study guide, History of the Horse: A Literature Approach to Equine History arrived in the mail yesterday. She was ecstatic and had been perusing it since it got here, savoring it… has all of the other books for the study all stacked up neatly in a pile, awaiting their turn to be called upon […]
Original post by Beth
Our 9 year old daughter, T, has been wanting me to “do a real horse-study” with her for months now, and finally, we have begun. Yes, today, on Friday, at the end of the week we’ve officially started our study. *smiles* She is so ready and was literally begging to start this afternoon, rather than waiting until next week . Our study guide, Beautiful Feet’s History of the Horse: A Literature Approach to Equine History arrived in the mail yesterday. I’ve admired it for years, knowing that eventually we’d get it and dive in together.
T was/is ecstatic and has been perusing it since it got here, savoring it… has all of the other books for the study all stacked up neatly in a pile, awaiting their turn to be called upon for use/reading in the study. After having her already waiting for practically a year to start, I didn’t want […]
Original post by Beth
until last night.
Last week I taught baby S to throw her own diapers away. She was on board, thought it was great fun! I bragged to Chris, “See her doing her first ‘chore’! She’s such a big girl!” as she marched from our bedroom, down the hallway and into the kitchen with her diaper in hand, excited to “throw away the diaper”… Then, last night, N caught her red-handed. She had lifted the lid on the trash can (hey, I didn’t teach her that part… not on purpose anyways, but apparently she was watching) and was about to throw the tv remote control away! LOL Yeah, so, not so cute anymore… Do you think she’s trying to tell us something (besides check the trash before we take it out?)?
Original post by Beth
Well, I wrote a little update about what our baby girl has been up to lately and need to now update you on our big girl, T’s latest accomplishment.
As many of you know, T loves animals, and training them. She’s specifically fond of horses, birds and dogs, and even more especially the ponies she rides, her late cockatiel and Samson, our German Shepherd dog, whom she’s been “training” for years.
Something I’ve really come to admire about T is how she’ll get an inspiration, an idea, and will go after it with gusto… whether it’s writing a story, creating or researching something, or “training and showing” her animals. She keeps her eye on a goal and makes it happen, regardless of discouragement, doubts and sometimes a lot of waiting.
Here she is in 2005 (she was 6 years old, he was 6 months old!) around the time that she first became interested […]
Original post by Beth
T has started herself a new blog, here: Samson & Me
Mom, aka. Grandma(s), just click on the title to hop on over and visit her. Friends and family, I’m sure that she’d love to hear from you, be sure and leave her a comment. There’s nothing more encouraging to a writer than knowing she has an audience.
She’s been honing her typing skills (speed) so that she can “write faster” on the keyboard, and is very excited about her new online journal (versus her old one).
Original post by Beth
Little Mikey, T’s cockatiel, died today… and we have no idea why. He seemed fine this morning, but then when she went to get him later this afternoon, she found him laying on his side, looking beautiful and healthy as ever, besides being… um, dead. T, of course, is heartbroken and bawled her heart out. We’re waiting until Chris gets home to have the burial. She doesn’t know it, but Chris is bringing home a helium balloon for her to let go, and send up to Mikey… *sighs*
We’re all wondering what caused his death, very puzzling, spoiled as he is was, and healthy as he seemed? He was only about a year and a half old, we’ve had him since he was a featherless little fledgling and T’s spent hours reading cockatiel books and training him. I hate to see my little girl’s heart so broken… guess that’s the downside […]
Original post by Beth
Little Mikey, T’s cockatiel, died today… and we have no idea why. He seemed fine this morning, but then when she went to get him later this afternoon, she found him laying on his side, looking beautiful and healthy as ever, besides being… um, dead. T, of course, is heartbroken and bawled her heart out. We’re waiting until Chris gets home to have the burial. She doesn’t know it, but Chris is bringing home a helium balloon for her to let go, and send up to Mikey… *sighs*
We’re all wondering what caused his death, very puzzling, spoiled as he is was, and healthy as he seemed? He was only about a year and a half old, we’ve had him since he was a featherless little fledgling and T’s spent hours reading cockatiel books and training him. I hate to see my little girl’s heart so broken… guess that’s the downside […]
Original post by Beth
he was so small, my first baby… Now, not so much!
On Feb. 26th, N, our eldest child, turned 12 (yeah, I’m a bit behind, I know)…
He is growing up to be such a fine young man, true to his namesake. He’s such a great big brother to his two little sisters and blesses his Father and I every day. I am so thankful that the Lord chose to bless us with this most delightful gift of his presence in our lives.
Original post by Beth
Our journey down picture book lane with old and new friends. Here’s baby S reading to Bub, Bub reading to baby S, one of her favorites… see how she’s grabbing at it? I kid you not when I tell you that she likes to turn the pages and study the pictures intently already! What fun we shall have introducing our baby girl to so many wonderful books. She loves to chew on good literature already, literally!
Original post by Beth
joyful: adj: experiencing, causing, or showing joy: HAPPY syn see GLAD — joy.ful.ly
joy. n [ME, fr. OF joie, fr. L gaudia, pl. of gaudium, fr. gaudere to rejoice; akin to Gk gethein to rejoice] 1 a: the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of posessing what one desires: DELIGHT b: the expression or exhibition of such emotion: GAIETY 2: a state of happiness or felicity : BLISS 3: a source or cause of delight syn see PLEASURE
~ Webster’s Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary
THURSDAY CHALLENGE
for fun and learning
“EMOTION” (Happy, Joyful, Contented, Surprised, Fearful, Distressed, Angry,…)
Next Week: FOOD (Cooking, Ingredients, Vegetables, Fruit, Meat, Dairy, Restaurants,…)
Original post by Beth
This morning, as I was frying up some turkey bacon to go with our banana bread for a mid-morning snack, I realized that I was hearing the shower running. That’s strange, thought I, since Chris isn’t home and I didn’t tell anyone to take a shower… T was sitting at the table drawing, and I realized that N had decided to take a shower on his own!! Whoa!! So, what does this mean? Usually he dreads taking a shower, puts it off as long as possible, for days if we let him, until Chris and I are telling him, “Take a shower, NOW!”
So… Why now? I mean it’s great, I felt excited even, but wondered… what does this mean? What caused this sudden notice of personal hygiene? Is it the dawn of a new day?
Then, a few minutes after he came out, all fresh and dressed for the day, hair […]
Original post by Beth
Remember these miracle babies?
Well, here they are about a month ago (or two?!) now… cute as can be!
Babies S & V
Isn’t our heavenly Father just amazing? I squeeze this girl and thank Him for her, N and T every day. I can hardly believe that baby V has a tooth already and is already tasting new foods! Baby S has quite a few new tricks lately too… let’s see, where to start? She seems to be changing so much every day!
She loves to grab her feet and try to stick them in her mouth, along with everything else. She’s gotten very good at picking things up and then retrieving them once she’s dropped them. She reaches out to touch everything now. She is noticeably interested in her board books, grabs the pages and turns them (well it seems like she’s turning them anyways! and stares intently at the […]
Original post by Beth
Remember these two miracle babies?
Well, here they are about a month (or two?!) ago now… cute as can be!
Babies S & V
Isn’t our heavenly Father just amazing? I squeeze this girl and thank Him for her, N and T every day. I can hardly believe that baby V has a tooth already and is already tasting new foods! Baby S has quite a few new tricks lately too… let’s see, where to start? She seems to be changing so much every day!
She loves to grab her feet and try to stick them in her mouth, along with everything else. She’s gotten very good at picking things up and then retrieving them once she’s dropped them. She reaches out to touch everything now. She is noticeably interested in her board books, grabs the pages and turns them (well it seems like she’s turning them anyways! and stares intently at […]
Original post by Beth
We had a wonderful time with our Bible study on Saturday evening as we celebrated the Feast of Dedication, Hanukkah. I will only take a few moments to share some pictures here and later today I will share some thoughts on the holiday.
This is a picture of the children in our home fellowship group. They comprise roughly half of our group. Aren’t they a good looking bunch?!
We had some games for the children which included a treasure hunt. Above you see the “Hebrews” team with the prize. Unfortunately, they were not the first to find the prize this year.
The “Maccabees” were the first to find the prize!
During the week prior to our party, the children each made their own Hanukkiahs. After a dinner of potato latkes, cheese, and donut holes the children watched a video of the story of the Maccabees while the adults watched a power point presentation of […]
Original post by Jenny
spun by heaven from silken strands…
of the same gossamer threads God uses to weave the butterflies’ wings,
that they may carry with them summer’s warmth…
and with it, drape autumn’s retiring fields…
Yes, she wears a golden crown,
atop her tiny head
like her brother~
I just love this color…
Original post by Beth
Today Yesterday Tuesday (that’s how long it’s taken me to get this ONE post written- granted it is long, but that’s what happens when things keep piling up that I want to write about) was N and T’s last riding lesson of the season, and I am so ready for the break. It’s one less place that I’ll be taking them each week, until they start their lessons back up in the Spring. Their riding instructor takes the colder months off from teaching, but I’m sure that the kids will still get to go over to her house a few times to ride and visit with her and the ponies and horses that they love so much- just for fun, so long as its not too miserably cold outside. T sure won’t be missing the hours of barn chores that they do each week to pay for their lessons, […]
Original post by Beth
We were able to keep our secret a secret and it worked out perfectly. Were did we go? We headed to the western side of the state to Praire du Chien, WI the home of Villa Louis, a Victorian mansion which I toured as a child, and Cabela’s, the sporting goods company. Although Buck would love to sped a day at Cabela’s that was not our destination this time. Our reason for going to Praire du Chien was to surprise a group of young people who are dear to our hearts.
Last year Buck and Hannah coached this team of Bible quizzers from the church we attended at the time. Josh was a Bible quizzer right along with them. Last weekend was their first quiz meet of the year and we went down to participate as quizmaster, scorekeepers and timekeeper. We arrived at the church […]
Original post by Jenny
This is what T has been doing for the last few days, ever since her knitting teacher told her that she could bring her yarn and knitting needles (which they made themselves in class, from cherry dowel rods and hand-painted knobs they glued on the ends) home… She’s making a scarf, and says that “this is really addictive”! I must say that I’d have to agree! She’s even been bringing her knitting with her when we go places.
T has now taught me how to cast-on, and now I’ve started a scarf myself (for N). She commented on how fun it was to teach me, and on how hard it was to teach Chris because he wanted to do it his own way. heh! What fun we’re having. Last week I joined her in her coop knitting class, and I think that I’m going to start going in there every week […]
Original post by Beth
On Sept. 15, during the Days of Awe, we dedicated and blessed our baby S during our Messianic fellowship’s Shabbat service, under the chuppah, which is actually a tallit (prayer shawl) right after we all sang the Sabbath Prayer of blessings over our children (the same one sang in The Fiddler on the Roof, beautiful!).
[MOTHERS AND FATHERS]
May the Lord protect and defend you.
May He always shield you from shame.
May you come to be
In Israel a shining name.
May you be like Ruth and like Esther.
May you be deserving of praise.
Strengthen them, Oh Lord,
And keep them from the strangers’ ways.
May God bless you and grant you long lives.
(May the Lord fulfill our Sabbath prayer for you.)
May God make you good mothers and wives.
(May He send you husbands who will care for you.)
May the Lord protect and defend you.
May the Lord preserve you from pain.
Favor them, […]
Original post by Beth
… and she’s really real, and she’s ours, to keep! ! We’ve all been marveling over her, so full of joy to receive her! The child that we’ve hoped and prayed for, for so very long is now filling our home with new life and precious moments.
Yes, our darling baby girl, Savannah Abigail, was born on Tuesday, the 21st (came on her actual due date even!), at 1:03 p.m., weighing 8lbs. & .5 oz. and measuring 21.5″ long. Her hair (or peach-fuzz) is strawberry blonde, leaning more towards the strawberry part… wondering if we’re going to have another red head around here?!
She was delivered naturally and my hospital experience was a good one, had wonderful nurses and a great doc. I’ll write more about it later, but just wanted to take a moment to quickly let you all know, and upload some pics… I’d hoped to share sooner, but haven’t […]
Original post by Beth
I sure haven’t blogged in awhile, have I? We’re doing well over here. I’ve been either really busy, or tired or just plain lazy. It’s hard for me to sit here at the ‘puter chair for long now, since I get a kink in my back and all stiff if I’m in any position for too long now. So, I’ve not been on the MAC much at all in the last few weeks, which has been nice. I’m just so thankful that I haven’t had any pains like this until here recently! Can you believe that we only have ONE week to go now, until that magic date anyways (DD is 8/21), for what it’s worth. heh! (Oh, please don’t wait any longer than that Savannah dear…) Yeah, I’ve found myself talking to her a lot lately, we all are.
And so, I’ve been doing my best to […]
Original post by Beth
Welp, no fruit smoothie this morning… but worry not, it’s not for lack of supply of my beloved Stonyfield yogurt (the scratch ‘n dent came through, I’m re-stocked!), and our freezer is full of frozen blackberries too, picked fresh by Chris and the kids from local fields. Nope, I just opted for the hard stuff this morning, yep, that’s right, coffee! Mmmmm… it’s a rare treat these days. Since I’ve been pregnant, I only have it once a week or so, if that, and that only since mid-second-trimester. But this last week I’ve been having some major headaches, and this morning I really need an extra boost to get goin’, get some more stuff done around here!
I haven’t been on the ‘puter much lately. Besides being busy with doing stuff around here, last Thursday evening I came down with the worst migraine I’ve had in YEARS! By Friday morning I […]
Original post by Beth
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