ABC's of Service--- A

Attitude of Giving

So we talked about our service projects today... the kids seem happy to take part in them.

Each of the kids picked at least 5 things, one of which needed to be a little more "special" to them, making it meaningful to give away. These things could not be broken or TO used.

They each ran off to their rooms ready to pick items. Kate and Emily came back tearful, so I thought their "item" might be to sentimental to them and had them choose another.

They all had good attitudes which is of course my goal!

Matt packed up our items in a box and I hope we can drop them off on our way to church!

I have also added my 5 things, of course!

Wordless Wednesday...

ABC's of service projects...

Okay so service is on my mind. I have tried various things and really want to involve our family in service projects.

I want them to learn to give.


I want them to have a heart to give.

So I think the ABC's of service projects is this...

- Always think of what you can do for others

- Be ready to give at a moments notice

- See needs and meet them

Okay so I fudged on the "C" but I think you get my point...

I am going to take it a step farther!

We are going to ABC our way through this year with service projects!

This week we will begin our journey with a service project that starts with the letter "A"---

Attitude of giving.

I want my kids to give freely with sweet hearts.  I think they do when prompted but I simply do not prompt them enough.  I also have not done much of them giving their own stuff... I tend to buy things to give away.  Number one I think everyone deserves something new and number two I have often felt bad about "giving" used stuff away.  DON'T ASK ME WHY...

Anyway.  I have gotten much better at taking a box to the Salvation Army or wherever (sorry DAV- you are farther away- when it has to go it has to go!)  I used to literally throw IT AWAY!

YES.  I KNOW.

So anyway, I want the kids to go through their stuff and find 5 items a piece to give away. 

Nothing broken, or too used.  Something they might even play with everyday.

GIVING OF THEMSELVES.  With a good attitude.

That's the plan, folks.

"B"--- Bringing snacks to a shelter. 

"C"--- caring for a friend. 

"D"---Doing a good deed with no return

"E"---everyone needs toothbrushes (handing out toothbrushes to the home less in area)

"F"---Fixing a meal for a family, just because.

"G"---Giving of our time, working on something that needs doing!

"H"---Help by giving food to a food pantry

"I"---I can change someones life by telling them about God- passing out tracts.

"J"---Just give up one thing you like, to give to others

"K"---keep an amount from our grocery fund to give to the Houston Food Bank

"L"---leave a note for someone, just to show you care

"M"---make a dessert to give out to the homeless people around our house

"N"---never think something little isn't enough.  bring beans and rice to a shelter

"O"---offer to keep a friends kids- just to be a blessing!

"P"---Pray for those around you!

"Q"---Quietly go about doing good... Do something nice... quietly!

"R"---Rarely do we go without-- go without something in order to give.

"S"---stop and spend some time to speak with someone you don't usually notice

"T"---touch a heart by doing a good deed

"U"---underneath everyone needs feel loved... do something for someone to make them feel special

"V"---view your heart by what God says--- read verses about giving and do a deed

"W"---Wait on someone else.  Be helpful. Be kind

"X"---Examine your motives--- do you like being told thank you?  Do a deed in secret.

"Y"---You can make a difference- ask those around to donate to a cause

"Z"---zeal for giving is what I hope you have achieved!  Come up with your own service project!

Doubting Yourself...

I doubt myself a lot.  I assume I cant accomplish some thing or I assume if I do it wont be done well.

I just don't always have a lot of faith in my abilities.

SO hence the new verse...

"God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work."

2 Cor 9:8

Five green and speckled frogs...

We did this weeks ago but I had it in the drafts folder... so here it is! 

Our frog unit.

 We kindof did it faster than I would have liked but I was sooo behind that I just simply cut a lot of stuff out!  But hey they learned about frogs... okay!

So we did a lap book and I used the AWESOME resources at Home school Share, Squidoo and also found a few free lancers!

We read a few books, I think I have mentioned before how much I despise the library during the summer!  There are NEVER any books on the shelf... so I couldn't get a lot that I needed and the inter library loan is taking a little bit longer these days since they have cut back on their hours.   FRUSTRATION!

Anyway.  We learned the difference between frogs and toads.  We learned about a frogs life cycle.  We played leapfrog. We baked froggy cookies!  We learned the Speckled frog song and we watched the Prince of Egypt to see a plague of frogs!  We went to visit Pet smart to see some frogs--- we just couldn't make it to the zoo!  We also did a few frog crafts and read the Princess and the Frog- the Grimm's Fairy Tale version!

Kaitlin and Matthew worked on a Frog story....

Emily worked on printing F's, playing Leaf Frog and watching the Leapfrog Math video which she still just loves!

ABC's of ME...

A-anxious (working on this)
B- beautiful children
C- cautious
D-didn't kiss anyone till my hubbie!
E-eats when stressed
F-feels unimportant a lot of times
G-gets happy with little things!
H-honest
I-imagination abounds!
J-jokes about weight!
K-keeps her family going
L-likes to blog!
M-money manager of the family
N-never been to jury duty
O-obnoxious
P- persistent
Q- quick at simple math
R- really loves diet coke
S-simple tastes most of the time
T-tired a lot of the time
U- under stress, sometimes
V- values life
W- wants good things for her family
X- xtra special is how I like to do things
Y- yearly trip to Garner is important
Z- zest for living

Early American History--- week 2 and 3

WEEK 2 --Pilgrims (1620) See Week 1


We are learning about the Pilgrims first days after their long voyage!

Books:

Window to Williamsburg


We used Pilgrims- Evan Moore Pocket Folders @ Teacher File Box.  I printed out all the pocket books and we are using various parts of them over 3 weeks of Pilgrims.


Vocabulary- used the vocab out of the pocket folders but are also using pictures of people and dates along with places for a really good weekly review of our year.

We made a colonial recipe. 

HASTY PUDDING

1 cup corn meal

4 cups water

1/2 tsp salt

bring 3 cups water to boil, add salt

mix one cup corn meal with 1 cup cold water

slowly mix in mixture into the boiling water.

Mix slowly to avoid lumps.

bring down to low temperature, stir for 10  minutes.

TOP with a pat of butter, syrup or brown sugar.

I also made a pumpkin bread for the kids to try.

We made pilgrim girl hats and a boy hat, you'll get to see the whole ensemble soon!


We talked about jobs that pilgrims had... each child got to pick up different job that would have.

We are using the Light and the Glory, reader and color book.




Assignment for Week 2--


Read chap 8-9 of the Light and the Glory

Do worksheet page 23-25

Read Squanto (chapter book)

We are also learning the States and Capitals- using various workbooks.

This one

and this one

Plus this one

We will start presidents too but we are waiting a few weeks.

So Kaitlin has the assignment of presenting about Alabama next lesson and Matt has the assignment of presenting about Alaska next lesson.


Week 3

We are finishing up with pilgrims this week and will start early colonial life next week along with war and religious freedom!

We made a pilgrim girl/ boy.

We went over our reading assignment: Squanto and Light and the Glory 8-9

We did worksheets on the Light and the Glory

We learned about schooling and home life...

We watched Drive Thur History...

We used Pilgrims- Evan Moore Pocket Folders @ Teacher File Box. I printed out all the pocket books and we are using various parts of them over 3 weeks of Pilgrims.

Here are some of our vocabulary cards so far...

Kaitlin did her presentation on Alabama and Matt did his presentation on Alaska.

Friday Wrap Up---Week 4

Gosh have we only been schooling 4 weeks?  Seems like MUCH longer?  I have gone back through my posts and I realize that I didnt even wrap up our 2nd week?  How did I miss that?  OH WELL....


I meant to put this in last week's wrap up but I forgot it.  We read a great story in FLL, it was about a Camel who eventually got his way and ended up booting his master out of his own tent.  The moral of the story is "don't let the nose into the tent, because the rest will surely follow", it means to not let one bad habit start or others will follow or don't let one bad friend into your circle of friend ship because he will turn the whole pack bad, or basically that if you do a little bit of something it will turn into a lot, very easily! I really liked the story and have already referenced it twice to the kids since reading it!

Here is Kaitlin's drawing of it...

Don't let the nose into the tent... or the rest will surely follow!

Okay so for Week 3

Monday we got great school work done! 

 I was using All about Spelling Level 1 with Matt and Emily and doing All About Spelling 2 with Kate, but I am just doing Level 1 with all of them.  We are going to go through it pretty quickly though, then we will move onto Level 2.

We has history at our house, we are covering a lot during our two hours!  I am so excited about what we are doing!  We tried Hasty Pudding! 

On Tuesday, mom came over to do school with the kids while I went to work out!  It was awesome!  I intend to work out on every Tuesday  for the most part.  I am also going to try to go Wed evening after church and on Saturday or Sunday afternoon.  Other than that I don't know how much I can work in!  We will see!

I had to take Dave to drop the Suburban off at the shop, yuck.

So the kids did pretty good work for mom and then when I got back we did some history, science and spelling.

Emily had gymnastics and did even BETTER this week!  YEAH.

Wednesday we took the whole day off from school.  I DIDN'T FEEL GUILTY ONCE!  I planned to be off, I worked my school schedule around it and it was awesome.  NO guilt!

I went and got my hair cut, did some errands, met a friend for a birthday dinner and then church!

Thursday - we only got basics done and I had every intention of doing more when we got home from an activity BUT I popped a Midol and laid down--- it was just one of those kind of evenings!  I got up at 7:00 and had the kids do the rest of the chores and we did a little more work but not much!    I am behind in Bible and Latin, which annoys me. We are doing school work on Saturday and this is NON NEGOTIABLE.  I am hoping to just get back on track.

BTW... The Suburban is being put to rest.  We are bringing her home tomorrow and parking her in the driveway for now.  May she rest in peace.  She has truly been a blessing to us and she has been my FAVORITE vehicle ever.  I have fought getting rid of her, I just keep wanting to "fix" the little things, but they have added up to TOO MUCH.  So that being said we are back to a one car family.  We will see how this works.  I am trying not to think about it right now, so I will think about it later. 

Tomorrow is another day!---Scarlett O'Hara

Friday-  We had history at Amy's, we are still working on Pilgrims!

A few thoughts about if zones and chores are working out for me,  as of Thursday at 7:38 p.m. I would say an unqualified NO. I have been very frustrated this week with chores and zones.

It all boils down to 95% me and 5% children.




The 95% that is me...

We are not waking up early.

I am not reminding the kids.

I am not giving them enough time before school.


I am not having any consequence if a chore or zone is not complete, so the kids are not taking them seriously.

I am not checking to make sure they are complete.


It is simply not a habit yet, I know this will take time for both parties.




5% that is kids


They are simply not doing as they are asked.

Simple jobs are taking them MUCH longer due to messing around.

They are not taking me serious that it has to be done.



Okay so maybe my percentages are off a little BUT the point is that the zones CAN WORK, but I am not using them properly and therefore getting poor results.


So I hopefully can report by next week wrap up that we have much better results.

A few links to blog posts I have loved...

"If we allow them to enter the dating scene promptly upon entering high school at 14-years-old, taking up with a new boyfriend or girlfriend every semester, can we really express genuine surprise when they don’t take their marriage vows seriously, especially if we don’t?"

I love it. Really, it is so simple yet it is exactly what I mean to say.

Wow I love this. There is more of this "wisdom" at Breathing Grace, A life in View

Who can see the spelling lessons? The breakfast made this morning? The next chapter of The Yearling read, the last child rocked early in the morning, the prayers whispered in the middle of the morning? I try in a week and a lot may get done, but the right things?

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. --- 2 Cor. 4:18

I also like this from holy experience.

So, the key to raising excellent children is to grow in excellence yourself. You cannot give your children what you do not possess. Buying the best curriculum or the most expensive lessons cannot compensate for shortcomings in your own life, if you are not growing in excellence yourself.

And this from I TAKE JOY

Yet, Jesus faithfully and patiently guides us, despite our “natural tendencies” to go astray. And as humans, not just mere sheep, we are expected to exhibit self-control. In essence, we are to live a disciplined life. If this were somehow not in our best interests, God wouldn’t have put so many verses about the matter in His Word.

And this from Raising Arrows, and although it is my last link it is not the least.. it might be my favorite.

Kids portrait 2010

Do your husbands read your blog?

Mine does...

I actually like that he does. I read a blog one day and the wife was complaining about her husband (I mean REALLY complaining) and I thought how sad, I wonder if he reads her blog. Then I thought maybe he doesn't and that is part of the bigger problem....

I digress.

I like that hubbie reads my blog. I actually like to watch him read it, I see the smile and know what part he got too. Or he stops and comments to me or asks a question. MY blog has sparked MANY conversations!

I TRY to not complain about hubbie on my blog..

1. He reads it.
2. I don't think you should.
3. You cant take it back once it has been hurled into cyber space!


I am not saying I NEVER complain about hubbie- I DO.

Mostly he is a wonderful hubbie! We have our "issues" as all husbands and wives do, but I love him.

Just tonight, when I could not fathom having to go to the grocery store, as it was after 8:30 already...... HE WENT FOR ME.

Sweetness.

So do your husbands read your blog?

Oh better yet.. would they nix anything you wrote? :)

Early American History Curriculum-- Week 1

Although all of you might not be interested in this topic I think I will use the blog and list out each of our assignments and books used. This way I will have a really neat memory and it will be ready for someone else to use too!

We are using a lot of readers, both small and chapter books. We are using Even Moor Pocket books for worksheets and hands on activities. I have a subscription to TEACHER FILE BOX for 12.99 a month I can download as much as I like-- I use it ALOT! It has been well worth the 12.99 IMHO....

WEEK 1 --Pilgrims (1620)

We started with the Pilgrims and their voyage to the New WORLD.

Books:
Mayflower Adventure (chapter book)
Three Young Pilgrims
The Pilgrim Boy
Sarah Morton
If You Sailed on the Mayflower
N.C. Pilgrims
Samuel Eaton

We used Pilgrims- Evan Moore Pocket Folders, I printed out all the pocket books and we are using various parts of them over 3 weeks of Pilgrims.

Vocabulary- used the vocab out of the pocket folders but are also using pictures of people and dates along with places for a really good weekly review of our year.

We watched William Bradford (NEST Video)

We made a paper diorama of the Mayflower.

We are using the Light and the Glory, reader and color book.

Assignment for Week 1--

Read chap 6-7 of the Light and the Glory
Do worksheet page 21-22

Read Plymouth Pioneers (chapter book)

My day of rest and relaxation....

So my wonderful mother in law... came on Saturday and rescued me!

She took my tired feet (desperately in need of a pedi, it have been, well a long time) to the nail salon...

Here are the pretties!

Before and after shots!

Next we headed to La Madeline's where I ate things so far gone from a diet food list that I actually ENDED UP IN FRANCE...

Croque-monsieur

Spinach Quiche

Chocolate croissant

YUMMO!!!

Next for the shopping... I was on a mission to find a new purse!

I have a large purse but inside the different compartments aren't enclosed... so everything falls to the bottom and YOU CANNOT GET TO ANYTHING! The reason I was carrying it was the keep the kids stuff in for church. So after trying numerous bags at Charming Charlies (love that store!) Vickie convinced me that the kids are old enough to carry their own stuff and to just get a pretty! It didn't take much convincing! No really I still wanted one big enough to carry my own Bible and notebook....

WE FOUND SO MANY BEAUTIFUL PURSES!!!!

We ended up with this one!!! ISN'T the color (which is not done justice in this shot, beautiful!)

Oh and I might have accidentally ended up with another one too! OOOPPPS. It was too pretty to leave at the store!

This is a beautiful gray soft purse--- this doesn't look as good either!

Thank you Vickie for a wonderful day (which included a diet coke from SONIC)

I felt relaxed and refreshed!

this is me the next day sportin' my new purse!

Yall don't see many pictures like this of me, because I DONT TAKE THEM. 

 This was a rare, rare occasion!

BTW... the sun glass thing takes care of "weird eye" situation!

Now back on the food and non coke bandwagon for me!

Are you questioning me?

I saw these questions on Lemonade Makin Mama, and thought they were fun.

I love answering questions that are both random and strange. I know that says something about me. Ahem.

1. If you could bring one character to life from your favorite book, who would it be?

Wow what a question... I guess it might be Miss Suzy, by Miriam Young. We read this book as little kids, she is a squirrel who lives in a tree and after her house got damaged by mean bad squirrels she finds her self living in an abandoned doll house in someones attic. Anyway, she seems so peaceful and a real Proverbs 31 kindof woman to me. You need to read the book I guess but I just wish I could be as calm and softspoken and kind as she was.

2. Where did you get your very first kiss? Hmmmm.. I cannot actually remember where my first kiss was! I can tell you that the first and only man I have ever kissed is my HUBBIE! So it was with him and I am betting it was on the property of Living Stones church in Alvin, but that is all I know for sure... I'll have to ask him!

3. How did you welcome in the New Year? We had the Eck family over for the entire day and we had so much fun! WE ate a lot, we played some games, we rang in the NEW YEAR! It was great.

4. What is your favorite Beatles song? hmmm. either Come Together or I Saw Her Standing There

5. Donuts: Overrated, underrated, or 'bout right? I think a good donut is underrated because it is the only dessert in the world that is a breakfast food only for the most part. I mean if it is that good of a donut it should be on the menu for dessert 24/7! I really dont enjoy donuts in the morning because it is usually too sweet, so if they were on dessert menus at restaurants maybe I would get them!

more for YOU to answer!

6. What is your favorite scripture?


7.  What do you put on your front door as seasons change, if anything:


8.  Baskin robbin... which 31 flavor?


9.  If you have to be on a diet and could choose ONE thing to eat and it NOT COUNT, what would it be?


10.  Money that comes into your household (dont think bills even if they are NECESSARY) what would you do with it?  You are FREE to choose, it doesnt have to be responsible at all!

Mark Driscoll on Twilight

Weekly Wrap up

Monday-- school, daddy still home but still got a lot done.

I went to the Garden Oaks Home School Support Meeting (GOHSSG) (?) That is a mouthful! I had a nice time and met quite a few ladies!

Tues- started off great with getting up, pancakes, dinner in the crock pot at the school table before 9:00, we had a pretty good day! 

I want to reiterate how much I love my crock pot and steamer.  I had the pork cooking all day and the potatoes I put in the steamer before I left for gymnastics and when I got home--- perfect baked potatoes!  I was able to fit three large potatoes in!

Emily started her first gymnastics class. She did really good!

My crock pot meal got tabled for Dave to do some work things and the kids and I drove thru Wendy's. We had a peaceful evening though!



Wed. started nice but quickly went down hill from there. I put a Bible movie on for the kids and asked them to fold laundry. Well 3 1/2 hours later and a visit from Daddy, the laundry got folded. We got a little school work done and left to work at the church. I updated all the kids charts from Word of Life and got postcards to send to those no longer coming. Then I helped the pastors wife scrub the floor from temper paint. It was really a good day because these are the small things I want to be able to do!

Thursday, Dave got up to go give blood really early...

Matt found a Shipleys coupon and asked if he paid for breakfast could we go and of course since we are working on him being kind--- we all got Shipley's!

I decided since we were out to do my errands, we ran to Staples and tried to go to the library, but they have changed times AGAIN! ARGGGG.

We went back home, did some school work and headed out for our Science at Amy's house. The kids did great, we made a cell model out of jello and candy!

(Pictures of this in another post)


We left Amy's and went to moms to let the kids swim, ate dinner and headed to our last activity of the day.. SKATING!



We met a bunch of friends at the skating rink for Christian Skate Night, it was a blast! I skated again, not as long as before, but I did!

THIS IS MY NEXT GOAL AFTER THE BREAST WALK!!!

Friday- we slept in a little, obviously we needed it after our Thursday! We started working on chores and have some discipline problems, the same as Wed! So daddy got called and the kids had to weed the outside flower beds! I don't know if it made much of an impression on them though, they seemed to enjoy it. HMMMM.



In our character study we learned about braveness, but for the story it was a chapter out of Missionary Stories with the Millers. It was about Gladys Aylward and how she led a large group of children through the mountains to the yellow river to escape the Japanese. So I am reading this chapter and literally tear up.. I stop and talk to my children about how these kids walked through the mountain for 12 days with little or no food, no shoes, little water, even making a human chain to get down the steepest parts of the mountain.... and we have fusses over cleaning our rooms full of shoes, clothes toys etc. I wasn't mean, I was sad.

I am hoping the kids were convicted and that God might bring this to their mind next time.

We started school after lunch and the rest of the day was just doing school and chores.

Friday night, we were planning on a Wii tournament, but the kids lost electronics so we went to see the bats! We have lived here for a year and a 1/2 and never done this!

And we ended our day at SWIRL!  YUMMO!