Chore Chart

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Our Chore Chart


A Chore Chart. That’s what we call it. Kenny made this for me because I am just not able to keep with what kids are doing or not doing. We wanted to give the kids allowance, but seriously between homeschooling, church and all our too numerous to mention activities (soccer, dance, Lads to Leaders, 4H, life groups, co-op…and on and on…) Kenny said it would be different if we just participated in these activites but no I have to volunteer to teach, organize or be in charge about every activity in our life. He thinks this comes from my mother who never stops and is constantly in motion.

So, he created this for me. AND it works!!!Here is how, each child has a row that is color cooridinated to their fave color. On each tab is what is expected of them each day such as make bed, devotion, clean room, brush and floss (2 tabs for that)ect…also they are each given 3 monthly chores that alternate. I even listed each subject to keep me accountable that we covered that subject that day. They do ask me before they move the tab to the end hook, but at the end of the day the MAJORITY of them should be moved to the end.
Please excuse the pictures. I dropped my camera and now everything is a little unfocused and every pic has red eye (that I have to fix manually). The new camera is on its way…and the word Strong is the name of it!!LOL!!!

A day in the 1800’s with Lewis and Clark…

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Yesterday the girls participated in a wonderful program called Windows thru History. This is something that is offered once a month and different time periods are studied each month. Obviously this month was Lewis and Clark. It was at the Vicary Mansion in Freedom, PA. They had alot of fun.:) As soon as they got there, they were taken to the 3rd floor to pick out there dress for the day. That was really neat to see all their dresses. Chloe had hoped for a white dress, trimmed in gold with puffed sleeves like Anne of Green Gables and that is what she got. Camye was too much of a hurry to get a dress on and get down to her friends.


The girls studied quilling which is fancy ribbon work, reticules which they sewed a small hand bag, and cooking. The cooking was a bit disastrous, but Blake and I dropped the girls off at the mansion and him and I had a Valentines Day date. We were gone 20 minutes, about to walk into Target, and we recieved a call that we needed to come back because Camye was sick. So we headed back, Blake was so upset…but we had no choice. They had told me that she had been cooking and laid down on the floor because she got queesy and hot and that she was laying on bench with one of the ladies. But when I get back there, the lady looks at me and says your daugther is fine! So I went and pulled her out of quilling to find out what was going on? She said they made her touch ickky pork, it was slimy and gross and she couldnt take it. So I left her in class and back to my date with Blake.!!!
The girls all learned a 1800 dance where they danced around “prissily” holding their gowns and giggling like crazy! These are 2 of Camyes friends that attend the same homeschool co-op, Morgan and Ellie.
There lunch consisted of  Salted Pork, Carrot Pudding, Gravy, Bread and Apple Tarts. Camye did not eat the Salted Pork. 😉

Valentine’s Parties and ramblings…

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Today was our co-op Valentines Parties. Lots of fun!!! ONLY..I didnt get to see many of them because I was screening a movie all morning.:(..Not much fun…but someone had to do it. Camye and Blake made Valentines sugar cookies for their class. Blake’s with red sprinkles and Camye’s with pink sprinkles….they said they had lots of fun. The only pics for them was the preparing for the party at home yesterday:)

I didnt get to be in Paul’s preschool class at all today…because I was busy with the movie. So I when I picked him up from class, He was very upset. I said,  “What is wrong?” He said,  “someone gave me a rabbit that I made but it isnt mine.” So I went to find his teacher and find out about his little rabbit made out of construction paper that just had him so distraught. She said, “She didnt know what was wrong, that was his rabbit and his name is on it.” He turned it over and said, “those are not the letters for my name.” The teacher or a helper had written Paul in a hurry and only the “P” and “L” looked like “his” letter. He pointed to the the “P” and the “L” and said, “Those are in my letters but the two in the middle are scribbles and they dont go in my name.!!!” LOL!! I apologized and took the rabbit.

As soon as we got in the car I asked him did you have a nice Valentines Day party? He replie, “No.” I said,  “why?” He replied, “I didnt want to have a nice time because they wanted me to give away my Valentines and they were all mine and had my name on them.!!!!!” He is really into the letters of his name…:):) Okay…….I think I will attend the next few parties with him until he gets the hang of it..LOL!!


This is a picture of part ofmy 6th-8th grade class. We are studying World War 2. They were told for extra credit on their test to bring in a Patriotic Snack to share with the class. This was one of my 6th grade boys snack, a rice krispie snack iced, I was pretty impressed as it even had 50 stars.
Today we studied the attack on Pearl Harbor, 2 weeks ago during class we watched a movie on the Nazi Concentration Camps and had one child snoring. I was proud to say that today these kids were so upset by what had happened at Pearl Harbor and were excited to learn about what was next in the war.

And yes by looking at some of these kids,  it does appear we even have homeboys in the homeschool world.!!!! 

Thankful Thursday!!!

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Okay here goes…:):)

1. Valentines Day- Kenny is always does something extra special. I always have such a hard time coming up with something that will even match his thoughtfulness. Any ideas?? Please comment.:)
2. Valentines- Okay this is kind of a double…but the kids are so excited after school is finished this morning. Blake, Camye and Paul are making cookies for their class at co-op. Chloe is getting a little old for that, but she has to bring a red/white/blue snack for her class (my World War 2 class) ..so we are making red velvet cupcakes with white icing and blue sprinkles.
3. Any man or woman who has ever fought for this country. I have been studying World War 2 and have been blind sighted with what most of our military have done for this country.
4. For those cute things that kids say…the kids each have a savings jar..that they save part of their allowance in for long term savings. Blake said to me yesterday…Mom you know what I am saving for…I said What…he said my DEBT..I said what debt?… He said the debt Obama is passing to the Senate that will make your children and grandchildren pay it back!!!!! LOL!! Can you tell where this family stands????
5. Healthy Children- As it is very well known..I am a total health nut..but I do like to brag and say that no one in this family has been on an antibiotic since June of 2006…almost 3 years. Praise God.
6. Spring- It will be here March 20th….That is just 5 short weeks away. We just had 3-4 days of warm spring weather. I usually get the blues in January and February. But not this year…it has been a great winter!! Lots of beautiful snow!!!
7.Homeschooling- Homeschooling brings me more joy than I could ever describe in words.
8.Knee Socks- In the winter..my biggest annoyance is cold ankles or calves. So I had 2 pairs of knee socks I was constantly wearing, only this year Blake filled my stocking with all sorts of crazy looking knee socks to keep my ankles warm!! I love them!!
9. Ebay- I just love shopping..mostly browsing at other peoples stuff.
10. Electric- I am so thankful we have electric this morning. All the school districts around us were cancelled due to electric outages and all the down trees from the high winds we are experiencing. But we are still lit up..:):)
Okay thats it..not too exciting!!!

Ever been in a pit?

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I have been, many many times..in different pits. Sometimes, it is a mind pit…my mind will play tricks on me, making me think things that I know are not true and to others I am sure would seem ridiculous and possibly I need mental help…well maybe not that bad. LOL!!
I am studying tonight for a Ladies class I am teaching for a friend. My topic Waiting on God for Deliverance from Beth Moore’s book Get Out of That Pit.

“But smooth living invariably, eventually, makes for sloppy spirituality.”
I thought this was an interesting thought. Sometimes in our comfortable little spirtual life, we get lazy. But God wants more..he wants all of us. So maybe when we are in a pit..whether that be if we slipped in, stepped in slowly, got shoved in or jumped in that pit, we could possibly take that as a compliment from God. We get comfortable and God wants us. He wants us…all of us.  He wants us to lean on him and have conversation with him. 
It takes two to tango, even out of a pit.
Sometimes it takes a fiery trial to light the fire in our souls. Every pit I have ever slipped out of…has only increased my love for the Lord and his greatness, has only increased my want to talk with God in prayer…

Monday’s Menu Post

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I usually share my weekly menu’s with several friends and family that do read this blog so I thought I would blog it since most of you read my blog.:):)

I dont claim to be a great chef..I just have to feed my family and like variety and I love to cook and bake!!! So why not plan it…since I plan every other aspect of my life.:):)
Sunday-Kennys’ InFamous Tator Tot Casserolle(He just created this)
Monday- Roast, Potatoes and Carrots
Tuesday-Chicken Penne Pasta
Wednesday- Beef Tacos
Thursday-leftovers
Friday-pizza
Saturday-Chicken lasagna
Enjoy! :):)

Thankful Thursday!!

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Okay…I have missed this event to blog about for 2 weeks. I remember this time.:) So here are my top ten things I am most Thankful!!!

1. I am sooooo thankful for God- I am so thankful for the Lord and all he did, does and will continue to do.
2. I am sooo thankful for My hubby- The most understanding, patient man in the world…lovesme  despite my emotional outburst…loads of tears…I am eternally grateful God brought this man in my life.
3. I am so thankful for My kids- Chloe- for being my little clone, Blake- for being my little helper, Camye-for being my little princess and Paul-for being my baby
4.I am so thankful for My family- I am so incredibly blessed to have such wonderful parents, grandparents, brothers,aunt, uncles  inlaws, nieces, nephews, cousins.
5. I am thankful for sleeping in until 8:47 this morning!!!!
6. I am thankful for hearing Camye and Blake’s sweet voices practicing their bible reading and song leading this morning…brings me to tears everytime.
7.I am thankful for Dark Chocolate.
8. I am thankful for the sunshine that was shining in my windows this morning!!
9.I am thankful for my husbands warmth at night to warm my freezing toes and nose!!!
10. I am thankful for Wii Fit..that has me working out everyday now.:)
Thats it for this week..:):) Well I really could go on and on..But I am sure everyone doesnt read that..LOL!!

Home School International Fair 2009

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Soo..this is why I havent been online very much this week. We have been working getting ready for our Annual Home School Internation Fair. This year we chose Israel. Because my wonderful mother in law went there last March and brought back all sorts of artifacts. In fact the entire display (with the exception of a few maps, flags and food), she loaned us the entire set up!! It made my job alot easier. I have been quite lucky..last year we did Okinawa, Japan..where my sister in law is from and we used things that she has sent to us.

Here we are with my great friend Stacey…who put this all together and kept it together even with the passing of her father shortly after she arrived. Kudos to you Stace!!!
My little blonde hair blue eyed Jewish boys….what would Hitler think? The perfect race in Yarmacas….
This is Myself, Stacey and Heather…we have this pic taken annually at the Internation Fair. Stacey is very pregnant for #5  this year…so we put her in the middle and she looks really slender:):) Our plan worked:)
Camye and her good friend Jesse Walton.
 

Anyways..it was great fun!!! We had so much filling out our passports as we visited each country. Everyone did such an awesome job~!!!!!

Say Cheese!!!

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Okay I have been tagged…..for the Say Cheese event!!


How many of you wonder what the person behind the post is looking like at that moment? Well, now is your chance to find out. If you are “lucky” enough to be tagged, take a picture of yourself as is today (or have someone take it for you like I did), post it, tell 5 things about what we “see”, and tag 4 other people to do the same. Make sense? Here is mine:

Okay this was taken this afternoon around 3, after a stressful, emotional draining morning. Blake took it for me.  I missed the Thankful Thursday event…and thought I better get back into it with the Cheese event!! So here is me Saying CHEEEESSEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!

1. First, I see that I am wearing one of my fave sweaters from my fave stores Gabriel Brothers. This sweater is really not very flattering.LOL!!

2. I see on my charcoal colored shirt where Paul tried to hold onto me as I was trying to leavehim in the preschool class at our homeschool co-op….stretching the neck out nicely. 😉

3. I also think my hair looks a little green…I think it is time for some highlights..Its about time…I think its about Spring time….(ignoring the 10 inches of snow on the ground).

4.  I love to wear big bulky sweaters in the winter..I feel warmer in them.

5. I also notice that I need to clean the top of my fave candle Pumpkin Spice because there is black soot around it.

Okay there you goo…..I challenge…..Kimberly, Stacey, Heather and Blake:):)