Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Creating a Castle







We've finally left our study of the Vikings. Fascinating as it was I was glad that we started our study of the medieval period. This weeks focus has been on the life of a Barron and his castle. Today we attempted to construct our own castle. Tomorrow we'll try to finish the draw bridge. Isaiah was so excited to do this project that the first thing he said to me today was "It's castle day"

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Isaiah for President!

I am very fired up about this years presidential election. The kids and I have read a lot of books about the election process. I guess it peaked Isaiah's attention because while watching the news it sparked the following conversation.

McCain was on tv

"Mom who is that guy? Is that who you want to vote for?" -Isaiah

"That's John McCain, yes he is running for President and that's who I am voting for"-Mom

"And Obama is the other guy?" -Isaiah

"Yes that's right"-Mom

"Well do they believe in God?" Isaiah

"They say that they do." -Mom

"That's good because they are going to need God to be President!"-Isaiah

"Yes they will!" -Mom

"What do you have to do to be President?" -Isaiah

"Well you have to have been born in this country, you have to be at least 35 years old, you'll nee lots of people who like you and think you'll do a good job and they'll have to give you lots of money"-Mom

" Maybe when I am 35 I can try to be President"-Isaiah

"Maybe. I think it would be hard to be President. I think sometimes those who want to be President sometimes forget to put Jesus first" - Mom

"Hmmm yeah that's not good" -Isaiah

"What else do you think you'd like to be?" Mom

"Well I don't know. I think I better ask God and let Him decide that one"-Isaiah

"Isaiah that is a very good idea. You can't go wrong when you follow His plan" -Mom

"That's what I am going to do" -Isaiah

So as the first quarter of our homeschool year is about to come to an end and I'll be preparing a progress report how do I grade such wisdom and insight? It is much more valuable than a grade I can give him for Math or Science and it is the reason why we homeschool. To raise little people into men who love the Lord and want to serve and follow Him all the days of their lives.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

The Correct way to take a spelling test!

So Isaiah has been working really hard on a new language arts program. It's more grammar and vocabulary intensive and at first I it may be a bit too difficult for him. But as usual Isaiah loves the challenge. His spelling/vocabulary list: cannibals, extremely promenaded, disdainfully, gaped, remarkable, disturb, inhabited, threshold, emphatically, prefer, utterly. The first time he took the test he didn't do so hot.Of course he took it the traditional way, pencil and paper. But when we went over it I noticed he could verbally spell most of them correctly but seem to second guess himself when he wrote the words out. So I pulled out this huge alphabet spelling mat that I had purchased at Mardens 2 years ago. We have never used it. As I read the words he had to verbally spell and jump, slide, hop, step to each letter. It was a huge success he only missed one word and he had so much fun. Isaiah spelling out "disdainfully"
Thinking where to go to next.
Still spelling disdainfully...leaping from the s to the d

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Sarah Palin Visits Bangor Maine

So today I made the trip to the "big city" to see Gov. Sarah Palin at a victory rally. My friend Felicia met me in Bangor since we share the same political views and really love Sarah Palin. It was an early morning for me, it was still dark out and I had to conquer my moose fears, but I did it! So we stood in line for a long time. But it was well worth it.

Sarah spoke to us about reform, change, energy independence, and the gift of every life. She quoted:
"The moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; those who are in the shadows of life; the sick, the needy and the handicapped.” Hubert H. Humphrey

The crowd was really reved up and she got a huge Maine welcome. We were pretty close but not close enough to shake hands or get a signature and that was ok. It really was an honor just to see her.

I am not a huge poetical activist by any stretch. I do however LOVE to exercise my right to vote.I do believe you should support those who you feel align with your beliefs.And for me, Sarah Palin best represents my values, my political views. She is pro-Israel, pro-life, for less government, supports parents having the right to choose how their children are schooled, she wants reform and is willing to hold people accountable for their actions.
Gov. Sarah Palin
She received flowers from someone right in front of us.
The signs they did let us have inside the rally.
Here's our sign. They wouldn't let us bring in the rally. It was a big hit with the crowd. So many people cheered for us and took a picture of the sign.
A group of young women supporting Sarah
Just me with the sign. The picture in the corner is of Noah Felicia's little boy with his tiny hand and his daddy's finger.
She's really pretty, not that really matters, but in case you were wondering she is more beautiful in person.
Speaking to the large crowd of supporters.
"Reform, on Wall street and on Main Street"
" I feel at home seeing all the Carthart and steel toe boots here"








Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Visit from an "old friend"


I have been very blessed throughout my life by so many awesome women in the Lord. I truly value the friendships that have started simply because of shared love for Jesus. I think that bond is one that can not be broken by time, distance, or circumstances.
My friend Molly who lives in Maryland now came up to the sticks to visit me. It's been almost 5 years since I've seen her and over 10 years since we lived together in college. We had such an awesome day, catching up, walking in the fall woods with the dog and kiddos and just fellowshipping. I am really humbled that she would want to come all this way to hang out with me.
I am blessed by friendships that withstand the test of time. I love how the Lord knows just what you need and when you need. And a visit from an "old friend" is just what I needed today. I was reminded today how important it is to foster our friendships in the Lord. We shouldn't take them for granted. I am also so thankful for friends who love me and show me that in such amazing ways. I pray I am that kind of friend.
So for my friends reading this post, Thank you so much for your friendship, I may not always tell you how much you mean to me, but I love you and am blessed beyond measure to have you in my life.

Rice Bag Project Week 4

We are half way through our rice bag project. The kids have done so good collecting spare change. We have been counting and graphing our totals. This week we will be making "Roti"a flatbread eaten almost every day in many Indian households. I'll post the recipe after we try it out first. Here's the boys graphing our progress.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

End of the Soccer Season

Yesterday was the last soccer clinic. It was the parents take the kids game. The game with a victory for the kids 2-1 I scored the goal for the parents. We then played with our kids verses another team of parents and kids. That game ended in a tie 1-1 and Isaiah scored our goal.



Viking Helmets

Notice Isaiah is still in his PJ's!

We are still studying the Vikings. Yesterday we learned about the Viking raids. Both of my boys were disturbed by this practice. They thought it was horrible to make people slaves and take them from their home, and to burn the homes they left behind. We had a good talk about evil, and what might have lead them to do such horrible things. We talked about how they worshiped pagan gods, that they were greedy, dishonest, and wicked. We talked about some of the evil that is in us. We also learned about the weapons they used. Today we made Viking helmets out of cardboard and bubble wrap.

Friday, October 3, 2008

The Planetarium

We have been busy this year with field trips. We are always on the go it seems, but it's been good for us. Today our home school group visited the Jordan Planetarium on the UMaine campus. It was a blast. My kids really enjoyed. We watched "Worlds of Wonder". It was a simulated expedition through the solar system. Our guides were really great and very personable with the kids. It made the experience that much more enjoyable. After the showing I allowed my boys to choose one small item from the gift shop. Isaiah chose "Mars Mud" and Elijah chose "Galactic Ooze" and yes they are both messy! The boys exclaimed on the car ride home "That was awesome can we do that again someday"


Our first guide is reviewing the planets. The kids were very knowledgeable about the planets. I was really impressed that they were able to name them in order and also shared some interesting facts they knew about the planets.
Here's "Franklin" This little device is what projected the star images above us. It was really beautiful. The whole time I kept thinking "wow I am so blessed to live out in the country where I can see the stars so clearly"
Here is our other guide. She really narrated the show for us. She was so great. Very enthusiastic and knowledgeable.

Here is the group. They were so well behaved and it was a blessing to be part of such a great group of kids. (note Elijah in the front row....it's so him)

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

"I DO"



Happy 9 Years Honey!

So if you are quick you'll realize that two weeks ago I told the story of how 9 years ago Peter asked me to marry him. And yes two weeks later we got married! The rest of the story goes something like this:

We prayed a lot about how God would want our relationship to be. We both felt the Lord telling us to get married as soon as possible. At first I thought maybe we could have a December wedding, that would be pretty, snow, crisp cool air. But the more we prayed I realized that soon meant soon. We went to talk to our pastor. He was excited to hear the news he said "So I hear you two want to get married, when do you think you want to do it?" We both looked at each other and said "as soon as possible" Our pastor laughed, slapped Peter on the back and said "how about next Friday?" Peter I both agreed that would be great. So with a little over a week to plan a wedding, we told everyone we knew to come to the church on Friday night for a wedding. The wedding itself was a celebration not so much of us, but of God and how He brought us together.

I am so blessed that Peter married me that day. We took a huge leap of faith 9 years ago. We didn't know each other all that well, but we knew God was in it. We had both experienced the love of God personally that we knew we were now capable of loving each other. Our relationship was build on Christ and with a foundation like that we knew we'd make it!

And 9 years later I am more in love with my husband than the day I married him. I would walk down that isle again in a heart beat. Peter is my best friend. He knows me better than anyone else, the good the bad, and the really ugly and he still loves me. He is a constant in my life. I can lean on him, depend on him, I trust him completely. He is an amazing dad to our boys. But above all else he is a man after God's own heart and Jesus is the Lord of his life.

For our anniversary we are going on a little getaway. We haven't had one in years....I'd say at least 5 years. We've never left Elijah over night and he's 4 1/2. So needless to say we're over due. We are just going overnight but we are looking forward to our special time. We did exchange anniversary gifts. We are pretty practical when it comes to gifts most of the time. Peter bought me a bookcase I desperately needed for all our homeschool stuff. I got Peter a KHouse membership. Yesterday I received 100 baby roses from my hubby. Awww how sweet!

Peter bought me a Bible when we were first married with my name on the front. Inside he wrote a little note with this verse. We are " heirs together of the grace of life" 1 Peter 3:7 I have sort of adopted that little part of scripture as our marriage verse because we have been through alot as a couple and no matter what we are in it together in the grace of life.

These are the lyrics to the song I picked for my hubs today!
all of my life i have dreamed
that somehow a love would find me
now i can't believe you're standing here
If beauty is allin the eye of the beholder
than i wish you could see
the love for you that lives in me
(Chorus)And you would know you have my heart
If you could see, what i seethat a treaure's what you are
if you could see, what i see Created to be the only one for me
If you could see, what i see I know there are days when you feel
so much less than ideal
wondering what i see in you
It's all of the light and the grace
your belief in me drives me to say that i promise you
a faithful love, forever true
(Chorus)if you could see then you'd understand why i
fall down to my knees and i pray my love
will be worthy of the one who gave His life
so our love could beif you could seewhat i see
(x2)You're created to beThe perfect one for me
If you could see What i see
if beauty is allin the eyeof the beholder than i am beholding...true beauty