It's the Little Things....

Some days the drudgery of the same ol' same ol' gets to us.  We can either fall into the same ol' same ol' pit....OR....we can find joy in the little things.   

I don't always write about homeschool ideas or homeschool tips.  Sometimes it's the little things that keeps me going.  The things I would miss if she wasn't with me all the time. 

Let me tell you a fun story. 

My husband is a country boy.  Not a dumb country boy like the typical stereotype.  He's an intelligent, hard working country boy with a cute accent. 

I have always joked with my handsome husband about his big (ger than normal) nose, extra long eyebrows (you know, the grandpa kind that curl up when they get too long), and his thick accent. 

So when I was pregnant with Katie, he would threaten me that she was going to have all those features of his!  Then he would talk in this horrifying high pitch back woods country voice and swear she was going to talk like that for her first words. 

Vanity...I know.  Lord forgive me.
But one good blow from the air conditioner could cause a wreck in the car if we don't keep his eyebrows trimmed!

Well, he was right (minus the voice).  She has all those features of his. He makes a beautiful girl :)

So today we were face painting.  The face paint got all over her eyebrows...and I mean thick!  So I was rubbing and rubbing and it just wouldn't come out.  I noticed her eyebrows were really long. I thought a trim could help us out a little.

"Katie, you're eyebrows are just like Daddy's. Baby, how can you see?" I smiled picking at her a little.  "Let me trim them real quick."

Katie says, "Noooooo Mom.  I like being like Daddy." 

I pulled her close to me and she wrapped her hands around my waist.  I looked down at her pretty little face and said softly, "Honey, I love that you are just like Daddy.  Did you know Daddy asks me to trim his eyebrows?"

She smiled and willingly submitted to a good ol' fashion Whitehouse eyebrow trimming session.  

When it was over, she hugged me tightly and said, "Mom, you're my best friend."

Just like Daddy.  A little eyebrow trimming transforms the soul. (and vision)

I am so glad she's just like Daddy.

"He's a nice Daddy. And I love him so. He's my favorite man. He's the best of all. I love my Daddy.  Especially mom.  He's worth every little bit I know." ~Katie



"The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him" Proverbs 20:7

Life is Short

If I had three last words
what would they be?
I love you, I'll miss you,
or comfort my family?

What would I say with only three
to give some hope to those I leave?

What if I never get the chance to utter those last three?
Will I know beyond a doubt where I will spend eternity?

The time is now
Don't hesitate
You're still alive
it's not too late

Just like the thief next to my Lord
He was a crook that was abhorred.

He was a sinner
Just like me
Who begged the Lord
"Remember me"

Will your living words be this simple plea?
"Jesus is Lord. God please forgive me."

~written by Lacey and Katie Whitehouse

Katie and I began writing this poem when we found out our friends were murdered in a shooting. It's not that we were really really close friends but we had done things together on several occasions.

Life is so short.

Our friends were in the safety of their home when a shooter came into the house.  In an instant, they breathed their last breath.

I had a conversation with my friend about 2 years ago at lunch. I asked her if she was saved.  She said that she had heard the gospel so many times but wasn't sure if she had what others had.  I pray when she left that day, she was sure.

Life could be over one day, just like that.  Have you made ammends with God?  Do your family members know they will see you one day in Heaven?

I pray today you make the decision before it's too late.


"And one of the malefactors (criminals) were hanged railed on him, saying, if thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing that thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we received the due reward for our deeds: but this man hast done nothing amiss.  And he said unto Jesus, Lord, Remember me when thou comest into thou kingdom. And Jesus said unto him verily verily I say unto thee, Today thou shalt be with me in Paradise." 

Crafty Fun

Today our curriculum instructed Katie to tape some pretty leaves to the page. 

She suggested a scavenger hunt for unique leaves that extended past our property.  I thought that was a great idea and a good excuse to gather materials for the wreath I had been planning to make.  

So we hopped in the car and took a ride down our gravel roads where I remembered seeing bright colored leaves. 

The landscape is beautiful in Texas, any season.  Oh but Fall is so pretty.  The weather is like spring.  Cool nights.  Perfect days.  Beautiful scenery.  

These were her favorite leaves

Here's all the leaves she collected

After finishing the school leaf collecting, we started hunting for wreath branches.  We came upon the most glorious mesquite tree.  It was as if heaven opened it's clouds and directed the sunlight onto this tree!  We trimmed some branches and then wondered if we collected enough.  So we trimmed some more.  and more.  

We got a little carried away. The tree is still standing. barely. :)  


So here is our cast of characters for wreath making.  

First: the meat of the wreath (we also collected some wild flowers to put in a vase) 

Second: a coat hanger

Third: Thread

Fourth: Helper (Katie) and Audience (well, I don't recommend the audience but in this case we had lots of helpers wanting to participate.) 

Katie, Ginger, and Grace.  (We got wire out thinking we could use instead of string.  it was too thick)  

Charlie 

Bend the hanger into a circle. 

Last, arrange the branches on the hanger.  Tie them onto the hanger with thread. Yes, this takes patience.  Do a couple of layers.  And wha-la...you have a wreath.  

Finished product.  Smells goooood!

See how cheap and easy?  





"All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made." John 1:3

Chicken Run

Yesterday, while doing school, we let the chickens free range unsupervised for quite sometime.

Yep, I think you know where this is going.

We went outside to discover our flock had gone onto our neighbors property.  Not too bad.  We have cool neighbors.  So off to their property we went.

Well, lately our method of herding the chickens into the coop has been to lure them with treats.  We say, "Here chicky chicky"  and shake the scratch grain bowl.  Usually, it will grab their attention.  Then you drop a big pile.  They come running. They peck until there's no more. Then you hansel and gretel them with a trail of goodies back to the coop.  We probably spend an average of 30 mins or less on this process daily.

Yesterday.  Well.

"Here chicky chicky"  shaking the bowl said I.

"Chirp chirp" said the crickets while the hens stared at me.

"Here chicky chicky" shaking the bowl harder and harder.

"Chirp chirp" said the crickets and the hens stare became more blank.

They didn't budge.  No they didn't.

I noticed the rooster wasn't with the flock. I scanned the area.

Behind our house is a seasonal creek which is a steep drop off with overgrown brush and downed trees.  It's kinda no mans land.  Okay, let me rephrase...no woman's land.  My husband likes to explore.

Anyhooo, there the rooster was.  In no woman's land.  A 5ft horse fence between us two. I called him, shook the bowl.  He tried several times to walk through the fence.  I knew it would be a long afternoon.

"Okay, let's gather the ladies."  I told Katie.

Chickens will run from you.  So as long as you are "chasing" them (just a slow walk will cause them to run) in the direction you want them to go, you're good.  Occasionally they will drift off in the wrong direction.  Katie and I will grab long sticks and come up alongside their right or left and direct them by blocking the wrong direction.

Well, when the rooster saw us from behind the fence herding the ladies, he cried out to them.  His cry was causing them to become bold and run toward me (and him) into no woman's land.  Realizing we could possibly loose the whole flock, we decided to step up the rescue effort. We blocked them off, cornered them into a fenced area, and tossed them over the fence into our property one by one. We guided the hens back into the coop and focused on the rooster rescue.

And of course, the rooster was no where to be found when we returned!  I would call "Here chicky chicky" and he would "Cock a doodle dooooo" back but was far off into the woods at this point.  We walked the fence tirelessly shaking the treat bowl.

Eventually, we gave it up.  We try to have the motto that "The strong will survive out here" but it's hard to embrace that motto.  So we gave in because we couldn't relax with Mr. Rooster out there somewhere. We got in the car to drive the property lines around the vacant acres and acres of no woman's land. We weren't out too long when we spotted Mr Rooster:

Well, Hello Mr. Rooster.

  No.  We didn't scold the rooster.  That's the old me without Jesus. :) Did I imaging choking him just a little?  Yes.

I said in my sweet voice," Oh, Mr. Rooster, where have you been?  We missed you so much."  (This is where my husband usually says, "Honey, are you talking to the animals?")

Katie ran back to the house to get the treat bowl.  And again we heard crickets.  So guess what?  I went into no woman's land...just a tad.  And we herded up the rooster and attempted to guide him back the loooooong way.  He was not happy to comply.

He was so mad at the hens when he got back in!  He grunted and flapped at them...They all cleared away.  We gave him some grains.  The ladies didn't dare touch them!  This might be the day he moves into chicken manhood.  Any other day, the ladies pick on him.  (Honey, you can be so proud now.  The dog finally lifts his leg to pee and the rooster is crowing and bossing the ladies around.  You've done a fine job.)

Back in the coop

That was so fun, can't wait to do it all over again. 

The Chicken Whisperers Lacey and Katie

"The chicken was running so fast that we couldn't find where it was.  And then we found him a little far from our property.  I shook the bowl, he didn't like to come back. So we pretty much ended up LOL trying to chase him all over and then he began to go toward the road. We had to capture him and then we led him back all the way to his nice home. Though he didn't like it.  The end." ~Katie (7 years old)


  

The Prodigal Kitty

 



When talk of buying a house with land began, we all discussed some goals and ideas of what we wanted in a property. Katie didn't care too much about square footage or land size...it was mostly, "Can we have a kitty?"  Well, if any of you have a little girl, that subject really never dies! 

 

We agreed to a kitty.

 

Our farmer offered to give us some spare kitties running around her farm, but as timing was a concern, they grew older and became too wild to catch.  So one day, my husband called us and told me to load up and come over to his work.  He surprised us with a batch of baby kitties being raised by the guys in the body shop at work.  As we beheld the sweet kitties, my husband said " They haven't seen the mom in about 3 days. The guys have been feeding them. Ya'll pick one."  Of course, I picked up the black little runt.  Just a tiny little thing!  Katie found a sweet little fluffy grey one!  We snuggled the kitties and looked over at Jeramey and he said, "Ok, Ok, you girls can get both!" 

 

 

Ginger (grey) and Grace (runt-black) The day we brought them home. 

 

We took the kitties straight to the vet who said they looked to be about 4-5 weeks and in good health.  So we kept them inside until they were old enough to protect themselves.  We tortured them with sweet hugs, dress ups, and pretend grocery store runs. :)

 

Grace (left) has never really been into snuggling.  Ginger (right) is a snuggle queen.  :)

 

The black kitty (runt) we named Grace and the grey kitty we named Ginger. Wherever Ginger goes, Grace is sure to follow!  If Ginger gets far from Grace, Grace will cry and whine until Ginger hears her and comes back. It's really odd that Grace has such a need for Ginger because she really isn't the cuddling type.  She's pretty busy!  

 

The first night we sent them to live outside, they spent the majority of the time with their tails all fluffed up...sensing danger all around.  But as time passed, they began to feel at home on the porch.  Our sweet dog Charlie is a blue heeler, so he is continually herding them up! Grace has no fear of him, barely even acknowledges his existence...and oddly enough, Charlie leaves her alone.

 

One morning, Charlie was out of his pen.  Grace was outside whining and crying.  There was no sign of Ginger.  This was not normal at all.  If she hears the door open, she runs to us! So we went searching high and low all afternoon into the night.  We walked the property looking and calling "Ginger" with Grace tagging along kitty calling Ginger too! We checked everywhere. She wasn't hiding in shed, under house, or in the vehicles...We checked nearby properties, had the neighbors check in their garage and pool.  Still nothing.  

 

My husband asked me to bring Grace in when we went to bed to make sure she didn't go off to look for Ginger.  So we did.  She howled and moaned and cried in the house for Ginger.  Around midnight, I went outside because I thought of one place that I didn't check.  So I checked with no success. I did one last call for Ginger. And here she came....running up to me!  I woke Katie up and we rejoiced.  Katie cried while she held her.  She said a prayer, "God, I prayed for you to find Ginger like more than 10 times.  Thank you for bringing her home."

 



 

 

 

 

Here they are the next morning. Grace is not letting Ginger out of her sight!

 

"Ginger had been lost for a long time.  Mommy woke me up and I found her.  And I hugged her tight into my arms...smiling so happy. Especially she is a sweet cat. Ginger is my best and favorite kitty...but also Grace too.  As you can see, she's not letting her go away. Good news is, we found her!" ~Katie



"A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast; but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel."  Proverbs 12:10

Egg-citing News!



We got our very first egg!  I would have never egg-spected to feel so excited-like a little kid!

Yes, Katie enjoyed it too :)

 

The neatest part about all this is watching the chickens and learning their behavior. These chickens are not domestic...at all.  The only chicken that will let us touch her voluntarily is a young pullet (pullet=female-not laying).  So whenever we enter the coop, they run and hide under the nesting boxes.  From what we could tell, none of the hens or pullets had touched the nesting boxes .  The day before we got our first egg, we noticed one of the older pullets resting in the nest.  I touched her and she didn't budge.  I nudged her a little and she stood for me...but no egg!  After I walked off, she cackled loudly and passionately...as to get the point across!  I expected to see our first egg by morning.  And there it was!   

Here she is!

 
 "For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands; happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee" Psalms 128:2

Chicken City

So we finished building Chicken City! 

$2.50 sale on plastic crates at Wal-mart was an inventive idea for nesting boxes.  My husband used an electric saw and cut the fronts out of these exquisite condos, leaving a small lip at the bottom to hold in the bedding.  Though we have wood chips on the property, we decided to try local hay at first for the litter. 

My husband measured and made stands with 2x4's and plywood to lift the crates off the ground.  If you have tools already, this proved to be an inexpensive way to make a cozy nesting place for the hens!

Just as our book suggested, we contacted the local feed store to find a source for chickens. While we were unsure of what breed of chickies we wanted, we knew that a dual purpose breed would be the best route.  (Dual purpose meaning good egg layers and good for meat.)

Luckily, the breeder, was informative.  He may have been intoxicated on our visit to his home, but man, he is the chicken whisperer!  (He was so much fun!) We decided to go with "Production Reds" because they are just as their name suggests...productive! They are a vigorous, hearty chicken that lays lots of brown eggs.   

We decided to buy one already laying, one about to lay, 2 four month old, a younger one, and a rooster!  The rooster is not a production red, but a bantam.  Since we are planning to free range them after they have settled in, we felt it best to get a rooster.  If a predator is around, the rooster will alert the hens to run to safety...alerting us as well.  And anyway, who doesn't want little baby chickies? :)  

Here they are, about to get settled into their chicken high rise :)

Katie's favorite....the baby :) 

For about a month, we will be going out to the coop at least 2 times a day to get them used to interacting with us and to train them with scratch grain in preparation for free ranging.  And of course, to watch chicken TV!

"My favorite chicken is a sweet chicken (you might even want to meet it too).  Chickens are a great idea for an animal.  You might even use it for eggs too! Chickens are the best ever! My favorite part about raising chickens is having fun activities to do, like getting eggs from the egg nests. I see you can see the picture...I hope you like it!" ~Katie

Acting Out

While Katie does act out at times, I am not talking about the behavioral acting out today. :)

We use the King James Version for study which can be a little daunting to even the most educated adult.  Thank God for the dictionary! There are many Bible versions out there that interpret the King James Version but not all of them are accurate.  Some don't even come close.  So, since I have the opportunity to root her at a young age in KJV, I am taking full advantage.

More times than we would like to admit,  the two of us will have difficulty understanding certain passages or even a story line.  We hit the dictionary for confusing words, and then we act it out!

Today, Katie's difficulty was not a KJV passage but instead a story about sheep in Animal Science.  The story read like this:
" Sometimes a sheep will stray away.  A straying sheep can become cast and die within a few hours. A cast sheep is one which has turned over on it's back and cannot get back upon its feet. Sometimes a fat sheep with long fleece will lie down in a low place on the ground.  The sheep will roll far enough on one side that its feet do not touch the ground.  The sheep begins to kick but finds that it cannot rise to its feet. When the shepherd finds the cast sheep, he helps it get back on it's feet.  Sometimes he has to rub the sheep's legs.  After a while, the sheep begins to walk and then run."

After reading the story,  it came time to answer the fill in the blank questions on the next page.  I noticed her scrambling and re reading the story to find the right answers.  Usually, when your child is trying to look up the answers, it's because they are not comprehending the story.  If the story is comprehended, the answers will come easily.

I said to Katie, "Okay, I'll be the shepherd and you'll be the sheep." So as I read the story, I asked her to act like the sheep."  After that, she was whizzing through the questions without stumbling.

When all else fails, just act it out!

"Katie, do you want to kiss the fish before we throw it back in?" ~Eli Genung 

Prepare The Way

Well, we finally bought a house in the country! We've been so busy with moving, packing, and starting school lately, I haven't made time to blog.

The property we purchased is heavily wooded and backs up to a huge drop off that appears to be a seasonal creek. We have downed trees everywhere you turn and so much limb and leaf debris that its overwhelming at times.  We have so much work to do with not too many hands :)

 "Train a child up in the way he should go....is a hard concept for me to grasp at times.  It doesn't say in the way I want her to go, but the way she should go.  I have a part in influencing her which way to go, but it's turned out that her interests and desires have usually stretched my comfort zone.  Katie has shown a special interest in Animal Science which is the study of animals, their behavior, and biology.  This is an elective subject for us that she enjoys. It's funny to me because as I watch her develop interest in an area of her life, I typically find myself saying, "Oh crap, here we go!"

So....Oh crap...here we go! We are getting chickens!

Yes, for real.  We are getting chickens. Maybe you're like, "oh that's it?  just chickens?"  But this is a big stretch for this born and raised city girl.  Not because I desire to clean up chicken poo on a weekly basis but because my child never wants to leave the farm when we visit to pick up milk, meat, and eggs!  Plus, I really like nutritious fresh free range eggs! On our last visit, she begged our farmer (like all the rest of our visits) to help collect the eggs.  Since our farmer's chickens are not on site, we can not partake in that chore.

So I said to Katie after that visit, "Come on. Lets go to the library and pick up a book about raising chickens."  That was step one.  So I devoured a small book about raising chickens. Then we called grandpa to get some good old time advice.  I feel like a professional chicken raiser already.  :)

Step Two:  Prepare the way!

All hands on deck!  My mom came over which made 8 hands total.  We have an animal shelter already on the property that at one point was used as a chicken coop. The bad news is that it was full of fire wood and in need of repair! So we moved all the firewood from the shelter and stacked it off the ground against the lean to off the shed. (we plan to extend the roof to cover the wood)

Ok, so maybe we will beautify the stack soon.  For now, it works! 

There were some repairs needed such as new door hinges, new chicken wire, and a new bottom door panel.  So we took a trip to Tractor supply.  We purchased all that we needed to repair plus some chicken accessories.  Below is the finished chicken coop.  (well, still a little clean up to do)

We also have many huge piles of wood chips we inherited with the property that will make fine chicken bedding!

The cinder blocks with wood were possibly used previously as a chicken perch but we are using them as a Katie perch so she can reach the door latch.  :)

Step 3: Make nesting boxes and buy chickens!

Chicken raising to be continued....

Speaking of inheriting, we inherited this huge rosemary bush!  Nothing like fresh herbs.

As Daddy promised, a new tree house is under construction!  

View of the back

Vacation

Howdy!

In Texas, spring vacations are all about relaxing, sight seeing, and getting a tan.  Well, that's exactly what we did minus the tan plus fishing.  More like sunburns for our fair skin-ded family. (Texas word)

Speaking of burns...boy were we burnt-out with school.  So hitting the road for a week of guilt free vacation was just in time.

We started at a gator farm in Grand Saline where Katie was greeted with a baby alligator to pet......

(No, we didn't pet these!)

 ....and a ferret named Prissy.  

Then headed out to Lake Caddo:

The Lotus' were beautiful.

Daddy scowled about her short shorts only to remember he packed her bag :) Katie and I will be cleaning out some drawers this week!  

Then we ditched electronics and went out to Grasslands in Decatur to fish.  No success. So we attempted lake Benbrook and caught 2 tiny stripers. We might not have caught too many fish but we had a ton of fun just enjoying the outdoors and each other!

To top it off, we just by chance ended up taking vacation the week of the Homeschool Bookfair.  My husband attended the bookfair with us for the first time this year.  Even though it's crowded, it's encouraging to see so many families like us!

At the book fair, we purchased the little reader story books that Katie loves by Rod and Staff.  These story books are written and illustrated by the Anabaptist community and cost about $2 and some change per copy. Katie loves anabaptists and mennonites because of their cotton dresses, bonnets, and simple way of living.  The books aren't bright and stimulating but instead peaceful, simple, and classical storylines. It's about kids helping their parents, being kind to others, and being creative.  She couldn't wait to get home and read the stories!

Katie's favorite

We also purchased some readers about Christian Heroes from YWAM. (stands for Youth With A Mission)  I could have purchased them all (yikes) but I started with 2 female heroes since Katie is a female.  One particular book about a lady named Amy Carmichael inspired Katie to start praying about opening an orphanage. :)

Most little ones usually really love math or dread it.  Mine is a dreader.  "Oh mom, do we have to do Math? Can we do Math last?"  While we purchased our normal ACE curriculum at the book fair, I was scouting out something to make math interesting for miss Katie. Just something fun to merge with our current math.  We came across a booth called Math-U-See.  We stopped and let the salesman do the demo.  While, it had lots of colorful interesting blocks, I am always skeptical of "new concepts".  So we picked up theses recommended books called Life of Fred.  It takes you through a fictional character's life named Fred who encounters the need to use Math in everyday life.  After all, even at 30 years old, I still don't understand why we need Algebra! We came home and whizzed through 40 pages of Life of Fred giggling the whole way! I finally said, "Okay, lets save some for later!"   If you have a Math dreader like me, you might want to check out Life of Fred.

Life of Fred Butterflies

Alright, now it's time to get back to it!

When Homeschooling Gets Tough

When I began Homeschooling, I looked to any source that I could to get some advice or help.  So I ordered this book on half.com for 75 cents plus shipping called, "When Homeschooling Gets Tough" by Diana Johnson.  

The book is small so the task of reading didn't seem to overwhelming.  I wondered what kind of good advice such a small book would have. In the beginning she blabs on and on about her credentials, college degrees, how she's a homeschool curriculum writer, and her husband is a minister.  I almost put the book down because the last thing I needed was to hear how tough it was for some highly educated pastors wife with a perfect life!  But as she reveals, at times, she also feels inadequate to teach.  Wow.  Suddenly I don't feel so alone. 

She also reveals her life is not so perfect as it may seem.  When speaking of her husband, a preacher, she says, "He preaches each sunday.  He labors over his messages.  After services he greets his people warmly.  His suit shoulders often have makeup (not mine) and baby drool on them.  He loves the little ones and greets them as sincerely as he greets their parents.  He is regularly seen with a child in his arms.  Guess what?  He doesn't teach math in our homeschool.  He doesn't teach science either. Even family devotions can be crowded out if church needs or responsibilities are too pressing.  It happens more often than either of us would like to admit....Right before my very eyes I would see homeschool dads who seemed to personify perfect homeschool manhood.  They were always there for heart-to-hearts with mom or kids, to guide, direct, and discipline when needed.  I would find myself becoming idealistic and grumpy."

How do we learn satisfaction with the homeschool dads God has given us?  Ever felt like she has?  

1. Realize you are on the outside looking in.  As Christians, we strive to glorify God through our family.  Be assured that those same men are bonified sinners that walk on the earth just like our husbands.  No matter how perfect they seem, it's just not the case.  

2. Understand that your husband is just as commited to your children's education.  You may live it out differently but know that he trusts you 100% if he's not constantly checking in on you.  

3.  Stop putting so much pressure on your husband to be like the Jones'.  I have heard ladies say when boasting amongst each other, "My husband has quit his side jobs and dropped overtime as a sacrifice to be home with us more."  And all the ladies around the room say, "Awe, how sweet."  And in their mind, they are thinking, 'wish my husband would do that.'  Be assured that the majority of men who have stopped striving so hard at work have caved to the pressure of their suggestive wife who believes the kids are not having a quality life due to the lack of the fathers involvement.      

Have you ever met military families?  These brave men are shipped off for months or years at a time leaving only the mothers to raise the family.  So why do the vast majority of these children love, cherish, and have the utmost respect for their fathers?

Mother, you are the key.  Your perspective will carve the image of Dad in their sweet little minds.  If you are constantly complaining to your husband about his overtime, inabilities, and lack of dedication for the family be assured that your children are listening to you grumble or "suggest".  Your children will mimic the attitude you have toward your spouse and will develop the same opinions.  Soon that hard working dad will all of the sudden become a looser in the eyes of his children.  Mother, that is the worst thing that could happen!  You don't want this!  Be happy with whatever involvement he can give.  Lastly, pray.  Let your discontentment be made known to God.  A little conversation with God will help you get a good perspective.    

"for I have learned in whatsoever state I am,  therewith to be content." Philippians 4:11

Start making some changes with your schedule.  If your family life consists of a husband who works late, start adjusting the children's schedules to his.  It may involve your kids staying up later to get some additional time with Dad.  Isn't homeschool about taking advantage of flexibility? Wait on Dad for dinner.  They will learn respect and consideration for Dad when you postpone dinner just especially for him!  Find ways to show Dad you appreciate his hard work, and your children will do the same.  I do not recall ever hearing our daughter complain about Dad being at work late, but I have heard her mimic me in stating, "I sure miss Dad."  She greets him with a kiss at the door everyday especially when he comes home late.....not a frumpy disappointed face. I challenge you to get a good perspective.  What kind of face will you greet your hard working husband with today?  

A Ruth Mentality

Naomi had it bad.  She lost her husband.  Then her two sons.  All that was left was her 2 daughter in laws.  She decided to go back to her hometown.....a long journey away.  She said goodbye to her 2 daughter in laws and bid them ado.  One daughter in law kissed her on her cheek and said goodbye.  But there was one special daughter in law who refused to leave her side.  She was the one who made her big debut in the Bible.  Her name was Ruth.

Tips of the Trade

While I am still a babe at Homeschooling, I've learned a few tricks here and there.  Spending time listening to other homeschool moms has helped me learn stressers.  Though I am still growing, I feel we have a decently well oiled machine. While many have different ways to teach, I'd like to share some things that have made our lives simpler. 

The Farmer and The Dell

Katie sweet talked our local farmer into letting us come work on the farm.  With our family on the lookout and planning for future land purchase, I would say we need all the help we can get!

Since we buy our meat and milk from this farm, it was even more cool to see how our milk is processed; from the cow to the jug! 

Katie helped prepare the grain to lure the diary cows in for milking!

They knew what time it was.  Everybody lined up.
Number 41 won 1st place at the 2013 Fort Worth Stock Show for the Holstein breed. I believe she is a returning champ.

Undying Love

1 John 4:7   Valentines creations :) 

While the origin of Valentines day is murky and indefinite, what is celebrated on this occasion in our current times is not.  Valentines is all about love, gifts, and romance.

Arbuckle Wilderness

We went to Arbuckle Wilderness!   

Since kindergarten, we've been learning about all these animals.  Exciting fictional stories and known facts.   It was soooooo cool to see them in person eating from our hands!  I just had to share the pics!  

Katie would point excitedly and say, "Momma momma, it's like Emil Emu from the story!"  

Katie's favorite pic.

Cat-Bat Beaver

Hey, we like to have fun around here.  

Katie is pretty famous for her exceptional artistic ability.  When having a free minute, she will sit down and create unique and sometimes unusual drawings.  Since we are an odd bunch, we really like the weird ones.

Katie recently drew a something that looks like a cat, bat, and a beaver combined.  It seems in every room I visit, this drawing is there...staring at me.  Now maybe I have a phobia, but this mysterious creature seems to be following me around the house.  It seems I have Catbat Fever (yes, like Cat Scratch fever :)  and yes, my Dad was a hippie!) 

So we named him Catbat Beaver.  

CAT BAT BEAVER

Gun Safety

My, my how Katie is growing up.  

Temporarily living in the city may have us crawling up the walls.  On the other hand, it gives us time to prepare for our vision of purchasing acreage in the near future.

Not only is the snake population ever increasing in North Texas but we battle with wild dangerous animals on wide open land, not to mention criminals.  We are trying as hard as we possibly can taking each opportunity possible to give her real world skills especially for survival.  

Too many children are "warned" about guns being present in the house and are given a "no touch" rule.  I don't know about y'all but the "no touch" rule increased my curiosity as a child!  So instead we have an "informative teaching" rule around here!  We aren't waiting for the day she decided to go discover on her own but instead we are teaching her safety starting with a BB gun.   

Mommas, it's so hard to let your baby touch a gun!  Even just a BB gun.  It's our very nature to protect them.  After Sunday's lesson, I saw a confidence in Katie that was incredible.  Not to mention Daddy and Katie have been snuggling more on the couch together.  :) May she grow strong in spirit!  

See! Charlie doesn't look too afraid! :) 

Daddy is talking to her about gun safety.