Art

Coloring Easter Eggs on Easter

We did a neighborhood Easter Egg hunt on Friday night, and I didn't feel like we needed to do another one today. Unfortunately, since the egg hunt was a flashlight hunt in the park, I didn't get any great photos. Let's just say there were LOTS and LOTS of eggs... and SO many kids (but that's one of the perks of living in our neighborhood -- lots of kids to play.)

I forgot to take picture of our family dressed up for Easter, but we did look pretty nice when we headed to early service. After church, we came back for lunch and egg dying. Later we had the Browns and Brodys over for brisket that Allen cooked.

 ... and YES, that is, in fact, my Christmas wreath STILL. ON. THE. WALL.

OM at State Finals

We took Ben, Maddie, and Jon to Gramma and Granddad's for the weekend, then Allen and I took Will to Houston for him to compete with his team at the State OM competition. Though his team didn't place high enough to go to world finals, this was a great opportunity and learning experience for these seven kids who are in grades 3-5. They've learned what it means to do research and experiment to find a great design for a stackable balsa wood structure that had to fit specific dimensions and weight limits. Here is one of the preliminary designs; it is about 3-inches tall and holding about 30 pounds of wooden boxes.

They learned how to design a skit around the building of the structure and, since the competition required the skit to have something to do with Earth science, they learned a lot more about volcanoes in the process. They learned how to build a creative set that would help tell their story, but that they could move quickly to set it up. I think the most valuable lessons they all learned were how to be a team, how to encourage and support each other, and how to put all their effort into being the best that they could be. Having fun along the way was an added bonus.

I enjoyed being a judge again at state, and I'm thankful that I ended up with a break at just the right time so I could see them perform. I suppose I would consider judging again since each team has to have a parent judge at the competitions, but the worst part is that I would likely miss his performance.

All the kids were disappointed in their structure breaking, but Will enjoyed being in OM enough that he said he wanted to participate again next year.

Rough Patch

Ben is sick of home school!
Maddie is sick of home school!
Jon is sick of home school!
I am sick of home school!

Yesterday was awful, but to be fair, it has been building up to an explosion since just before spring break. I was hoping that the vacation would help reset our minds and hearts and that we would all come back excited about school again. It didn't work. If anything, we were worse after the break because it was that much harder to get going again.

Home schooling is not all fun and games and playing. It is hard work that usually demands from all of us a lot of patience, love, perseverance, and hard work. Lately it is taking about 50% more than any of us have.

Today we did a reset, and I'm hopeful it will help get us through the next six weeks. We started the day making a poster of all the things we DO love about home school. All four of us sat together and created a bit reminder for the times we need to see why we are doing this.

Things we love include:

• Art
• Playing 
• Awesome field trips
• Riding Bicks (bikes)
• Snuggling with cats
• Strawberry Girl (a chapter book we read together)
• Hugs and Family
• Watching bluebird nests
• Reading with mom
• Great books
• Making volcanos
• Lunch with Dad
• ....and more!

When we finished...? All three asked if we could do reading and science! That's okay with me, and I get to count the day a success.

Cleaning up our community

Our AHG troop participated in Keep Whitehouse Beautiful today. Though it was a bit cool outside, the girls did a great job filling almost13 bags with trash in about an hour and a half. We ended the morning cleaning up at a park and the girls enjoyed playing together while the moms made plans for the next month of activities. The only bad part of the whole morning? The cooler on the side of the country road. While the adults just hoped we wouldn't find body parts in it, the girls' curiosity got the best of all of us. They opened it to find it full to the top of old fish. Blech!!!!

Buddies and Blessings

From left to right: Devon, Karin, Marla, Simone, Cay, & Sarah. Not shown are Jennifer (taking photo), Ema (had to leave early), and Donna (out of town).

For the last two years (with another year left in our study), I have been meeting with eight ladies every Tuesday morning during the school year. Cay and Donna lead the group. Those two, Karen, and Marla are our more mature women, and Devon, Jennifer, Simone, Ema, and I are all at similar life stages and ages. Last year we had a few others in our group who have since moved away or taken jobs that meant they couldn't participate with us anymore. We are doing a Bible study called The Amazing Collection, but as we study each and every book of the Bible over three years, we have also been getting to know each other pretty well. This January, someone had a birthday that we celebrated, and we've been celebrating each birthday since then -- but ALL in very different ways.

Marla purchased this trailer last summer and she and another friend have been refurbishing it. Each week, we hear more about the work she's done to it, but we hadn't ever seen it. Cay is one of our group leaders and, at the end of March, she had had a rough patch as her husband was overseas while she and her adult daughter we waiting to hear results of her daughter's cancer scan. Ema stepped in with the idea of a Bible study adventure to cheer Cay.

So, Marla brought the trailer to the parking lot of the church where we meet. We all brought something different -- lawn chairs, blankets (it was chilly), vintage table cloth and card table, baked s'mores, pigs in a blanket, a blue vintage camping coffee-pot full of flowers, and a camping-thermos full of coffee.

We had our camper-style Bible study there this morning, and we finished with prayer on the inside of the trailer. What a fun time we had!! I love these ladies and how everyone steps in at the shortest moment's notice to support each other. They are really such a sweet blessing in my life and I'm glad I have at least one more year of studying with them!