tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20498035322473639252024-02-20T04:50:08.277-06:00Itty Bitty Feet in a Big Wide WorldWhether we are homeschooling, playing, working, or relaxing, it is always an adventure!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08972638291154245443noreply@blogger.comBlogger162125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2049803532247363925.post-22057133817928322782017-08-30T18:38:00.002-05:002017-08-30T18:38:56.038-05:00Why I've Stopped Making Laundry SoapI am back, again! After 3 years of busyness and trying to stay sane with 4 kiddos, homeschooling, 2 moves, and life in general, I had to write a quick post about my new laundry soap findings. Let's face it, laundry is the revolving door that never stops revolving, and my laundry was getting annoying.<br />
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I love making my own laundry soap. I have loved it for over 6 years. It was so easy and cost effective, why would I want to stop making it? I'm pretty sure I've saved hundreds of dollars making my own, (I'd even venture to say close to $1,000!)<i> </i> I hadn't had any problems getting my clothes clean, except for the past few months. Clothes were starting to look dingy, more gray, and getting smelly. I mean really smelly, like moldy smell. What?? I thought it could be my front loader washing machine. I started washing it out with bleach more often, cleaning the rubber seal, and making sure I drained the water in the front more than once a year. (I had no clue you even had to do that, until I started reading the washing machine manual! The things you learn!) Regardless of all my efforts, my clothes were not getting any more pleasant smelling. And on top of that, my clothes were getting gray spots on them. I was tired of rewashing and eventually throwing away towels and shirts. So I did the one thing I always do, I turned to Google for answers. I was shocked by what I read about homemade laundry soap. There were multiple people all saying the same thing. Here is what they were saying:<br />
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Laundry Soap is NOT the same as Laundry Detergent. </div>
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Well, obviously they're different names, but don't they do the same thing? Not even close. Laundry soap is not good for fabrics. The soap in the recipe does not rinse out easily and is left behind, which is a breeding ground for mildew. Hence the gray spots, dinginess and smell. I was definitely appalled reading this, but hesitant to give up my laundry soap. I went into the grocery store with the mindset of, "I'll try one bottle of store bought laundry detergent and if it doesn't give results, I'm going back to my homemade soap until I figure something else out." I chose a brand that was as chemical free as I could find <i>and</i> afford. Amazingly, my clothes didn't smell anymore! After one wash, they had a completely different look, feel and smell. I was shocked at the transformation, but relieved as well. I didn't even know we were WEARING mildew, breathing it in from our clothing, bed sheets, you name it. No longer do I have to worry about smelly clothes, nor the health hazards of mold and mildew in our laundry.<br />
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Since I no longer DIY my laundry soap, I'm finding plenty of other DIY ventures for me to try. Next on the list: remodeling our pop up camper! Yes, that's right a <i>POP UP CAMPER</i>. :) Fun adventures await the Davis clan!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2o_ElPbyDODYesN-bTMeueH-diIus3DWa7elFgtiiMlOD-SM4mvI2pdUwn07ivEoTNGPbDdsb2ZOTwBzhPIik5NzxtowA6PkbED5M3F29jGyKEp5j-zlsclKP1oCmt58TWuU0xmzRYo/s1600/camper+blog+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2o_ElPbyDODYesN-bTMeueH-diIus3DWa7elFgtiiMlOD-SM4mvI2pdUwn07ivEoTNGPbDdsb2ZOTwBzhPIik5NzxtowA6PkbED5M3F29jGyKEp5j-zlsclKP1oCmt58TWuU0xmzRYo/s320/camper+blog+pic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Blessings,<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Amanda</i></span> <br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08972638291154245443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2049803532247363925.post-14925868722547371612014-05-26T10:53:00.003-05:002014-05-26T10:53:49.650-05:00Ethan's Quilt ~ A Memorial Day SpecialAs per tradition at Christmas, we draw names for giving gifts. This past Christmas, I drew Ethan's name, my sister's boyfriend. I was at a bit of a loss, for quite some time. It wasn't until I got the idea of a quilt, that my panic started to subside. I had already made t-shirt quilts for my sister, brother, husband and myself. Why not see if Ethan wants one too? <br />
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I got the best surprise when asking if he wanted one. He did and had been saving his old military uniforms for just that reason. YES! I told them to send me the uniforms and I would see what I could come up with. It turned out better than I hoped for!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7jwGzqXNaPZy4hnFPIK6EmcWvlnvedVl0oa9-eKZveKd2ve1oIHTWEJYJIBOn0HJ4NleA5v3kTbpYCpneLdPTHnOvRJPmNRV57_gYqsTYx3bO1BfRl1-t5x0ELQGxNfCgcjmH77ZD8yQ/s1600/DSC_0456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7jwGzqXNaPZy4hnFPIK6EmcWvlnvedVl0oa9-eKZveKd2ve1oIHTWEJYJIBOn0HJ4NleA5v3kTbpYCpneLdPTHnOvRJPmNRV57_gYqsTYx3bO1BfRl1-t5x0ELQGxNfCgcjmH77ZD8yQ/s1600/DSC_0456.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
Here it is; the finished quilt. It is a queen size quilt. The backing is black flannel. It is a really warm, heavy quilt! (My boys didn't want to give this one up either. They have a harder time parting with quilts than I do.) <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7OZZMbFi4TdKmMN6NOOaKmBWUYZAQ8ULYW0NGnrNJ3ruwbo_Mcsifd2pGkcYEj4FrxiAoAQpS8NGFqNYC3OeuWFnWETwy5u9BG_LhtWBptgs1ISflGJnNyjDYkXSInFt2ylakXNHFNi8/s1600/DSC_0457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7OZZMbFi4TdKmMN6NOOaKmBWUYZAQ8ULYW0NGnrNJ3ruwbo_Mcsifd2pGkcYEj4FrxiAoAQpS8NGFqNYC3OeuWFnWETwy5u9BG_LhtWBptgs1ISflGJnNyjDYkXSInFt2ylakXNHFNi8/s1600/DSC_0457.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
Ethan kept a lot of his patches and I just started playing with them, piecing them together in different designs. I knew I wanted to use them, and this one stuck. I love the way it turned out.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUeBHetyv780hnJbPPV2T1c22sl4cA3yCZfGjFz4V3qyqMPhi3v0RLcOzsQM6oVvN0p3n30BLOQJVFLyYIj6l4b4v_58hJrAr3cBqpF93UBMv_o8D_BLwhMD64azhMca7wULp2wd3_UAg/s1600/DSC_0540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUeBHetyv780hnJbPPV2T1c22sl4cA3yCZfGjFz4V3qyqMPhi3v0RLcOzsQM6oVvN0p3n30BLOQJVFLyYIj6l4b4v_58hJrAr3cBqpF93UBMv_o8D_BLwhMD64azhMca7wULp2wd3_UAg/s1600/DSC_0540.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
Ethan seeing it for the first time! <br />
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And just to give you an idea of how big it really is; Ethan is holding it up and my dad is sitting in the chair next to it!<br />
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This has been my favorite quilt to make so far. Thank you Ethan, for serving our country and keeping us safe!<br />
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And thank you to all the service members and their families for sacrificing so much to ensure our freedoms! <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">God Bless America!</span><i> </i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Amanda</i></span> <br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08972638291154245443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2049803532247363925.post-35763558566727392042014-05-23T12:13:00.002-05:002014-05-23T12:13:21.062-05:00Schooling through the SummerI have never wanted to school through the summer. This year though, I have had a change of heart. Well, I have to do it since we are a little behind from our 2 month winter break. I took time off during and after our move to get settled and re-evaluate our curriculum. The kids and I are enjoying our new, living books. It is nice having my busy boys excited to learn!<br />
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As the summer gets closer and closer, I am beginning to get more excited about schooling through the summer season. First of all, it will be a good indoor distraction from the heat. Everyone keeps telling us that once the temperatures get over 100, it's all the same. Yikes! Secondly, it has never been easy for my kids to get back into the school year after the long summer break. I'm thinking the shorter breaks during the summer will keep them motivated and having fun. Lastly, my kids learn daily, with or without school, so adding to their play will not only enrich them, but keep their minds sharp and yearning for more. Learning should be fun and I am praying that my kids will continue to view it that way!<br />
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The type of learning we encounter at our house is through play, life experiences and living books. I was struggling with thoughts of failure for a few days. I didn't think my first grader was reading enough, working on spelling words enough, or getting grammar concepts down. It was a waste of my time to entertain these thoughts. Each child is unique and learns in different ways and at different speeds. I am not failing. When I see him get excited during his lessons, it makes my heart feel much better. <br />
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To help ease my mind, I did start a new writing journal for him. I write him a short letter, a few days a week, and leave space for him to write his response to my questions. I don't help him spell the words. I ask him to sound them out. He did not like this the first couple of times, but now he just jumps right into it. He is having fun while working on his reading, penmanship, spelling and creative writing. It is a win-win!<br />
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I had to put Dash from "The Incredibles" on the cover. I created the cover in Microsoft Word. It took me all of 5 minutes to pick the font, color, picture and print it. He had the biggest grin when he first saw it. Something a little extra to make it special for him!</div>
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Here is a sample of one of the letters I have written to him. (I made the picture huge so you can read it all!) I go over his spelling with him when he is finished. I don't make it a big deal if he spells a word wrong. I praise him for sounding them out so well and then show him the letters he missed.</div>
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The few of the topics I have written about so far are summer trips, summer activities, birthday gifts for siblings, and movie characters. It is fun to read his answers too!</div>
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Enjoy your summer, whether you are schooling, unschooling or just playing!</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Amanda</span></i></div>
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08972638291154245443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2049803532247363925.post-54538180087643149452014-03-17T06:00:00.000-05:002014-03-17T10:24:28.630-05:00Marvel In The Beauty<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I go through life, day to day, running from one thing to another. I am planning the next day, crossing </span>off my to-do list and racing against the daylight hours to get it all done. But does it matter if I have a clean house? Does it matter if I plan the perfect day of school? Does it matter if my to-do list gets shorter? Does it all really matter that much?</div>
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I try to do it all. It's exhausting. I can't do it. Not alone.</div>
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This new year has been a turning point. I am searching out God and His word more than ever before. I am learning the characteristics of God in an entirely new light. Each day brings me to a new realization about who He is and how true His love is for me.
There is a new spark in my heart. My soul clings to His promises
and looks to Him for answers. I read more of His word. I trust in
Him more and more. I take out piece after piece of the worldly me and
throw it away. I'm making room in my heart. I want to know my God
more deeply now than I ever have before.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am finding Him
in the littlest and biggest of things. A pink rose growing through a
fence has a meaning. It is God's way of telling me He sees me and loves
me. "Here is a rose just for you, your eyes, destined to be at this place, at this very
moment." </div>
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Never think He has abandoned you or forgotten
about you. He loves you more than you could ever fathom. Look
around and see how His creation speaks to you about His unending love. It
is written in the stars. It is sung from the birds. It is whispered
in the wind. You are His beloved. He sacrificed his one and only
Son so that you could live eternally with Him. He is waiting with open
arms for you to run to Him. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Start running!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Amanda</span></i></div>
Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08972638291154245443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2049803532247363925.post-5467698231459787952014-01-31T07:00:00.000-06:002014-01-31T09:26:57.618-06:00My Reluctant LearnerMy first grader is what you may call a reluctant learner. Sitting still and doing book work is not in his vocabulary. He is a mover and a kinesthetic learner. He is the exact opposite type of learner than me. I am constantly coming up with new ideas to make learning happen that doesn't make school seem like it's only listening to stories and copying words, or doing massive amounts of math problems, etc., what he calls 'boring.' <br />
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Spelling words are a battle field. I used to make him look at the word and spell it on a white board. Then the next day, show him the word, hide it, use it in a sentence and have him write it. It was like this for the 4 days we do spelling. Let me just say, he cringed when I would pull out the white board. Obviously, this wasn't working for us. I did the most logical thing I could think of; I went on Pinterest. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtk6Eq4TbLIkX9gMvKcLmUgohkIxGnHVk1lMFjvmUTXx71xCEzuC0jcZ135Wjuo2pzJrxtWHI-B7LFHlodDr79Z98Ed_UsRntw-M2Dxbpzt5PTeaBI6x7fZCN5faMUJew2z3IsvExwXE0/s1600/photo+2+(7).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtk6Eq4TbLIkX9gMvKcLmUgohkIxGnHVk1lMFjvmUTXx71xCEzuC0jcZ135Wjuo2pzJrxtWHI-B7LFHlodDr79Z98Ed_UsRntw-M2Dxbpzt5PTeaBI6x7fZCN5faMUJew2z3IsvExwXE0/s1600/photo+2+(7).JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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I found some really cool ideas, but only one I could use that he would find cool as well. Can you guess what it used? Legos. I changed a few things about the spelling game so it would fit my plan better.</div>
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Here is what I did:</div>
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I used an egg carton and put it in the center of a blank sheet of white paper. I had my list of 10 spelling words and they just happened to have 12 different letters. (I am currently using the first grade spelling lists from Heart of Dakota's Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory.) I assigned one letter to each spot. When my list has more than 12 letters, I'll be adding the lid or another egg container to the game. I then counted the frequency of each letter and put that many Legos in the corresponding spot. You can kind of see the Lego man body in the letter "P" spot and the heads in the letter "H" spot. I separated them so he could build a man as he correctly spelled the words. I would say the word, show the card to him, use it in a sentence, and hide it. He would then try to spell the word aloud, picking one Lego piece from each letter spot as he said the letter. I helped him sound it out and show the card again when needed. Then, I let him use all the Lego pieces to create his own whatever when we were done. The first time, we only spelled the words aloud. I am going to work into having him write each word as well. I just want it to be fun learning right now. </div>
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Let me tell you that he loved it! *insert "Hallelujah" song* He wants to play it every day. Now, I'm frantically coming up with new ways to use the game with other subjects as well! I love it when school is tons of fun for the one who would rather play all day.</div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Amanda</span></i></div>
Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08972638291154245443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2049803532247363925.post-28284880877897793992014-01-29T13:07:00.002-06:002014-01-29T13:07:36.264-06:00Explorers in the Making - Free Science PrintableScience is a favorite subject around our house. Inventions, animals, plants, weather, we love it all. Our new attempt at child-led learning is going well, and I am on the lookout for free resources. <br />
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Our studies started off this week with snowmobiles, since we watched the X Games. We have looked at the first snowmobiles, the inventors, where snowmobiles are used, what people used before snowmobiles, and the weather and animals in those areas. We pulled out our <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/155971624X/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=155971624X&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=adveinthehear-20" target="_blank">Birds, Nests and Eggs</a> book.</div>
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=FFFFFF&IS2=1&npa=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=adveinthehear-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=tf_til&asins=155971624X" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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My kids love this book. We looked at the different birds and tried to pick out the ones that could live in the colder areas. Then we went to the internet and googled bird range maps of Alaska, the arctic, northern United States, and other cold areas. The boys wanted to see what birds are in Texas, so we looked at that map as well. <br />
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I found the San Antonio Audubon Society webpage. It was a great reference and had a "Just For Kids" link. In it, I found lots of free printables and a link to a kids magazine called "<a href="http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/pubs/kids.html" target="_blank">Wild Times</a>" which is published in New Hampshire. You are able to print off the different issues for your own use. My boys loved it! They are very age appropriate for lower elementary. My first grader was able to read the majority of it and could complete all of the activities. My preschooler loved the pictures, maze and matching in the first issue. I am definitely adding this to my list of science add-ons. Have fun exploring science!<br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Amanda</span></i><br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08972638291154245443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2049803532247363925.post-47691063327385513542014-01-24T16:35:00.003-06:002017-09-02T12:40:10.020-05:00Learning with Legos<script charset="utf-8" src="https://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?rt=tf_cw&ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822/US/adveinthehear-20/8010/01b1f192-50fd-4dbc-81d3-80ac5e5f8a60&Operation=GetScriptTemplate" type="text/javascript"> </script> <noscript><a HREF="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?rt=tf_cw&ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fadveinthehear-20%2F8010%2F01b1f192-50fd-4dbc-81d3-80ac5e5f8a60&Operation=NoScript">Amazon.com Widgets</A></noscript><br />
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As I am beginning to change our schooling to unschooling, I am trying to find new ways to incorporate learning through play. Of course, I went on Pinterest to locate some treasures, and I found some ideas using Legos, which all of my children enjoy playing with.</div>
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I found some printables for creating your own Mini-Figures at <a href="http://www.homegrownlearners.com/lego-learning/" target="_blank">Homegrown Learners</a> and we had some creative drawing of historical figures and then make believe figures. We then wrote little stories about the figures. My 1st grader wrote a few words, but I didn't push too much since he was reluctant to pick up his pencil. But he really enjoyed dictating a story to me and reading it out loud later to daddy.</div>
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I also found a<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ittybittjunebug/homeschool-math-for-my-reluctant-learner/" target="_blank"> Lego board game</a> that I printed off. I made up the rules. Lego men were used as the game pieces. We played where each person started with 6 lego pieces and we rolled a die to collect pieces along the game board. At the end, we built anything we wanted out of the pieces we won. For my first grader, I had him build something before we start and then we roll 2 dice (for addition or subtraction practice) and add or take away pieces depending on what spot we land on. <br />
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This was my creation. I had to have the Lego Man leaping into the hovercraft. It's what he really would be doing. I mean come on, it's a hovercraft!</div>
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BG, my preschooler, working on his creation after the game. He won many more pieces than I did.</div>
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I am definitely going to use this game again. Not only did I get to incorporate math, writing, history and art into the day, I also had 3 happy children who asked to play the game again the next day. That makes me happy!</div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Amanda</i></span></div>
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The latest craze at our house is Wild Kratts. And I love it too! It's a great show on PBS that teaches my kids about animals, and that is simply putting it. I am always amazed at what they learn after one episode. They learn about geography, weather, conservation, migration, botany, animal habits, food chains, camouflage...I could keep going, but you are seeing the point.</div>
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While deciding to move towards unschooling, I did a couple weeks of "school" based off of Wild Kratt episodes. I let them start the day by watching an episode and then playing in their Wild Kratt outfits. They have Creature Power Suits (that were a birthday party favor) that are awesome!</div>
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They also play with these Creature Pod Communicators I made for them. You can get the print out for Aviva <a href="http://www.pbs.org/parents/crafts-for-kids/creature-power-costume/" target="_blank">here</a> if you want to make your own. I attached elastic on the back so they could wear them around their wrists. It's fun to hear them yelling "Aviva! Koki! Jimmy!" They also affectionately call each other "Bro" and "Bro." </div>
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After they have some creative play, I reel them in to make their own Creature Power Discs. We started by picking a type of animal they wanted to learn about. On this particular day, BG chose snakes and Jman chose sharks. So we started looking through our big Wildlife Explorer Book of animals, among others. <br />
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This is Jman's creature power disc of the King Cobra. We had to find out the following information about each animal: color, size, where it is found and what it eats. Then I let them tell me the special creature powers they would gain while using the disc. They had a lot of fun!</div>
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BG's Black Mamba creature power disc. We added speed to the important information since it is the fastest snake. </div>
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Lul's creature power disc: purple with a princess sticker. That about sums her up! </div>
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For the sharks, I printed off a hammerhead shark coloring page at <a href="http://www.handipoints.com/coloring-pages/fun-facts/sharks/hammerhead-shark.html#" target="_blank">Handipoints</a> and asked the boys to design a Hammerhead Shark Submarine and then tell me what special functions it would have. You can easily add in copy work of dictated sentences about his submarine or facts about the animal, creative writing, and math games.</div>
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They are requesting scorpion power next, so I have found myself a scorpion power disc, along with many others at <a href="http://mel-eigenheer.blogspot.com/2012/12/wild-krattness.htmlwww" target="_blank">It's All Fun and Games</a> that I can print off to add to their collection of power discs. I have VERY excited boys! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMhkXKLCYYk4Pl-Rn8O8pWEjfiEouCB9otCftrKZIEmyXkWZdq7nX6XZKYORjyc8-GmySq-pfwM4GOyLh2gvrUGqKv2EDOruUcdhteVMAvuEF5099F28_Kj9ll7-1vQWj7UvTJjI7EY8/s1600/scorpion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMhkXKLCYYk4Pl-Rn8O8pWEjfiEouCB9otCftrKZIEmyXkWZdq7nX6XZKYORjyc8-GmySq-pfwM4GOyLh2gvrUGqKv2EDOruUcdhteVMAvuEF5099F28_Kj9ll7-1vQWj7UvTJjI7EY8/s1600/scorpion.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I am going to be coming back to the Wild Kratts theme many times in the future. It is a winner for us!</div>
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Go "live free and in the wild" with these fun ideas! I hope you find them useful!</div>
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08972638291154245443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2049803532247363925.post-11794281097861928482014-01-16T07:30:00.000-06:002017-09-02T12:32:21.108-05:00Winds of Change Blowing from Schooling to more Unschooling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
After taking a long winter break, we started homeschooling again this January. I had not planned on taking a long break. We moved in October, took 2 weeks off to get unpacked and settled in, and began school again. After 3 weeks of struggling through our days, my hubby and I made the executive decision to stop, regroup and try something different. </div>
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We have been using Heart Of Dakota for most of our schooling. I enjoy it and so does my 4 year old, working on Pre-K and K. My 6 year old in 1st grade is not enjoying it as much. He is a high-energy kid, who likes to move. Any type of learning that doesn't have him moving or playing is boring and not fun. I have made up lots of games for him along the way.</div>
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This began my look into child-led learning and unschooling. Such terms were foreign to me. So let me explain them as I understand them: child-led learning is more like unit studies, but you let the child decide what they want to learn about. Let's say they show an interest in sharks. As the educator, I start them on a quest for books about sharks, find educational shows to watch, and visit an aquarium, the ocean or an online live feed of a shark tank. Then, you incorporate creative writing, which can cover grammar and spelling, geography (map of the oceans), science (life cycle, how gills work, what is cartilage), history (were sharks hunted by people groups, shark attacks), art, math, etc. If the child shows an interest in the oceans, or say a group of people that hunted the sharks, you start moving in that direction. I see it as possibly becoming labor intensive since you can't really plan ahead and you would have to make up the curriculum as you go. But the positive side is that your child would really enjoy learning, since he is interested in every topic you are studying. </div>
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Unschooling is very similar to child-led learning, but I think of it as I have a plan of topics to cover and teach through learning by play, projects, cooking, games, etc. There are many different ways of looking at the two terms, so please do not take my thoughts as the final say in how to do either of them! </div>
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I have started to move towards unschooling. Pictured below is my schedule from the beginning of the year, before our move (Monday's column) and after moving (Tuesday's column). The scheduled times had flown out the window. I just used the order of subjects to keep me on track. </div>
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I was using read-aloud History books for history, science and geography, with the science and geography relating to the history topic. I changed copy work from poetry lines, which we used in the fall, to sentences from our Bible story. Jman's (1st grade) reading was a book that I was picking out for him, as well as BG's (pre-k/k) phonics lessons. Math for both were out of workbooks. First grade language arts was spelling flashcards and one grammar lesson per week, while pre-k/k was workbooks. Lots of sitting.</div>
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Flash forward to my new schedule, which I started this week. I threw out the times and strictly went by subjects for the week. We are doing a lot more together while we figure things out. I am sticking with the read aloud history, but tweaking the lessons a little to incorporate play while they listen. For example, today we learned how the pilgrims built board houses. Why not let them build their own houses with legos while I read? Or make "logs" out of playdoh? It keeps their hands busy and out of most trouble. Granted, their little imaginations get going and we have ninja towers, playdoh ice cream cones, but they listened! </div>
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I decided to pick my own science topics and make my own plans, as well as incorporate a few of the fun activities already in my teacher manual. This week, to go along with building board houses, we are studying beavers. I tried to keep the two related. I found books about beavers with pictures and stories and a Wild Kratts episode to watch. I am keeping the oiled windows activity and build your own wall project. I'm adding my own art projects to match our science topics. My goal is to keep things moving and fun.</div>
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I'm adjusting math to workbooks and math games every other day for both boys. I decided to let Jman pick his own books to read to me. Of course, they are off of a "Special Shelf" that I filled with appropriate leveled books. Giving him that little bit of executive power makes it exciting for him. I am sticking with the spelling flashcards and one day of grammar, because I want to have him do a little bit of sitting each day. It is good to have him be sit and be still for a few minutes. I kept Jman's copy work to the Bible story. God has given him a heart for His word and reading and copying it is enjoyable! </div>
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As for BG, I am adding more play activities in his handwriting, like writing letters in bubbles and playdoh. He is my mellow, sit down and focus child. So I am keeping it light to keep school fun.</div>
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My stack of books and materials hasn't changed much, but the attitudes and levels of excitement have definitely changed for the better! </div>
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I'll let you follow along as we continue to tweak our homeschool unschooling. Look for more updates to come!<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08972638291154245443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2049803532247363925.post-31056337714073601842014-01-15T21:14:00.000-06:002017-09-02T12:40:10.012-05:00July ~ Hitting the Open RoadOde to being late! But alas, I have gotten around to SOME of my summer pictures!<br />
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July, you were hard on my back! I drove over 3700 miles, saw 11 different states and 4 different capital cities. All I can say is wow. America is a beautiful country. God's creation is really stunning!<br />
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The month started with my sister flying down, only to turn around and drive back north with the kids and I.</div>
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Pit stop in Kansas City = Dinner at Cracker Barrel </div>
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We made it to Fargo! Everyone was relieved to get out of the car after 2 long days, especially Auntie Ash. In all fairness, it's hard to jump into a car with 3 kids for 2 full days when you are not used to it. CRAZY road trip!</div>
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July 3rd was BG's big 4th birthday! </div>
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<span style="color: black;">Uncle Troy is in charge of candles! </span></div>
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Uncle Nick always has cozy blankets readily available.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5MEGTc2MhCIjZef7FGxUKH2A3vTHMTKJzyXZvd1rA4xll9TQ8KsoTB92lkMrqVxR9nmvpcQ2J75cZV7VBMSsw-y4l60vcjlgrfIiHnm-bJl3ib3hqtLjdlUD4oIE9dJ7oPKG38wwgNzY/s1600/photo%25202%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5MEGTc2MhCIjZef7FGxUKH2A3vTHMTKJzyXZvd1rA4xll9TQ8KsoTB92lkMrqVxR9nmvpcQ2J75cZV7VBMSsw-y4l60vcjlgrfIiHnm-bJl3ib3hqtLjdlUD4oIE9dJ7oPKG38wwgNzY/s320/photo%25202%5B1%5D.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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Fourth of July drinks poolside. (The blow up pool was in the yard. It counts.)<br />
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A trip to Fargo always includes a trip to the farm. The boys had a photo shoot with every single tractor they could find...(that equals lots of pictures.)</div>
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Grandpa Roger and the kids going for a spin. A moth I found hanging out on a door.<br />
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BG got a tent for his birthday, so we put it up!</div>
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We visited the Fargo Air Museum in Fargo with Auntie Ash, Ethan and Grandpa and Grandma. It is really nice inside and has lots to explore.</div>
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Camp out with Uncle Nick on the deck in the backyard. Lots of memories were made! Nick was the only one willing to sleep out there. He deserves a medal!</div>
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We had so much fun visiting eveyone. I haven't organized the photos from Montana yet, but when I do, expect a kaleidoscope of pictures! </div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="https://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/192/3DE06E4CD1A402D93D4355E057643EC9.png" style="border: transparent;" /></a>
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08972638291154245443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2049803532247363925.post-15455320791789192532013-12-31T23:17:00.000-06:002013-12-31T23:17:48.519-06:00Goodbye 2013!I am switching things up for the new year and welcoming 2014 with a new look for my blog. Change is good (as well as posts)! I will be back very shortly in the near future, but for now I leave you with heartfelt wishes, hoping you had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08972638291154245443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2049803532247363925.post-38273494238786646372013-10-27T08:00:00.000-05:002017-09-02T12:40:10.016-05:00June ~ Full of FirstsOh June. I love the month of June. The end of another school year, beginning of summer, warm sunshine, barbeques, family trips; the making of memories.<br />
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I love looking back at pictures and recalling family trips, birthdays, weddings, time with friends. Though, in all of our family trip pictures, none were of just Nate and I. We had never been on a vacation, just the two of us, since our honeymoon in 2004. June brought the first one in almost 9 years! We flew to Orlando, since Nate had a work conference there.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipL6ICHgM-tQoyvXu6FT695BvTBHzAn6DWseclQqVd_g5ALVNDxynOGxTDka72IQdiozUPiFp8LnIxvRiKNKuKcQz0r66w4Vpnqd0gNlJPxQ-6NUew5K5iClakSylYtSS4KDhyphenhyphen9q4_0gI/s1600/photo%25202%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipL6ICHgM-tQoyvXu6FT695BvTBHzAn6DWseclQqVd_g5ALVNDxynOGxTDka72IQdiozUPiFp8LnIxvRiKNKuKcQz0r66w4Vpnqd0gNlJPxQ-6NUew5K5iClakSylYtSS4KDhyphenhyphen9q4_0gI/s200/photo%25202%5B1%5D.JPG" width="149" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRjat51p1DVYi58x132GfDgY4IKrYe7vhLJCPzXy5OpR_0wT9JTZtaEWaqh1_pZjp-xQKH1K4B7LdCjp51ATtp-EgofM4HeNg-tmvgR_Jt0FbW_bTdCcbqGWUi9-5y6eFaR9iVTCjvTDA/s1600/photo%25201%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRjat51p1DVYi58x132GfDgY4IKrYe7vhLJCPzXy5OpR_0wT9JTZtaEWaqh1_pZjp-xQKH1K4B7LdCjp51ATtp-EgofM4HeNg-tmvgR_Jt0FbW_bTdCcbqGWUi9-5y6eFaR9iVTCjvTDA/s200/photo%25201%5B1%5D.JPG" width="149" /></a></div>
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We would have gotten a day and a half to ourselves before his meetings began, but we both got the flu when we arrived.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic6xIj_arxJOvpVAp1WAzQw5ehUC_Idn-vArfuVaPuoZqJptqdZ_rzyVxErOCSu5oGWWZd6yYPqB6_d9SVS5Fn_xh6rB3Rm604FDi1IbNBbUyJmPlV5W06Sxmzric670O-heQ1cOAH6BU/s1600/photo%25203%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic6xIj_arxJOvpVAp1WAzQw5ehUC_Idn-vArfuVaPuoZqJptqdZ_rzyVxErOCSu5oGWWZd6yYPqB6_d9SVS5Fn_xh6rB3Rm604FDi1IbNBbUyJmPlV5W06Sxmzric670O-heQ1cOAH6BU/s200/photo%25203%5B1%5D.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
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There was a NCIS marathon on our "sick day"</blockquote>
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Thankfully, it only lasted 24 hours, but by the time we both recovered, our fun together days were over.<br />
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I, on the other hand, got to enjoy the resort all week by myself, while Nate worked during the days. It really was a relaxing week for me. I read, laid by the pool, napped, and took walks around the resort. It was fabulous, even if it was a little boring.<br />
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Here are a few pictures of the resort and "my pool" as I referred to it.<br />
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I laid at this pool every day, all day.</div>
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We did get to play a little bit. We had dinner out at Bob Marley's restaurant and got to experience Universal Studios. It really was fun!<br />
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<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3O0smQLxSWPUCQaLZpIbhU0aC7acx5pXRRSxWHI-pZv8tA7VT_fGV9PXv7uD1zU41In2IwG8GD-lsLH7y3Ote0SoZZHiKPF3o5V9OAm9-iRHAMpDgPc92FbAVV2RY-2LxJblalVRXU_A/s320/photo%25204%5B1%5D.JPG" width="239" /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5fFK9ycX8PPO7NJBiVF2bImcjY558mhk-2JBJlzThh-dASQ705b-ToKCSTaZHtUISVN4zhU-1qq2VR-aytwzUxdIpJQp4SK758jTGybtJfmqm6e_G8iCS9sYWditnFG6iQa_YETUbeb4/s1600/photo%25205%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5fFK9ycX8PPO7NJBiVF2bImcjY558mhk-2JBJlzThh-dASQ705b-ToKCSTaZHtUISVN4zhU-1qq2VR-aytwzUxdIpJQp4SK758jTGybtJfmqm6e_G8iCS9sYWditnFG6iQa_YETUbeb4/s320/photo%25205%5B1%5D.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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This was my last day to enjoy the pool.</div>
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Hogsmeade, for all my Harry Potter fans! Hogwarts Castle & Nate<br />
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We really did have a good time.</div>
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So on top of our first vacation alone, I had my 31st birthday. I didn't throw a big bash or spend the night out on the town. (I'm too old to stay out that late anymore!) We did, however go out for dinner at Johnny Carino's and enjoy some time with friends and family. My in-laws were in town watching the kids while we were in Florida, which just happened to be right around my birthday. </div>
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June was filled with memory making moments. We are very blessed to be able to go on vacation and spend time together. Go make some of your own memories!</div>
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Blessings!</div>
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08972638291154245443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2049803532247363925.post-80253615463595025682013-07-24T23:13:00.001-05:002017-09-02T12:40:10.024-05:00Summer Edition 2013I'm just going to call this post "Summer Edition." It has been so long, I can almost call it my "quarterly installation." I have so much to update you on, I'm going to just highlight the biggies out of each month. (I will do future posts with pictures for the birthdays and vacations!)<br />
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May (pulling out my calendars to try and remember): Jeremiah played t-ball in April and May. He loved it. His team was called "The Razorbacks" and it was no joke. They had embroidered hats, really nice jerseys and he had to wear red socks, black baseball pants and a red belt to each game. They played their hearts out, no matter how hot it was! Jeremiah did awesome, playing mostly at short stop, but a little at third base, first base and outfield. He was a great hitter and was super fast. It was so much fun to watch him. <br />
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Benjamin started going to speech therapy twice a week. We have seen a great improvement in his articulation and fluency. Even after the first week, our friends and family noticed a difference. What a blessing for Benj to be able to communicate easier and for us to be able to better understand him!<br />
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Lulu is still plugging away at being a little sister. She's always curious and finding the action. Keeping her busy during school time is a challenge, but I find ways to distract her or have her join in with minimal interruptions. There is never a dull moment!<br />
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This also is our final month of school. I had been planning on finishing in June, but an unexpected vacation became available through Nathan's company and I decided to finish before we left. It was a lot of work and I'm happy to say that we did finish by the end of the month and the kids all enjoyed the school year. Jman is reading well and astonishes me with how much he can learn and retain. BG is a quick study and is a little sponge as well. This fall, Jman starts 1st grade (crazy!!) and BG will be in preschool again, with just a few more add ins this year. Lulu finally gets to officially start preschool, even though she's really been with us in school since she was born!<br />
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June (flipping pages): Lulu turned 2! Grandpa and Grandma Davis made the journey south and joined us for the birthday party and baby sat while Nate and I went to Florida for a week. We left the day after Lulu's birthday party, with Jman having the flu the night of our departure. We got to Florida and both ended up having the flu. Our first 2 days in Orlando were spent in our hotel room. Once we recovered, it was fabulous. It was very relaxing (for me.) Nate was at a conference for work, so his days were completely booked up from 7 am until 10pm. So while I was all alone, all day long (don't feel too sorry for me), I sat by the pool. Literally, all day long. I got up in the morning, grabbed breakfast for the walk to the pool, found my lounge chair and that was it for my day. I only moved from my lounger to cool off in the pool or get food. It was wonderful. I finally finished <u>Anne of Green Gables</u>, which I adored. We got home on a Friday and the following Tuesday, I turned 31. My birthday started off with a doctor's appointment for BG, speech in the afternoon, and crown at the dentist for Jman in the afternoon. All appointments were scheduled before hand, not by my choice, but from doctor availability. Go figure. I did get to enjoy a nice dinner with family and friends and that's all you really need. We had an early birthday party for BG with his friends in Texas since we were going to be out of town on his actual birthday. It was a huge success with water balloons, squirt guns and a slip-n-slide. Perfect for a hot Texas day! The very last weekend of June began my BIG vacation, 2 weeks in North Dakota and 1 week in Montana. My sister flew down, only to turn around and drive 2 days up north with the kids and I. I am so thankful she drove with me. It would not have been a grand "adventure" if she hadn't! <br />
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July (finally caught up, but still flipping pages): The first 2 weeks were spent in Fargo. It was so great to be with family. We had birthday parties for BG, a day at the farm, lots of time with GG, dinner with Great Uncle Leroy, the boys camped on the deck in a tent with Uncle Nick, a day at Chahinkapa Zoo with Grandpa Roger and Uncle Nick, and lots of time spent outside in the little pool, sprinkler and on the play set. It was definitely a time of making memories. Nate finally flew in 12 days after we first departed and we were fortunate enough to get so see my aunt Sandy for a little while before we left for Montana the following day. We ventured west for Nate's grandma, LaVerne's 90th birthday party. I met some family for the first time and saw many that I hadn't seen in over 7 years! It really blows my mind how fast time goes. We had multiple family dinners of about 30 people. I had such a good time getting to better know everyone. We all had a fabulous time. We spent one day in Yellowstone National Park. God's creation is so beautiful. His imagination really shines there. We also went to visit my cousin Holly and her family for an afternoon. We hadn't seen them in 4 years! All of the kids had a blast playing in the huge yard, checking out the neighbor's chickens, and racing on the deck. We were so blessed to get to spend so much time with family we rarely see! The trip home was two 12+ hour days, getting home on the second day at 2 am. (So technically 3 days, but we aren't getting THAT technical.) It was almost like a big exhale to get home and finally be home. We do miss everyone, but there is something about being at home that just feels nice. <br />
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And of course we jumped right back into the swing of things come Monday. Jman started a week long, morning soccer camp, BG started up speech right away, and Lulu is "thinking" about starting potty training. Nate is back at work and I'm trying to finish up school planning. (I'm refraining from telling you about my chores because those are no fun to mention.)<br />
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Regardless of how busy we are, where we are, or what's going on, we always try to keep Jesus Christ at the center of our lives and our eyes focused on Him. Who would we be without him? I am so thankful for the many blessings he continues to give us. He is so good! Worthy is He, the Lamb of God.<br />
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I hope to keep my blog from reverting back to a quarterly journal, but I make no promises. Until the next time you join me here...<br />
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Blessings!<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="https://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/192/3DE06E4CD1A402D93D4355E057643EC9.png" style="border: transparent;" /></a>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08972638291154245443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2049803532247363925.post-34164879671640944442013-04-18T23:58:00.000-05:002013-04-18T23:58:21.273-05:00Hearing His voice when I least expect it<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Shattered. Broken. That is what became of my glass patio table. We had left the big umbrella up and weren't expecting the wind. All I heard was a whoosh of the wind, a thud from the umbrella hitting the ground and the crash of the table top shattering. I didn't want to believe it really happened. I went outside to look and saw the pieces all over the ground. What a mess! </div>
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I began the tedious and careful process of sweeping, scooping and throwing away the pieces. All I kept think about was "How am I ever going to pick up all of the pieces?" </div>
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That is when I heard Him. "You can't. You can only pick up one at a time." I no longer saw glass, but I saw broken hearts, broken lives, and lost souls. I saw the brokenness of the world. </div>
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It was overwhelming. Compassion flooded me and I began to pray. It was all I could do. I knew God made that table break for a reason. He wanted me to see, with my own eyes, what He sees when He gazes upon us.</div>
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As I started to vacuum up pieces embedded in the grass, I knew it would be impossible for me to get all the pieces. So many pieces had fallen down, lost in the thick grass. I would have to trust with faith. Blind faith that my children won't cut their feet playing in the backyard. Blind faith that He will protect us and pick us up when we need Him.</div>
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I can only go so far on my own. </div>
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But with Christ, I can do anything. I can start with one person. Show one person the love of Christ. No judgment. No hatred. Just love. That's how I can begin to mend the brokenness.</div>
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And you can too.</div>
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Blessings,</div>
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08972638291154245443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2049803532247363925.post-5504508482458546592013-04-12T16:40:00.002-05:002013-04-12T16:40:26.700-05:00Our Classroom has a New Member!Now before you go getting any crazy ideas, let me just say that our "newest member" has been needed for a long time and was store bought. (That should curb any wild imaginations running away!)<br />
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We have been plugging away this year at kindergarten and preschool. It has been going really well. Don't get me wrong, we usually fight over who is going to go first (seriously, it hasn't changed since we started), for many months I heard "I don't want to do reading!", and my kids have so many wiggles, it's a miracle the chairs haven't broken yet. Despite these normal occurances, we have fun and I can see improvements in my boys that keep me encouraged. Well, we had been conducting our business on a little table from IKEA, about 18" x 24". In reality, we had school time on the floor. It was not very convenient, but we made it work.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8AxxxGMfqZCk0v3zxAgUTqCtHCFfbLCq9xbM1ZEBMbRnbfBRozxtEK8DXRhzGwQVLBn7U0argDk7ZcjAUfiz2OuOnqcd-6Bl2tdlJa_u-T099jazPlq-e5XL722pvkjJTJp6UtWQzjI/s1600/photo1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8AxxxGMfqZCk0v3zxAgUTqCtHCFfbLCq9xbM1ZEBMbRnbfBRozxtEK8DXRhzGwQVLBn7U0argDk7ZcjAUfiz2OuOnqcd-6Bl2tdlJa_u-T099jazPlq-e5XL722pvkjJTJp6UtWQzjI/s1600/photo1.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">School used to be all over the place and you can see the little table in this picture.</td></tr>
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So now can you guess who our new member is? Yep, a table! (It's the little things in life.) I just set it up this past week, and it is SO much better. I can honestly say that the boys are able to concentrate better and can see and complete workbook pages much easier. There is less fighting over who is taking up too much room on the table and cleaning up is a lot easier. The crayons, markers and paper are mostly on the table, rather than sprawled all over the carpet. If I would have known a table would make the day go this much smoother, it would have been a necessity from day 1! <br />
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Doesn't it look awesome?!? I'm super excited!! (It is only a 6' plastic folding table we bought at Walmart, but still.) No more fighting over who gets to use the table. Now it's fighting over who gets to sit in which seat...there is always something.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdG4T1_zS6Pe1tkPGW76194mfsUdzpLLNmRGnoBk5qDqEFShI2Otz0oEEsJ3_GJ63AsTdD5Q01DIcMnL1HDAoGI7E22ZqEBCnxgiPgsfKRh79CnSCSHKT-dOHc2tJIlovVKbyLQ3bQ1HA/s1600/photo4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdG4T1_zS6Pe1tkPGW76194mfsUdzpLLNmRGnoBk5qDqEFShI2Otz0oEEsJ3_GJ63AsTdD5Q01DIcMnL1HDAoGI7E22ZqEBCnxgiPgsfKRh79CnSCSHKT-dOHc2tJIlovVKbyLQ3bQ1HA/s1600/photo4.JPG" /></a></div>
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Also, I have rearranged and reorganized my school shelves. I tried to put as much in fabric bins and plastic totes as I could. I needed things to look and be organized or I wouldn't be able to function. (I'll just say that this day of rearranging and organizing was amazing. My type A side was on cloud 9!) </div>
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What does your classroom look like? Have any must-haves you want to share??</div>
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Blessings,</div>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/192/3DE06E4CD1A402D93D4355E057643EC9.png" style="border: transparent;" /></a>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08972638291154245443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2049803532247363925.post-29818791102331859532013-03-23T23:53:00.002-05:002017-09-02T12:45:07.880-05:00March Snuck Up and Raced By!Oh boy, has it really been this long?? A lot has happened since I last posted in February...Yikes! <br />
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The quilting class I taught is over and it was a lot of fun! It was great to get out of the house and just sew for a couple of hours. I actually got Nate's quilt completed in a reasonable amount of time! (It helped having a deadline.) <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nate's T-shirt quilt</td></tr>
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We have stayed busy with homeschooling as well. I am still teaching with Heart of Dakota curriculum and my boys are enjoying it. I'm glad we made the change. Lulu likes to sit with us and listen sometimes too, which is much easier than trying to keep her out of "adventures." (I'm going to be posting some more about homeschooling in the near future.) <br />
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In March, we celebrated Jman's 6th birthday. We had a pirate party and played pin the tail on the Tick-Tock croc and had a treasure hunt that lead to a pinata! Our house was full of friends and laughter and we loved every minute of it! Now, BG keeps asking when he gets to have his birthday party! It's going to be a long three months if he keeps asking! :)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birthday Friends!</td></tr>
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We also went up to North Dakota for spring break. Usually people go south, so we should have gone farther south, right? Not this year. We decided to fly, which turned into a fiasco. We were supposed to fly out on Friday the 8th at noon. We arrived at the airport at 9:30 a.m., with all 3 kids and carry-on bags in tow. First, our flight got delayed until 2:45 p.m. We passed the time by riding the Skylink (the train that connects the 5 terminals in Dallas), playing on "the boys'" (really Nate's) new tablets, and working on some school worksheets. At 2:15, when we were getting ready to board, our flight was cancelled! While I tried to find us a new flight to Fargo, Nate kept 3 crabby and tired kids busy and out of trouble. We ended up getting a flight the next morning, Saturday, at 6:20 am to Chicago, then from Chicago to Fargo. Thankfully, Nate's great aunt and cousins live in Frisco, and graciously let us come back to their house Friday night. What a blessing! They also drove us back to the airport at 4:20 the next morning. Just when we thought we were in the clear, 5 minutes before boarding at 5:50, our flight switched gates and terminals! Back to the Skylink! By this time, our kids knew what was going on. The boys pulled their backpacks (on wheels) and headed up the escalator to the train. They got lots of looks and chuckles. After making it to our gate in Dallas, landing a little late in Chicago and running through the Chicago airport, we finally made it to Fargo! I am glad to report that the flight home went much smoother. We had a great time in Fargo, but were very glad to get home. When we left, it was -7 degrees in Fargo. Upon arriving in Dallas, it was 85 degrees. Much better!! The picture below is at the Snocross races in Glyndon, MN. Cold and fun with Auntie Ash and Uncle Nicky!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiP6Ef0Tsah5GjA_gc4vRdUd4miJzt786GPbdHNG-5sibcET2fN2W7z7ccaTXq8KFtjWIbN1X_OiUkwKs0SrjGV_j9NTVyCsGCTgzVqIQi_K0xqiWfcy-7l-tFoDpzw5fdgTlUZ1c0MhQ/s1600/photo(5).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiP6Ef0Tsah5GjA_gc4vRdUd4miJzt786GPbdHNG-5sibcET2fN2W7z7ccaTXq8KFtjWIbN1X_OiUkwKs0SrjGV_j9NTVyCsGCTgzVqIQi_K0xqiWfcy-7l-tFoDpzw5fdgTlUZ1c0MhQ/s1600/photo(5).JPG" /></a></div>
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The weekend we flew back to Dallas, we ended up being able to go to the MLS game in Frisco. We got to watch FC Dallas beat the Houston Dynamo in the stadium where the Bison won 2 football championships. Lots of fun! <br />
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We are finally home and back in the groove of school, work and church. Our weeks are a lot busier, now that Jman is in T-ball and soccer. He has T-ball practice twice a week and soccer practice twice a week. We are gone every night of the week either at practices or church. He has only had one soccer game so far and was awesome! He scored 1 goal and did a great job playing defense. Nate was proud, especially since he is the coach of his team! T-ball games don't start for a couple of weeks, but they will be played on Saturdays, just like soccer. We will really be racing then! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFrPWsYRM0oXosQvxa5q7zNmls3r-0if7PzkYAa2izdUsdvG-xJrXKtqaRfBemREzS6_kTW6Hk_WGOWgAeBhr6Exong9SyKmQKcBEjnOMY2NwhomifUIzJdr5KJcrMbYUmoBDymzJdB_g/s1600/photo(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFrPWsYRM0oXosQvxa5q7zNmls3r-0if7PzkYAa2izdUsdvG-xJrXKtqaRfBemREzS6_kTW6Hk_WGOWgAeBhr6Exong9SyKmQKcBEjnOMY2NwhomifUIzJdr5KJcrMbYUmoBDymzJdB_g/s1600/photo(1).JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAxqFbJhFj-2wgAEAR6NWYazN1-egUH7vHyErZbSgWDnnb6KMJjF7hnDPLJsnjdNdQqYWmQhskqhJ5vDvrx2udq9D8ilFPmP2jUiNZre12IjkwQrmt7NwhDw4cL3pnvbqmIN8ta-Xrt7U/s1600/photo(4).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAxqFbJhFj-2wgAEAR6NWYazN1-egUH7vHyErZbSgWDnnb6KMJjF7hnDPLJsnjdNdQqYWmQhskqhJ5vDvrx2udq9D8ilFPmP2jUiNZre12IjkwQrmt7NwhDw4cL3pnvbqmIN8ta-Xrt7U/s1600/photo(4).JPG" /></a></div>
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Our BEST news is that BG gave his heart to the Lord this past week! He decided he wanted Jesus in his heart forever. His prayer was precious and sweet, just like him. A very special day!!!<br />
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As we come into this Easter season, I am so thankful for all the blessings we have received since moving to Texas. God has a plan for us and we continue to walk in faith, knowing we are where we are supposed to be. When the time comes for us to move on, in God's direction, we will do just that. <br />
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I pray you all have a very blessed Easter and are showered with blessings and reach out for the hope and assurance of salvation through Christ's death and ressurection. What an amazing gift He has given to us!!<br />
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Blessings and Love~<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="https://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/192/3DE06E4CD1A402D93D4355E057643EC9.png" style="border: transparent;" /></a>
Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08972638291154245443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2049803532247363925.post-10655055786408363702013-02-06T10:25:00.000-06:002013-02-06T12:01:50.102-06:00For My T-Shirt Quilting FriendsI wanted to put a few pictures of the squares on <a href="http://the1davisfamily.blogspot.com/2012/02/nicks-quilt.html" target="_blank">Nick's quilt</a> that had smaller squares making up the larger square. You can see how it looks!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSVlQ0ZfIEB1ERfOKuHKrhiJd6VD5qWO5rCTzYGoQEjCdc8KyGM0gUOxQpaKdbybbcqsS0b4XO09zWuln4reeeZROEneBa9QUglMtMkNGuoL_SiwEQalIIoTeS2FAdIdP_XRZKIW5oZA/s1600/IMG_3500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSVlQ0ZfIEB1ERfOKuHKrhiJd6VD5qWO5rCTzYGoQEjCdc8KyGM0gUOxQpaKdbybbcqsS0b4XO09zWuln4reeeZROEneBa9QUglMtMkNGuoL_SiwEQalIIoTeS2FAdIdP_XRZKIW5oZA/s400/IMG_3500.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfmPyXC4NQ0eHOQCg4Ui06KOqkrCBB48V4wh-DEUB9UZKs0Uyu1PegP7HzZPZIS3tY6cyKFjbElgFnW_vqijGFinlfWiCvBtHVQglWrwbc6SkU979mVPtDyE4OELsOA1pzCoDTHnz24sk/s1600/IMG_6847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfmPyXC4NQ0eHOQCg4Ui06KOqkrCBB48V4wh-DEUB9UZKs0Uyu1PegP7HzZPZIS3tY6cyKFjbElgFnW_vqijGFinlfWiCvBtHVQglWrwbc6SkU979mVPtDyE4OELsOA1pzCoDTHnz24sk/s400/IMG_6847.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 2 squares on the upper left and lower right are 6-1/2" squares. The upper right and lower left are 4-1/2" squares with strips sewed onto the side and top to make it a 6-1/2" square. </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJc0dMuvq_tEt1QKWx5LQiQtC_vVCeVzfvJLphycx4jkAmm8tpY3w8AmzXJxJuV32mnmtHpDEO9xfsh8z_iF4nR6DjsuwP8C9SFe0yuY6ddSvS3gc5bz1h-HrPoAQPhadrjFKENTyWKc8/s1600/IMG_9301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJc0dMuvq_tEt1QKWx5LQiQtC_vVCeVzfvJLphycx4jkAmm8tpY3w8AmzXJxJuV32mnmtHpDEO9xfsh8z_iF4nR6DjsuwP8C9SFe0yuY6ddSvS3gc5bz1h-HrPoAQPhadrjFKENTyWKc8/s400/IMG_9301.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Hope this gives you a better idea of the smaller squares making a larger one!<br />
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Blessings,<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/192/3DE06E4CD1A402D93D4355E057643EC9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08972638291154245443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2049803532247363925.post-53438913854918572032013-01-24T21:24:00.000-06:002017-09-02T12:47:20.378-05:00Gone Long, but Not Long GoneIt has been so long since I've been on my blog, I forgot what it looked like! I bet you're wondering where in the world have I been? All I can say is busy and enjoying the everyday tasks of life.<br />
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After my last post in November, Nate got a promotion at work, so he's been a little busier than usual. Not too much though, since he was already really in that position without the title and compensation for two months. We continued to homeschool and I signed up to teach a quilting class at the college in February. The week of Thanksgiving, we traveled to San Antonio for 5 days and visited Sea World, The Alamo, the River Walk, and the old World Fair site, which included the Towers of America.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8PWjzYwJDd4UDNrSEURRNY9JPq9gPP-5-m9czkYfCytjTWsxLdRKEryQdzTx0MtFrFNpo6o3vl1fdNhYnjmJ0hdW3ALnd9Q2A5kB1pthCbiHqocGwjJlWHEZ8sYa16Jo39y3xTpZ5UJc/s1600/IMG_2827.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8PWjzYwJDd4UDNrSEURRNY9JPq9gPP-5-m9czkYfCytjTWsxLdRKEryQdzTx0MtFrFNpo6o3vl1fdNhYnjmJ0hdW3ALnd9Q2A5kB1pthCbiHqocGwjJlWHEZ8sYa16Jo39y3xTpZ5UJc/s320/IMG_2827.JPG" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Alamo</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjULsbiHp9vjwr7Uw5M7ECXnBLDesPRSDtZ-DOBsIRN2uUQsS5UBPspLB791kIgJZoCd3-ZJhe5vv1CzueGo3KLcUaCErwjq3gW8qmcuGTTYYRDqGGGsa2u2dJ22oGhMYcWtnTffcCv88k/s1600/IMG_2837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjULsbiHp9vjwr7Uw5M7ECXnBLDesPRSDtZ-DOBsIRN2uUQsS5UBPspLB791kIgJZoCd3-ZJhe5vv1CzueGo3KLcUaCErwjq3gW8qmcuGTTYYRDqGGGsa2u2dJ22oGhMYcWtnTffcCv88k/s320/IMG_2837.JPG" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A waterfall along the River Walk</td></tr>
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The kids absolutely loved Sea World. When we pulled into the parking lot the first day, Jman exclaimed from the back seat, "Shamu!! We are here!!" His excitement reflected all of our attitudes. And to make it even better, Sea World was celebrating Christmas. It was decorated in Christmas trees, lights, "snow", costumes, carolers, a Mariachi band dressed in Santa suits, lights set to music, and a Santa Shamu!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr4qIJTooUlXcX5qTwh4INcweT84EngyqE4O_jPpSTfSQ-qFOJ_K7zturkFtW4DfCbLqcrR01q5SE9uYIsep71NId2uy4WoJA525kiy7S2NeNGuARDM_4FCDZB8T-VeiMi4DwyxViLiCM/s1600/IMG_2712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr4qIJTooUlXcX5qTwh4INcweT84EngyqE4O_jPpSTfSQ-qFOJ_K7zturkFtW4DfCbLqcrR01q5SE9uYIsep71NId2uy4WoJA525kiy7S2NeNGuARDM_4FCDZB8T-VeiMi4DwyxViLiCM/s320/IMG_2712.JPG" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BG feeding a dolphin</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_tgWeGhOIqR4JxnjgTKHwvaHq_UVYE8Jw1U0fApVHajsYZMyzzTAzPuy50dSOlD5-t0w2IEJNIFyHtpiy3Pdb0AJ57NUN_iIOZ3j4Sqcz_9WOwKrEzpp_EDMvPJp_i_U0aiykupfBQ1s/s1600/IMG_2764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_tgWeGhOIqR4JxnjgTKHwvaHq_UVYE8Jw1U0fApVHajsYZMyzzTAzPuy50dSOlD5-t0w2IEJNIFyHtpiy3Pdb0AJ57NUN_iIOZ3j4Sqcz_9WOwKrEzpp_EDMvPJp_i_U0aiykupfBQ1s/s320/IMG_2764.JPG" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jman was the only one not afraid of the characters</td></tr>
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December brought more school and preparations for our trek up north. We celebrated Christmas and New Years in Fargo and then spent our last couple of days in Minneapolis. It was lots of fun getting to see family and friends. The weather wasn't as much fun. It was cold, windy and icy. But we weren't expecting anything different from North Dakota or Minnesota. It was great to get home and have temperatures in the 50s. We didn't NEED our coats on! As wonderful as it was to see everyone, we were grateful to be home after our 16 day vacation and not living out of suitcases anymore. It's a long time to be away.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi8ihaqgipoaSyZeLPMEH1Io3NDvgnRPrTbo0SGTxpBejjEdV-F76awKwV_QMyO8d8AllXBmlRCZrFRlv1RyvNGOU05El-_rmL3hY_7wtnqjJwmGu39hV8MkKxKDJbP2jRRO1KfubfU1o/s1600/IMG_3002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi8ihaqgipoaSyZeLPMEH1Io3NDvgnRPrTbo0SGTxpBejjEdV-F76awKwV_QMyO8d8AllXBmlRCZrFRlv1RyvNGOU05El-_rmL3hY_7wtnqjJwmGu39hV8MkKxKDJbP2jRRO1KfubfU1o/s320/IMG_3002.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the farm</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgyZuP7eXLE2obb4nfbCbr9YoNXbecTjDpHnIqmZMWcPUMIZjpbBd4uAHSgcPgmQyuTjbuVwZSvf90p7R0ZEFJHq50hd7PETTPJYPmkgp0nOzE8q3vrghW8NZ_Va6ZFXAVTigObcvHAw4/s1600/IMG_3004+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgyZuP7eXLE2obb4nfbCbr9YoNXbecTjDpHnIqmZMWcPUMIZjpbBd4uAHSgcPgmQyuTjbuVwZSvf90p7R0ZEFJHq50hd7PETTPJYPmkgp0nOzE8q3vrghW8NZ_Va6ZFXAVTigObcvHAw4/s320/IMG_3004+-+Copy.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">North Dakota winter </td></tr>
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Now, as we are getting to the end of January, we are back in the swing of things. The only new adventure in our horizon is that I start teaching my quilting class in less than 2 weeks. It's only one night a week for 4 weeks, so it should be a nice, fun break for me! </div>
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It doesn't seem like a lot, but it sure kept me busy. We continue to walk in Christ's footsteps and grow as a family and as Christians. God has provided for us and blessed us immensely. We are so thankful.<br />
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How have you been staying busy??</div>
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Blessings,</div>
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08972638291154245443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2049803532247363925.post-58613219031497314042012-11-07T22:50:00.000-06:002017-09-02T12:49:03.097-05:00Why We Chose to Homeschool<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY_GSgfCpn7Pdrf_ItZTl6NVCYVVdDymXhcyzFl2ejo4tikISPgIAXdF81flwdL7OwYztq9Or3u-3gWs8YevoJ46S9atMCp3MTMY9foAKssjN8gZKsUl6W1k0-U4AS9icabDIo6O36wCs/s1600/photo+(85).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY_GSgfCpn7Pdrf_ItZTl6NVCYVVdDymXhcyzFl2ejo4tikISPgIAXdF81flwdL7OwYztq9Or3u-3gWs8YevoJ46S9atMCp3MTMY9foAKssjN8gZKsUl6W1k0-U4AS9icabDIo6O36wCs/s1600/photo+(85).JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My homeschool book bins for Jman<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> and BG</span></td></tr>
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When I tell someone we homeschool our children, there is usually a list of questions to follow. I've had a few people ask me why we chose to homeschool, and I'm going to share that answer with you.<br />
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First off, I'll start with my husband's and my education background. I grew up going to public schools my entire life. I enjoyed school, in fact, I loved high school and college. I had a great experience. My husband went to public schools as well, except for Seminary and his other graduate classes, in which he attended a private Christian school. He would say he enjoyed his schooling. </div>
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We first started talking about homeschooling after hearing stories from friends that were teachers, and other people that were still in high school. They would talk about kids doing drugs in class, having alcohol in water bottles, the lack of motivation and respect in classrooms, as well as the lack of knowledge one would think kids would know in high school. We do realize that these could be one time incidents, but the fact that they even happened in public and private schools raised flags on our radar. </div>
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I was still not convinced about homeschooling; my husband was more for the idea than me, until I did some volunteer time at an elementary school in a Title I classroom in north Minneapolis. North Minneapolis is not one of the nicer neighborhoods in Minneapolis. The school was in a low-income neighborhood and would be considered a rough neighborhood. The children I helped were way behind in their reading. It was a daunting job. The regular classrooms had over 30 kids in them, and the teachers were not able to spend quality time teaching each subject to each child. This caused many problems for kids that couldn't keep up or learned in a different way than what was being taught. The kids were also sent home with massive amounts of homework. I couldn't believe the size of the 1st and 2nd graders backpacks! I don't remember having a lot of homework that required taking textbooks home. After finishing up my volunteer time at that school, I felt more called to homeschooling than ever before. I do believe God placed me there to feel compassion for those children, pray for them and work on guiding my heart towards homeschooling.</div>
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The main reason for our family deciding to homeschool is our values. Nate and I both decided that we want our children to be filled with Christian values as their hearts and characters are being developed. I am always amazed at how much they pick up from listening to others speak and watching others interact. They are little sponges and I want them soaking up Godly virtues. There was a <u><i><b>first grade</b></i></u> teacher in Minneapolis that was openly conversing with his students about his homosexual relationship. After hearing this, I knew that I didn't want someone else responsible for my children's education.</div>
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We also want our children to get the attention and help they need, when they need it. I am able to pick up right away when they are having difficulties or getting frustrated. This will help in the long run, making school enjoyable now and nurturing a love for learning.<br />
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As an added bonus, we like having the flexibility to take family vacations when we want to, and use them as specific learning experiences. There is always a time to learn.<br />
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We feel so blessed to have the opportunity and freedom to school our children from home. It is so awesome to watch the "light bulb" go on as it clicks in their minds, a privilege really. It is an adventure, with ups and downs, excitements and disappointments, but always with an atmosphere of love. <br />
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Blessings,<br />
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08972638291154245443noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2049803532247363925.post-41051479901645448132012-10-22T16:38:00.000-05:002012-10-22T16:38:22.836-05:00My Own T-Shirt QuiltI finally finished my own t-shirt quilt and I am very pleased with how it turned out. This is my first ever quilting project done for myself. I have lots of ideas planned for myself, they just aren't in the works yet.<br />
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It took me longer than I thought to hand stitch the binding, but it is my own fault for letting it just sit on my sewing table!<br />
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I machine quilted in the ditch, down each column and along each row. Then, I free sewed a little flower close to each corner, following the pattern on the orange material from the front. </div>
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Now that I've finished my quilt, there is little time to enjoy it. I need to get back to my sister's t-shirt quilt and finish it up, before her birthday in December. One would think I'd get it done by then, with ample time to spare, but I can be the first to assure you that life happens!</div>
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Blessings,</div>
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08972638291154245443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2049803532247363925.post-74188567479819673852012-10-04T15:42:00.004-05:002012-10-04T15:42:46.736-05:00Chai Tea Latte Recipe<br />
This is my FAVORITE!<br />
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1 c nonfat dry milk powder<br />
1 c powdered non-dairy creamer<br />
1 c French Vanilla flavored powdered non-dairy creamer<br />
2 1/2 c white sugar<br />
1 1/2 c unsweetened instant tea<br />
2 tsp ground ginger<br />
2 tsp ground cinnamon<br />
1 tsp ground cloves<br />
1 tsp ground cardamom<br />
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Optional: Spice it up more with 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp allspice, and 1/4 tsp white pepper.<br />
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1. In a large bowl, combine the milk powder, creamers, sugar and instant tea. Stir in spices. <br />
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2. In a blender or food processor, blend 1 cup at a time, until it's a fine powder.<br />
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Above is a double recipe.</div>
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3. To serve, stir 2 tbsp Chai mix into a cup of hot water.<br />
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Makes about 36 servings.<br />
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If you can buy cardamom in the shell, in bulk, and then grind it yourself, it is <u>MUCH</u> cheaper than buying it already ground. Look around for it. In MN, I found it in the ethnic food section of our local grocery store, in the bulk bags. I have yet to find it in bulk down here in TX. I'm still searching!!<br />
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Blessings,<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08972638291154245443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2049803532247363925.post-85159750050961199972012-10-04T00:10:00.000-05:002017-09-02T12:52:24.581-05:00Bugs!!!We have had lots of fun this week and last week working on bugs! We should have been done by now, but we have been struck with illness and took a couple of days off. We are finally on the mend with the help of antibiotics, an inhaler and some cough medicine.<br />
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My kids like bugs if they are not crawling on them or biting them. Learning about them has helped alleviate some of their concern. I know they love butterflies, so I eased them in to the topic with an enjoyable bug. I ordered some Painted Lady butterfly caterpillars from Insect Lore and watched them grow, become cocoons and emerge as butterflies. My kids LOVE them. Jman keeps telling me he has new best friends. Funny boy! <br />
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We bought some fresh cut flowers to put in their garden. Which has turned into the boys telling <u>every</u> checkout person, regardless of where we are, that we have butterflies and they love flowers. Super cute! </div>
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We had one butterfly perish. We took it out and examined it. It was good for them to see the wings, legs and antennae up close. There is always a teaching moment!</div>
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My curriculum this week is the Bug Pack printed from <a href="http://www.3dinosaurs.com/printables/packs/bug.php" target="_blank">3 Dinosaurs</a>. My boys have been enjoying it a lot, especially all of the puzzles. BG, my 3 year old, has benefited a lot from all of the copy pages, tracing, coloring, counting and cutting pages. His handwriting is amazing and he loves school time. I've been collecting a lot of random pages to go with each theme I've planned, but I got most of my bug pages from this particular website. </div>
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That's our school week in a quick nutshell!</div>
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Blessings,</div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="https://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/192/3DE06E4CD1A402D93D4355E057643EC9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08972638291154245443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2049803532247363925.post-12282843907785700372012-09-26T11:16:00.000-05:002012-09-26T11:16:02.804-05:00Fair DayLast Wednesday, we went to the Four States Fair and Rodeo. It was Kids' Day, which meant free parking, free admission, free ice cream, bouncers, rodeo demo, petting zoo, cow milking and lots of fun! Did I mention it was free??<br />
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We started by going to a rodeo demo, which was very cool. My kids loved it! They had bull riding, barrel racing, bareback riding and cow roping. They loved the bulls and broncos, but were a little nervous when they came RIGHT by the railing in front of us. <br />
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Petting Zoo. We went through 3 times. The workers knew us by the end of the day!<br />
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The boys finally coaxed this little calf over the 3rd time through. They kept their arms stretched out until he came over. It was pretty cute.</div>
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We got to watch a cow get milked with an electric pump. The guy explaining the process was talking to a bunch of young elementary school students and talked for a LONG time. He kept telling the kids to be quiet and calm so they wouldn't spook the cow. Yet, he was the one yelling into the microphone, "Hey! Listen!" and "Look at me! We're almost done!" It was a little ridiculous. My boys did awesome sitting still. They were not the ones he was yelling at.<br />
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Afterwards, they got to try milking a fake cow. I got down and tried it as well. The lady supervising the activity liked my milking. "That's the way you do it!"<br />
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We had a picnic lunch and finished the day walking around, seeing the rest of the exhibits. It was a fun day! After we got home, the boys made the executive decision that we need a cow, a horse, 2 ducks, 3 chickens and a dog. We better get a bigger yard!</div>
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Blessings,</div>
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08972638291154245443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2049803532247363925.post-37214588090797672962012-09-21T13:49:00.000-05:002017-09-02T12:54:28.023-05:00Ashley's Quilt<script charset="utf-8" src="https://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?rt=tf_mfw&ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822/US/adveinthehear-20/8001/57f4fc50-43dd-4b40-bdb7-ae8ef98c58b0" type="text/javascript"> </script> <noscript><a HREF="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?rt=tf_mfw&ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fadveinthehear-20%2F8001%2F57f4fc50-43dd-4b40-bdb7-ae8ef98c58b0&Operation=NoScript">Amazon.com Widgets</A></noscript>
I've been working on Ashley's quilt and finally have the t-shirts pieced together. It doesn't take that long, really. The hard part is picking out the material for the rest of the quilt. It has been especially hard this time around, because I can't go to the store with Ash. We're doing it via pictures, which don't always portray the colors just right. But with a little help from BG and Jman, we have picked out the material! (Those pictures will be for a future update when I have actually sewed them onto the quilt.)<br />
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In the process of cutting out t-shirts.</div>
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My stack of shirts.</div>
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I separate the shirts into a white pile and a colored pile. I then begin laying out the quilt top.</div>
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This is a picture taken during the sewing process. I wanted to know what Ash thought of the size. It was imperative that BG and I try it out to give her a size comparison. :)</div>
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The quilt top finally sewn together. The border is the next thing on the list. So far, I love how it looks and the boys think it's great too. It's always hard to send them once they are done. The boys think it would look better in their beds...but it isn't hard to persuade them that uncle Nick or Auntie Ash would like the quilt just as much. Their kind hearts want to send the quilt the minute they realize this. </div>
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I'm hoping to get her quilt finished in the next week. I got a little side tracked starting my own quilt (which is almost done now!) That is for next week! </div>
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Blessings,</div>
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08972638291154245443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2049803532247363925.post-69516784080061689252012-09-20T08:45:00.001-05:002012-09-20T08:45:56.430-05:00Healthy ChallengeMy hubby and I decided to get back into shape. We aren't horribly out of shape, but there is always room for improvement. We've made the decision to start a weight loss challenge and got a couple of other people involved to keep us all accountable. Let me tell you, it is tough work, but worth it when you start to see results.<br />
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Our goal is to lose a certain percentage of body weight by Christmas. My goal is 4% and Nate's goal is 10%. We have started working out diligently on a regular basis and eating healthier, smaller portion sizes. To be honest, we do not eat a lot of junk food. I just don't buy it. But knowing that I can't have sweets now, makes it that more appealing. Funny how it works that way.
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THIS is what I see every morning when I am getting ready. So everytime I walk by it, I try to do a pull up. Yuck. But I am definitely able to do "more" now than when I started 2 weeks ago!<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">We are using Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred and No More Trouble Zones DVDs. To say the least, she definitely gets you working!</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">I also really enjoy Leslie Sansone's Walk Away The Pounds workouts. Low impact aerobics are what I need when my knees are giving me a hard time. Leslie has a great website and blog with workout plans and recipes. The website is: </span><a href="http://www.walkathome.com/sansone/welcome-to-the-10-day-walk-your-waistline-healthy-challenge/">http://www.walkathome.com/sansone/welcome-to-the-10-day-walk-your-waistline-healthy-challenge/</a> I like her meal plans to get an idea of how much I should be eating a day. Snacking is one of my weaknesses.</div>
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Patience and perseverance will help us accomplish our goals. Nate and I want to be healthy and active for many years to come and teach our children that eating healthy and exercising is important. There is no time like the present!</div>
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"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. </div>
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Blessings!</div>
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08972638291154245443noreply@blogger.com0