vacation

This week we took a vacation. The first time in 8 years of marriage that we could say we were taking a family vacation without it involving moving a certain family member across the States. But this time we didn't travel that far. Tim has a fascination with southern Missouri hills so we took off. I was even able to incorporate some learning field trip time for school. Monday evening we rented a cabin on Table Rock Lake. The view is beautiful and the water is clear unlike our muddy river and lakes. I really enjoy landscape photos so I took pictures with my camera hoping to they would be good enough to hang on my wall.

The evening we arrive at our cabin we went walked down to the lake to take pictures and so Tim and Makayla could get some fishing time in.

The next morning, Ruben woke us up at 5:30 so we drove down to the lake for another view, but I forgot my camera. The fog sat very thick on top the lake and made it very beautiful.

Tim or I capture this picture about 8 am as we were leaving the cabin for our next destination. You can't see the beauty of the fog in this picture as well.

Our first stop for the day was the Conservation trout fishery by the dam that dumps water from Table Rock Lake into Lake Taneycomo in Branson. Here Makayla learned about different turtles, birds and snakes aside from feeding trout as part of her field trip.

Lake Taneycomo just before all the fog lifted. Again I forgot my camera and missed the heavier fog.

Then we moved on down to the Branson strip. I didn't take any pictures. Honestly, Branson nothing more the a blown up version of the strip at the Lake. There were I few things I would have gone to if planned like the Dick Clark Museum and the Oakridge Boys because they were comfort things from my childhood. From there we headed west towards West Plains. I felt sick almost all day from driving in the hills. We took a rest at Bull Shoals Lake just outside of Theodosia. There was a nice resort and camping area there right off the lake. We didn't stay more than an hour, but I would recommend it for a weekend.

Tim and Makayla down by the shore at Bull Shoals.

This is one of my favorite pictures. The clouds may look a little scary because of the sepia, but the skies were blue and the clouds were white and fluffy.

We came upon this rainbow somewhere in the hills between Gainesville and West Plains just before entering into rain.

This trip gave me an opportunity to review rainbows, fogs and clouds with Makayla. We stopped in West Plains for the night and continued back north on Wednesday. Eventually we found ourselves eating lunch at Ha Ha Tonka state park outside of Camdenton. Here Tim was able to teach Makayla about caves, springs and sink holes.

Tim and Makayla fishing the Lake of the Ozarks at Ha Ha Tonka.

Natural cave spring at Ha Ha Tonka.

From there we ventured home traveling the back side of the Lake of the Ozarks, and discovered some Amish country.

A thought came to me while traveling. I don't like to journal so I may not put my thoughts into practice, but it's an idea for others. I recall listening to my parents talk with other relatives about vacations and not being able to remember who all was present. I was thinking that creating a timeline would be helpful for my children. I could record the dates, places and events that we venture to with our children so when they get older they will know where they've been, and it may even help them keep their memories of where they went if we review the timeline every so often.

oops...still practicing

This time I gave Makayla a new haircut style instead of just a trim. It looks nothing like I was going for, but it still looks nice. Makayla really likes it because her hair is off her neck. I think it is good because she is getting old enough to start learning how manage and take care of her own hair, and short is simple. Maybe by next Spring it will grow out enough for me to try the cut I actually wanted.

beautiful missouri day

Genesis 1

11 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree

that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so.

12 And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the

tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was

good.

13 So the evening and the morning were the third day.

Today is the first beautiful day we have had in some time. It was only about 50 degrees outside at 8 am. Our widows are open and we are enjoying the fresh air. This weather energizes me to clean and organize. I am getting a lot done inside while Tim is outside cutting down limbs and playing with fire...men like to do that for some reason.

Summer is coming to an end, and fall is moving in. I didn't used to think much about fall because I get cold easily, but as an adult you seem to look at things from a very different perspective. The cool breeze, the pretty leaves, apple cider, fall festivals... I could go on and on. The downside is that the sun goes down earlier. The sunlight makes me happy. Without it, I get depressed easily...and I'm afraid of the dark.

Also, Makayla's homeschool material, My Father's World, uses a different topic for each lesson (i.e. sun, leaf, apple) These all fall right in the season so we can go outside and explore these topics.

help for new homeschoolers

It is hard for new homeschoolers to get started. I have had some great help from others, and feel it's important to share with others.

1. Your state web site should have guidelines, but mine weren't explanatory enough for me.
2. I attended a homeschooling conference about 2 months ago. See my post on homschooling. Even though it was still somewhat confusing when I left, I came home with more information about curriculum than I ever needed, and I had a lot more confidence.
3. I have been asking a lot of questions from those who have been homeschooling for a few years or so. These people are the walking knowledge homeschooling. There is no better place to find out how to get started, and they love to help because they are passionate about homeschooling. The following are some links I have acquired from them.

• The Home School Legal Defense Association is packed with information. I found a useful article about contacting your school system here. Take a look, especially Elizabeth...this site falls under your research analysis. http://www.hslda.org/ads.asp
• Vegsource.com is where I bought my first used cirriculum: http://vegsource.com/homeschool/
• DonnaYoung.org provides you with useful forms such as calendars, logging, lessons plans, etc. http://www.donnayoung.org/

socialized homeschooling

While starting my first weeks in homeschooling Makayla and trying to figure it out, I fear that I will not be able to teach Makayla her reading and math well enough. I was driving by the school parking lot Monday evening while all the families were at Back to School Night. I felt numb. Am I doing the right thing? Then I remember we don’t have to do what everyone else is doing. Romans 12:2 reads “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God”. God has put it in our hearts to homeschool. Acts 5:29 reads …”we ought to obey God rather than man.” My life has flourished so much since I started obeying God, but that’s for another post.

Surprisingly, the only negative thing people can seem to say about it is “socialization”. Let’s start with me for example. I spent all my schooling in public or private schools outside the home. At age 20, my socialization skills were very low. School outside the home did nothing for me. I could not concentrate and many times was not interested in the teaching because I was too busy dealing with peer pressure from other students and the teacher…yes, the teacher. Teacher’s can be quite harsh and single out the students they favor leaving the other’s unnoticed or picking on the student’s they don’t like. I spent so much time worrying about being picked on or wanting to fit in, it was ridiculous.

Why do we want to send our kids to a place where we have to work backwards to teach our children morals, values and truth? Kids pick up so much from other kids and teachers. The main learning source should start in the home and then taken out from there. How can I expect my children to follow my lead if they are spending most of their time in the school without me? I am still battling with Makayla that Santa Clause is not real because her teacher, babysitter and other kids say he exists.

Socialization starts in the home. Over the summer, my relationship with Makayla has grown tremendously. Even though I was home during the later part of her school year, we still dealt with misbehaving issues. I felt like I was working on someone else’s time clock...getting her to school, picking her up and trying to stay tuned in what was going on in her life while she was away. Makayla now listens to me well. We communicate, she does what she’s told, and we have quality time together all because she is not off to school everyday where she picks up bad habits from others and bring their attitudes home. Now my children will pick up MY attitude. So now it all relies on my shoulders to be the good example for my children’s socialization skills. Children pick up things from the one’s they are around the most.

According to Wikipedia.org, the term socialization is used by sociologists, social psychologists and educationalists to refer to the process of learning one’s culture and how to live within it. For the individual it provides the resources necessary for acting and participating within their society. For the society, inducting all individual members into its moral norms, attitudes, values, motives, social roles, language and symbols is the ‘means by which social and cultural continuity are attained’ (Clausen 1968: 5).

Culture starts in the home, which are attained in everyday activities and errands. I take my children with me to the store, church, family outings, extended family gathers, etc. My children get plenty of outside contact with other’s. It’s the immediate family who should be putting the most influence on kids.

I hope I have encouraged other’s out there like me, who are new to homeschooling and wonder sometimes if they are doing the right thing. As Christians, we may be “in the world” but we are not “of the world”.

LewRockwell.com has a good article on "Homeschooling and the Myth of Socialization".

I will post more updates on homeschooling later. This topic on homeschooling has been weighing on my mind lately.

quilt my grandma made us

bargains & quilts

Saturday, we went to visit my sister. We took the long way and stopped by the Amish store. I love that place! You can get almost everything you need there, and the price is right. I have been putting off buying orange peel from Walmart because it cost over $5. I got more quantity from the Dutch Bakery than I would have at Walmart for a much lower price. I also purchased lemon peel, dry mustard, white and yellow powdered cheese sauce, and wheat germ. Tim found some good knifes he can use for his wood carving, and Makayla chose some chocolate covered raisins for her treat. Something for everyone :) If we were settled in our own place, I could have used so many things from there for my frugal cooking and baking. In another direction from where we live, there is an Amish community that I have never been to before. There is supposed to be several stores with food, quilts, furniture, etc. I hope to venture that way next.

Speaking of quilts, I broke out my old quilt my grandma made for us when we first got married. It's still in perfect condition since I didn't use it very long before we converted to a king size bed. Tim and I were tired of waking up with very stiff backs so we decided to purchase a new bed Sunday. I have been wanting a new look on my bed, but not willing to fork out the funds for it. Since we downsized to a queen I am able to get that new look again. My grandma originally made the quilt for a full size bed, but it fits my new queen perfectly. On the downside, the main color is hunter green, which is the color I chose 8 years ago when it was "the color". I don't care for hunter green, but the quilt really gives a new look aside from the old comforter. Maybe I will post a picture soon. It almost inspires me to make my own quilt. I pieced together the top layer of a lap blanket 4 years ago. It's on my "finish projects" list once we get settled.

frugal birthday present

I think I have a new hobby...making bags, purses, etc. out of outgrown, damaged and unwanted clothing. The picture below is a hand bag made from Makayla's old shirt for Sophia. It's not pink and frilly, but I think she likes it.

This shirt tied around the neck. I turned the shirt inside out and sewed along the bottom to close it up. I tied knots in the strings because they were coming unraveled, and it actually gave it an extra design. I then sewed the straps along the top of the back of the shirt to create handles.

pretzels

Holli complained to me that her mom never uses her bread machine so this morning I asked her if she wanted to make cinnamon rolls or pretzels. I never made pretzels before, but we gave it a try. Although I was thinking of traditional pretzel twist, the girls had other creative pretzels in mind. The pretzels came out a little hard. I have been wondering how to make breads with a soft outer crust. It came to me today that maybe if I lower my oven temperature and bake longer the outside of my bread will be softer. Does anyone know if this is correct?

traveling food

Ahhh, I stepped on my scale this morning to find that I have gained 5 pounds! Tim and I have been traveling lately trying to find that perfect little town for us to move to. We are ready for our move, but we are waiting for God to open that door. Anyhow, as a result we have been eating a lot of fast food. Somehow, I believe that I can start eat whatever and nothing changes...WRONG. I tend to eat more when I am traveling. I guess I will have to downsize to kids meals and pack healthy snacks like: carrots, cheese sticks and fruit. Not to mention, Holli brought a big container of no bake cookies to my house this week.