Cowgirl and Indians

Active Learning

We do a lot of active learning around here, both because the kids don't sit still and its fun! Here are some of our recent hands-on learning.

We read a magazine article in Kids World News (a great resource that brings current events down to kid level and Biblical perspective) about Cash for Clunkers and gasoline and alternative fuels. Sam got out his remote control car and had to drive it all over the house to letters I laid out. He then had to name the letter and sound. Eli had to be corralled during this b/c he was like Godzilla attacking the car!

On Columbus Day (a little late, I know) we read about him, emphasizing that he felt he was a missionary. We also read a few of his prayers from his journal and the prayer they prayed at land. Then we got out a pan of water, three boats, and straws. Sam and Cora blew the boats all around. Again, Eli had to be taken elsewhere before an Eli hurricane drowned the Nine, Pinta, and Santa Maria.

The kids have been interested lately in cowboys and indians (yes, we are politically incorrect at this time). We got library books and read fiction and non-fiction stories. Then Sam chose to be an Indian for Halloween. We made his vest from scrap leather (one for Eli too). Then Sam went to the chicken house to pick out the nicest feathers for a headdress. A little paint on the face, and he was ready to go! He was very proud to make his costume. Cora, of course, was a cowgirl!

Each year we pack a shoe box for Operation Christmas child, and this year Sam helped. He and I shopped for items for another little boy, and everyone knows that is hard for a 5 year old!We counted the items, and made sure we included a little of everything. We watched videos showing how the boxes go all over the world. And we will pray for the child receiving our box until Christmas. Hopefully, through email they will let us know what country our box goes to also.

Homeschooling is such a blessing! Last week at our home school meeting someone said that the room full of families was a testament to many answered prayers. I had forgotten that for many years I prayed that we would be able to homeschool. God indeed answered my prayer, and I want to thank Him for it often.

Me v. Them

This week has been a breakthrough for me. I realized that I have been starting every day on opposing teams as my kids, from the time I heard little feet coming down the fall. I felt like I had my agenda and their goal was to mess it up. We were fighting on the front lines everywhere...the bathroom, breakfast choices, clothes, toys. By noon I was defeated and resented the kids. I was NO fun, and they were suffering.

As soon as I really realized my bad attitude, I repented and prayed for the kids. Prayed specifically for each of them and my interactions with them. This is another area I was slacking. This week has been so much better. We actually haven't gotten a lot of school work done this week, for a variety of reasons. However, I think our hearts are in much better shape this week, and thats the most important thing.

Sam has recently been learning the fruits of the Spirit, which is great because I get to learn them too. I missed out on a lot of Bible learning growing up, so now I get to do it with him. We recite the fruits of the Spirit each day, and now when I say them I think of specific ways to show each fruit to my kids.

I am so glad God is forgiving and so are kids. My agenda has been changed to put them first, afterall they are my "job". And I love being home with them each day, even if we still have moments on opposing sides. I think all moms get in a rut now and then, right?

Sam is likely going to ride a horse for future 4-H next year at the fair. A neighbor that loves horses has offered to take him under her wing. He really enjoyed his first ride. He rode a pony named Nickelfritz. Although I must say Cora was the biggest fan and the pony liked her hair.

That brings me to another tale...Cora cut her own hair for the first time. Actually, she evened it up from the time dad cut gum out! Note: Its better to get gum out with butter.

I have lots of cute pictures of the kids, including Eli in a red cowboy hat (he wears it all over the house and brings us boots to put on his feet even though he can't walk in them) and going on his first hay ride. We also got shots playing in leaves, carving pumpkins, and riding horses. However, my computer takes 10 minutes to load one photo...so it'll have to wait!

My apologies...

...to the chickens. As it turns out, Mr. Possum was the one who was breaking all those eggs. Josh saw him in the chicken house last Saturday night, Sam set the trap Sunday, and the following morning there he was. The bait? Egg of course. Now if only the fox in our neighborhood would stop eating the chickens, a much bigger problem. That fox had better watch his step...never know when a trap will be waiting for him.

BTW, possums always look cute in kids story books, but actually they are hideous. Cora just stared at it wide eyed as it hissed at us. I think it scared her because she wouldn't go in the chicken house for a few days.

Meat on the Table

Last weekend Josh shot a big doe with his bow and arrow here on the farm. He was only in the woods 30 minutes before this beauty came by! Sam wasn't home, but Cora couldn't wait to go see it, and Eli is always ready for a Gator ride in the woods. Cora said she was going to help daddy and get blood on her, but when she got up close to the deer she wasn't so sure.

I was not raised in a hunting family, probably because we had enough animals on the farm and didn't need to go looking for meat. Josh's family loves to hunt though, and it really is exciting when they all get together and plan for the season. I look forward to the kids learning this tradition as well as learning about forestry, wildlife, and conservation.

In other news...

• We recently had a yard sale where I teared up to see my baby's clothes going out the door. I am happy to have empty totes and shelf space though.


• At the homeschool group meeting last week, Sam had fun with his new friends while they learned about Indiana. And I REALLY enjoyed getting to know the other moms more.


• Our chickens have a BAD habit of eating the eggs!!! Unless we pick them up early afternoon, they are gone.


• We had a cook-out in honor of our niece, Braylynn, who was stillborn two years ago. This was her angelversary. It is amazing how her short life inside her mama changed our family. We value each other more, and cherish times spent together. We also know we have a very special little girl we don't get to meet until heaven. I took the kids to her grave where we talked about her, life, death, and heaven. I could see in Sam's eyes that heaven was becoming more real to him...another blessing from Braylynn.


• We had a revival at church this weekend, and it was a blessings. I only got to hear one sermon (Eli is anti-nursery) and it was titled, "No mercy, No marriage". Sure got me to thinking, who better to minister to than my husband?


• Speaking of the nursery, Eli does NOT like it. And I have to say that though I get tired of being in there, I really love all the little ones so its kinda fun. Also, a secret part of me LOVES that Eli wants us. He can be a demanding baby, but he's mine! Also, he has become quite the daddy's boy. Daddy is his favorite word and I hear it many times a day, especially if he sees anything belonging to Josh or a photo or if the kids say daddy or if the phone rings...you get the picture. As soon as Josh is home Eli is on him, and Josh loves it! What a difference a year can make. This time last year we were still on the waiting list.

Overheard

Overheard by the cow pasture,

Cora to cow: Come here. It's okay, don't be afraid. I'm not a power ranger, I'm just a girl.

Overheard in the kitchen,

Sam to Cora: Hey, Cora, lets put towels in our undies and be sumo wrestlers.

(Note: There are no pictures of the sumo wrestlers because I'm too busy washing all my dish towels!)

Johnny Appleseed

September has flown by! Eli is a full fledged walker now, and its so cute...even if means my baby is growing up. He holds his hands up in the air to balance himself, unless he has a sippy cup in his hand, which he won't put down even when he falls. He also loves to give kisses with big lip smacks. His personality is really coming out, and I think after 6 months home I can say we are all 100% adjusted.

Cora has taken up two professions: cowgirl and dancer. She LOVES to dress up, especially shoes. Last night she said a long prayer before bed, and we couldn't understand a word of it as she mumbled, but we heard Jesus a couple times. I had to smile thinking God knew exactly what she was saying to him.

Sam is enjoying school most of the time. I have to be excited and creative to keep him interested. Many nights after they go to bed I am up making plans for the next day...I really feel like I have a new job! Last week we had our first group study with the homeschool group. We are doing a study about Indiana, with each mom taking turns teaching different topics each week. At the end we are taking a field trip to Corydon, the first state capital.

Nana and Papaw are at Yellowstone right now, so we've been looking at US maps and learning about the animals they are seeing. Its neat how topics come up, such as this, and we can use it for many subjects. It really helps him learn if he's actually interested in the topic. Today we are going to measure length and weight of moose antlers and try to walk with something similar on our head, paint moose using our hand prints as antlers, discuss Indian names (which the word moose comes from), pollute a bucket of water to see how it hurts animal habitats, and read a fiction and non-fiction moose book. Now maybe next time Nana and Papaw will take us along:)

Here is Sam as Johnny Appleseed. After our visit to the apple orchard we did many activities with apples, and Sam really liked the Johnny Appleseed books so he dressed up and took the seeds from the apples we ate and planted them around our yard!