It was a busy week.† We stayed in the first of the week because it was so cold.
Kei learned about Canines, the Phoenicians, diagrammed sentences, did lots of reading, lots of writing activities, did our Jesse Tree everyday.† We found some really cool sites about genes and DNA.† Here and here.
Kei did some really cool crafts this week too.
She made a Christmas tree with yarn and a Styrofoam cone I found HERE. Kei has so much yarn from her knitting that it was a perfect craft for her.
Putting the Yarn on..The Yarn Tree..
She also made some felt animals.† She got the idea from one of my favorite bloggers, Helena.† She has made owls, 2 mice, an elephant, and a music note.† She loves making these so I see lots of new little friends in her future.
Cutting the Felt..
We went to Livvy’s church to see her live manger scene.† Livvy was an angel.
Kei and Livvy
We went to see Nutcracker on Ice on Friday.† It was the first show we have ever seen performed on ice in person.† It was beautiful and we both really enjoyed it.† I have always hated Nutcrackers.† Their strange smiles have always freaked me out.
NutcrackerNutcracker 2
We had decided to get a real tree this year but last night Kei decided the little artificial one would suffice this year.† She put it up all by herself!† She did a great job.† I have so many ornaments from over the years but she only put on the ones she deemed ‘cool’.
Putting on the Ornaments...The Angel
We had to turn off the lights, put on Christmas music and eat a chocolate truffle as we turned on the lights.† It was beautiful. 🙂
The Tree..
I can’t believe it is almost Christmas.† I finally did some online Christmas shopping for Kei last night.† We are having a very small Christmas this year.† I am laid off from the end of November to mid January.† Money is tight, but love is flowing.
Happy weekend,
The manner of giving is worth more than the gift.† ~Pierre Corneille, Le Menteur
Thursday we went to the Story-Telling Festival in Athens.† It was so great.† We both love story tellers and it is quickly becoming a lost art.
A Good Story...
Kei made Halloween outfits for some of her Webkinz.† She did a great job!
Hedwig the HippieHenrietta the Flower and Leo the BeeLeo the Bee, Henrietta the Flower, Shanti the Witch, Magic the Princess, Mushmellow the Angel, Lietus as Mother Nature, Hedwig the Hippie
Thursday night we went to my sister-in-laws school Fall Festival.† Kei and I had a blast.
Disco Walk...
I work from home.† My boss has been in Atlanta filming Last Valentine.† He surprised Kei and I by stopping by on the way to LA.† It was so great to see him.† He is an awesome boss.† We took him to Cracker Barrel and he was amazed by how much food they brought us.† 🙂
Ka, Kei and Stan
Halloween afternoon my brother called and told us that my nephew had been attacked by wild dogs.† We went to the ER and saw him.† He ended up with 32 stitches!† I felt so angry and sad.† I can’t believe people let big dogs run wild.† Seth had a pocket knife and fended them off with that!
Poor baby...
This is my brother’s scarecrow.† Isn’t it awesome?
Kei and the Scarecrow
Kei carved the pumpkin Halloween afternoon.† I don’t do carving.† If you know me you understand why.
Working on the PumpkinKei and the Knife....
Nomad was a pirate.† For about 10 minutes.
Nomad the Pirate Matey...
Halloween night we went trick or treating with our friends.† Kei was a punk, black cat.† She looked awesome!
Kei the CatPunk CatKei
We went over to Gina’s and then to Cathy’s neighborhood to trick or treat.
The Crew...Kei and MichaelKei and Ben trading candy...Kid's at Cathy's
Except for Seth, it was a great week.† Today is November 1st.† I can’t wait to see what great adventures lie ahead for this month!
Be blessed,
“Two sounds of autumn are unmistakable, the hurrying rustle of crisp leaves blown
along the street or road by a gusty wind, and the gabble of a flock of migrating geese.
Both are warnings of chill days ahead, fireside and topcoat weather.” ~ † Hal Borland
It has been a great week.† After the busyness of the last 2 weeks we just relaxed at home for the most part.
I had seen this really cool project that Kei wanted to try.† I didn’t have exactly the right material but that has never stopped me before!† It would have done better with 100% cotton because Kei’s† hammering knocked holes in the material.
Placing the materials...Hammering Away...Finished Project with a few Holes...
We love Halloween and Kei got into the Halloween spirit this week.
Vampire KeiCountess Dracula...
We went to the Halloween Store so she could pick out her costume.† This year she wanted to ‘be something really Evil.”
EEP!....
She found something that she like and while I don’t want to give it away here she did practice with a little makeup when we got home.
Meow!...
She just can’t do evil. 🙂
She found a really cool feather this week which she called The Yin Yang feather.
Yin Yang...
And made her hammock swing into a hammock ‘chair’ swing which she has always wanted.
Ingenious!
Somehow we have become the co-owner to ANOTHER dog.† He is a beautiful Golden Retriever that lives next door but digs under the fence to our house daily.
Dog 1 and Dog 2...
I am reading The Odyssey to Kei as our night time book.† We are both loving it but we are both mythological, fantasy kinda girls.† It is a children’s version but I am really enjoying it too.
Today we went swimming with HS friends at the indoor pool and afterward the kids decided to swing.
Just Swinging...
Livvy is spending the night with Kei and I am making Stone Soup. Yummy!
Happy weekend, Dreams surely are difficult, confusing, and not everything in them is brought to pass for mankind. For fleeting dreams have two gates: one is fashioned of horn and one of ivory. Those which pass through the one of sawn ivory are deceptive, bringing tidings which come to nought, but those which issue from the one of polished horn bring true results when a mortal sees them.† ~ Homer, The Odyssey
Kei went to K and 1st grade public school.† She loved it, had no problems, fit in, made great grades, blah blah.† I was Co-HomeRoom mom in K and HomeRoom Mom in 1st.
I had read about homeschooling since she was 4.† I had a folder full of great homeschool links and resources.† I thought I would love to do it but I was afraid.† I was not a certified teacher!† How could I possibly teach her?† Ok I could probably handle Dick and Jane and addition but what about Calculus, Chemistry, Physics????
So I left her in PS and tried to ignore the little niggling in the back of my head and the pinch in my heart each morning when I dropped her off.† K and 1st grade quickly sped past.
She started 2nd grade and my Homeschool Folder kept getting larger and larger.† I read more and more about homeschooling.† I didnít really know any homeschoolers except for ìmy sisterís best friend homeschoolsî kinda thing.
I was always one of those moms who hated school starting back.† I loved being with Kei.† We had a blast together.† 2nd grade started.† The first week I would ask her every afternoon, ìWhat did you do today?î and she would tell me she finished her work early and would help the other kids.† One of my favorite stories involved her helping this little girl with Math M&Mís.† They were supposed to put the colors into groups and count them but Kei said ìMommy she kept eating her M&Mís before we could count them!î† She was bored and not really happy with sitting quietly while the kids who took longer finished their work.
It was a Tuesday, her 2nd week of school.† I picked her up and said, ìSo how would you like to be homeschooled?î† She said, ìOh Please!! I would love it.î† Next day I withdrew her, found a cover school and the rest as they say is history.† My favorite homeschool saying, the one that has kept me sane at times is this:† ìYou only have to be ONE day smarter than your child.î
We just began our 4th year homeschooling.† I have never regretted it.† NOT FOR ONE SECOND.† Is it all smooth and calm and lovely?† Well of course not!† There are days I want to beat her, days she wants to beat me, but it is the best thing I have ever done.† The world is truly our classroom.
She is socialized [anyone who ever questions the socialization aspect does NOT know jack about Homeschooling], she has friends, she spends the night with people, they spend the night with her. †We get together with our immediate HS group at least once a week, sometimes more.† A huge bonus for me is that I have made amazing friends.† Keiís friends Moms are my best friends.† How cool is that?† How often does that happen?
Disclaimer* We aren't DOING every one of these, they are just available.
She loves being homeschooled.† I was thinking the other day that I have never heard one kid I know who is HSed† complaining about it.† They all love it.† They realize how incredibly lucky they are.† Kei hates running errands after 3:00.† She says she doesnít want people thinking she is a public school kid.† Now keep in mind, she loved PS, she just realizes that this life; this wonderful, wacky, fun, learning at its best life is wonderful!
Kei gets her ësubjectsí in.† It takes about 2 hours.† She doesnít mess around and I plan out pretty well each week.† Of course most weeks it never works out perfectly.† I mean what would you rather do, 20 Math problems or take an impromptu trip to a working farm?† But she gets all her Core subjects.
She also writes and performs plays with her dog, finger knits, has the coolest Webkinz rooms, explores nature, builds fairy houses, plays in her tree house, invents magical worlds and visits them via her tire swing, writes stories, writes songs, carries her tape recorder around and interviews almost every person she comes into contact with, plays her guitar, plays Wii, sews clothes for her Webkinz and dolls, blogs, swims in the summer, roller skates, ice skatesÖ.. you get the picture.† She has timeÖ..time to be 10, time to be little, time to visit every rabbit hole she finds, time to explore Godís world and all the glorious things in it.
Homeschooling isnít for everyone.† But for usÖit is as close to a perfect world as I have ever found.
Be blessed,
Bless me, what *do* they teach them at these schools?~ CS Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe
We celebrated the first day of Fall with a swim party!† Heather hosted us and yes, the kids swam.† Since the weather has been about 18∞ above normal it was perfect weather for it!† It was a great day with great friends.
Fall Swimming....Piano PlayersTalking and Eating!Silly Kids
There was a full moon last week and Kei and I went outside and howled at it.† What??? Doesn’t everyone do that???
*OooOwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
We went to Early Works Museum this week to see a presentation on Harriet Tubman and The Underground Railroad. † It was amazing! She did about a 45 minute One-Woman show.† Wow!
"Harriet Tubman"
Afterward they asked if any of the kids had questions.† Of course Kei was the 1st in line.† We studied The Civil War last year and learned so much about the Underground Railroad.† It was great to see it ‘come alive.’
Then they had different stations they went to to learn about slavery, womens right to vote, and more about The Underground Railroad.
Kei playing an instrumentRoles of Underground Railroad
It was a mix of PS and HS kids.† Of course our kids already had big plans for after the show.† They love Early Works and have some ongoing scenario going on where some of them are Colonial shopkeepers and some are Pirates.† Roles were already assigned long before we arrived.† I love our kids!† They couldn’t ‘free’ play until the PSers were loaded onto their buses.† Then it was on!
Old General Store
When the Pirates stole from the store, Kei was ready with her trusty Cast Iron Skillet.
Photo by Heather Woods
It was a great day!
We are learning about Ancient India in History.† We saw pictures and videos of the ancient city of Mahenjo Daro.† It was really interesting.† Kei used different materials to make bricks.† The bricks of the city of Mahenjo Daro are still standing.† I told Kei I doubted hers would last 1 week!
Dirt and Sand Bricks
We get a Science Newsletter from† Home Science Tools that has a “Question of the Month”.† Last month Kei sent in a question and she was picked as the winner!† She got a tin of Thinking Putty.† We love Thinking Putty.† It is the coolest thing.
Pretty Putty....
Also I made a comment on a blog about how I would love to teach Kei to knit but hadn’t a clue.† One of my favorite bloggers, AmiMental, saw my comment and sent me an email that she just happened to have a Klutz knitting book that her daughter didn’t use.† She told me that if I didn’t mind giving her our address she would send it to Kei.† Kei got it last week and was so excited.† Not only did she send the book but also yarn and the sweetest card.† Aren’t blog friends just great???† I have met so many online friends that I just adore.† Thanks again Ami. 😉
Box of Goodies...Happy Kei
A very good week indeed.
I can’t wait until next week when the weather is supposed to FINALLY get more Fallish!
“I love the fall. I love it because of the smells that you speak of; and also because things are dying, things that you don’t have to take care of anymore, and the grass stops growing.”
– Mark Van Doren
Wednesday night we had convergence at our church.† We don’t have enough room for all of us at our building so we go to The Princess Theater.† It was amazing as usual.† I love our church and it has made SUCH a difference in Kei and I’s life.† Truly.
Kei had gotten a new shirt/jacket that she had to wear.† I reminds me of a jacket I had in the 80’s!!† Wish I had kept things like that.
We started off having children’s dedications.† It was so sweet.† Kei and I participated in it a couple of years ago. Everyone in the entire place prayed for these amazing kids and their parents.† Then our band played.† Our band ROCKS!
We did some really cool things this week lesson wise.† We are working on fractions in Math.† Right now I am using Math Mammoth Fractions.† I also have Life of Fred which we love!
In Science we are doing Physics for 3 months.† We are learning about forces and energy.† I found a GREAT free download based on 2D Physics.† Kei plays with this for hours.† It is called PHUN. She told me the other day, “Mom I bet you $1 I can make a machine that writes a “K”.† She did and I happily paid her $1.
We are using Story of The World for history.† I started out using that, then last year we did US History up until reconstruction.† Kei wanted to go back to Ancient this year.† We love SOTW.† We have the audio version and she listens to the chapters.† We even listen to it in the car.† We also got the activity guide which is SO worth it.† We also use Evan Moor History Pockets. These are the coolest things we have almost ever done.† Fun, hands on projects.
For writing I make Kei do a report once a week.† She turns in a rough draft and I correct it and she redoes it.† It can be on any subject and she has to have 2 resources.† So far she has done cooking and dogs.† :)† I have never made her do a spelling program because she would make 100 and promptly forget how to spell it.† This† year we are using Sequential Spelling and we both really like it.† There is a spelling ‘test’ ever day but it takes us about 5 minutes.† It makes sense so she remembers it so much better.† I can tell such a difference in her spelling.
For Geography I put all the countries of the world in a big glass bowl.† She draws one out each Monday.† She does a COUNTRY REPORT 2010 that I made up and also looks up images during the week.† I want her to really see how the people live.† How the children live.† How they are like and not alike.† We have 2 of the most amazing books that we also use for Geography.† One is called What the World Eats. It is a fascinating look at what the average family in different countries spend on food and what they buy.† The other is our favorite.† It is Material World: A Global Family Portrait. I had it in my cart for months and finally just ordered both of them.† We love them. It really makes you appreciate what you have when you see how most of the world lives.
I also made a jar with about 200 random questions.† She draws out a question every day and has to find the answer online.† I think knowing how to search is really important.† It is one of her favorite parts of her day.
We are using Live Mocha for Spanish.† She has only done a few lessons but really likes it.† We do critical thinking about 3 times a week.† We are doing Monet in Art right now.†† We read a biography about him and read Linnea in Monet’s Garden and watched a video from Netflix.† I couldn’t homeschool without Netflix!† This upcoming week we are going to try our hand at water lilies.† I am doing the drawing along with Kei.† I have always sucked at drawing but I still am loving it.† I am actually learning some techniques that I never knew.† We also do some Photography.† I just give her an assignment and she shoots away.
Friday’s we don’t do ‘lessons’.† We have, what we call “Fun Fridays”.† This past Friday we went on a hike and a picnic.† We took Nomad.† It was a really awesome day.† The only ‘bad’ thing is that we hooked Nomad on a post while we went inside to the bathroom.† When we came out his empty leash was laying there!† We freaked out but finally got him.† Kei calls him Houdini Dog.
The Beginning“Ah-ah-AHHHH, ah AHH.....Bridge Over LiliesIf A Tree Falls in the Forest...Me & The DogMuscadine and Kei in the BackgroundRest Time..
After Flint Creek we went over to the Wild Life Refuge for our picnic and more hiking.
Hiking is Thirsty Work...Monet in the Making...
We didn’t see any ducks but we saw some beautiful cranes. Some of the telescopes are on the second floor so Nomad climbed his first stairs.† No problemo.† Coming down was a different matter.† He laid down and went on strike.† Finally we got him to come down.† It was so cute.
Looking....
Every time we go to the Refuge we take a “picture of Mommy and Kei on a rail post”.
Me & My Girl...
I think it is supposed to cool off a little next week.† I hope so.† I am so ready for fall!† Fall was always my Mother’s favorite time of the year.
Be blessed,
Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.† Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.† The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.† ~John Muir
Last week was a great week.† We went back to our regular homeschooling [and punted Time 4 Learning].† It isn’t that we didn’t like it, I just felt very removed from Kei’s learning.
First of all, we made Giant Bubbles and has such a blast.† I got the instructionshere.
Here’s what you need to do— get two thin wooden dowels, two eye hooks and a metal washer ring. For the string, you’ll need to use cotton cord.† Cotton works the best because it soaks up the bubble solution, if you use a synthetic cord, it will only repel the solution.
There are many online resources for making your own giant bubble solution. Most call for water, Dawn dish soap and glycerin.† However, we didn’t have Dawn or glycerin— so I just put some water in a bucket, added a liberal dose of our regular dish soap, a little bubble solution that we had voila’… it worked perfectly!
We bought one long dowel at Wal-Mart and cut gently with a saw broke it in half and just hammered the string right onto the dowel.† It was pretty easy because the wood was soft.† One piece of string is 35 inches, and the second piece is twice as large at 70 inches.
I didn’t think it was going to work because it took quite a few tries for the bubbles to ‘start’ coming.† It was a fun little thing to do. You are never too big for bubbles!
Kei made some cookies too.† She loves to decorate cookies.† She just made a few; a duck, a hand and a foot [complete with rings], a dog and dog bone, a cowboy hat and boots and some stars.† Too cute and delicious too!† She ate the hat and I ate the boots.† YEE HAW!
Kei and I have a game night at least once a week, sometimes twice.† This week we played “Life”.† I hate that game!† It is boring to me but Kei likes it.† She was mad that you HAD to get married.† She was all like, “What if I don’t WANT to get married????!!!”.
the Game of...Life?
We also played Uno.† Look at her poker face!
P P P Poker Face...
We met friends at the park on Thursday.† It was such a beautiful day!† We brought out lunch [smoked turkey with lettuce and garden vegetable cream cheese on spinach tortillas, carrots and homemade cheese straws] and hung out for a few hours.† It was a blast.
Kei took my camera and made tons of pictures.† She has such a good eye.† These are a couple of my favorites.
Kei Railroad Crossing
Bumble Bee.. Up Close and Personal
Friday was our HS groupís 1st Skate Day.† We had over 150 kids there!!!† Homeschooling is just growing by leaps and bounds.† I also won the door prize!!† It was funny because they always let Kei pick.† I told her very loudly, ìWay to go, just like we practicedî. I won some scented rocks, oil and the best thing of allÖ.a $25 gift certificate to Creative Learning Connection.† Woot!
Photo by Esther Crawford
She had to, of course, put on a little dance medley she choreographed.† She wore the heels that Marlene had bought her for a couple of songs.† There is no way I could dance in these suckers!
Heel Skillz...
Today was the most amazing weather day.† When I woke up to take Nomad out it was CHILLY.† It was a perfect day.† We went to The Dream Center to volunteer for about 4 hours.† First we went out into the community to give some information about The Dream Center.† What they do is twice a month they prepare a wonderful meal and have a sermon and fellowship.† They have a bus to bring the non drivers to the Center.† We also gave them bread and candy for the kids.† We saw so many people who had financial, health and other problems.† I was reminded of what my Mother always said, “But by the grace of God, go I”. We both just loved it and felt such a connection and God just oozing out of that place.
This afternoon we saw a salamander [we thought it was a salamander] and tried to capture it.† Unfortunately our net had a hole in it thanks to the CRAZY dog!
Salamander...I think?
Great week.† Ahhh we are so blessed.† So utterly blessed.
Have a lovely weekend,
“Architect Frank Lloyd Wright told how a lecture he received at the age of nine helped set his philosophy of life: An uncle, a stolid no-nonsense type, had taken him for a long walk across a snow-covered field. At the far side, his uncle told him to look back at their two sets of tracks.
“See, my boy,” he said, “how your foot prints go aimlessly back and forth from those trees, to the cattle back to the fence and then over there where you where throwing sticks? But notice how MY path comes straight across, directly to my goal. You should never forget this lesson!”
“And I never did,” Wright said, grinning. “I determined right then not to miss most things in life, as my uncle had.”
Kei painted this old piece of paneling we had outside.† She wanted it to reflect the plays she and Nomad have performed.† That poor dog has been a flower, a rabbit, a dragon, a soccer player and more.
Working on the Playbill
It turned out quite† cute.
More Plays to Come...
We had to take Kei’s laptop to the Apple Store.† I am such a geek I took a picture of my name up on the board. 🙂
Name in "Lights"
Kei spent the night with Livvy on Friday and I spent the night laying around watching “The Closer”. I just love that show.† Kei and I go around saying “Thank you, Thank you very much” in our most Southern accent.
We went on a walk with our church group on Saturday morning.† It was so nice outside!† Come on FALL.† I am ready.
Kei and Livvy
A few months ago, after we had gotten Nomad “THE dog”, I checked out a book from the library called “A Big, Little Life: A Memoir of a Joyful Dog”. It was by Dean Koontz who I have always liked. I couldn’t believe that I was reading a dog book.† It was delightful.† I ending up reading most of it to Kei and we both fell in love with Trixie the Golden Retriever.
I just ordered “Bliss to You: Trixie’s Guide to a Happy Life” on audio and we have been listening to it.† Trixie has died by the time this 3rd book came out, but is still channeling through Dean Koontz.† Trixie is a very smart, wise, funny dog.† This book is all about BLISS.† Kei and I have been having a lot of conversations about “Bliss”.† The dictionary defines it as “supreme happiness; utter joy or contentment”.† There is much talk from Trixie about how we live such stressful lives and we just don’t take time to stop swimming and go to the shore and just rest.
Kei and I have decided we are two lucky girls.† We just don’t have much stress in our lives.† Now don’t get me wrong, I have had stress in the past.† Laid off from my job, my sweet Mother dying, my Daddy having his heart attack,† worried about bills and food and if I was going to be able to continue homeschooling Kei.† But…our lives are good.† We do live “stop and slow down” lives.† We don’t rush around crazy <well not most of the time>.† There is no early morning meltdowns as we get Kei ready for school every morning.† No lost homework, <LOL I couldn’t even type that word : my fingers just typed “homeschool”>, no “Where is my backpack?”, “Where is my lunch?”, no racing out the door with seconds to spare, no picking Kei up from school and going home and doing 3 hours of work, no rush to cook dinner and clean up and take baths and go to bed; only to get up and do it all over the next day.
Yes I still have stress and strife and problems but we don’t live a stress FILLED life.† We wake up slowly.† We start our day with quiet and 99% of the time, happiness.† We lounge around some days, in our pj’s.† We cook breakfast when we are hungry. † If Kei works for an hour and wants to go swing, she does.† If we want to read a book, we do.† If she just ‘needs’ a Mommy hug or a doggie hug, she gets it.
Who knows what tomorrow will bring, what is lurking around the corner.† But…at this moment, at this particular time in our lives, we have achieved bliss. See what lucky girls we are?
Be blessed,
ìDonít struggle against life. Float with it. Be buoyant. You wonít sink unless you expect toî
~quote by Trixie Koontz, dog.
Still hot.† Still trying to stay cool.† Still failing miserably.† We tried water, lots of water in various forms.
Splashing..
We also introduced Nomad to a huge chunk of ice.† He loved it.† Me?… I just can’t imagine lying on my stomach in ice no matter how hot it is!
Brrrrrrrrrrrrr!
Kei got a new shirt that we both ADORE!† We are so totally geek girls.† Isn’t this the cutest?
Geeks Geeks!
We started school today!† The PS started today too. That is where the similarity ended I am sure. :)† Kei wanted me to get her up at 5:30 AM!† Ummm NOT.† I made her pancakes for breakfast.† She shared with Nomad. [minus the syrup]
Back to School Pancakes!
Kei bought Nomad a Dragon costume for “Halloween” she said.† Although the poor doggie has had it on twice so far.
ASPCA anyone???
After school Kei and Nomad put on a play.† She used a mix of songs and changed the words around.† It was TOO funny!† Nomad was not very into it.† I think the whole ‘big green thing on his head’ confused him.
I debated putting this next little tidbit on because I just hate to fuel the fire of “Strange Homeschoolers”.† But…Kei would be weird no matter what.† 🙂 She tells me at least once a week she wishes she had a TAIL!† A real tail.† An animal TAIL.† I get flashbacks of† Jason Alexander’s tail in “Shallow Hal”.† <shivers>† She made a tail today and fastened it on and was so happy.† I mean…so HAPPY!† Should I seek professional help for her about this?????
Oh My...
I had gotten Kei a free LEGO kit that I saw on a blog this summer.† It wasn’t a very big set, but FREE is FREE.† It came today and they included some challenges.† One of them was to use all the LEGOS so there were exactly 100 ‘bumps’ showing.† Kei worked and worked on it.† She would get 98, 103, 95 and finally she got it!† She was so geeked.
A wonderful start to what we hope is a glorious school year!
Hope your year rocks!
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow; learn as if you were to live forever.” – Mohandas Gandhi
We live near the high school and we can hear the football team practicing.† How do they do it?† In pads?† and helmets?† When it is 100∞!† I would be surprised if they aren’t dropping like flies.† <insert lyrics to “Drop it Like Its Hot” here>
Kei has gotten her notebooks ready for school.† She needed 13!† We are both so ready for school to ‘start’ back.† We are starting Monday the 9th.
Notebooks Galore!
I found this beautiful moth in our yard.† I have never seen anything like it.† After some research we found out it is a Pink Spotted Hawk Moth.† Lovely…
Pink Spotted Hawk Moth
We went swimming at Cathy’s.† It was great to see our friends.† I hate going more than a few days without getting together!
Roamie Kids
Livvy spent the night with Kei.† They have made the decision for her to go to PS.† It makes Kei very sad but I know she will shine there.† And the girls will still hang out.† We can’t go long without seeing Livvy.† They played and swam and stayed up until the wee hours of the morning.
Night Time Swimming
The next morning they were telling me something that happened and Nomad came up and joined them in a line.† I told them they reminded me of the scene in “The Sound of Music” where all the kids lined up.
Lined Up!
Kei and I went to Our Lady of the Angels Monastery. It was so beautiful.† Breathtakingly beautiful.† From the minute we stepped foot on the grounds there was a feeling of peace.† I would love to go back when it wasn’t 103∞ in the shade.
Kei at the MapKa EntranceKei reading about Francis of Assisi
We didn’t know we couldn’t wear shorts and sleeveless shirts.† They provide clothes for you to wear in the Church.† We tried to get a picture of us in the bathroom.
You couldn’t take pictures in the Church.† It was AMAZING.† BEAUTIFUL.† All the gold, and there was a lot of gold, is REAL!† Here is a picture I found online
Church
There is also a picture of the Shroud of Turin.† Whether or not you believe it is the real deal, it was amazing to see.† I just sat and cried.
Jesus?Crown of Thorns
The grounds were beautiful also.† We saw the gardener and I told him that I didn’t see how he stood it in this heat.† His response, “I am just so thankful that I have a job”.† I love optimistic people!
Arch
There was this little chapel with the Manger scene.† Kei wanted to light a candle for my Mother.† I told her I didn’t think God would mind that we weren’t Catholic.† When she lit it I said, “Momma I hope you are dancing and running and singing and laughing”.† I still miss her everyday.
Kei lighting Candle
The gift shop was in this awesome castle.† It was huge and Kei saw a statue of Mary.† She could not believe it was $3100.
Kei at the Gift Shop doorAwesome Door HandlesKei at the Main Church
We brought a picnic lunch but there was nowhere to eat unless you were in the blazing sun.† We decided to try to find somewhere else to eat.
On the way out we saw a house consumed by kudzu!† It was so cool looking.† We hoped that a family wasn’t trapped inside!† If you aren’t from the South and don’t know about kudzu, legend is that if you leave a baby in the yard, the kudzu will grow around it.
Eep! Kudzu
We finally decided to go to Hurricane Creek to eat.† It was too hot to actually go hiking but they let us sit at a picnic table and eat.† Then Kei had to play on the rock climbing wall.
The guy showed us a hornet’s nest that he found.† It was HUGE.† I still shiver thinking about the hornets in that sucker!
Hornet's Nest
After we got home we decided to take Nomad on a ride.† He he loves riding in the car now.† Thank goodness because his psycho barking was driving me crazy every time we took him to the vet!
a girl and her dog...
We had a wonderful day.
Hope you did too!
ìSoutherners must close their windows at night to keep the kudzu outÖî
I won some scented rocks, oil and the best thing of allÖ.a $25 gift certificate to Creative Learning Connection.† Woot!
