Starting School

We have two days of school under our belt for the year.  :)  So far, so good!  Math and Language are all good, but the area that I am excited about this year is what I chose to use for Social Studies.  It also has art, bible/character trait, geography, and science that go right along with the theme of what is being learned in Social Studies.  I really love it so far.

In Social Studies we're reading about Columbus so we've started a lapbook/notebook and we've watched a video and talked a lot about what it must have been like to explore the unknown waters back then. 

Beginnings of Chaeli's notebook page on the left.

For science we've started reading a book called One Small Square: Seashore.  We are learning about the sea and all the plants and animals that live there.  Yesterday we read about the tide and how it occurs.  Today we drew diagrams of the tide.

High tide / Low tide

In Geography we talked about the 7 continents, where Columbus started, where he wanted to go, and where he landed.  We talked about the oceans and how the earth was made up of 3/4 water.  Today for art, they made a water scene.  The different colors and swirls are suppose to add depth and distance.

In Bible, we have talked about Proverbs 2:3-5 and the character trait persistence.  "Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God." 

Columbus was persistent.  He knew what he wanted and he didn't give up.  Are we persistent in finding Jesus and a knowledge of Him?  How can we be persistent in this pursuit?  What will happen if we are not persistent in finding Jesus?  We should be persistent in searching for Jesus...far more persistent than when searching for treasures of this world!

Elijah's little work space right near us while we were in the kitchen.

Random Acts of Kindness

Our week of kindness has actually turned into a weeeeeeeeeeeek of kindness.  :)  It's stretched into about 3 because we haven't stayed put for very long the last part of this summer.  This has been a highlight to the beginning of our school year!!!  Here are the things we've accomplished already and the things still on our list to do! There is nothing better than to be a blessing to someone else!

Took our neighbor some flowers from the Farmer's Market (all Dillon's idea!)

Took in the neighbor's garbage can from the road

Door project while at Camp Au Sable (we held the door open for as many people as possible - whenever one of us saw the opportunity)

Sent lots of handmade cards and letters

Took Cookies to our dentist's office with a note of appreciation

Took cookies to the piano teacher at their last summer lesson yesterday

Took cookies to our chiropractor's office with a note of appreciation (the kids each made a different kind of cookie with my supervision)

Put cookies in the mailbox for the mailman with a note of appreciation

Sent Happy Mail (sending fun items without extra packaging - check out this blog to see what I'm talking about - so fun!! - http://www.giverslog.com/?tag=happy-mail)

1. Sent a bubblewrap hopscotch game to some friends

2. Sent a box of candy in the mail -the other side has the address and the stamps right on the box, but I didn't want to share the address with the world.

Ring and Run - took a small bag of food (garden tomatoes, two bananas, small loaf of bread) to a few church members (two so far...one we had to leave on the door because they weren't there, the other caught us!)  We've got to get this one to work better for us so we have plans to try it again.  :)

Still to do this week...or next:

Happy Mail - mailing cards anonymously to people who work in this city - will say something like "thank you for making a difference in (our town).  Jesus loves you!"

Take muffins to the school kids during their first week of school

Buy 2 helium balloons and find two random kids to give them to (might do this with stickers too)

More cards

WHAT A LOAD OF FUN!!  

Family Fun Day!

It's been a fun day!

This was a combo celebration.  The kids completed our summer family reading program with flying colors!  This was their surprise fun day as a reward for reaching the goal.  Wow, did they read this summer!  This was also the beginning of the school year celebration because tomorrow is our first day of school.

All three have lunch boxes now.  They have them packed and ready for a ride to the park for a picnic lunch.

Lunch in the sun at the beach/park.  It's always fun to eat by the water.  

The highlight of our picnic was this small jars of frozen smoothie.  We took them out of the freezer when we left and they were the perfect "soft frozen" smoothie by the time we ate them with a spoon for lunch.  Yummy and fun idea! 

And by the way, today was our anniversary.  13 very good years.

On the ride just after the pedestrian/bike bridge that lead to a small island. 

This picture was taken just before we played freeze tag at our 5 mile halfway point on the small island.  If I played tag every day with the kids, I'd be in shape!  :)  We had a super fun day together!

Canning Peaches

Well, this was not the year for peaches, among other things.  But I was able to get 50 lbs (about a bushel) at the local grocery store for 99 cents per lb.  That was the best price around.  In Kalkaska they were 70 and a friend said she could get them for me for 56.  So the grocery store won.  :)  I didn't buy nearly as many as I usually do, but this way we'll at least have a few jars canned on the shelves for a treat this winter.  Last winter we canned about 70 quarts.  This year only 32.

We all had a job.  Dillon gathered the peaches from the floor where they were ripening, took the stickers off, and brought them to the sink full of warm soapy water.  We leave the skins on them so we wash them before we can them.  He also helped with some rinsing. 

I cut them in fourths.

Chaeli arranged them in the jars. 

Elijah sprinkled some fruit fresh on top.

He also wanted to be the "juice man."  I helped him with the first half of the juice container because it was too heavy.  He was able pour the last half of the juice in by himself. 

And our peach canning for the season is over.  Too soon.  32 quarts.  We thank the Lord for that many!

Nine years Old - Part 2

The birthday girl celebrating at home!

Breakfast dessert - pineapple tapioca.  This is becoming her tradition!  

Decorations by Dillon 

Supper dessert - mint chip ice cream (minus the green)

This is the BEST homemade vegan ice cream I have every had!  Creamy, minty, yummy!  Thank you, Vegetarian Times!! 

Her theme this year was about being a princess. We focused on being a child of the King! Papers like this were all over the house when she woke up.

Her new Bible. The tag on the top of the wrapping said, "Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin again you." Ps 119:11. A precious gift and vital tool for a princess.

Nine Years Old - Part 1

We were back at Camp Au Sable on Chaeli's birthday.  That made the day special!  She woke up to a decorated room and some special activities.

She got to ride a horse! 

A scarf 

With a Bible text to go with it.  Proverbs 3:3 says, "Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablets of your heart." 

Family Camp

What a privilege to spend a week at Camp Au Sable's Family Camp.  David was the pastor for the week which enabled us to all have loads of fun!!

David is the one in the air... 

Our first black eye of the family... 

There is a slice of raw potato under there.  We learned that raw potato helps with inflammation. 

It still got pretty colorful, but the potato did help with inflammation.