The God of All Comfort

Ow!! With a tooth darkening we headed into see the dentists today... Hubbie thought root canal... yuck... I thought of the teeth barely hanging on... We've had just 20 days since we had check ups!!! I expected a look and wait to loose these baby teeth...

These molars were in tight... and one was split in two... that's what was hurting!!!

Inside 30 minutes Lovebug had a simple extraction of two tight molars... top, one on each side...
Ladybug watched and she had 2 extractions just weeks age. She knew and understood how her sister felt.

She came out quite saddened... and with just a few tears. This was not what we expected!!

Tomorrow we head to the ortho... and Ladybug gets her expander...
Now big sis is telling her "It is not as bad as the teeth coming out!" She knew!!

Tonight we looked up God's comfort...

3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

I've seen this today... L to M for the extraction... and M to L for the expander!!!

God is our comfort!!

I also had to call out bravery... Lovebug was brave today... and that does not mean she was not scared. She did great!!!!

Grace!! ss

AO4 SAT Tested

This spring we SAT tested my AO4 10yo daughter thru our homeschool group. She's been in AO for 4 years since AO1.

We us a CM scope... and follow Amblesideonline... so I wondered about testing & not following a traditional scope!!
My goal was for her experience testing... I wondered how she would test... this was her first ever test.

We are very pleased with the results....
I was concerned with her testing... and just not working thru the harder things... but score wise she's excelled...

Overall she's averaged grade 5.46 and finishing 4th grade....

Her highest was listening @ 9.7, a narration boost I think!!
Her challenge is math at 3.8, I know she's running a year behind....
Language was another low... at 3.9 and we hit grammar later... so that's my guess there....
Pulling out Math & Language... she hit 6.34.

Math... I'm evaluating how to handle this.. changes to make... approach... or just hold fast... my inkling is to work thru the summer... but my wise husband says we all need the break... I have a Pet Shop Math by SCM that I think she'll enjoy... decimals will be new.... just pondering...
FYI she's in MEP3 after trying Singapore & MUS.... This is her challenge spot.... I've know she's a year behind...

All in all I'm THRILLED with our AO journey!! I love homeschooling!! And on the hard days I yet enjoy the journey!!! I'm shopping for AO6 & 7 and carry the full to 11 list!!! Lord willing we'll hold this course!!!

Grace! ss

Thrilled to have RAIN in East TX!!!! Girls at VBS.... My B!!

4Some Let's Grill

We've cooked again!! Thanks friends!!! My freezer has been cleaned out and stuffed full!!! This round is our NO OVEN time of year!!! We greatly favor crock & grilling to a hot kitchen with the oven on!!!

I've made a new discovery w/ a meal I've called for only fall!!! Cranberry Chicken can be wonderfully grilled... boil the sauce and yummm. It is excellent!!! (Kara... you now can make it an all year meal!!) Recipe from our December cook...

We needed a sub this round to cook... and this can be a deep water spot!!! Cooking gets intense!! She did excellent!

The cost of our cooking group... We went home w/ 25 meals... the cost was 9.27 for a meal that serves 8... for our fam we'll get 2 meals out of most of these... I bought the meat for our cook... over $500.. and that 3 cases of chicken from Sams... Once that is bought there is no stopping our cook!!!

Saturday from 7 til noon... and then we'd had a lovely lunch out together!!!

Enjoy!!! byGrace!! ss


4Some 2010 04 2008 04 AKKM

2008 04 My Directions (I guess I cheated... and just about cooked all my meals from 2008!! That make it easy on me & the grocery list just needed tweeking!!)

Grill Chicken Fajitas

8 chicken breasts
1 c veg oil
1 T Steak seasoning
1 T Lemon Pepper
1 T Greek Seasoning

Grill 10 minutes each side.
Cooks more even if you’ll flatten the chicken!!

Chicken Skillet Cordon Bleu x5

2# tenders
½ c Italian bread crumbs
1 t pepper
½ t salt
8 (1#) chicken tenders

1 T butter
1 T olive oil
8 Canadian bacon slices in thin strips
4 Swiss cheese slices

Combine crumbs & seasonings, shake to coat chicken.
Melt oil & butter in pan, cook chicken 3-4 minutes each side.
Arrange Canadian bacon & cheese over cooked chicken. Cover 2 minutes to melt.

2006 04 Zesty Orange BBQ Chicken - Bag

8-10 pieces Bone in Chicken Mix of Thigh/Legs & Breasts
6oz Frozen Orange Juice – Thaw
1/4 c Teriyaki Sauce
1 T Minced Onion
1/2 t Garlic Powder
1/4 t Pepper

Grill 20 minutes each side & Baste for last 15 minutes

Crockpot Pulled Pork - Bag

• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• ½ bag chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco or similar hot pepper sauce
• 3 to 4 pounds pork shoulder roast, boneless, trimmed, tied
• few dashes liquid smoke, if desired
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 8 hamburger buns heated

Sunshine Chicken

8 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
.5c Mustard
.5 c Pineapple Juice
2 T Brown Sugar

Grill 10 minutes turning frequently & adding sauce


Onion Burgers 2008 04

2.5# Ground Beef
1.5 Onion Soup Mix
½ c Water

Combine into 8 Pattie & Grill

Jamberry

Three berry

Four berry

Hayberry

Strawberry

Finger and pawberry

My berry, your berry

Strawberry ponies

Strawberry lambs

Dancing in meadows

Of strawberry jam

After picking, Ladybug just had to read Jamberry by Bruce Degen. It will now be filed in my cookbooks after this occasion... awaiting blueberries.

We've been in the View since.... 1993~~ And I've just discovered a true jewel in our back yard!! With a short drive we joined friends picking strawberries at McPeaks.

Oh my!! They are the BEST strawberries I have ever had!!! Unbelievable!!

In a mere hour on a lovely spring morning we each picked a basket. The picking was so very easy!! I had more berries than I had planned. The berries were ripe and I truly go the pick of the crop!!! I'm ready to go back this Wednesday! Join us!

I've canned strawberry jam & strawberry syrup! Yum!! I've even made seedless jam & syrup because I so love my Hubbie!! I'm ready to do it all over again!!! And I also want to have a strawberry salad, strawberry short cake, and I have a new all strawberry cookbook!!

Oh! How do make seedless strawberries?! Cut off the outside layer of the strawberry! Beware, this is high labor. Then I blended these beautiful peels to a liquid and strained out the seed for a true strawberry concentrate. I added that back into the jam & syrup!

Jamberry!!! Strawberry!! by Grace! ss

Booksale... Bibliophile...

What I like best of AO is finding great used books!!! I like book sales!!! Join me at this one!!

Here's the event on FB

MARK YOUR CALENDARS & INVITE YOUR FRIENDS!!!!

(you do not have to be a CHEC member to attend!!!)

CHEC ANNUAL USED BOOK & CURRICULUM SALE
(If you need curriculum for next year at bargain prices, DON'T MISS THIS SALE!!!Buy or sell used curriculum of all types, including Bob Jones, Saxon, Apologia,A Beka, Sonlight, and much more--something from every subject for all ages!!!)
&
CRAFT & BUSINESS FAIR
WHEN: Monday, April 19th, 2010
6:00 pm -- 9:00 pm
WHERE: FBC

Admission: Buyers -- NO ADMISSION FEE

Sellers -- No charge for CHEC members; $5.00 for NON-CHEC members
Sellers can sign-up on the CHEC website @ www.longviewchec.com under the calendar. Members may sign-up Non-Chec members.

**SELLERS SHOP EARLY @ 5:00 PM!!

***PLEASE NOTE***

***There will be a "free resource" table set aside for new homeschoolers or those of your friends who are considering homeschooling!!

***Door Prizes will be given out throughout the evening (you do not need to be present to win, but please leave good contact info. so we can call or email after the sale).

***PLEASE BRING EXACT CHANGE. I recommend that you bring lots of small bills. The sellers will mark their items in 50 cent increments. We will have a "banker" available, but change will be very limited. Checks will not be accepted.

***While browsing, please take care in keeping items on their designated tables. This will be a tremendous help to our volunteers and shoppers.

If you have any questions regarding buying/selling @ the Book Sale, please contact Vicki Neibert @ mvneibert at cablelynx dot com.

If you have any questions regarding the Craft/Business Fair, please contact Darlene Rappazzo @ djrapp at etex dot net.

SEE YOU @ THE SALE!!

Mrs. Lee's 2010

It is that time of year!!! Mrs. Lee's is the best place to drive through the daffodils and take a million pictures!! We took a break from our exams to catch the daffodils in bloom!!

I wondered if we'd catch them this year!! I'm so glad we did!!! A gal even stopped to help me get a shot of all of us!! How kind!! She was a God send!!
Stop and smell the flowers... it is far to easy to rush by... keep the schedule and only take a glance. We don't get here by accident!! Often you have to seek what is best... Oh, that is like God's word.

I will not accidentally find time to be in the Bible. It must be a priority and trump all else... I do want to find God's best...




This is a favorite shot!! Ladybug with a ladybug. The littlest ladybug I've ever seen!!!

Here's last year... 2009...

That's a wrap!! by Grace!! ss

Poetry

Lovebug memorized two poems this term... Her favorite... and my favorite...

She learned it so well... even her sister could recite it!! Bonus!

Poetry Exam! By Grace! ss

10 Commandments

We've had lots of discussions lately... hard discussions... I have found God's grace and protection standing on His 10 commandments!!


In the 10, God gives us boundaries... inside those boundaries are blessings. When we break them, consequences can cover a lifetime.

Teaching my girls the 10 commandments has become more and more important. They explain boundaries God puts in place for our blessing.

You Must Use Hand Motions!!

1. There is 1 God


2. Scissors.. Cut out the idols


3. Trace a W... Our Words are important, Do not take Gods name in vain


4. Mom, Dad & girls get in car an go to church... Sabbath


5. Salute.. Honor Mom & Dad


6. Bang.. Do Not Kill


7. Married Couple separate from the world... for life.. No Adultery


8. 2 fingers cut off... Punishment for stealing in some Arab countries


9. 9 Standing up... 1 lying down... Do Not Lie


10. Gimme Gimme... Do Not Covet

Find them verse by verse in Exodus 20.

I pray my girls seek God's blessings!! Remember the 10... Live it!! By Grace!! ss

Read me a book!

One of my favorite parts of teaching my girls is to lead them alooooong a b c letters til they can finnnnallllly and joyfully read!! It is work. It's not easy. There's a lot of time in the trenches... Even so.... I love it!!! I'm blessed with one bookworm already...


"Ladybug... Read me a book!!!" This is her first time to read this book!!!

Hedge Loves to Read

It is Exam week!! This is her reading exam!! Grade that!! :)

Only by Grace!! ss

Homeschooling in TX

Here's a list of Texas homeschool groups... it is just a smattering....
http://www.homeschool-life.com/groups.cfm

ABC Homeschool
Web Site Corpus Christi, TX

Andrews Christian Home School Association
Web Site Andrews, TX

Bay Area Catholic Homeschoolers
Web Site League City, TX

Bay Area Classical Homeschoolers (BACH)
Web Site Houston, TX

Bayshore Christian Home Schoolers
Web Site Houston, TX

Champion Forest Christian Homeschoolers
Web Site Tomball, TX

CHEFS & Encouragement
Web Site Greenville, TX

CHESS at RGV
Web Site Mission, TX

Christian Home Education Association of Central Texas (CHEACT)
Web Site Austin, TX

Christian Home Educators Co-op (CHEC)
Web Site Longview, TX

Christian Home Educators of Round Rock
Web Site Round Rock, TX

Church of Christ in Champions LTC
Web Site Houston, TX

CLCSC - Clear Lake Christian School Cooperative
Web Site Friendswood, TX

Dallas Christian Home Educators
Web Site Cedar Hill, TX

Ellis County Christian Homeschool Organization (ECCHO)
Web Site Waxahachie, TX

Enrichment Classes, Inc.
Web Site Lewisville, TX

Faith At Home
Web Site Austin, TX

FAITH Homeschool Association
Web Site Seabrook, TX

Family Educators Alliance of South Texas (FEAST)
Web Site San Antonio, TX

Garden Oaks Home School Support Group (GOHSSG)
Web Site Houston, TX

Georgetown Christian Home Educators
Web Site Georgetown, TX

Gulf Coast Christian Home Scholars
Web Site League City, TX

Hardin County Home School Association
Web Site Silsbee, TX

HEART - Home Education and Responsible Teaching
Web Site Kingwood, TX

Hill Country Home School Association
Web Site Kerrville, TX

Homegrown Kids - A homeschool group among Church of Christ members
Web Site Robstown, TX

Homeschool Association of Palestine
Web Site Palestine, TX

Homeschoolers Around Midland
Web Site Midland, TX

Homeschoolers East
Web Site Garland, TX

Homewood Christian Association
Web Site The Woodlands, TX

Integrity Home Educators
Web Site Hart, TX

Integrity Home Educators Teen Action Group
Web Site Hart, TX

J.O.Y. Christian Academy
Web Site Decatur, TX

Midlothian Homeschool Co-op
Web Site Midlothian, TX

NorthWest L.I.G.H.T. Home School Support Group
Web Site Spring, TX

Panhandle Christian Home Educators Association
Web Site Amarillo, TX

PATH - Parents Are Teaching Hearts
Web Site Canton, TX

REACH (Realizing Educational Achievements through Christ at Home)
Web Site Universal City, TX

REACH Co-op
Web Site Webster, TX

SAIL
Web Site McKinney, TX

SHARE Homeschool Co-op
Web Site Conroe, TX

SHINE - Supporting Homeschoolers in the Northeast
Web Site Selma, TX

TACHE - Tyler Area Christian Home Educators
Web Site Tyler, TX

Tarrant Home Education Association
Web Site Fort Worth, TX

TEACH - Texarkana Educators Association of Christian Homeschoolers
Web Site Texarkana, TX

Texarkana Organization for Resolute Christian Homeschoolers
Web Site Texarkana, TX

THOTAHS - The Heart of Texas Association of Home Schools
Web Site Waco, TX

Trinity Christian Athletics
Web Site Round Rock, TX

WATCH Co-op
Web Site Round Rock, TX

WATCH Enrichment Classes
Web Site Round Rock, TX

WATCH History Class
Web Site Round Rock, TX

West Houston Home Educators
Web Site Houston, TX

Only 11 more months till Christmas...

Howdy all ya'll well here it is… seems like just yesterday that I was sending the e-mail with the subject line on it like you see above.

This is the note where I tell you all about what is going on but right now I am booked at least our weeks are booked. We are taking a class that you may have heard about, Financial Peace University with Dave Ramsey. I highly recommend it if you are in any way struggling with finances or if you and your husband, wife, kids don't see eye to eye on how to handle money, or if you just need help coming up with a plan to jump start getting out of debt.

I also am coaching basketball. Can you believe it? Basketball was not my game, I was strictly a volleyball and soccer kind of guy. Oh well I am learning quickly. The level my youngest daughter plays does not keep track of the score but my oldest daughter's team has won two of their past three games so as a coach my record is at least "winning". This past week's game was tied and the the other team fouled us before the buzzer, if they foul in the last 2 minutes of the game it is an automatic point. We won 21-19. So we won by a foul.

Hey no one got me any Christmas gifts so I am assuming that you either forgot, you are taking Financial Peace University or maybe you just didn't know what to get me. I will try to help you out this year with more gift ideas. Feel free to send birthday presents! ;)

Keep in mind that Jesus is the Reason for Christmas and the other days all year long too!!

TTFN,

KS.

My Sweater

I finished my sweater!!! I made it!! Really!!! I actually made something other than socks!!! Mom you inspire me!!!!

Here it is with the tails yet on it!!!

I started it Thanksgiving with Mom in Beaumont!!! Then Christmas I finished the neck and started the sleeves... and I finished before Valentinies!!! Yea!!!

Finished by Grace!! ss

So Cold!! Ice!

Alas, it was cold enough for snow... even with up to 40% chance for snow, we saw none!

With highs in the 20's it is officially cold for Texas!! This is sweater weather at the least!!

Stay Warm!!! Grace! ss

10! Doulble Digits

Beautiful 10!! Daddy took the day off... after his debate could he really take the day....

10 years we've been home together!! There's no place I'd rather be!!

You smile and laugh.

You love to read and get carried away by a good book.

Your great cleaning your room!!

You love to dress up into a lovely lady.

You battle with being somewhere between 4 years old and twelve. Stretch love!

Your frown face could sink a ship.

You are a sweet big sister except when your not.

You can mow the yard and you know it pays good.

You love camping and say that's what your life is about.

You love Jesus and I love worshiping Him with you.

You can be such a help as you stretch up!!

You'll always be my baby!

I love you forever, Ladybug!!!

Grace! ss

4Some December

This run we've packed each of our freezers with 24 meals! I bought like $520 of meat for the group!! We had lots of chicken left this time... great for company coming!! Our total each ran 274.27 and that's a high!!

Company enjoyed the recipes... here they are!!!

4Some Kim Kara Angela & Me
2nd round together…. Great to have Eager & Committed cookers!!!
December 12, 2009

Here's what's cooking!!

Monterrey Chicken

8 Chicken Breast
2 can green chillies
8 oz Monterrey cheese slices
Fajita seasonings

Arrange chicken in baking dish & cover with chillies & Bake 30 minutes at 350°. Then add cheese & bake til bubbly

Cranberry Chicken
Prep: 8 min., Bake: 1 hr.

8 Boneless Chicken
1 (1-ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
1 (16-ounce) can whole-berry cranberry sauce
1 cup Catalina dressing

Rinse chicken with cold water; pat dry. Place chicken in a single layer in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle soup mix evenly over chicken. Stir cranberry sauce, and spoon over chicken; top evenly with dressing. Cover with aluminum foil.
Bake at 400° for 40 minutes; remove foil, reduce temperature to 350°, and bake for 20 more minutes.

Chicken Sun dried Tomato Chicken - bag

8 chicken boneless skinless
1 c Good Seasons Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette w/ Roasted Red Pepper Dressing
.5 t coarse ground pepper
.5 c Sun dried tomatoes (packed in oil)
.5 Roaster Red Peppers

Cabbage Rolls Unrolled - Bag

2# Ground beef browned (prep)
.5 pkg frozen onions
1 dry onion soup
1 c ckn broth
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato soup
1 can green chillies
1/2c rice
½ cabbage head

1st Layer cabbage & 2nd meat/rice on top.
Bake 350° 1 ½ hours COVERED… stir after first hour

Chili Pork Tenderloin
From Caroline E 10/04??

2T Chili Powder
1T Sugar
2t Salt
1/2t Onion Powder
1/4t Cumin
1/4t Cayenne
1/4t Garlic


Grill 20min or
Bake @ 350º for 45min – 1hr
til 155º

Greek Chicken

Ingredients
8 Chicken breasts
1 cup olive oil
3 t garlic
2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
4 T lemon juice

Grill oil the grill grate. Place chicken on the grill, discard the marinade.
Cook chicken pieces up to 15 minutes per side, until juices run clear.
or
400 degrees about 45 to 50 min. Option Add potatoes

Thankful x100

A Family Thanksgiving!!

I'm thankful for Jesus my Savior!!! He matters every day!!

A wonderful Husband... He's my every day blessing!!

Daughters that laugh and giggle and are growing in wisdom n stature.

Girls entrusted to us for a season... then to fly on God's wind...

Mom & Dad! Our visits fly so fast!! You are a blessing to me!

Cousins!! What fun to have giggles x3!!

Brother who God's placed to bless Mom & Dad.

The Wii at moms is such fun... and better there than here!!!

I'm thankful to school my girls!

Freedom is worth fighting for!

I'm thankful for one learning to read

And one who loves to read.

I'm thankful that God provides

And Hubbies works hard for us!!

I'm thankful for no car notes

And to be debt free except the house!

I'm thankful for a wonderful group of believers we call our church,

They are friends and family to us!!

I'm so thankful for a cool 4some cooking group

They fill my freezer

They cook recipes so new to me

They work hard to make everyday meals wonderful!

I'm thankful for Park days

And park day friends

I'm thankful for great parks

To enjoy being outside!

I'm thankful for friends to pray with!!

To share God's word

To seek God's hand in our lives

To pray all our hearts to God Almighty!

I'm thankful for Christmas music

And my daughters playing it on the piano

I'm thankful for their wonderful Piano teacher

Who we love to call Grands!!

I'm thankful we'll be covered up with family

There will be lots of breathing going on!!

I'm thankful all are heading our way!!

Thankful!! I thank Jesus!!! I thank Him x100 & for all!!!

Grace! ss

1 more month 2 go...

Ok I have missed the past couple of months on my reminder and I have now had several of you tell me that I was a bad boy and needed to get with it. So here it is... whispering only one more month! :)

As I pondered what I would write with only one more month to go I guess I am at a loss for words (yeah right)... actually it seems that I am often at a loss for time rather than a loss for words so let me just say at the beginning of this little note that I have no idea how long it will turn out to be so be prepared to scroll down and find a simple well wish for the Thanksgiving holiday or by the same token it might be a really long one too. If anyone sees or finds a method for me to speak into my computer and it writing it down rather than me typing it, my monthly letter would be much easier to write each month. Actually my typing skills are not bad but by the end of a long letter I can feel my age in my wrists, I am sure I am slouching incorrectly when I type but I am a long way from Mrs. Schnitzels high school typing class and I don't remember what she said...

Since I last wrote I have been to; Springerville, Arizona; Colstrip, Montana; Schroeder, Minnesota and had swine flu with the rest of my family. The swine flu was not as bad as all the hype that you see on the news, if you get it just plan a couple of days off of work because you don't feel really good and get a bunch of Little House on the Prairie videos that you watched when you were a little kid.

Does anyone have a good method of avoiding so many repairs on cars, besides buying a new one and having a car payment?

I was pondering the other day and I was going through some old memories they were flashing through my mind actually... have you ever been in a life threatening situation and another situation flashes through your mind, kind of like your life flashing before you but one scene at a time? The situation I was in was occurring as I was driving down an old two lane country road, not too small because it did have a double yellow line painted on it... Anyway I looked up and there was a car barrelling down on me driving down the very center of the road, I was not going to be able to get around them and so what would you do?

That was when a previous situation flashed through my mind... I was driving back from seeing my fiance' like an eternity ago, 1992 or something like that. It was unusual because I would typically leave from Beaumont to head back to school on a Sunday evening but this time was different I stayed over Sunday with her grandparents and left in the morning to make it back to classes. It was a 4 hour drive so I had to leave at like 4am to make a 8am class. I am not saying I was smart back then and if anyone shows this email to either of my kids you'll be sorry, I will egg your house or something.

Anyway it was dark like it often is at 4am and I was just outside of Beaumont coming into a long sloping curve. I looked up and there were two sets of headlights coming right at me. It did not concern me any because we were just coming into the curve, I had driven this route numerous times no big deal. Did I mention that I was also tired, that is not unusual for me to be tired at 4am either. Anyway back to the headlights... as I continued to watch the headlights that were coming at me it finally dawned on me that what I was seeing was not two cars coming into the turn but rather two semi's side by side with one passing the other. The trucks were 50 yards in front of me when I saw them and I had absolutely no time to react... it was a good thing that I did not have time to react because just before we hit, the semi in my lane veered over onto the shoulder and they passed me at 65mph one on each side of me. I continue to thank God that I did not have time to react because if I had reacted and gone to the shoulder myself we would have collided, kind of like a game of chicken but with the odds severely against me surviving. Suffice it to say when it dawned on me just how close I had come to being one of those bugs on the radiator, I pulled over and began hyperventilating (you never have a paper bag when you need it).

Back to the present... what would you have done? I decided to see if I could get their attention so I pulled over into their lane and began swerving like a drunk, boy did they move over quickly and get back where they belonged as they passed they were as far to their side as possible without going into the ditch.

It's always kind of sobering to remember that death may be right around the corner. I have several friends who are very close to death this Thanksgiving season yet they are thankful for their family and friends. They are pleased that they know Christ and continue to tell others about Him even as they are approaching death. Yes we need to have a place to live and food to eat but I hope that is not all we are about, we can't take it with us so maybe I ought to share a bit more and hoard a little less.

Hope you all remember the reason for the season died so that you can live when you die (boy that's an odd sentence). You are going to die so give a little more of it way before you go, I'll try to do the same!

Hey do you have a close call story? I would love to hear about it... have you ever had a bullet whiz by your ear? It might have been a close one but if it missed by an inch or a mile now you can laugh at it because you are still here so be glad. Some of you military folks may have some stories to tell, don't tell me if it is classified information.

Only one more month to go all ya'll! Wooooooooo Whooooooooo.... I'm singin' Jingle Bells in the shower.

TTFN,
KS.

A BIG Library Upgrade

We are going for a library upgrade!!!

Check this out!!! The Houston Library is a bit far to drive... but all Texans can join their membership....

Then you have to check out their digital library.... the Houston Area Digital Media Catalog

"Download best selling Audiobooks, eBooks, and Videos 24/7 to your PC and PDA at home, in the office or from anywhere in the world. Now your library never closes! All you need is a valid library card from a participating library. "

I plan on checking out Hamlet for this term's Shakespeare study for Lovebug. She'll listen to the audio on my pod... it is like 3 & 1/2 hours!!! We'll break it into 30 minute segments to chew on!!

Here's the detail... We await cards from the Houston Public Library to have the access to the digital catalog... Here's the link to download their registration for a Powercard form... remember to send proof of your Texas address!!! (I forgot that!!)

Go for the upgrade!!! Grace! ss

My Favorite Zoo

Maybe we arrive just at feeding time!?? So you know, that's 4p at the Ellen Trout Zoo in Lufkin, Texas. The animals are active!! And after about 100 miles, our girls are active too!!! The path is mostly shaded and the sidewalks are covered with leaf prints...

The Hippos are a favorite!! They actually came and kissed the window with our visit!!

The otters are always playing in their water... even though they are quite smelly!!

The rhino came out to see us!! We only saw maybe 2 or 3 other families in our visit.. so maybe they noticed us!!??! After our pics he retired out of sight.

Another highlight is their peacocks are all over the zoo!! On our first visit, I thought these birds escaped!!! Not, they wander freely!! We've collected peacock feathers. This November we even saw half grown ones...

If you are ever heading thru Lufkin... take a road stop at the Ellen Trout Zoo!!! It makes a great escape from the car for our girls!! Then it is another 100 miles!!!

Grace!! ss

Spelling AO4

What to do for spelling!! Lots of curriculum... ever so much!!

A CMer approaches spelling thru copy work and dictation.


We've added a spelling program I'm so impressed with. IEW (Excellence in Writing) has a spelling program called the Phonetic Zoo. It is an audio program. Lovebug studies a word list of 15 words that follow a phonetic rule. She is tested and corrects her mistakes independent of me. When she makes 100 two days back to back she moved into the next word list.


Every 5 weeks we make our own word list. This is our first go and I made an audio recording just like they have done. Here's her first list.... pulled from her writings to daddy in her Daddy Dialogue...

• fourth


• friend


• astronomy


• cactus


• tonight


• October


• spanked


• scissors


• pincher


• camping


• were


• helpful


• November


• ideas


• lesson


• Christmas


• Thanksgiving


• December