Walnut Acre - Week in Photos 9/2 - 9/8

Sunday

We had a relaxing Sunday afternoon. Michael saw this desk in the basement and wants it for his room. It needs a little work so we let him play around with sanding it. Of course, Mykalin and Madeline wanted to help out too. They lost interest after a few minutes and went back to riding bikes and playing with the wagon and Michael's walkie talkies.

After a temper tantrum, Michael decided to play us some music. He can't really play this guitar yet but he sure does have fun with it!

Monday
Labor Day I spent the majority of the day trying to cook. It was one of those days when nothing seemed to go right. The bread was supposed to be Maple Wheat Bread but after I started mixing it I discovered I was out of maple syrup. Oops! So I made some substitutions and went on. The bread actually turned out okay and the kids ate it for snacks. I also made these egg muffins to reheat for breakfasts this week. The egg muffins turned out pretty good but the cheese sauce I made to serve over them wasn't all that great. 

Tuesday
We continued with our Creation Story and ABC Bunny units and also did some math worksheets and phonics on the computer. Michael likes to use the Starfall site for phonics practice and that's what we were using here.

Amanda took the kids for a nature walk.

Gage enjoyed practicing his computer skills. Actually the batteries are dead in this one but he was having fun anyway. 

Doug is the math teacher for Austin and Amanda this year. I have to say I am more than glad to let him have this job. I enjoy teaching almost any subject but math.

When CJ came home from school he wanted to rake leaves and Lauren wanted to be his helper.

And after all Lauren's hard work in the yard, she snuggled with Holly while they played with Holly's phone.

Wednesday
Wednesday morning we got out the playdough. The boys played a few minutes and then took off again, but Calla really enjoyed the playdough and stayed awhile to play.

We did a little more on the Creation Story Bible Unit and also practiced our math skills.

Here's a little peek at a project I've been working on lately. I'll share more about it after I've completed it.

Wednesday evening was our first evening of Wednesday night ministries at church after the summer break. Our evening starts with a free meal for all and then their are a variety of family, adult and youth programs. We're a part of the family ministry called Family Works. I was hoping to get a few more pictures but the evening flew by and we were so busy I only got this one. This was during the time between the meal and the time the evening activities started. Austin and CJ had already gone off to their own activities and the younger kids were coloring pictures.

Thursday
I didn't take many pictures Thursday.

 These are from our rather unproductive attempt at going to a Doctor appointment Thursday morning.

And here is a new bean and rice recipe that I tried that I'll be sharing next week. It was really good. I made a similar one recently but I think I liked this one even better.

Friday
The grapes haven't done well at all this year but this poor empty arbor makes a great place to build a house with blankets.

Playing the abc bunny game. . . 

. . . math worksheets. . . 

. . . and an online phonics lesson.

Have I mentioned before that I'm so glad Doug is teaching math this year?

Saturday
Doug gave Michael a haircut and then I gave Doug a haircut. Austin still needs a haircut though.

CJ worked hard picking, husking and cleaning corn from his corn patch. He fixed us some corn on the cob for dinner and it really good, sweet corn. 

Yard work is so much more fun with good helpers!

Doug finished Michael's desk and it is now in his room. Michael is so proud of that desk!

And that's a peek into our week. It was a good week and we're looking forward to another fun week.

I Will Carry You

Even to your old age and gray hairs
    I am He, I am He who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
    I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

Isaiah 46:4

What an encouraging and comforting verse! No matter what happens in our lives, no matter what time or age  may bring our way, He will carry us. When He made us He already knew all that would we need throughout our life and He stands ready to provide. Not only will He see us through, if necessary He will carry us through. So no matter what happens I know I can depend on God. 

Graceful?

Want to know how Five Minute Friday got started and how to participate? All the details are here.

Today's prompt - Graceful.

I dream of being graceful. In my mind I see myself dancing gracefully in a field of beautiful wildflowers, with an ethereal music in the air. But in reality whenever I try to dance my kids beg me to stop, claiming to be traumatized. I'm the one who trips over obvious things that are always there, day after day, in the same place. In fact, I'm sporting a bruised toe right now from accidentally slamming it into a perfectly obvious kitchen cabinet. 

No, graceful I am not. At least not physically. 

But there's a gracefulness that I want to achieve even more. It's a gracefulness of spirit. It's the gracefulness that becomes apparent when God's grace is real in my life, allowing me to extend grace to others. It's gracefulness of speech, speaking words of grace in difficult situations. And while I am not there yet, each day I try to move a little closer to that gracefulness of spirit. And each day His grace is extended to me, allowing me to share it with others. This is a grace truly worth seeking after. 

credit

~ Also Linking Here ~

The Better Mom, Living Well Wednesdays, Titus 2sdays, Encourage One Another, Heart & Home Tuesdays!, It's A Party,Thought Provoking Thursday, Soli Deo Gloria Sisterhood, No Ordinary Blog Hop,

The Story of Creation - Our PreK/K Unit

We have just finished a PreK/K unit about the Creation of the World. Here are some of the fun things we did in this unit. 

Songs - Do You Know Who Made the World?
Jesus Made Me Just Like Him

Creation File Folder Game

We enjoyed these videos from YouTube.

The Story of Creation Mini Book

Painting the World

We matched pictures of the things God created with the day He created them (you can find this printable activity here.)

We didn't get quite as much done in this unit as I had originally intended but we had fun with what we did do. I've heard (and been part of) a number of discussions about the creation as a result of this unit so I'm happy with the what we did.


~ Linking Here ~

SUNDAY – Craft Schooling Sunday, The Sunday Showcase, Link & Learn, MONDAY - Learning Laboratory, Made by Little Hands Monday, TUESDAY - Bible Alive, Noted Show and Tell Blog Hop, WEDNESDAY – All Things Wonderful, Kids Get Crafty,  FRIDAY – Preschool Corner, For the Kids Fridays,  Mommy Teaches

All That Way for This?!

Well, this morning we had an appointment for Michael with a sleep specialist in Charlottesville. I've been looking forward to this appointment because I think so many of Michael's current challenges could be made much easier if he could simply get a solid nights sleep on a regular basis. Kicking, head banging, constant limb twitching and crying out in his sleep has to make it hard to get any real rest and I think it would be hard on his brain. So the plan is to talk to the sleep specialist and set up a sleep study to get a better idea of what exactly is going on. Doug took the day off to stay with the kids here. The appointment was at 8:30. We left at 7:30 which I thought should give us plenty of time. I've never been to that particular office before but the directions looked simple enough and the majority of it was interstate. It was raining but there wasn't as much fog on the mountain as I had expected, so we were making good time. Then, about five miles before our exit traffic slowed way down. Getting off the exit there was so much rain and traffic, including big trucks, I couldn't see far ahead enough to see which lane I needed to be in. So I made a guess and it was wrong. I found a place to turn around and headed back. I soon found what I thought was the right road. We were running close on time but I thought it should still be ok. Then just as I thought we should be close traffic stopped. It looked like there was an accident up ahead, lots of lights and rescue vehicles. Interestingly, the police vehicle next to me was the forensic unit truck. Anyway, I called the office to tell them I thought I was almost there but was stuck in traffic. After a few minutes of trying to decide what to do I saw a road sign and told the nurse where I was. As it turned out, I was still lost, about 15 minutes late already and still about 20 minutes from the Doctor's office. So, we went ahead and made a new appointment. The earliest I could get was October 9. Having decided that I tried to find my way back to an area I knew, while taking a detour around the accident. Somehow I got into a huge residential area, full of streets that seemed to lead in circles, with a few dead ends. The houses were nice and I would have loved to spend a little time looking at them but was too busy trying to find my way out. I finally found my way out of the residential maze. By this time Michael was getting restless, I needed coffee and we both needed a bathroom break. So we stopped at Hardees and bought biscuits and hash browns and drinks. After we ate and I was caffeinated we stopped again for gas and soon after finally found an interstate sign and soon were headed back home. 

I had to laugh at the this picture I took of Michael. He looks like he's thinking "You brought me all this way for this!?!?!"

So, I guess we'll try again in a month. Next time, I think I'll call ahead and verify the directions. I'm thinking I probably should have taken 29 Business North, although the directions simply said 29 North. And if that's the case then I was on the right road in the first place!

I have to say, though, that Michael and I did manage to have a good time. We talked, laughed, sang, and got the giggles when we bumped over an area where there was road work. And, after seeing a total of three accidents while we were out, I came home grateful that I wasn't in any of them. So, I guess there was a silver lining to our cloudy morning after all. 

Walnut Acre - Week in Photos 8/27 - 9/1

Last week was a fun and busy week. Here, in photos is a peek into our week. 

Monday - August 27
Christopher and Austin still have lots of fun together every day. Besides hanging out with Austin Christopher likes to play with tractors, cars and trucks.

The weather was beautiful and the kids spent a lot of time playing outside. Damien was fascinated watching the turtle, and Gage enjoyed the toy lawn mower. Amanda was taking a lot of these pictures and whenever she gets to take pictures I find lots of pictures of the animals on them. Besides the turtle she also got her dog, Pepper, and her cat, Sheena.

When he got home from work Doug took Michael, Damien and Lauren for rides in the wagon.

Austin pulled weeds in the beans and Amanda and Lauren planted some sunflower plants that Michael had started earlier this summer when he went to camp.

Jam session. We have at least one of these almost every day. 

This week we began to PreK/K units - one on the creation story and one based on the book ABC Bunny. Here the kids are doing some of the activities in these units.

Here CJ is working on making something to hold papers on the table he finished last week. 

Tuesday

Tuesday morning I made homemade playdough. This kept a lot of the kids busy for over an hour. 

Michael, Lauren and Damien finished their creation coloring books Tuesday morning.

Michael and Scout having a nice moment together. These moments don't come very often because Michael used to scare Scout. Michael is getting gentler and Scout is becoming more tolerant.

Doug has been busy this week repairing a lawn mower for a family at church. Michael has been busy supervising.

Michael and I both had mishaps that resulted in colorful hands. I spilled blue food coloring on my hands while I was making playdough. Michael was very unimpressed and wouldn't even let me touch him with my blue hands. Later that afternoon I realized I hadn't heard or seen him for awhile so I went looking and found him with hot pink hands. He had gotten into Holly's makeup and completely coated his hands with it! What a mess. And now who has the dirty hands?

Wednesday

Amanda took Michael and Lauren (and Pepper) for a walk back to the creek. 

More singing and music.

Here we're playing a memory game based on the ABC Bunny story.

As you can see, wagon rides are very popular.

CJ finished his paper holder Wednesday and now it is upstairs on his table full of papers.

Thursday

Thursday morning the kids went for a walk again. We try to go every day and Amanda has taken over going with them. The younger children stay here with me and Austin entertains them during this time if they need it. The older kids enjoy the walk but some of the younger ones don't like it so much so this works out better for all of us.

We did some fun papers in our ABC Bunny unit. Most of these activities come from Homeschool Creations Early Learning Printables section.

Since CJ finished his paper holder project he decided to start a new one. This time he is making a memory game from cardboard.

Friday

On Friday we colored pictures of some of the animals in the ABC Bunny story. 

Going for their morning walk.

Michael had a doctor's appointment this afternoon. This was basically just a follow up with his pediatrician to make sure things are going okay since his seizure. He is doing pretty well and we decided to leave everything the same for now. He's in the process of getting set up for a sleep study and after that we may look at changing some of his medications. I'd like to see if we can lower the number of meds he takes every day. 

Here he and CJ were being funny while we were waiting for the doctor.

Playtime!

Saturday

Monday is Michael's 6th birthday so today Lauren brought him a birthday cake and a set of walkie talkies. Thank You Lauren and Sarah! He loves his walkie talkies and the cake was delicious.

And that's a peek into our week. It was a good one and I'm looking forward to another fun week.