We can when we want to!

Homeschool in pajamas that is! Sometimes it happens. Not everyday or anything. But sometimes.

And one little mophead contributes to the relaxed atmosphere. I like Noisy, Mom likes Quiet is the title of the book she's reading, I believe. Check that one out. I have fun reading that one too!

I like to find books that I enjoy reading because it makes it so much more motivating to read a stack of books that way. Books like Chicka Chicka,Boom Boom,Amelia Bedelia books, Lentil, stuff like that.It helps me endure those other picks from my brood like Clifford,Thomas the Tank,Spot and so forth.

Well, hungry creatures are near(children),Friday's a big laundry day for me, and menu planning and a shopping list to make,coordinating to do on meals for Sunday,(we have Costa Rican guests coming in) and probably quite a few others as well, so I Need to be busy! Tomorrow looks like a big day too,including the library booksale! You know me!

Marcella

Baby Faces and Homemade Stained Glass

A fairly recent shot of "Tizzy" as her brothers call her,in the Pack n Play. Her siblings thought a large supply of stuffed animals would be helpful.

This shot,hmmmnn? Maybe just up from a nap?

The" stained glass" discs we made the other day. Go to http://enchantedlearning.com and look under Spring Activities. Some of the activities look boring but these are well worth the mess in my book!

Three discs hanging in the family room windows. They look very cheerful. Next up may be egg carton tulips or something of that nature. We finally have a stash of green pipe cleaners in the house. Chelsea is very busy with a nice wooden puzzle I nabbed for 45 cents in the thrift store the other day. I'm trying to start a collection for her. The boys have been using their paintbrush pens and foam jungle stickers to make realistic pictures, working on a DVD set on dinosaurs from a Creationist viewpoint, helping Lee make protective boxes for the baby plants they put in the garden and planting, playing with foam beads from the Dollar Tree, listening to library books read aloud, painting themselves with food coloring mixtures so they can look like yahoos from Gulliver's Travels and so on and so forth. I so enjoy homeschooling. I'm not even covering all of what we're doing either! But tonight, I wish to hit the sack!

Marcella

Resurrection Retold

The Hispanic community seems to be thriving in our area of the Shenandoah. Thus,the Resurrection Story play in Spanish.( Some English speaking participants were involved.) These women and children are doing some type of dance in a recreation of the streets of Jerusalem.

Alex was scared of the camel!

One good shot after Alex was over his fright.

Some of the actors before the play, serving and eating fish cooked over the fire.

Lee getting aquainted with one of the actors.

Salted fish?

Selling eggs.

These actors had a basket of bread there.

Lee at one of the stalls.

Inside. I think that's Pilate in front of us.

The stage. I don't think it was allowed to take pictures during the play. I was concerned that the boys wouldn't handle of a few of the scenes well but they did fine. I kept whispering that it's just pretend. (I had gone to the play a couple nights beforehand to preview it.) I felt it was well worth our time and was yet another way of envisioning that wonderful story. I also felt they did a very good job of conveying the Gospel message in its profoundness and simplicity.

The song of victory at the end.

Most of the cast after the last song. The actors circulated with the crowd after the play so we were able to communicate with some of them.

Have an inspiring and God honoring weekend. Marcella

Our FirsT Gap Toothed Child

It was a challenge to get a good picture-obviously!

The "gap" sort of. We didn't realize new teeth were growing in behind the old ones already or we may not have allowed Jess to take his own sweet time quite so much....

Pumpkin Face as Lee says.

The harvest. Two teeth extracted by Pilgrim Mama. We're feeling bittersweet about all this. I mean our firstborn already has adult teeth? Adult Teeth! I think it's kind of like when Jess gave up his blanky. I felt sort of pleased and rather close to tears. I imagine more experienced parents probably get this. That Feeling. You know?

Marcella

Heavenly Eyesight

I was wishing to post some links with the story of Isaac Coates,the young man I think I mentioned a few posts back. Anyone who has read the book "A Song for Your Honor" might know this is Isaac's family.They have been through so very much already,yet our Heavenly Father saw them fit to suffer once again. And yet,in a way, maybe Isaac's family know more of God and His love then many of us do. Isaac,the only son of that fatherless family drowned in Honduras a few days ago. From the few times I'd met members of their family they seemed very dear and my sister also enjoyed Isaac's sister very much. Our hearts,in humanity want to cry out why,why?? But if we stop a moment and realize that in the Real Reality for God's sons and daughters,this is but a crossing to The True Home.
Someone wrote that Isaac was partially colorblind. Now,from what I can humanly perceive, he has heavenly vision and can see things in a way none of us know and realizes the true Reality.And yes, does anyone think he feels fatherless anymore?
Marcella

Homeschooling and Tools

Those hard hats come in handy for times like these! Lee has started a tool collection for each boy and that provides great props for carpenter play. The level was not included in the deal if I understand Lee properly! He tends to keep part of his tool collection in the living room too. It can get interesting-the toolshed properties our livingroom seems to possess at times. When I can look at it in a positive light it seems to be part and parcel of a busy family. Other times it can seem ,well,unnaturally toolshedish to my sensibilities! Ah,well. It's a season.

We are now officially part of the Shenandoah homeschoolers group(or at least one of them). Now I need to get my papers done with the school district. I grew frustrated with the reading program I had and we are now starting a workbook which gives me more freedom . Reading aloud in a big way is also a definite goal here. I have to help with selections at the library though or we would tend to have a heavy diet of Clifford and Franklin though. We went to the bookfair near here and got a few books recently also. And I have a selection of homeschooling books borrowed from the homeschool library that is keeping my gray matter exercised. Well,this may be a rather dry explanation .Guess I'll go read books... Marcella

Message from my Sons

I found this by the computer a little while back. Very to the point. At least I have good communicators around here? Marcella

Peas and Roses!

There's a garden at the edge of our rental property that we hope to get some use out of in the months ahead.Here's Lee and the boys planting peas(sugar snap and regular) and onions.I think Lee even sneaked some garlic in.I sort of think that's supposed to go in,in the fall dear!:) I also found a pack of marigold seeds lying on the kitchen counter. Well,I guess I better get me some sunflower seeds then!

Here's a shot of a lovely bouquet Lee and I brought home from a couples night we were invited to recently.We were glad we went. We had a lovely evening eating and studying God's plan in "coupledom" and so forth.We tied in a sweetheart crossword puzzle and thus the bouquet. Tonight I brought Lee a chocolate rose to add to it.

Well, lots going on around here. Also our hearts weep with the family of a young man from the fellowship in NC, who appears to have disappeared after being swept away by a current in a river in Honduras. The family has been through so much already but our Heavenly Father surely knows this too.

Pilgrim Style Organizing

Maybe this is a wierd post but as a family we strive to live as pilgrims passing through and sometimes this means moving around. What does life look like when one can't necessarily cart furniture everywhere? Well,Pilgrim Mama has found a helpful tip! Use baskets. Here are some of the baskets we use in our current home. Maybe that last one is not technically a basket but it works!

Well,I should be off to bed as it's nearly midnight.We had guests that we were deep in conversation with and we expect more guests tomorrow! Marcella

Bible for Children

As parents,a subject close to our hearts is having the Bible understood by our children. A wonderful resource we have found is the ICB Bible (Illustrated Children's Bible) .I believe it's put out by Tommy Nelson. As the back cover says it's not a retelling or a paraphrase but rather Bible text illustrated .It skips the Thees and thous too from what I can see to make this far easier to understand than King James fare but happily seems to keep accuracy a priority.

Well,we are having a typical busy weekend.I need to finish preparation for the Sunday School lesson I'm teaching today. Have an inspirational weekend! Marcella

Costa Rican Comfort Food

A plate of the standard Costa Rican breakfast- " Gallo pinto" and a mug of "cafe con leche". This is perfect with an over medium egg or scrambled eggs and perhaps a slice of baguette? with butter. Very hearty! Marcella

Necessity is the Mother of Invention

Gear for the chopping of those tear inducing bulbs-the onion! Invented by our own Alex! Marcella