School and life in the home....what we're doing

Warning: What follows is a lengthy post about our life and our schooling, a natural result of blog author's "absense." If pressed for time, permission granted to skip post.

It's no secret the posts on this our blog have been slimmer of late. (Is "slimmer" a word? If not, I think I'll make it one. I like it).

One reason, of course is just life. Man, it's busy! We have enjoyed visits to and from our dear family from July on to now. Though our local church is not a program-driven church, we do indeed stay busy just living life together with the body, our friends. We love weekly care groups and live for Sundays, when we worship corporately and get to spend extended time eating, playing and relaxing with our friends. Having two children in our church body's parent/youth ministry has been a fun time for us. And of course, life with a 4 year old, who wasn't here for years 1, 2 and 3 is always interesting - and a blast! She keeps us all laughing.

The fall is upon us and all that it brings - except the cooler weather...this IS North Florida, after all! Ladybug is running full force in Cross Country again. True to her word, The Elf is not running! Instead, she's enjoying recreation league soccer - and we're enjoying watching her play THREE evening games each week! Pooch and Emmy Xiang, who has lovinginly been dubbed, "Joe" are enjoying really playing together....nice to see that relationship taking on such life. I must state for the record that the Pooch and a friend have been exercising three mornings each week for MANY weeks now. Even Joe has been known to run (literally) around the house. Finally, our entire family is moving....regularly! To God be the glory. It's only by His grace that we have been the least bit successful!

We've been back in school for almost 9 weeks now. What fun we've already had in our history co-op (and I'll be recounting those adventures soon). We're studying 1600-1800 this year, with our "together times" through December being a living history Colonial settlement. The moms and many of the girls spent much time late summer planning, purchasing material and sewing Colonial costumes for all of the children and even some of the adults (I really should post some of these things to share....okay I'm getting inspired!). Mid-August marked the gathering of these historically based characters in the port city of Weymouth, England (think the Berry's house), who would form a company and travel by ship (our back deck) to the New World (Jammer's backyard). In real co-op time, the company is still on the Atlantic Ocean, hopefully weathering storms. Look for future posts.....

Our science co-op times together have been focused on learning about God's amazing creation of the Human Body. We've been introduced to the basic building block of life, the cell, read a bit of the skin and studyed the bones in depth. The children must write about each system in the style of their choice. I'm sure we'll be seeing some tours through the human body, science fiction stories, children's books, multi-media presentations and more when the year is through. Each family is also building a body (life size), so I should post some pictures of that, too. Note to self.

The girls have all been better about narrating this year. And all of the girls are slated to read some great literature books. So far, Pooch devoured Children of the New Forest and Ladybug is reading (and actually likes!) Sense and Sensibility and the Elf is enjoying Emma, Gulliver's Travels and Treasure Island. Together we're enjoying Pilgrim's Progress, Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, reading about and ejoying some of Rembrandt's art works and listening to Vivaldi. On differing levels, the girls are dabbling in Spanish, perservering in Latin and their repective maths and "traveling" to different places in their living books on geography...Hillyer's A Child's Geography of the World, Haliburton's Book of Marvels and How the Heather Looks (a book about England).

A few new things for the Elf are reading a book on reading (How to Read a Book), reading about and summarizing weekly current evens, and the devolopment of a commonplace book, a book in which to record and comment on favorite or impacting quotations. We've tweaked this last assignment to a 21st century mode of recording, and thus the birth of the Elf's "commonplace blog." It's been a pleasant experience for her and for us to allow her a place to put in words some of the mediations in her mind. You are invited to her world. It's an interesting place!

So that's a run down of it. Maybe boring for most, but I thought I'd share. At least it gives a glimpse into my world.

Dog Tired?

Breaking the silence

It's been a while.

And when I've not blogged in this long, it's hard to know what to write. So I'll just tell a little something about Emmy Xiang.

Yesterday, while I was watching JE's soccer game and sewing a bit on EX's quilt (yes, THAT quilt...that 100 good wishes quilt. Sheesh. More to feel guilty about! It WILL be finished soon, Lord willing!), EX asked for a "peek uh kum," which translates to piece of gum. Of course, the gum was in the truck - WAY over in parking lot - so I handed her the tin of Eclipse mints. I'm watchin' and sewin' away, and not watching EX. The next thing I know, she gets my attention and says, "mint."

"Yes, you have a mint. Now put the mints back in my purse please."

"Mint." This time pointing to her nose. Hmmm.

"Emmy Xiang! Did you put a MINT in your NOSE?"

"Mint." (Looking a little distressed). Incredulously looking around....for what or whom, I'm still not sure. What to do? Squintingly, I peer into the nostrils. There is clearly a mint in the child's (very small and flat) nose! Simultaneously, I chuckle and question.....what should I do?

"Okay, Emmy Xiang. Mommy can't get it out. Ohh!"

"Baba." She seemed to feel better after mentioning him. He can do EVERYTHING, fix ANYTHING!

"Yes, we'll call Baba. But, honey, Baba can't get it out. Baba's at work." Sigh. So I call Jim.

"She did what?" Since he was with a bunch of doctors, he asks the pros what to do. He asks if I have tweezers. At a soccer game?!? RIGHT! Still, I try. Every attempt of mine to "extract" it is futile, and when I stop to question again, "what to do?" and sigh, EX puts her finger up her nose and pushes the mint farther! What now?

We walked ALL THE WAY to the truck and found the tissues. Blow, EX. Did she sniff or blow? I can't ever tell. However, it didn't come out, and I couldn't see it any more. Maybe she swallowed it? She no longer seemed uncomfortable. And she got that "peek uh kum" after all.

"Not in nose. Only in mouth, right?"

"Right, EX. Only in mouth."

Sigh.

Our first homemade movie premiere....

Hello Everyone! Sorry we haven't posted for a while! We've been quite busy with school and everything else that comes along with life.
About a two and a half months ago, the White family visted. (See post A Visit With Dear Friends... I think.) During that time, we filmed a movie called Pellington Park. It is basically about some kids who go to school, form a little society (kinda) and play revolutionary war in their backyards. On July 25th 2008 it was premiered! (Red carpet and all). So, at 7:30pm the cast, their families, and a few friends gathered at "El Perdido Theatre" (correct me, ya'll, if that's wrong) to watch Pellingtom Park for the first time ever. (Even the cast had never seen it!) Here are some pictures from the lovely evening. Enjoy!

P.S. Thanks to Tiff for hair and makeup for a few of us girls!

Our Newest Addition

We are really excited to introduce you to our "new" 67 Volkswagen Beetle. Rescued from her resting place of probably 10 yrs or so. One of Tammy's uncles has had 30+ Volkswagens for as long as anybody can remember and finally decided to dispose of them. He kept 4 only and since this one was staying in the family decided to let her go to us. We (that's me and Tammy ... the girls are still warming up to the idea) have great plans. We are trying to decide on colors. Cream and Key Lime are among the most popular for now ... we must also decide whether to make her a two-tone (white would be the second color). How factory and how custom is yet to be settled. Before the first thing happens I have to finish house projects: finish painting the outside, take down wallpaper in kitchen, texture and paint, and baseboards as well. Then the fun begins. Maybe by January, if weather and such cooperate. As Cross Country is starting up and soccer will follow the distractions will be plentiful.

Just us

...on the day of our "6 month" social worker visit. Who would doubt that Emmy Xiang's just one of us?!?

Our Secretary