Rhythmic Gymnastics

Well, today's Gymnastics made a hit with Anna. She loved the drama and the swirly things. She and Sarah made sticks with streamers (strings) and have been jumping around the house twirling. Here are 2 of Anna's dramatic poses!

Off To A Great Start!

We finished our first 2 days of school and we are off to a great start. The girls are loving their desks, and it seems that they have retained all that they learned last year.

I was worried about taking 5 weeks off, but you know what? I needed that 5 weeks, and so did they. They swam, and swam and played and pretended and went shopping and went to the zoo, and played some more. It was a great rest time.

Then, when it was time to start, they were really ready. It seems that we have turned a corner in reading for everybody and they are reading for enjoyment.

We are off to a good start in History, taking our virtual "Trip Around The World". :)

I'm so glad we are able to do what we do, and I pray that the year continues to go well for them.

I also found these really cool math cubes that explain fractions and decimals. They are kind of like the addition blocks, but they are written in fractions and decimals.
The one thing our oldest son had trouble with was fractions. He couldn't understand how a bigger number was a smaller amount. These cubes help you to SEE that.

Now I gotta go clean house...... :)

How Do I Say No To the Limbless?

On a good note, this was an article about a Prosthetist who makes limbs for those who don't have them, in Mexico.

What a wonderful ministry.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/08/22/heroes.puckett/index.html

I often think of where our girls would be were it not for the caring people who make their legs, and have changed their lives. I give glory and praise to the Lord for moving on the hearts of people who care so very much.

THANK YOU LORD, for changing our lives, giving Erika independence more than we had ever dreamed, and for letting us get to know some very special people, whom we would have never met, had there not been hardship in our lives.

Organic Foods Article

There is an article this a.m. at CNN.Com about a study that concluded that "organic foods are not more nutritional, than non organic."
As if a person would think that if they ate an organic apple it might contain more vitamins than a non organic one?

That has NEVER been the issue for me in buying organic foods. The issue for me is the pesticides and poisoning of the environment. The foods that are raised conventionally contain dangerous pesticides. I remember in the 1980's one of the studies on childhood leukemia linked the disease to polished apples. In organics, you don't polish apples.

HERE: is the kicker of the study:

This study -- published in the latest edition of the Society of Chemical Industry's (SCI) "Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture" -- is the first to assess the nutritional value of organic fruit and vegetables. It should be noted that the study does not make conclusions about the comparative levels of pesticides or chemicals in conventionally and organically grown food or the health effects of consuming such chemicals.

NOTE: The study is done by the "CHEMICAL INDUSTRY". LOL


So, if a person is to skim this article, they might MISS the log floating in the stream of bologana! The chemical industry didn't say anything about how chemicals remain in the food and are harmful to your body. Oops, we were only speaking of the nutritional value of a carrot vs. a carrot. duh......

Not to mention the poisoning of the water, soil, etc.

Organic farming is good for the environment, good for the soil, causing it to help the environment.... (this shows up later in the rebuttal section of th article.

But really, how does anything like this make the news other than for a teaser to make a person mad?
It is also so harmful, because many people will read a headline and then think conventionally grown foods are just as SAFE as organics. That is not the case. Organic food farmers go through rigorous regulation to get excellent, non poisonous foods to our tables and we need to support their efforts.

The First Day of School

Well, we had a great start to a great year. We covered all of our subjects today, except for art, unless you count making an Israeli Flag for History "Art". :)

For history this year, we are taking a virtual, "Trip Around The World". We actually started at the end of last school year, and plan to continue until we cover every continent and important country.

So here are the girlies doing Spelling.... guess which girlie was abit overwhelemed with doing "Just cursive????". Yep, from now on..... :)

The Girls Have Their OWN BLOG

The Girls have a new blog. We will be using this to teach typing skills, computer skills, and creative writing skills. I will leave the mistakes as they are, unless they ask for help in spelling. :)

Their address is:

http://thenoelles.blogspot.com/

Here It Is

The Lonesome Pine Ranch School Room:

God Cares About The Little Things

I have written before about the requests the girls had for a great start to a great school year. They wanted a desk, a bell and a chalk board.

Well, we have a bell. I checked around on Craig's List to see about Chalk Boards and desks. I found a great deal from a nursing school going out of business. When I got there, they had just 2 desks and a chalk board. I was able to get them for 25.00 for all.

Anna didn't care for the desks and asked if she could get one that looked a little different. We still needed one, so she started looking on the computer and found the color and style she liked. The problem is, it was over 100.00 if you purchased it new!

I was ready to settle on another desk that looked like her sisters, but the drive was too far and it would have cost more in gas than for the desk itself.

Daddy said, "Let's wait and see what God provides, give HIM a chance to work!"

So we waited a day or two and went back onto Craig's list. There was a description of the exact desk that Anna wanted for 15.00! We thought, ok, this is His provision and the desk was located close by our church. I called the number and it turns out, it was a long time aquaintence from our home school group that was selling the desk. I told her I'd call at a certain time, but when I did, she didn't answer. So we went ahead and started home from church. When we were almost home, she called and said her phone was on silent and she forgot to change it, but they were home and we could come.

So after we got home, I headed out to get the desk. About 3 minutes after I left, Mike called and said, WAIT! Another friend called and said she had a desk she was giving away. He said, go ahead and go look at it. They just live 5 doors down! So I turned around and drove over to her house. And guess what? It was the EXACT desk, even EXACT COLOR Anna had wanted. And it was FREE. :) My friend and I had a good laugh at the way God works in our lives. I called the other lady back to share the story, and it turns out she knows my neighbor! Isn't that funny? :)

Anna is so pleased with her new desk. And now, after I decorate the wall with a map or two, and some pin ups, we will be set for school to start on Thursday! :)

What a great lesson for the girls.

More Understanding .....

Erika has been speaking English now for almost 2 years. I have to be really careful to remember that she doesn't always understand the things she has heard. She might understand the individual word, but our words can have many meanings.

So, we were watching the Olympics. Everybody was busy and Erika was watching alone. She came in and said, "Somebody smashed Michael Phelp's goggles, and he came in 2nd place because of it!" I was shocked! Who could do something like that!???? So I'm looking all over for news about the event and there is nothing.

Then I sit down with her and they use the word, "smash" and "leaky goggles" again.
She said, SEE! They SMASHED his goggles and now they are leaky and he came in 2nd!"

I said, NO, his goggles were "leaky" and he SMASHED the World Record anyway! He came in second in a different "practice race". She was so confused. What is a "World Record" that can be SMASHED? SMASHED means broken, crushed, but it is tangeable, breaking something you can touch and feel. She didn't understand until now that that green line across the swimming pool wasn't really there but was showing us where a swimmer from another race swam before, and now the swimmers swimming now are ahead of that and they are now the fastest! They are the fastest in the world, and when that time is written down, it is a "record". It is recorded, or written down so everybody knows what the fastest time is.

I'm exhausted just typing that. :)

BUT.... now she understands and is very happy that Micahel Phelps was not the victim of "bad worldly goggle smashers!

Gymnastics Craze

Watching Olympic Gymnastics has got Sarah going Topsy Turvy!

Play List is gone now

I took the play list feature off the blog because it takes too long to load. I like the feature, and I liked the music, but it was a little too "busy" and bogged down the blog.

The Back to School Countdown

Sarah was asking for "olives". Now those olives are VERY green!


Anna discovered how to make some rather uncomfortable shoes with tin cans and string.
She loves them.



This is Anna resting after a busy Sunday afternoon!



Katie and Erika really enjoyed braiding hair. Erika especially loved the end frizzy results. :0



This a Sarah kicking back and relaxing. :)


We start school 1 week from tomorrow. We are all looking forward to starting back up to a full school year of learning and discovery.
Now I need to go and finish our schedule.

Oh Sacred Head Now Wounded

I never knew there were so many verses to this Hymn.

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/o/s/osacredh.htm




OH SACRED HEAD NOW WOUNDED


O sacred Head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down,
Now scornfully surrounded with thorns, Thine only crown;
O sacred Head, what glory, what bliss till now was Thine!
Yet, though despised and gory, I joy to call Thee mine.

What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered, was all for sinners’ gain;
Mine, mine was the transgression, but Thine the deadly pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Savior! ’Tis I deserve Thy place;
Look on me with Thy favor, vouchsafe to me Thy grace.

Men mock and taunt and jeer Thee, Thou noble countenance,
Though mighty worlds shall fear Thee and flee before Thy glance.
How art thou pale with anguish, with sore abuse and scorn!
How doth Thy visage languish that once was bright as morn!

Now from Thy cheeks has vanished their color once so fair;
From Thy red lips is banished the splendor that was there.
Grim death, with cruel rigor, hath robbed Thee of Thy life;
Thus Thou hast lost Thy vigor, Thy strength in this sad strife.

My burden in Thy Passion, Lord, Thou hast borne for me,
For it was my transgression which brought this woe on Thee.
I cast me down before Thee, wrath were my rightful lot;
Have mercy, I implore Thee; Redeemer, spurn me not!

What language shall I borrow to thank Thee, dearest friend,
For this Thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end?
O make me Thine forever, and should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never outlive my love to Thee.

My Shepherd, now receive me; my Guardian, own me Thine.
Great blessings Thou didst give me, O source of gifts divine.
Thy lips have often fed me with words of truth and love;
Thy Spirit oft hath led me to heavenly joys above.

Here I will stand beside Thee, from Thee I will not part;
O Savior, do not chide me! When breaks Thy loving heart,
When soul and body languish in death’s cold, cruel grasp,
Then, in Thy deepest anguish, Thee in mine arms I’ll clasp.

The joy can never be spoken, above all joys beside,
When in Thy body broken I thus with safety hide.
O Lord of Life, desiring Thy glory now to see,
Beside Thy cross expiring, I’d breathe my soul to Thee.

My Savior, be Thou near me when death is at my door;
Then let Thy presence cheer me, forsake me nevermore!
When soul and body languish, oh, leave me not alone,
But take away mine anguish by virtue of Thine own!

Be Thou my consolation, my shield when I must die;
Remind me of Thy passion when my last hour draws nigh.
Mine eyes shall then behold Thee, upon Thy cross shall dwell,
My heart by faith enfolds Thee. Who dieth thus dies well.

Animal Disaster 102

101 happened last year when Coyotes ate our sheep and turkeys.

We learned from that experience that they must be locked up at night to protect them, and the girls have faithfully without question for over a year, kept all animals protected at night.

However, the shelter we have for our turkeys as about a 2 inch space around the bottom for cleaning and air ventilation. Apparently that was enough for some creature in the middle of the night last night to eat several sleeping turkeys. They lean against the walls when they sleep sometimes and what every it was was able to get to them from the outside.

The disaster wasn't as bad as last year, as only 5 turkeys were eaten or killed, one we will have to put down and the bigger ones are fine, and the goats are ok, however, I am finished with farm animals.

That is how I feel right now. The cost to raise them, and care for them, and then kill them and store them is just outweighed by the end result.

While I find it great experience for the girls, I'm not sure if farm animals are the answer.

Searching for wisdom, and not looking forward to todays slaughter to protect our food.

How Is Jesus Christ Honored?

Yesterday we were talking to our 4th grade Sunday School class for one of the last times, as they will all be promoted to the 5th grade soon.

The discussion was on "How Is Jesus Christ Honored In Your Life?"

It wasn't what we had planned to teach for the day, but it was important enough to put the planned lesson aside.

You see, during snack time, several of the boys were talking about how "cool" detention was. You get detention and you don't have to do your work, you can take a nap etc.

This class is a challenging class. The children have been "churched", many since their births, and one particular boy is always "bored", "Oh I already know that story".

So yesterday when the conversation came up, I closed the lesson and asked the simple question. "How do you honor Jesus Christ in detention, or when you get a detention?"

There was silence followed by frowns and I don't knows. Mike said, well, one way Christ is honored is "justice is served" when you do something wrong, there are consequences. Christ will be honored one way or another. :)

More frowns and thoughts and I don't knows.

So I posed another question: "How do you stand out for Jesus Christ in your school?
In your home? In your neighborhood? With your friends? In your church? In your clubs?
On your teams? Do you? If not, why not? Do you KNOW Christ or do you just know all about him?
One kid said, you really can't stand out at my school because all the kids are Christians, I go to a Christian school.

We then asked "How can we KNOW CHRIST?"
There were several answers. Believe he died on the Cross for your sins.

What does it mean to "believe"?

That got a little more direct.
One little girl said, "trust". It means to trust. As she went further in her description, I got a strong sense that she knew the Lord. She attends a local public school and is a real sweet child in class.
She stands out from the others, not because she is quiet, but her spirit is obedient.
I have known her since she was a baby, and she is definitely a different child than when she was younger. :)

I guess I wanted to challenge the children that Life in Christ IS LIFE NOW! Life in Christ is exciting. Life in Christ is REAL and as believing Children, IF indeed you know Him, you will honor Him in your life. Both at school and at home. You will put Jesus Christ first in what you do, which will effect others. You will effect them in how you relate on the play ground, how you speak to others, how you help others and how you respect others.

I truly hope the lesson got them to thinking about their own relationship with Jesus and how HE can change their lives. If HE IS WHO HE SAID HE IS, then why wouldn't we want to devote our lives to Him? If HE knows what is absoloutly best for us and only intends both trial and triumph for our good, then why wouldn't we put our trust in Him?

If there is eternal life and eternal damnation, why wouldn't we trust the ONLY one who can give us life eternal?

I hope they ponder these things in their hearts and come to know the ONE who can change them from dead to living.

Lillian the Pouting Princess

5 Girls and I went shopping today. We hit the 2nd hand store and scored BIG TIME!

Lillian insisted on this Ballerina Outfit with Ballet Shoes. What are gramma's for?

She COULD have given me a smile, but NOOOOO! She was in full pout mode after her first big swim in a real swimming pool proved too much for her and we had to go home. :)

So here she is in all her glory, pomp and circumstance. :)

Things I Have Learned About Lilly This Week

Lillian just turned 4. She is very contemplative. She has deep thoughts and watches everything.

I took her to the store with me and she was so funny. In the car I asked her,
"Lilly, what is your favorite color?"

There was a pause..... "Purple, I like purple."

We played the stop and go game with the lights on the way to the store. She told me to stop on red and go on green and be careful on yellow. (She only got to practice that once)

When we got into the store she helped me push the basket. It was so funny. Every single gesture I made, how I stood, if I put my finger on my chin to think, she did.
(I think I put my finger on my chin ALOT)

If I picked up a can to read the ingredients, she did it too. It was such an honor for her to want to be like gramma. :)

The biggest honor of all was the Ponytail. She didn't like having her hair done last week, but this week the first thing she asks for in the morning is the pink heart hair thingy. "Here gramma, put my hearts in."
OK..... :)

Katie The Farm Girl ?

This a.m. when the girls woke up, they were ready to be snuggle bunnies. Katie came in and asked if she could go let out the goats. SURE! You can also change the water and clean out the barrel before putting fresh water in.... This look of shock came over her face. "I can't do that!"

"Why not?"

"That is haarrdddd, gramma!"

"What is hard about it?"

"Ummm. you have to clean it?"

Yes. Would you like to go and do it?

ok gramma....

A little later she came in and said, "I did it!, It was EASY!"

She seemed pretty satisfied with herself. Notice the hard working smile on her face and the water on her shirt? She was already sweating at it was only 8:00. :)

Katie you are a rockin' FARM GIRL!

Busy Girls

The girls got busy today with ART. We had a few thank you cards to make, and Lillian wanted to help. She really LOVES Art. She spent the morning using water colors and the afternoon drawing and using glitter paint. She was really focused on drawing flowers.
She is starting Pre K this year and I think she will do really well as she can really concentrate when she wants to.

Here are a few pictures of creation at work.

Bananas or Watermelons

How about bananas cut like watermelons. :)