Post Thanksgiving...and the Giveaway Winner!

I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

For the first time in years, we didn't host it at our house, and it was nice little respite. And the food was scrumptious...
There's always too many of us to ever sit around a table (and unless one of the relatives buys a house with a dining room big enough to host a Henry the VIII type,12 foot long table- it's just not going to happen.)
We always just sit around wherever we can and chat while we eat way too much of everything.

Here is just a small fraction of our crowd, on my sister in law's (not shown) back deck:
(Um, also not shown is a brother in law, who's baby son seems to be hiding him!)

And it's always followed by a rousing game of this...


It's kind of a tradition that at least a handful of us play every year.

However, the following day- on my second trip out of the house on that mad, crazy shopping day... it was easy to guess what my mood quickly turned to...

My family and I were at the mall, taking turns separating and then meeting up again while we shopped for one another. I was waiting on one of the chairs in the mall, shopping bag in hand along with my purse and youngest girl's coat, and getting very warm. So, I took off my jacket and made a mental note to be sure to not forget it.

And you can see where this is going...

A little while later I got up to meet my family a few feet away and then separate one more time...and it was then that I realized I didn't have my jacket.

My little black leather jacket that my husband had gotten me a couple years ago.

I ran frantically, my little girl who was now with me nearly flying behind me in the wind...but it wasn't there.

My husband and I searched, I checked Lost in Found and left my name with them...and even prayed we'd find it...but evidently someone was thrilled that they could so easily steal a leather jacket and get away with it.
It was Black Friday, alright...
So, needless to say, I felt sad that one of my favorite jackets was gone...and even sadder that I had been so careless.

But I keep telling myself that it was an incredibly long day fighting the crowds and I was exhausted... And that losing a jacket is not the end of the world. It is just a thing, after all.
But that night I was emotionally and physically done in, and it was good to just go to bed and snuggle under the covers watching one of my favorite "modern movies" - Family Man, that happened to be on TV...all I needed to make it complete was a few pounds of chocolate.


But hey, I didn't completely forget to have the drawing for participants in my Home School Open House giveaway!
I must first clarify something...in the picture where my six year old is showing her Mayflower craft, I need to tell you that on hers, she insisted I cut a different way so that the ship would not just simply go back and forth a couple inches...no, it had to zig zag around or it just wouldn't do.
So her Mayflower really had quite the voyage! ;)

Anyway, as you'll remember, those who put the button in their sidebar were entered...and participants in the Open House got their name thrown in twice!

So, only moments ago, my oldest daughter picked a name...and she giggled because the name written said....

Miss Piggy! Yes, from her blog, The Funny Farm. I've known her for almost as long as I've been blogging, so I was thrilled that she won!

She'll be getting a fabulous ornament which I'll be mailing out this coming week. Congratulations "Miss Piggy"!

And again, a huge thank you to all who participated!

Tomorrow I hope to read up on how all of your Thanksgiving weekends went...but in the meantime, it's off to bed!

Blessings!

Wordless Wednsday- From my pilgrims to yours...

A Preschool Play...three years ago...


Mine's the little pilgrim in the middle...between all of those tall hats!

A blessed Thanksgiving Day to all of you!

Welcome to the Home School Open House

Welcome to the 2nd Home School Open House!

If you'd like to participate, you can by posting your own home school show and tell on that day, perhaps showing us what your children have recently worked on, a special project, or even just a favorite book. You can also share with us the special place that your children usually do their work- a room set aside, or a special corner.
You can tell us in words, but hopefully have a picture or two to share...or even a video!
(Hopefully our Mr. Linky will be working! It worked just after I posted, but seems to be down now. If it still is, please leave your link in the comment section if you're participating until it's fixed.)

Today, in light of our Thanksgiving week, I'd like to share what we've been focusing a lot on for most of November.

As I mentioned before, my girls and I are direct descendants of William Bradford. In fact, my mom's sister has done a lot of ancestry research, and it's fun to see the line of names going back...back...all the way to Governor Bradford and his wife, Alice.
And though I had known of this heritage myself for a long time, I must say that it was only in the last couple years that I began to really feel excited about it!
Maybe the fact that I am a home school mom with the responsibility of teaching my children has helped to spark the recent enthusiasm...but whatever the reason, my girls and I have enjoyed learning together what life was like on the Mayflower...and later, at the new colony.

For our home school book report group, my nine year old read a fictionalized account of a brother and sister aboard the Mayflower.


This is a part of the Christian history book series, American Adventure, and written by Colleen Reece.
Although we talked about how the two main characters and some of the story was fiction, the book was based on a lot of researched facts and so she was able to get a good feel of what life on the Mayflower would have been like.

To compliment the book report, she made a little craft showing the Mayflower's route.
Her six year old sister wanted to copy this as well...and since I couldn't find the original today, but had her's handy, I'll show her copy...

To make this, we simply printed off a map of the world, traced the route that the Mayflower sailed, then glued in onto cardboard. (They chose to paint their cardboard and let it dry first.)
Then I cut through the cardboard only on the route with sharp tool.
The girls cut out sails and then glued them onto a popsicle stick...and tada! The ship can move back and forth on the cut trail!

We also are using a few books that I bought...
The first one is actually geared towards ages 11 and up, but I've read to them a few pages here and there.
(But truthfully, I got it more for myself!)

And this one we'll be reading together the rest of this week:



Written by Lucille Recht Penner and illustrated by S.D. Schindler, it's packed full of wonderful illustrations and perfect for all ages of grade schoolers.

Now, we did do other crafts, along with lots of worksheets that I found on the internet, but because my husband has the camera tonight, I can't show any more photos.

And there are countless wonderful books out there especially for children that I had hoped to check out at the library but somehow never did.

Here's a few more that we've read in the last few Thanksgivings that I would recommened:
"Squanto and the Miracle of the first Thanksgiving" by Eric Metaxss
"If you lived in Colonial Times" by Ann McGovern. (Post-pilgrim era but still shows many of the ways our earliest settlers lived.)

And here's one I would have loved to read aloud to them this month had I discovered it sooner:
"William Bradford- Pilgrim Boy" by Bradford Smith- about his childhood in England.



Besides all of our focus on the pilgrims and Gov. William Bradford, we've also doing what many of you with children also have...focusing on the attitude of thankfulness.
I mentioned our Thankful Tree here...the girls actually helped to make their own this year and it's cluttered with colorful leaves already- each stating what each of us are thankful for.

I have truly loved this month of November in our little home school!

So...now I'm looking forward to seeing what some of you other home schoolers have been up to!
This will be open for posts through Wednesday...and on Friday we'll draw the winner of the giveaway!

God bless and have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family!

Home School Open House Giveaway coming!

I have been such a bad blogger lately...but I do hope to catch up with some of you this week!

Today was a gorgeous fall day (although just a bit nippy!)

Our oldest was attending a cooking lesson\ tea party at the home of her Missionette leader...and so to keep youngest girl's nose firmly in joint, she had some Mommy and Daddy time all to herself at a playground, followed by some window shopping at the mall.

And wow...if it was this crowded pre-Thanksgiving, it will be interesting to see it on Friday!
And guess who was there...before Thanksgiving yet? Yep, Santa himself!!! I can't believe he made it from the north pole so early!

Now, down to business...

Just to remind you, Tuesday is the second Home School Show and Tell, and I'm really hoping to get more of you involved!
Participating in the show and tell is open to any blogger who home schools! Just take the button from my sidebar and link back to me on Tuesday!

And in hopes of having more participants, I'm having a little giveaway! Although I can't show you what it is quite yet, I will say that it is a Christmas ornament - and I think that most of you will really like it!

So how do you enter?
Even if you are not a home school parent, I will enter your name if you put the button into your sidebar or on a post. It's that simple!
Just let me know that you have done so and your name is in!

If you're a home school parent (or even teen home school student) and do decide to participate, your name will be entered in twice!
All you have to do is share a recent project or something you enjoyed learning about together...or even a special place where your child does most of their school work.
Then post the button and link back here!
(And I hope to have a better "Mr. Linky" by Tuesday...we'll see!)


In the meantime, I can hardly believe that Thanksgiving is this week...followed by the biggest shopping day of the year!
My husband and I actually usually are among the crazies who brave the frantic crowds...(which is amazing since neither one of us are really big shoppers most of the year!)
But in our case- my husband, morning person that he is, usually heads off for Round 1 by himself at the crack of dawn. That I just cannot do...not when all those turkey chemicals are still lazily lounging in my system.

But... come 9 or so...look out, here I come!

In truth, I've gotten most of my store bought items already, and making the rest...but I hope to pick up just a few incredible deals.

What about you? Do you like to brave the crowds on Black Friday or stay home sipping tea in the comfort of your home and laugh at the rest of us? ;)

Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving week (here in the states, that is!) and hope to see some of you Tuesday!

Thanksgiving Traditions

Kelli at There is no place like Home is hosting a Giving Thanks celebration.

For the past few years, I've posted about how we started "The Thankful Tree".
We had been hosting Thanksgiving at our home for years, and I wanted to incorporate the real meaning into the day- especially for my children- by having each guest write their name on a leaf as they entered the door, and what they were thankful for that year.


The picture above is from our very first year. As you can see, it is nothing fancy- I just drew the trunk and branches freehand and cut out leaf shapes, with some tape nearby for everyone to adhere their leaf to the poster.

This year will be the first year in many that we are taking a break from hosting Thanksgiving at our house. So, starting this week, I thought I could incorporate our Thankful Tree just a bit differently.
This time, just our family of four can place a leaf on the tree each day leading up to Thanksgiving, writing a different thing that we are thankful for.

There are so many ways that you can help your family participate in focusing in on gratitude this Thanksgiving season. And having these tangible reminders not only helps our children connect more easily with the attitude of thankfulness, I think it helps some of us grown- ups, as well!

Another newer tradition I've recently started surrounds the pilgrims, the Mayflower... and especially William Bradford. Because my girls are especially excited to learn that Governor Bradford is their great, great, great.........many more greats....a few more greats....great grandfather!

Yes, I - and therefore, they- are direct descendants of William Bradford so having that personal connection with the pilgrims gives them a special excitement about learning about this time of history and how it connects to Thanksgiving.
(Alright, I admit it...I'm kind of excited over it, too...)
We've been reading a lot about them this month, making crafts and drawing pictures...some of which I hope to share with you on next Tuesday's Home School Open House!


Which conveniently ties right into me telling you something special about our next Open House...;)

I am having a giveaway (specific item to be announced but I promise it will be good!) and there are two ways to have a chance to win:

1) Grab my Open House button from my sidebar and display it on either a post or your sidebar!
(This earns you one chance, and you don't have to be a home school parent for this!)
Just let me know that you've done this so I can make sure you're counted!

2) Participate in the Open House itself on the 25th by linking up to my post that day and showing the button on your participating post! Show us what your family is doing lately in your home school, favorite projects or books, or a special room where your child or children like to study.
(This gets you a whopping 3 chances to win the prize!!!)

Hope to see many of you Tuesday!

And for more Thanksgiving ideas and themes, check out Kelli's place!

Ice Castles in the Air

***Stay tuned...the 2nd monthly Home School Open House is next Tuesday the 25th
(not the 24th- correction!) and I'm hoping many more of you join in! And to sweeten the pot, I'm going to be doing a giveaway!*** (Yes, I'm resorting to bribery.) ;)


It seems my "blog fog" drifted down and settled in for the rest of the week.
Because I was just totally post-less.

But we did have an interesting and fairly nice week.

On Thursday, we met up with our home school group for afternoon ice skating!
My oldest had taken lessons years ago, but I wasn't sure how my six year old would do.
But the rollerblading she did this summer paid off, because she surprised even herself!

Sasha Cohen, move over...

Or, for those of us over 40, Dorothy Hamill...

Only without the haircut.

(Or for those over 75, Sonia Hennie....)


Although she wasn't quite floating over the ice like Dorothy here, she was so good that not only did I not have to hold her up, but she started skating around with some actual speed while her mommy got to sit on the bleachers for a break and chat!



But I'll tell you a secret...I hadn't ice skated in about six or seven years, so at first I was even shakier than my six year old. The teens zoomed past me as I hovered close to the wall and they would ask me sweetly if it was my first time skating...sigh.

But by the fifth time around the rink, I was actually zooming around too, thank you very much! And it felt soooo good! Kind of like I wasn't as over the hill as my birth certificate might indicate.
In my mind's eye, as I got just a little better each time around the bend, I was no longer an old mommy but a graceful Olympic hopeful, gliding over the ice...

I know, that's Sasha...but if I had been dressed in yellow, it would have been so me.

So, what about you...have you ever ice skated?

Honoring those who served

(Thank you to all of you who commented on my walk down memory lane...and OK... especially to those who said I hadn't changed much along the way! Extra blogging points for you!) ;)

In honor of Veteran's Day, in our school days here at home we've been learning about those that have served in defending our nation over the years.

My daughter interviewed her own daddy just a few hours ago, with sample questions that I found on the internet. As some of you know, he served for four years in the Navy during the first few years of our marriage...and it was fun to see her with her list of questions, pencil poised, asking questions of her daddy in which brought back a lot of memories- for both of us!

While I was doing some research for things to incorporate into our Veteran's Day "theme", I found a website called,
Operation Gratitude.
This site is dedicated to bringing letters and care packages to both soldiers who are currently deployed, as well as a special section for distributing thank you letters to veterans. I immediately wanted to be involved in this somehow!
I'm hoping we can participate closer to Christmas by sending something to a deployed soldier, but this week I thought it would nice to have my nine year old write a simple thank you note to someone who had once served.


The folks at Operation Gratitude will receive the letter first, check it to make sure it is appropriate, pick a name on their list, and then send it on from there to a veteran somewhere in the country that will walk to his (or her) mailbox, peer curiously at the envelope, and hopefully be blessed as it is torn open and read.

We don't know who this veteran will be...a man or a woman...a recent veteran of Iraq or an aging WWII survivor.
We probably won't ever know. But God does. And we're praying for whomever receives it.

Years and years ago, I wrote a narrative poem with old fashioned style stanzas, as I thought about the WWII era in particular. I thought of the soldiers who came home, wondering if they still possessed everything that they held dear.
Unfortunately, I can not find that poem, but I still remember the first stanza:

In shades of golden moonlight hues, a lonely soldier steps

To reach a destination known within a memory kept,

Past homes of glowing fire light, and sounds of laughter near

He only hears the echo of his footsteps in his ear.

Remember to pause and remember...and perhaps thank someone who helped protect and preserve the freedom that we hold so dear.

Blessings!

An Award...And a walk back memory lane

I just am in a bloggy fog this week. Between the rainy weather, a headache yesterday, hormones and, well, Election Day...I've been in... hey, I've just made us up a new phrase: Blog Fog. So, when I saw that I was given this award from e-mom over at Chrysalis, I felt so blessed.

If you haven't stopped by there yet, you're in for a treat. She always brings up such fascinating topics and has such words of wisdom from the Word. She is also our "home base" host for the monthly "Marriage Monday"! Thank you so much, e-mom!

Here are the rules:


1. Only five people are allowed.
2. Four have to be dedicated followers of your blog.
3. One has to be a new follower of your blog, or live in another part of the world.

So, though it's hard to narrow this down to five, but this time, I'm choosing:

1. Mamaology
2. Susie's Space
3. Country Girl at Home
4. Dawn Writes
and a new friend,
5. Balancing Beauty and Bedlam

And here's a meme while I'm at it...

I'm not exactly sure if I did this one already a long time ago...but then, I'm in a Blog Fog and all... so I'll go ahead anyway:

Where Were You?

20 Years ago:



I was working as a preschool\ day care teacher and absolutely loving it, while living with my mom.
Dating now and then, but not a lot.
I had just lost my father in June of that year, so still grieving and helping my mom through her grief.

15 Years ago:

Just met the man I would marry and we were in the process of falling in love!
Yep, things were pretty exciting for me 15 years ago this fall...

10 Years ago:



It was in in this month of November- ten years ago- that my husband and I found out we were expecting our first child!
I remember though we had prayed and planned exactly for this, some nervousness was mingled with our excitement. My husband had just left the Navy and was still seeking employment. Not to mention, first time parent jitters!
But we were praying and trusting God, and very thrilled over it all.
Although my mom already knew, we announced the news at our big Thanksgiving gathering.

5 years ago:

Well, this gives my age away, but I was 40! Knowing I've always loved nostalgia and the 1940's era, my husband gave me a 1940's birthday bash and it was truly one of the best birthdays I've ever had!
(He even wore his sailor uniform!)


And hitting this milestone was also made easier because I was still nursing my second baby, who was nine months old. You just can't feel over the hill when you're nursing a baby, somehow!

One Year ago:

Well, pretty much exactly what I'm doing right now. Homeschooling my girls, attending the same church, and trying to keep the socks in the laundry from multiplying faster than bunnies.

And like last year, I'm trying to be the woman God wants me to be, sometimes falling short but glad He still loves me...and working on relaxing and appreciating all those "little moments" in life.


If you would like to do this meme, especially if you find yourself in a BLOG FOG...please do...I tag YOU!
And feel free to take my new, hip phrase I've invented because I know it will be sweeping blogland in no time!

Blessings!

Impossible with Man...

Final thoughts... Post Election.

I am hoping this will be my last political post for a long time. But tonight my mind and heart are whirling...and I have to share some honest thoughts one last time. Some are not so pretty...but it helps me to sort them out.

Never before have I personally felt such a heaviness in my heart after an election.
Never.

And being in my mid-40's now, I've seen a few over the years...
I remember personally feeling disappointed when Clinton was elected.
And downright irritated when he was re-elected.

But you want to know something? I don't think I have I felt such a sickening kind of disappointment as I do tonight.
And the blunt truth is that tonight- while the blanket of electoral votes freshly cover the map- I am ashamed to say that I feel disappointed in my country for the leader that they have chosen on this day.
For someone who always has held a deep love of country, feeling disappointed with it is completely foreign to me...and a feeling I don't relish at all.
I want to continue teaching my children what a privilege it is to be an American...and to hold dear all that our founding fathers fought so hard to keep. So I am praying, in part, for my own attitude...

I keep remembering what happened in the Old Testament when Israel kept clamoring for a king. God told them that they shouldn't have one, but they insisted anyway.
So he let them crown their king...because God gives us a free will. And lets us make our mistakes sometimes.

Still...even though I strongly feel that this was a completely wrong choice for our country because this man's values go so contrary to God's Word... I keep reminding myself that God is still the Inhabitor of His people.

Perhaps this is a wake up call to so many of us. Not to become complacent- but to pray more earnestly for our nation (and yes, our leader) and for God to bring about a revival in our land.

Tonight, the Bible verses from ArcaMax Publishing, which e-mail verses to us each day- sent the following passages our way. I thought they were just what so many of us need to stand on just now and so I wanted to share them with you...

Fear Not! The waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm." Proverbs 1:32,33 NIV

All your children shall be taught by the LORD, And great shall be the peace of your children. In righteousness you shall be established; You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; And from terror,for it shall not come near you.

Isaiah 54:13,14 NKJV

The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

Psalm 121:5-8 KJV
__________________

For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.

Romans 8:14-16 NASB
__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

Let's pray together for our nation...

Blessings!

Precious Life...

On the eve of this election, I wanted to say just a couple more things...

(I may not get political again for a long time, so bear with me...)

First...No matter what the outcome, we have to remember that God is still in control and will still be working in people's lives, caring for them, and bringing people to Himself. I have to remind myself of this truth right now, over and over, as we pray...

However, while there is still time left, I have to speak out one last time- not so much for a candidate, but for what he stands for.

And for me, it is truly one of the most important issues...the right to be born.

Please take time to watch one more video...and feel free to post it, as well.
It is too important not to see...

Behind the Facade...

In the two and a half years I've been doing this, I don't think I've gotten political on my blog.

Until today.

And first, let me start by saying that if anyone reading this is from the "left" side of the tracks, let me assure you that I respect your right to believe differently. That's what makes our country the great democracy that it is.

However, since this is my personal blog, I do get to express my opinions, right? And I just can't hold it in any longer...

As I look around, it becomes obvious to me that too many people have been caught up in the hype and charisma of Obama...but when asked what this "change" is that will take place, some can't even say.

Perhaps they didn't like the last administration for whatever reasons. So they just want "change".
Doesn't matter if the change might prove to be actually worse... just change.

And more often than not, they are looking at the packaging... the slick, youthful and talented orator.
But when you get down to the heart of the matter, the substance- where there is any- is scary.

But I'll let the candidates speak for themselves. You have to base your decision on the one who's values most mirrors your own.

Obama:
"Throughout my career, I've been a constant and strong supporter of reproductive justice and consistently had a 100% pro-choice rating with Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America." ~ Obama for President Press Release 1-22-08

In contrast...

McCain:
"Whenever the value of the one class of persona is not respected whether they are unborn, handicapped, and elderly, the dignity of all mankind is threatened...I understand how every child literally alters the course of human history." ~ John McCain 1-22-08

Obama:
“It’s not that I want to punish your success [with higher taxes]. I just want to make sure that everybody that is behind you, that they have a chance for success too. I think that when you spread the wealth around that it is good for everybody.”

And here is Obama's own words, nothing omitted, concerning our national defense:

"We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well funded." - Barack Hussein Obama

And please, watch this short video where he speaks for himself- the truth is there and it is so eye-opening.
(It may take a moment to load...)



So this Tuesday, you are free to vote for whomever you choose.
But know the issues.
Make sure you know the real issues behind each of these men.
And then vote your conscience.