Excitement

Good Morning, my dear friends, I am so pleased you dropped by on this beautiful Monday!!  I tell you, there is joy in my heart today.  Joy that has not resided there for a long time.  We are in revival at our church, and our revival preacher is being used by the Lord in a mighty way... The Lord spoke to me about some sin in my life and I gave it to Him... I feel that this heavy weight has been lifted off my shoulders and I am able to breathe again... Thank you Jesus! I am SO excited about tonight!! He will be here through Wednesday.
Something else that excites me, but in a totally different way...
I went to the Used Homeschool Book Fair on Saturday, can you say WOOHOOO?!?!?!
Let me show you the result of my goings...
And there are a few things that the children scooped up and have taken off with them that is not in the picture!!
I ended up spending around $30! Yes, I said $30!
There are books for the kids, curriculum books, books for me... I would like to have emptied my little take along cart and went back through if time had permitted... it was GREAT! Mrs. Mo... I WISH you could have been there!!
There are some things that I didn't get that I will go to the new book fair to look for, but WOW, I am so tickled over what I did find!
So, I have something to use for Math, Penmanship, History, Bible, Science, Geography... if I did not buy one more thing, I think I would be covered...
I am challenging my children through the course of the rest of the summer to finish remembering the 43 presidents.  We know up till 26 already and then we know from 35-43... I started with some of the last with the first... weird I know.  So along with some reading on their own and with me, and learning the presidents, we should keep our minds sharp.  I LOVE school!
We are working around the house and cleaning out some rather messy spots and getting some much needed house work done today.  This way, if we decide to start 'officially' counting our days at the end of the week or next month, or in September...we will be ready.
I hope you have a BLESSED day, and again, thanks for stopping by!
My Cup Runneth Over...Chas

06:09 - Monday, June 16, 2008 - comments {7} - post comment

Spring Time Homeschooling

If you are like me the lovely spring weather calls to you, aches for you to 'come play outside'!  As homeschooling Mom's we can feel guilty for our desire to be outside when, we have to school the children.  We need to be doing school for X amount of time a day and yadda yadda...  Don't get me wrong, I am not saying we don't need to be schooling, that is not it at all.  What I am saying is while we have this glorious weather take advantage of it and make sure your kids do too! 

School is not a set environment, when it is a beautiful day get out in the sunshine!  Grab your kids sketch books and run!  Find a spot, have them look for anything that is interesting to them, a bird, flower, rock, tree, clouds, bugs, how something is built... whatever!  Let them draw what they like, and then talk about it together, what is it, if it is something that needs classification, classify it!  Learn about it together! 
If it is planting time, grab your plants and set out to the garden together.  Teach them how to plant, what they are planting, when it should be planted, how far away they should be planted from one another, when you should expect a harvest, how often you should water.  This is learning at its BEST!!!
If it is laundry day, take your laundry out with your littles, have them help by handing it to you while you pin it on the line, talk about how long it takes to dry in the sunshine, how much energy your dryer uses when you run it, how much money this is helping to save your family if you do this all month,  how warm is it outside today?  So much to be learned from Mom and Dad... So much can be learned from our little ones.  They have a natural God given desire to learn, a natural inclination to help if we would just cultivate it!
My challenge to each of you as well as to myself is to include your children, let them learn alongside you, learn to love and appreciate them as little ones.  We should teach ourselves to be patient and kind with our words, to instruct with love.  I know it seems easier to say, now you go play over there while I do this.  They are out of the way, you can surely get things done much faster by yourself, right?  We are robbing our children and ourselves when things are handled this way.  These are precious moments that we will never get back and these are prime opportunities to 'school', nurture, grow, love and make memories...
So don't feel guilty when the gorgeous sunshine is beckoning you out of doors or your plants are needing tending to in the garden...  Grab your things and your children and go school!  Some of the best times will be for the making!

My Cup Runneth Over...Chas

07:26 - Wednesday, May 7, 2008 - comments {3} - post comment

Learning can happen anywhere...

Good Morning!  As you all know we homeschool our children.  And one thing I love about homeschooling is that you can learn anywhere!  Friday we had accomplished a lot early and the children were wanting to do something else... so I said alright, help me gather some things together.  We got some sandwiches, napkins, a camera (of course), and this and that and we were off...
And what a lovely spot for inspiration.  We had our lunch and then got out our sketch books and everyone went to drawing something God had designed in nature.



If you notice all my children thus far are lefties, Abram had just swapped hands before I took the picture, so we are not sure what he is going to be just yet.  And it was so interesting to see what the kids came up with to draw.  Eli drew a large pile of brush that was gathered in the middle of the creek, Carlie drew us at the creek, Cameo drew a wildflower and Abram drew triangles   That kid with his love of triangles.
We played, we talked about different types of rocks and butterflies we saw, we talked about the history of the creek, there used to be a mill there.
It was a great time had by all and we hope to do it again soon.  It just goes to show you, we don't have to be here at home in our desk, we can be out in God's creation learning more about Him and what He has made, because learning is a natural process if we look at things the right way!
Have a beautiful day!
My Cup Runneth Over...Chas

08:25 - Monday, April 21, 2008 - comments {5} - post comment

Schoolroom Pictures

Good Morning! Guess what I woke up to this morning?  I was in my laundry room and I saw a funny light from outside.  I flipped on the back door light and found that we have about an inch of snow on the ground! For us that is INCREDIBLE! I am just tickled to pieces!  The children are not awake just yet, and when they do I am sure that they will be happy as well. 
I will be sure to take some pictures for all of you... especially for those who get a foot of snow and such, you will get a good giggle out of our little accumulation here! BUT, the weather says that it should snow more today so we might end up with even more than an inch we may end up with 2!!! being that we are on the mountain!
I told you yesterday that I moved the schoolroom around again, but I think I am totally happy with the changes and this will work well for us.
I wanted another bookcase in here with us, especially with some children's books on there for the little ones to look through for when we should be quiet.
Here is looking toward the west wall.
That is my desk closest to me, then Eli's desk the bookshelf, and Cameo's desk.

This is a picture of the little ones table against the wall that connects the kitchen. 

A closer up picture of Cameo and Eli's desk and bookshelf

This is from the North end of the Schoolroom looking toward the dining room.

A closer view of the little one's table and reading area (The Spiderman Couch).

Yesterday, we went to Sam's and The Schoolbox and Walmart, so we didn't do school yesterday morning, but came home and had school up until 8:00 last night.  Isn't homeschool GREAT???
(((Hugs))) to you my friends, have a BEAUTIFUL snowy day!!!
My Cup Runneth Over...Chas

06:42 - Wednesday, February 27, 2008 - comments {13} - post comment

Our Trip to Cades Cove

This weekend we took a trip to the Smokies and drove through Cades Cove.  It was such fun and we learned a lot too!
Here is a lovely spot that had some beautiful deer grazing...
We were surprised at the dark, almost black color to their fur... during the spring/summer they are golden brown.

Cades Cove Primitive Baptist Church

This building replaced the log cabin in which the church began in 1887.

Inside the Primitive Baptist Church

This is the Methodist Church, notice the doors going in.  This was typical of churches in which men sit on one side and enter and exit through one door and women the other.  Although this church was fashioned this way, that was not their practice.  Also this church was built by a blacksmith and carpenter in 115 days for $115.  Impressive eh?

This is the Missionary Baptist Church, it was formed in 1839.

Another pretty picture of the mountains...

The Dan Lawson Place, built in 1856.  The brick chimney was unusual for this time period and for this location, the bricks were made on site.

The granary

The Smokehouse

I loved this place! This is what I think of when I think of an old Homestead...
Pictures inside the barn


The view from the trail from the barn...

I love this picture

It was a fabulous trip and if it hadn't been sooooo cold we would have gotten many more pictures and seen many more sites, but it was a drive through edition for the most part.  Way worth it though, if you are in the area, you must go through it.
Have a great day!
My Cup Runneth Over...
Chas

05:49 - Wednesday, January 23, 2008 - comments {8} - post comment

Scenes from our Homeschool

These are some of the sights from our homeschool
On any given day you might see Eli reading to me in the living room

You might see Carlie Jean doing some coloring

Cameo at her desk doing her seat work in the schoolroom

The littles playing house

Abe likes to be the baby... or maybe it is that he just likes being pushed around in the stroller

For lunch at homeschool, sometimes we have Homemade Whole Wheat Stuffed Crust Cheese Pizza... YUM-O!!!!

In the afternoon, we may watch one of our Moody Science Video's
Yesterday we watched City of the Bees... Very interesting, very fun!
Every creature has ways of showing Gods Glory if we take the time to see!


We have great times here at home, and we learn a lot too!
My Cup Runneth Over...Chas

07:48 - Thursday, January 10, 2008 - comments {8} - post comment

Homeschool Family Video

This video was on one of the message boards I am on and I just LOVED it!!!
It is TOOO Cute not to let you guys in on it!
Enjoy!  Just click on the link below
Homeschool Family Video

My Cup Runneth Over...Chas

06:28 - Monday, December 17, 2007 - comments {6} - post comment

A GREAT start

You know your day is looking like a great one when you are sitting at your computer desk reading your latest installment of Pride and Prejudice off of DailyLit and you hear your girls wake up and make their beds, change their clothes and fix each others hair! WITHOUT  being told!!!!
Then they help tidy up the bedrooms, feed the animals, help fold and put away laundry and eat breakfast without disputes or fuss..
Then they go right to their school work, grab their books and sit at their desks and don't complain!!!!
This is what a GREAT day looks like!
Eli the Scholar....

Isn't that a pretty site??

Now to finish my list of what I want accomplished today and make sure all my list gets accomplished!!!
Have a great one my friends!!!

My Cup Runneth Over...Chas

10:06 - Thursday, November 15, 2007 - comments {7} - post comment

Homeschoolin Tuesday

Good Tuesday Morning!!!
I hope this beautiful Tuesday finds you all happy and in love with the life God has blessed you with!  I know I am... no my life is by no means perfect... we have our share of problems, but God is good and His Way is perfect! And I am grateful! Yesterday we had a slow day with many of the littles not feeling their best... Thank the Lord today they seem much better and feeling more like themselves! 
This morning has went really well thus far.  We have worked on our AWANA work together and the kids are reciting verses right and left and doing really great. 
Eli has been wanting to know about Paul a lot lately... I found him drawing pictures of Paul during different stages of his ministry today! Talk about precious!  I might try and snap a picture of the one of him in jail and he is singing Glory to God in the Highest!!  SO cute!
Ok, I got one... here it is!

Cameo has been studying  up on Lottie Moon today.  I am blown away by this little woman.  She is truly a testimony of giving her ALL for the gospel of Jesus. 
Abe and Carlie... well this is what they are up to this morning!
Abram and his new hat... a treat bucket!

Carlie in the new hat... OH and that is one of the Land's End dresses I got at Goodwill for $1.25!! WOO HOO!!!!

Have I ever mentioned how much this family LOVES the Jonathan Park Series? Oh my! WE LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!!! We have the first two volumes and the children like it so much that they have asked for another one for a joint Christmas present! I am so pleased when they ask for something that is not junk, you know!?!?!   It is so great and it is JAM PACKED with good Creationism facts! I LOVE that! We give Jonathan Park a hearty !
Another great homeschool item we love is Drive Thru History.
Dave Stotts is hilarious and the videos are so full of good history and it ALL is tied in with the Bible... the way history should be taught! WOO HOO!
In other news...
I made some pickled garlic the other day... let me forewarn you... Your house will be pungent!!!!!   If like us, you kinda like that smell, then no big!  BUT... if you are not fond of garlic, you might want to clip a clothes pin to your nose for a few hours! HA ha!
Here are the 12 bulbs of garlic pre-roasted!

It is a good possibility that I roasted them for too long, but I just wasn't sure... they are still great and work just fine... and it makes a beautiful jar!
We have already used  some for pizza sauce when we made a batch last week.  It works terrific, and I am so glad to know exactly how this garlic was put up.. unlike what I have heard about the jars of garlic you buy in a store!
This recipe is out of Nourishing Traditions and I highly suggest you getting the book for yourself... not only does it have some incredible recipes, but it has some AWESOME eye-opening reading to preface the recipes!
Well, I must run... my husband has been requesting some pumpkin bread for snacks around here.  I will get him a couple of those loaves baked up as well as our chili for tonight and tomorrow nights supper. 
Have a great day everyone!!!

My Cup Runneth Over...Chas

09:26 - Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - comments {8} - post comment

I Love Lapbooking!

I have often times looked at lapbooks only to wonder how to do them, where to get the resources to do them, and I just stared at them with wonderment.  Well, I found this resource for a free Stellaluna Lapbook and jumped!  I spent a good bit last night downloading pages and getting everything ready for the children to work on this morning.  I was so excited about it I almost wanted to wake them up EXTRA early to start... but I refrained!

So here is the cover... It closes with a magnet so that is pretty cool!

This is when you first open the side flaps... We have the anatomy of a bat, some bat trivia, a couple of pictures of bats, some bat facts, and what mammals use echolocation. 


This is the first flip up, that brings us to types of bats... Cameo recorded different facts on 4 different types of bats, one bat called the Giant Flying Fox can have a wingspan up to 6 feet wide!!!!
I also added a little bit of Creation Science on the bottom flap to explain that Stellaluna, even though she was raised with birds, ate like birds and acted like birds, she was still a bat.  She ADAPTED to her environment and her surroundings, she did things just like a bird.... but she was still a bat!

We have vocabulary words, facts on predators and prey, On what continents you can find fruit bats... Remember I have a 4 year old too, and he colored the traveling man!

We talked about Diurnal and Nocturnal Animals and listed some in each group, we also learned about Carnivores, Omnivores and Herbivores and listed some animals in each group!


Here is a picture on the back of the lapbook that Cameo colored... it is really pretty!


This by far was the most excellent fun we have had in a LONG time and the most awesome part is I can just in conversation say....
Now what was an omnivore???

If you haven't given lapbooks a try I highly recommend them... I can easily say this will NOT be our last! WOO-HOO!!!

My Cup Runneth Over...Chas

09:00 - Thursday, September 27, 2007 - comments {5} - post comment