First Field Trip

I have been reading this book for Science to the kids called Diary of an Early American Boy. The author found the diary of 15 year old Noah Blake written in 1805. It speaks of Noah & his family and how they lived back in those days. It also includes pictures & diagrams of a mill they built and the tools they made to buid the mill. It actually started off pretty boring.

 So one morning last week it was unusually warm. I thought we should get out & do something fun. So I googled Pennsylvania Mills and found the Newlin Grist Mill was only 15 minutes away and the next tour was at 2pm. I packed a lunch and when we arrived, the woman had also read the same book we were reading. We had some time to waste so the kids LOVED playing in the creek. They didn't want to leave! On the tour we saw the mill run and watched it grind corn into flour. We also visited the original house which was so neat to see how they lived 200 years ago!

This is why I love homeschooling. It was a spur of the moment trip but will most likely be one of the highlites of our school year! The trip took this once boring book & made it come to life!
Enjoy the pics...
Oh & I almost forgot. Madison found a very old rusty nail near the mill & they kept it to show to the archeologist. A little piece of history...Madison was happy. Just that day we read how when they built things they never used nails because they would rust & rot the wood...pretty cool.

13 and 20

Happy Anniversary to my biggest blog fan & follower!
Together for 20 years!!! Holy COW! That is more than half of my entire life!
And married for 13.
I'll never forget that day.
I never smiled more than on that day.
And I never felt more beautiful than on that day.
The weather was perfect.
The church was small...but perfect too.
Pastor Weed read from Ecclesiastes 4:12 "a threefold cord is not quickly broken".
It is true.
Thank you Lord...
You took our relationship which was tattered & torn
And you made it new.

I love you Bill...for the man you are & the man God is making you.

Back to School!

School for us started Friday. The morning started off with a scavenger hunt with a few little treats at the end. Bill then took all 3 to TJ's for the Blue Ribbon Special while I dressed in my best teacher dress (this will most likely be the last time they will see teacher all dressed up :). I then had some extended time to pray. Teaching all 3 this year brings with it some worry and trepidation...and excitement as well. So when they all arrived home I greeted them outside and introduced myself. They laughed & Matthew said...."mooooommmmmm...I know it's you!" My goal for this year is to 1. really focus on Math & reading with Adrienne. 2. Begin math & writing with Matthew as well as encourage him to keep reading his little books. and 3. Encourage more independence in Madison...doing her work without asking mom for help. 4. Enjoy school  and most importantly 5. encourage godly character as they interact with each other & with Bill & I. It is a huge task I know. But after watching a great movie last night called Facing the Giants, I am reminded that NOTHING is impossible with God on my side!

What About Glenn Beck, Politics & Christianity?

I haven't posted anything political lately...but that doesn't mean I stopped watching Fox & listening to Beck and Hannity. Mostly I listen to figure out why people hate them so much :) And come on...have I really the right to judge them? Or do I?  But I often find myself wondering "what stance should I have? What should my opinion be on all of this left vs right thinking?"  I am a Christian so my perspective should be biblical. I found this blog by Russell Moore that has a good post on the recent rally in Washington. Here's a little bit of what he said:

"The answer to this scandal isn’t a retreat, as some would have it, to an allegedly apolitical isolation. Such attempts lead us right back here, in spades, to a hyper-political wasteland. If the churches are not forming consciences, consciences will be formed by the status quo, including whatever demagogues can yell the loudest or cry the hardest. The answer isn’t a narrowing sectarianism, retreating further and further into our enclaves. The answer includes local churches that preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, and disciple their congregations to know the difference between the kingdom of God and the latest political whim.

It’s sad to see so many Christians confusing Mormon politics or American nationalism with the gospel of Jesus Christ. But, don’t get me wrong, I’m not pessimistic. Jesus will build his church, and he will build it on the gospel. He doesn’t need American Christianity to do it. Vibrant, loving, orthodox Christianity will flourish, perhaps among the poor of Haiti or the persecuted of Sudan or the outlawed of China, but it will flourish.

And there will be a new generation, in America and elsewhere, who will be ready for a gospel that is more than just Fox News at prayer."