Kaylynn's dance in the park

I have had the hardest time trying to send this out through Yahoo. So, I am going to post it on the blog for the family to see.

Wow, it's been awhile since I updated this blog!

Thanksgiving Native American at Washington on the Brazos

In November we went on a special field trip at Washington on the Brazos. It was a presentation about Thanksgiving and Native Americans in Central Texas. It was a fascinating presentation about how the Native Americans in that area survived and learned to live off the land. What the kids enjoyed most was having time to explore and look at all the artifacts. They even had little centers that the kids got to, to experience what life was like a long time ago for the Native Americans. It was a great experience.

I also found a great link for a coloring book to go with the Native American theme:

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_p4000_0003b.pdf

Here are some pictures of the field trip. I would recommend it if you live in the Brazos/ Burleson area.

Six Years Old

Tomorrow, our little girl will be turning 6 years old. It's hard to believe the time has went by so fast. We are having a disney princess/christmas related theme party. There is going to be lots of fun with friends, prizes to win on a cake/prize walk, cake, and last of all a mashmallow fight with marshmallow blasters. I can't wait until tomorrow, it's going to be a blast. I was so proud of Kaylynn this weekend. She had her first dance at Christmas in the Park with her dance class and she did so well. I was concerned about how she would do. We had practiced a lot and I had went over with her on what to do, to watch her teacher, to watch her classmates, to not go off and do something on her own. Well, that is exactly what she did. Now, I am looking forward to working with her the next semester. She will have three dances in the spring. I spoke with her dance teacher today and she is willing to make us a CD to help Kaylynn and I practice. I give thanks to the Lord for small miracles!

A Day Like No Other

On Monday November 23, 2009 our daughter made a profession of faith. She had gotten in trouble that morning and had been sent to her room. When I went up to talk with her about it, she was laying on her bed, and then she said to me, I want to believe in Jesus, I don't want to go to hell. So, I took her to the scriptures, praying as I talked to her to make sure she understood what she was doing. She wanted to read Psalm 119:105 first, then we went through Romans 3:23, 6:23, and Romans 10:9,10. We talked about what Jesus being our Lord means. (Just to note that before this Kaylynn has asked lots of questions and had come to a point to pray but then would not want to pray, or be distracted. We had told her that the Holy Spirit would help her to pray and come to Christ). So, after we were done talking, I asked her if she wanted to pray, and she said yes. Without any prompting from me she prayed a simple prayer confessing that she was a sinner and that she would believe in Jesus. After this we went to John 3:16 and read the verses after that about anyone who believes is not condemned, and how wicked people like darkness, but believers in Jesus come to the light (the truth) and it will be seen that God is working in them. Then I prayed for her to be filled with the Holy Spirit and that she would live in the light (the truth), and that it would be evident that God is at work in her.
I am excited yet guarded and cautious. I want to believe this is a true salvation, because it is something that Kaylynn wanted to do, but my husband and I do want to make sure that she is truly born again, that the Holy Spirit has come to live in her.
She has seemed to be somewhat more cheerful and obedient, but she has still had some emotional temper tantrums, but she has asked forgiveness afterwards.
So, I am praying for wisdom and confirmation, as I do not want to give my daughter any false hope!

Not Homeschool Related Recipes

Okay,

I know this is not related at all, but I am posting two of my newly favorite soup recipes, so that I can share it with others, and to just have a place to access it quickly if I need to.

Vegetable Beef Stew
1-2 lb beefe stew meat (depending on how meaty you want the stew to be)
2 Tbsp. oil ( I prefer olive oil, but canola or other oil will work)
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1-2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 can Italian seasoned diced tomatoes
4-5 beef bouillon packets
2 Cans V-8 juice
2 Carrots chopped thick (quarter size)
3-4 potatoes chopped thick (quarter size)
1 bag frozen green beans (or steam fresh bag)
1 Can tomato soup
2-3 cans water (depending on how watery you want the soup to be)
Salt to taste
(Optional: make cornbread ahead of time and serve on the side or crumbled in individual servings of soup)

Directions:
In large stock-pot add the oil and set burner on medium-high setting. Add the stew meat and brown almost completely through. Next, att the chopped celery, onions, carrots, and minced garlic and saute for about 5-10 more minutes. Then add the can of seasoned diced tomatoes, 4-5 packets of the beef bouillon, 2 cans V-8 juice. Adjust to medium heat setting.
Then peel and cut 3-4 potatoes in quarter size slices, as well as 2 or more carrots ( peeled and cut) in quarter size slices, then add to the pot. Adjust to medium-low setting. Then add the green beans (can add frozen or if you use steamfresh follow microwave directions on bag-cook, and then add). After that, add 1 can tomato soup, and 2-3 cans of water (use the soup can of course). Salt to taste and simmer on medium-low for 5 hours or more. The longer you simmer the better the flavor in my humble opinion. Taste very good with some crumbled honey sweet cornbread on top!


Corn Chowder (with shredded cheese)

2 Tbsp. olive oil
4-6 slices bacon (preferably thick) chopped
1 medium onion finely chopped
1-2 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 can chicken broth
1 lb. cooked chicken ( I usually baked it ahead of time seasond with garlic and italian seasoning)
1 bag frozen corn
1 can cream of corn
1/2 or more bottle of half & half (depending on how much creaminess you like)
1-2 bay leaves
2 or more potatoes finely chopped
2 or more carrots finely chopped
1 stalk celery finely chopped (optional)
Salt to taste
Cornbread for topping, shredded cheddar or colby jack or favorite cheese
(The cornbread on top really make this soup pop, in my opinion)

Directions:

In large stockpot add the olive oil. Set on medium-high heat. Put in the chopped bacon and saute in the oil until browned, then add the chopped onion, carrots, celery, potatoes and minced garlic. Saute for about 5 more minutes. Next add the 2 cans chicken broth, and the cooked chicken, frozen corn, canned cream corn, the half & half, and the bay leaves. Simmer on medium to medium-low setting for 1 or more hours. If you can let it simmer longer it will only bring out more flavor.
Mix cornbread mix according to package directions. Use the cornbread and the shredded cheese of choice to garnish the soup. YUMMY! Cafe-Eccell good!

D is for Dinosaurs

As in my daughter will be getting a D, if anyone asks what she knows about dinosaurs. Yes, dinosaurs did not go over very well. It was like pulling teeth to try to get her to listen or learn about dinosaurs. So, we decided to learn about jewels instead. She likes Jewels, she is a girl for sure! So, maybe we learn about dinosaurs next year, or the year after that, or when she is hopefully one day actually interested in them! This was a learning experience because I had everything planned for dinosaurs and nothing planned for Jewels, so we winged it a little bit. I should be more thankful for our local library, so many good books just waiting to be discovered and checked out. So much information available to us so quickly!

Well, this week we are learning about the Octopus. Kaylynn is starting to warm up to learning about them. We found some really neat videos on You Tube and other places. Kaylynn is a very visual learner and likes computers so I try to tie it in to the lesson whenever I can.

We thought this one was especially good:
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/videos/animals/giantoctopus.html

And the one from National Geographic was good to:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/02/070209-octopus-video.html

Here is the website that I got information off of to read to Kaylynn
http://homeschooling.about.com/od/unitssubjsci/p/octopus.htm

There is also a Unity Study and Lapbook ideas and print outs here
http://www.homeschoolshare.com/nico.php

There are some great resources out there, Enjoy!

Our Five Senses

Well, I thought I would start posting on what we are learning and the resources I am using. I hope that it will be a blessing to others, especially to those who are using My Father's World Kindergarten curriculum. I am really enjoying it and Kaylynn is too. She really liked this last week learning all about the Five Senses. We did some blindfolding and tasting and smelling of foods and spices. We also did a touchy-feely bag where she had to gues what was in the bag. She loved it. There was this great website that I will share with you, it's all about the Five Senses http://www.schenectady.k12.ny.us/users/title3/future%20grant%20projects/Projects/fivesenses/index2.htm

This was very informative and Kaylynn loved the short little videos about the Five Senses overall and then about each one individually. At the bottom of the page it has images you can click on and it has a little game to go with each sense.

Also, Answers In Genesis has some information about the Five senses you might find useful.
http://www.answersingenesis.org/kids

I will post more on previous lessons at another time.
This next week is all about dinosaurs. What fun this is going to be. I look forward to learning new things with my daughter.