"Treasure Chest" Makes great History Projects

Today I am finishing an article about creativity for work.  After listing off a few of my favorite sources for craft sets and project ideas I remembered one of my all time favorites.  It's called Ancient Egypt/Book and Treasure Chest (See all Egyptian History Books).  The kits come in several different varieties.  I personally have tried out the Egypt, Knights, Shakespeare, and Japanese writing sets.  They're great fun, packed full of information and most sets come with more than one really cool craft project all ready to assemble. 

So if you are interested in a nice, clean project idea to go along with your history lessons, give a Treasure Chest a try.

Sea Scouts

Today my son was awarded the rank of Apprentice for Sea Scouts.

For those of you who don't know, Sea Scouts is a branch of the Boy Scouts of America.  It is a program open to both boys and girls between the ages of 14 and 21 (though most kids only stay through high school and then leave for college). The kids that join become part of a crew on a sailboat and learn all that is involved in sailing and maintaining that boat.  They compete in races, earn certification in various boat handling and SCUBA skills (though SCUBA is more costly and is dependent on fund raising, etc.) and take weekend sailing trips together.

Apprentice is the first rank that a crew member can receive but it was a big deal for Josh.  He first learned about Sea Scouts about five years ago (he was 9) and has been desperately waiting to meet the age requirements ever since.  As the newest member of the crew and the youngest member of the crew , Josh has a lot to learn.  However, after watching the ceremony tonight (and the way he lit up when they presented him with his award) I was reminded what an amazing opportunity this really is for him.

As a homeschooling parent it can get so easy to feel the weight of our child's future success.  Especially when they are young, and the days are a struggle.  It is easy to question if they will ever be able to stand on their own two feet;  to question if we really are doing the right thing for them.  But then there are nights like tonight.  There are moments when we get to see our kids investing in things that make them unique;  things that they are passionate about and it's like watching a masterpiece finally take it's shape.  We begin to see our kids as they were always meant to be, rather than what they are required to be.

Although I can't know for sure what Josh's future will bring, I know that Sea Scouts will play a role in getting him there... and for that, I am thankful.

Convention Season!

Today I received a call from my sister-in-law asking if I wanted to head to our local homeschooling convention (HEAV in Richmond, VA) and check out the curriculum fair.  Well, I've never been one to ignore an opportunity so with two weeks to prepare (and my husband's blessing) I am planning for a fun filled day of homeschooling craziness!

Now, for any of you that are not able to attend a convention this year, I'll be sure to bring back a list of reviews for you to consider.  I'll make sure you have all the latest information on the good, the better and the best thats available.  Stay tuned!

Just Getting Started!

Today is my first official day of work for my new job.  I am now a contributing writer for a wonderful website (www.howtohomeschooltoday.com) and I could not be more excited!

As I was considering the opportunity that sits in front of me (the chance to make a living as a writer) I am reminded of my childhood and how long writing has been a part of my life.  I have always been a very practical person and even as a child I considered writing to be a silly and frivolous hobby.  Though I loved writing and would spend hours writing stories for my own amusement, it was always with a sense of guilt for the "real" work that would not get done.  It wasn't until I was about 13 years old when I discovered a book while on vacation with my family.   

"Creative Writing: for People Who Can't Not Write"... It struck me then but even more so today.  Writing is one of those things that I can't seem to get away from!  I have spent a lot of years assuming that more practical jobs were worth my time and talent but I never last very long without writing.  So it is with great joy and perhaps some sense of irony that I find myself back were I started: in spite of my best efforts, it appears that no matter how impractical it may seem, for the foreseeable future, I will be a writer!

BTW, this is one of the few books that I have kept in my personal library on the topic of writing.  If you are interested in writing creatively, feel free to check it out by following the link below. 

Change Is In The Air

Found this on my computer today... It's from a few months ago but since I haven't written any blogs in a long time I thought I would post this...

July 6th 11:21pm

I'm really sleepy and may not get very far with this blog but I thought I would give it a shot anyways,

As I am curled up in my bed (laptop in hand) I can hear the piano softly sing as Mitch continues to work on a new song.  It is a slow, thoughtful sound; like a lullaby or a love song... I am not sure where the song comes from but it seems well suited for a quiet night in bed.

As I sit listening to the music my mind is spinning with thoughts that I can't quite grab hold of.  Like half told stories, it seems strongly familiar but only bits and pieces seem to spring out at me with no real organization or consistency. 

It seem like my life has been in a perpetual state of change for the past fifteen years and I am beginning to wonder why this fact continues to surprise me. The reality of life's ups and downs shouldn't be so shocking at my age; yet I still face each new challenge with the smallest hint of disappointment.  Life is not yet as easy as I was hoping it would be.

Last week I was beginning to feel as though I was finally getting a grip on things.  The kids and I finished up at Veritas and I have been planning for the coming year for over a month now.  Everything was falling into place and I was really looking forward to this next phase in our family life... Then we received news of several major changes taking place that will immediately affect our lives.  I don't yet know if these changes will be good or bad but the simple fact is that it could go either way.  All we can do is keep moving forward and have faith that God is working all things for "our good and his glory".

God has never let me down yet and at this moment the music is still playing, the house is still quiet and we are still looking forward to the coming school year… So for now I will set aside my concerns, turn off my computer and fall asleep to the sound of music...I am so blessed.   

To My Sister

I just wanted to post a quick note to publicly thank my AMAZING SISTER, Kate for blessing Mitch and I with her upright grand piano that (as of last night) now sits proudly in our office!!!

When I was a kid my parents were given an upright grand piano and both my brother and sister turned out to be amazingly gifted pianists (my sister even went to college for music).  We rarely made a big show of their talent at home (we all had our own stuff to do) but having that constant flow of music illustrating my daily life was something that I treasured.  I remember especially around the holidays sitting underneath the Christmas tree looking at the lights and listening to my sister practice The First Snowfall by Michael W. Smith… I felt like I was living in a storybook or something… It was just perfect.

Now, thanks to my sister and her generosity, I have already had the music return to my home!  Last night almost immediately after David (my brother) and Mitch got the piano moved into the office (Thanks David and I am praying that you're not in to much pain today :-) ), Mitch sat down and spent a few hours playing the piano and learning a new song for me (it's one that comes on the radio and reminds me of a favorite moment in our relationship).  I sat working on lesson plans for the coming school year while my wonderful husband serenaded me with a song that always makes me smile!... I am soooooooooooo happy!!!!

Thank you, Kate… You are THE BEST!!

The More The Merrier

Mitch and I decided to take the kids to the Norfolk garden today.

The boys were still with Jessica so we took the Altima and decided to have a little "family time" with Josh and the girls.  After our quick stop at Wendy's (because Mitch seems to think that all good family outings should start with fast food) we were on our way to the Garden. 

As we were driving, Mitch mentioned that he would like to learn to scuba dive and since Josh wants to be a Marine Biologist he thought maybe they could learn how to dive together.  We talked over the different options for a bit and then Mitch decided to take the opportunity to ask the girls what they wanted to be when they grew up.

"Cayti" he asked "what do you want to be when you grow up?"  Cayti thought about it for a minute and then remembered "I want to be a teacher." She said. "A teacher! That's a great job to have."  We continued to talk about the teaching profession for a bit and then Mitch moved on to Hannah… "So Hannah? How about you? What would you like to be when you grow up?" Without a bit of hesitation Hannah said "I want to be a mom."  Mitch smiled thinking how cute it was that Hannah was hoping to be just like "her mom".  He continued the interview… "that's a good thing to be… How many kids would you like to have?"  Again, Hannah did not hesitate… "I am going to have 18 kids."

My little over achiever just can't settle for the status quo!  If she's going to be a house wife, she's going to be the CRAZIEST house wife EVER!! Haha