The W. School for the Exceptionally Brilliant is open!!

This could also be called More Painless School Review...

I'm trying to get the kids into a school mindset. Mostly it involves a certain child (the redhead, wouldn't you know?) getting upset that he's having to think. I found several little workbooks at Target for a dollar each and bought a multiplication book, one on the planets, and this little science experiment book for the boys. Since they were just a dollar, they got their own and no photocopying for mom.

Now, don't turn your noses up at that Grades 2-3 on this book. The experiments cover osmosis, capillary action, chemical reactions, carbonation, acids, surface tension, refraction, chromatography and a few others. Here are the kids getting started on an experiment on osmosis: Bryan
JT
and the whole student body!
Above: Will osmosis make the gummi bears grow bigger? Below: What will happen to the ribbon? There is baking soda in the glasses of water.

Another Reason to Teach the Boys to Do Their Own Laundry

so they are the ones looking into the wash-tub instead of me!

Maine Woman Finds 8-Foot Python in Washing Machine

By the way, Bryan and JT do wash their own laundry. Dry it, too. And then they have to put it away. It is a big help to me. Sometimes they get where they are going in rumpled t-shirts, but hey, they are clean!

Some Recent Favorites

Luci also talks in her sleep...something she has in common with Mommy and big brother JT. Heard recently:

• mumble mumble...Cinderella...mumble
• (later the same night) mumble mumble...stinky armpits...mumble mumble
  

Not sure if Cinderella had the armpit funk or if it were her prince. She also mentioned something that sounded like, "Mommy, you snorin'," but maybe I heard wrong.
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I'm so glad the blogger program is working. Don't know what the problem was, but it's working now and I'm happy.

Pictures?

I can't load up pictures--anyone else missing their blogger tool bar?

What Kind of Shoe Are You?

You Are Cowboy Boots

This doesn't mean you're country, just funky. You've got a ton of attitude and confidence. You're unique, expressive, and even a little bit wacky. You wear whatever you feel like and you have your own sense of style. You are straight shooting and honest. You tell people how it is. Low maintenance and free wheeling, you're always up for an adventure. You should live: Where you can at least get to wide open spaces You should work: In a job that allows you to take change

What Kind of Shoe Are You?

I'm assuming the last line is supposed to be "You should work: In a job that allows you to take charge." Or maybe it's supposed to be "make change."

I don't know about the "always up for an adventure" part. Maybe it's true, seeing how I drag the kids across country about once a year, and we did do that big trip to China to adopt (that's an adventure, for sure!).

I do know quite a few people who would agree that I am a little bit wacky. They might even say I'm quite a bit wacky.

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

As I was making more chocolate syrup last night (recipe follows), I was reminded that I forgot to mention that I met another Feingold mom and her family at Chuck E Cheese's on Friday! It was so nice to meet Carrie, her husband Terry, and their two daughters (pretty!) and two sons (adorable!). Like us, they homeschool, so another thing we have in common. It was so nice to visit with a mom who has the same dietary concerns for her children. I brought cupcakes to share (Denna's idea--she brought a bunch, too). Carrie was able to tell her children that mine were "Feingold cupcakes" and didn't have to worry about reactions. I used Duncan Hines' Dark Chocolate Fudge cake mix and the frosting was made from butter, vanilla, powdered sugar and water.

(In all honesty, though I need to tell you that I did order one of the pizzas for the kids. They don't seem to react. Luci's running around and general mayhem she caused was done on an empty stomach and was not fueled by Chuck E Cheese's artificial preservatives.)

Yes, you can make your own chocolate syrup, and it is easy, cheaper than what you find at the store, and JT says this is "way better than that other stuff." You can't get a more-qualified statement of yumminess from anyone--JT is my chocolate fiend. (You can also make your own marshmallows but that will have to wait for a less humid day for me to do that and take a picture.)

My recipe is a remake of a recipe which came in our Feingold materials. I tweaked it until I got the consistency we liked. It is so easy. I make this once a week.

Better than Hershey's Syrup

2 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa
dash salt
1 1/2 cups water (sometimes I use 1 3/4 cups)
(optional: 1 TBS corn syrup)

1 tsp vanilla

Combine sugar, cocoa, salt, and water (and corn syrup, if using) into a 2 qt. sauce pan. Heat over medium heat, whisking the whole time, until a light boil begins--the mixture will be dissolved and small bubbles will form. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Let cool and store in refrigerator. I keep our syrup in a Hershey's syrup bottle that's been cleaned out well.

Chuck E Cheese's

We met up with a bunch of other moms with Chinese children at the Chuck E Cheese's in Huntsville. It was lots of fun! I counted 16 little girls and one boy, all from China. I think we were about one-third of the crowd in the restaurant (and it was pretty full!). That "kid-count" does not include the siblings or moms.

Counting tickets Luci and Brooke: Denna and I are so glad that these little girls are building a friendship. I love Denna and her family, I'm so thankful that we have them as friends in this "foreign adoption" life.

Flying! Bryan had to pedal the little vehicle to make it go up. Luci's usually afraid of things like this, and I was surprised she loved it! JT took the picture. Good job, JT--three dozen pictures were taken and only these 5 turned out ok.
Luci and her tickets

Hmmm...I sure hope it was beef....

BEIJING (Reuters) - Beijing has asked hotels and restaurants in the city to take dog meat off the menu for the duration of next month's Olympics and September's Paralympics.

Dog is eaten not only by the large Korean community in China's capital but is also popular in Yunnan and Guizhou restaurants.
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Guizhou is Luci's province. oh, yuck! I guess it's too late to take the Maalox. And what about the rats? Remember that?

Our Latest Family Portrait

I got this idea from the Pintaro Patch's blog. I love this sticker! So neat. Thanks for the idea!

Get your own at Pyzam.com. Look for the Family Sticker "toy."

Bryan Is 16! And He Has a CAR!!

Okay, so it's a radio controlled car. But it is a car! He knew a joke was coming, so it was met with good humor. Boys and toys that require batteries? Always a winner! (and yes, the boys have birthdays just one day apart...they are 3 years and 364 days apart in age)
Eating supper with Mr Potato Head, the Indiana Jones version. Luci picked out this gift.
Sixteen Candles...
Bryan is such a nice young man. We are proud of you, Bryan!

My Favorite RedHead Turned 12 Today!

JT celebrated his birthday at the YMCA with a swim party. It was lots of fun! Hard to believe that he's already twelve. It's gone by so fast!!

Time for Some Sea & Tea

Here's another blog (if your list isn't very long yet!) written by interesting people...Tori and Caleb, my neice and her husband. They came through here two weeks ago. They managed to make us sound interesting on their blog. Tori and Caleb are making their blog a travel journal as they make their way across America.

Lucky them!

Saturday in the Park...I think it was the 4th of July

No, wait...it was the day after the 4th of July, and those are lyrics from Chicago's hit song!

We had a busy day. First was Luci's first ever swim lesson at the YMCA. They won't let ya take photos inside the Y, so here's Luci before. She had a blast! But "they make me put my face in the water. I not like that!" This type of swimsuit is called "Rash Guard" but I'm not sure why--the only places my kids ever get a rash when swimming is where their suits touch their bodies.

Afterwards, John took Luci to the park to meet up with Audrey & Thom and Heath & Shanna and kids. I took JT to pick up Bryan from a friend's house, but by the time we got to the park John and company were gone. Maggie and Haley are Audrey's daughters and Sophia and Sara belong to Heath. (Audrey--there was not a picture of you today! Get in front of the camera next time, ok?)

Haley, 1 year
Sophia, 3 years

Sara, 1 year
Maggie, 3 years
Aunt Luci, 3 years (2 1/2 months younger than neices Maggie and Sophia! I always think that's funny.)
Maggie and Thom

Shanna and Sara

Shanna and Sophia
Sophia, Maggie, Heath and Sara
Haley
Luci

Homeschooling?

This week I've had the pleasure of taking the boys to "a Good Work" (another post) with the church's youth group and enjoyed my time with just Luci...doing some household chores, going to get groceries, and just cuddling Luci. (Here's how the days went: bicker, squawk, fight...drop off boys...peace peace peace...pick up boys...bicker, squawk, fight. Sounded a lot like Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom show on predatory birds.) It was very seductive to this homeschooling mama. But sending them to "regular school" is not what we believe is what God wants us to do for these kids. And that trumps everything: doing what we believe God's will for us is.

On Thursday, as I was having these thoughts of "what if...," I received this email from Alpha Omega Publications. They send this out daily, and it has proven to be right on target for me several times just in the past month alone. If you are considering homeschooling, this is a Daily Focus for you!

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Daily Focus is from Alpha Omega Publications. You can receive the daily emails through a link near the bottom of the page listed here.

The Homeschooling Fight

Thursday, July 3, 2008

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4:7)



Christian education is a spiritual battle which must be fought by every homeschooling parent. The desire to see our children raised according to the standards of God's Word requires more than wishful thinking. We must ever be alert to Satan's schemes and the world's ways to suck our children into the main stream of ungodly learning. We must be willing to risk popularity and acceptance to lead our children down an educational path that declares God is at the center of all things and the beginning of all creation. Most of all, we must declare our own love for Christ and be willing to crucify the flesh and its selfish desires in order to win our children's hearts to the Lord.



The great men and women of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11 are listed as our inspiration to hold fast to God's truths. Like Abraham, we must be willing to follow the Lord wherever He leads. Like Moses, we must be willing to give up the pleasures of life to serve a higher purpose. Like Rahab, we must have faith to believe that what the Lord says is true. Like Noah, we must face opposition daily, even if it takes years to complete the task that God has given. Like countless others who never saw the results of their faith, we must cling courageously to the future promise that God will bless the work of our hands in the lives of generations to come (Psalm 112:2).



Are you feeling the temptation to give up on homeschooling? Sending your children to public school next fall may seem appealing, but it's simply taking the easy way out. If the Lord has led you to teach your children, pray for the courage and wisdom you need to stand firm and fight. Raising your children in the Lord is as much a spiritual battle as resisting temptations for yourself. Don't give in to the lies and harassment of those around you. Fight for the hearts and minds of your children and for the work that God can do through their lives in winning countless souls to Christ.



Lord,

Renew Your passion within me today to homeschool and teach my children Your truths. Guide us as we prepare for schooling in the fall and show me how to hold fast when taking an easier road seems much more appealing.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Four Freedoms

as taken from Franklin Delano Roosevelt's January 6, 1941, speech, and interpreted here as Freedoms Luci now has that she did not have as a birthright in China.

What a great country we have!

First: Freedom of Speech and Expression

Second: Freedom of Every Person to Worship God

Third: Freedom from Want

China, March 2005

USA, May 2008

Fourth: Freedom from Fear

July 3rd~Lightning Bugs and Important Stuff

Some silly photos. Luci and I played with the camera today. Mostly, I was celebrating that the thing still works! John got the camera wet on Sunday and it took several days to dry out (so now he's out of the dog house). It's supposed to be waterproof, but not when the battery latch is un-latched.

It was almost completely dark when this was taken, with the night vision thingy clicked on. JT and Luci were chasing lightning bugs. If you look hard (or click on the photo to enlarge) you can see several fireflies (I can find 4). Luci's almost a ghosty in this photo. She ran as I clicked.Luci thought this was important. Mom, it's part of the tea party dishes you gave her. And John's foot.

Good Works

For we are God's workmanship (masterpiece), created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:10

Bryan and JT have spent the last three days working for others. Our church's youth group spent Tuesday working on lawns of families who can't do it themselves; Wednesday painting at the Children's Home in our county, which is sponsored by local churches, and today they are having a play day and lunch party with the children at the home. So thankful that they have exhibited Christ to those who are in need this week.

Bryan and JT--we are proud of you!

Rethinking Retirement

John is looking to retire in the next twelve months or so....

After spending a lovely breakfast with our crew, John is rethinking this retirement thing. He says he's going to have to do something to stay busy (and I guess he means out of the house to not hear the bickering boys). I just said, "Welcome to my world."

Chuck E Cheese Invitation!!

Friday, July 11, meet up with us at Chuck E Cheese in Huntsville.

11:00 am

Several of us with Chinese children will be meeting for lunch (and the kids will be meeting to PLAY!). Denna is the ring-leader! So please come join the fun.

I'd especially like to meet Katie-bug's Mom, Lily Mei's Mom and Katie Lin's Mom.

And the rest of you reading this, I want to see you, too! YOU are invited, too!

Please leave a message on this post if you can come, so I'll know to look for you.

Click here for MAP

The boys are coming, so please tell your older siblings that there will be older kids there, too!

Address:
1220 Jordon Lane NW
Huntsville AL 35816
(256) 534-2415 (Chuck E Cheese's phone number)

Idaho's Discovery Museum

The kids and I made a trip to the Discovery Center of Idaho while we were in Boise. The cousins had a great time playing and learning (but don't let them know they actually were learning). This is our second-most favorite hands-on museum that we've been to (and we've been to quite a few). Luci tried the bed of nails. I didn't tell her what it was beforehand. She calls it "that bed that goes up and down." If she knew it were nails, I think she would have run from this exhibit!
A "traits" quiz...I am always trying to figure out anything from Luci's past. This is the page that came up after answering many questions about physical traits. Only 245 other people (out of 39,899 who have taken this quiz) had the same traits as Luci.
Cousins! Suzi, Luci, Laura
A wall of bubble. Bryan poked his hand through, and the reflection of his thumb surprised us in this resulting photo!