Freebies and what's going on around here.

Hi everyone,

Life has been very busy lately so I have not been able to post very much. We had a wonderful time in NY with family. The weather was refreshingly cool and comfortable. The Adirondacks were new to me and I really enjoyed the scenery and views. We toured the Adirondack Museum at Blue Lake Mountain and learned so much about the region. (Of course, a homeschooling family has to see at least ONE museum on a vacation!) The Barton Garnet Mine was very interesting, too. They bring you to a large pit with a pond where you may pick up garnet pieces off the ground. That was fun and fascinating! (Check out Julia's blog for lots of pictures and more details of our trip.) I especially enjoyed seeing Amish country in Lancaster, PA. My sweet husband insisted we stay longer so that I could see some beautiful quilts and fabrics. We even visited an Amish farm, saw the barn complete with cows and horses and admired their neat and lovely homestead. Yes, I bought some fabric for a quilt project. Now if I could only find some time to sew....

Peach season is coming to a close in a few weeks, so yesterday, I went to a peach farm and got some culls (rejects) for $10 for 50 lbs. They are huge, the size of softballs and also are freestone. I plan to make some jam today and probably tomorrow. Some will be canned as slices.

As I mentioned before, I was given a grain mill by a friend. I tried to make bread with a standard mixer and it was a hard job. In order to do it regularly, I would need a bread machine to do the mixing and kneading. PRAISE GOD! I was able to get a new Zojirushi bread machine yesterday! It was basically a miracle. I can't go into details. But God is so faithful! Today I also plan to make my first loaves of bread with the new machine. Wahoo!!

Salsa is also on my list for upcoming projects. With tomatoes in season, I would like to can our own salsa this year for the first time. Have I said that I just love to can? Well, I do!

I have been feeling so well lately that I am constantly amazed! What a blessing to be able to function without all the body aches, etc, that are a part of RA. I felt awesome all through our trip and kept up a rigorous schedule without any problem!! See previous posts for more info on my health.

In the next month, a friend and I are trying to finish up a medieval unit study that we did together over the summer. Health issues and the unexpected trip to see family interrupted out study. But this week we plan to finish up the learning part and then give the children time to film a movie set in medieval times. Costumes need to made and the script needs refining but it should be fun and educational! More details to follow.

My plans for the next school year are firming up. It will be very different having only 2 to work with on academics. I will still be helping Julia learn but the dynamics will be changed. Our main text this year is the Bible. After hearing Victoria Bodkin's CDs I am finally freed to follow my heart on teaching my children what I believe is vital. I plan to incorporate an Old Testament and New Testament survey, book by book along with more indepth study for personal application. I am using my own form and Bible notes for the survey. I'll share as it goes along.

I have a culottes tutorial in the works. I hope to post that soon.

Sorry this is so long-winded. I haven't posted in a while and a lot is going on! :)

Now for the FREEBIES!! Two of my favorite free sites are Behemoth.com and The Homeschool Freebie of the Day. Both of these site post free things DAILY so mark it in your favorites and check back often.

So good to hear from friends, Michelle, Cindy, Victoria and Jacque. If you are visiting, please consider leaving a comment. It's nice to hear from you!

Many blessings,

On Vacation!

We have been on vacation for about a week now. Bob's Aunt Barbara lives in upstate New York. Bob's mother is also in New York visiting Aunt Barbara. Our trip has been wonderful! Please go read Julia's blog as she has posted about the first part of our trip, including pictures. While we have had a great time, there's no place like home! I'll post more about the trip when I get caught up on unpacking....
Hope your July is wonderful!

Winter Wonderland Vacation

We are home from a great time in Michigan, visiting family and seeing the snow! We had such a wonderful time! We stayed with my sister and brother-in-law, where we had the best hospitality and fellowship. My children, being born in southern Florida and now living in Georgia, had never played in snow or even seen the ground covered in snow. Well, Michigan cooperated and gave us a phenomenal winter experience. The snow was deep and it was bitterly cold. Often the temperature was below zero. My children had so much fun playing in the snow and sledding. I couldn't get the video to work so please go check out Julia's blog and see the great pictures and videos. A special time for me was showing my children where I grew up and taking them to see Lake Michigan and the lighthouse at Grand Haven. I have lots of fond memories of this area and it was nice to visit here. This is a picture of the pier. It was so cold we couldn't walk down any closer to the water's edge.

We also visited with family that we haven't seen in many years. My children met some of their cousins for the first time and enjoyed playing in the snow and hanging out with them. We had the chance to see my parents and the home my dad is building. So good to see them again.

Maybe we will make this an annual event!

Gloria

Last Day of the Year

Now is a time of reflection. A time of looking back and a time to look forward.

This has been a very hard year. Not the hardest time of my life for sure. But this has been the hardest since we moved to GA 3 1/2 years ago. My husband was unemployed at the beginning of the year but God graciously provided a good job. We had a stressful time at the church we were attending which resulted in us leaving in June. Other factors caused separation and loss. There have been health issues. On a good note, we had a great family vacation in the Smoky Mountains to celebrate my husband's birthday.

Through it all God has shown Himself faithful and loving. No matter what happens, God is always with us and will never leave us. Though men may fail, God will never fail. We are ending this year better than we began it and for that we are grateful.

We are looking forward to a new year with hope and excitement. Lord willing, we will be traveling to Michigan to see family, some that we haven't seen in many years. In February, we are planning to attend the Bodkin conference. We are praying to be encouraged and maybe meet some new families with which we can be friends. Here is the link if you want information: http://www.crossroads09.com/

Then in March, we are planning to visit Bob's mom in Florida. Bob and Julia are blessed to be registered to attend the Father and Daughter Retreat hosted by Vision Forum.

I am hoping this will be the best year yet.

Glory to God,

Gloria