Chichen Itza

Chichen Itza ruins in Mexico - it's like pyramids for the west. (Those Egyptians weren't the only hard workers!)

Most people know my brother is in Mexico, and they usually ask "Why???" For the history of course! Look at that sight - and you can climb right on it - pretend you are a Mayan, dragging that rock straight up to the top. Put on your tribal mask, do a temple dance,... maybe not. (I'd be pulling one of the children up.)

Seriously though, he is very close to Chichen Itza. In a few weeks he will be playing there with Placido Domingo, one of the Three Tenors. (Caroline - is he the other guy???). In the musical arena he's met a few famous people, but Domingo and Chichen Itza...too much for one day.

So, get your tickets now....we can play ball afterwards (there's a famous Mayan ball court there).

Giddy-up and Ride - Rachel's 9th Birthday

Rachel, like most nine year old girls, loves horses. So this year for her birthday we surprised her with a horseback riding party at the nearby stable. We started out at the park and then rode over to the stable on a trailer. I thought is was supposed to be a hayride, but there was no hay. (Turns out the kids thought the hay was too itchy anyway and just wanted the bare trailer.)

At the stable, the kids took turns trying to ride 4 horses. It was very humorous to see them shoving and whacking the horses in an attempt to make them go. Robert and Colton did finally get their horses to gallop around. Alyx also went flying by once (she said she had the bumpy horse). Rachel and Hannah were able to get a good trot going, but poor Larissa seemed to always be stuck in the middle of the corral.

We managed to get back to the park before the skies opened up. All in all, I think it was about perfect and the kids had a great time.

T. Burgess Books

Left out of the list below is one of my favorites: Thornton Burgess.
He wrote a large amount of nature stories that are old fashioned, humorous, and teach character and virtue through the animals. They are old and priceless, you just don't find alot of writing like this anymore.

They all have names like:
Chatterer the Red Squirrel
Reddy Fox
Old Mr. Toad
Buster Bear

They are good for the early grammar stage and up. You can find them for a few dollars on Amazon.

Also, Trivium Pursuit offers a great little pamphlet you can take with you to the library called The Hand That Rocks the Cradle. It lists hundreds of worthwhile books that passed their requirements for great content. There is no way I can read everything the children pick out (those who read independently). This helps us to pick out quality, safe books every time. If you are schooling your children, the books are also listed in the back by time period for History studies. (Search online for Trivium Pursuit to order - about $5.)

Worthwhile Books

Reading to the kids is something I've always enjoyed, especially with the little ones. There's something about reading a book so much that you know the words by heart. One of my favorites has always been How the Grinch Stole Christmas. I think every one in the family can recite it.

Here are some of our favorites for younger children:
A Fish Out of Water by Palmer and Eastman
Are You My Mother? by Eastman
Flap Your Wings by Eastman
Flyaway Kite by Bjorkman
Goodnight Moon by Brown and Hurr
Ping by Flack and Wiese
Slinky Malinki, Harry MacClary, and Schnitzel von Krumm (several books are in this series - excellent rhyme and so funny) by Lynley Dodd
Where the Wild Things Are by Sendak

and when they're a little older (grammar stage)
Charlotte's Web by White
Cheaper by the Dozen by Gilbert (you have to edit a bit)
Chronicles of Narnia by Lewis
David Livingstone by Benge
Frog and Toad by Lobel
Hero Tales by Jackson
Little House Series by Wilder
Mr. Popper's Penguins by Atwater
Stuart Little by White
Teddy's Button by LeFeuvre
Trumpet of the Swan by White
Wind in the Willows by Grahame

That's enough for now, but I"m sure I've left out many that I'll see tomorrow and want to add!

School's In :)

The majority of the schoolroom is now done - only a few things left to do. This is our 7th year home schooling, so it is long overdue. We've schooled in the gameroom mostly and that worked well when 2 were learning and 3 were playing. I could also see the sandbox and swingset. However, last year we moved upstairs to reduce noise for Daniel (the office was next to us). Now I have 5 schooling, so we need a better place to have everything organized and together.

This is "before"- Rachel's purple room (which was also a nursery for Ryan and Rush). Rachel has now finally moved out (like Peter Pan and Wendy) of the nursery - and will be 9 soon!

Here are the "after" pictures - this is Rush and Ryan's corner with all the Kindergarten type things they love. Ryan's desk is in front of the window - wood and white.

This is a picture I saw and painted on their wall. Rush loves the aliens in the flying saucer - but, we're studying Astronomy this year, so it will come in handy.

Second, fourth, and sixth grade corner. The empty wall on the left is getting a big dry erase board.

My desk, which is actually from Rachel's room. She wants to use the big table. The door on the left goes to the hall, the door on the right goes to the Master. (I'm recovering the chair)

Daniel let me have one of his gorgeous bookcases from his office, but it's already full!