Where Are They Now? Another Teaching Year Comes to a Close

Teaching.  Last week two of my teaching commitments came to a close.  As I was packing up my class supplies I began to reflect upon the year. I get so sentimental, so easily.  I realized this year how much I love teaching, not just teaching my kids, but others.  I really do love it!  Perhaps this is why I'm so passionate about homeschooling.  I love learning and presenting material in a way that hopefully appeals to students.

Reaching the end of yet another year has given me cause to reflect on my brief experience in the public school arena.  The first kids I taught are now in their 30's!!  How can that be!  I wonder what became of them?  What happened to those little 4th graders?  Also, when I look at the precious gifts given to me by dear Ukranian students and their families, I wonder if they made it in their new found country, America.  What happened to Yuri, Alexei, Nazar, Ludmila, and so many more?  Did they embrace the freedom they were seeking?  Did the kids who struggled in 4th grade, make it through and find a love for learning?  I often wonder where they are now.  Teachers spend a year with kids, pour into them, and then the kids have to move on.  Next grade, next teacher, next year.

Little Nazar, Travis, Olga, Travis, Antonio...1992

Book Study: The Courage of Sarah Noble

Grades 1-4 Class

This year I've been blessed to teach a couple book study classes at a local homeschool organization.  One class is geared toward grades 1-4, the other grades 4-8.

In the younger class we've read:

Ox Cart Man
The Drinking Gourd
A New Coat for Anna
The Rag Coat
Miss Rumphius
The Bears on Hemlock Mountain
The Courage of Sarah Noble

Chicken Pot Pie Colonial Style

Chicken Pot Pie (Print this Recipe)

When all's said and done and the kids move on to life outside our little homeschool I hope they not only take with them a love for learning, but a love for food of all cultures and time periods.  No matter what the region or time period we try to experience it through food.

Today in History: August 10 The Smithsonian Institution



National Museum of American History



Outside the American History Museum



Stairs plus Kids

While in Washington D.C. last fall, we had the wonderful opportunity to spend a couple days going through a few of the Smithsonian museums.  I have to admit, before our trip I didn't realize there were 19 museums and galleries along with 9 research centers.  We were able to visit the Natural History Museum, the National Air & Space Museum near Dulles Airport, and the American History Museum.  I felt like we didn't even make a dent.  It was a challenge to just grasp a glimpse of the many treasures filling these amazing museums.  It's hard to believe the Smithsonian houses over 137 million objects!  Wow!

The Kevlar Bullet Proof Vest...Invented by a woman!

C3PO

R2D2 Mailbox

When we decided to visit the Smithsonian our goal was to better understand the American history we spent the previous year studying and to see artifacts up close.   

With all the great history surrounding us, we failed to learn the history of the Smithsonian? How did such an amazing collection of treasures come to the United States. The Smithsonian has quite an interesting history.

James Smithson, a British scientist, who had never been to the United States left a unique provision in his will when he died in 1829. His will stipulated his estate would be donated to the United States of America if his nephew died without an heir.  In the event there was no heir, Smithson wanted the estate to be given "to the United States of America, to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men." His nephew died without and heir in 1935 and the estate, valued at over $500,000, was granted to the U.S. government.

On August 10, 1846 President James Polk, with approval from Congress, signed an act into law creating The Smithsonian Institution.

We're thankful for the generosity of one man, Mr. James Smithson!  Thank You!

Practicing his speech.

Dum Dum want Gum Gum



Night at the Museum



So many priceless gems!

Julia, of Course!

Julia Child's Kitchen

After watching Julie & Julia, I couldn't resist!

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Memorable Dates in History

I love history.  I majored in history.  I memorized dates, times, and places to make it through college.  I can't say I remember many of those {important} dates now.  Sad.

Because of my love for history, we do a lot of history in our daily homeschooling.  The last couple years we've really focused on American history through the Civil War.  There are a few dates I really try to get the kids to remember.  I can't even count the number of times I've asked the kids, "What year did the Pilgrims arrive?"

No matter how many times they hear the question, their response is..."Ahhhh... Ummmm.... 14...no...16???"

I started thinking.  We've can do better.

There is one date many kids remember.  "In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue."  If we have a rhyme to associate a date with, maybe they will remember.

So, I put on my thinking/rhyming hat.  My dad is great at coming up with rhymes and jingles.  I seem to be able to come up with them too.  They may not be great, but I think the kids will remember.

To remember when the Pilgrims arrived, I came up with,  "The brave Pilgrims did not come with plenty, when they arrived in 1620."

Do you have rhymes or jingles to share that help you remember dates in history?  Please share.  I'm looking forward to this history challenge.

Civil War- Everywhere

It's funny how when you're pregnant suddenly everyone you see is pregnant, or when you get a new car suddenly everyone has the same type of car.  Maybe the occurrences aren't any greater, but the awareness is heightened.  The same has happened for me with our Civil War study. 

I went to our local garden store in search of lima beans for a science experiment and what did I find in the tomato seed section?  Tomato seeds called, "Abraham Lincoln!"  How cool is that?  So tomorrow on the school agenda we'll plant our Abraham Lincolns" and see what happens.

The Dream is Becoming Reality

Last year in our homeschool studies, we've learned about Colonial America beginning with the Vikings up through the Revolutionary War.  It was my dream to take the kids to see history come to life by visiting the East Coast and the places we learned about. 

In order to make this dream happen, momma needed to raise some $$.  So how does a full-time wife, mom and homeschooler raise money to take five people to tour the East Coast.  Remember the ebay venture I wrote about earlier?  Well, it's going well and we've raised a good portion of the money.  I'll blog on some of the best sales later.  I definitely feel blessed!

Tonight was a BIG night!!  I was a bit nervous, but with the help of my hub we nailed down dates and booked our flight to Washington D.C.!  Whew!!  How wonderful!  Now we'll need to begin planning our agenda. 

I've been told we can catch trains from D.C. to just about anywhere on our list.  I'm so excited!

Back to the research...we'll keep you posted!

A Job for Momma

I have a friend who is an ebay queen. She's sold thousands of items, is a single mom and supports her family. Needless to say, she's amazing!!!

We met recently while she was in town for her son's baseball tournament. We figured we hadn't seen each other in about six (much overdue) years. But, while talking, introducing the kids and walking down memory lane we realized we've known each other for about 17 years!! Wow time flies!!

Back in the day, she moved back to her hometown to help her grandma out with her antique business. I was a newlywed, unemployed, and had just started a side crafting/floral business to supplement the substitue teaching. Married in 1992 I had resigned from my full-time teaching position after getting married and moved to a new town.

When looking for businesses to display my creations, I came across Lynn's grandma's antique store. Lynn was enthusiastic, encouraging and welcomed my wares. She's got a great business mind and to be quite honest, I think she's got a HUGE heart and wanted to help out a big-brown-eyed newlywed.

Thus began our friendship. A few months later we purchased our first home and Lynn's mom was our mortgage lender. A month or so after that I took a flying leap into the real estate business and soon became Lynn's Realtor. And that's how it all began.

I can confidently say, thinking back on the MANY clients I had over 11 years of selling real estate, Lynn was probably one of the most loyal and encouraging.

About 10 years ago, when ebay was just getting started, Lynn, having the great business mind that she does, expanded her grandma's business to the international world of ebay. She was able to sell so many of her grandma's antiques for a greater profit through ebay. I remember her repeatedly telling me I should sell on ebay. Over the years, I've sold many things, but just a couple here and there.

Fast forward to the present...Lynn and I met a couple weeks ago and just being around her is so encouraging. Her enthusiasm for ebay is infectious! I've been trying to think of ways to make a couple $$ to help buy some extras, pay for field trips, or treat myself to a new outfit now and then and the ebay thing seems to be the vehicle with which I can do it. And I can do it from home around our schedule.

So...I've opened an ebay store and am focusing on books (what I know) and/or cds. I may put on a few other things now and then, but books are easy to store and easy to ship.

Wish me blessing on this venture. The kids and I are trying to save for a trip to the east coast to culminate our year-long study of Colonial Life and I'd like to take them to Washington DC. I've never been and they're eager to see our country's capitol.

So, here's to Ebay!!

Colonial Study

We've been studying the Colonial Times this fall. It's been great fun reading about life from the Pilgrims Landing through the Revolutionary War. The last couple of days we've made apple pies, spiced acorn squash, homemade donuts, and today we made candles.

All the activities are great fun, but we do tend to make big messes.

Yesterday while making the apple pies we were all covered with flour, but it was so fun!
While making the donuts, the tongs slipped out of my hand splashing oil all over my arm. Ouch! But the donuts were SUPER yummy!

Today while making the squash, we ended up having many squash seeds all over the floor, but that's an easy pick up.

And when making the candles, I accidentally spilled wax on the cooktop. That's a CHORE to clean up! But like our little middle son reassured me..."But Mom, it was SO FUN!"

So despite the messes, the burns, the huge clean ups, I wouldn't miss these opportunities to create, make and experience life with these littles.


Waiting for the wax to melt...

The Candles...


Cleaning out the Acorn Squash


Cleaning out the squash

All good projects are better when wearing your beautiful braided LONG hair...

Rolling out the Pie Crusts

The Apple Pie

Mmmm....Donuts!

The burns