Mabry's Mill

My cousin JR, came up for a visit before leaving for the Marines a week or so ago. He was in for a few days so I took him and the girls to one of my favorite places on the mountain. Mabry's Mill. Tony and I celebrated our 16th anniversary on July 4th. He took me to another one of my favorite places on the mountain, so look for those pictures very soon!!

Mabry's Mill

Heaven, Meadow, Me and Sky

An old still

Meadow

Look at the trees!

Meadow and Mommy

Again

Heaven and Meadow

JR, my cuz

Heaven

Sky

My favorite picture of the day, Meadow reaching for my camera!

Sweet tiny bridge

View from inside the mill through the water wheel

My Father's World 1st (Update 2)

These are the next three illustrations in Meadow's My Father's World Notebook. Hee hee look at those big eyes. She was being silly.

This picture is titled "The Story of Noah"

We studied the colors of the rainbow and the promise of God to never flood the world again. We researched the measurements of the ark and determined it was huge! :) Meadow made a boat out of aluminum foil and dropped pennies in it until it sank. So much fun!

This one is titled "Tower of Babel" We discussed different nationalities, languages and how to communicate. We looked into how God created us all different and how we are each very unique.
Meadow memorized Psalms 30:5 Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

And this one is titled "A Son for Abraham" We discussed faith and patience. How God's timing is perfect and we must seek His will and not our own. We learned that we are not to doubt God but are to stand firm on His word.

Meadow memorized Psalms 11:25 A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. What a delightful word from the Lord!

Here Meadow is doing some seat work in the kitchen for her daddy. I love the way she concentrates so hard on writing neatly.
This day was a great home school day. Just look at this smile!

The last few weeks have been tough. It must be the confinement from the cold outside. There was a lot of bickering in the home but now we are on the other end and things are picking up again. We kept moving and I'm so glad we did. Some days can be so hard that I second guess myself. I ask the Lord, " Is this really what you want me doing?" Its after the storm that I can look back and see the progress and things learned from the trial. Home schooling for us is like a long race. If you stop in the middle you don't finish. Its not winning that is most important its finishing the race. That is when we will see the results of what the Lord has called us to do. I must be faithful, slow and steady. I must trust Him and be patient. And that smile keeps me going!

My Father's World 1st (first update)

We are moving right along in the My Father's World Unit Study. Although somehow not as far along as I wished we were. We finally got to the point of illustrating Meadow's Bible Journal. So I wanted to share her first three entries. Meadow is memorizing many great scriptures too. I'm so proud of her. In addition to her memory verses she has memorized the first 15 books of the old testament.
Meadow continues to read well although she forgets the spelling rules sometimes. She is learning lots about the earth, crust, core and mantle and about our solar system. She excels in math although she doesn't like having to do many problems at a time! LOL! She has moved up to two digit addition and subtraction. We will be finished with 1st grade math in just a few more months. I will probably let her move on into second grade math continuing to school at least two days a week through the summer. Moving right along! I find this helps me because we usually have LIFE unexpectedly happen during the year whether it be doctors appointments or sickness and I have to work REALLY hard to school daily. :)

God Created the World. This is Meadow's first picture. We studied the seven days of creation and added to this page daily as we learned what God created on each day.

The Garden of Eden and The First Sin. This is Meadow's second drawing after learning about Adam and Eve. Our scripture focus is Proverbs 13:13 He who scorns instruction will pay for it, but he who respects command is rewarded. We are having great discussions about controlling our tempers and the consequences of our actions! This one isn't turned right and its harder to see but I couldn't get Picasa to coorporate. I'm just praying these stay up!

Cain and Abel. Our scripture focus is the same and this examples goes right along with Adam and Eve. I am helping her with these a littlew with these drawings. She doesn't like drawing or coloring very well. She would rather finger paint designs or use chalk. I'm hoping that by sharing these online her little heart will desire to try harder. :) I think she has done a great job!

What do you think?
(I suppose I was having troubles with Picasa so I tried again. If pictures still aren't coming through let me know, although I have no idea what I'll do!)

Tater Tot Casserole

What you will need:

2-2 1/2 pounds of ground beef

1 whole vadalia onion chopped

1 Family Size Can of Cream of Mushroom Soup

2 cups of grated cheddar cheese

Large bag of frozen tater tots

First I browned the ground beef with the onion and simmered until onion was transparent. Then I added the can of Cream of Mushroom soup. You spread this in a 13 x 9 inch pan and then you will need a helper.

My helper today is Meadow.

Meadow ~ is placing each tator tot in its place.
It takes a lot of tator tots to cover this baby!! Meadow is smiling, she's almost done!!

Then you cover the tator tots with cheese. This is really fun!

Meadow spread the cheese out evenly. Notice that manicure...blue nails on the left hand and pink ones on the right. Perfect for every six year old...

Then mommy puts it in the over to bake at 350 for 45 minutes, until tator tots are golden brown, cheese it melted and beef mixture is bubbly.
Smile, it smells sooo good!


Spoon it into dishes and....

Yummy!!!

Confession....this was our first time making this dish and Meadow informed after a few bites that she really didn't like it! Sigh...oh well it was fun while it lasted and the other girls loved it! :)

Great Homeschooling Days

Meadow working diligently on her numbers.

I am so proud of Meadow's efforts. She truly is a blessing to teach and I do believe I learn as much from her as she does from me. This Thanksgiving we studied the first Thanksgiving and learned about the pilgrims and the indians. I wanted Meadow to dress up for our family Thanksgiving as a way of sharing what we had learned. Much to my surprise Meadow didn't want to be a pilgrim or an indian, nope...she wanted to be a puppy. So a puppy she was. She made her costume and Heaven and I painted her face. I think she turned out great! What do you think?

My Father's World First Grade

My Father's World first grade is one of the programs that I am using to teach Meadow this year. I love this program because there is so much bible included. We haven't gotten as far into as I would have preferred so far but we are getting ready to pick up our pace. MFW is a unit study that covers every subject that your child needs for 1st grade.

We are just beginning to get deeper into My Father's World and I am excited! It was written by missionaries David and Marie Hazell. They started MFW to help fund bible translation. Their ministry is called God's Word for the Nations and you can read more about them here: My Father's World and then click missions. To see the program we are using click first grade.

Right now Meadow is learning more intense phonics. She is reading quite beautifully and learning how to decipher the harder words. She is writing and memorizing one proverb each week. The last few weeks of proverbs have had a recurring theme, speaking kind sweet words....honey words are healing to the bones. Meadow is quick to remind us when we are not speaking honey words!

We are studying weather, rain, lightening, thunder, soil, rivers and beaches for science...so far. Meadow has also been absorbing as much information as she can about the planets only because she has such a strong desire, so I oblige and read her what I have about them.

This week we are beginning our timeline and our study in Genesis. I will soon be blogging pictures of her work. I hope all of you enjoy this part of our journey as much as I enjoy teaching her!

Mabry's Mill~ Homeschool Field Trip

 

We have been looking forward to this field trip for over a month. Its not like we its our first time to the Mill its just that I love going. The girls grandfather and grandmother live just minutes from the Mill so we try to get up there very often. I LOVE Meadows of Dan and it is my dream to one day live on the Mountain. I was so excited when I learned that our Christian Homeschool Group was planning a trip to the Mill.

This day was different than most trips to the Mill because the Mill had planned a special few days for all of the school aged children to help brief them on some local history and on some of the old ways. Ed Mabry actually built this mill and he used to the mill to make a living. He added to the mill over the years. He had a working saw mill although it took 15 minutes to saw one log of lumber. Here is a link to read more about him.

Edwin Boston Mabry

We visited a blacksmith's shop there at the Mill. The blacksmith actually made a nail right in front of us. It was interesting to watch, smell and see how long it actually to took to make things like this in those days. Going to the hardware stores today and buyng a box of nails is a whole lot easier than having to make them one by one.

We saw a basket weaver there who explained what different shaped baskets were used for. There were egg baskets, hen baskets, potatoe baskets...and many others that I cannot remember. If you look closely at the pictures above you can see them. The materials that are used to make the baskets were also hand made from the trees. Its a timely process also.

We listened to a local lady dressed up who told Stories. She was of course the Story Teller. The times she told of were hard, despairing times. There was a true story told of a woman who actually miscarried over twenty children. How heartbreaking. You would think she would have been depressed but no, she worked on, she was the one that other women trevailing in labor would call to come and help them deliver their babies. People is those days somehow seems tougher than we do today.

There was also a man there who made chairs. He demonstrated each and every step. He said to make one chair today it took him about three weeks. Their lifespan is over 60 years. They were very gorgeous chairs but I have no desire to whittle those things out!

We felt different kinds of mill stones that were used to grind corn. We actually got to feel fresh ground grits and cornmeal. I almost wished that there would have been samples of cooked grits and cornbread to taste on our tour but the girls thought I was bizarre!

There was a quilter there who allowed each child to sew on the quilt. This has always been a desire of mine but I have never persued it.

They even had real lambs wool being spun into yarn and yarn being weaved into rugs. I was amazed at the tidiousness of this process and the lady giving the demonstration actually had a loom in her own home and done this as a pass time love of hers!

Many of the elders at the Mill were locals and had done their paritcular trade their entire lives. In the old days their trades were actually their lively hoods. They bartered for things they needed and did not have. Their very survival depended on others in the community. They had to work together as a whole. In my mind this is almost a miracle. I almost find myself longing for a time that I didn't exist in.

I found joy that in today's time that even though their skills were not needed for survival the way that they once were, that the Mill was providing a way of living for them today and enabling them to continue on in what they loved to do. Their faces lit up as they shared their lives and the details of their skills.

Here are a few more links if you would like to see Mabry's Mill. We all had a great time but no-one had as much fun as I did! I'm hoping to return to the Mill soon on a cool fall Sunday afternoon so that I can sit back and watch them flatfoot to the beautiful blue grass music they play. I'll share when I do!

Meadows of Dan

Virginia is for Lovers

One perfect day last week

I'm trying to get the hang of blogging so I'm a little behind, lol! I should have blogged this the day it happened but it slipped my mind so here it is.....

Did you ever just have the *best* homeschool day ever?

Our days homeschooling have been so productive and fun lately. Ever since I went into boot camp with the girls life in general has been so good.

Today though was simply a blessing. We started out our day with Teaching With God's Heart For The World. We talked about missionaries and other less fortunate countries. We talked about God's word and His plan for us. We prayed. We had a huge breakfast. Then we came back and prayed again for specific ministries and a special mission family the Lord has led us to know. We prayed for a good friend of mine from another board who is battling cancer. We took turns praying and hearing my 11 and 5yo pour out their hearts to God was precious.

Then we started school. Meadow done her math and bible. Sky and I done her SWR, and New World Explorers. Both girls are working on brochures for the new land they just founded! This has taken them hours but they are getting along and working together. Not to mention their projects look great! It is now 5:30 and Sky still has math and a few other things to do but no-one is complaining.

This is what I've always dreamed! God is so good.

Bootcamp

I didn't know that was what it was called when I started it though. I just know that things were not running smoothly and something had to be done because I couldn't take much more. I cut off our cable a couple of years ago. I have T.V.'s but only for dvds that we own. I have every entertainment dvd in a box hidden. I allowed my girls to draw numbers to see who would go 1st, 2nd and 3rd and then each Saturday IF everything for the week is done withOUT attitude one movie is chosen out of the box. #1 the first week and so forth. The only movies available on our shelves are now spiritual or educational.

Each day the older two now set their clocks to get up at 9 o'clock. I think this is a very fair time, not too early ~ not too late. Fair. I leave instuctions on the dry erase board each day to tell them who needs to do what. They do those chores first. Sometimes I'm up already and if I am I have some quiet time to pray, read or whatever else I may need to do but often times I'm not and they let me sleep in. I tend to be somewhat of a night owl and I enjoy the house at night when everyone else is asleep. Now if we are sick or have Dr.s appointment we have to make acceptions but when things are normal this is how we are operating.

School begins when chores are done so the time varies day to day depending on what chores are listed for that day. There is some school they can do without me and they know to start on this immediately if I am not available. We are into week 3 of this. If there is any rebellion including complaining, they lose music, computer and phone. Let me say that these activities are very limited they do not get free use of any of these. They are having to ask permission and when I grant it I also tell them how long they have. I expect yes mam the first time. My 5yo is having the hardest time adjusting because I haven't trained her this way and she is forgetful, but the other day when she didn't say yes mam first thing, she tucked her head and said, Ah man...she knew it was quiet time in her room. Period. :)

Right now my 16 yo has no phone, no computer, no music, no company, no going anywhere. I almost feel sorry for her. I am hoping dh agrees she can come off tomorrow. I am very tender hearted and this has not been easy on me by any means but it works and it beats screaming all the time. We have peace, a clean house and are completing our school. They are actually learning to get along with one another and like school (better). Really!

It was this or my sanity. I wish I had done it years ago. Consistency IS the key.

We are very relaxed in our school (except for my 16yo) we focus on the 3R's, Bible and are doing a mini-study lap book of New World Explorers. My 11yo doesn't like writing or reading by the way. If you ask her if she likes school she will tell you NO. But she is doing her work and doing it without complaining to me. I think they prefer school to chores now though! Once obedience comes natural I will ease on the chores some. We will see.

Reminiscing

My what a journey we have been on, what a journey we are still on! The Lord called us to homeschool six years ago, my how time flies. I am amazed at how we started and how we have changed. The fear of thinking I would hurt my children if they weren't learning everything public schools were learning on their time frame. I recreated what I knew from my own experiences in public school. It didn't take long to burn us all out. Thankfully the Lord led me to homeschooling boards where there were ladies with years of experience and so much wisdom.

I heard that it would be fine if we took six months off to try and detox from what we had all been exposed to. Fear tried to creep in and thoughts of abuse! LOL! I am so glad I can laugh now. We took the plunge and put the texts away and we learned to relax. We learned to know one another. We learned how much fun life could be without all the stress. Thank-You my Savior, Lord Jesus Christ. Thank-You for revelation, perserverance and Your protection.

During this time I researched different materials, different learning styles. I decided to try Unit Studies and fell in love with Learning-Adventures. I wish I had pictures of those days. I also found that as much as we loved Unit Studies we didn't always have a schedule that would allow them so we had to supplement with a few textbooks and find some independant work for the girls when life happened. It did and it worked!

My oldest daughter started out here in our home in the sixth grade. This year she is a junior. She spent last semester in the local community college with a full load and made all A's and B's. (only one B I believe) I had so badly wanted her to graduate with her Associate's Degree in general education at the same time she was awarded her highschool diploma from me. Wouldn't that make me look good? All the persecution I suffered over the years for bringing them home to school them would finally pay off! I would show them all. Not so quick though.....the Lord spoke to me again, oh so unmistakably, so clear. He said, "My child, do you remember your call? Do you remember what I asked you to do? I have a plan for your daughter and it isn't what you have planned. I need your obedience. Stop doubting yourself and do what I have called you to do." Now that was an awakening for me. My husband heard the Lord loud and clear also. I believe had we not both heard the same thing from our Lord I might have ignored it, thinking myself insane or ridiculous. After all other Christians send their children to college surely it isn't wrong? For many it isn't but for us I'm afraid it is.

So this semester we are starting fresh with new agendas. We are excited because we know our Lord is faithful and He has a great plan. We can't wait to watch as it unfolds.

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:1 & 2