We had a wonderful weekend! It was very full but very productive and positive. In Texas last week is the "official" Homeschool week. Six Flags has a Homeschool day on Thursday (we didn't go to it this year but might next year!), the book fair is at the convention center for Friday and Saturday and the Rangers Ballpark has Homeschool night at the Ballpark on Friday night.
We went to a few conferences and the kids were very good! They took something to do while we were in there. When we were in between looking at the curriculum and going to a conference we sat in the lobby and talked and laughed with each other.
On of the conferences we went to was on Peace Treaties in the Living Room. It was by the three siblings that wrote Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends. Towards the end of the session they did a visual presentation. The oldest daughter did a chalk drawing while her brother did the talking and her sister played the harp. There were times where both girls would stop what they were doing to talk, too. It was amazing to watch and hear them. Pirate Lad made me take a picture of her picture. He is very into art and drawing. That is why he got two small art sets while we were there, water colors and drawing.
John was "in charge" of finding our Science since he is the one teaching science. He will be helping me in other areas but that is one of the things that will be his only. He is also in charge of our family devotions. He found a great resource for that. In the picture above they are at a science booth where that car was going around the circle on that table. Jenni was watching that while John and JC were watching their computer demonstration while the man explained the program to them. "Dad" took finding the right program very seriously. He looked diligently both days before he found what he wanted. He thought once that he found one but then as he looked closer he found that it was full of evolution. He was disappointed. But God led him to the right one and he is very excited to get started. We found just the right things for each subject and are very pleased.
Since we were going to the Ranger game after the book fair they told us at the Ranger office to park in that parking lot early so that we wouldn't have to pay for parking. So we did and walked to the convention center on Friday after lunch. The kids liked telling people how they had to walk so FAR! It was only down the street a block away. We have a tradition when we go to the book fair, we go in the morning and don't buy anything. Then we go to lunch and talk about the things we saw and liked or didn't like. This time we went to Chili's and it was so good! When we got back there were several things we knew we wanted but there were also many things that we needed to think about over night and look up on the Internet for more details. There was also a conference the next morning on the Accountable Kids so I wanted to check it out first before I purchased it. The conference sold me! It is a wonderful program that they kids learn to remind themselves to do things instead of me hounding them all morning to get their list of things done and then wondering if they really did do them. We will start it next Sunday. More info on that later!
We got done at the book fair a little before 5 so we waited outside the Ballpark for it to open. A local Homeschool resource store and the Ballpark had arranged for a comedian and illusionist to come perform for the homeschool kids before the show.
Since it was a special day we did splurge on a few things that we normally wouldn't. The four of us got an Icee! It tasted so good because it had gotten so hot. We were on the very top of the stadium and you can see the new Cowboy Stadium being built in the background. John planned it that way!
JC also got nachos, John got a hot dog, I got an ice cream cookie sandwich and JC and Jenni got Dibs. Yes, we spent far two much but we had a good time and that is what counts. We don't do this on a regular basis so it was special.
They had a really, really hard time staying in their seats! They were all over the place. We were almost at the top of the bleachers so it really didn't matter much. For the most part they were super! They were excited when the Rangers got a hit and when they struck someone out. The Rangers got a home run and fireworks went off but the guys were in the bathroom so they missed it! Too Bad! But the Rangers did win! 4 to 0! Sami said that we should go more often maybe they would win more often. I don't know about that. But it was a good game.
Even John was in a playful mood as I tried to take our picture. He was quite proud of himself for putting rabbit ears on me! We got home and they crashed. We got up at 6 that morning. We went to IHOP for breakfast before the book fair. On Saturday morning we got up an hour later but still got to the book fair on time. Sami decided she wanted to go on Saturday so we picked her up. My two younger kids spent the whole day walking around with her. They had a blast and were so good. I was proud of them!
So as our weekend came to a close I felt so good about things. I spent half of Mother's Day cleaning out cabinets and throwing things away. We have started organizing our Homeschool cabinet. I am so excited to get things cleaned out and start this new adventure with a new frame of mind. One that is focused on Christ and His plans for our lives. More to come.....
That is our progress report for today. Thanks for stopping by.
