Horse Heaven

The kids each take a different co-op class every month. Since Austin is taking a Paleontology class this month, Faith wanted to take something she enjoys. She loves horses and I just so happen to find a class near our house that offered lessons in horseback riding, grooming, stable chores, and horse science. Today was her first class and she was in heaven!

That's HOT!

That's what Faith said as she posed for this picture:





Our trip to the fire department:

Left in the dust...

That's where they left me, in the dust... Try pushing a double stroller up a dirt hill with two kids in it. Not fun! Although Landen enjoyed the bumpy ride! Once we reached the top of the hill I quickly put the brakes on the stroller so Farrah wouldn't go flying back down the hill. As I bent down to lock the wheels BAM! Landen hits me in the side of the head with a stick (his gun).

Landen with his "gun" (after this pic i got rid of it)


Other than that we had a very fun time on our field trip to Rileys Farm. We went back in time and got to experience civil war camp life, workshops, Victorian etiquette and we even ate what the soldiers ate back then. Our lunch included hard tack, beef jerkey, cheese, and an apple straight from the tree.

Austin has been shot in the leg...they learn what soldiers did when they got hurt in battle.





Landen thinks Austin is really hurt..look how worried he looks. He gave him a hug right before they amputated his leg





Some whisky for the pain








A fun place to visit check it out...www.rileysfarm.com

Art the Artist

this was the kids favorite painting "Drop your nets and follow me"

Today we did things a little different. We ventured out early for the day. I took the kids to breakfast and then to the park to do school. It's nice to do school when Landen can play and run around and Farrah can enjoy the outside. We had dentist appointments that kind of threw off our normal school hours. So I decided to change our routine. On our way to the park I noticed a man who had his garage and driveway full of paintings. I thought after we were done with our work we would take a walk over to look at them. Hey, it could be our "art" lesson for the day.
As we walked up to the house we saw such beautiful paintings. The kids asked questions and the man was happy to awnser them. He introduced himself as God's favorite. He was a man with a great sense of humor. His name was Art (go figure). He sat and talked to the kids for a good half hour telling them what each painting was and the meaning behind it. He was 85 but looked to be in his 60's he was full of interesting stories. He use to work for Walt Disney and is a retired doctor. We not only got an art lesson today we got a bible and history lesson also. You can learn so much from older people if you just stop to listen to them sometimes. Oh... and because my camera is permanently stuck to my hand I even was able to take some pictures of some of his paintings.


Just one of his many stories....a picture of the house Art grew up in. His whole family lived in that small house. (pictured) hes the little boy sitting down. the house was torn down by andrew then him and his brothers built it again and it was recently ruined by katrina.

Complement!

When my kids attended private christian school they had some of the best teachers...who we miss terribly. Being that my kids had such wonderful teachers, I was able to pick up on some of their creative ideas. For example a money system. We use fake money at home for chores or if the kids do something good etc. They earn money. We have what we call store day on Friday's. With the money they earn they get to go shopping in things I pick up or save from their happy meals. They also get money taken away if they are bad or their rooms are messy etc. It really works very well for my kids...Thanks to Mrs. Razo. Also we play a game called "Complements". Another idea from Mrs. Razo. When we are out in public if the kids get a complement they earn a dollar. Sometimes Faith is a little "kiss up" and will give a complement to someone like, "Your dress is very pretty today." Just to have the lady say, " oh, what a sweet little girl you are." Then turn to me and say, "complement!" She knows how to work the system.
Being that this is my blog, I am entitled to brag right? I often try to observe my kids as though I have never met them. I see young people who walk around with their heads held high, look adults in the eyes while talking to them and listen attentively while conversing in complete sentences. They recongnize their surroundings and take responsibility for them...like today when I walked into the kitchen to see Austin emptying the trash because it was full instead of walking away. No, it wasn't on his list of chores but he saw it needed to be done and just did it. I did give him a "complement" as well as $3 in school money! I am so proud of the countless times I have received compliments from other adults who are astounded at how polite, well mannered my kids can be. Now if only I could get a dollar for every compliment I get or teach Landen the money system!

In Training...

With his dinosaur shirt and dinosaur hat on Austin ran into class.......so excited to finally be a jr. paleontologist! He has waited to take this class for 2 years now and is finally old enough. (After begging him to leave his dinosaur fanny pack in the car.) LOL. I dropped him off... He will be taking this class every Monday for the next four weeks. The class is offered at Webb Schools. He will be learing about paleontology and how real fossils detectives do their jobs. Each week, they will learn about different ways that paleontologists work with fossils-from discovering them to prepairing them in the lab and piecing together their clues to learn about ancient life. They will do several arts and crafts and best of all they will even get to chizzle away at a real fossil.
His favorite part is the "behind the scenes" tour of the Raymond M. Alf Paleontology Museum. Which Austin has visited many, many times before.

Up to something big!

As a writing assignment I had the kids write some of their life long goals.
Austin's Life Long Goal List:
Age 8
1.Find a dinosaur fossil that has never been found before.
2.Become a famous paleontologist and prove Darwin wrong.
3.Go around the world in 80 days.
4.Hold a human heart in my hands.
5.Jump off a cliff in hawaii.
6.Swim with great white sharks.
7.Get Married.
8.Find a cure for cancer.
9.Spend a year in space.
10.Go across the Sahara on foot.



Faith's Life Long Goals List:
Age 6
1.Own a golden retriever.
2.Swim with Shamu at Sea World.
3.Meree wu evr Jesus ses. (Marry whoever Jesus says.)
4.I want to visit Siberia.
5.Go on vacation in Africa.



Austin said, "you know mom my goal of finding a fossil is right around the corner, grandpa owns a backhoe and im starting paleontology classes tonight!"
I sure hope he's right!