Dallas World Aquarium

In the almost ten years we have been in Dallas, this was our first trip to the Dallas World Aquarium. We joined 90 of our homeschool friends for a simple education experience, I mean an in-depth study of the habitat, conservation, distribution, anatomy, reproduction and behavioral/structural adaptations of plants and animals..We came home with great curriculum to further our indoor adventure. The refurbished 1801 three story warehouse turned museum is in the Historic West End District in Downtown Dallas. The upper levels showcase mixed avian species as they fly freely throughout the vegetation, foraging for food, building nests, caring for their young or preening at the top of the 40-foot waterfall. Mammals, ranging in size from small Vampire bats to large Antillean manatees, share the rainforest with amphibians, reptiles, invertebrates and fish..
Our favorite exhibits included the manatee, the spotted stingray, and the spotted leopard.

National Bible Bowl Practice

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Sunday's are filled with Leadership Training for Christ. Jon and I have worked with LTC since Frankie was in 6th grade, so about 13 years of LTC. Caleb has participated in LTC for the last four years and this will be Abigail's first official year competing. I love teaching the kids, and have really awesome friends who teach along side me. 'Mrs. Gungan' is teaching them to sign II Samuel 22:31-34. Ms. Belinda and Ms. Teri are doing Drama. Ms. Vyneta has chorus covered! I have Bible Bowl.

I get the biggest kick out of how much information is in just one book of the Bible. This year with Bible Bowl being over II Samuel, we are covering David paying the price to Saul for Michal; David & Bathsheba; David murdering Uriah and eighteen others; Amnon & Tamar; priest's coat being cut off 1/2 up their buttocks; Absalom getting his hair stuck in a tree; Amasa being stabbed in the stomach; Banaan & Recab cut off the head of Ish-Bosheth and so much more. These aren't the typical lessons that are covered in a :30 minute Bible class.

Cavanaugh Flight Museum

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum is a living history tracing the steps of a century of flight. With wood and fabric aircraft from the World War I era; significant aircraft of the 1930s and World War II periods and early jet planes of the 1950s the collection is quite impressive.

Guided by a WWII fighter pilot, we toured four hangers of various aircrafts. Our docent shared stories of the innovations in flight to our 50+ homeschool kiddos. The vintage aircraft have all been immaculately restored are most are in working condition!

Spring Training

A lazy Monday with Jon included Math and Bible. Then the little kids took turns helping him change oil in the cars. They also dropped the engine on the truck. After time in the garage, the little guys headed to the batting cages for Spring training. Caleb is batting 65MPH balls and Abigail is swinging at 45MPH balls. Normally we don’t follow the local ISD holidays but today it was nice to have a break.

Diet Coke Geyser

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A recent trip to Hobby Lobby yielded a geyser tube for creating a rapid carbonic geyser by dropping multiple Mentos into a 2 liter of Diet Coke. Caleb decided that Sunday’s Life Group was the perfect testing facility! Along with the ‘Gungans’ and the Herrings the kids re-created a 2006 episode of MythBusters that concluded that the caffeine, potassium benxoate, aspartame, and Mentos all contribute to the jet effect.

The geyser tube allowed for a spring action rapid release of six Mentos into the Diet setting off a 20+ foot fountain of sticky fun! I’m sure this is the kind of bonding activity the Elders had in mind for Life Group!

Game Day

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Once a month our homeschool families get together at the church building for some sort of fun with a small side of education. Today sixteen kids from first grade thru seventh grade enjoyed various board games and each other. I love that even with that broad of an age range they can all play together for four hours and thoroughly enjoy themselves. It is also a great time for the Mom's to get together encourage each other, share a few stores about their week.

Abigail's 9th Birthday

Abigail's Christmas time birthday can sometimes pose a scheduling problem for birthday parties. Even though it's two weeks after her big day the celebration was glorious! Ten of her girl friends from church, softball and our homeschool group joined Abigail for karaoke, swing dancing, food and to watch an American Girl movie. I had a blast, Frankie loved it and the girls had fun too! She had girlfriends from 2nd thru 7th graders and they all got along beautifully! Such a good group of girls! (to see the photo's close up, click on the collage and it will zoom in)

Inspiration

I have read several postings on Facebook today of New Year's Resolutions to 'read thru the Bible in the year 2010.' I thought I would share something very personal to me in hopes of encouraging other families. When I turned 29, (1996) I resolved that I wanted to read thru the entire Bible before I turned 30. It was very private, I stole away quiet moments and read, during that year Caleb was born. The night before my 30th birthday, I stayed up and finished my task. It was so inspirational and empowering. After that year Jon incorporated this into our entire family. We now read the chronological NIV every morning with breakfast. Some days Jon reads, some days the kids. Yes, some days we miss a morning (or two) and have to read a little longer the next day. And there have been times when we missed weeks, but just picked up at the new days reading. But all in all I find it wonderful that Caleb is 12 and has read the entire Bible 12 times, and Abigail is 9 and has read thru the entire Bible 9 times!

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So if this is a new habit hang in there! You can do it, it will be very worthwhile and the dividends are huge!!!!!

New Years Eve

It's taken some adjusting to get used to the bright light in Dallas as opposed to the rural Oklahoma starry nights. Skies were brighter than usual tonight, thanks to a full moon. The New Year's Eve full moon is what's known as a blue moon, because it's the second full moon in a month. Being a homeschool family, of course we have a rockin' telescope to view such events. Very cool, New Year's Eve blue moons are rare, occurring every 19 years. The last time was in 1990; the next one won't come again until 2028.