Trunk or Treat

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The end of October brings around Trunk or Treat at the church building. For those of you not familiar with Trunk or Treat it is a great outreach to the neighborhoods by the church building. It is a positive alternative to Halloween. Trunk or Treat offers family games, hot cider, hay rides and candy without any dark element.

Trunk or Treat signals yet another year that we have been in Texas, this year marks 9 years. Our first visit to McDermott Road was on a Wednesday night on Halloween. Instead of finding a typical Wednesday night service, everyone was trunk or treating in the parking lot. At that time the congregation was in it's infancy and still in a modular building. I remember jokingly leaning over to Ms. Pam and saying, 'Let me get this straight, you don't have any elders, no baptistry, and you're trick or treating instead of having Wednesday night service?' She laughed and said they had gone 'liberal' since they left Oklahoma!

Super Scientific Circus

Today's adventures took us to the Jewish Community Center for the Super Scientific Circus featuring Dr. Fish and Trent the Mime. The program travels all around with their circus skills, magic tricks, comedy and mime to illustrate fundamental scientific concepts such as gravity, the center of gravity, air pressure, the speed of sound and light, ultraviolet light, centripetal force, airfoils and more!
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The show really re-enforces that science is fun and you don't have to have alot of expensive equipment to see science at work.

7th & 8th Grade Retreat

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This weekend the 7th & 8th graders at church took off for a retreat at Mr. Lebanon Retreat Center just south of Dallas. They enjoyed a great weekend. Fortunately the weather was great, just a little rain and no tornadoes!

End of the Season

Last game of the season, well that would be the last game of Fall Ball. Of course, Winter Ball begins in a week . . . . . The last game is always great because it involves a trip to Braums with the team! The give the girls the chance to hang out and giggle without having to run laps!

Lifegroup at the Park

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The third Sunday of the month is Life Group Sunday, that means instead of evening services we meet in small group, generally in homes. Today our group met up at the park by our house. I think our Life Group must hold the record for the most kiddos! We shared a great picnic lunch, and some grown-up time! I brought Granny's famous baked beans!

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You know you're spending time with family when they let you bring the puppy! Padme' enjoyed playing with all

the kids, and was a big help with clean up!

Can You Pitch a Ball Like Jenny Finch?

This posts date should read 10/14/2010, 10/15/2010 & 10/16/2010 because Abigail had softball games all three days! They won two, lost one and had fun at all three! She played catcher during two games and covered 2nd base in one game. She had a great bunt in today's game that got her two bases and led to a run. Always a good day at the ballpark. Following today's game the girls spent an hour on batting practice, a skill that was missing in the game we lost!

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At Thursday's game I heard the latest 'cheer' coming from the dugout, "Can you turn around like Michael Jackson; Break it down like Brittany Spears; Fix your hair like Miley Cyrus; Pitch a ball like Jenny Finch?. . . I don't think so!!" In softball the cheers are almost as important as the game, almost!

Archeology Fair

This weekend Geo-Marine, Inc., held their 7th Annual Plano Archeology Fair. This event is to help promote and educate the public about archeology. They were given a brief introduction to archeology and then they began working on the excavation units. Archaeologists showed them some of the excavation techniques and then they excavated using trowels and learned how to record their findings. The archaeologist explained what the artifacts they found and what clues they give us about the past.

Caleb and Abigail were able to participate in an archaeological dig. They worked in teams with professionally trained archaeologists, on the excavation of a test unit.

The event also hosted Native American Drummers and Dancers, a Flintknapping demonstration, Storytellers, Pottery demonstrations, Corn Grinding and a Petroglyph site.

Chess Club

Today was Chess Club, I don't play the game but Jon and all three kids enjoy playing. We have chess club with an instructor at the library, it's nice because while they play I can pick up new books. Today I came home with several John Grisham books for me, Abigail is reading Eragon, Caleb is on the Eldest and Frankie is reading the Benedict Society.

7th & 8th Grade Devotional

Sunday night was the 7th & 8th Grade Devo at the Gungans. Tacos, friends and a message, nice way to end the weekend!

It's a Tea Party

Sunday the 3rd-6th grade girls enjoyed a tea party with their 'friends'. The girls were matched up with ladies in the congregation to have additional positive Christian female role models. Abigail was matched up with Mrs. Wade and has really enjoyed getting to know her better. Last week in class the girls canned picante sauce a gift for their friends. Abigail came home with the recipe and we have already prepared 6 pints!

Game Day, Again

I'm sure by now you've seen plenty of pictures of Abigail playing softball, and yet, here are still more pictures. Well, when I started this blog, I began it so that family and friends in Oklahoma could keep up with us and the growing children.

Since that time, the kids now each have their own laptops for schoolwork. When their work is done, they each enjoying going to the blog and reading about their own adventures. So here we go, photos of another weekend filled with softball!

Abigail and JoJo both had great hits!

Dallas Heritage Village's Lone Star Day

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This is Lone Star History Day at Dallas Heritage Village, located in historic Old City Park, the museum uses its collections of historic buildings and furnishings, representing the period 1840-1910. The museum is composed of 38 historic structures & boasts a working Civil War era farm, a traditional Jewish household, elegant Victorian homes, a school, a church & commercial buildings.

We met up with the Gungans and the Sanderfords for the homeschool event. A curator for the Sixth Floor Museum gave a presentation of Dallas' history, and then we proceeded on to the hands on events. Everything from blacksmiths, to carriage rides, we had a great time.

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Well beat the drum and hold the phone - the sun came out today!

Were born again, there's new grass on the field.

A-roundin' third, and headed for home, it's a blue-eyed pretty GIRL

Anyone can understand the way I feel!

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Got a beat-up glove, an aluminum bat and a brand new pair of shoes;

You know I think it's time to give this game a ride.

Just to hit the ball and touch 'em all - a moment n the sun;

(pop) It's gone and you can tell that one goodbye!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTl-NnuLjaE
Centerfield

Dan Foggarty

Sunday Lawn Work

I thought this was a great picture! Caleb had just finished mowing the back yard and stopped for a rest in the shade and a glass of water before mowing the front yard.

Home Depot Day

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Home Depot Day used to be a regular feature on the blog. The first Saturday of the month the kids make fun items with their parents and recieve a certificate. Caleb has out grown this event, but Abigail let us know that she had not out grown this event and missed it. With that we headed out to Home Depot. Abigail built a fire boat with Jon, afterwards the children toured the fire truck outside. Frankie served as the photographer today!