Texas State Fair

Oh what to do?  Today we have not one but two dentist appointments, however the Gungan's invited us to join them at the State Fair, hmmm, what to do?  Well it is a no brainer, I called the dentist and moved around the appointments and we were off to the fair! 

In fact we spent nine hours at the fair!  Ms. Gungan and I were sure to have our Fletcher's corn dog.  I skipped on the fried bacon, cinnamon rolls!   The boys of course, made sure we walked every inch of the 300,000 square feet of new vehicles.   There were plenty of creative arts winners, more food, live stock exhibits and entertainment.  The kids make sure we stop by the Kildare's stage to hear some Celtic Rock.  They apparently enjoy them more than the Elvis impersonator we saw earlier in the day.

The kids got their picture taken next to the 55' tall Big Tex!  In the background you can see the 212' Ferris wheel, it is the largest Ferris wheel in North America!   We walked all over the fair grounds including around the Cotton Bowl, the is one tired momma!

If you come with us, we will share with you whatever good things the Lord gives us.”
Numbers 10:32

Frontiers of Flight Museum

While Jon and Abigail headed to a three hour softball practice, I headed out with the two older kids to the Frontiers of Flight Museum.  Today was the Smithsonian Magazines Museum Day in which participating museums across the country open their doors for free.

 

I went on line a couple of weeks ago and let Frankie pick out which museum in our area she wanted to visit.  We've been to Frontiers of Flight before and it is one of her favorites.  On one of my Dad's visits we came to the museum. Having worked a few decades are American Airlines Dad mad a great tour guide around all these wonderful planes.  Notice the kids thumbs up, that's a shout out to my Dad. He always made us hold a thumbs up until we were in the air. As an AA mechanic he said it was the secret to safe flying!

 

Today we had a wonderful docent, Mr. Richard! He was a Naval pilot, Top Gun, former CIA advisor, has met Presidents Eisenhower, Nixon & Kennedy, had dinner at Cary Grant's home, and escorted Ms. America . . . oh my goodness, the stories this man shared were remarkable!  I am convinced his is the greatest generation!  Every visit we've had equally wonderful experiences! If your kids are the curious sort, they will love hearing the explanations and first hand stories from the amazing docents! 

Remember the days of old;
    consider the generations long past.
Ask your father and he will tell you,
    your elders, and they will explain to you.

Deuteronomy 32:7

Nasher Sculpture Center: Design Detectives

The Nasher Sculpture Center is our other favorite museum!  It is one of the first museums to offer home schooling workshops.  How great is that, kids can attend art classes at a world class museum in Dallas! 

 

Today was a class specifically for teens centering on great questions at the heart of design.  The kids studies works by architect and designer Thomas Heatherwick.  Heatherwick is a contemporary designer that can look at the world around and challenges the design. 

 

One of our favorites today were the Heatherwick chairs.  They were a completely reimagined way of designing a chair, perfectly balanced, comfortable, and crazy fun!  The kids and I spun around in the chairs laughing and fascinated that 'someone' hadn't thought of this before.  Heatherwick's designs are brilliant! If you love smart design or have an appreciation for genius, check out the Heatherwick Exhibit! 

 

For my homeschooling friends, click HERE to check out their home school workshops!

 

Check out some of the other visits to the Nasher on our blog by clicking HERE. 

One of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!”  “Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” Mark 13:1-2 

Art in the Eye of the Beholder

Today we headed to the Arts District for the day.  As much as I miss Oklahoma and our family, I am equally grateful for all the opportunities we have in the metropolitan area.  The museums, theater and arts are amazing!

 

Our first visit was to the Dallas Museum of Art.  The museums collection is fantastic, but sometimes the traveling exhibits are questionable.  One of those we saw today was the Concentrations 57: Slavs and Tatars exhibit.  Seriously, it will come as no surprise that this Christian, home schooling mom didn't classify rugs with profanity in foreign languages as art.  Wish we had skipped that one!  

 

I would still go out of my way any day to check out most of the other exhibits at the DMA.  The art and history are fabulous!

 

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29

Glenn Beck Show with Mike Rowe

Today Caleb and Richard headed over to the Blaze Studios for a live airing of the Glenn Beck Show with guest Mike Rowe from Discovery Channel's Dirty Jobs.

 

Mike discussed his latest project on CNN, Somebody's Gotta Do It with the studio audience of high school and college students.

Mike in the founder of the Mike Rowe Works
Foundation which is his effort to reinvigorate the skilled trades with the mission of challenging the belief that an expensive four-year education is the best path for everyone.  Great discussion for these high school seniors!

All hard work brings a profit,
    but mere talk leads only to poverty  Proverbs 14:23

Not So Senior Moments

 

Abigail's favorite place to hang out at the pantry is in the shopping area.  She is surrounded by extra 'grandpas' who joke around with her, pick on her and generally take good care of her.   She talks about these guys with the same affection she speaks of the girls on her softball team.  She will finish up homework the night before so that she can head to pantry on Mondays and Wednesdays to hang out with Mr. Arvid, Mr. John, Mr. Jerry, Mr. Mike and Mr. Duane. 

 

Together this group stock the shelves in the pantry and interact with clients as they select food items for the week.  This group has done a lot to help her with her Spanish too, they have been better than Rosetta Stone!  This group of men are wonderful. Mr. Jerry  volunteers at the pantry for four hours on Monday and Wednesdays, reads books to kindergartners on Thursdays, and on Fridays he pass out popcorn in the lobby at Wells Fargo. He will celebrate his 90th birthday in January!

 

Mr. John not only volunteers two days a week at the pantry but he also volunteers two days a week at Cavanaugh Flight Museum, and does beautiful stained glass work in his spare time.

 

Mr. Arvid and Mr. Duane both are taking college classes in their spare time! When Mr. Mike isn't at the pantry he's building decks, entertainment center you name and he can build it!   So inspiring! 

 

Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord. Leviticus 19:32

Megaladon Teeth & A Magic Dragon

Ms. Gungan arranged for our homeschool group, PEACH, to take a tour of a local manufacturing company called Creative Foamworks of Dallas.  If you're one of our Texas friends, you have probably seen the gigantic chair in front of Nebraska Furniture Mart.  That was built by Foamworks.  It is 12+ feet from the ground to just the bottom of the chair!

 

Everything they do is large pieces of foam, cut, shaped, sanded and the coated with a polypropylene exterior.   They have created pieces for stage props, mall decorations, Christmas float pieces, etc.  In the shop today they were working on a Pete the Dragon for the Children's Hospital.  Pete will sit in the atrium where parents and kids visit. 

 

The owner showed the kids the model he made and then explained the math and geometry behind constructing such a large piece that has to be made in sections and then assembled on site.  In the lower right hand of the collage you see the Pete stuffed animal they are duplicating, the prototype, you see a man working on the head and below that is one of Pete's hands!

 

Apparently these types of shops are common in California, think the giant golden Oscars, but his shop is the only one in Texas!  So if you see Megalodon teeth at Grapevine Mills Mall, or 12 foot tall ornaments hanging at the Galleria or drive my a giant chair on SH121, know that they were all made at Creative Foamworks!

 

Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones Luke 12:18

CHANT High School Softball

Tonight was the second round of double headers for the high school, home schooled team the CHANT Chargers.  The girls play in Garland at Winter's Softball Complex.  The girls remain undefeated, the won the first game 2-1 and the second 1-11. 

 

Abigail played center field and 2nd base for a couple of innings.  She had two at bats tonight with one strike out.  She bunted her second at bat, made it to first then stole 2nd base where, unfortunately, she was stranded.  But she had a blast!  Did I mention she's playing with the high school girls!  So fun!

my mouth would encourage you

Job 16:5

JFK Living History: Remembering Officer J.D. Tippit

 

 

Tonight the Sixth Floor Museum held a special Living History Program, "Remembering Officer J.D. Tippit."  Caleb and other members of this year's Youth Advisory Committee welcomed visitors and passed our programs to the special event.

 

The evening began with a badge presentation to Mrs. Marie Tippit by Dallas Police Chief David Brown.  The  conversation continued with the Tippit family talking about the man Officer Tippit was - a family man who loved his job. 

 

History remembers Officer Tippit as the police officer shot by Lee Harvey Oswald, after Oswald had assassinated President John F. Kennedy.  Officer Tippet would have celebrated his 90th birthday this year.

 

Therefore strong peoples will honor you;    cities and nations will revere you
Isaiah 25:3

New Michael Vey Book is Out!

Today was filled with one of those unexpected blessings.

You know how many days are kind of mundane and routine? Today is not that day!! All three of my kids LOVE Richard Paul Evans’ book series Michael Vey.

 

One of them even wrote on the calendar months ago that book 4 goes on sale today. Then yesterday, Caleb got an email from Glenn Beck studios asking if Caleb would like to be in the studio audience today as Glenn discusses the new Michael Vey Book with the author! Caleb got tickets for all three kids to go for the book signing and show taping! How cool is that!

 

Mr. Evans was positively delightful as he greeted each of the kids, signed their books and asked each of them questions about what they enjoyed in the series, even what they would like to see in future books. 

 

Mr. Evan's is an author who is a Christian, but the Michael Vey books are not Christian books.  They are well written, New York Times Best Selling Sci-Fi books.  They have a humble, unassuming, teen male lead; the sort of young man you want your sons to become.  Caleb even got to ask Mr. Evans a question during the live taping. We all had a wonderful time!  

He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people  Exodus 18:25 

CHANT High School Softball

Look at those two HUGE smiles!  These two 8th graders are crazy, happy to be playing high school softball with CHANT's 18U, 9th-12th grade team.  Yes, it is recreational league, and no that doesn't matter!  They are playing high school ball with the home school league. 

 

Because home schooling is considered a private school they play other private religious schools.  Fortunately the team is awesome and Sarah and Abigail are getting time on the field during each game.  Tonight was their first double header and they won 12-2 for the first game and 6-0 win for the second game. 

 

The girls on the team are really sweet, they pray before and after each game!  Such a great experience!

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. I Thessalonians 5:11

Political Science Class

 

 

 

Hanging out tonight with my favorite political science 'professor,' well that’s how the girls refer to their brother, Professor Caleb.  Today's class was held in at Glenn Beck's Mercury Studios.  The hot topic of the day was the recent events in Ferguson, Missouri.

Rather than focus on what went wrong, today's show focused on the citizens of Ferguson who got it right.  The citizens who pitched in to help vandalized businesses, neighbor helping neighbor, etc.

My favorite quote from today’s program was paraphrased from Ben Franklin, “There is a God and the best way to serve Him is to serve your fellow man.” 

 

 

love the Lord your God,  walk in obedience to him,  keep his commands,  hold fast to him and serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.  Joshua 22:5