Quite the Characters

After pantry today our Metro Relief volunteers had a potluck luncheon.  Many dressed up in costume to serve the guest who came through the doors today. 

Our lunch was trick or treat style, you didn't know what you find in the dish!  Fun, right?!  It was Mr. Arvid's idea, it made for a fun afternoon. 

 

The girls and I dressed in superhero costumes, Caleb wasn't able to join us.  He is still recovery from the dental surgery.

Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
    than a house full of feasting, with strife

Proverbs 17:1

Glenn Beck: Clothed in Strength & Dignity

This afternoon the boy is resting comfortably after his surgery, so Mrs. Gungan and I headed to Glenn Beck's Mercury Studios.  Glenn brought in a panel of women, feminine activist including a Professor from the University of Victoria, a senior writer for Newsweek, and a mom-blogger who also writes for the Huffington Post.  Obviously, not a panel of Glenn Beck fans, nevertheless, they all came together with the common ground of the growing sexualiztion of little girls. 

One of the illustrations Glenn gave was little boys police costume included pants, long sleeve shirt, hat, and a hand held walkie talkie.  But the little girl's police costume was a shirt and short skirt, both with leather trim; lace leggings, lace fingerless gloves and the accessory was handcuffs!  This was a costume for 8 year olds!

One of my favorite guest was Stephanie Giese who writes a blog Binkies and Briefcases.  She recently wrote a post showing the shorts Target sells with a 7" inseam and the girls shorts were 1".  She writes in a post, "I care because, with any luck, my kids will be adults for four times longer than they are children.  I care because I am not raising girls; I am raising women.  I care because my bible says that women are “clothed in strength and dignity” (Proverbs 31:25)"

Here is a snippet from the show: 

She is clothed with strength and dignity
Proverbs 31:25

If Anyone Lacks Wisdom . . .

 

Today my little man had five wisdom teeth removed, yes five.  It's a bit of joke at our house because I only had three wisdom teeth. 

 

Caleb had five, only two had broke the surface and none were impacted, etc.  He said I couldn't post pictures of his groggy nature after the surgery unless I posted one of mine.  So, here you go, Caleb post-op at 17 and me post-op at 40 in 2008! 

 

After both surgeries the Gungan's took care of us.  Today the boys brought Caleb creamy cheese cake!  He didn't have any drug induced humor, he just wanted to go home. 

 

He's healing great, but with in about four hours of the surgery his cheeks were pretty plump!

 

For the grandparents, he's doing great!  Yes, he's eating and drinking lots of fluids. 

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God,
who gives generously to all without finding fault,
and it will be given to you.  James 1:5

Dr. Who Day



Ah, Sunday afternoon.  We have worshipped on the Lord's Day, and spent an hour and half studying the book of Luke for Texas Bible Bowl.  I guess at this point we could go home and each get lost in a book, game, video, text, social media any number of things.  But there has been this little note on our calendar for months, 'Dr. Who Day.' 

The kids, all three of them love Dr. Who.  Jon remembers watching the show as a child and me, well it makes for great back ground noise to naps.  It is sci-fi fun, complete with blasters and danger, but never to scary or threatening. 

 

Dr. Who Day is an event sponsored by the British Emporium in Grapevine, which is a mom and pop, all things British, store.  They offer biscuits (cookies): Dark Chocolate HobNobs, Caramel Digestives; Jaffa Cakes, perfect with your cuppa!  There is also a wonderful selection of British memorabilia, if you are in the market for Prince George commemorative plate or Downton Abbey tea, this is your store!

 

Today's event include a trivia contest, Best Doctor Costume, Best Companion Costume, and a Weeping Angel Starring Contest.  We had a great time, Sissy bought a Dalek plush toy and Caleb bought himself a Sonic Screwdriver.

 

Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings.
Colossians 4:14

Trunk or Treat

Today Caleb took Sissy and Abigail to a trunk or treat event.  Frankie loves dressing up in costume and collecting candy! 

The girls collected handfuls of candy, everyone oohhed and aaahhed at their super hero costumes, with Sissy grinning from ear to ear. 

As soon as they got home Sis began counting and sorting her haul.  Cracks me up! 

 

finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.  II Corinthians 9:4

Brown-Eyed Handsome Man

Today was one of those, "where did the time go?" moments.  Today Caleb had senior pictures, so here is a sneak peak for the grandparents.  Isn't he handsome!!

young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand Daniel 1:4

Homeschool High School Softball

As if two games yesterday weren't enough, Abigail had two more ball games tonight.  Tonight's games were with the home school high school team, CHANT.  This is still off season for them but they keep playing through the fall so they are ready for spring ball.

 

The girls have played four games and are undefeated.  They play every other  Monday night, which is when my ladies Bible study group meets.  Tonight was the first game I was able to watch her play with this team, and they lost!  Abigail said I can't come to any more CHANT games.  Silly girl! 

 

This team is really good and with Abigail being one of the youngest she generally plays center field.  But she loves that she gets to practice with older, experienced catchers.   

Teach me knowledge and good judgment
Psalms 119:66

Sunday Scrimmage

This afternoon Abigail's select team took on an afternoon ballgame.  Her Southern Force team had a double header scrimmage in Old Celina. 

 

Notice the pink shirts?  It is breast cancer awareness month so her team had pink jerseys made.  Abigail caught for the second game, during the first game she played short stop and center field. 

 

With it being a scrimmage they didn't keep score but both were good games. 

 

 

Jr. / Sr. Campout

 

 

This weekend a group of our home school friends took off the Gungan's grandparents for a campout.   They enjoyed shooting their bows and target practicing.  The property is a great spot for fishing and hiking. 

 

The boys camped outside and the girls got to stay inside with Grandma.  One of the kids asked Richard on the way to Paris, 'what kind of Grandma do you have?'   Caleb answered for him, 'The over the river and through the woods, great cook, kind of Grandma.' 

 

There was a game of capture the flag played out on the property and the only kid to get lost was the Eagle scout. Spencer may have gotten a lot of good natured teasing for that! 

 

Please do not leave us. You know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes. Numbers 10:31

Timber

For the grandparents, I know this isn't a post about those grand babies but it was a big event for the child who does not like change!   On Monday we had 30+ mile per hour winds that literally twisted and tore the large tree in the backyard into three sections. 

 

The tree trimmer tied the split tree and he and his crew began yesterday cutting it down.  He said it looked like there was some sort of disease in the middle of the tree that weakened it.  I have no idea how tall the tree was but when it was all said and done they hauled off 26,000 pounds of tree! 

 

I'm really going to miss all that shade on the back of the house! But don't worry Granny, the two large trees are still in the front yard so you can find us!

 

You will cut down every good tree  2 Kings 3:19

6th Floor Museum - Behind the Scenes

Every other month the Sixth Floor Museum's Youth Advisory Committee gets together to plan up coming events.  Here is a behind the scenes look at the October meeting.  The kids met with their advisor, Ms. Ani to sort through the applicants for additional committee members.  The Committee has ten members and are looking to add four more members from the forty applicants.

 

These kids serve from various high schools all over the metroplex and are generally referred by teacher advisers to the program.  The Youth Advisory Committee also serves along side the Sixth Floor Museum's Teacher Advisory Committee.  There are a lot of volunteer hours served behind the scenes by these young people.

 

But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. Luke 22:26

Homecoming Deep in the Heart of Texas

 

Tonight was the high school homecoming.  Last night was Home School Athletic Association's homecoming football game.  Most homeschool teams play area private Christian sport teams, because in the state of Texas home schooling is treated as a private school.

 

Tonight was the homecoming dance, along with 650+ other home schoolers!   The kids met up with several of their PEACH friends for dinner before the dance.  The dance was held at the North Texas Automotive Museum and Event Center in Richardson, TX. 

 

Caleb and Abigail saw friends from their English Country Dancing group.  Abigail ran into several of the girls from her Homeschool High School Softball team.  There were also quite a few kids that will be participating in graduation ceremonies in the Spring. 

 

From all reports they both had a great time!  Don't you love Caleb's bow tie?  After all , bow ties are cool!

 

a time to dance  Ecclesiastes 3:4

Sweet Sixteen

Sweet 16 never looked so good!  Tonight the kids celebrated Hannah's birthday.  They enjoyed hanging out with each other.

 

Later in the evening they watched the ultimate chick flick, Princess Bride and played a little trivia.

 

Aren't those sweet smiles!

 

Gracious words are a honeycomb,
    sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.  Proverbs 16:24

Glenn Beck's Ruby Slippers

Today Caleb took Frankie with him to a taping to the Glenn Beck television program it was program focusing on history leading up to Beck's Miracles and Massacres Museum.  The event will include over $50 million worth of artifacts! 

 

Some of the artifacts were onstage for the studio audience to see, including the flag that actually landed on all of the beaches on D-Day.  There was also one of Abraham Lincoln's hat, a hand-marked script from Orson Wells, a letter written by Mother Teresa.

 

Caleb was impressed by a New Testament Bible that was all written in because it was owned by a linguist who hand corrected the grammatical errors.  The Bible's owner was J.R.R. Tolkien!   Frankie's favorite was one of the three remaining pairs of Dorothy's Ruby Red Slippers from the Wizard of Oz movie!  Guess who knew the answer to, "What color were the shoes originally in the books?"  Oh that would be Frankie!!

 

And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne.  Revelation 4:3

JFK Living History: Pierce Allman

Today’s LivingHistory Program featured former WFAA-Radio program director, Pierce Allman.  Mr. Allman was one of the first journalists inside the Texas School Book Depository after the assassination. He is believed to have encountered Lee Harvey Oswald leaving the building.  Allman ran into the book depository to phone that the President had been shot as a man believed to be Oswald was running out of the building.  Mr. Allman is the voice you hear narrating the museum's audio guide.

Allman told the audience today that there was no doubt in his mind that Oswald was the shooter acting alone.  Allman recalled that fateful day in Dallas, when he was a young newsman, at the corner of Elm Street directly across from the Texas School Book Depository, to see the young first couple.

“They turned the corner and (closes his eyes) boom!” he recalled.  To Mr. Allman, it's as if it happened yesterday.  “If I go to the site, it's forever 1963,” he said. “I can hear it. I can see it. It's a memory that stays with you forever.” Fifty years later, a day still frozen in time.

Mr. Allman took the time after today’s program to take a photo with Caleb and another member of the Sixth Floor Museum’s Youth Advisory Committee and a teacher advisor. 

Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless.  Ecclesiastes 3:19

Southern Force Softball

If you read the post from earlier today and wondered what Abigail was doing while Caleb was volunteering at the Sixth Floor Museum, here's your answer.  The girl spent the afternoon at a four hour softball practice.  Her Southern Force softball team has their first tournament next weekend so they spent the day preparing. 

 

I'm loving her new coach, he makes the girls keep a weekly log of the number of hours they spend practicing; number of balls hit, thrown, caught; and has required reading and drills for the girls based on what position they play!  If that wasn't enough, the girls write a report on their readings and email them to the coach!

I trained them and strengthened their arms

Hosea 7:15

1920's Dances in 2014

You might be homeschooled if you spend your Friday night at English Country Dancing.  It still makes me laugh that my kids enjoy these dances from the 1920's!  But there is a large group of homeschoolers that get together each month an have a great time. 

 

Today was another full day for the kids, you know those unsocialized beings that homeschooler are know to be.  They did school work until noon then met a group of 25+ friends for teen pizza, then head over for three hours of drama practice and then went to English Country Dancing! 

With the kids being older, they head to these events without me, but I'm very thankful for friends who snap pictures of my kids so I can share in the fun.  Most of the parents don't stay for the dance, but I really like that parents can stay and participate if they want.  It is a wholesome environment for everyone. 

 

The two and half hours of dancing is a workout!  I am not that coordinated! For my local homeschooling friends if you want to attend, message me and I'll send you details!   

 

whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.   Philippians 4:8

A Visit to the Fort Worth Zoo

As if our week wasn't busy enough, we managed to squeeze in a visit to the Fort Worth Zoo.   Every year the Fort Worth Zoo holds a home school day, and it is the bet day to visit. 

 

The crowds are small and there zoo keepers everywhere to answer questions and allow the kids to interact with the animals.  It's a little funny that virtually every child there has a Bible name, so we heard mom's calling, Eliakim, Anna and Thadeus. 

 

It is equally amusing to over hear the home school mom's asking their kids what the scientific name of each animal is, or it's geographic habitat.  For us, we ran through the zoo, look at the pretty animals read a few plaques and even road the train.   I think the only thing we skipped was the carousal! 

 

The Fort Worth Zoo is one of the first home school spots we ever visited and with it being Caleb's senior year I didn't want to miss one last Home School Zoo Day with all three kids! My happy child commented on the blissful state of each animal; my professor read virtually every marker for more knowledge; and my artistic child took over 300 photos of the animals! 

He also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. From all nations people came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.  Kings 4:33-34