What Do You Sphinx?

Libby has enjoyed learning about Egypt this year, but after awhile our curriculum got a bit dull. So, I decided to branch out on my own and do some of the things that I thought a six-year old should know about. One of those things was the sphinx, so we looked it up online and read about it and then put a 3-D puzzle together.

I was honestly quite happy with the way things worked out. We just finished reading a book called "Boy of the Pyramids" and in the book he meets Khufu, the Pharaoh. Come to find out, the sphinx guards the entrance to the pyramid of Khufu's son, Khafre. Libby was so excited to hear a name she recognized and can give you both names, although she has to think a bit about Khafre's name. :)

I LOVE homeschooling (most days).

Apparently...

I need to get my camera out a little more often. This is the last picture I have of any of my children. Albeit, it is only a week old, but you probably think I don't have daughters anymore.

Anyway, it has been a busy couple of weeks (I'm sure you're thinking, "When isn't it?"). We have been getting back in the swing of things with school and dealing with attitudes (mostly mommy's) and being reminded to look for the joy in life instead of concentrating on the frustrating little things that seem to pile up too high if you let them.

On that note, I have a cool post I will share with you later (after I take pics, of course) and another post, for you momma's, that really helped me to put some things into perspective. Hope y'all are having a great weekend!

Habit?

All of my readers know that I am a reader. I almost always have my nose in a good book. I'm sure my fellow readers already know this, but it is totally a trait that you are born with. I always have been a reader, and probably always will be. :)

Pinky

Way back when Libby was a little girl, we started calling her pretty pink blanket "pinky". Grace was born and she also recieved her very own "pinky". When John was born, he inherited momma's bear blanket. I have always called it his blanket...nothing else. Alas, as he has heard his sisters call their blankets "pinky" over and over and over, his blanket has received the name "Pinky" anyway. It is rather cute to hear him call "bee-chee" when he desires his blanket, so I guess we'll let it stick. :)

Speaking of "pink"...see John's pretty nails? Oh yeah! He totally did that himeself.

Calling All Homeschoolers...

For that matter, all parents! Home Educating Family is hosting a giveaway and YOU could be the winner. Trigger Memory Systems has an exciting new flip chart for chores called Clean 'n Flip Chore Chart that they are giving away, as well as Times Tales, their stories to help your children memorize their multiplication table. Both of these resources could be very helpful to you, as long as you have, well...children. Like them on facebook for an added entry.

Just go here to enter and see if your life could be made just a tad more simple with the help of Trigger Memory Systems tools.

Jungle Safari

This past Sunday I helped with decorations for a baby shower. The theme was "A Jungle Safari" and we had lots of fun with it.

My first attempt at diaper cakes. So easy, so fun! If you are having a baby anytime soon, you know what you'll be getting from me. :)

Momma-to-be with the three girls who put the shower of for her...aren't we adorable?

The cutest little explorer I have EVER met!

Mouse Alert

I am fairly sure we are going to have to go buy some mouse traps...oh, wait, or just use one of the many Tom and Janet bought us for Christmas a few years ago. (Ha ha!)

Tonight I was making cookies and they kept disappearing off the cookie sheet. Once, and then twice. After they were out of the oven and on the cooling rack, two more disappeared. My only problem is that I'm not sure if they make mouse traps big enough for...

little boys named John.

Mini Co-op

I am absolutely blessed to have a homeschool co-op here in Dubuque to take a part in. Absolutely love it and love what it is slowly shaping up to be. That being said, a few of us girls decided to take it a step further and meet on the off weeks of co-op to cultivate friendships for us and our children, and to let the kids do some activities that you just need more kids to do.

Last week, when we met, one of their activities was a relay race. They were split into teams of four and had to put on an over-sized sweat suit, give their team high fives, and take it back off so the next kiddo could "suit up".

They loved it...
Well, most of them. You can see by Libby's face that she wasn't too enthralled. She did it, but she refused to smile, or have fun.

And when Lance decided not to participate at all (he's only four, cut him a break)...Stacey jumped in to help!

Grace got a little help when it was her turn...she had fun.

Eve Ellie (age 2) thought that she might like to try it out.
We had so much fun together and the kids got to learn a little bit about teamwork. I am so glad that we have friends to lean on, both close and far, in this homeschooling journey.

Confessions

I have to admit that although the Bible says to "sing a new song" multiple times, well, change is just plain hard. I miss the hymns I sang as a child. I don't convulse in pain when I hear a hymn. I belt it out as loud as I can.

Our church, growing up, did a magnificent job mixing the old time hymns with the new chorus's (which are now also considered ancient). I was especially privileged to sing under Harry Clendenin, who WILL be leading one of heaven's many choirs along with his wife, Melissa!

Today, though, it seems somewhat hard to find a church that does a good mix. It seems either they sing hymns and shun the new songs, or vice versa. I have struggled to fall into our song service at New Life, which tends to go for the newer songs, for this very reason. It seems like the songs straddle my voice range. I want to sound great (or at least good) when I sing to my Saviour. I don't want anyone to hear me when I screw up a lyric or can't quite catch a note.

I can say, though, that although it is a struggle, I have definitely made progress in this area. I have to constantly remind myself that praising God comes from the heart, not the lungs. God doesn't care whether I am on tune or not. He cares that I am singing the words to Him, not for anyone else. He would much rather hear a person praise Him that can't carry a tune in a bucket, but has a heart overflowing for Him, than a person with the most beautiful voice that is just singing words.

Therefore, I will continue to belt out the hymns that we do sing and fumble through the other songs that are a little bit harder for me; all while keeping my mind and my heart on Christ...because that's where my focus should be anyway.

That being said, here are a few of my favorite new songs that we have been singing lately at church.

Spikes! Yikes!

Momma decided to have a little fun with John's hair today! After his bath I put some gel in it and blew it dry...all while spiking it.

When Grace saw it she just looked at him and said, "Wow. Crazy." No emotion; almost concern.

Libby giggled and declared, "Spikes! Yikes!"

Daddy, well, daddy doesn't know yet. He he he!

He's still irrisistible!

The Clan

Grandma and Grandpa Tucker with all seven grandkids.

For Real?

This is ten days worth of being on the road.

All of this, plus...

all of this...fit in Chris's van. I'm not sure how, but it did.

This is the dead driver after 11 hours (that includes two eat and gas stops and one potty stop) on the road.

We won't show you a picture of what I looked like after putting all of this away!