Dove Ad- Evolution

Take a look at what our daughters will be battling as they grow up. A skewed perception of beauty. It is so important to really and truly impress upon our children that God plants our beauty within. I hope my daughter and son both will recognize that in themselves and in others.

Conversation with Avery

We were finished with lessons, doing the dishes together. It was a great winding down time. I am about to begin dinner and the sun is slipping through the blinds. The house is quiet except for me and Avery companionably working together. Trace is outside riding bikes and conquering the dark side with his light saber. Avery looks to be in deep thought.

Avery: "Mom, I think I know what I want to be when I grow up."
Me: "Really? Cool! What's that?"
Avery: "A mom."
Me: (with a truly touched look on my face because I think she loves me so much she can't think of anything that's better than being a mom when she grows up) "Av's, that's so sweet."
Avery: "Yeah, then I can boss my kids around and make them do the dishes and the chores."
Me: (with an arched eyebrow look) "Hmmm."
Avery: (quickly recovering her foot in mouth) "Oh, and to love them and kiss them and teach them." Silence. "Of course."

Of course. That goes without saying. Motherhood is such an underappreciated path in life. But then again, you get plenty of help with the dishes. *grin*

Henrietta Creek Apple Orchard

We went to the Apple Orchard today where they went over cotton spinning, pollination, how beehives work (with a inside look at a beehive behind plexiglass), how apples grow (weather conditions, good and bad insects), they had a pizza garden, a butterfly garden, an organic pond with fish and frogs and dragonflies, and a whole assortment of animals to look at. It was a great time.
The only funny thing was that since we are in Texas, (who can forget?) we had a very mild winter last year, resulting in no apples! There were apples all right, but straight from Washington! They had to purchase apples for the kids to eat! It was pretty funny. But they said next fall they will get a bumper crop (double). It was a great teaching opportunity and we really enjoyed it! The best thing was the hot fried apple pies they made but we didn't get a picture because we were too busy cramming our mouths! Wouldn't you?






Sweet Avery relaxing on the porch after a day at the Apple Orchard.

In the Butterfly Garden. We are going to make a lapbook of each area of the Orchard, there was so much!! The Butterfly garden has plants specific to what attracts butterflies.
Johnny Appleseed. The apple orchard actually has some trees that are certified as being grafted from original trees planted by John Chapman. Very cool.
The vine tepee. This beautiful vine is made from loofah gourds. That's right-when they die they become loofah sponges. They had seeds you could buy to plant your own!
A moth perched on my arm. They were EVERYWHERE!! They are what pollinates the apple blossoms and are vital to the Orchard's success.
Trace and Avery enjoying a Washington apple. But with Henrietta creek honey on top!!

My beautiful daughter in the Pizza garden.
There was oregano, parsley, garlic and peppers.
Yum! It smelled awesome!

A demonstration of how cotton is spun into thread. They had a cotton garden with red, green and white cotton!

Trace found a crabapple he thought looked like a green brain. Boys.

Me and Tracer with the scarecrow!

40th Carnival of Homeschooling

I love this one, it's retro, 40's baby! Take a look, great links.

We got Booed!

We got booed today! Our neighborhood is so cute! I haven't heard of this, but our neighbors said this is a tradition in our new neighborhood. Someone comes and leaves you a treat with a poem and a copy of a ghost. When someone boos you, you hang the ghost up so you don't get booed twice, and you make copies of the poem and ghost and deliver secretly two more treats to neighbors. Here's ours, it's really cute! If you want to do this in your neighborhood, I found a cute link here.