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So, where do I begin in sharing about our adventure? This was our first trip to the east coast- I did visit Vermont once, by myself with a 12 month old baby. I didn't see much between naps. And I was pregnant, I napped too.

Picture study in front of the Harvard Coop, in Harvard Square. We actually stayed in Cambridge this visit.





One of the students gave us a tour of Harvard.
This is the exit out of one of the gates. I don't
know Latin, but I think it says "Truth" at the top, then "Christ and the Church". We were so impressed by Harvard, and charmed by the town of Cambridge and impressed by the
Harvard Students. We were there the week before they began "shopping for classes", and we
witnessed many interesting sights- several
couches carried down the street, microwaves,
pots and pans, a television, mattresses...we were surrounded by dorms in Harvard square. I was most impressed by the the modesty in dress I saw exhibited by the students, it was refreshing.



Here we stopped for lunch on Boston Harbor.
I had the best clam chowder I have ever had.














"One, if by land, and two, if by sea".
This is Sky in front of the Old North Church
and the famous steeple where
Paul Revere's lanterns hung to warn the country
of the British troop's movements.
At 191 feet, it was Boston's tallest steeple and
is Boston's oldest standing church building.
It is still used as a church today, we were able to
go inside.
(yes, I got Sky to ham it up for me, he is so obliging...)


So, how did we end up in Boston? We'll, it's kind of an interesting story... Sky was looking around for cheap air fare to far-away places, and found some. We ruled out Ireland, it would have gotten expensive, we were looking for somewhere interesting to visit, and somewhere we could blend with the Church. We decided on Boston because two young Brothers in the Church- who we have had the pleasure of having over to our house every Sunday night for 2 years- were going to Boston to serve full time on the campuses there. We purchased our cheap tickets and made plans to visit them this fall. Funny thing happened as our trip got closer, the boys were sent to Texas for training first...and were still there when we began seriously planning for our trip- er, to see them!

We decided this was a good time to not only visit with the Church in Cambridge, see Boston, but to make new friends too. We were so blessed to be offered hospitality with a sweet couple who are serving full time in Cambridge. We met the students this couple minister to, and attended an evening fellowship of students they have in their home every week. We had dinner one night with another incredible couple, the husband who also labors serving the students on the campuses. It was a really sweet time, we feel like they are all family now. Our new friends in Cambridge are hopefully going to come stay with us this winter for our Winter Bible conference.

"By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
-John 13:35




life is an adventure, that is why we hold hands.

Labels: Boston, family

Labels: Angel Bear, Wordless Wednesday

I think we should all pause for a moment and acknowledge National Punctuation day.
I will also seek pardon for my many punctuation usage lapses. I love the comma too well, I know.

So, I propose we all pause for a moment of silence, and then spend the rest of the afternoon singing Schoolhouse Rock grammar songs.

just a suggestion.

Katrina over at Callipidder Days is hosting the Fall into reading challenge 2007- go on over to see a list of participants and to join in.

Here is the list of reading I will attempt to finish this fall:

Fiction: because I blaze through fiction...I love a light read...

Miss Julia stands her ground by Ann B. Ross (imagine a book read out-loud by BooMama) Finished!

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Finished!

Orbit by J. Nance (was on my Spring reading challenge and I never read it)

Added: Size 12 is not fat-Meg Cabot, Size 14 is not fat, either.
By Bread Alone by Sarah-Kate Lynch Finished, finished, finished!!!



I am sure I will add more later, that is all I can think of right now...

Read aloud with the kids: Laddie by Gene Stratton-Porter (last list too, just got too busy)

Nonfiction:

The City of God by St. Augustine (going to listen to a Teaching Co. lecture series on him)

Teaching the Trivium

For the Love of Learning: information and resources for combining Charlotte Mason and Classical education by Jenny Sockey

Added: Confessions by St. Augustine, Lies my teacher told me

Kind of a short list, at least on the fiction side...no kidding, I blaze through fiction. I am sure I will find titles to add.

If you post a list, let me know and I will come look! Happy reading!

Labels: memes, reading basket

Yesterday was the first day of learning center classes for my kids. Amie has been eagerly looking forward to attending since last year. This fall, all 4 of my kids are taking 2 classes plus lunch- one day a week. Amie very seriously considered her wardrobe choices. After I vetoed the heavy cheetah print coat, she choose this cheetah print shirt with brown pants. "So everyone will know I'm a cheetah-girl." she informed me.

I dropped the kids off in the morning, and as I left the building and crossed the street- I had such a strange feeling as I realized it was the first time ever that I had left that building and crossed the street without holding on to a small hand or two. I kind of felt a little sad. -just a little. Until my friend Graceful mom suggested we go out for bagels. Whoo-hoo! I paused to consider my intentions of going home for a run around our quiet neighborhood, then did the clearly sensible thing and went out for a bagel. Intense physical effort vs. yummy egg bagel sandwich with cheese and bacon...no contest, really.

My visionary plans for my first regularly scheduled free day in like 12 years include yoga, painting, blogging, shopping... I went home and did laundry. And considered my huge library fines this week. My life is contained in monochromatic prose, it seems.

Well, there is always next week.

The kids had a blast, Amie was eager to go again tomorrow. She was very disappointed to learn that the classes are only once a week.

Labels: homeschool, Jen's world

I have been absent from blogland this past week, because Sky and I were on a trip and I didn't have access to a computer.

Can you guess from these photos where we went? -OC Mom can't play, because she already knows...


This was our first trip to this region, and we really, really liked it. We were gone 6 days, and even though we had a great time and made some great friends, and of course ate some great food...it is so nice to be home!



So, come on- guess! Where were we?

Labels: Boston, family, field-trips

I went shoe shopping tonight, because, well, I really needed some nice everyday shoes. My current everyday shoes are not so nice.
I call them my chicken-farmer's-wife-shoes, and they look it.

But, oh, they are so comfortable!! I wear them around the house, and out and about doing mom things-like the park, grocery shopping. I try to remember to change them if I go somewhere where it might count, like the library or out to eat...or let's say shopping in an upscale department store... ahem. Sometimes, much too often' I forget to change the shoes.

Something really had to be done about my shoes, so I finally had a free space in my day to go find me some nice, but comfortable shoes. Let's just cut to the chase and let me fess up that I walked into Nordstrom's in my chicken-farmer's-wife-shoes.

Now, I'm kind of short and I am attired more often then not in bootlegged jeans that are alittle too long for me- my shoes usually peak out looking kind of worn, but not too noticeable. Until you are standing in the middle of Nordstrom's in the shoe department, under the bright lights chosen to show off the wonderful, beautiful new shoes showcased there. I had to fight the urge to go slink away. My time slot would be lost if I went home to change,...so I tried to wrap myself in a shred of dignity and went ahead and tried on shoes. Peeling off my insoles from my tired, dusty old shoes and painstakingly jamming them into the new shoes was more than I could venture though, so I skipped that part.

dignity girls, always dignity.

the 2nd photo is of my new pair. Aren't they lovely? I'll try to remember not to wear them out to the coop.

Labels: Jen's world

I mentioned here that I had a great first day back at homeschooling, really, the best 1st day back ever. Here is a look at our 1st day:

We started Tapestry of Grace curriculum for our history this year. This curriculum covers History and much more. I spent the weeks before our start date reading through the teaching notes and familiarizing myself with the set-up and ordering books we would need, placing books on hold at the library, etc. I also set up a loose weekly schedule, placing priority on the new studies we would be adding. I then made up daily schedules in word, plugging in our usual subjects around the new. Here is what my 1st day schedule looked like;

Labels: homeschool, homeschool planning

We were up to a little home decorating this weekend. The first photo is kind of embarrassing, we were trying out this "bellagio" paint treatment and in our zeal painted three walls. It just got worse and worse and we kept saying, "maybe it will lighten as is dries!", should have been our first clue things were awry... Next we were saying, "well, maybe once the molding is up it won't look so bad...". We finally decided it was scary and re-painted and tried again. I don't think the photo here does it justice, it was like dark mustard- brown and angry.



The next try came out so much better. We should have thought, small test area...

Labels: home design

Little known to many, is the cruelty that is phonics. Cruel enough, to bring a tear to this mom's eye... We are using Phonics Pathways this year with Amie our new K student, and as a review with Demi-Sky our second grader. We abandoned Abeka finally, and so had to back up and review with Demi-not really knowing exactly where he would be since they are two different programs..but I digress, I was telling you about my traumatic reading session; ahem-

My two babies lisp, and I love it. They are my babies, I refuse to have them grow up. Lisping can make for interesting phonics instruction, tho. Usually I would have to resort to asking Demi, "are you saying 'ran' or 'wan'?" and Demi would reply, "the first one, momma!" and all was right in my universe because there is nothing cuter than your lisping little one.

During a recent phonics lesson, Demi was having trouble with a 'L' word and was clearly struggling and was clearly not satisfied with his pronouncement. I told him to hold his tongue to the roof of his mouth and try again. He did, and pronounced a great 'L' sound. He was so excited that he called his sister Meg, to demonstrate how perfectly he could now say her real name. I sat there with my eyes filling up in dismay, and then sat there doubly stunned as Amie age 5-watching this lesson began to experiment and gleefully add in her now perfect L-words.

with one phonics session, my world shifted ever so much. sigh.

Labels: homeschool