Learning on Vacation

Nathan and I were supposed to leave to go to Ecuador at the end of May to consider later moving there, but things didn't work out as planned.  Perhaps we could have simply delayed the trip several months by changing the date of our flights, and we're now wondering whether we should have done just that.  Instead, so that we wouldn't lose all that money on the non-refundable airfare, we went to St. Croix, which is the only one of the three U.S. Virgin Islands to which we had not been.  We visited both St. Thomas and St. John both times we went the previous two years. 

I met my parents halfway to transfer our oldest three to them, and Elizabeth went with us.   We learned plenty on our trip and had things to share with the kids.  They also had some learning experiences of their own while away from us.

The first day and the last day were spent flying.  We had five free days to spend there.  The first of five days we went to buy groceries, drove around, and then walked from our villa down to the beach to swim.

The second day we drove around, drove through forest, got out and took pictures of a really neat, big tree, and talked to a Rasta who was walking to look for and gather passion fruit to sell.  He opened a passion fruit for us, because we'd never had a fresh one.  Slimy but soooo good.  The seeds are even more fun to crunch than those in kiwis.  We also shared a very edifying conversation with him.  Most Rastafarians are very good persons.  We were blessed to have run into him.  He also pointed out some papaya trees that we'd have never noticed had he not pointed.  The papayas were high up in the trees.

We then ended up swimming in the pool that night (after talking to each other about how dumb it is for people to swim in pools when the ocean is right there). 

Bag of passionfruit; papaya tree; flamboyant tree we saw on drive; a pelican flying over the ocean bordering the property where we stayed (this last picture was taken a different day)

The next day we walked down to the other beach that bordered the property on which we were staying (which we had all to ourselves), which was a rocky beach, unlike the other sandy beach.  There we collected a sponge, shells, and urchin skeletons.  We then drove to the east end of the island, took pictures, then went back to the property to read in hammock and lawn chair with the ocean view, and we then swam in the pool.

Various shells, sea urchin skeletons (the white round things, though some still had spines), rocks, brain coral, and a sponge. The bottom two pictures were taken at home as I was showing the kids everything. 

The following day we went to St. John Village Botanical Garden.  I loved this!  There were so many beautiful plants.  I took a lot of pictures.  I can't share them all here.  It was a real treat, and Nathan also enjoyed it.  The only bad thing is it was pretty hot and humid that day.  We went night-swimming in the pool again at the end of this day.

Two of my favorite plants are shown at top: L is the powder puff and R is the chenille plant.  At bottom left is a...well, oh no, I don't remember, and it appears as if I've lost record.  I only took my iPhone and not my other digital camera, and it did a good job for the most part, but every time I took a picture of that flower, it appeared that way with the crazy-looking light.  It looks a bit psychedelic that way.   Then the bottom right is another one I really liked, but I never saw a name for it.  There were so, so many beautiful plants.

The Coco de Mer, which is the largest kind of seed in the plant kingdom on this earth.  It immediately gets the attention of anyone for obvious reason. This is one of those things that God (Holy Father and Salvation) must have gotten a pretty good chuckle about when they created it.

The last day we had to spend there before the flying-back day was Sabbath.  I deliberately left my prayer journal at home but took my iPad, so I typed my journal entry that morning while enjoying a mixed drink Nathan made.  We listened to two sermons that day, using the iPad.  We laid out in the sun and then later sat in the shade on the back patio while listening.  Right in front of us, a coconut dropped from a tree.  I paused the sermon so that Nathan could go fetch the coconut and open it.  He'd wanted so badly to hatchet into a fresh coconut the whole time we were there, and he got his desire.  He took the outer stuff off by chopping, and then he busted the nut open and dug the flesh out.  We both agree that it was the best coconut we'd ever eaten, though it was very small. 

We then went down to the sandy beach again to swim, and we collected rocks, shells, and plenty of brain coral so that we could give pieces away.  I wanted especially to take brain coral back to Jaden William, because he loves it so much.

There were SO many plants and animals (like crabs, lizards, and birds) that we took pictures of, but I simply cannot share them all here.

Coconut tree where the coconut fell, my drink, and Na chopping the coconut

We then walked around on the five-acre property taking pictures of ourselves with the beautiful views.

These were among pictures taken the morning portion of Sabbath.  I LOVE this baby!

To left is the neat-looking tree we got out to go see the day we talked to the Rasta man.  To right is among the many pictures we took Sabbath afternoon.

After Sabbath was over we went to a semi-fancy restaurant.  It was actually the second time.  Nathan wanted so badly to take us again.  We listened to live bands each time, and it was very enjoyable music.  Very different each time.  We ate filet mignon with a red wine demi glaće and mashed potatoes and asparagus. That was about the only fit-to-eat thing they had on the menu.  Much of the stuff was unclean/unfit, like nasty sea creatures and hog meat but all given fancy names on the menu.  The food was very good, and we followed it up by going to get homemade Greek-style ice cream made by a real Greek who actually is from Little Rock, AR which is just an hour from where we both grew up.  Nathan also learned some very interesting information from him, the real reason why things on the USVIs cost so much.  It was quite sickening, and it also shed more light on the conversation we'd had with the Rasta before.  The government controls the electricity there, and the cost is outrageous.  It's around ten times what it costs us here!  And of course we already know from being in St. Thomas how they generate the electricity--petroleum plant.  Just very heartbreaking and sickening.  And anyone who tries to change anything for the better becomes a target.

But, back to good things...

So while we were gone the kids spent time visiting their cousin Layla while going to the Little Rock Zoo and swimming in a pool my parents bought.  Jaden William also went to work with my dad as he so often does and acts as "co-manager" of the fair grounds (my dad is the manager) and impressing the trustees with his intellect.  LOL  My dad also showed him all about bee-keeping.

My dad and Jaden William suited up to see the honeybees

Jaden William with cousin Layla, Olivia, and Trusten at the LR Zoo in front of the lion habitat; Liv with goggle and life jacket in pool

I hope to post more about what we're doing this summer soon, but it's amazing I'm getting to finally post this, because our iMac is messed up.  I got the pictures ready the last time I successfully got this thing to turn on.  Nathan was able to do some work for business on it another time.  After about ten times of turning it on today I got the thing on.  You never know when it may be the last time.  I can't blog with my pictures very well with my iPad.  There's no telling when we will get the computer thing remedied, as it's pricey no matter what way you at it, and our Apple Care is up.  I'm sure the logic board is basically fried.  We didn't have it hooked to our surge protector (it's on the TV and PS3), and we forgot to unplug it before we left, and it stormed badly while we were gone.  That's life.  I'm thankful to have gotten to post this, and I hope I can post more in the near future.

Until next time...

Pentecost 2013

Pentecost 2013

Pentecost 2013 at fell on May 19 on the Roman calendar.  We had a great day full of valuable family time, feasting, and spiritual growth. We listened to a sermon and read scriptures and some other stuff on Pentecost. I also used the event of the newly-hatched chick to teach about the meaning of Pentecost and how the Spirit of God brings new spiritual life to a person, as I discussed also on my Growing in Grace and Knowledge blog.

Jaden William and Liv enjoy the baby chick

We enjoyed the punch that I always make on Pentecost, which I like to be a symbolic reminder of how the Spirit is "poured" out upon believers.

Liv enjoyed the punch

As I traditionally do on Pentecost, I gave the kids spiritually/biblically themed gifts.  The oldest three each got a bag with their favorite color and scripture on them (for example, Trusten's is royal blue with a white crown on it and a verse about God's Kingdom), as well as new bible bookmarks.  Jaden William also got a new small metal flashlight with a scripture verse on it.

Another Pentecost lesson: The Spirit of God does not help me with wrinkled tablecloths.  ;-)

Until next time...

Groundhog, Baby Birds, Paint, and More

Weeks of May 5 through 18, 2013:


One Beautiful Morning

Happy girl has graduated from her looking window in our bedroom to the front storm door.  She is walking more and more, and one of her favorite places to go now is the front door, where she knows how to open the storm door when we have the big door open (and the latch lock only requires a bigger push to open the door).  

"I belong out THERE"...Elizabeth.

"No, Baby Sister, you must stay in here," is the basic message conveyed by Liv.

Meanwhile the boys were working at the dining room table on their book work:

Trusten

  

Jaden William

 

Baby Eastern Phoebe

The Eastern Phoebe chicks graduated to flying.  Jaden William was outside watching two of them trying to fly.  He said one was on the ground, and he picked it up and put it back in the nest, but then it was able to fly away.  He saw it fly across the yard and fall on the ground.  It tried flying again as he tried to get it, but he ended up catching it.  It's pictured below.  I'm so glad he at least got to see them take off.  We were concerned, because of our two killers, uh...cats might get them.  Jaden finally said at one point that he thought they'd be ok.  He saw one of them up in a tree at the edge of the woods (not far from the nest).  He said they were flying ok.
 

We all got to experience the whole egg-to-flying-chick cycle, and it was great!


Life of Fred

We started the new math curriculum, Life of Fred.  Trusten is starting with the first book called Apples.  Jaden William is using the sixth book in the elementary collection called Farming.  

I first considered starting William with Goldfish or Honey, but he and I skimmed through, and I decided going back to Farming would be good.  

The first day I opened Apples, and I sat down with the boys.  Jaden William acted very upset, because everything was "kiddie."  Well, that caused Trusten to be ugly about it.  After it all I ended up crying with Elizabeth in my bedroom (poor Happy was not happy that day, because she was cutting another tooth).  I later told the boys they hurt my feelings and made me cry.  Jade told me that he was just mad about that one book, but I explained to him that he didn't have to do that book.  Trusten hugged me and apologized, too, and the next time we got the books out, both boys enjoyed it.  

Sample chapter from Apples

Continued.  Every chapter ends with a "Your Turn to Play."

This last page shows an example of where, when I teach the kids, I throw up a flag.  This is when I go against popular belief.  In this instance, I'm the only one I know in this world (but surely there are others) who refuses to call "Saturday" and "Sunday" the "weekend."  I avoid even using the Roman names for the days of the week, but I do use them sometimes in the company of those in the world (I have at least three friends who also do not use the Roman names).  I've noticed, though, that even those who keep God's Ten Commandments refer to these days as "the weekend." It drives me crazy.  It doesn't make sense to me that we are representatives of God's Kingdom and teach that the seventh day of the week is the Sabbath and yet hypocritically agree with the world that the seventh day and the first day are collectively known as "the weekend."  So who cares that that's what the world calls them and that a lot of people are off from work on those two days?  If we want to be the change we see in the world, why should we also say "the weekend?"  I will continue to refuse calling those two days "the weekend," unless I'm quoting someone.  If there are seven days in the week, and the seventh is what people call "Saturday," then the first day of the week simply is not part of the week end.  It's the week beginning.  The "weekend" is the seventh day of the week, period.  And according to God's way, that means sundown "Friday" to sundown "Saturday."  

Yes, for anyone thinking I'm "stubborn" or any other such thing, yes, whatever.  Yes, it's no wonder Nathan and I have "stubborn" or "hard-headed" children.  Yes, we do. Would I have it any other way?  Well, it would make life easier, I suppose, but in the end, if we can manage to do a decent job bringing them up, I believe they will be a great blessing.  The fact of the matter is, I don't want kids who grow up and end up with a "do what I'm told" mindset.  I want kids who aren't afraid to question authority or question the status quo.  I want my kids to learn to trust God, because He has given them reason to trust Him.  And if they are told by a man-run government to worship God in a certain way or told they must do anything else that they feel is wrong, I will be confident that they will disobey that government, even unto death (and trust me, at least two of mine, the "twins" Trust and Liv are willing to do their will unto death, so if their hearts are molded toward God and His will, they'll have no hard time taking all the punishment a wicked government metes out to them).  All this does make my job much more difficult.  When you absolutely have no way to get through to a child except through his or her heart, it takes work, but that's what we should ultimately want, anyway.  We should want our children to obey us, because they want to obey. 

If a person believes strongly enough in something, because they have strong evidence for it, then he or she should stand up for it, even if he or she is the only one (or thinks he or she is the only one).  That's true for simple things like the "weekend" issue or for bigger things, like not keeping a government-mandated holiday even if not doing so means the death penalty.  I believe a time is coming in the near future when the Western world will be expected to keep the holy days of "Sunday," "Easter," "Lent," "Holy Evening" (Halloween) and "All Saints Day," "Christmas," and others.  Those who oppose keeping such days and choose to keep other days shall be subject to the death penalty.  (There shall be more to the law of that government than the holidays kept, but that is another topic.)

There are some days where I feel like running away or giving up or literally pulling out my hair, but I pray, take some deep breaths, and remember to look at the long-term picture and be thankful that Father thought in His mind that I am capable of mothering such children (even though I admit there have been times I've asked what in the world was He thinking; I'm not nearly good enough).

Back to Life of Fred, I really love how the lessons are set up to get a child to think and how there are other lessons besides math to be learned.  It's also entertaining.  Forget about Horizons math or any other like it out there.  I'm done with it all.  Life of Fred, along with the real "lifestyle of learning" everyday things they learn about mathematics, I can now relax about math.  

Baker Jaden

The latest thing Jaden William has been baking is our bread. He made it into various round loaves once.  His first "regular" slicing loaf of bread collapsed.  One of the kneading blades in the pan of the bread machine was not placed properly.  It may be possible the bread had a bit too much yeast, but perhaps it was only due to the kneading blade problem.  William somehow knew when it was kneading, that it was messed up.  He said he fixed it with a spoon, but since he was outside at the time the bread was finished, I took it out, and the blade was buried in the bread.  When I tried taking it out from the bottom of the loaf, it just kept sinking into the bread, so I had to dig it out from the top, which is why the huge incision exists in the bread as pictured.  The kids all loved it, and it all went quickly both days.  I tried some the first day, after forgetting that I wasn't supposed to be eating wheat.  

Various-sized round loaves

Collapsed loaf

   
 

Linguistics: The Science of Language

William started listening to the course by Professor John McWhorter that I mentioned in my last post.  He listened to three lectures in one day and hasn't yet listened to anymore.  He listened to "What is Linguistics?", "The Sounds of Language—Consonants," and "The Other Sounds—Vowels." 

He learned more about some of the things that simply don't make sense in the English language compared to other languages; how our alphabet is really no good for nothing but a cute little song, because the letters are not arranged in a way of showing how various letters are related to one another; which letters are related to others and how those consonants are basically the same sound made in different parts of the mouth (as seen below); and how the short 'a' sound is almost only existent in the English language (and one or more very small secluded groups of another language(s); among other things.
   

Learning the different letter sounds and where they are made in the mouth and showing how different letters are related.  The 'j' is what we pronounce as 'y.'

Vowel sounds

 
The highlighted areas are where there were about to be something inserted.  Not all squares are filled, though.

I'll let Jaden William listen to these as he chooses, if he chooses.  He says some of it's boring, but he did sit through three lectures one morning.  He might not want to listen again anytime soon, but I see that he has a great interest in language (which makes me smile greatly inside), so I'd almost be willing to bet he'll be all over these one day, if even in his teens.  He'll remember we've got it.

New Baby Chicken


Jaden was successful with getting his favorite chicken Grace lay and incubate an egg for him so that he could have a chick.  The resulting offspring of Bob Marley and Grace:

Hours old at the most

I love this sweet little chick!

Sweetness!

Jaden and Liv with the little chick

Jaden found the chicken on Sabbath morning of the 18th when he went to let the chickens out for the day.  What a great surprise for us it was!  I was so happy for him.  I loved seeing his big smile and hearing the chick's peeping Jade walked into the back door with the chick.  He's been taking care of it as a human daddy, giving it water, finding worms and insects for it and letting it walk in the grass to eat, snuggling it, and changing out the old cloths we are keeping on the heating pad for it.  I loved the timing of the chick arriving, too, because it made for a good lesson for Pentecost, which I posted about on my other blog, Growing in Grace and Knowledge.

Liv's Painting

One day Liv disappeared, and I found her in my bathroom cabinet having so far put one small drop of herbal but bite gel into my contact lens case, and later in the day she found some dye of Jaden's outside (because he didn't bother putting it back in his candle supplies bag in the shed) and started painting herself.  I decided I need to set her up at the easel with some paints.
 

All the colors I had available, but I also mixed some of the white and red to make pink.

She used simple strokes of color.  I gave her a piece of pink (her favorite color) construction paper and two or three pieces of white computer paper.  Trusten said he wanted to paint, so I told him he could after she was finished, but he went and put the blue swirl on the left of Liv's picture. 

Sweet girl painting in the yard

Groundhog

Nathan and Jaden successfully flushed a groundhog into a trap.  It was neat to get to see the groundhog up so close.  It was a young one.  I came back from a short ride on the 4-wheeler on Sabbath to find them with the groundhog (which is why my bouquet I picked that I think I posted in the last post was so disheveled-looking, because I ran in, stuffed it into a vase, and ran outside with my phone).

Young groundhog

 

My Sweet Climber

My sweet climber?  Well, actually all of my kids have been big climbers.  Elizabeth climbs up on the beanbags, then onto the couch, and she has even climbed over the couch onto the filing cabinet that sits behind it.  Oh!  Not exactly where I'd like her to go.  She just grins really big when she sees that I see what she's done.  She's gotten to where she can almost get onto the couch from the floor, but remember, she's still working on walking well, so...

To conclude this post, I leave you with a sweet picture of Happy:

She loves getting in front of the air conditioner.

  
   Until next time...