"Tree of Life: The World of the African Baobab"

This was a great picture book about the African Baobab tree. It's written by Barbara Bash (who is also the author of "Desert Giant: The World of the Saguaro Cactus") and is packed full of information. I love these books that focus on one particular tree and show the entire life cycle of the tree and how it can affect the land, animals, and humans and how God in His infinite wisdom has created everything in such perfect harmony! A great read when you can't be *out* in nature!

Poetry Notebook

This year my oldest son will be keeping a poetry notebook. I am doing this to encourage his love of the creativity of poetry, to give him something meaningful to copy, and to have something to look back on fondly and remember this time in his education.

He will be reading from three poets this year- a different one each term- and we will take turns reciting one poem each day. Then on Friday's he will pick his favorite poem of the week and copy it in his nicest handwriting and he may also wish to make a drawing to go along with it, which we will collect in a simple folder. This will be the poem he will then work on memorizing for the next week and will be able to recite it on the following Friday. At the end of the year (next spring) he will have a notebook full of 36 handwritten poems - and possibly illustrations- and will be able to recite from memory many of them!

**This will be more meaningful than just having the copies off the internet and my son will love to have the visual accomplishment of his work.

New Beginnings!

We are marking the end of a school year/beginning of the next here this week. It is going to be a big change for *MOM* since I am starting my middle son on Year 1 and my oldest will be doing his Year 3...and of course, we have baby brother at 3 1/2, who will cause major disarray in the meantime!!LOL!

I am going to post our curriculums on the side bar if anyone is interested in our plan for the year. I am very optimistic that it will be a challenging and exciting year for us and I am so ready to get started!!! We will get our first break in 6 weeks for a family reunion and then we will be able to finish our first term by the end of summer. It is very important (and necessary) for us to be able to take the month of December off and just gear up for the holidays and enjoy our family! That is one big factor of keeping us on track.

Nature finds

Some butterflies viewed this week at the Botanical gardens. What a perfect week for nature and enjoying God's world!!!

Crafting..

From Story of the World, vol. 2; Making Monk's cross necklaces from air drying clay. The boys just thought this was Great!!! After letting them dry, we painted them and then put the string in. Very neat craft!

Got Mud????

It's been very rainy/stormy in the DFW area lately and parts of our yard are complete mud pits, plus we have a creek/runoff area too.... the boys are in HEAVEN!!! LOL!!! They have made mud pies, had mud fights, painted the playset with...you guessed it- mud!!! They have also been finding the greatest things- slugs, snails, snakes, caterpillars! We love it! It's made for great nature experiences!!

Magnolia Tree

Isn't this bloom just gorgeous? The Magnolia trees in Texas are in bloom...and with the huge white flowers and the shiny green leaves, I don't know if there is a prettier sight!! I love nature!!

The *S* Word....

Here's a great article on socialization.

http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/144135.aspx

My bird watchers!

My boys LOVE their bird watching!!! This is something that I don't believe would *ever* have been developed, had it not been for the year long readings of Burgess Bird Book in Ambleside's Year 1 program. I am soooo thankful! The boys have learned more than I could have ever hoped and they are so passionate about the birds. They care deeply for them- and to think, I'll be doing it again in a couple of years with my youngest!!! Yeay!!! As you can see in the picture, he already gets right in there...looks his birds up, id's them, listens to their calls...what a connection with God we have created by simply learning more about creation around us! I wish that every child had the opportunity to develop a slow and deep relationship with nature. Is there anything more important? They see God at work through His marvelous world and they are so thankful and so in AWE of His power and perfection.

some AZ beauty!

There wasn't a lot in bloom, but what there was - wow! beautiful!!! These are some of my favorites!

Bird Watching in AZ

Oh what heaven to a bird loving family!!! The boys *loved* this aviary at the Sonoma Desert Museum!! I didn't know if I would be able to get my oldest (shown here) to leave! It was the highlight!!!