Lots of Pictures of Our Day at Fort Clinch

Fort Clinch here we come.

Soldiers quarters.

Checkers with rocks.

Fort oven.

Looking down a toilet, yuck.

Loving going up and down stairs.

Peek-a-boo.

Walking around the top.

Awaiting a cannon ball from down below.

Ready to fire.

Overlooking the interior.

Catching the boys for a picture.

We walked around the outside too.

Caught two for a picture with Mommy.

Always close behind Daddy.

Stop for a little sand digging.

What a wonderful Sunday afternoon,
thanks Fort Clinch.

The Next Six Weeks

I am recovering from a back injury.
Not really sure how I injured my back, but I did.
While resting my back and while my mother
came over to help, I was able to do lots of reading
about back health.
Most were obvious and a few struck home.
One was the importance of staying well hydrated.
I like water, but I know I do not drink enough,
especially since my addiction to diet coke
and morning coffee started a year ago.
Also, yoga is good for your back.
Yes, yoga.
Tried yoga a few years back and could not
get into the positions much less stay in the positions.
Well......, I started looking for beginner yoga dvds
and did find a couple.
Next, your weight is important to back health.
If you put on the extra pounds, your back must support it.
Then there is your diet.
I have not been eating healthy since Christmas.

Hydration, yoga, weight, and diet.
For the next 6 weeks I am going to focus on them.

Hydration- no sodas, no coffee, 8 glasses of water a day.

yoga- yoga stretches every am til my back is totally healed,
no pain that is,
then yoga for strength, walking then advance slowly back to running.

diet- a 6 week detox.
No dairy, no meats, no sugar, only raw and steamed veggies,
little grains.
My husband did this 9 months ago and he felt great.
Afterward, a sensible healthy diet.

Weight, well I am hoping that by eating and hydrating well,
the weight thing will not be a problem.
I do not need to lose much,
just want to break my unhealthy eating practices.
I think my taste buds will thank me.

As I look at the calendar, I notice Lent is upon us.
As I prepare for Easter by reflecting on Jesus
during this Lenten season,
I will also be cleansing my body.
Many blessings.

Happy Valentines Day

Hope your Valentines Day is special.
Many blessings.

Book Recommendations and Home School Update

Henry David's House

The Gift of the Tree

Butterfly Eyes

Landmarks of American History- The Landing of the Pilgrims

American Schoolhouse Reader

Above are just a few books we are enjoying right now.

Henry David's House is a book that touches on the value
of living life simply and slowly using adaptations
of Thoreau's own words.

The Gift of the Tree is about a dead oak tree
and the many gifts it gave to others.

Butterfly Eyes is a book of poetry riddles
of the meadow. My son enjoyed trying to solve the riddles.
This book guided us towards nature study too.
We will be looking to purchase
this book for our home library.

As for our home school reads, we are currently
studying the colonies for American history.
We have almost completed the Landing of the Pilgrims.
This is a historical/historical fiction book about the
Plymouth pilgrims. We have enjoyed this book so
much that we purchased the whole 10 volume set
of Landmarks of American History- the 1950 edition.
Next, we plan on reading
Stories of the Pilgrims by Margaret B. Pumphrey
and Little Pilgrims Promise by Helen L Taylor
from John Bunyan's Classic- The Pilgrim's Progress.
After these, we will look for some books
about the Indians. Their experiences with the
strangers who landed on their shores.

As for reading/phonics....
We finally made it through
Teach Your Child to Read in 1oo Easy Lessons.
We are now on readers.
The American Schoolhouse Reader is what we are using.
My son seems to be enjoying them.
They are gentle and build on one another.

Our studies of World History has us reading
about Ancient Egypt.
Lots of fun and very interesting.

Moving right along in our Apologia-
Exploring Creation with Astronomy.
We are on the Earth.
Tonight my hubby got out the flashlight
and the globe and they talk about
the Sun and the tilt of Earth.

Started a whole new math curriculum.
We are now using Math-U-See.
Did not know where to start my son,
so just to be safe we started with the primer.
Most of the concepts my son knows,
but the process is different.
We are doing about 3 lessons a day.
I am sure we will not keep that pace
for to long.
So far, so good. We watch the video,
we then review on either a whiteboard or chalk board
til I am sure he understands.
Next he does the problems in the workbook.
I am not a big workbook fan,
but this seems to work for my son.
He actually is enjoying math.

Well, that is all for now. Lots I did not cover,
but this post is already long enough.
Thank you for patience.
Til next time.
Many blessings

Our Daily Rhythm

Our family rhythm is slowly
emerging.

I put away our "school" schedule
and started working on our "family" rhythm a few months ago.
The twins are 3 yrs old now.
What works for the whole family?
How to incorporate all?
No separation.
We are a family.

This is want has emerged.
It is actually gentle in its flow.
We know things will change as our family changes
from the inside out.

Monday- painting/drawing
Tuesday- clay/play dough
Wednesday- baking
Thursday- sensory tubs
Friday- crafting/handwork


Breakfast
am chores for all
Bible, singing, dancing.
Story telling and read alouds
Outside time, unstructured play
snack prep with all helping
snack
M/T/W/TH/F activity
unstructured play
lunch
twins nap
Phonics, reading, history, math, etc. for the oldest
twins up
snack prep with all helping
unstructured play
afternoon chores for all
dinner
reading and story telling
bedtime

I have found that my children thrive with routine.
There is a calmness to it,
There are no set times, no clock watching.
It is just the knowing of what comes next that is calming.
The children know that after breakfast,
their am chores need to be done.
After outside time,
there will be a snack we will all prepare, etc.

We are still finding our way,
but we are enjoying doing it together.
Many blessings.

Candlemas Day

Happy Candlemas Day.

The Presentation of Christ in the Temple.
Prophecy of Simeon-
"...a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and glory to your people Israel."

I really never heard of Candlemas Day til recently.
Luke 2:21-39 are the verses this day is based on.

Some say this day is a pagan holiday.
Can't this be said of many holidays?
How do we decide?

After much praying, we decided this day
can be celebrated in our home.
Why not celebrate the presentation of
Jesus in the Temple?
Simeon's prophecy came true-

Jesus is the light of the world.

We are lighting beeswax candles during our
Bible study today.
Also, tonight at dinner the candles will be lit.
We will talk about how Jesus is our guiding light
and how these candles reminds us
of this.

Happy Candlemas Day