Home School?

We've had fun planning a long weekend together with the boys.
After spending the day with them, I realized we had many good oppportunities for learning.
I always wanted to become a teacher...now was my chance.

Am I  now contemplating why I did not consider home schooling?
I rummaged through my old report cards and found some relative subjects.


ENGLISH LANGUAGE 
Each boy developed his own binder in sections, which were divided into their favorite topics which included movies, books, computer games, music
It did not take long before they wanted to write stories.
Those are stories of true confessions.
There were many laughs from this Oma.
If only their father knew.

Then they added a section called,

"All about Me!"

We found photos of the boys, printed them and they placed them into plastic sleeves.

By now the boys were all over my office finding all sorts of craft ideas

to make their own binders/scrapbooks.

Together they sat on the floor, cut, glued and pasted as they worked in their scrapbooks.
~~~~~~

HOME ECONOMICS
Here's a first...Learning to make noodles...mixing the dough and working with texture.

He proudly displays his long thin noodle sheets that needed to cram
through the noodle machine once more...
How will the noodles dry?
He remembered building a noodle rack with his Opa at Christmas.

 The noodles dried and they have been cooked and eaten.

Baking Peanut Butter Cookies by
using the technique of rolling dough in his hands, greased with butter.

 Silas was learning to make an imprint on the cookies.
He learned that using flour makes life less sticky.

RECESS: 
 Fresh home-made peanut butter cookies.


Recess meant playing 'Hide n Seek"

They have loved playing that game in the high grass over the past years.

PHYS ED.
Learning the skills of balancing as they walked along the fence line.
That was my favorite subject in school, but today I flunked.
I opted out to show them the skills of photography.

SOCIAL STUDIES: Flag Etiquette

1. Where possible, a flag should be taken down every night.
2. Never store a wet or damp flag; spread it out until dry.
3. If soiled, a flag may be safely hand washed, using any domestic soap or detergent which does not contain bleach.
4. If slightly frayed or torn, a flag should be repaired at once. It could save the cost of a new flag. 
5. When your flag is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, it should be destroyed in a dignified manner. 

It truly was time to take down the tattered flag.
It needed to be replaced.
I am wondering how I will  destroy it in a dignified manner. 

" Oh Canada! We stand on guard for thee."

So at the end of our day, packed with fun filled activities, I said to the boys.
"This is what home schooling is all about."
They totally agreed that this was more fun than sitting in class all day.

When I was telling them about my favorite subjects, I mentioned
 MUSIC...and wouldn't you know it,
the little one pipes out singing.

"This is the best Oma,... ever made in this world."

We've had a great weekend...but wait till I integrate Math into this system.
Math was my worst subject.

What do Mennonite Men Do at a Book Launch?

Terry, (Lovella) was there to greet us all at 'House of James.'
As you all know...not only the women came together for the book launch,
but the husbands were also included.
Welcome John (Betty) and Tony (Char) from Manitoba.
Regrets to Greg, Ellen's husband who was on a work project in New York.


The men met at House of James the first nigh.
As you can see...there were some frustrations.
Somehow it seemed like Lovella had the women well organized,
but forgot about the men.
I'm not sure who was delegated to take on this task, or who would want to.


Some how none of these men seemed to know what was happening.
My husband had asked me all week what was going on.
I told him.....
He forgot.
I repeated myself how many times?
I finally printed off a schedule for him.
"Don't ask me once more."
(Somehow this conversation was held in more than one household)

So finally when they came together....here was John (Marg) with his cheat chart.
He seemed to know the weekend's plan.
Now the menfolk were wondering, especially Terry,
why he did not have a printed agenda.
Well, you can imagine how many times they compared notes.
Anyways it didn't take long and the men organized themselves.


They met Elmer (Judy) at his dairy farm, Rosevale Farms, nestled in the Fraser Valley.

 He gave them a tour of his new drive through operation,  showed them their calving operation,

and his newly renovated farm bathroom?

Then off to Harv's (Bev) business, Klassen Specialty Hydraulics,
 which is nestled in Rosedale between the mountains.


He proudly displayed his '47 Merc', and Bev's '78 VW' convertible.

I'm still wondering which truck it was that reached top speeds of 140 mph,
in a limited speed zone?

 Look closely, you can see the men viewing there phones,
messaging, texting, and emailing.


It was time to go to Winks!
Some sat outside and listened to Julene, Herb's daughter serenade them with her violin.


Others were delighted to step right on inside where the action was happening.

Russ Eanes, the executive director from Menno Media
 was comfortably taking it all in.

 In the evening we were all delighted to be served prime rib dinner
at Sweet Dreams Bed & Breakfast.
What man would miss that kind of meal?
As you can see, they too, could sit quietly and visit, but not for long.

 
Most of  these men have learned how to use their wives point and shoot.
 They certainly had their own agenda of how to pose for the photo shots.

 In our midst we had one sharp shooter.
He never missed a cue.

 

Here's a few men poking their heads inside the window,
hoping to catch score of the Canucks, which was hopeless in the end.

 Sunday morning, we found ourselves blessed with another sunny blue sky.
They were off to Lepp Farms.

 Charlotte was there to make sure the brunch had stacks of bacon,
extra thick and crunchy for these men.
Later her husband Rob, took the men on a tour of his market.

Once again, you can see our director, Russ examining the brunch set up.

 After a game of Bocci Ball, the men finally sat down and enjoyed some Faspa.
Notice how they always group together?

 

Except for Ben Penner, Director of Marketing and Sales, who was observing the women inside...

sticking to his job, keeping the women out of trouble and organized. 

And at last, all good things had to come to an end...

The men stood up as our editor, Amy Gingerich had to catch a flight.

And soon the hugs began as they  all said 'Good bye'

Thank you men for joining your wives.
We all had a wonderful time.

Blessed Are The Mothers!

 

It's Mother's Day weekend and what better way than to honor my Mother.

She passed away 13 years ago but I treasure the life she shared with me.

I remember when my Mom was so proud of taking her first course.

She had a love for the arts.  She took up calligraphy.

 She loved to scribble poems on scraps of paper.

Later she began to carefully write out poems,

 in her own style using her new skills.

I treasure her file of writings.

Here's a poem she shared with me in my early years of motherhood,

and addressed it to me personally as the "New Little Mother"

To a New Little Mother!!

Blessed are the mothers,

for they are the conservers of the human race.

Blessed are the mothers of the world,

for they have conserved the spiritual things of life for the sake of the children.

Blessed are the mothers of the earth,

for they have combined the practical and the spiritual into one 

workable way of human life.

They have 

~ darned little stockings,

~ mended little dresses and jeans,

~ washed little hands and faces,

~ and have pointed little eyes to the stars,

~ and little souls to eternal things.

Blessed are the Mothers!

William L. Stidger 

~~~~~

"Thank you Lord for their dedication and love.

CONGRATULATIONS

from Mom"

~~~~~~

I now realized that this poem was my Mom's prayer for me.

But today I would love to extend this poem to all Mother's,
whether single, divorced, married, separated, or widowed....whatever circumstance.
 Many of our Mother's knew the things we would endure.

There is only one way to make a return to our Mother's  and that is to turn our attention

to loving and nurturing the next generation, our children, and our grandchildren.

May you feel a special blessing today!