A Long Overdue Update/Luke’s 6th Grade Geography Project

Yes, we are still here! LOL!  I have written before that once we get into the routine of school, sometimes my blogging suffers.  It’s not that we aren’t doing anything; it’s just that we’re doing regular school stuff–not much that is blog-worthy!  🙂

So, school is plodding along, and we’re hitting it hard and heavy.  We just finished up our first quarter, and that means that we are heading into a busy, busy project season.  John and Brock are in the beginning stages of their science projects, and Cosette is in 7th grade, which is the year that the students plan a science project but don’t actually do the full display.  John is planning to do a complicated chemistry-type project involving clock and oscillating reactions and how the different variables affect the rates of reaction.  (I know, sounds rather confusing….)  Brock’s project has to do with the stability of towers on inclines, and Cosette is studying bilge keels and plans to test how different conditions affect their performance.  Pretty soon the planning stages will be over, and it will be time to carry out the experiments, analyze the results, and assemble those wonderful science project display boards.  Fun……  Sigh……..

Speaking of displays, Luke finished his 6th grade A Beka Academy geography project today!  Yea!!  This is always an interesting project.  It involves drawing a poster-sized map of a country that shows major geographical features, cities, natural resources, etc.  Fortunately, we have learned a few tricks over the years to make this go as smoothly as possible, and I think Luke’s map of Syria came out great!  He chose Syria when it was constantly in the news with its civil war a few weeks ago.  It was a good choice–we really didn’t know much about that country, and it gave us a chance to get an introduction to it.  It looks like a very interesting place!

John is enjoying the fact that he is a junior and that in a couple of years he will get the opportunity to pursue new things in new places.  He has been investigating colleges and thinking about majors.  Right now he seems most focused on math, science, and music, but he goes back and forth on specific areas.  And that’s ok at this point!  God will lead him along the way at the right time.  John has done a lot of good internet searching about different colleges and has learned a lot.  He has signed up for a couple of college-visitation days in a few weeks, and I know that God will use all of this to guide him to just the right place.

The girls have a couple of new activities this fall that they are really enjoying.  First of all, they are taking sewing lessons!  There is a lady in our church who designs patterns.  Her shop is called Lilac Lane.  She graciously offered to help the girls learn to sew, and the girls have been having a ball going to her house each week to work on their projects.  Currently they are making tote bags.  I have heard rumors that their next project will be a small quilt that will give them lots of practice sewing nice, straight lines.  So, this has been a wonderful thing for my girls–they have a good role model to look up to and admire in this sweet lady!  🙂 The girls and I have also been going to Stampin’ Up classes this fall.  A friend of mine recently became a demonstrator, so we have been going to her sessions to learn more about stamping/card making.  The girls really enjoy this and are good at it.  I’m not very good at it–but that’s ok too!

Of course, I am still keeping busy at the food bank.  We have had some food drives, and just the regular meetings, stocking the shelves, etc. keeps my calendar from being boring.  We are in full swing in preparing for the annual Christmas basket project.  Last year we gave out around 200 baskets, and it looks like we are on track for that many again this year.  Our food bank is trying to reorganize the project this year by dividing the responsibilities into committees, and hopefully that will go smoothly and not lay so much on one single person.  I am on the “contacts/volunteer” committee, which means I am responsible for lining up the volunteers for the assembling of the baskets and helping to coordinate the different organizations that participate in this project.  That will be a big job during November and early December, but it really is enjoyable and rewarding.

So, things are continuing on.  We are definitely in the “daily life” mode, but that’s a good mode to be in!

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Singing Barbershop

A few weeks ago, John came home from his college choir class and reported that a member of our local chapter of The Barbershop Harmony Society had visited his class to recruit some new members.  John thought it might be fun to check it out, and Dan and Brock decided to tag along as well.  They had a great time meeting the guys in the group and singing the close four-part harmony and couldn’t wait to go again to the next rehearsal.  A couple of weeks later, the girls and I had a conflict during the barbershop rehearsal and couldn’t take Luke along with us, so he went with the other guys to barbershop practice, and, you guessed it, he started singing and couldn’t stop too!  🙂  So, all four of my guys are going to become official members of the group soon, and are having a blast doing it.

Barbershop is unique, and I told the guys that if they can learn to sing that a capella tight harmony, they can learn to sing anything.  They are doing a great job and have already joined with the others in a performance at a local school.  The group sings all of the traditional oldies like Aura Lee and Cool, Clear Water; but they are also going to be adding in some new songs like Do You Hear the People Sing? as well. They’ll have several small performances here and there, and then a major concert in the spring.

I think it’s neat that the guys have found this fun activity to do.  The other members of the group have all taken them in and are helping them along, and it’s neat seeing those older gentlemen working along with my boys.  Pretty cool! They always talk about how music is a life-long hobby, and that sure is true.  It is also a life-long blessing!

Speaking of life-long blessings, John and Brock wanted me to take individual pictures of them when they were dressed up for their performance.  I sure do love those guys; they both have such wonderful personalities and strong Christian character.  I am very blessed!

 

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