Columbus' Replica Ships Field Trip Opportunity

The Columbus Foundation is bringing the Nina and Pinta back to Arkansas beginning in October with a stop in Little Rock. They also have dates scheduled for Fort Smith and Memphis, TN. The Nina is the most historically accurate Columbus replica ship ever built!

My husband and I took our kids the last time the ships were in Little Rock in November 2011. The guys in charge do a great job educating the kids, adults too, during the tours. Awesome way to step back in history and experience what life might have been like on the expeditions.

This would be an awesome field trip for homeschool groups!

Check their website for exact dates, times and more info @ http://www.thenina.com

First Sunday School Lesson

I taught my first Sunday School lesson this morning and loved it! Three Pre-K girls and I talked about Isaac and how God had a plan for him. How Isaac obeyed and trusted God because he knew that God knows what's best. God is sovereign. Completely in control of everything. All we need to do is listen and trust Him.

Beyond thankful for this opportunity and excited as I begin this new journey. I know these kids will teach me just as much, if not more, than I will teach them.  I'm reminded of the saying, "if you don't teach children who God is, someone will teach them everything He isn't." I hope that above all things, they will see the light of Jesus shining through me.

Sauerkraut Soup

 Who doesn't love their momma's cooking? Seems like everything always tastes better when mom makes it! Mine recently came across a soup recipe and made it for dinner, it got the stamp of approval from me and the kids.

Passing the recipe on here, give it a try and see what you think!

Ingredients-

1 lb. hamburger meat

1 onion

1 small can tomato sauce

1 can hot dog chili sauce

Carton mushrooms

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can sauerkraut

Beef or chicken stock

Heavy cream to your liking

Now, cook the hamburger meat, onion and mushrooms until the meat is done. Now, add the beef or chicken stock ( I added two cups- but it's up to you as to how thick or thin you want it), add sauerkraut ( do not drain), tomato sauce diced tomatoes, hot dog sauce and salt/pepper to taste. Let simmer 15 minutes. Take off heat. Before serving, add a bit of heavy cream ( to your liking) to each bowl. You can't add the cream to the entire pan of soup. If you do this, you will not be able to re-warm.

I prefer mine without the cream, so I totally eliminate even purchasing this. This soup is very economical and makes a lot!

Ziplining Fun

We finally got to redeem our family zip line pass the last week in June. It sure seems like it has been a rainy summer here in Arkansas. We have had to keep putting things off for a later date because of the weather, but have managed to get some fun in.

 

We zipped at Adventureworks in Hot Springs, which is about a 30 minute drive. They just opened earlier in the year and still have construction going on, but it was still a great experience with lots of zips. Twelve total. The staff were all very friendly and safety minded. We had to go through a tutorial before going to the first zip. During the zips, they were very interactive, patient and made sure we all had a great time. We zipped with a group of nine total, which included 4 kids, two of which were mine. I think they had to have more patience with some of the adults, me included, rather than the kiddos. My little man had absolutely no problem stepping off any of the platforms at any time. The little lady was a bit more cautious, but they were both going off backwards near the end of the trip.

I never went off the platform backwards, but had a great time! The zips are designed so that they start you out slow and gradually get higher and longer. Not going to lie, I was shaking in my shoes for the first half. It took every ounce of "want to" that I had to step off those platforms.

 The scariest part of the adventure for me was walking across the sky bridge. I don't really like things that sway from side to side that are suspended mid air. I was harnessed but, I still didn't feel safe on that thing!

I would definitely do it again, though! In fact, I can't wait to schedule another tour.  Little man wants to zip for his birthday next year- sounds good to me! It was a great family outing! I quickly realized mid way in that the only thing I had to fear was fear itself. So awesome that we experienced this "first" together as a family. It taught us a whole lot about trust, encouragement, faith in each other, team work and was a great bonding experience as a family!

 

Prayer Rock

Our AWANA group has special nights with different themes from time to time. Last month, we had "rock night." Our commander had the cutest poem printed  for each child, along with a box of rocks to choose from and small bags for each child's rock. They could either keep for themselves or give to someone special after writing their favorite scripture on the rock (we used black sharpies).

I thought this was the cutest idea! These would be great to make just for family and friends, rainy day craft for kiddos, cool crafty idea for any church group and I love the idea of making some and taking to a local nursing home. 

A "different" Mother's Day Gift

I'm loving the "gift" my husband and kiddos got me for Mother's Day- A pass for a 2 hour zip line family tour at a local place that opened recently. Zip lining has been on my bucket list for awhile now but after checking with several places, the cost was a little steep, so I put that adventure back at the bottom of that list and forgot about it.

It was quite a surprise! Big change from the normal gifts I receive and I love that it is something we can do as a family and make memories that will last.

So, I'm loving this Mother's Day gift and can't wait to experience this adventure with my family! Can't wait to blog about it and share pictures!

Have you ever zip lined? What is the most awesome adventure you've ever experienced?

Meeting A Few Duggars

Just a normal Saturday for us with a totally random run in with a few of Madison's favorite reality stars. We stopped by our local McDonalds and ran into Jessa and Jinger Duggar and Ben Seewald. They were so sweet and kind enough to take a picture with the kids.

Thank you Jessa, Jinger and Ben for making her day! You left her speechless but with the biggest smile!

Losing A Loved One Twice

My mother in law was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease a few years back. She lost her battle with that horrible disease Febuary 28. It was a long, hard journey for her and our family. Being a woman of faith, I know I will see her again. This is just a temporary loss of communication. She has simply changed her address to our permanent home. Below is a guest post written by my brother in law, Eric Moore. He is the Sports Editor for our local paper where this article was first published.


Losing someone close to you is the hardest thing you will ever go through, but with Alzheimer's Disease you lose that person twice.

My mother, Jo Ann, recently lost her bout with that horrible disease, but I lost my mom well before she passed away. In the months preceding her death, you could see her mind start to go. The worst part about that part of the disease is that she noticed it too.

There would be days where she would be light-hearted and laughing, and there would be days when she knew the disease was destroying her memory, causing her to burst into tears. Watching her go through this and knowing there was nothing I could do to help her put a pain in me that still exists. 
My mother was my inspiration for a lot of things in life. She nurtured my love of learning and did everything she could to make sure I was always taken care of.

Because of her, I became quite the movie buff. There are few movies made after 1939 that I haven't seen. I had heard how devastating Alzheimer's Disease was, but until you witness it first-hand affecting someone you hold dear, words cannot accurately convey how truly awful it is.

I still remember when I finally allowed myself to believe it was Alzheimer's Disease and not just a case of old age forgetfulness. We were watching one of her favorite movies (we had probably watched it a dozen times before) and I saw this confused look on her face. She asked me what we were watching and when I told her the name of the movie and how it was one of her favorites, she said, "I've never seen this before."

She was adamant in her denial and, in retrospect, she was right. The disease had stripped away all her memories of seeing that movie.

Luckily the one thing the disease did not take from her was the knowledge of her loved ones. In the weeks preceding her death, we received several visitors daily. Our entire family came out to see her one last time and tell her goodbye.

By this point, she had forgotten how to eat, and drinking was difficult for her.But each time someone would walk in to say "hello," she would shine the world's biggest smile and attempt to say something back. There were no words, however. Sounds would come out, but she couldn't form the words she was searching for. You could see in her eyes how happy she was to see all of her family members one last time.

Alzheimer's Disease can cause a lot of damage, and not just to the ones suffering from the disease. My father, brother and I were with her almost constantly up until the end and saw her disappear before our eyes.

She was more than just a mother to me. She was also one of my best friends, and I will miss her terribly. Let your loved ones know how much they mean to you on a daily basis because tomorrow is never promised.

New Online Academic Resource Launch

Varsity Tutors recently launched a new academic resource for teachers and homeschoolers. The comprehensive platform includes completely free practice tests, digital flashcards, questions-of-the day for standardized tests and academic subjects of all levels from elemetary to higher ed. The platform also includes free web-based classroom assessment software.

You also have the option of creating a free account that will allow you to save test results and keep track of progress. Even better, you can create your own tests and invite others to use them. This massive free practice test resource already contains tens of thousands of practice problems with thousands being added every month.