Posted by Cindy on September 22, 2008
For those of you who know Melissa from blogging, consider yourselves blessed. But, if you’re lucky enough to know her in person, how much more blessed you are! It was such a treat to spend time with her last week. Not only that, she took on all three of my children while I spoke at the THINK meeting AND hosted us overnight so we didn’t have to drive home late. Thank you, Melissa. I know I owe you one for sure! (Toddlers who know how to escape out of the house are so much fun, aren’t they??)
On our way home from Melissa’s Wednesday morning, I spied a sign for Big Bone Lick State Park. It had been so long since we’d been there, I decided to take an impromtu field trip. This is a place where bison, mastadons, wooly mammoths and the like came for salt many years ago. Of course, that means Native Americans and explorers found their way to the area as well. We even found (and smelled) a sulphur water spring that became a supposed “healing water” hot spot in the early 1800′s. If you can’t tell, the water is almost a creamy white coming out of the spring.
Answers in Genesis has really helped me to be prepared to speak to my children about ”millions of years” when we’re at a place like Big Bone. Nearly everything we read talked about the animals roaming the land 300 million years ago, when SO MUCH proof was right in front of our eyes that pointed to a world-wide flood. Imagine, they found fossils of sea-like creatures smack-dab in the middle of Kentucky?? Imagine, large deposits of salt were found in Kentucky?? I’m so proud that my children can point out the obvious. They do listen to me!
Notice the tape measure in the two pictures above. Caleb just happened to bring along a tape measure and binoculars on our trip. When I asked him why in the world he would have packed those things (not having a clue we were going to do any sort of nature study), he said, “Well, you never know when they might come in handy.” Indeed they did! (I wonder what else he had packed!!)
We were again blessed later in the week when my parents took care of the kiddos and hosted us overnight so I could talk at the CACH meeting. On Friday, we were able to talk my Dad into a tour of the lab in the hospital where he works. We’re studying Christian Kids Explore Chemistry
this year and seeing all the lab equipment, chemists and live “experiments” in person turned out to be a great visual for the kids. (My dad used to be the lab manager and I remember spending many a day watching all the lab techs do their work. I only wish the lab were as safe now as it was then. I was probably over-protective, but I didn’t want to take any chances with all the lovely things hospitals deal with now-a-days.)
The coolest part by far was the pathology area. The pathologist was in and gave the kids an awesome look into his world. We watched him dissect gall bladders, tonsils, colon polyps, knee shavings and more. He even offered the kids a chance to open up a gall bladder. I think the picture below shows their answer best.
Okay, so I might not have a pathologist in the family, or a med tech, or anyone who goes remotely near a hospital on purpose. God knows what He has in store for them and I’m excited to see what awaits!
We had a busy week, but it was a good one! And by the way, Happy Birthday, Daddy!!
And thank you VERY much THINK and CACH for allowing me to come visit with your groups. You are both full of very friendly and encouraging ladies (and gentlemen.) It was a complete joy for me to share my heart with you. 
)
Posted by Cindy on July 25, 2008
Could it be from a full day at Kentucky KIngdom yesterday?
Or possibly shucking, washing, parboiling, cutting off the cob and freezing 150 ears of corn today?
Posted by Cindy on December 9, 2007
Saturday was chock full of Christmas memory making. Baking cookies and treats for co-op teachers was first on the list. We made little trays for each teacher with pretzel and nut bark, strawberry jam thumbprint cookies and candy bar topped shortbread. We, um, needed to make extra batches since the first kept disappearing. Hmm, how’d that happen??
My Mom and Dad came for a visit, too! They were very good to keep Eli busy. He loves to “help” me in the kitchen, but he has no idea that he really is no help at all! 
A local church hosted “A Journey to Bethlehem” this weekend. What a wonderful experience it was, with cookies and hot chocolate to warm us afterward! Kim, you guys and gals did a spectacular job!! I pray many will come to know the true meaning of Christmas and be led to The One through their “journey”.
Since we were already out, we finished off the night with our annual Christmas light drive. We always start the trip in McDonald’s drive-through ordering large fries for everyone. Then, we munch and drive around town casting votes for the best decorated houses. I believe this might be the most treasured of Christmas traditions in the eyes of my children!
Sorry for the lack of pictures. Our camera won’t take pictures in the dark anymore. Hopefully, we’ll be able to upgrade soon.
Posted by Cindy on October 3, 2007
After coming back from Michigan with 100 pictures, several brochures and tons of memories, I racked my brain for a practical way to put it all together. Then I remembered Sheri’s blog and the notebooks she uses with her Five In A Row studies. Perfect!
I found the 10×10″ spiral notebooks in the scrapbooking section at Walmart. The covers are plain and colored, so they will decorate nicely when we get around to it. Inside, there are 50 card stock, archival quality pages just the perfect size for a memories journal.
I copied several pictures from the trip in wallet size. Then, gave the kiddos the pictures, some brochures, scissors and glue sticks, and let them have at it. The only thing I asked was that they write some of their memories on each page. How’s that for a secret writing lesson?
They loved this “assignment”! We all agreed that we should try to do a page or two for each of the field trips we take this year. What a great keepsake these will make!
Posted by Cindy on June 2, 2007
Whew! It’s finally time to slow down for awhile. I went a little hog wild in the planning-fun-activities department this past month. If I could see any white spaces on my calendar, I filled ‘em up. June will be much better, well at least it looks that way right now! I see lots of beautiful, blank white spaces on my calendar!
Even though it was busy, we did have a lot of fun! We visited the KY Fish and Wildlife Department’s fish hatchery. While we were there, one of the conservation officers took the kids out into the creek located on the back of the property for some way cool creek exploration.
We toured the Ale-8 Bottling Company. Sorry, this picture is really blurry.
We had great fun at our field day.
Of course, there was the Creation Museum.
We went to a Legends baseball game and met Barney Fife!
Mahayla had the opportunity to be a judge’s runner for a Dressage Show at the KY Horse Park.
We went on a nature scavenger hunt with some homeschooling friends.
Not to mention LOTS of T-ball games!
And Eli learned eat food and suck his toes. Okay, that’s not busy stuff, but the pictures were too cute to pass up.
