Homeschoolers Make the Best Lunches

When we take a lunch break from homeschool, I need that down time to just take a break for myself so I don't usually fix lunch for the kids.  They are in charge of fixing their own lunches.  We always have sandwich meat available but they often pull out leftovers and make a meal out of those.  Over the years, their foraging abilities have gotten quite creative.

Here is Nicholas' latest creation.  He wanted a hot dog but we were out of hot dog buns so he used a flour tortilla.  Then he added some baked beans on top of the hot dog.  Hmm, not quite done though.  He added some cheese to help stick another flour tortilla on top to make it a double decked dog.  On the second layer he added some slices of jalapeno sausage and frito chips.  Wow!  What a creation!

Not to be outdone, little sister jazzes up her PB&J sandwich by adding kiwi eyes, a peanut butter smile, and mozzarella cheese hair.  These kids keep me smiling!

Eighth Grade Graduation

Every year the Coppell Home School Association has an end of the year party for their members.  There is always great food and a fun time with friends.  The students have a recital where they can play instruments, sing, dance, read poetry, or whatever they want to do to perform.  There is also a graduation ceremony for students completing kindergarten and moving into elementary school as well as a graduation for students leaving eighth grade and entering high school.  

This year Nicholas was called up as a graduating eighth grader.  He really didn't want to wear the graduation hat but....too bad. Stuart had some great words for him but the gist of what he said was "We are proud of your hard work this year.  Have fun tonight because ninth grade starts tomorrow."  Yep, homeschooling isn't all about doing school in pajamas and going on field trips.  This is high school and it is really happening!

Yes, I made him stand in front of the graduation sign.  He hates it when I make him pose for corny pictures but I'm mom and that's what I do!

Students also bring art, science, or other projects to put on display.  Nicholas just recently created this Star Trek Enterprise on his own (not a kit) so he brought that to display.  Some might think that 14 is too old to have LEGOs.  However, Nicholas has an engineering mind and it just has to constantly create things.  LEGOs are a great outlet for that need.  I have always loved that whether we are studying history, science, or literature, Nicholas will always create something out of LEGOs that represents what he is studying at the time.  It is just one way that he processes the information that he is learning.

It's been another amazing year of homeschooling.  We are so blessed to be able to teach our children at home so that they can grow in their God-given talents while developing a love of learning.

For Alyssa

This post is for Alyssa, our precious little niece and cousin who passed away last year on May 25, 2017 from Rett Syndrome.  We love her and miss her dearly.

We wanted to do something special to honor Alyssa's memory today.  The name Alyssa is derived from the tender little flowers called Alyssum.  In the world of flowers, Alyssum means, "worth beyond beauty".  We decided to plant some Alyssum so we think of her everytime we look at them.

I have planted Alyssum a long time ago and I only knew of it as a little white flower.  I went to Calloways to find some and they only had purple.  I had never heard of purple Alyssum.  It was pretty but I wanted white so I went to another nursery.

There I found only yellow Alyssum.  At first I was upset because I had expected to get white.  However, as I looked at the little yellow flowers they reminded me of SpongeBob which was a show Alyssa used to like to watch.  I felt a lot better about getting the SpongeBob Alyssum now.  However, when I got home Stuart pointed out that the purple Alyssum would have been nice too because purple is the color that represents Rett Syndrome.

Today is the one year anniversary of Alyssa slipping back to Heaven so we planted the little Alyssum flowers on the front corner of our house.  They are small plants now but they will spread about 6-8 inches and together they will fill the little flower bed once they are grown.

I also wrote a little poem for Alyssa.

Your warm, sweet smile and sparkling bright eyes
Beamed like rays of sunshine in our lives.
You were a cherished angel on loan to us from Heaven.
It's been a year since you left but our pain hasn't lessened.
Your precious life here was too brief
And our shattered hearts still cry in disbelief
That the angels called you back to Heaven,
A beloved child of not even eleven.
God now holds you in His loving hand.
His perfect timing we will never understand.
Though you are gone we still feel your love
As you shine down on us from the brilliant stars above.

We love you, Alyssa!  We will continue to pray for a cure for Rett Syndrome so that no more families have to say goodbye to their sweet little girls.

Twenty-two Years

Twenty-two years ago I married the love of my life and my best friend.  After all of this time, he still makes my heart flutter and I love him more than ever.

Stuart and I met through mutual friends while we were at LSU in 1991.

Five years later we were getting married.  

Our photographer took me out to some beautiful spots around the old barracks to take some pictures. 

My handsome groom.  

Our wedding was at Ashley Manor in Baton Rouge.  It was an especially nice because Stuart's father sang during the ceremony.

Our wedding party consisted of both of our brothers who happen to both be named Steve, John, my dear friends Kristina and Denise, and Donna, my sister-in-law.

The guys singing Garth Brook's "Friends in Low Places".

It has been an amazing 22 years together.  We have had some moments of mayhem and insanity but the joy and happiness that we have experienced together are beyond measure.  I'm so blessed to spend my life with this wonderful man!

2018 Sandy Lake Homeschool Day

Today we spent a fun day with friends at the Sandy Lake Amusement Park Homeschool Day.  It cost only $10 to get in and that includes unlimited park rides, paddle boats, and pony rides.  It is a great deal!

Sandy Lake is a nostalgic type of amusement park.  It has been around since 1971 and it reminds me of the old Fun Fair Park in Baton Rouge that my parents took me to.

They even have the spyder!  I used to love this ride.

And the Paratrooper or "umbrellas" as I called it was another favorite of mine at Fun Fair Park.  It is so neat that my kids get to ride these same rides many (many) years later.

Of course, since it is Homeschool Day all of our homeschool friends were there too.  The middle school boys and girls were all hanging out together.  Yes, apparently the boys now realize that they can hang out with girls and not get cooties.

The younger girls all stuck together and rode the rides together.  It was the first time I let Rachel go around the park without me.  But she always had a buddy and she has been coming here for years so she knows her way around the park better than most of the other kids.

I couldn't help but pull up some old pictures of Rachel's first visit to Sandy Lake Amusement Park.  That was 7 years ago.  I love this one taken on the same carousel ride.  She is so little and so happy.

We all came back together for a picnic lunch under the shade trees.  I love these kids and their families!  We are all good friends just rolling through this crazy life together.