The Revolution and some pictures too....

Our home school co-op was nice yesterday. Sam had a good time and so did I. He isn't that thrilled with doing choir, but I didn't give him a choice on that. He sings really well. As a matter of fact he sings a lot. More than any of my other children ever did. With him starting cello, I personally feel like it all goes hand in hand. If you have the pitch with your voice...it will follow through with your instrument. Your voice actually IS your own personal instrument...so to develop that, helps with everything else. I have definately been blessed with meeting some really terrific Moms at the co-op. They have the ability to have such different ideas on some things and yet smile and laugh the whole time...I love that!! That's what makes the home school world go "round. Being able to do what you think is right and personalize it for your kids :)
We just finished "Mr. Poppers Penguins." Sam really LOVED this book! He really likes penguins and so this was the perfect opportunity to really study the penguins and have fun too! He was upset that there wasn't a part 2 book. There isn't that I know of....I wish there were :) We also just finished a really old book by Augusta Stevenson. "George Washington Boy Leader."The copyright was 1942....the book really had an old look to it and you knew you were reading something from a very different time period. Even the pictures were different...like shadows. We both really, really enjoyed this. It told about how George learned how to do so many different things and how this helped him to become the great man that he was. It gave a very good feel of how it was to live in that time period. I would recommend this book to anyone. She also wrote on Abe Lincoln, Ben Franklin and Andy Jackson. These are also stories of their boyhood. If the library has any of these...I think we will read them too.
We are getting ready to start Johnny Tremain next week. I am looking forward to it...it comes with lots of really great reviews and so I am hoping Sam will enjoy it. The boy in the story actually loses the use of his hand, and so has to overcome his disability. I think this story will be good for Sam in more than one way :)
I am reading (and sharing some of it with Sam,)..."Patriots in Petticoats" by Shirley Redmond. It was actually in the children's section at the library; but it is a wonderful book! I didn't realize that knitting had such a place in history...but it did! Young girls spent lots of time learning how to sew and knit. The women had many sewing circles to make quilts and knit socks for the cause. They had huge spinning bees as well. One of the stories tells of a spinning bee where about six hundred guests showed up to spin or to watch. They made their own cloth so that they didn't have to pay the taxes on the expensive English cloth. They of course, didn't have sewing machines back then, so it was important to learn how to sew by hand. The young girls spent more than an hour a day practicing their stitches. They embroidered pretty designs and common sayings like "Home Sweet Home" on pieces of cloth called "samplers." These were framed and hung in their homes. I'm so glad that some of today's women are learning to do these things and passing them on to their children. I recently showed some interest to my Aunt in learning how to do embroidery. It is harder, (I think) than it looks. My aunt has done some of the most beautiful embroidery and cross stitch pictures that I've ever seen. That would make a lovely post...to show you some of her work that hangs on the walls in her home. But back to the book... the book shares stories of some of the most famous women in history and the brave things they did to help the Revolution. It is incredible to read of their bravery. I'm almost done with it and have loved reading it. They have a book on women of the civil war too...I've read it before, and it was really good too!
We haven't saw the sun in days here. It has just been cloudy, dreary and then very foggy at night. Periods of rain as well. I think tonight it is suppose to be windy and maybe even stormy. I miss the sun!! This weather just seems to make everyone tired and grumpy....It seems to be playing havoc on my joints too. I ache and have headaches everyday....arghh..I really hate this. It would be nice to even have some snow. Anything!!
I thought I would share some pics of some of the cross-stitching my Aunt has done for me. I know I've posted a couple of them before...but it's been a while. The smallest and first one she gave me for Christmas this yr. You know how I LOVE cows :) Also, I thought I'd show a picture of the lapbook that Sam and I are working on. We're not done yet...so some of it isn't finished.
Here is a picture of the lapbook....

And here's my pretty cow pictures....I just love them and my Aunt who made them :)
Before closing this post...I thought I'd share some pictures of Elizabeth meeting John at the airport. He has gone back to his marine base in California now until he is officially and hopefully out by summer. We are just very happy and glad to have him safely back home in the states (from Afghanistan.) A picture of the plane.....bringing him back to Indiana to see his Mom & sister and Elizabeth of course :) Sam and all the rest of us were glad to see him too :) :)
How SWEET :)
I think she looks kind of happy...don't you?
The ride home in the car.....silliness and giggles too...

Spending time together :) What a handsome couple..........
And yes.....John brought a ring home for Elizabeth too....but that's another story :)

"Do all the good you can

In all the ways you can

As long as ever you can

By all the means you can,

In all the places you can." ~John Wesley

With love, Jerelene