What we do

True.
Sam.

Homeschool Vintage Ball

The long-awaited ... *cough* circumstances beyond my control ... *mumble*...

ANYWAY!
Below are some pictures from the Vintage Ball we attended this summer if any of our friends still have an interest.

Say "red eye!"

 

The term "vintage" was given a broad definition. As such attendees were arrayed in all manner of dress, from the 1700s to 1860, from western duds to (my personal favorite) 1940s dress. And of course, formal modern attire.

 

 

We met old friends and new that evening. A ball is intended to be a very social event and this one was wonderful.

 

Notice the historical dress and adorable little dancer in a a suit. Also note the basketball hoop: the ball was held in a church gymnasium which proved a perfect venue.




 

SquiRe (in his too-cute bow tie) was completely captivated by the dancing and participated in almost every set. There was a fantastic diversity of age and dancing skill at the ball. All of the dances were briefly explained then "called" which was very helpful.



 

Our dear Jack was a little overwhelmed by it all at times, bless his heart.

 

You may notice the Invisible Woman (who much prefers to stay invisible) is prominently displayed in several of these photos. She hopes you're happy.

SquiRe and Sam are the first couple in this dance.

 

We had dances in sets of four, six, eight and even a few line dances. Some traditional dances were familiar to us, like The King's March, Jefferson's Reel and Come Let Us Be Merry. Others were new, like the Pineapple Dance which was performed to Viva la Noche. That was fun!

Daddy and I.

It was so nice to attend an event like this that we could all enjoy together, from Goldilocks to Mom and Dad. I think our parents danced more often than I did!


The night ended with a series of wild dances, one of which was called "Chasing the Squirrel" (pictured above). It is as silly and rambunctious as it sounds. We went home thoroughly delighted, invigorated, and exhausted.

 

 

 

Risa

Healthy Food (from kids' perspectives)

If you'd like a laugh, try this short. It's quite funny, especially if you like healthy eating. (Can you say kombucha?)





Note: We don't condone or attempt to encourage bad-mouthing mothers who valiantly promote a healthy diet for their families. You moms are amazing!

Extra! Extra! Read All About it!

Most popular news stories of the week!

 

Boy Snoozes During Snack

Hot off the press: pictures of Jack snoozing during snack time! Jack caught sleeping during snack instead of the preferred "nap time". Self proclaimed expert, Momo, was questioned about Jack's confusion. She told reporters she believed that "he was confused with the upcoming end of daylight savings time." Daylight savings time ends on Sunday, November 4, which is still 58 days away. We reached out to Jack's Reps for comment but did not receive a response.

Boy's Many Hunts Fruitless

"I'm going to catch it and hold it!" SquiRe declared about pictured lizard. The aforementioned lizard has been spotted by SquiRe many a time to no avail. "I will not give up!" He resolved aloud. "Unless... Do you think I should?"



Rooster Soon to be Dinner

 

Latest reports have confirmed that the rooster known as "Sylvester" is indeed destined for dinner. After relentlessly attacking his feeder, the owners have decided he can best serve the family fried. In an interview with the owner she said they have too many and "we don't need one like that." Looks like Sylvester's chances are fried. More on how Sylvester will be served to be forth coming.

 

New Pet For Sam Finally Named

Earlier this August Sam, the popular writer at Books Ballet and Basketball, bought a Mastiff puppy. The puppy was ten weeks old when she came to Sam and in the first week had gained 8lbs! During that entire week the puppy was called by various names in consequence of the fact that Sam had not yet chosen a name for her. Family members and even neighbors offered too many choices, making the selection quite large. Among the name prospects were "Sam", "Moxie", "Luna", "Shadow", and "Reilly". In a brief interview with Sam, she was asked why she thought it was so difficult to name her dog. Her response: "'Cause I'm indecisive." The dog has been officially christened Cleopatra.

 

 

 

Dancer's Pain No More

 

Surgery was recently performed to remove Momo's toe nails. Momo has been affected with ingrown toe nails since starting pointe work in ballet over three years ago. But the pain of ingrown nails is now a thing of the past and this dancer's toes are healing very well.

Fact you probably don't want to know about nails: The current record-holder of longest nails, according to Guinness, is Shridhar Chillal who set the record in 1998 with a total of 242.25 inches of nails on his left hand. His longest nail, on his thumb, was 4.8 feet long.

My Trip

This post is over due, but better late then never! Maybe. =)

"More than half the pleasure of going is in the return, as any traveler knows. To go, to see the far place, the place beyond the horizon, is exciting; but to return is satysfying as few other things can ever be. To know after absence the familiar street and road and village and house is to know again the satisfaction of home. ...And that is the final satisfaction of a trip, whether it is a vacation or just a journey - the return itself. The homecoming. The trip back, and the home at the end. To go is good but to come back is best." -Hal Borland

Some of you know (and others do not ) that I had the opprotunity to be a "nanny" for a family and was out of town for four days. The trip was good, but in the words of Hal Borland, "but to come back is best."

I went with a fun, Christian family to a homeschool conference, to help watch their four children. Nick-named by the mom, Big-Big, Big-Middle, Little-Middle, and Little-Little. I though it was cute too! And if you wonder what they will do if they get five the mama has kindly commented informing me us! =)

Big-Middle, Little-Middle and I were running through the water.

 Sam made me take the camera and also made it very clear that I was supposed to use the camera while I was gone. I didn't take any picture at the homeschool conference, because I was busiest there, but I got some photos while the family and I were at the resort.

These are the two big slides that were at the resort we stayed at.

 It was so nice to finally swim this Summer! When we moved to our new house we lost access to any pools, and I'd been dying for a swim (so much that I told everyone I know who owns a pool how much I missed swimming with the hopes that I might get invited to swim at their house! haha)

A picture of yours truly going down the slide. Courtesy of my employer, a.k.a. the mom who's kids I watched.

 One slide went pretty fast, and that one was a lot of fun.

Form left to right: Little-Middle, Big-Big, Myself, and Big-Middle

 The children were very well behaved and a lot of fun to be with. Big-Big was happy to call me "sister" for those four days and told me if anyone asked if we were sisters I should just say yes so that I wouldn't have to spend all that time explaining who I was and why I was with them. In the end I wasn't mistaken for their sister as much as I was mistaken for their mother.

Big-Big, Big-Middle, Little-Middle, Myself

 When I came back home my entire family came to pick me up and they had made cute signs for me which they posted on the front door. I love them so much!

Prayer for Today - by Hilda Butler Farr

I only ask

That home shall be

A place where loved ones

Come to rest;

Where peace abides

And faith exists

Somehow because

I did my best.

Tomorrow -

It may never come -

And consequently I do pray

That I may have

Enough strength

To serve the ones

I love today.

Happy Birthday, Sam!

Counting the years you've been alive, and thankful for every one of them!

Counting all the blessings you have brought to our family, and just to me personally, would be impossible.

Sam is serious, responsible, and sensible. She is trustworthy and reliable. Her practical and realistic approach brings a much needed balance to the un-orderliness that comes from some of our family. =)

Though expressed in a calm facade, she has very strong beliefs that are steadfast when others might doubt.

She gives constantly but is often unnoticed because of her quiet personality. She is a young woman of beauty, but it is her hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, that is most admirable.

I'm so blessed to have such a sister!

I love you, Sam! Happy birthday!

Sam, wanted me to share a list of some famous poeple who share her August 19th birthday.

If you don't recognize the name that's okay, I wrote who they are in (brackets).

Lil' Romeo (a hip hop rapper)

Bill Clinton (42nd US President)

Tipper Gore (author, Al Gore's wife)

Johnny Nash (Singer, best known for "I Can See Clearly Now")

Fred Thompson (American politician and actor)

Kyra Sedgwick (American actress who stars in The Closer)

John Stamos (American actor who starred as Jesse Katsopolis Full House)

William T Riker (Character on Star Trek Next Generation)

Gene Roddenbury (creator of Star Trek)