Thankful Thursday Top Ten 61

Thankful This Week For...

1. A successful baby shower thrown for my bff, April [her first baby & my first shower thrown]
2. Grace to watch my kids alone from sun up till sun down this week
3. My "baby" turning 18 months
4. Getting to paint this weekend
5. Opportunity to practice & learn more on hearing God's voice for myself & others [prophetic training]
6. CanApril coffee time
7. A new 10 feet power cord for my iPad [If Nation had a list, this would be on it]
8. Having all the verses
9. Trader Joes snacks & frozen foods [what kiddos and I lived off this week]
10. Bedtime stories for kids via FaceTime with Charles

A is for Apple

A is for Apple
If I stay in Jesus I will have much fruit.

Galatians 5:22-23
John 15:4-5

 As well as meditating on Psalm 17:8

For a field trip we visited a local apple orchard. 

See photos from that adventure here.

Our loot...

What Nation did with his apples before we painted with them... [fyi: he's a bug]

Isn't it awesome that God took the time to make even apples so different?

We read several good books, but one of my favorite was Apple Fractions. So we cut several of them up to explain what fractions are. I have to admit, I'm better at accurately even dividing than odd dividing. As well as I found a wonderful print out online to explain the parts of an apple.

I get my craft ideas from Pinterest, you can see the other apple crafts we didn't get to [this time around!] here. Two we did: paper plate apple mosaic, and apple stamping.

The five books we read:

1. How to make an Apple Pie and See The World [fiction: traveling the world for pie ingredients]

2. How Do Apples Grow [I love these non-fiction short reads, great science in a nutshell]

3. Apple Fractions [explained above]

4. Johnny Appleseed [beautiful illustrations & wonderful tale of his non-fiction life]

5. A Tree is a Plant [great non-fiction explanations of the science behind from seed to apple]

Also, I purchased two games: Apples to Apples for 7+ and Newtons Apples. As well two DVD's: American Legends [about J. Appleseed] and Veggie Tales Larry Boy and the Bad Apple.

Hillcrest Apple Orchards

Last week we studied A is for Apple, so over the weekend we went to a local apple orchard. 

We were able to not only pick, but also purchase several types of apples [and sample them!]

Don't let all the education fool you, we played hard too!

We also listened in on a talk given by a bee keeper. So fascinating!

Took a tractor ride [Solomon's favorite]

Went to the petting zoo there and had lots of fun petting [sometimes squeezing, oops] the animals. As well as Charles catching a few for us so we could actually see them up close and personal.
A first for Charles...hearing a pig squeal. 

I highly recommend a trip!

One Verse

One verse can change your destiny eternity.

I think I've taken for granted how readily available The Word has always been to me. My collection of bibles takes up more than one shelf, but what if all I had was empty shelves.

What if, I didn't even have ONE VERSE.

Not one. Not one verse from the Book of Truth. What if I'd never experienced the supernatural power of a fear-fleeing Psalm, or a faithful promise, a wise proverb, or marrow dividing word? What if I never knew the stories of The One who made the water, walked on it, and baptized people in it?

What if I got sick and I had no healer?

What if I got abused and had no defender?

What if I got desperate and I had no name to call on?

My one verse is: Psalm 139: 17

"How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered."

I've been sick. I've been abused. I've been desperate. But I've been fortunate enough to pick up The Sword of the Spirit, and slice through this life with healing, protection and hope. I cling to so many verses, but I cling to my verse, I cling to---His innumerable precious thoughts towards me.

He's Good. He loves me. He thinks so many precious thoughts towards me---you couldn't even count them if you tried. The people at oneverse.org understand how important even just one one verse can be to someone---

Will you consider sharing the life you have in Christ with the nearly 340 million people around the world waiting for even ONE VERSE in their language? See how it saved these babies from being buried alive.

Will you consider taking the time to download an app? Send a card? Give individually or as a group? or Take a Challenge?

Thoughts?
Do you have a one verse?

Funny Friday #28

Has this ever happen to you? You're in the restroom for 2.3 minutes and someone is shoving toys under the door. Not to mention everyone is yelling desperately for you---panicking where you are. 

#youmightbeamomif

I'm sure a mom invented bathroom door locks.

Sure of it.

Thankful Thursday Top Ten 60

Thankful This Week For:

1. Flowers just because
2. Last weeks soccer shirts not being too dirty to re-wear again [since I forgot to wash!]
3. Bees. I had no idea that they helped bring me 1/3 of everything that ends up on my plate
4. A girly movie night
5. Yankee candles to make my house smell clean...even if it isn't
6. Finding out that adding raspberry to a white chocolate mocha makes it taste even less like coffee
7. A prayer getting answered even better than we asked for [Re: Charles work]
8. Trader Joe's [minus 40 min drive]... heard a rumor they are building one sooner than later near me.
9. When my oldest son asks that his little brother be first [all this training---it's sinking in!]
10. Rita Springers new album

Vlog 6

Identify?

Scripture & Snapshot 38

more pictures from the atlanta botanical gardens here

Atlanta Botanical Garden

Yesterday I took the older two to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens for the homeschool day [cheaper tickets! yay!] and we had a super awesome time looking at all the beautiful and wonderful things God made. This week studying leaves has truly opened my eyes to the attention to detail our Creator has. He's such an artist. He's imagination is so fascinating and wonderful.

Below I've posted my 11 favorite photos, but here is a video of 51 photos of only the "plant life" we saw. The video is 3 minutes. Hope you walk away inspired by the beauty he handmade.

[You're going to want to click once to open this, and then double click once it starts, otherwise you're going to see an youtube advertisement that is sure to annoy you.]

Some of my favorite [edited] photos:

Thankful Thursday Top Ten 59

Thankful This Week For:

1. A robot Charles & Nation spent hours making together [bonus: it "walks"]

2. Boys all around me

3. A boy who played outside and couldn't quite make it till nap time

4. A children's museum that wasn't crowded
5. 3 boys who didn't fall asleep in the car on the way home [but made it home for naps!!!]
6. All the different types of leaves God made. I never honestly stopped to look until now.
7. An encouraging homeschool retreat about Prayer
8. Mexican food with my gals friends #icouldeatchipsandcheeseeverday
9. Remembering that we can all hear from God & encourage one another with what we hear
10. Impromptu coffee with a [transparent---always appreciated!] friend

What are you thankful for this week? 

Link up below and comment on one persons

L is for Leaf

L is for Leaf
I will live and grow in Jesus.

Psalm 1:1-3
Jeremiah 17:7-8
1 John 5:12

To be honest, I'm loving this week! You know the saying, "stop and smell the roses"? well...I've never "stopped and seen the leaves". I can not believe how many we've collected in our few walks. Several dozen. I bought Nation a little $1 photo album and he's been putting together this great leaf collection. 

We have plans to continue to collect as well as trace, outline, count, sort, make wax paper leaves, make leaf garland, etc. On Friday we are taking a field trip to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens! And lots more fun leaf crafts by the end of the weekend.

Collecting all my ideas on my "L is for Leaf" on Pinterest.

The five books we're reading are:

1. I Am A Leaf by Marzollo [Easy reader]

2. Why Do Leaves Change Color? by Maestro [Informational, great!]

3. Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Rawlinson [cute fictional story]

4. Trees, Leaves and Bark by Burns [my favorite! a take-along guide to all things leaves]

5. Leaf by King [fictional]

In addition, I recommend God's Design for Life "World of Plants" for deeper study.

[homeschool mom goof: truck=trunk]