Tag Archives: Sam

Kharisma and Clyde

Kharisma and Clyde are new family friends. At the beginning of January Samantha was offered an opportunity that had previously been just a dream for her.

A friend at church referred us to his new boss who had moved here without her family, but was bringing her horse with her. She was looking for someone to take care of Kharisma on the weekends that she went to visit her family. We met and talked about the duties. Even though Sam is just 12 years old we both felt she could handle the responsibility.

In exchange for caring for Kharisma, the owner said she would teach Sam how to ride, and eventually go on trail rides.

It has worked very well for our situation! We live 1.5 miles from the stables where Kharisma lives. It has been about every other weekend and twice for a week when the owner had to go away. Samantha and Matthew ride their bikes down there, feed, water, brush, clean stalls, and then ride home.

A few weeks after starting this arrangement, the owner purchased another horse, Clyde. He’s a big guy! But so gentle with the kids. Even my little girls give the horses snacks and hang out in their stables to pet them.

Recently the owner invited us down to the stables on a Saturday so the younger children could ride, and also to start teaching Matthew how to ride. We had such a great time. The photos are from that day – the kids had such a great time!

I don’t know how long this arrangement will last. I have asked Sam a few times if it is too much work for her but she says no each time. She loves being around the horses and doesn’t even mind scooping poop! I’m thankful she’s had this opportunity.

AHG Cake Bake

Our American Heritage Girl Troop has 3 award ceremonies a year. At the first one we had some of our girls share a musical piece with us and that was really great (plus it counted towards a badge for them). This time I wanted to do something a little different and so I took a cue from Cub Scouts and did a cake bake.

The girls were asked to bake and decorate a cake – all homemade (though mixes were okay) and completely edible. These were the categories for awards:

People’s Choice
Judge’s Choice
Best Patriotic theme (flag/red,white&blue/USA!)
Most Colorful
Most Suitably Named
Most Original
Yummiest Looking
Best Workmanship

Not all the girls participated but the ones that did really seemed to have loved doing it. Every girl got a patch for participating plus some of our awards were 1st, 2nd, and 3rd so every girl ended up with a ribbon. I was really impressed with the cakes and ideas! I only wish I had taken pictures. I just can’t get pictures of all these events when I’m in charge and Roy isn’t there to do so for me! One of our dads took a lot of pictures though so I hope to share more with you later.

For now I want to share Sam’s cake. She researched online. Picked one – and came up with a plan. There are 3 layers and they are books. She did everything – baking, decorating, cleaning. I’m really proud of her.

First Day of School of our 10th Year

I promise it wasn’t this week!! It was September 5th. Even though we homeschool I still have a “first day” of school each year. It’s the day we start new curriculum and it usually comes after some sort of break. This year we took the whole month of August off. Next year I’m aiming for most of the summer!

Samantha is in the 7th grade and 12 years old.

Matthew is 9 years old and in the 4th grade.

Alex is 6 years old and in the 1st grade.

Hannah is 4 years old and is in Preschool.

Hannah likes to pose – had to include it!

Leah is 2 years old and only sits at the table when she chooses. Except for Bible first thing. Then she has to sit there. She complains about it though!

All of them getting ready for our first lesson of our new year -our 10th year of homeschooling!

On a side note, we have always sat wherever at the table. This year I have 2 little girls that were causing some issues, so now everyone has assigned seats for school and for meals – the ones you see them sitting in are not their current spots! I had to put Hannah closer to me.

Christmas Play

*Found this in my drafts also.

Last Christmas, the children did a Christmas play the week before Christmas. They did a great job! It was based around the story of the candy cane.

Hannah walked down the aisle to music and presented the big candy canes.

Alex was a shepherd boy and the cutest one at that!!

Matthew was the choir conductor who happened to be the husband of the woman that thought of the idea of the candy cane.

And Sam was that woman. The children did a really great job and my kids had a lot of fun doing it!

A School Day Peek

This was one day last week. Just a little peek into our mornings. Matthew, Alexander, and Hannah sit with me at the dining table.

Matthew is writing a report on the sun.

I don’t let him ask me how to spell things. I just want him to write. Write whatever!

Alex was reading a Bob Book.

I think he was frustrated with me right here. LOL

Hannah has lots of fun things to do. Here she is practicing writing. Some of her worksheets are printouts that I have laminated. Then she uses a dry erase marker so she can do them over again in the future.