Looking for A Fresh Start? You can find it here.
The reason behind the move is simple, really. The blog name was WilliamsAcademy. There was actually very little there to do with homeschooling. That little detail has been bugging me for quite awhile. This morning I couldn't stand it any more!
I'll be moving some entries here from the other blogs that do have to do with homeschooling our boys, including field trip notes! But that might take awhile. And hopefully I'll get around to posting new things, too.
In the meantime, if you're trying to check in on us, visit A Fresh Start at its new home!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
Roman Art from the Louvre
We took the day off on Friday and went to see an exhibition of Roman art. It was an incredible experience to be standing inches from larger than life size marble statues and busts of Augustus (shown left, 85" tall, c. 10 A.D.!), Marcus Aurelius, Caligula, Nero and other historic figures. The pieces in the exhibit generally date from the early first century to the early fourth century. There were no ropes, no cases, nothing at all between the statuary and the viewing public. It was SO HARD for me not to reach out and touch something that was literally a part of Roman history 1,998 years ago. I was good, but my heart still pounds at the thought of my fingertips touching a piece of history such as this!There were also pieces of pottery, glassware, jewelry, reliefs, bronze military diplomas, decorative objects, paintings and other objects from all around the Roman Empire. There were even objects that had been seized by Napoleon!!! So many centuries of history in this one exhibition! It was definitely something to see. Wish we had known about it long before we did. We could have visited it a second time to really let things gel in our minds.
A few of the things that took my breath away were encased. They were beautiful fresco-like paintings from Herculaneum that had been buried beneath the soot and ash from the cataclysmic eruption of Mount Vesuvius. One of the pieces is shown, also to the left (47.25" x 24", c. 60-80 A.D). Other pieces were from or very near Pompeii itself. All of this right here in the middle of the 21st century United States! Sadly, it is now being packed up for shipping back to Paris, back home to the Louvre.While Brawn burned out pretty quickly, the rest of us really enjoyed the exhibit. Now more than ever we want to find a way to get to Atlanta or Houston to see THE Terra Cotta soldiers from the tomb of China's first emperor, Shi Huangdi. Brawn has been fascinated by this emperor since we first studied him. To have twenty of the terra cotta soldiers touring around our country is an opportunity we really hate to miss.
For now, it's back to Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance . . . and the house, when time allows!
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Crepe Making
More than one person in the family is enjoying cooking in the new kitchen! Scholar has developed quite an interest in crepes. Not only does he like eating them, he now enjoys making them, too.The batter recipe for these crepes came from a friend in Texas. The apple compote filling came from an internet search. Scholar immediately put his own spin on the compote recipe. He pulled some of the golden delicious apples that were called for in the recipe and tucked in a couple of Granny Smith's instead. Granny Smith's happen to be his favorite apple!
Not only did he do a great job on the crepes and filling, he even whipped up fresh whipped cream! To top everything off, he cleaned up the kitchen when he was done!!!This guy is building up some pretty impressive cooking skills! He shouldn't go hungry when he heads off to college and beyond! On the list of things yet to master, the perfect steak!
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
School! Struggles!?!?
We FINALLY started our financial curriculum this afternoon! The boys loved Dave Ramsey and the information he was sharing so much we watched the entire first dvd with workbooks and pencils in hand! It is already having an impact on their thought processes and values. Thank you, Lord!!! (Can you say "Murphy's repellant?)
The Homeschool Buyers Co-op is a great resource for all kinds of materials. We signed up with the co-op in its early days. Last spring, when the co-op worked a deal with the Dave Ramsey organization for the "Financial Peace for the Next Generation" homeschool curriculum, I jumped on it. It's about time we put it to use!
Life can be tough enough when you get out on your own. I want the boys to have as many tools as possible to make their lives less complicated as adults. In finances as well as other aspects of adulthood, the more tools they have to make wise choices (along with the ability to tailor those tools to their needs) the better off they'll be. Maybe they'll be a step ahead of their parents!!! That is my prayer for them, all four of them!
It is so hard to be the tough parent! Last Friday I insisted the boys and I attend a barn party with our new homeschool support group. We've been isolated far too long, so it was a little hard, especially on the boys. They eventually warmed up and had a nice time, especially Brawn. This week will end in big "game" nights for the middle schoolers and the high schoolers. After the barn party, Brawn is all ready to go to the middle school game night. (Yeah!!!!) Scholar, not so much the high school party.
Scholar is far too much like his mom. He is perfectly happy in his own little cocoon apart from the rest of the world. Like my parents had to do with me, I had to push Scholar out into the world this week. At least he has the advantage of not being nearly as shy as his mom. It finally came down to giving him a choice between game night or a 9th/10th grade meeting on Monday. Very begrudgingly, he chose the meeting.
We arrived at the church. He did not want to get out and go in ~ with or without me. I jumped out of the car and went in to see if they were indeed going to have the meeting. Two young men came out to the car with me, much to Scholar's chagrin. He did, however, get out of the car and go in with them. I started the engine and drove back over to Grandma and Grandpa's house. All I wanted to do was throw up! My questions were less intense than the knots in my stomach. Would Scholar hate me forever? Is it time to go pick him up yet? Did I care if he would hate me forever since I think this is good for him? Is it time to go pick him up yet!?!? Argh!!!!! My knotted stomach and I waited out the hour, or most of it, then ran back to pick him up.
"No," he assured me. He does not hate me! And "no," it wasn't an awful time. While he doesn't think it likely he'll be friends with anyone, he is intrigued with a special party that is coming up, and (I think!) a service project the high schoolers have. Yeah, God!!!
By Monday all I'll have in the house are teenagers. No more little guys. They need a social life whether they think they do or not. Wow! I guess I'm the momma bird shoving them out of the nest, huh? Just so they don't fly too far away, too soon!
Please keep my growing young men in your prayers as the Lord prompts. I admit to being incredibly unsure how to raise them into manhood without their dad around. I also realize the Lord knew it would be this way. He will take care of them and grow them into men even without Dad around. I have to believe they will be stronger men of God because of the paths they are walking.
The Homeschool Buyers Co-op is a great resource for all kinds of materials. We signed up with the co-op in its early days. Last spring, when the co-op worked a deal with the Dave Ramsey organization for the "Financial Peace for the Next Generation" homeschool curriculum, I jumped on it. It's about time we put it to use!
Life can be tough enough when you get out on your own. I want the boys to have as many tools as possible to make their lives less complicated as adults. In finances as well as other aspects of adulthood, the more tools they have to make wise choices (along with the ability to tailor those tools to their needs) the better off they'll be. Maybe they'll be a step ahead of their parents!!! That is my prayer for them, all four of them!
It is so hard to be the tough parent! Last Friday I insisted the boys and I attend a barn party with our new homeschool support group. We've been isolated far too long, so it was a little hard, especially on the boys. They eventually warmed up and had a nice time, especially Brawn. This week will end in big "game" nights for the middle schoolers and the high schoolers. After the barn party, Brawn is all ready to go to the middle school game night. (Yeah!!!!) Scholar, not so much the high school party.
Scholar is far too much like his mom. He is perfectly happy in his own little cocoon apart from the rest of the world. Like my parents had to do with me, I had to push Scholar out into the world this week. At least he has the advantage of not being nearly as shy as his mom. It finally came down to giving him a choice between game night or a 9th/10th grade meeting on Monday. Very begrudgingly, he chose the meeting.
We arrived at the church. He did not want to get out and go in ~ with or without me. I jumped out of the car and went in to see if they were indeed going to have the meeting. Two young men came out to the car with me, much to Scholar's chagrin. He did, however, get out of the car and go in with them. I started the engine and drove back over to Grandma and Grandpa's house. All I wanted to do was throw up! My questions were less intense than the knots in my stomach. Would Scholar hate me forever? Is it time to go pick him up yet? Did I care if he would hate me forever since I think this is good for him? Is it time to go pick him up yet!?!? Argh!!!!! My knotted stomach and I waited out the hour, or most of it, then ran back to pick him up.
"No," he assured me. He does not hate me! And "no," it wasn't an awful time. While he doesn't think it likely he'll be friends with anyone, he is intrigued with a special party that is coming up, and (I think!) a service project the high schoolers have. Yeah, God!!!
By Monday all I'll have in the house are teenagers. No more little guys. They need a social life whether they think they do or not. Wow! I guess I'm the momma bird shoving them out of the nest, huh? Just so they don't fly too far away, too soon!
Please keep my growing young men in your prayers as the Lord prompts. I admit to being incredibly unsure how to raise them into manhood without their dad around. I also realize the Lord knew it would be this way. He will take care of them and grow them into men even without Dad around. I have to believe they will be stronger men of God because of the paths they are walking.
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