Mt. Charleston

Today for family day we had a picnic at Mt. Charleston. We had a fun time at the visitors’ center and hiking. The view was spectacular.







Marie-Anne

Praying Mantis

I have wanted a praying mantis since a friend of mine caught one. Today I finally found some! I caught four and saw another one on the bush. After showing them to Alex and Frank I let all but one go. I did some research and now that I know how to take care of it we have a new pet! Alex will be helping to take care of it as part of his science class. He will also be learning about the life cycle of the praying mantis and its prey.

Marie-Anne

Yet another wonderful day at Lake Mead

After the puppet show, Alex and I took our friends Tamie and her two boys to Lake Mead. It was another fun filled day. We had a picnic then headed to the water. The boys all enjoyed themselves immensely. None of them wanted to leave.





Marie-Anne

Fratello Marionettes Carnival of Animals

We had a surprise when we got to the library for story-time. The parking lot was almost completely full. I had to p[ark in the back and I never have to do that. I had completely forgotten about the Fratello Marionettes Carnival of Animals. It was wonderful! It was so packed that those who came after us had to stand. I had never been to a puppet show like this before. If you get a chance it is worth seeing.

Marie-Anne

Legos

Alex loves Legos! He got a new 137 piece set and put it together completely by himself.

From One Father to Another

Lord, as one father to another, I seek your guidance, as my example and guide.

Help me to be firm to correct but have tenderness at all other times. Help me have the strength to teach my children courage to stand and the humility to play catch or even play house.

As I seek your wisdom, help me to provide counsel when necessary and the wisdom to hold my tongue as life teaches its wisdom to my growing children.

As you provide for me, help me to care for the little ones under my care. May Thy word guide me and Your Spirit lead me.

From one father to another.

Amen

(Written by Frank)

Happy Father's Day!

Florida

We visited family in Florida. The kids had a great time getting to know their cousins, playing the Wii, going to the mall,



playing in the pool,









going to the Science Center,





playing on the slipNslide,





playing with dogs (Sabrina put all the dog toys in the kennel and then walked in and shut the unlocked door.),





and playing in the ocean. We adults are worn out.

Frank’s Getting Out of the Boat Party

Yesterday Kelly, one of our Sunday School teachers, threw Frank a surprise “Getting off the Boat Party.” Friday was his last day on the job; he is now a full-time pastor.

Is our church big enough to support our family? No. Is our church organization paying our bills? No. Do some of our family and friends think we are crazy? Yes. Is it God’s will for him to quit? Yes.

We’ve known for about a year that God wanted Frank to quit his job. Sadly we let well-meaning friends and family talk us out of it. God didn’t tell them His plan for us. Like Peter, we looked at the wind and waves… the church is so small…what about insurance… Unlike Peter we looked at the wind and waves before jumping out of the boat.

During Conference God told us again that he wants Frank to be His employee and only His. This time we acted. Frank gave his notice and got off the job that had been taking him away from what God wants him to achieve. As Frank said God doesn’t want him working for ashes.

If God created the universe, and He did, surely He can take care of us. If God is our Father surely He wants to take care of us- He wants us to trust Him.

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:25-33

Either God’s Bible is true or it isn’t. Either we believe God or we don’t.

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Numbers 23:19

This thing is bigger than just our family. Everybody at church knows about it. Our family knows about it. Now you do too. The believers and the unbelievers alike are watching to see what God will do.

Natural History Museum

Today we took advantage of Bank of America’s Museums on Us program to go to the Natural History Museum. This is one of Alex’s favorite museums. I’ve lost count of how many times we’ve been there, but the kids love it.





They have added an Egyptian room since the last time we were there. It was pretty nice.



Marie-Anne

WebRanger

A while back Alex became a Jr. Park Ranger at Lake Mead. He was so excited about it that I decided that he will work on becoming a web ranger over the summer. He started tonight and has already completed 15 of the 50 activities. He wanted to do more!

The reading is above his level so I read it, but he did the activities on his own. Most of the activities he did were labeled easy, but he also did a few of the medium ones without any trouble. He has not attempted any of the hard activities.

Once he completes all activities he will receive a patch. It’s free and educational so check it out:



Marie-Anne

Time 4 Learning

Alex played Time 4 Learning’s free game and lessons. I liked what I saw so we ordered a month’s subscription. If you are not satisfied and cancel within two weeks you get a refund. He has access to a grade above and below his current grade. There is a “playground” where he can play games after he completes the lessons.

Likes

Short lessons on many topics
I set how long he can spend in playground
Access to several grades
Track progress easily
Interactive lessons
Some worksheets are very good

Dislikes

Some multiple choice quizes have 3 answers usually with one crazy answer
Some optional worksheets are boring
1st grade had very few science and no social studies lessons
1st grade science seemed too easy

Kindergarten

I did not plan to use kindergarten, but Alex had trouble with first grade math and Language Arts. He was getting very frustrated so I moved him back to kindergarten to boost his esteem. It worked! He is flying through the kindergarten level and really enjoying the games and getting 100% on most of it.

First Grade

Science: Alex’s favorite subject is science so we were disappointed that there were only a few science lessons and they were too easy. Alex finished them all in two days. We are glad he has access to second grade.

Math: Alex was having trouble with first grade math. He was even having trouble with things he already knows, I’m not sure why. He was getting very frustrated so I moved him to kindergarten math.

Language Arts: Alex is having trouble with this although he is reading on this level, so I moved him back to kindergarten level.

Second Grade

Science: Alex is really enjoying the second grade science lessons. In second grade he has to read some of the lessons himself. I have to be there to help him with words he doesn’t know. It is working out good for us.

Social Studies: Social Studies covers map skills. Alex already knew most of this information, but this was his first time using this knowledge. I like how they challenged him.

Third Grade

Social Studies: Since Social Studies starts at the Second Grade level Alex also has access to Third Grade. It has some really interesting subjects, but the reading is too advanced so for now we are not using it.

Overall I like Time 4 Learning. I am glad that we got it, but since Alex is flying through the lessons we plan to only keep it for two or three months. We may subscribe again when he’s ready for the Third Grade level. (I am receiving nothing for this review, I am only sharing how it worked out for us.)

Marie-Anne

Valley of Fire

Happy Memorial Day! We went to Valley of Fire State Park with Kelly, David, and Hannah. It was very pretty, but also very hot. David grilled and we had fun watching the kids climb the rocks. Of course, I had to climb too, I can’t let them have all the fun!










Marie-Anne