CCC: aka CAMP CREEPY CRAWLIES!

Last week I had envisoned a week of bug watching, catching, reading, experiments, arts/crafts, etc. However, it did not go according to plan...does it ever really?

We started the week off with making T-Shirts:



Turbo made fingerprint insects, while Tank just got "CCC" - hey, he'd eat the paint if I wasn't looking!

I had the greatest intentions of investigating, worms, grasshoppers, ants, crickets and ladybugs. The first day, we were able to get part of the lapbook made on worms. However, there are no pictures because I can't seem to find it...Oi! There is just this one of Turbo cutting out some stuff about worms. On the up side, he did cut along the lines very nicely!


We were however; able to make a worm terrarium:



Unfortunately, at this point in time, I had forgotten all about it, and it is inside a box, stashed at the top of my closet right now...mental note: must get that before something terrible happens...don't want to think about all the possibilities!

Now, I am returning all 75 library books that I so painstakingly checked out so that we could have a plethora of information and surround ourselves with knowledge of the critter world. I have stackes of printed activities, ideas for ladybug fingerprint crafts hidden away beneath unpaid bills, probably covered in sweet potatoes with cheerios stuck to them. Ahhhh...another day maybe.

For now, we are off to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in the Springs, to enjoy feeding the giraffes...hmmm...maybe I'll stop off at the library and pick up a few books on giraffes before we leave....

UPDATE:
Okay, so I lied...here are a few more pics of the Turbo and Tank in their T-shirts...too cute if you ask me:

Book Review: Same Kind of Different as Me

We all experience poverty. Our poverty may not all be monetary, but we experience poverty is some way, nonetheless. This story captures one man's discovery of his own poverty; just not the way you think. As a art dealer, swimming in riches, he is exposed to something real, something he's never experienced before

This story, true in every way, is about dignity, friendship, and self-worth, a story that will move readers to consider the way they look at the people they encounter from day-to-day.

This is is not a how-to book, not a road map on how to fight poverty or homelessness. In many ways, the Halls break the "rules" of ministry to the poor. It was interesting to read the book considering some of those ideas. It took cancer and helplessness for Denver to bring some equity to the relationship through his prayer and steadfastness to the Halls. Denver continued to doubt the validity of their relationship for a long time. Readers are sure to understand that this friendship has been a lot of work for both parties involved.

At first, I thought it was going to be the Blind Side all over again. But, I was pleasantly surprised at the end of the book. I finished this book in less than 3 days. I was taken in by chapter 2 and laughed and cried. Then I was moved to ponder my own relationship with poverty, and then repented the whole way through. It is well written and easy to digest yet full of hidden treasures.

When you find a book that challenges you to consider fully who you are as a Christian, we begin to see that we all live in hypocrisy, and that we usually aren't as real as we say we are and that this is the time to begin to live like Jesus lived - to come for the poor and the needy - not just monetarily.

Both authors are honest in their struggles with themselves, their histories, weaknesses and the strength found in their purpose together. This book is written from both men's point of views and travels the road with each of the, chronicling their lives as they paralleled each other up to the time they meet.

This is a quick read, and a very heartwarming story to remind us all to challenge ourselves to talk to God and listen to what it is he has planned for our calling.





Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their [...] book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

O You of Little Faith...

I am now an official book reviewer on Book Sneeze. My first book: Fearless, by Max Lucado from Thomas Nelson Publishers

I have read many of Lucado's books, both adult and children books alike. Both are superbly written in such a way where it feels as if Lucado is speaking with you on your couch while sipping some Earl Grey with a twist of lemon and a squirt of honey. When I was offered to review his new book, Fearless, I jumped at the chance. When I sat down with my cup of coffee in the wee hours of the morning before the family began to rev up their engines, my first impression from the title, was that I was someone who probably didn't have too many fears that this book would touch on. The word, FEAR, to me didn't exactly stand out to me as something I would consider myself to have or to be. Yet, Lucado touched on many different areas that I would have never thought of. Fear to me is something of a scary emotion. More like a bad horror film on a Friday night. But what Lucado brought to the surface, was real-life fear that I often over-look for cast aside as something of an everyday life occurrence. Such as the fear of not being able to protect my children. The fear of tomorrow. The fear of the future. The fear of not being accepted. The fear of overwhelming challenges. The fear of violence in my life, neighborhood, schools, church, family, and friends. The fear of waking up in the morning, knowing that there is an overwhelming challenge at hand, and the courage it will take to stand up to it and overcome it...or to be defeated in the face of it. Or the fear of "this world is going to hell in a hand basket!" Knowing what I do of the end times and the different things that are happening in this world, FEAR, has gripped me to the point of wanting to live in an underground hideout, just so I can protect my kids and my family.

But what Lucado brings to the surface in my life after reading this book is simple: Matthew 8:26: "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?". Why am I fearful when the God of the Universe knows the number of my days, the number of the hairs on my head...and why am I fearful when I am full of much more worth than the many sparrows? WHY? WHY? WHY? Because when I choose to let fear come into my life, I choose to take matters into my own hands instead of letting God take care of me, since of course, he loves me.

What I love about Lucado's book, Fearless, is that he walks the reader through the steps of knowing what fear is, why we have it, and then points the reader in the direction of where to place our misguided fears and how to overcome it. Definitely a great read, and I would recommend it to anyone!

Our One Room School House has Arrived!

In the midst of storms, there always seems to be a light at the end. Sometimes, that light doesn't come for a long time, but when it does, boy, does it shine brightly!

Our light was shining brightly this weekend! My hubby and I have prayed about it a lot and know that for our family, homeschool is what God wants us to do for our kids. It has been a struggle! God has been questioned a lot, by me mostly, if Turbo and I can weather the storm of close quarters! This summer, I am preparing Turbo for Kindergarten, and I am overwhelmed by our closeness in our 900 sq. feet apartment. But, our precious little gift was given to us this weekend! My parents have 2 rooms in their basement that aren't being used. In fact, they need to be used, so we were offered them as a winter playground/school room! They live 10 minutes away...if that! Tank can sleep upstairs in the pack-n-play while Turbo and I work together in the school room. Away from our house, in an open space dedicated just for us! I am so excited! He was kind of excited too, but I'm not sure he realizes just what this will mean for us come fall.

This morning, I went over and began cleaning, and packing up different things, and bringing over our school stuff! I tell ya one thing for sure...one room is a spider graveyard...I hate spiders...

So for now, I am busy planning, laminating, printing, copying, cleaning, organizing and doing what all teachers dread to do come the end of summer...set up their school rooms. But for this mamma...she is one excited lady!

Pictures to follow soon!