Knights of Freedom

Ricky really enjoys this group. They do a lot of really fun "boy" activities.

What is Knights of Freedom you ask? If you google it you will find a video game with that name. That is not what I am talking about.

Knights of Freedom offers boys ages 8-12 an exciting opportunity to study the lives of American leaders through colloquia, learn about virtues through the model of knighthood, and statesmanship through hands-on experiences.

Ricky's favorite part is sparing. His leader has them write every week in a journal about what they did in their last meeting and about the book they are studying. If they do this they get to spare. It has been a great motivator! The boys also take turns with presentations of things they are learning or have an interest in.

This is a picture of Ricky and his friends bread they made. Creative minds thought "lets make BYU in bread dough and eat it". Very fun group!

Football Season!

I had to post this video of Ricky playing football.




Ricky is #3 in the gold jersey.

Shakespeare Rocks!

If you ever get a chance to study Shakespeare..DO IT!. The last two years Shelby has taken a class and participated in a group doing Shakespeare pieces. She has learned so much!

This weekend we were blessed to travel to Cedar City and perform at the High School Shakespeare competition. We had such a great time. Our partner was so much fun to spend the afternoon with Friday as we waited in three different place to perform in front of 3 different judges. The judges were so wonderful. We got the best feedback. They really want the kids to enjoy Shakespeare.

Now our group is looking into becoming a Troupe that performs during the year for various groups.

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages.
As You Like It Act 2, scene 7, 139–143

We love Astronomy Class!

The boys in the group sitting down to work on their journals.


This summer as I was trying to decide what we were going to be doing in the Fall, Taylor told me she wanted to study the Solar System. So I started looking around. I had seen this great book at a friends house before so I went online to get a better look.

I decided to expand on what Taylor wanted. We were going to study Astronomy! Then I got this great idea. Let's invite some kids over to do the labs and projects together. It's always more fun to do that stuff in a group. Not to mention, makes me follow throw and not just "forget about it".

I posted to our favorite groups that I wanted to have a class with 10 kids. I got back double that. I had to go with the first families that replied. (It pays to watch your email like a hawk around July-Sept). We have a group of 12 kids and we LOVE IT!

We are using Apologia Exploring Creation with Astronomy. The writers of this curriculum are wonderful. It was just what we were looking for. It is written for the kids to read on their own. There is a Journal that goes with it. A must have. It has great questions to answer, writing opportunities, projects to do, word puzzles, and more.

Next time I will definitely look at this curriculum for our next class. You can join us if you want!
Yesterday we studied Mars. We explored the atmosphere there and ideas of what we would need to survive if we build an EcoSphere there. The kids made their own EcoSphere. They were so creative. Not only did they have a water source, but they build water purification systems. Not only did they have gardens, but they had chickens for eggs. Then someone mentioned Ostrich eggs were bigger and could feed more people so they added that. Some things they came up with were shelter for privacy, a bathroom with a purification system to reuse "all liquids" , gardens, trees for more oxygen, flowers, torches for light, and bees to polinate.

This was a simple project we did when we did the section on the Moon. We dropped "meteorites" from "space" and watched at the "craters" they made on the "moon". (pebbles in a bowl of flower).

Great Stuff!

I want to start blogging about the wonderful things we are doing this year, and the wonderful webpages that inspire me. We are going to be making Mini Office's for the kids and I found a great website to share.

http://homeschoolcreations.blogspot.com/search/label/Mini%20Office%20Lapbook

I spent half an hour just looking at all her great ideas!

Did you stand?

Did You Stand? May 20, 2005

I was sitting the other day in a crowded airport, waiting for a boarding call on my flight to As I sat there , I noticed an old man sitting across from me facing the large picture window that gave passengers a view of the runway. The history of a life of hardship traced the old mans eyes as they stared into the twilight of his years, and as I watched, I saw tears rolling from those ancient steel gray eyes, leaving a trail of sadness that tore at my heart. I got up and walked to him and asked if I could join him. Without even looking up to identify me, he nodded, and I sat down, feeling awkward but intensely drawn to him in compassion for his quiet tears. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but notice you sitting here alone. Are you ok?" I asked. There was a deafening silence suddenly between us, for what seemed a long time, and finally he spoke in a voice that was worn and weary with age."Did you stand when she walked by?" he asked. I was confused by his question, and a bit taken off guard by the tone of his voice that sounded almost accusatory. "I don't understand sir, , I answered."Did you stand when she walked by?" he asked again, staring straight into my eyes. "Who?" I asked him. But he turned away from me, staring again at the tarmac just outside our window. I waited for an answer, but there was not going to be any. Our conversation was over it seemed, and I got up to leave, hearing the call to board that by this time, was welcome as an excuse to get out of an awkward situation. I started walking away, but was troubled and torn by his question. I boarded my plane after clearing the gate, found my seat , and settled into it, looking back at the terminal I had just left. He was there as I had left him, sitting alone facing the tarmac. I watched for several minutes, and in that time I noticed a number of people stop to visit with him, presumably to ask if he was ok, and then walk away, some of them shaking there heads, others just gone from view at a brisk pace. And still he sat , fixated on a plane that was resting about 300 yards away, surrounded by military personnel. As I watched, a small procession of 6 men carried a flag draped coffin away from the plane to a waiting hearse, where they stood after the rear door of the black car had been closed and they offer a salute as the car slowly drove away. I looked back toward the window of the terminal, and instantly my tears nearly blinded me when I saw the old man I had been talking to also offering a salute, but from his wheel chair now parked next to the window. Since our craft had used a rolling stair gantry for passenger access, I got up, and made my way to the door of the plane, and got off. I walked deliberately, heading for the terminal, making my way through the crowds to the old man at the window. I walked up beside him, faced the plane as yet another coffin draped with Old Glory was placed in a waiting hearse, and I slowly raised my hand in salute, allowing my hand to drop only when the hearse rolled out of view around a security fence. I turned slowly to the old man who by now was looking solidly into my soul with eyes of countless memories. "I know her name now sir, and I stood when she walked by." He was visibly moved, and he said to me in quavering voice ,"Thank you sir . . . for what you did. My greatest wish these days is to stand again for her, but I can't." I gave my legs in '43 and my oldest son in '67 to that Lady, so she could keep walking. It hurts when no one cares that she walks by. I missed my flight that day, but my heart and soul found wings to the heavens on the words of an 90 year old man who dared to share a heart full of memories with me and dared to remind me why Old Glory stills waves as the beacon of Hope in a lost world.

By Robert VanDerslice Copyright 2003

Summer has gone by so fast. We have been blessed to do so much this year. It is so wonderful to have so many opportunities for the kids to experience the world around them.

One of the things I didnt' blog about this summer were the birds. A robin laid 4 eggs in a nice nest in our tree out in front of the house. The kids were so excited to watch the eggs every day to see if they had hatched. The magical day arrived. The little babies were out. Ricky first saw them and right away said "Oh! They are ugly...well...that's nature." Every day we would go out the front door to look at the eggs. Mom and Dad Robin would dive bomb us the first week or so. But soon got accustomed to our family and trusted we were not a harm to their babies. Next, the babies heads popped up with mouths wide open. Just waiting to be fed. (This gave more meaning to the camp song we would sing at girls camp when I was young.."Here we sit like birds in the wilderness..birds in the wilderness..birds in the wilderness..waiting to be fed.") We were very fortunate to be outside in the swing when one of the birds took a nice leap and flew out of the nest. It was so exciting. We had to watch it for a while to make sure it was okay, and curiosity wanted to know where it would go.

Summer time is wonderful here in Utah. A simple game of spies, or tag, or riding scooters and skateboards is like a dream come true. Green grass, flowers beds, and the sprinklers that water them are the best playgrounds. Friendship is rekindled with those we don't see during the snow bound months. May we all keep these wonderful memories to keep us warm inside during the long winter.

Here is a fun poem

I'm dreaming of warm sandy beaches.
I'm dreaming of days by the pool.
I'm dreaming of fun in the afternoon sun,
and week after week of no school.

I'm thinking of swim suits and sprinklers,
imagining lemonade stands.
I'm lost in a daydream of squirt guns and ice cream
and plenty of time on my hands.

I'm picturing baseball and hot dogs,
Envisioning games at the park,
and how it stays light until late every night,
and seems like it never gets dark.

I long to ride skateboards and scooters.
I want to wear t-shirts and shorts.
I'd go for a hike, or I'd ride on my bike,
or play lots of summertime sports.

My revery turns to a yearning
to draw on the driveway with chalk.
It's really a bummer to daydream of summer
while shoveling snow from the walk.