We began preparing in August for a BIG Yard Sale the second weekend.
Everyone pitched in to help clean out every room in the house (even Grandmother!)
Getting Ready for the Yard Sale - the house was a disaster (we are still recovering)
We had a great turn out. It was our most successful yard sale ever (also, the 3rd ever for me).
Research and hard work go a long way.
The little kids had a Lemonade stand.
Friday morning vs Saturday morning (it got a little chilly)
After our trip to VA this past summer, the big boys came home and made wooden guns, like those we had seen in a gift shop in Williamsburg. You can see the fun here.
The big boys made wooden guns to sale at the yard sale. They were disappointed they only sold 3 or 4. But now they do have this nifty little gun rack full of toy guns. Those are popular items here.
Handmade wooden guns by Elijah and Alex
We also celebrated the last two Brown birthdays of the year.
Jacob turned 7. He loved his Legos and his little vacuum cleaner.
Elijah turned 14. His birthday was the first day of the yard sale so we celebrated the next day. He was a very good sport about it. He also got Red Velvet cake again - the best looking one I've ever made (actually looked like a cake rather than a tasty explosion).
Secretary Charlie Greenwald, President Ricardo Davis (we are going to think we are cousins), Vice President Shannon Vogt (the brash Southerner), Delegate to Personhood Alliance Karen Lebarr, Treasuer Linda Powell, and Administrative Director Zemmie Fleck - it's a great group! Can't wait to see how God uses each of these people in GRTL and in the advancement in the sanctity of human life.
Some GRAND Briscoes came down Maine and gathered with other GRAND folk. We didn't want to pass-up the opportunity to be in the presence of such GRANDness so we went down to GRANDmother's house.
Grand Uncle Larry, Grand Uncle Anthony, Grand Aunt Juanita, Grand Aunt Audrey, Grand Uncle Dougie Poo, Grandmother, and Cousin Daniel
Grands and Grand spouses
There's always that one kid . . . they just don't out grow it (it was a different one in other pictures)
I might look like a Dunagan (when I tried to tag these faces on Facebook, it "recognized" them all as GeneandErin Brown)
AND it was time for school pictures. Our homeschool group does a yearbook each year, so a REAL photographer takes everyones pictures, then, because we don't spent a bazillion dollars on professional pictures we go to the Lake and take our own.
Those girls
Those boys
Silliness reigns. Everybody made faces, except Autumn, so everybody made faces at Autumn
Peek-a-boo
Everybody Jump, Jump!
At the Hartwell Dam, the Savannah River & climbing the dam
One of these will be our Christmas card - feel free to cast your opinion of the best, card worthy picture in the comments.
The Barefooted Browns First Day of School - Monday, August 3, 2015
Last night I had a bad dream.
I dreamt we had put all the children in public school.
They had been going four days, one child had been sick for 3 1/2 days, and I was in tears.
Everyone was miserable.
We were on the way to school to bring them back home when I woke up, all upset.
I may very well enjoy a day (or days) of solitude and quiet, but OH what'd I'd be missing if I sent them away to strangers every day.
Our school year has begun and lots of other things have happened. So here's the update.
Where to begin is the problem.
This post will just be that yearly, back to school, overload of information. And I'll link to another post with all the fun other stuff.
We know that this fall is going to be busy. Being a leader in our Community Bible Study class took up a LOT of my time last year, plus Papa will have a knee surgery in October (with another next spring on the other knee) and we will be taking care of him for a little while afterwards. And we've got field trips, work on the house, and ministry with The Daddy so we started school a little early.
Crazy Lady
There was a point early in July that I panicked. My family was all well aware that it was July because the
crazy woman they live with kept saying, "It's JULY!" and running in circles.
The new school year was quickly approaching, along with all the living life that comes with our largeness, and the end of the last school year was in pieces all over the place. And outside commitments were casting big shadows on everything. (I just realized my last two post, and lack of post, may have come from my overwhelmedness).
Since we've been doing the homeschooling thing for a while now there are somethings we have begun to reuse - just tweaked from year to year. Like our schedule (which is VERY important for this Fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants crazy lady), the checklist (or weekly lesson plans, one for each student), attendance sheets (very colorful doesn't mean better, but this has worked for me for years), school calendar (helps me plan), "Mama's Home School Brain" (aka "my brain" - has also worked for YEARS - this is where all this other stuff is stashed), and dividers (one for each child for the Mama, and the kids have one for each subject in their own binders).
The children are not all officially started in school (state law: Compulsory Attendance Ages: "between 6th and 16th birthdays." Official Code of Georgia Annotated � 20-2-690.1. So we don't sign them up until the school year after they turn 6 years old) BUT all of them have stared school.
On Monday, August 3rd, early in the morning (like 8:30) the Brown Home Academy began our 2015-16 school year.
We have a new habit of waking the kids at 7 a.m. to pray with The Daddy before he goes to work (unless he goes in early or stays home - then everybody gets to sleep a few more minutes). Then we send the big ones back to the rooms and encourage them to have a quiet devotional time (some go back to sleep) while Mama and the littles sit on the couch and read in The Child's Story Bible (they actually listen, mostly. Josiah often falls back asleep before he makes it to the couch. And I have had to correct this story Bible, but still find it helpful - Know the Word!) Breakfast & Chores and the day has begun.
Here's this years line-up:
Ava - 11th grade and duel enrolled with Toccoa Falls College Online (begins the 24th)
Autumn - 10th grade
Elijah - 8th grade
Alex - 8th grade
Lora - 5th grade
Jorja - 4th grade
Jacob - 1st grade (finally)
Josiah - Kindergarten (it's taken TWO weeks to learn the sounds for A & B!)
We are trying a few new things this year. Like Writing Strands for the bigger kids and a Morning Board for the littles.
Teaching Central - during the day there's a chair in there, but we have to use it for supper
Top Left: Morning Board; Top Right: Judy Clock I found for $1.50 at the thrift store Bottom Left: The book cases, the right book case is where the kids stash their stuff (the big boys shelf looks rather bare, maybe they need more work?) Middle: I put all the pieces to the morning board on card stock and keep it in a folder. Middle right: We are also doing (or trying to remember to do) timed math quizzes once or twice a week - my little weirdos think these are fun (they get two minutes to do as much as they can) And the bottom (to fill space) is our school verse, 1 Peter 2:9
Josiah is his father's child
For those of you with to much time on your hands (and for posterity) here's our curriculum list for this year with links (cause that's cool). And I'll through in some pictures from our first day so you can skip this boring part and keep smiling.
Jacob, Lora and Jorja are also doing QueensHomeschool Handwriting Printing and Cursive
(Ava is taking Composition this Fall through TFC - we ran out of things to teach her for Language Arts - "Alas, the student has surpassed the teacher")
Science - still loving Apologia
Ava - Chemistry
Autumn - Physical Science
Elijah & Alex - General Science
Middle School boys
All the little - Zoology 1: Flying Creatures (we started this last year but life happened and we never got close to finishing - try, try again).
History - Autumn is continuing History for Little Pilgrims (again with life happening - though so far she has been more responsible for it and the boys are enjoying it just a little more - maturity does happen, in fits and starts).
Autumn is also doing American History
Ava is taking several short courses Economics (this with this), World Geography (1/2 semester w/TFC), and American Government (this and this)
Elijah, Alex, Lora and Jorja are finally on Book 3 of The Story of the World
5th & 4th grades
Electives - Spanish - middle and high school
Drama - everyone (except the principal) will be in His Last Days Passion Drama Labor day weekend.
and we are debating doing the Easter Play and Egg Hunt this year
PE - we might do PE with the homeschool group or Emmanuel College.
Art - Ava and Autumn have been given the task of teaching the other children from an art book, they must plan ahead and be ready to teach every Thursday.
Bible - I've saved the best for last
We are currently working through Vol 3 of the What We Believe Series.
This will be our 10th study with Community Bible Study (I think we started in the middle of the year so technically we're in our 9 1/2 year - I started in January after Jorja was born - NINE years ago this month!!! Good grief!) This year, beginning Aug. 26, we will be studying Romans. I'm still the Associate Teaching Director and I'm so excited to start another year.
1st grade and Kindergarten
Our class cannot currently support a Teen class (ages 14+ or 9th-12th grade), which means I'm looking for some other study for the big girls. Please pray as we seek God's guidance.
There are other Community Bible Study classes all over the place, day/evening, men/women/co-ed.
Check this link for a class, prayer group, or how to start a class near you.
Is that it?
For now . . .
Here's some more cuteness for your enjoyment.
First Day of School 2015-16 Top: Jorja checking out her new box'o'stuff; Alex and Ava cracking books Middle: Josiah got to hold the Bible for pledge time on the first day; Lora's box'o'stuff; Lora doing reading Bottom: Little doing something else under bossy's Jorja's direction so Mama could help others; Autumn doing Spanish
The clan - Josiah was back there but decided to try to climb the basketball goal in his suit instead
Josiah doing math
Ava ordering college books!
Last Friday's TCCHE Back to School Party at the lake
We've also had a birthday, did a consignment sale, and went to a concert. That will just have to be another post.
Good night!
There is no ketchup in this post.
But there is food that my darling children created.
And I happily ate. And it was WONDERFUL!
Having big kids is a total plus. I don't get this whole "wow, I can't handle my teens (or pre-teens)."
I'm not bragging (much). Mine are just great.
What were we afraid of? (Lets not talk about what we were like or did as teens. Don't poop at my party!)
Don't think like a Philistine!
And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance.
~ 1 Samuel 17:42 ~
Think like Paul,
Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.
~ 1 Timothy 4:12 ~
Teach and train so that they may say,
For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth.
~ Psalm 71:5 ~
O God, from my youth you have taught me,
and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.
~ Psalm 71:17 ~
This is a catch-up post. Cause I only posted once in June and that was a story about our big trip in May!
We haven't had in more real "big" stuff happen. But we are keeping ourselves amused (all.the.time.)
In June:
We went to a local church to hear Ugandan Thunder. They were awesome!!!
Church members volunteer to house them until it's time for them to go to the next town/gig. Our friends (with three girls) took home three girls. The next day we had the privilege of playing at the lake with three of the girls from the Ugandan choir. What wonderful young ladies.
I will say that there was dancing before the Lord like you don't normally see in a Baptist church.
Here's a video with their choir director (who is a famous artist somewhere)(this wasn't taped where we were)
Singers and dancers alike say, "All my springs are in you.”
~ Psalm 87:7 ~
We had sweet friends come visit. Lovely!
Top: Local Ashworth girls
Bottom: playing games with the red headed Gilbert children who moved
far away to Oregon - but blessed us with a long awaited visit.
We are still going to the nursing home every Friday night and we began Church at the Park again.
Every Sunday, June-August, 9:30 am, Victoria Bryant State Park.
The Daddy has Set up a YouTube channel to post his sermons.
I happen to think the last two weeks sermons have been fabulous! (And I'm his biggest critic). Alex is our videographer. I lead the singing (we don't record that - Praise the Lord!)
Reverend The Daddy is preaching through Psalms this summer (he did deviate for Father's day). This is Psalms 3. (Subscribe to his channel).
School was (is) finishing up.
Lora made 3D shapes
Littlest brother made one also. And here is a recent rendering by that 5 year old of Bob and Larry.
Ava and Elijah are taking a cooking class. It's slow going because it's fancy gourmet stuff (i.e. it's expensive).
Lora made mile-high fudge-brownie pie. Yummy! (these people know the way to my heart).
The Daddy got his REAL diploma in the mail. HE'S DONE! (why doesn't he seem to have extra time?)
Jacob is still plugging away at kindergarten work. Slow and sure wins the race.
And Ava has been accepted to Toccoa Falls College for duel enrollment!!! AND we just found out that the program covers the cost of her books!
We got to spend some time in Helen with our Papa Shriner.
And some time at the park with Grandmother.
The four littles and I joined some friends at the Library for a movie. We saw the Incredibles. The big kids stayed home and entertained themselves (another bonus of having teens!).
On another day, I took the kids to see Cinderella. We waited until it was at the Value Cinema in Athens. $2.50 each = $22.50 for me and ALL the kids. It was Jacob and Josiah's first time at a real movie theater.
Waiting for the movie to start.
Big boys are silly.
Alex and Elijah
Notice Alex got his bottom braces off!!! He has a clear retainer.
But sweet and creative.
Alex's "old-timey car" with goggled driver.
And sometimes The Mama has to take one to the emergency room to make sure he's not broken himself.
(At some point we've gotten into July).
Not broken! Just weird, gross, goose egg on his leg.
Today, after my nap while watching Sunday afternoon movies. I looked up to see all the sweetness.
Autumn was helping The Daddy fix the toilet and learn how to post his videos to YouTube.
Top: Lora, cousin Nyk, Jorja, Jacob - on the couch
Middle: The Mama and Josiah, Autumn and The Daddy, Elijah loves beach balls
Bottom: Ava and Alex - a little fuzzy.
And here's Jacob's recent drawing of his family. Perspective is complex.
And that's it.
Currently - like right this minute - I'm being edited (while typing) by Ava and Jorja.
The Daddy is helping Lora put together a model car she got for Christmas. This will take a while.
Elijah and Nyk are getting in trouble for running and aggravating each other (and 9 other people).
Jacob & Josiah are playing cars. Autumn is unaccounted for (and Ava has disappeared).
