Why Just Do Math...

when you can do PE and math rolled into one? By the time we get to math we have been working about an hour. Therefore, I decided we needed to get up and moving. So, every morning when he has to practice counting by 5's, 10's, 0r 100's he has to do a push up or jumping jack for every number he says.

Jackson loves it and giggles his way through most days. Jon is excited that he's working on his muscles for baseball season! I am really amazed at how much better he's gotten just in 2 weeks. That whole exercising thing may have something to it after all! Who knew?

Even though she was already finished with her math, Ashton decided she couldn't let Jackson have all the fun. She was actually able to count along with Jackson on his harder numbers and knew much more that I gave her credit for! Jackson had fun teaching her to count to 1,000 by 100's as they did punches for each number.

One of my favorite aspects of homeschooling is watching the kids teach each other. I was so worried about Ashton feeling insecure about Jackson knowing more than her, but she is really holding her own. It's neat how she knows some things better that he does. For example, she may need help with the memory verse words while Jackson knows it all, but she usually remembers the reference numbers and Jackson doesn't! I guess they make a good team, as they should!

The School of Rock...

I decided that we would start off every morning with "Movin' to the Music" time. This is the beginning of our Morning Meeting (which is followed by prayer, Bible study, memory verse work and Bible or praise songs). My goal was two-fold. I wanted something where the twins could be included. I also wanted to get the big kids up and moving so they'd be wide awake and work off some energy before their sit down time. A lot of mornings we just do fun songs that call for movement like "The Freeze Dance" by Greg and Steve. This morning was Jackson's turn to choose, so he chose the soundtrack from last year's children's church choir musical. It has really upbeat songs they think totally cool because they sound like real rock music and I think cool because they are singing about Jesus! This morning it turned into a full on rock session. Normally, my goal is to get up and move with them both to be fun mommy and also to wake myself up! However, on this day I sat with cameras (video and digital) laughing and filming. Not only did you have Jackson doing his full-on rock star moves but Ashton was dancing her legs off. Not to be left out, Will and Wesley each received their own guitars to rock out on. Welsey preferred to slam his to the ground perhaps acting more like a rock star than any of them!

These two lovable goofballs came up with this move of hiding behind each other and popping out. The Brady band with their goofy moves would have been so proud!

Wesley soon left behind the guitar and moved onto the microphone. He must have been watching his big brother because he was dancing and singing. This boy truly has some moves. Will, on the other hand, was happy to have the guitar strap around his neck. He loves having things around his neck. It amuses me but mostly terrifies me at what that child squeezes around his neck!

We might have been the only homeschool to start the day rocking out, but I highly recommend it! There's no better way to start the day than rockin' for Jesus!

Just How Big Was Noah's Ark?

Wow, I'm so glad you asked! It turns out that Monday the kids Jon and I went to my Grandmother's farm to measure it.
Of course, Ashton decided she wanted to be "Pinkalicious" so everything she wore had to be pink! It was pretty cold, but keeping warm was secondary to keeping within her color scheme!

Those two little specks way down the field are the kids predicting how long they thought Noah's Ark was. It was actually even longer than that. It measured 300 cubits which is 450 feet. It went all the way to the tree line! I had no idea it was so huge! Apparently, it was very seaworthy though as shipbuilders use its ratios to this day.

Here they are finalizing their measurements and staking it off. Just the very act of walking that far as you measured really drove home how big it truly was. Some scholars think it took Noah and his sons 100 years to build. Can you imagine such a singular mindset and sincere commitment?

Pinkalicious and Daddy measured out the 75 foot length. The most unbelievable thing was, as huge as it seemed when we staked it out on the field, that doesn't take into account that it was 3 stories and 45 feet tall! Only God!

This was one of the neatest things we have ever done as a family. The kids were awestuck and amazed at the vastness of it, not to mention just plain had fun! Jon and I were feeling pretty smug that we had given our kids this experience we think they will remember for a lifetime!