7 Quick Takes Friday

If you visit ConversionDiary.com, you will find the hostess for this meme, Jennifer, plus a lot of other items for your interest. Click the 7 Quick Takes image in my sidebar and join this meme that shares mini posts and random thoughts and musings with other readers!

Here are my Quick Takes for today's meme:

1) We had the ultimate homeschool "life is our textbook" moment when we walked out onto the front porch to do a "listening to the world around me" exercise, and lo and behold, saw before us, a fuzzy, lethal-looking, grayish-white caterpillar on our steps...so....in true homeschooling form...we STOP in our tracks...run back in the house for a camera...and switch gears from "listening skills" to "nature all around us" as we chat about what type caterpillar it is (Laura, 14 thinks it is a Saddle Back) and how the spikey things sticking out of it look as though they can spring upon us like porcupine needles at any given moment! Then...you'll never guess what this little guy did to supplement our hands-on learning experience....HE POOPED...YEP...POOPED...right there on our step....how many people in life ever happen to be there the EXACT moment a caterpillar POOPS? And, in case you're wondering...YES...we DID take a picture of THAT too! LOL Visit our backyard glory blog to see our latest finds...including today's fuzzy front porch guest.

2) Jake received a little "team initiation" from the coach at last night's practice! The coach called for all the guys to form two circles to prepare for the "bull in the ring drill"...Jake, being the team rookie, said, "Sorry coach, but...what's that?" The coach replied, "you'll find out...and since you're new, why don't you get in the middle first"...Jacob, being the good-natured, obedient young man that he is...happily obliged the Coach's request and stood in the center of his team mates. Suddenly, the coach yelled out a number and before Jake knew what had happened, a huge, strong boy charged him from his blind-side and CREAMED him with a hit that sent him sailing up into the air and down on his butt!!!! Poor Jake looked like one of those little cartoon guys with his helmet reeling in circles for a second...you could almost SEE the stars that must have been spinning around his head! Jake QUICKLY learned the drill and the next time he was in the middle and he was READY and WAITING to BLOCK THE HIT! After the drill, Jake asked his team mates, "Ok guys, just one thing...are there any more 'surprises' waiting for me?"


3) BIG accomplishments for kids this week! Mary Clare, 5 can successfully tie her own shoe now!
Mary Helen, recited the 3's times tables for us this morning...without a flaw! And Gracie, 8, read the entire story in her reader without me having to help her sound out any words! Even the older kids are reaching some goals...Laura finished the unabridged version of The Hobbit in less than two weeks...it has 317 pages!


4) There's nothing so sweet and beautiful as a young family enjoying their home life together.
As I pulled in the driveway of my eldest daughter's home last evening...the kids and I all paused a moment to take in the loveliness of the scene before us: My son-in-law was mowing the grounds on his nifty little riding mower, and in the center of the Autumn garden were my daughter, young beautiful mamma, and her two sweet baby girls...their hair gently blowing in the breeze, smiles on their faces, and the evening sun shining down upon them. I admire my daughter for she has such a love of the simplest pleasures in life...whether it be a fresh icicle radish from her garden that she delightfully shares with us, or a newly lit stick of incense filling her home with a nice aroma...she is content and happy with the blessings she's been given...she makes do with what she has...and she generously gives to others to share her JOY.


5) Are you as excited for the coming of Autumn as I am? Campfires, cocoa, cider, walks in the woods with sweaters on, colorful leaves to rake and jump in, pumpkins, corn stalks, red-tipped noses caught in the chill of the morning air...Spring time usually stirs feelings of NEW LIFE within me...and AUTUMN conjures the sense that ALL IS WELL. What are some of YOUR favorite things about AUTUMN? Share them by leaving a comment under this post!


6) Some of the things we are getting ready to research are:

How airplanes land and where they are kept at the airports (Mary Clare wants to know)

Where do baboons live and where do antelopes live? Do baboons live in the desert or do antelopes live in the jungle? (Joey wants to know because he read that baboons EAT baby antelopes and we thought they both lived in very different places)

How to spot counterfeit money (Jake and Laura are doing further research to go with a story : The Bells of Freedom which involves a counterfeitor during the early days of the Revolutionary War)...note: I developed a comprehension/activities booklet to go along with this 20 chapter historical fiction book...I compiled it into a pdf adobe reader file...ANY OF YOU are WELCOME to it....just contact me via email (link in my profile) and I'll email to you ...I'm sure the book is available at your local library!


7) Mmmm....I smell shortbread cookies! Time to go! Jacob (our resident chef) asked if he could bake a quick batch of cookies after he finished his school lessons today...and far be it from MOI to deprive him of that hands-on learning experience and opportunity for him to serve his family...hee hee hee......Boy do they smell good!!!!!!!!