History fair

I have a very good reason for not blogging lately. The hen house has been very busy researching history projects. A little over a month ago The chicks sign-up to be in a home school history fair. The oldest chicks have been reading, studying and typing. I had to help chick #2 with some of the typing he had to do for his project. He is pretty slow and he would also become frustrated. I figured it was better for me to type his words instead of having him give up. Chick #1 picked Elizabeth I of England for her project and Chick #2 picked the topic of Daniel Boone. They enjoyed finding their books at the library and I helped them find a few web sites they could research. It really amazed me how much more they learned besides history. The listed included library skills, grammar, organization, cooking, leather work, spelling, reading, comprehension and time management. I knew that Chick #1 would do very well on writing her project and finding information. I did not really know how well Chick #2 would do on his project. It turned out that he did very well. I had to give him a little more guidance than the older child. We would decide on a topic of Daniel Boone's life to research, for example his birth. Then I would give him a few question to find the answers for and he would then put those question and answers into sentence form and type them up. The chicks also had to prepare a two minute presentation about their topic. Chick #1 and I were able to find a few poems written by Queen Elizabeth the I, so she read those for her presentation. The presentation for Chick #2 was a little more difficult. He did not want to do it, but I had assign it to him so that meant he had to. It took a little brain storming on both of our parts until we came up with something. First, he had found a funny little story about Daniel Boone walking back-wards in the woods to loose some Indians. Then after that he talked about Daniel being a excellent tracker and showed everyone some animal tracks that he had printed off. It was such an enjoyable evening to see all of the work that these home school students had done. There were about 36 student at the history fair.

Chick #1 is standing here with her history board and hand made item. We had found an Elizabethan recipe for Apple Moye which is like apple sauce. She had fun cooking and severing it to the parents and children.
Here she is reading the poems written by Queen Elizabeth the I. She read very well but Elizabethan poetry is a little hard to understand. She presents herself so well in front of an audience. I had asked her if she was nervous at all. She said "No, I was so nervous for (Chick #2). He looked scared Mommy." That was just such a sweet thing for her to say.

Chick #2 was proud of his board and his leather pouch that he had made. At first he thought the pouch would be difficult to put together but then he quickly caught onto the idea. He spoke very well during his presentation. I was surprised how clear his speaking was and how calm he sounded because I knew that he was very nervous.

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to all of my readers out there. It is going to be a very cold day here with temp dropping all day long. A sweater will definitely be needed today. After my little chicks finished their breakfast this morning they were able to munch on chocolates given to them by their NaNa and PaPa. I had surprised them with Valentines hanging from the stairs and then they saw them as soon as they walked down the stairs. The older chicks are busy working on a history fair project. They have been learning how to do research and organize their thoughts onto the computer keyboard. They have two weeks left for this project and I hope that they will get everything done. I will have to post photos of their display boards after they have them put together. They are now finished with their chores so I need to go and tell them what things they need to be working on next.

A three year old is in the house

Chick #4 is three year olds today. He is a very active little guy and is always jumping off of our stairs. At this point in his life he loves super heroes and Disney Cars stuff and Veggie tale pirates. He wants a Spiderman cake today so I guess I should get started on that. Right now he is battling yet another winter cold and hopefully is will not last for to long.

Here is a picture of the little guy when he was about two days old. Notice how his hair color has changed? All of my babies are born with a dark full head of hair but that always loose it all. Well all but chick #1, she started to get hair cuts when she was six months old. Her little bangs were hanging in her eyes. Chick #4's hair grew back really blond but now it has darkened up a little more. In the past year he has done many new things and I am sure that while he is three he will be amazing.

Ash Wedneday

I love Ash Wednesday and the imposition of the ashes. In all reality I love the whole lenten season. Our sinful nature is thrown into our face and the grace of our Heavely Father is poured out upon us. My little chicks have always loved having the ashes placed upon their foreheads as our family kneels at the table. Our sins are ever before us and the payments for our sins is spoken in our ear. The sacrifice of God's only son paided for all our sin. This blood is the price and we can simple say thankyou. Do we disever this grace? Did we choose it? No! God choose it for us and we let the Holy Spirit work as it will.

Savior, when in dust to Thee

Low we bow the adoring knee;

When repentant, to the skies

Scarce we lift our weeping eyes;

O, by all Thy pains and woe

Suffered once for us below,

Bending from Thy throne on high,

Hear our penitential cry!

By Thy helpless infant years,

By Thy life of want and tears,

By Thy days of deep distress

In the savage wilderness,

By the dread, mysterious hour

Of the insulting tempter's pow'r,

Turn, O turn a fav'ing eye;

Hear our penitential cry!

By Thine hour of dire despair,

By Thine agony of prayer,

By the cross, the nail, the thorn,

Piercing spear, and torturing scorn,

By the gloom that veiled the skies

O'er the dreadful sacrifice,

Listen to our humble sigh;

Hear our penitential cry!

By Thy deep expiring groan,

By the sad seputchral stone,

By the vault whose dark abode

Held in vain the rising God,

O, from earth to heav'n restored,

Mighty, reascended Lord,

Bending from Thy throne on high,

Hear our penitential cry!

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