April's Bridal Shower {Coral, Navy Blue & Coca-Cola Themed}

On a breezy Saturday afternoon in late January, one week before her wedding day, we had a small, family bridal shower for April. We sat outside in the warm, southern California sunshine at BJ's Pizzeria and enjoyed good food, yummy cupcakes, and family time.

 

Aunt Debbie made these gorgeous chocolate cupcakes with coral-colored frosting and delicate white pearl candies placed around the top. They were so pretty, I wanted to save them. They tasted so delicious, I wanted to eat more. Recipe coming soon.

Sippin' some lemon water, showing off her engagement ring . . . and long nails!

The BJ's waiter took this shot of the whole group. 

I can't remember which pose April and Michelle did first--the silly, sarcastic faces,
or the happy, smiling ones.

{If anyone would like the hi-res photos for their personal use, let me know. You can PM me in Facebook and I'll email them to ya'. --Renee}

Lookin' good, ladies!

Such a lovely picture with Aunt Darlene. We we're so glad
she made it to the bridal shower.

Camera shy . . . Jill and Brandi! Don't worry, my pics are
ALWAYS flattering. :)

Cousins, aunt and niece. :)

I really like how this picture turned out. I processed it in Photoshop,
and got this funky shot. Looks surreal, obviously,
almost fairy-tale-esque!

April and Kim, definitely NOT camera shy!

Mikaylah looking pretty!

{If anyone would like the hi-res photos for their personal use, let me know. You can PM me in Facebook and I'll email them to ya'. --Renee}

Time4Learning - Down Syndrome Kids: Homeschool, Afterschool, and Summer School

Joshua loves his "school time!" (Review was written a few years back, my kids have grown up!)

Joshua loves his “school time.”

My Joshua is a special child. God has gifted him with an extra chromosome (Trisomy 21, aka Down syndrome.) It takes him longer to learn some things. He’s a very visual learner and makes connections when he can see it, feel it, hear it, touch it. His learning comes alive through his life and world experiences. Enter Time4Learning – a new approach that takes advantage of today's technology. It's a convenient, online home education program that combines learning with fun, educational, teaching games. (From their website.)

I have 2 of my kids working in Time4Learning. My youngest, Joshua, works in the Kindergarten level. Here, he is learning phonics, special sounds, counting by 2’s and 5’s, ordinal numbers, comparing numbers, and odd/even numbers. Joshua is just beginning to learn these number concepts and Time4Learning provides the “fun” school time he needs to reinforce these concepts. He loves it. Since I am homeschooling, Joshua likes to think of this as his “school” time. I have been most pleased with the Language Arts section. It does a very good job of introducing new sounds or sight words, and then working with them. Creative-looking, colorful sock puppets, finger puppets, and little bugs are used to teach the lessons. He would be on this site all day if I let him! Joshua loves his “school time.” If I could afford it, (it is reasonably priced) I’d keep Joshua on Time4Learning indefinitely. He truly enjoys it and is making connections. It has been beneficial, indeed, for him. 

The only drawbacks are the size of the graphics in the math sections.

• At times, the items to be counted are too small for him to clearly differentiate.
• The number grids and graphs are also too small for him to see and therefore
• He has a hard time understanding the concept being taught.

The Science and Social Studies sections are fun and interactive also. But, it seems some reading is involved, which the parents will need to read to the student. This is fine in my case since Joshua likes to sit on my lap and learn that way. We read through each section and I help him to understand the lesson, then we take the quizzes together. The program leads Joshua through each section with flashing arrows. He can click on any icon and work in any section, but it keeps track of what he has or hasn’t finished. So, each time he works, it prompts him to what he needs to finish.

http://www.time4learning.com/

My other son, Jonathan, has been working in the 6th grade level. He’s been focusing on the math and language arts sections. This is quite different for him, since he’s been engrossed in Saxon math for the past 2 years. Time4Learning is big, and bouncy, and loud, and he was a little embarrassed when he began. I think he felt it was too juvenile for him. He’s gotten over that; he keeps the volume down… For Jonathan, I see Time4Learning acting as a great supplement to his math and grammar studies. The lessons are very entertaining and keep his attention.

Reviewing Time4Learning has been a privilege. You simply sign up each child in their appropriate level and then they are assigned a username and a password for each time they log in to learn. There are two levels for logins, an Upper Level Login, and a Lower Level Login. There is also a Parent Login that gives access to a parent forum, and lesson plans. It gives an account status and allows you to make changes to the student levels.

Time4Learning’s interaction is very similar to the kid’s computer programs JumpStart series and Winnie-the-Pooh learning software. There is also a child’s portfolio icon which shows what they’ve worked on, how successful they’ve been, how much time they’ve spent on each section, etc. These reports can be printed out for reference.

http://www.time4learning.com/

Their website says...
Time4Learning's curriculum can be the foundation of a homeschool program. Many homeschool families use Time4Learning as core curriculum in one or more subjects: others use Time4Learning to supplement other homeschool curriculum with a fun interactive reinforcement of the day's lessons. Families with children in school use Time4Learning after school as an alternative to tutoring, learning centers, or supplementary workbooks. Time4Learning is also popular as a summer skills sharpener or instead of summer school.

Click Here For Time4Learning

Throwback Thursday ... When was this taken?

Seasons in the AV -- Winter and Springtime

I took this picture in my backyard just a day or two after the Butterfly Bush blossomed. 

I loved the purple against the blue sky.

This shot was taken from my backyard, also, but during the dead of winter in the high desert. 

This is all we get for our winter weather--beautiful, dark, cloudy skies and whipping wind.

The 20-Year Love Story

November 18, 2009

I dreamed a strange dream last night.

I am lost and trying to find my way back home, back to my husband. Traveling on foot, I walk through familiar neighborhoods somewhere along the coast, where we used to live. It is nighttime. Gradually the streets became unfamiliar, and I try reading the street signs on the corners, hoping to recognize them and find my way back home. But none of the names are familiar.

Strangely, at one point I am driving in a tiny car, backwards, through a tiny alley, trying to get through a half-open, iron gate. Carefully I make it through. But then, I am back walking on foot again.

I come upon a street with a restaurant I know! I've been there before! A big, rustic, log building with snow covering its roof, The NorthWoods Inn! Ahh, at last, something familiar. But that means I'm farther away from my home than I originally thought. How far have I traveled from home? How will I get back to him?

Still lost and far from my husband, I decide to phone him, or someone, just anyone! I must have a cell phone on me, but I can't remember his number, or my daughter's, or anyone else's. I walk down a small corridor, almost like an alley. I stop and begin rummaging through my purse for anything that has phone numbers on it, a piece of paper or in a notebook. I flip through this small notebook, page by page, but nothing. I try to remember some, but there are so many numbers to memorize lately. Things are a jumble in my head. I hear someone whisper from around the corner, "Phone?" I don't know why they said that. They aren't talking to me, are they? And, I am so sad. And lost. How will he be able to find me? Where am I? I do not know. 

Feeling so sad and alone now. Lost and confused. There must be help somewhere . . . There must be a phone number I can remember. I am becoming desperate. Who will help me? Who will find me?

I slowly turn to my right and look down the long hallway, whitish walls on each side. And then, he steps out from a doorway, so gracefully, as if to surprise me, no, to comfort me. Like a fair knight, he smiles knowingly. He knows I am afraid. He has been looking for me all this time. No words are spoken, just complete understanding between us. He has found me. And I am helpless, and full of love.

I wake up full of emotions, looking at him beside me. He is like a little boy and my heart breaks with love. What have we become? Will he find me again? Can we find our way back home?

Unexpected

We cuddle up on the couch, watch a little tv, enjoy the summer evening, and reminisce on the events of a long day spent ministering God’s love to the campers. When out he pops, skitters, no–skips, no–it is more like he marches down the hallway, the king of his domain. He stops and looks at us, surprised that someone else would be here, in his kingdom. He stares for what seems like an awfully long time, considering. Then he darts into the kitchen.

A mouse! In my house! Now that is unexpected.

 

Late one evening, about 10:30, we walked home through the forest-y pine trees and down the hill to our log house, having just finished Friday night singing around the campfire. Hand in hand with my little boy we walked, stomping the leaves and rocks, twisting our way under the oak tree, carefully avoiding the little unseen hazards under our feet. Our house was right there, in sight, so close. I flashed the light farther down the path--there was our car and the truck parked in our driveway.

Wait! What was that? Two round, glowing yellow eyes, never moving, never swerving stared back at us. Two round ears popped out on top of its head. This was one huge dog--as tall as the truck bed it was standing next to. Was this the “Beast Dog” described in the Hound of the Baskervilles? Could it be real? Was it alive?

On we walked, straight towards it, staying true to the path we were on. It kept silent, but loomed large. Was this the Cujo dog? We walked closer, the light from my flashlight shining straight in its eyes. We were within 30 feet and still it didn't move, just stared. Then it dawned on me. THIS IS––A BEAR! 

Now that was unexpected!

 

Not sure what to do now, and panic set in. We quickly darted to the right towards our front door, keeping our eyes on the bear, ( he had remained still for some time.) Then, unexpectedly, he took a few steps toward us, may be as a warning. But in my panicked state of thinking, I feared the worse--that he wanted to ATTACK us! 

 

Running straightway, my boy and I clamored down the rocky wall,  jumped up the steps to our porch, tumbled into the living room, and slammed the door shut! 

The end.