Bubba's House O' Fine Learnin'

Molly Ballet Exam Grade 1

2009-04-21T19:50:00.000-07:00

Molly has passed her Ballet exam with a "Pass Commended." She started studying grade I when she was 7 so she could get an early start and now at age 9, she has passed. Now on to grade II ! We are so proud of you. Keep up the hard work! It will pay off.

Dr. Suzuki on Raising Your Ability to Play (summary by Margaret)

2009-04-14T18:02:00.000-07:00

If you asked a musician what their favorite part of learning a new song was, their answer is most likely to be performing for an audience and then being done with that song. When this happens, they are not learning to raise their ability in the piece they are working on. Here are two of the most important things for you to work on so that you will learn and never forget your pieces.
One of the biggest things to help you remember a song is reviewing it every single day. Most of us don’t like review at all, but once you have done it, you will raise your ability in playing the piece more emotionally. When you review, always make sure you are playing the piece correctly, that you are using the correct fingering and dynamics, and that you are confident in the music you are playing. By reviewing, you will help your brain to be able to figure out harder music that comes in the future. “Sometimes we think moving on is advancing, but getting better is really by reviewing,” said Dr. Suzuki. I hope you will consider this everyday as you do your review chart.
Secondly, you need to listen at least 15 minutes to your review songs. By doing this, you will cause yourself to remember what comes next in that song. Listening can also help you discover notes that you are playing wrong and then you will hopefully be able to figure out the correct one. Often our excuse is that we don’t have any time to listen to our cd, but if you have time to practice, you can make time to listen. You might even want to put a cd in the car and listen to it on the way to lessons. As you listen, think deeply into the song and ask yourself questions like, “Am I playing that note the way it should be played?” You will find that the song becomes easier to play after you have thought deeply about it and asked yourself questions.
I hope that after you review and listen to your songs, you’ll be able to play them more emotionally and show others the never-ending excitement of playing your instrument. Remember to listen and review your songs every single day.

Madison's First Editorial

2008-11-21T13:08:00.000-08:00

This is an editorial that I wrote for Language Arts class. It is about the benefits of listening to classical music. Hope you enjoy!

Have you ever thought that classical music has no point to it? I mean, come on! Why listen to it? It has no words to enjoy and even if it did, it's still weird to listen to classical music, right? If this is what your thinking, I have something important to tell you.
Classical music does have a point to it. There are many reasons why you should listen to classical music.
Did you know that classical music helps you learn easier? There have been tests done to see if music helps you to learn and it has been proven that classical music is the best for your brain.
One test was done with 3 groups of 25 rats. The first group listened to classical music. The second group listened to heavy metal rock music, and the third group listened to nothing at all. While being exposed to the music for a 12 hour period each group was put in a maze to find their way to the food.
It took the group that didn't listen to any music 10 minutes to get through the maze. It took the classical music group 5 minutes, but the rock music group all got mad and ate each other. This proves that classical music helps make your brain smarter, helps you to figure things out, and keeps you from getting angered or stressed out.
Another reason why you should listen to classical music is because it makes you feel better. Classical music is uplifting. Instead of words that make you feel mad or depressed, it brings you music that makes you happy, excited, and even sometimes makes you want to cry.
The third reason is that it was the first kind of spiritual music and many of the pieces were written for the church. Classical music is beautiful. There is a verse in the Bible that says, "Whatever things are true, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praise-worthy, meditate on these things." Philippians 4:8
Classical music sure fits this verse well. It's no wonder they used classical music to glorify God!
So if you want to do better on that test that's coming up, or if you want to feel happier and friendlier, or if you just want to hear some beautiful music, try listening to classical music and see what happens.

By Maddy K. November 21, 2008

My First Pointe Class ( by Margaret )

2008-10-03T16:11:00.000-07:00

I was so nervous a soon as I walked in the door to the Dancers' Studio in Carthage because it was my first pointe class. I was only eleven years old and I was also kind of hesitant because I was the only one there.

Finally everyone arrived, and we got our supplies out of our bag. First we put these squishy pink gel pads on that were supposed to protect our feet. Then, as soon as I got my pointe shoes out of my bag, I began to get excited because the idea of me dancing with my pink pointe shoes made me feel very graceful. After we put our shoes on, we walked into the dance room. " I can help you tie your ribbons," Danielle, my dance teacher said, as she bent down to tie my beautiful pink silky ribbons.

After we had stretched awhile, we went to the bar. Danielle had us start with the basic steps like plies and tondues. It felt so much different when we did them with pointe shoes on. Then Danielle had us walk across the floor on demi pointe which is between your flat foot and on your toes. Danielle said that we should do this often, " to break our boxes in."

The most surprising part was balancing without using the bar and walking across the floor because I discovered that I could do it. As we walked across the floor, Danielle would correct us by saying " Make sure you are getting all the way up on your boxes." "She also said that we should have tight thighs, knees, and that we should suck up really tall."We also got to grape vine and bouree across the floor, which was kind of tricky since I had never done them on pointe shoes.

Before class, mom had told me that I would have blisters and my toes would bleed.So after class I was expecting blood and blisters, but quess what , there weren't any! Mom told me I was "very lucky" because most girls do get blisters. After that mom said the we had to go home.

While we were riding home, I told mom that I couldn't wait tell next Saturday because I would get to have my pointe class again. That night I had a dream that I was a graceful ballerina performing the part of Clara in the nutcracker. I had to learn fifteen dances in the program and after the last one I fainted because I had been on pointe for too long. Then finally I woke up, and realized that of course it was only a dream and I didn't have to worry because I knew I wouldn't be doing fifteen dances. After that, I couldn't wait to go back to pointe class.

My Disaster Camping Trip (by Madison)

2008-10-01T14:32:00.000-07:00

It was the summer of 2004 and my family wanted to go on a vacation. The Givens, who are friends of our family, were also wanting to take a break. They were wanting to go to Table Rock Lake and camp. Mom thought that was a great idea since my family had never been camping before. My dad thought that we should rent a cabin, and everyone else would have been fine with that, but mom said, " No! I want the real thing with the tent and the woods and everything like that!" So we all started planning, packing, and getting excited for our camping trip.

Finally, after about a week of waiting, we left for the camp site. Each family took a separate car although us kids would have enjoyed spending that long car trip together. All the way there my siblings and I planned what we were going to do and of course asked questions. Some were about the camp site, some were about what we were going to do when we got there, and of course the classic questions like, "Are we there yet?" and "How much longer? I have to go to the bathroom!"

When we got there we had to unpack. Everyone had to help even though some of us would have rather gone exploring. Then, after we finally got done unpacking us kids got our wish. We went to look around and when we saw the shiny, blue lake we wanted to go swimming right away.

After about 3 days of our wonderful trip it turned to disaster. It started to rain and rain and rain. The thunder and lightning was soon filling the sky. Finally dad and Reg said to pack up because we were going to leave. And that's when the piercing tornado sirens started to go off. Everybody started freaking out and running around, yelling and trying to get everything packed fast.

After a while, all of us kids didn't have anything that we could help with so mom told us to go get in the van. We wanted to stay together so we all crowded into my family's van. We were terrified because we knew that being in a car while there are tornadoes was not a good idea. The adults were all running around outside trying to get everything so I decided the best way to help would be to keep everybody calm. After a while mom came and got us and said it was time to go home.

When we got home we all laughed at the trip because it really was rather funny, everyone freaking out and running around, but mom still said, "I never want to go camping again!"

My first camping experience was not a great one although I know that the Givens and my family will always remember it. But I have a feeling we won't be going again soon!

Let's Go Berserk!

2008-08-18T10:03:00.000-07:00

The vikings lived in the years six hundred through one thousand a.d. When we think of vikings, we think of mean and violent people.That is true, they were mean and violent, but they were also were very clever. In their homes and villages, they would tell stories about their gods and their battles. They were farmers and they grew fruits and vegetables too. They also ate many other things like polar bears, seals, and other animals. Even though the vikings didn't go to school, they were still very clever. One thing they invented was the viking longboat.They used them to sail across the ocean.The boats were able to go very fast and they could also go up on shore. The vikings also believed in many gods like Thor, the thunder god, and Odin, the war god. Those were the main gods that they would pray to and worship. They also believed in spirits and idols. Something that I didn't know was that we got the names of the days of the week from the viking gods. Even though most of the vikings believed in gods, some of them were Christians also. The vikings would often go and attack other places. They stole things and they killed people. When the vikings were mad and furious, they would take their clothes off. We call that "Going Berserk." The vikings were also very good hunters and explorers. They explored many things and found lots of different lands, in fact they discovered North America. The vikings also had many weapons such as swords, shields, spears, and knives. One other weapon that the vikings used was a dragon head. It was placed on the front of the longboat so that it would scare away the enemies. The vikings are a very fantastic subject to learn about. I hope that you will read and learn more about the vikings too.

My Boat is the Best !!!

2008-08-18T09:56:00.000-07:00

I learned three interesting facts about Vikings. First, the Vikings believed in gods, such as Thor, the thunder god, and Odin, the god of war. Secondly, they ate animals, fruit and vegetables. Finally, I learned that the Vikings were hunters, farmers, and explorers who liked to trade goods. There are alot of other facts, but these were the most interesting.

Viking Longboat

2008-08-18T09:50:00.000-07:00

Vikings had spears, knives, and swords. They also had shields for protection.

Let's Go "A - Viking!"

2008-08-18T08:31:00.000-07:00

The Vikings were people who lived from 600-1000 a.d. There was so much more to them then hunting and killing. They were really very interesting people.
When we think about vikings, we usually think about killing and stealing. The vikings behavior was not very pleasant at all. They went to other places and killed anybody and everybody. The stole whatever they wanted for themselves.
They made many different weapons. They used swords and shields made of metal. They also made knives with beautifully carved handles.
The Vikings invented many things, such as a ship called a "longboat", which they used to make surprise attacks with. The ships were long and thin, and could be driven right up onto the shore. This made it very frightening for the people being attacked, they didn't have anytime to run because the vikings didn't take long getting to shore. The ship was also made to move rapidly in the water, for fast get- aways.
Even though the Vikings killed and stole, they really were very civilized. They were not schooled but were very clever. They told stories, farmed, and traded. They loved to explore other places. They had leaders called, "Chieftons" and had different classes, and slaves. They hunted for animals like, polar bears, seals, and fish. They also ate vegetables that they grew, and different kinds of fruit.
The Vikings were very religious people. They believed in many gods. The father of all their gods was Thor, the thunder god. But the most respected god was Odin, god of war. They were superstitions and made idols. The days of the week are named after some of the gods. Thursday being "Thor's Day". But amazingly enough, some of the vikings converted to Christianity.
The Vikings were very interesting and even though we know so much about them, there is still much to discover.

Happy Birthday Bubba!!!

2008-07-20T21:55:00.000-07:00

I can not believe my baby is 7 today! What a great little man you are, Chase! You take such good care of me and your sisters. I am so proud of the way you help your daddy when he is working and you help me around the house too! Your doing such a good job at learning to read and doing your math everyday. Not to mention playing the violin and practicing everyday! God has really blessed me by loaning you to me. I can not wait to see what He has planned for you! I am proud to be your mother!

Maddy's Friends

2008-07-18T10:20:00.000-07:00

Grace Place Kids (We were kind of being goofy...but just kind of!! :)

We were getting ready to sing for a testimony at Upward.

I thought it would be fun to put these pictures of my some of my friends on the blog.
The first picture is at a graduation party for Isaac and Zac. (The two guys on the front row, on the sides.) We were supposed to be taking a picture for the scrapbook but the guys wouldn't stay still. Ok, it was us girls to, but anyway, someone suggested that we should hit the guys with our shoes so that maybe they would stay still. Ha,Ha, right. As you see in the picture, that definitely worked!! NOT! It just made it worse!!This is the best picture we could find out of all the millions of pictures taken...(there were like 5 camera's.) It was quite the picture! (The people in this picture are, back row: Rachel,Becca,Sydney,Ashley,Sara,Maddy,and Aspyn : front row: Isaac Hayden and Zac)
In the second picture, us girls were getting ready to sing, "Broken and Beautiful" at Upward Basketball for a testimony. We were really nervous and as you can see I had just got done with my basketball game right beforehand. We worked for a long time on that song to get all the right parts sung at the right time. But it was a lot of fun and we made lots of memories.
I'm so grateful for all of my friends at church and I love to spend time with them.

I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!! ALL OF YOU ARE THE "BESTEST" FRIENDS I COULD EVER HAVE!!!!!

(by Madison)

More coffee please!

2008-07-11T16:42:00.000-07:00

This is my father. He is better known as "Popo." He is a huge hit with the kids. Can you see why?

We've finished our Zoology Course!

2008-07-09T18:01:00.000-07:00

We've been studying about swimming creatures of the 5th day, which is a zoology 2 course from Apologia Science. Today we finally finished up the course and took pictures of our "ocean boxes." We've been working on them all throughout the school year and each time we learned about a new and exciting creature of the ocean, we would recreate it out of clay, paint it, and put it in our "ocean." I think this has been a great program for us to study together as a family because it is includes upper level vocabulary, but is written in such an insteresting and easy to understand, conversational style, that my 6-12 year olds all got out of it what they needed to at thier individual levels. It was fun...but now we must focus on history, or should I say, "HIS-story" for a semester or 2.

Chase's Oceanbox

2008-07-09T15:59:00.001-07:00

100_2335, originally uploaded by ckmmmc@sbcglobal.net.

This is my oceanbox. I have a dolphin, a stingray, a turtle, a snake, a seal, a shark, and a jellyfish. I learned that some jellyfish have a bad sting and you should out vinegar on them. Some can kill you. Sharks have bumpy skin. If a shark is coming at you, punch it or kick it. The biggest whale is the blue whale. I really liked learning about dolphins, whales, sharks, and giant squid. God makes some big and some little animals. Coral is pretty and alive.

Madison's Oceanbox

2008-07-09T15:52:00.001-07:00

100_2342, originally uploaded by ckmmmc@sbcglobal.net.

In my box I have a shark,squid,fish,dolphin,sea lion, manta ray, sea snake,and a sea turtle. I also have some colorful coral and then a rock on top for decoration :) I think my favorite animal that I learned about was the sea turtle. I never knew there were so many different kinds of sea turtles. The one I made for my box was an Australian Flatback. Another thing that I learned that I thought was cool was that there are these really tiny things called "Sea Squirts". I thought they were really interesting because they swim by "squirting" water away from them. I also found the Jellyfish to be rather scary. I always knew that they had stingers but did you know that if you touched one of thier tenticles, a needle comes out of it and shoots poison into you in one-thousanths of a second??? It's that fast!! But as we were studying them I really started to think that God is so amazing! He gave all the animals in the ocean a different way of living and protecting themselves. God must be extremely brilliant to be able to make all of those amazing things. Just think, he is the same God the made us too!! Studying these different animals has made me see just how great our God is.

Molly's Oceanbox

2008-07-09T12:26:00.001-07:00

100_2338, originally uploaded by ckmmmc@sbcglobal.net.

This is my oceanbox. I have a turtle, blowfish, sea lion, jellyfish, shark, snake, dolphin, octopus, and crab. The brown bumps are rocks and the colorfull bumps are coral. My favorite ocean animals are snakes, crabs, and turtles. If you cut off a snakes head, it will still move. Turtles can be very big. There are crabs all over the place on Christmas Island when they are having babies. Jellyfish are mostly water. God gave animals ways to protect themselves like when a stingray stings you. Crabs can pinch food and protect themselves. Coral looks like plants but are actually animals and they can sting you too. Sharks have big teeth.

Margaret's Oceanbox

2008-07-09T12:14:00.001-07:00

100_2336, originally uploaded by ckmmmc@sbcglobal.net.

This is my science project. It is an oceanbox. I have a turtle, snake, jelly fish, squid, fish, dolphin, and a seal in it. On the bottom is supposed to be the bottom of the ocean and the little circles are the sand. My favorite part was learning about the water snakes.Did you know that snakes are still poisonous even after they are dead? My favorite animal is the shrimp because it is a very small animal and it is not like any other. The only thing I don't like about it is that its favorite thing to do is to clean other animals off. I learned that God made alot of cool animals and that he provided food and all sorts of things for them to eat.

Violin Book IV Graduation

2008-04-11T09:29:00.000-07:00

Madison Kellenberger will be performing a free violin concert on Sunday, April 20th, at 3:30 pm. The concert will be held at First Christian Church in Lamar, Missouri and will be followed by a reception. She will be playing all of the songs from Suzuki Violin Book IV in order to complete her graduation requirements. She will also be joined by Mariah Murphey, Molly Kellenberger, and Chase Kellenberger for some special music. The recital is expected to last 45 minutes.

8 Little Men

2008-02-24T17:52:00.000-08:00

Tonight I have the pleasure of watching 8 little boys ages 7 and under while their families are setting up for Upward Basketball Awards Night. I sent my 3 girls to help them, but thought having the little boys here would help the adults be more productive. What a great group of little guys! They play well together, know how to share, and try to include everyone. Earlier I walked into the living room and heard one of them singing, "Jesus is the rock," while he was playing cars. I told them all to come sit up for dinner and was told, "yes, ma'am" by several of them. One of them prayed for us and I decided that he must be really paying attention to Pastor Kevin's prayers because he prayed forever.......and ended with, "and everyone said...AMEN." (Just kidding, Pastor Kevin!) When they were done eating, they asked "if they could be excused," and then each one picked up their paper plates and threw them in the trash. I heard, "may I please... Mrs. Kellenberger" many times tonight. It is funny... most of these children have not been to school to be properly "socialized," and yet they are pleasant, disciplined, FUN, and respectful. Their parents must be doing something right. I have only heard one complaint tonight, that I did not have any dessert. My bad...what was I thinking??? Next time boys, I promise!

Meet "Sammie"...

2008-02-13T14:35:00.000-08:00

This is Sammie Rose Kellenberger. She is one of the newest members of our family. She is 9 weeks old and very playful. She likes her toys and she also likes to play with her friend , "Hershey." He is our other new puppy. Sammie is very naughty and likes to get into things that she knows she's not supposed to be in. She also loves to cuddle with you. She is not doing as well with the potty training as "Hershey" but we are trying. We enjoy having two new puppies in the house. (written by Madison & Molly)

Meet Hershey...

2008-02-11T09:34:00.000-08:00

This is Hershey. His full name is "Hershey Kiss Kellenberger". He's a miniature Dachsund and he is the sweetest thing ever. We were going to get a girl dog, which we did, and her name's "Sammie," but Mrs. Solum just kept bringing the dogs up to us. What's really funny is that girls are usually easier to potty train but right know Hershey is way easier. He likes to run, kiss you, and play with his ball and bone. He plays tug-a-war with his friend Sammie. He has the prettiest brown eyes and black and brown fur. He is a snuggle bug and loves to sleep on top of you. He is a week younger the his friend Sammie. We got him in Jasper from a kennel. Because he is so little and almost flat to the ground it's very hard not to step on him. We also like his cute little ears in front of his face. Dashounds are the best kind of dogs to have. (written by Margaret & Bubba)

Our new babies!!!

2008-02-08T16:17:00.000-08:00

On Thursday night we went to pick up our puppy....but we came home with two puppies! It really wasn't my fault, the kennel lady just kept coming up with these adorable dogs and they all wanted to snuggle with me and I promised my husband I would feed them and love them and I would walk them and bath them and he could use my allowance to buy their food.... and HE GAVE IN !!!! Surely I can blame him, right??? He is supposed to be the level-headed one, right???
Honestly, the dogs came from a Kennel run by Merida Solum in Jasper Missouri. She does a fantastic job of raising several breeds and has lots of experience. She gave us a great deal on a male and a female. So here we go...on to potty training. Wish me luck!
You'll be reading more in the days to come as the kids introduce you to each little sweetie!

The Kindergarten Class

2008-02-02T19:03:00.000-08:00

These girls are working on the dance, "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair!" As you can see, the two little men, (my son, Chase, and Levi Taylor) get pushed around quite a bit, but I really don't think they mind!!

The 5:45 Class

2008-02-01T15:01:00.000-08:00

This is the 5:45 class and they are 4 & 5 year olds. They have been polishing their dance & tumbling skills this year in order to get ready for a recital in May. I am very proud of them!!

The 5:00 Class

2008-01-30T18:36:00.000-08:00

This is what I do at 5:00 pm on Tuesday nights. I get together with an awesome group of 3 & 4 year olds and DANCE - DANCE -DANCE!!!! We are currently working on tondues and plies in first position, shuffles, and the difference between left and right. We work on the balance beam, gymnastics mat, and mini trampoline. These guys really keep me on my toes!

One Good Reason to Homeschool

2008-01-21T20:14:00.000-08:00

You get to snuggle up with your little brother and read a book on a cold winter's day.

2008-01-16T20:25:00.000-08:00

Madison Kellenberger has passed her audition and earned a seat in the Northwest Arkansas Philharmonia Orchestra!!!

After performing a stunning audition with Vivaldi's 3rd Concerto in A Minor, Madison was asked to play with the orchestra for this semester. It is an orchestra sponsored by The Northwest Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and is housed at the NW Arkansas School for the Performing Arts. If she works hard, she could earn her way into the Youth Star Orchestra which is a full orchestra (brass, percussion, all strings, etc.) and they are performing at Carnegie Hall every other year. We are all so excited for her to have this opportunity and can not wait for their first concert in May! We thank God that He has blessed her with the gift of music and the opportunities to develop this gift!

Our new pet!! "Winston"

2008-01-03T17:55:00.000-08:00

We'd like you to meet our pet bird. His name is "Winston." He is a budgie also known as an Australian parrot. As you can see, he is very colorful and playful. His favorite toys are pennies, balls, and bells. He likes to ring his bells and often puts them on his head.

He is really easy to take care of because all you have to do is change his water every day and give him new food once every two weeks. You also have to clean his cage once in a while. Sometimes, when we are washing dishes, he will come over and take a little bath. He goes to sleep around 10:oo pm when mom puts the drape over his cage.

We got him in October when his owners moved to Saudi Arabia to work. They used to be neighbors with our Momo & Popo. To be honest, we really wanted their dog, but they took him with them. So now we have the bird instead.

Winston is really funny when he sits on your finger, shoulder, or head. He loves to eat spaghetti and macaroni and will steal them off your plate. We learned that we have to close his cage before dinnertime or he will think he can eat with us at the table.

He is a great pet to have and we love him dearly, especially when he gives us kisses.

Written by Margaret & Molly

Molly's Birthday Party!

2007-12-02T18:15:00.000-08:00

Three weeks ago I had my 8th birthday party. It was lots of fun. I invited Margaret (she is my sister so she was there anyway) , Maggie, Allie, Blythe, Merida, Courtney F. and Courtney G.

We ate lots of pizza, drank lots of pop, and ate LOTS of candy. We were all stuffed.

We put on a dance show, watched a movie, and slid down the stairs in sleeping bags. The sleeping bag part was TONS of fun.

Then we opened presents. I got lots of cool things. I got poly-pockets, necklaces, a stain glass paint set, a treasure box that you can paint, and a bracelet making kit.

Thanks to all who came!! I've played with everything and love them all. I had lots of fun and I hope that everyone else did to.

"The Apple and the Arrow" (reviewed by Madison)

2007-11-28T12:37:00.000-08:00

If you have ever wondered who William Tell is, then this is the book for you. It is called "The Apple and The Arrow", and was written by Mary and Conrad Buff. The story takes place in 1291. It is about William and Walter Tell and the becoming of Switzerland. There are a lot of characters in this book but the ones that were real are, William Tell, Walter Tell, Hedwig Tell, Rudi Tell, Marie, and Gessler.

The people of Uri who had a good king and the King was good to them. He left them alone except when it was time for them to pay taxes. But then the good King died and his son became the new king. The son was very different then his father. He was mean and wanted all of his people to realize that they were his people and that he ruled over them. So he made certain people become his governors. The new governor of Uri was named Gessler. He was a very cruel man and very evil. He treated the people of Uri very badly. The people wanted to become free again and get rid of Gessler. The men of Uri held meetings that plotted against the governor. These meetings were very dangerous, for if the were caught they would all be hanged. They plotted and soon all of the people of Uri, except Gessler and his men, knew that there was going to be a revolt against Gessler on the first day of the new year. But people started to find out about the revolt in other towns and so William and Walter Tell went to find out what all they knew. When they got there they were told to bow down to the governor's hat but William wouldn't do it. He said he would only bow down to the Lord God and the King. This made Gessler made so he arrested him and his son. But he then remembered that William was said to be the best bowman in the land, so he tied Walter to a tree and put an apple on his head. He told William that if he could hit the apple in half of the top of Walter's head he and Walter could go free. William didn't want to do it for he was afraid he would miss, but Walter had faith in his father. Walter said that he knew that William could hit it. All of the towns people who had gathered around to watch all knew William could do it too. So William shot the apple and it went right thought the apple and hit the tree. Gessler had said that they could go free but he was a cruel man and didn't keep his promise. So he arrested William but let Walter go free. Walter went back to Uri and told his Mother what had happened. Later on the night a neighbor boy came and said that his father had seen a small ship with Gessler and four of his men in it. But steering the ship was William Tell! Everyone was excited. The Tell's waited all night until finally William came home. He was cut and bleeding and was very tired. After he had some rest he told his story. " They were taking me to another island, but a storm came and everyone knew that I was the only one who could save them. So they cut my chains and let me steer the boat. I knew where I was going and brought the boat right up along the shore, jumped out and then pushed the boat out to the sea. I wasn't for sure if they had drowned but I couldn't take my chances. I ran through the woods and scraped myself up along the way. After about three hours I heard the sounds of horses and men. I didn't know who they were until I saw Gessler. I knew that this was my chance to get rid of him. I waited until he was right in front of me and then I shot my bow and arrow. It hit him in the heart and he fell to the ground. I ran before anyone ever knew what had happened. And then I ran all the way back here." After everyone had heard the story and asked questions, they went to bed.
There were still other governors that needed to be stopped. On the night of the revolt, the men went to the mountain top with some of the children. They prayed and then they lit their fires, but before they had a chance to do anything, someone started shouting, " Look! The Governor's castle is on Fire! We are free!!" So in the end, Uri turns into a free country of Switzerland and William ad Walter Tell turn out to be heroes.
To me, Walter was not a hero. He didn't do anything. His father, William, was a hero because he killed Gessler and was also one of the main leaders of the revolt. William did a lot to save his people and his town. Maybe Walter was a hero because he had faith in his father. Or maybe he was a hero because his father was a hero too. I guess that's for you to decide.
This story was more about William Tell than his son but the authors made the book look like Walter is the main character by placing him on the front page and focusing on him the entire first chapter. That is one thing that I would have done differently if I were the author.
I like the title of the book. I think the title, "The Apple and the Arrow", fits this story because Walter had to trust his dad and believe that he could really shoot the apple off his head. One of the things that I thought of when I read this was that we should all trust our fathers and believe in them.

I really liked the part in the story where Gessler captured William and so William had to shoot the arrow off of Walter's head. If I had written this book I would have made it longer. I think it needed more of the story with more details.
I would not have liked to live in the time that this story happened. It would have been very hard to get food. Not many people could read or write, either. I would not like it if we couldn't read or write, because life would be very boring. They also didn't have any electronics. They didn't have computers, cell phones or any kind of music players. This would have been very hard! Although, people who lived then would have never dreamed of these kinds of things, so they would never miss them.

This story was very interesting to read. I would recommend this book to people who like history and books set in the early middle ages.

Kellenberger & Luthi Fall Birthday Party!!!

2007-11-21T19:39:00.000-08:00

Chad & I recently had the Kellenberger and Luthi families over to celebrate fall birthdays. We had a great time just being together and being ourselves. Here are Jared, Calvin, Chad, Nathan, Austin,Molly, and Madison...the special birthday people.

First, we ate chicken & noodles... (We total 14 children & 9 adults.)

Here's Austin, Bubba, Danielle & Margaret waiting so patiently to be excused from the table...

We enjoyed just hanging out together...

2007-11-21T19:22:00.000-08:00

Here's Mary and Audrey telling secrets...

Molly and cousin Clint...

Margaret & cousin Danielle...

and Clint has decided that he's big enough to try to walk around...

Jessica enjoyed my chicken & noodles sooooo much that she was all smiles! HA,HA

THEN CAME THE PRESENTS...

Molly is old enough to read her own cards now...

We even gave Cal a special gift... Chad gave him back a saw that he had borrowed from him 3 years ago!

The main event for the night was, THE BOXING, of course. Ryan & Caleb showed us all how it is done.

Winston, our bird, even got a little attention from Aunt Jodi & Jessica.

2007-11-21T19:13:00.000-08:00

Uncle Kyle gets a little goofey towards the end of the night.Amber gets in on the act.

Margaret has to show us her tongue too!

And all the excitement was just too much for grandpa to handle. " Night - Night, G-pa!"

Daniel

2007-11-17T07:05:00.000-08:00

Look what the angels delivered......

straight from heaven.

Maddy's Birthday Party

2007-11-14T13:12:00.000-08:00

This is Sydney and Sara. This was one of the highlights of the party....sliding down the stairs, which was REALLY fun. :D

Maddy's Birthday Party

2007-11-12T13:31:00.000-08:00

This is Rachel, Me and Becca. ( I think Becca was saying something exciting)

Maddy's Birthday Party

2007-11-12T13:27:00.000-08:00

This is all of us. ( Sydney, Sara, Rachel, Becca, Aspyn, Me, and my sisters)

Maddy's Birthday Party

2007-11-12T13:25:00.000-08:00

This is Aspyn.

Maddy's Birthday Party

2007-11-12T13:06:00.000-08:00

This is me opening my presents. ( Rachel, Maddy, Margaret)

Maddy's Brithday Party

2007-11-12T13:00:00.000-08:00

This is at Pizza Hut. This is Becca ( in the red) and Rachel.

Maddy's Birthday Party

2007-11-12T12:16:00.000-08:00

I had my 12th birthday party on Friday night. It was so much fun!!!! I had Rachel, Sara, Becca, Sydney, and Aspyn over. We went to eat pizza then we all came home and talked a little bit. We finally decided that we should slide down the stairs in our sleeping bags, and boy, was that fun!!!
At first we went one at a time on our backs but we found the if you lay on your stomach you go much faster. Pretty soon we had two people in a sleeping bag flying down the stairs!!! It was really fun. After that we went downstairs and played ping-pong. ( I think we are pros. NOT!!!) At like 11:00 p.m we finally went to watch the movie Anne of Avonlea ( the sequel to Anne of Green Gables). By the time that got done it was like 2:00 a.m and of course we couldn't just go to sleep. We had to sit there and talk for another two hours. It was 4:30 before any of us went to sleep. I had a ton of fun and although I didn't get much sleep, I didn't want it to be over. I have to say thanks to my mom for letting me have that party, and thanks to all of my friends who came!!! ( I can't wait to do it again!!)

Sarkozy...what does he really want???

2007-11-11T20:41:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday, November 7, French President Nicolas Sarkozy addressed a joint session of the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives. His speech was incredibly patriotic...but there is something fishy... Who is this guy? Where did he come from? Sounds like he grew up in America, oh wait, he wouldn't know US history quite so well if he went to our government schools. Last I heard the French hated us. I'm totaly confused....must go research. Read excerpts of the speech here http://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art_pf.html?ID=4652 then tell me what you think.

Bub's first chance for flag football glory...

2007-11-10T17:53:00.000-08:00

and everyone held their breathe to see what he was made of....

2007-11-10T17:47:00.000-08:00

Bub catches the ball for a 2-point conversion. Notice the guy in the brown jacket.....(that would be Chad, the proud dad!!!)

2007-11-10T17:24:00.000-08:00

Bubba Kellenberger
Chiefs 2007

2007-11-10T17:23:00.000-08:00

The Chiefs are Undefeated!!!!
Here's Bub's first flag football team after an undefeated season! Coaches Chad Moore and Lance Hardman were awesome coaches and it was a great experience for all the boys.

14 Days of Homeschooling

2007-11-09T21:44:00.000-08:00

I did not write this, but have always loved it!
(To the tune of "Twelve Days of Christmas.")

On the first day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Can you homeschool legally?"

On the second day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"

On the third day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"

On the fourth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "What about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"

On the fifth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "YOU ARE SO STRANGE! What about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"

On the sixth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "How long will you homeschool, YOU ARE S0 STRANGE, what about P.E. , do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"

On the seventh day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, do you homeschool legally?"

On the eighth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, what about P.E. do you give them tests, are they socialized, do you homeschool legally?"

On the ninth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "They'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E. do you give them tests, are they socialized, do you homeschool legally?"

On the tenth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "What about graduation, they'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"

On the eleventh day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "I could never do that, what about graduation, they'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"

On the twelfth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Can they go to college, I could never do that, what about graduation, they'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, What about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"

On the thirteenth day of homeschool I thoughtfully replied: "They Can go to college, yes you can do this, they can have graduation, we don't like the prom, we do it cuz we like it, they are missing nothing, we'll homeschool forever, WE ARE NOT STRANGE!, We give them P.E., and we give them tests, they are socialized, AND WE HOMESCHOOL LEGALLY!

On the fourteenth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "How can I get started, why didn't you tell me, where do I buy curriculum, when is the next conference, WILL PEOPLE THINK WE'RE STRANGE? I think we can do this, if you will help us, we'll join a sports team, and we'll homeschool legally."

Korn meets The King

2007-11-09T21:05:00.000-08:00

This is a great example of why we should never judge people with tattoos, piercings, long hair, etc. This guy used to be a member of the heavy metal group KORN. He was addicted to many drugs and became a millionaire singing songs about evil. God has delivered him and he is on fire for Jesus Christ. I love what He says about "religion" and "taking a break from church." Sometimes religion can really get in the way of your real relationship with Jesus. Let us never look down on others because of what they look like, or because of their past. Jesus Christ can change anyone He wants to, and it is not up to us to decide who is good enough and who is not!
(Click on the link below for this incredible story.)
http://www.canadianchristianity.com/bc/bccn/1107/01korn

My body's achin' but my heart is full...

2007-11-06T14:57:00.000-08:00

I'm home alone tonight and feeling "sicker than a d-a-w-g," but I felt it important to drag myself out of bed a write a short post. How blessed I am to be able to rest in this comfortable house and know that my good friends are taking care of some of my children, my other children are helping run my dance studio tonight, my husband is completely taking care of a fundraising project for me, and another great friend is also helping run the studio by taking tuition $$$. I have a stuffed up nose, terrible sore throat, and a fever, and really need to stay here and rest. I feel so grateful to God that He has put me in a position that I can rest. Great God, Great Husband, Great Kids, Great Friends....and I don't deserve any of them. That is the beauty of Jesus Christ. He takes the lowest of the sinners and saves them from hell, then pours out His blessings upon them. That is what He has done for me and He wants to do for you as well. All you have to do is ask. He has given me everything I could possibly need to be perfectly happy and I did not do anything to deserve it. It is a gift freely given. Peace, comfort, contentment, love, real joy...if these are the things you are looking for, His name is JESUS!!! He loves you. Now I'll go rest, knowing that I am in the arms of a loving father.

Madison is 12 years old !

2007-11-03T21:22:00.000-07:00

I can not believe it! Madison is 12 years old today!
I tried to stay in denial all day and just act like it wasn't true, but that didn't work. I've been telling her all along to "STOP GROWING UP," but she doesn't listen. I guess I just have to let it happen. Just yesterday she was the little girl in this picture. Now she is turning into a beautiful young lady (who can still catch fish, by the way..). I thank God for her and all her special gifts. She is musical, athletic, smart, beautiful, and boy, can she debate! I'm pretty sure God has big plans for her!

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?

2007-10-30T21:14:00.000-07:00

Several years ago, I was convicted by the Holy Spirit that my family should not be participating in Halloween. My husband & I prayed about it and we sat our children down to tell them. We told them that Halloween was a holiday that was practiced by pagans to worship their false gods, and then the Catholic Church leaders had tried to appease the pagans by allowing them to continue to celebrate this holiday, but giving it a more Christian slant. We also told them that many witches who belong to the Wiccan religion practice pagan rituals on Halloween, as well as Satan worshipers. We showed them verses in the Bible that said that witchcraft, sorcery, and evil spirits are a abomination to God. We also discussed the verses about being a light to the world and not trying to imitate the darkness. I told them to think about how God probably feels about having His children participate in Halloween. They were totally convinced that this was NOT something that God would want them to do. Since then, they have never expressed disappointment over not getting to participate in this event. But they are very confused as to why other Christians would choose to. Consider these things...

Christians who celebrate Halloween use the reasoning that their children are part of this world and they want them to be accepted. This usually goes along with the belief that Halloween is not real anyway so what difference does it make if we celebrate it or not. I can sympathize with wanting to be accepted. However, as a follower of Messiah Jesus, we must die to the flesh.The flesh is the part of us that is demanding to be accepted. We do not let our teenage children engage in many behaviors just because they are acceptable in the world today, so why would we worry about their not being accepted because they do not celebrate a demonic holiday? We must provide the light, not enter into the darkness.

What is it about Halloween that is so enticing to many Christians? Why, after being delivered from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light, are they so eager to run back to the kingdom of darkness? Why do so many churches/denominations sponsor Halloween parties and festivals? The situation is very puzzling. Jesus brought light into the world. He came that we might have eternal life. Most Christians whole-heartily embrace these Scriptural facts. Yet, once a year, many of them turn their focus to Satan and his kingdom, all the while denying that it really actually means anything.

Let us examine and see if the celebration of Halloween is really 'innocent'. We will also look at whether Christians should be involved in it. Whether we like it or not, we must accept the fact that Halloween is not just some made-up holiday. Halloween is part of the ancient religion of the Celtics. This is a pagan religion, originating in Ireland and Britain, which is heavily involved with the spiritual realm and many pagan gods. This ancient ("new-age") religion has four Major High Holy Days, or festivals, each year. One of them, Samhain (pronounced "sow-en", with "sow" rhyming with cow), is celebrated on November 1. It is considered to be one of the most important celebrations as it is thought to mark the beginning of the Celtic New Year. According to the Celtic religion, the day before Samhain (October 31) is the last day of summer (and last day of the year) and the day after Samhain is the first day of the winter (and the first day of the new year). Since Samhain is considered to be "between" the seasons or years, it is considered to be a very special time. The Celtics believe Samhain is a time when the division between the spiritual and physical realm becomes very thin, when hostile supernatural forces are active and spirits are free to wander as they choose. Several traditions have arisen with the celebration of Samhain. One of these is "trick or treat". While the origins are not clear, there are two legends that have came down over the years. One is that beggars would go from village to village begging for "soul cakes" made out of square pieces of bread with currants. The more soul cakes the beggars would receive, the more prayers they would promise to say on behalf of the dead relatives of the donors. Another legend has it that, since the fairies were abroad on this night, an offering of food or milk was frequently left for them on the steps of the house, so the homeowner could gain the blessings of the "good folk" for the coming year. (This almost sounds like the current false teachings regarding giving "seed" money to get a "harvest" of blessings for ourselves.) Many of the households would also leave out a "supper" for the spirits of the departed. Another Halloween tradition is the "jack-o-lantern". It also has two legends that surround its beginnings. One such legend states that originally the Irish would carve out turnips or beets as lanterns as representations of the souls of the dead or goblins freed from the dead. When the Irish emigrated to America they could not find many turnips to carve into jack o'lanterns but they did find an abundance of pumpkins. The other legend has it that a man named Jack tricked Satan into a tree and trapped him there. After making a deal with the devil to let him go, Jack went on his way. He eventually died and, the story goes, he was not allowed in heaven or hell and so was doomed to wander between the two realms. The story concludes with the devil giving Jack an ember from the flames of Hell to help him light his way. Jack placed the ember in a hollowed out turnip. The tradition of "bobbing for apples" is derived from a Celtic pagan marriage custom. A lot of marriage divinations had to do with apples. In Celtic tradition, the fruit was associated with female deities who controlled the ways of love. One of the most popular divinations was for young unmarried people to try to bite into an apple floating in water or hanging from a string. This is something like the bouquet toss that still plays a part in wedding receptions — the first person to bite into the apple would be the next one to marry. Witches, warlocks, and witchcraft are dominant themes of the holiday. Witches and warlocks generally believe themselves to be followers of the ancient religion called 'Wicca'. This is a religion which worships nature and is an attempt to return to worshipping ancient Norse, Greek, or Celtic gods and goddesses. The Wicca religion is growing in the United States today. According to some sources Wicca is currently the fastest growing spiritual path in the US. Wicca witches are now allowed to practice their pagan rituals on United States military bases. Fort Hood gave official sanction to the first Wiccan group by giving them a place to conduct their rituals, endorsing their selection of a priestess, and providing them with an Army chaplain. (This is the fruit of "freedom of religion".)
Our natural tendency would be to just brush this all off as harmless fun, believing that it has no real meaning. However, Halloween ("Samhain") is not an innocent holiday. It is taken very seriously by those of the Celtic (including Wicca) religion and is considered one of their most holy days. The problem is that Satan has worked very hard to get the rest of us — especially Christians — to think that Halloween is really harmless. In fact, part of the work of Satan has been to convince the world that he does not exist. By doing so, satanic rituals, such as the celebration of Samhain, are seen as not being real. When Christianity and the world celebrates the Festival of Samhain and the powers of darkness by masquerading as evil creatures or decorating their homes, schools, businesses, and churches with occult symbols, Satanic power is glorified.

As to the introduction of Halloween into the church ...When Christianity spread to parts of Europe, instead of trying to abolish these pagan customs, people tried to introduce ideas which reflected a more Christian world-view. Halloween has since become a confusing mixture of traditions and practices from pagan cultures and Christian tradition. The Romans observed the holiday of Feralia, intended to give rest and peace to the departed. Participants made sacrifices in honor of the dead, offered up prayers for them, and made oblations to them. The festival was celebrated on February 21, the end of the Roman year. In the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV introduced All Saints' Day to replace the pagan festival of the dead. It was observed on May 13. In 834, Gregory III moved All Saint's Day from May 13 to November 1 and for Christians, this became an opportunity for remembering before God all the saints who had died and all the dead in the Christian community. October 31 thus became All Hallows' Eve ('hallow' means 'saint')."Somewhere (probably from Satan), the Church came up with the idea that it had the power to adopt pagan holidays and declare them holy to the Lord, i.e. Easter and Christmas. There is no Scriptural basis for this act by the Church. In fact, only the Lord is able to declare anything holy. There is no evidence in Scripture — neither in the Tenach ("old testament") or in the Brit Chadashah ("new testament") — of Moses, Joshua, the prophets, King David or Solomon, Jesus, or the apostles ever "remembering before God all the saints who had died". Their focus was always on God, not man. In an effort to separate itself from Israel, the Church disregarded the holy days set forth by God in Leviticus 23.

Many churches today try to turn the holiday into what looks like a a more Christian event. A particularly strange phenomenon within many churches is the introduction of the "Hell House" program. Quoting from one Web site that promotes the program, "Hell House is an outreach event that is structured very much like a typical haunted house that people visit and walk through. "Hell House" capitalizes on the 'Halloween' time of year, when people are thinking about ghoulish and frightening images and attractions. Hell House is much more than a haunted house. It is a spiritually-based adventure that takes people on a 7-scene journey, each scene depicting the hell and destruction that Satan and this world can bestow on those who choose to not serve Jesus Christ. Literally, choices that can also have an end result of ushering people into hell." There is even a "Hell House Outreach Kit" available.
One of the greatest difficulties with this "program", and there are others like it, is that it boldly states that the Word of God is not powerful enough to change someones life so we need to put real satanic fear into them. Another problem is that it does not cause someone to humble themselves before God and submit to Him for who He is; rather it focuses on the person so that they won't have to spend eternity in Hell. In other words, the basic message is "save yourself from eternal damnation" instead of "worship the Creator, the God of the Universe, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob because He is worthy to be praised". The truth is we all deserve to spend eternity burning in Hell. It is only because of God's mercy and His love that He has provided a way that we may spend eternity with Him.
The Web site goes on: "Hell House is cutting edge, it is shocking, it is offensive. But it is Truth". Terrorism is also cutting edge, shocking, offensive, and true (in the sense of reality) but I would not want my child to be in the midst of a terrorist attack in order to 'understand' it. We do not have to see or experience these things to know that they are wrong, or to come to know the Lord. It is when we realize, in our daily lives, that we cannot make it on our own. We must come to the end of ourselves and see God for who He really is — the Creator of all things, the only truly perfect and good thing in all of eternity. We must come to know that He is the only One we can trust and that only by His mercy can we be redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Is fear the method that God uses to draw someone to Him? Not according to Scripture: "The fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted" (Proverbs 29:25); "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me" (Psalm 23:4). God draws men to Him through love; it is Satan who draws men through fear. "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8); "Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you" (2 Corinthians 13:11). What God laid down in His Word should be sufficient. It is wrong to think that we must add the things of the world in order to make the Word of God more powerful or more palatable. These things of the world will all be destroyed, they are merely paper and straw. It is the Word of God that will stand in the end. *****We are not the ones who do the calling anyway, it is the Holy Spirit. He works in the hearts of men to humble them and bring them before the Lord. It is not the work of man to humble another; rather the work of God. So how will ushering teenagers through a "haunted hell house" do anything but add to the thrill of the holiday?

What does Scripture have to say regarding the things of Halloween? The city of Ephesus was considered one of the centers of occult in the world during the first century. Paul told the church there, "And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them" (Ephesians 5:11). According to this word from the Holy Spirit, not only are we to reject the deeds of darkness (i.e. celebration of pagan festivals), we are to expose them for what they are -- satanic, evil, and of the devil. The next verse says that we are not to even speak of these things: "for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret" (Ephesians 5:12). God commanded in His Torah: "... do not inquire after their gods, saying, 'How do these nations [goy, i.e. pagans] serve their gods, that I also may do likewise?'" (Deuteronomy 12.30) Paul told the church at Rome to reject these things of the world: "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12.2). Contrary to the teachings of the mainstream church, we are not to be conformed (or to conform the Word of God) to this world. We are supposed to renew our minds with the Word of God so that we may preach His message, not the message of Satan. We cannot seek after God and the things of darkness at the same time: "You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?" (1 Corinthians 10.21-22a). We must separate ourselves from the world. It does not matter if we look strange or are not "accepted". Jesus Himself had much to say to His disciples (and us) regarding this very topic: "If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you" (John 15:19); "He who loves his life loses it; and he who hates his life in this world shall keep it to life eternal" (John 12:25).

The deception of the celebration of Halloween is so subtle it is hard to see it as demonic and evil. After all, it is just some children dressing up as monsters, witches, etc. and going door-to-door "trick or treating", right? Is there any real harm in it? This is the same thing as the reading of horoscopes. Most people think it is just foolishness anyway, so why not do it? Is it just foolishness? Does God really care if we celebrate Halloween (or read horoscopes)? God states in Torah: "There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens [fortunetelling, horoscopes], or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist ["one who has a familiar spirit", 'wizard' - KJV], or one who calls up the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord ... For those nations, which you shall dispossess, listen to those who practice witchcraft and to diviners, but as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do so." (Deuteronomy 18.10-12a, 14) and again, "You shall not allow a sorceress ['witch' - KJV] to live" (Exodus 22.18). John heard a voice from the Throne saying "But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death" (Revelation 21.8). God declared to Israel, "I will cut off sorceries from your hand, and you will have fortunetellers no more" (Micah 5.12). There are Christians around the world who are being persecuted for being "different". They will not conform to the ways of the world. We must take a lesson from them. Let us not enter into the ways of the world. Can we see Peter and his wife taking their children "trick or treating" (if it had been in existence at the time)? Or maybe Jesus passing out treats at the door to the little children that He loved so much? I don't think so. Why, then, would the followers of Jesus do it?

A Typical Week At Bubba's House

2007-10-29T17:43:00.000-07:00

I have had many people ask me how I manage hschooling 4 children and all of their activities. I usually always laugh and say, "I don't, very well." As hschooling mothers, we never really feel like we "get it all done," but over the past 6 years of teaching, I have discovered that my family is much more productive when I have a well-planned schedule. I spend hours upon hours working on a schedule for the 4 children and I. Then I try it for 2 weeks and usually have to rework it. This is time well spent. I also have to consider what locations we do certain subjects in because we have music practices going on all morning. Also, some places just "feel" better for certain subjects. According to the schedule, everyone should know exactly where to be, what to be doing, and who to be doing it with. Very little time is wasted this way.

On Mondays we go out of town for 3 Suzuki Violin lessons and 1 Suzuki Piano lesson. We come home, eat lunch, take naps, read, then do science/history/bible.

This is our schedule for Tuesday through Friday.

8-9
M11 violin exercises
M10 piano practice
M8 math w/mom
B 6 math w/mom

9-10
M11 math
M10 math
M8 Abeka Language Arts w/mom
B6 Abeka Language Arts w/mom

10-11
M11 violin polishing piece / bible & pray
M10 ballet /bible & bray
M8 break & violin w/mom
B6 violin w/mom & break

11-12
M11 grammar/spell/writing/vocab/latin
M10 grammar/spell/writing/vocab/latin
M8 read w/mom
B6 read w/mom

I'm available to answer M11 & M10's questions as needed, but don't do any direct teaching until afternoon.

12-lunch & watch "Andy Griffith" (Did you know that every episode of this show can be made into a bible lesson?)
1 - family read aloud
2 - M8 & B6 room for books on tape and naps
M11 & M10 Check all work w/mom & work on writing or Internet for science (Apologia Zoology links)
3 - read or sleep
4- Everyone up for activities such as dance, violin, football, Upward basketball, (Tuesdays & Thursdays) or Science/History/Bible Class w/mom (Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays.)

Classical music (mostly Suzuki cds) are always playing where we can here them.

We also attend church bible studies & fellowships on Wednesday and Sunday nights.

I highly recommend the "Managers of Their Homes" system for scheduling.

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My views on gun control... (click here)

2007-10-26T19:57:00.000-07:00

What's up with the name???

2007-10-25T19:05:00.001-07:00

Okay, so now I'm finally getting around to explaining the name of this blog. About six years ago I was at a homeschooling conference. Like all new homeschooling mothers, I was buying everything in sight that I thought I would have to have to make my HSchool successful. The kind man at the "Edutracker" booth convinced me that I should buy this amazing software that would help me create lesson plans, keep grades, produce grade cards and other records, and I think he even said it would scrub my toilets and make homemade cookies for me everyday if I programmed it correctly. Wait, maybe that was just me dreaming, but anyway... As the conference was ending and everyone was packing up to leave, the man shoved a paper at me and told me to fill it out so I could buy the software. I hurriedly filled out the usual info; name, phone, number of children, etc., and when it came to name of school, it hit me that I had not yet thought of a name for our HSchool. When he saw the distraught look on my face, HE SAID, "Don't worry about that, you'll be able to name your school when you download the program!" So I very quickly thought of something silly to write thinking it didn't matter anyway. Well, I'm not calling the nice "Edutracker" man a liar or anything, but when I got my "Edutracker" and started printing out some of those neat little homeschooling forms, they all had "Bubba's House O' Fine Learnin'" on the top (in a very nice, formal font, I might add.) After much thought, I decided to leave it with that title because it does represent our HSchool in a lot of ways. On one hand, we listen to and play classical music, love ballet, study Latin and appreciate art. These are all elements of a classical education. On the other hand, we live in a very small town and try to keep our lives calm and "down to earth." Sometimes a classical education can make you a little "stuffy" so you need to appreciate the simpler things in life, like the annual town fair, the bison auctions, picking corn out at the farm, OKAY ENOUGH!!!! I'm a city girl and my husband is a country boy. Hopefully our kids will turn out somewhere in between!

2007-10-24T20:30:00.000-07:00

Hi, my name is Margaret and my favorite things to do are piano, dance, and swim. I have a lot of fun dancing because I have many friends who dance with me. I have danced since I was 2 or 3 years old and I have loved it since forever. I play the piano for my instrument. I have played for 5 years. I think it is fun until the practicing comes along. I do not like practicing, but I do like to play it just for fun. My mom always says, "practice makes perfect." I have to say that in my head sometimes when I am practicing. Swim team is another thing I do. I love it because it is so much fun. My mom is my dance teacher and also my school teacher because we are home schooled. My dad is the best dad ever because he does so many things for me. He is always there to cheer me on during my dances or other things that I do. I also have a lot of friends. I hope this tells you alot about me and my personality! Bye!!

2007-10-24T09:45:00.000-07:00

Today was Molly's Birthday! We celebrated by spending 2 1/2 hours at violin lessons, 1 hour at the dance studio, learning the choreography to her Worship lyrical "How Beautiful", and 4 hours shopping at LIMITEDTOO. It was fun...but mom is pooped. I have to say that it is exciting for me that Molly is eight. Of course she will always be my baby girl, but it is around this age that my girls have started to really show their personalities, talents and interests. I look forward to watching her form her opinions about the world and instead of discussing the latest Barney episode, we will be discussing the upcoming Presidential election. I am not hoping to hurry her toward adulthood, only to engage her in a deeper level of communication than a 7 & under can handle! Here's to you, Molly, on your Birthday! God bless you!

OOPS! Oct 22 was her actual Birthday, but it has taken me this long to finally figure out how to get the picture on here. Not to worry... I've got it ALL figured out now.

Bubba

2007-10-20T15:35:00.001-07:00

Bubba, originally uploaded by ckmmmc@sbcglobal.net.

I'm Bubba

2007-10-20T15:09:00.000-07:00

Hi I'm Bubba. My real name is Chase but everybody calls me Bubba. I'm 6 years old and I'm the youngest kid in our family. I'm the only boy too. I like flag football and playing catch with my dad. I like to swim and I'm on the swim team in this town. I play the violin and really like it. I love to be with my friends and I always want to watch movies. I like computer games and like to go to football games. I'm little for my age but watch out!!! Just because I'm little doesn't mean that I'm not fast and strong. I love my 3 older sisters and my mom and dad. Together we make a great team!!!

Swim team

2007-10-20T15:02:00.001-07:00

Swim team, originally uploaded by ckmmmc@sbcglobal.net.

Me playing the Violin

2007-10-20T14:40:00.001-07:00

Me playing the Violin, originally uploaded by ckmmmc@sbcglobal.net.

This is Me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Me and my violin

2007-10-20T14:39:00.001-07:00

Me and my violin, originally uploaded by ckmmmc@sbcglobal.net.

I'm Madison

2007-10-20T08:34:00.000-07:00

Hi!!!!!!! My name is Madison but most people call me Maddy. I'm 11 years old. I'm the oldest child in my family. I like to swim and play the violin. I'm on the swim team in this town and almost all of my friends are on it too. My favorite stroke is the breaststroke. My fastest time is 56 secs for a 50 yard swim. I love swimming!!!!!!!!!! I play the violin and love it. I participate in the Southwest Missouri Suzuki Strings program. The Suzuki Method goes through books, each a different level. I'm at the end of the 4th book. I love music and I really don't know if I could make it without music!!! So this is me. I like to swim,play the violin and TALK!!!!!!!!!!! I talk non stop. I talk to everybody and if I'm not talking to someone else I'm talking to myself. Well at least all of my friends are like that too so I'm not the only one talking!!! My family is great. My mom and dad are awesome and my little sisters and brother are lots of fun. My dad's side of the family is hughnormous!!! ( that's a word that me and my friends came up with. Cool huh?) My grandma and grandpa each have 12 brothers and sisters. So I'm, like, related to everybody. My mom's side is not as big, but it's just as much fun. My dad's sister, my aunt, has ten kids, all her own. So that's a lot of fun. I don't have any other 1st cousins on my dad's side. Most of my family are distant cousins. My oldest uncle on my mom's side has 3 kids, Taylor (12) Jack( 10) and Grant( 6). My next uncle has 2 kids, Stephanie and Trey. They are like out of high school. Then my uncle, Travis, has 3 kids, Paige ( 13) Ethan (11) and Abby(5). So this is my family. Together we have tons of fun. I hope this tells you a lot about my family, me, and what I like to do. Bye!!

Welcome!

2007-10-19T20:02:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Bubba's House! Oh, and Madison, Margaret, & Molly's house too. After several years and reading 1,000's of blogs, I decided it was the right time to start my own. So here goes! I look forward to sharing my family's crazy life with friends and family and anyone else who may be interested.