Pioneer Unit Study Resource List

Photo Credit

As I mentioned previously, we are taking a month or two to investigate pioneer life!    

As I compiled our resource list for this project, I discovered that there are innumerable resources for such an endeavor!  Much more than we could ever do, or rather more than we would want to do!  I must confess that I found myself a little overwhelmed with all of the crafts to make and books to read.

Finally though, I did settle on what I think turned out to be a good little study. 

There were other projects that were really great but were either more work than I want to do, too expensive, or similar to something else we are doing. 

Our main goals for this study are that it be SUPER FUN and that we LEARN A LOT, so I left out those activities that were work-heavy/expensive/repititious.

I wanted to share what we'll be doing in the hopes that it will be helpful to any of you who are looking for pioneer study resources.  Included are links to the coloring pages, crafts, recipes and a few really amazing things that I found online!

Summer Study of Pioneer Life

Teach Them About Jesus

Last night, I was reading and praying. I guess I started to doze off because I was jolted awake suddenly when a horrible thought popped into my head.

The thought was of our family getting into a car accident and my daughter dying. I actually saw it in my mind.
I wonder if other parents have had that those thoughts or dreams...maybe I'm just strange.

Right at that moment I felt these words so strongly impressed upon my heart:

Teach them about Jesus--there is no time for anything else.

This persisted in my mind all night.  I told Jeff about these things and when we were putting the kids to bed last night we took some time to talk about having assurance of our salvation.  There is nothing that terrifies me so much as the thought of my children dying without knowing that they have assurance that they are saved. (Romans 8:16)

I'll keep the details private, but Jeff and I were so blessed to see that God set up that word for our daughter, Megan.  She has made her statement of faith, and we wait expectantly for that day when she comes to us with her "assurance" story!  (Hopefully that made sense--I couldn't think of what else to call it!)

My prayer for my children recently is Hebrews 10:22:

"Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."

Truly saved.  Not "I raised my hand at church one day," but to have turned from their sin and sought forgiveness through Jesus.  My greatest desire as a mother is to know that my children love and obey the Lord and will be with Him in heaven some day.

Dear Mothers,

Teach them about Jesus--there is no time for anything else.

Bouncing Off The Wall!!!

Today we discovered a thrilling land filled with bouncy play houses, jump ropes and balls.

It is a land where you can run full-throttle indoors as long as you are good at bobbing-and-weaving.

Kids can scream and yell and jump on pretty much everything they see.  Grown-ups can, too!  I saw a few Dad's who were having as much fun as the kids!

That land is called Bouncing Off the Wall.

The Cato's invaded that place today.

We bounced and slid until we could bounce and slide no more.

And of course, we injured ourselves.

Well, the injury actually occurred after we left the bounce house.  This is why it is not a good idea to race your siblings to the car. 

Seems like a fun idea until you're tasting the pavement.

     

       

                                     

  

              

      

Sewing Fun: Girls dress and tunic

Funny story...

In an attempt to knock something off of my Bucket List, I started teaching myself to sew at the first of the year.  I made a few skirts and bedroom decorations for the kids, all with great success. 

I was feeling pretty confident. 

So when Megan asked me to make her an Asian dress for her birthday this month,

I was up for the challenge.

With the help of a friendly Wal-Mart employee, I purchased all of the necessary supplies for the dress.

 I read the pattern instructions. 

Three times by myself,
twice with my husband, and
once over the phone with my mom. 

I thought, "This can't be as hard as it looks.  I just need to dive in and it'll all start to make sense once I'm doing it."

After two weeks of trying to make heads or tails of the confusing sewing language and terrible illustrations,

I gave up.

This is as finished as it's going to get!

When I bought my supplies, the employee said,

"Wow, I can't believe that you're taking this project on, having just learned how to sew."

She seemed impressed and I guess didn't realize that I was delusional.

I decided that I needed to work on something a little easier.

I used the Kwik & Easy 3768 pattern to create this tunic shirt for Megan as well as a longer dress version.  I'll be making the same things in Jordan's size later this week.

I made this in a size XL, which is too big for Megan.  I had a hard time deciding what to do with the straps since I don't have a little person that size to try it on.

The pattern calls for leaving it as a bow (shown above), but I don't much care for that idea.  As soon as Megan grows into the shirt, I'll adjust the straps and sew them to fit.

I did fix the straps with the dress that I made her today, this time in a size L. 

Clearly I haven't been devoting much time to my photography studies. 

I've been so busy with writing curriculum, reading books for review, sewing, school, cooking, cleaning, errands, making bead necklaces every half-hour for my daughters, giving Jackson piggy-back rides, ooh-ing and aah-ing at the various sounds that Jeff's mixer can make and trying to figure out where that smell is coming from!

Located offensive smell in the garage.  Funnily enough, before I found it Megan asked me what "noxious" meant.  She wasn't sure, but knew that it fit somehow in that situation.  An old and wet dish towel had been sitting by the door for who knows how long, getting smellier and smellier every day. 

I blame the kids.  Couldn't have been me.  No.

Maybe it was me.

(Nearly) Wordless Weekend: Kids' room decorating project

My husband is amazing! 

I asked him to paint the letters for the girls' room, but I only expected that he would paint them a solid color.  As usual, he took a plain project and turned it into something beautiful! 

Thank you, Daddy!!!

This isn't new, but since I am posting the girls' beds I'll show you Jacksons OUTER SPACE bed!!! 

Jeff did these letters also, which are painted to look like a night sky with little stars--simple but so cute!

I'm so thankful that my children get to drift off to sleep in such cozy little beds!