Sunday, November 24, 2013

Hiking Badge

Today we worked on JoAnna's hiking badge.  We talked about what to wear and what not to wear on a hike. She had to give us a little fashion show.  We talked about things to pack for a hike, what we need in our first aid kit, talked about first aid, "leave no trace", "staying found", the buddy system, hiking safety, etc.   we packed us a little lunch, a first aid kit and left daddy a map of our hike and a time we should be back. 

We also took grocery sacks with us to pick up trash along the way.  However most of the trash we saw was in the water so we didn't get much. 

We saw an interesting structure someone had built. Not sure what the purpose was unless they were maybe trying to show someone how to build a small shelter?!  

We saw many different leaves and roses that has bloomed.  It was very cold but it was so nice.  The kids love going on hikes and seeing what all they am find. 

After our hike we stopped for an early dinner and plan to make a run to Michael's to get JoAnna a scrapbook so she can start a scrapbook.  


Saturday, November 23, 2013

Cake Decorating Badge

JoAnna has been determined to earn her "cake decorating" badge since the night one of the girls modeled her vest. She had t least 30 badges.  The girls were so excited as she told them what each one represented- especially the cake decorating badge. 

So one of the requirements was to make cupcakes, mix food coloring to make different colors, talk about the different kinds of food coloring, talk about the color wheel, use a flower tip to decorate with icing.  I had planned on JoAnna and my 8 year old niece working together in the kitchen. However I didn't realize my brother and his family had a wedding to attend.  So JoAnna had the entire kitchen to herself.  She had so much fun. 

My mom pulled out the "Baby Cakes" maker that my sister got last year.  Its similar to a waffle maker but makes cupcakes in 5 minutes.  It was awesome!!  I will probably be stealing hers or getting JoAnna one for Christmas.  I think it would be a lot of fun with the girls at the daycare too!!!

Anyway here are a few pics from our baking session. 


Epilepsy Foundation 1st annual walk

My family and I walked in the 1st annual epilepsy walk, in honor of my dad.  I won't get into details but he started having seizures about 4 years ago. It's been very stressful for my parents and very frustrating. 

We got up this morning to 50 degree rainy weather.  JoAnna was walking to earn community service hours for American Heritage Girls.  I started off pushing the stroller with just Jace in it (I didn't realize the stroller tires were flat but luckily it still rolled just fine). It drizzled the entire time. About halfway unturned around to see JoAnna on my sisters back.  So I put her in the stroller.  90+ pounds in a drizzle was not pleasant but we made it. It was for a great cause and a great time with my family.  As soon as we crossed the finish line I loaded the kids up and went home. Once they post pictures I will post then here.  As for now here is the one I snapped of the kids before the walk. 


Thursday, November 21, 2013

More badge work: "Inspect A Insect A" and "living in the USA"

We completed the work for two badges within two weeks of getting her Heritage Girls handbook. 

So I decided our next challenge would be to try to earn a badge in each category. So after scanning through the ones she already tagged I realized there were two we could get done fairly quick.  We have been studying the states since we got back from our trip in September and already had a unit on MS so we had already done most of the requirements for the "Living in the USA". So we reviewed our booklet we had made, then we researched the state quarter, the tags of MS, then she had to sketch the tag. 



Next we worked on the Inspect A Insect A. Again we had already studied insects last spring.  So we just pulled out our information and reviewed.  She had to draw the life cycle of a butterfly, make an ant farm (which we had already done Oct 29th which was after joining AHG but before we got her handbook so we counted it), observe ants in the ant farm, draw and label an ant farm, watch a video on bees, and host a honey tasting party.  



Hopefully we will get a chance to work on her cake decorating badge this weekend. She has been wanting that one since she saw the badge on one of the other girl's vest. She was in a troop last year so she had several badges and they had her stand up and model the uniform and talk about some of the badges she had earned. I think all the girls were excited about the cake decorating badge. 

Then we will only have one more category left.  We are going to try to get the "Hiking" badge in the last category.  We might try for that this weekend too while my niece is on town. 

We are really enjoying learning new things and adding to some things we have already learned.  Also incorporating some of her badge work with homeschooling has been fairly easy. 

I was a Girl Scout and I have been looking forward to sharing the same experiences with JoAnna. Heritage Girls has been the perfect fit for us! 

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Badge work

JoAnna joined American Heritage Girls (AHG) this fall. It's similar to Girl Scouts but in my opinion it's more conservative, stresses the importance of being a good steward of Christ by helping in the community, thinking of others and is focused more on raising girls into women of God.

I was a Girl Scout and starts as a brownie so I have been looking forward to JoAnna starting Girl Scouts. However at the homeschool kick off AHG had a table set up and I was very interested. 

So fast forward 3 months. JoAnna got her handbook almost two weeks ago an she has eagerly tagged 17 of the 80+- badges.  She has already completed all the requirements for her "sign language" badge and has almost completed the requirements for her "book adventurer" badge. 

She has really enjoyed the sign language. We have checked out at least four books on sign language not including the book on Helen Keller.  We have also checked out a video, even Jace is learning from the video. Amazing!!

Anywho.  Here are a few pictures to document her earning her badges!!!

Spelling her name in sign language


Getting her library card for her book adventurer badge 


They packed operation Christmas child boxes- this counts for community service hours. For every 5 hours of CS she gets a star. She already has 5.5 hours!! We did a walk for juvenile diabetes, she helped me with the 3 year old class at church, an helped me set out equipment for after school. 


Here is her handbook. She is very ambitious!

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Fall Festival 2013

The two younger kids and I went to the fall festival our church hosted at a local ranch. We had so much fun.  They rode horses, raced pumpkins, had a cake walk, a turkey chase (fake turkey), Jace rode a mechanical bull, hay ride and tons of fun at the outdoor play area.  We also roasted marshmallows. We had so much and I hope all the kids will be able to join us next year.