Haikus

Marc's class did Haiku's today and he came home and wrote a few more after supper-

Waking on Christmas,
     Racing to the Christmas tree;
Laugh and open gifts.  

The peaceful water,
     Running and flowing by me;
I love the river.

The darkening woods,
     See the colorful sunset;
As we go back home.  

Divine Music to get through Monday morning

I came across this Miserere Mei Deus the other day.  I LOVE this and woke up this morning with the words in my heart.  Have Mercy on me, O God- the words are King David's from Psalm 51.  You have to listen until the soprano soars to the rafters- just amazing.

Have mercy upon me, O God, after Thy great goodness

According to the multitude of Thy mercies do away mine offences.

Wash me throughly from my wickedness: and cleanse me from my sin.

For I acknowledge my faults: and my sin is ever before me.

Against Thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that Thou mightest be justified in Thy saying, and clear when Thou art judged.

Behold, I was shapen in wickedness: and in sin hath my mother conceived me.

But lo, Thou requirest truth in the inward parts: and shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly.

Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness: that the bones which Thou hast broken may rejoice.

Turn Thy face from my sins: and put out all my misdeeds.

Make me a clean heart, O God: and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from Thy presence: and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.

O give me the comfort of Thy help again: and stablish me with Thy free Spirit.

Then shall I teach Thy ways unto the wicked: and sinners shall be converted unto Thee.

Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, Thou that art the God of my health: and my tongue shall sing of Thy righteousness.

Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord: and my mouth shall shew Thy praise.

For Thou desirest no sacrifice, else would I give it Thee: but Thou delightest not in burnt-offerings.

The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, shalt Thou not despise.

O be favourable and gracious unto Sion: build Thou the walls of Jerusalem.

Then shalt Thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, with the burnt-offerings and oblations: then shall they offer young bullocks upon Thine altar.

It's not personal...

Found this on Julia's door- "NO BOYS ALLOWED- only Tucker and Charlie and Daddy can go in my room" :)



In her defense, she was merely responding to Marky's "No Girls Allowed- violators will be shot with nerf guns" on his door!

We saw the Nina and Pinta

Today we had a real treat.  We drove up to Guntersville where parked in the Old Marina were two replica ships of Columbus's Nina and Pinta.  It was raining terribly, but we wanted to catch them as they were setting sail in the morning for a new town.  To get the children ready I put some books in the car to read on the way up and we watched our Columbus video that they really like.  (and Journey of English doesn't really have to do with Columbus I know) :)





Here is the Nina- it was a good bit smaller than the Pinta and Santa Maria, but it was Columbus's favorite ship and had a long, interesting history.







Signs of Ferdinand and Isabella-



Looking at the Pinta from the Nina-



On the Pinta- rain, rain- go away!







Steering the Pinta- we learned that the "steering wheel" for ships had not been invented in 1492 and they all used tillers to turn the rudder as their only way to steer.










Daddy bought them some activity books to work on the ride home-



We headed home and got ice cream on the way before heading to church.  A wonderful day with the bambinos.

Happy Birthday Daddy!

We celebrated Daddy's birthday tonight.  BB and Poppy came for dinner and we had a great time.











Surprise, surprise!  Jos A Bank work shirts!  :)  What can I say- he wears them six days a week (including church on Sunday) and he needs them!  Thanks BB and Poppy!



And a new blazer (with scholarly elbow patches) from Mommy and the babies!  :)  Also a new shirt.




We love you Daddy!  Happy Birthday!



And Thursday night we had our first FIRE for the season!  We LOVE our wood-burning fireplace and use it anytime we can!



Tucker says, "oh I feel so toasty!"

Focus on Thanksgiving

Today the children were out of school because of some construction they are doing on campus that would have the power out all day.  We took advantage of the free day and that the little boys were at Moms Day Out and headed out to American Village to see their Thanksgiving program.  BB met us and we had a wonderful day!  (Though the wind was blowing like crazy and it got colder as the day went on)





In the Williamsburg Colonial chapel-





Colonel Miles Standish met us and explained why we needed to go to America-







Then he took us aboard the Mayflower and let us in on the terrible conditions!  We even met the woman who gave birth to a son ON the Mayflower- a baby named Oceanus.  :)  He also had us agree to sign the Mayflower Compact.





Then we met our guide who explained the only way to get along in Plymouth is by making friends with the Indians-



So we got some gifts to present to the chief of the Wampanoags with the hopes he would enter into a treaty with us (which he did, of course).  :)  We walked way out into the woods to meet with them.  









Then they had some Colonial games like pumpkin rolling, but we only played a minute and decided to explore things on our own.  We dropped by the museum of miniatures- always a favorite.  





We swung through the Oval Office-







Julia sitting in George Washington's Rising Sun chair from the Continental Congress-



We dropped in the gift shop on the way out and BB got Julia an American flag ring and Marky a signal whistle.  She also got them this book, which Marky read completely on the ride home.  :)



Then we had lunch at a cute bookstore/sandwich shop-



When we got home we worked on our "Thanks" and "Giving" trees where we write the things we are thankful for and things we give to others.  Last night we did a big PURGE where I gave away TONS of the children's clothes and toys.  Julia gave up ALL of her toy castles and most of her stuffed animals and by the end we were trying to talk her into keeping a few things!  That child is not attached to the things of this world.  



This afternoon while Charlie napped we read a few great books-





A sweet day with my angels.  It reminds me of how nice it is to homeschool.  I'm just sayin....