BRRR!!! Winter Iceland

Here are a few pictures of the ice storm that swept through our area. We've been iced in for a few days now and we are starting to go stir crazy. This power line is actually for our cable I've been watching the branch that is resting on it hoping that it doesn't break. If I lost cable while being stuck in I might just lose what is left of my mind. LOL

GOBBLE GOBBLE!!! The boys and I made these turkey cookies today for Thanksgiving. Andrew didn't want his to look like everybody elses so he made an Indian.

This was a project we did as a family. Everyday we added a leaf to our Blessing Tree of something we were thankful for.

This is our Blessing Tree the day before Thanksgiving. It was really interesting some of the items everybody came up with.

Happy Thanksgiving

Our Medlin Blessing Tree When we first started.

HALLOWEEN

It was a spooky Halloween in Kansas. The boys had so much fun going trick or treating by themselves this year. This was a very hard decision for Mom and Dad to make, it isn't easy knowing your kids don't really "need" you as much as they use to. This year the boys had to come up with their own costume which was very interesting. Austin wanted the least amount of work he just wanted candy. Andrew on the other hand wanted hair, makeup and painted up clothing. But it was so neat to see their individual personalities coming out. I do believe we are all still on a sugar high.

PUMPKIN PATCH

Joseph, Zach, Austin and Andrew

Andrew firing the cannon

Austin firing the cannon.

We spent a fun filled day at the pumpkin patch. We went with 2 other homeschool boys in our area. All boys had a great time. They had a pumpkin and gourd cannon, which was a favorite of all

the boys. Anytime you can smash vegtables with parents

approval it is a good thing!

Building log cabins

This week we are finishing up on our pioneer study and we built log cabins. Works of art? NO but we had fun . We built them out of grahmn crackers, pretzal rods, rice chex and lots of chocolate icing. It was ooey gooey messy fun. We had to take the pictures fast before they fell apart. By the time we finished no one wanted to see or taste anymore chocolate icing.

New Frontier Museum Independence, MO

Today we took a family field trip to New Frontier Museum in Independence , MO. It was storming outside so we thought this was a good day to do something inside. Once again it was fun to watch the boys telling us about things that they have been learning about and now they are seeing it. Living History at its finest. They got to see a display about the Donner Party and how they left from Independence. They also got to see pictures of Independence and Chimney Rock. We also got to see covered wagons and items of "Trail Trash". All in all it was a very nice family day.

Austin at the same car as Andrew but when he

got up to the have his picture taken the headlights went out.

He wasn't Happy!!!

Andrew at one of the displays at the Old Shawnee Town museum.

He is such a nut!!!

Old Shawnee Town

Today the boys and I went and visited Old Shawnee Town in Shawnee, KS. We got to see actual buildings of how things would've looked 100 years ago. It was very interesting and HOT. What started out as a cool autumn day turned extremely warm. So last week we were grateful to Henry Ford for the invention of the automobile and this week we appreciated our A/C.

Mahaffie Stagecoach

The boys did ride in this stagecoach but it wasn't until after we had climbed out that I realized even though I didn't bring the camera I did have the camera in my phone. So we just got a picture of the stagecoach. Which was so much fun to ride in.
But we all were in agreement Thank Goodness for Henry Ford!!!!!

Hands on learning

We spent a day at Mahaffie Stagecoach Station in Olathe, KS. The boys loved being able to see some of the things we have been learning.

Andrew wants to go a little further than his
brother.

Wagons West!!!!

Austin and his covered wagon
that we made while studying pioneer living

As you can tell he doesn't
want to travel far.

Andrew and his "Treasure"

Austin finally found his "Treasure" no
wonder it was so hard to find it is so
SMALL!!!!!!

Andrew trying to give Austin
support.

Austin getting very frustrated!!!!!

Andrew looking for his "Treasure"

Treasure Hunt

Today we had a treasure hunt. We have been studying Pioneers. Todays lesson was mapping and how the pioneers couldn't just go buy a map or get on the computer and use mapquest they had to use the maps that had been made by those who went before. Their maps had to be good enough that you could tell what landmarks were, places to stop were, watering holes etc. So we made our own maps. Each of the boys picked a treasure that they would hide in our yard and then they had to make a map so that the other could find the treasure. When the maps were complete I made the comment that Andrew had the better map just because his was more in depth and had a lot of information where as Austin was pretty blunt and to the point. They traded maps and the hunt was on. Andrew within 5 minutes found the treasure his brother had hidden for him. It was his prized yo-yo. Austin however searched for what seemed like forever......Finally he found his treasure which was one of his favorite lego men. So our lesson had an interesting outcome the map that we all thought was the best was the most difficult to use. I told the boys that is what the pioneers needed a precise map that could get them exactly where they needed to go. I also realized the next time we do something outside it needs to be much cooler.....LOL

Andrew's first day of 6th grade.

Austin's Fist Day of 6th grade

BACK TO SCHOOL!!!!

Well today was our first day of school. I'm exhausted! We got everything accomplished that I had planned. The boys even seemed to enjoy it. My only problem will be pacing us because some of the stuff we have planned will be so much fun that I want to do it all today. Patience!!!!
I wish there was a way to capture the new excitement of a school year, the first day with the clean workbooks, new sharpened pencils, binders with nothing sticky on them. But eventually we will get into a routine and the workbooks will get kool aid spilled on them, pencils will get broken, binders will be plastered with stickers that tomorrow will just have to come off and leave behind stickiness. But through it all I am so grateful that I am able to experience this with the boys. Every once in while I'm able to glance across the table and catch a glipse of the young men they are growing up to be....I'm glad I get to see it. Today in our bible studies we talked about doing our best for God. Doing things completely and to the best of our abilities. Going the extra mile in making whatever we do something that is our best. I hope that through the year I will be able to look at what we have done and see that I did my best, went the extra mile and we will see the wonderful things that God is doing.

Is it time for school already?

Well summer is coming to a close for us and we are getting ready to start classes. I think I am the only one ready to start school. The boys are bored but when I tell them that we can start school earlier they tell me NO. Right now they are having one more trip to Oklahoma visiting my parents and they are having a wonderful time. When I don't hear from them that is always a good sign. As the school year starts we should have more posts and pictures to share.

The Medlins

Baseball is OVER!!!!

Well finally our summer can get started the right way. This last weekend we finished up baseball season with the final tournament placing 3rd. We were very proud of our boys. But now it is time to have some summer fun doing other things. John is getting ready to take his vacation we are just going to stick around the house and do things in the area. Next week the boys will being heading to Oklahoma to spend a week with John's parents,My parents will get them in August since we won't be starting school until September. This will be our first full year of home schooling so it should be interesting and hopefully full of adventures. That I will be sure and share with everyone.

Trish Medlin

Hot and sticky

Well summer is upon us and it is hot and sticky in the state of Kansas. The boys are loving being out of school. But little do they know that mom is already planning next school year. We have spent most of our time running from ball field to ball field. Any free time we have spent at the new Gardner aquatic center, which has been so much fun. There is nothing like a day of swimming and hot sun to totally wear the boys out and then we can have a quiet evening at home. I wish!!!! With 2 growing boys there is no such thing as a quiet night. In the coming weeks the boys will be traveling to Oklahoma to spend a couple weeks with grandparents, which means mom and dad will be in the house all alone. Then we will have all the peace and quiet we want. But then we will just wish that they were back home.

The Medlin Family

Almost Summer Thank Goodness!!!!

Well our first year of homeschooling is almost complete. But do you ever stop learning? The boys have done better than I ever expected. We have concentrated mainly on math,writing and reading. I guess you could say we went back to the 3 r's of school. We also did a geography project where we collect postcards from other homeschooled children all over the USA and some over seas. We also did a baseball unit study during the spring. The boys really enjoyed it and it got them ready for baseball season, which is upon us. In the coming weeks we have one reading project due and a family night of fun and acknowledgement of all the boys hard work. I look forward to the summer and we will see how much "learning" we will do.

Mom of Austin and Andrew
Trish Medlin