Saturday, July 30, 2016

Lessons at the beach!


Sun and fun to everyone!

As I sit here at the beach, watching the children play, and listening to the waves, I am reminded why I chose to home educate. You see, learning takes place even as they play.

The children were digging up clay from the lake. My camp friend and I explained to them how the Native Americans, used clay to make all types of beautiful pottery. We explained how they also dug out the clay, sculpted it, and then either baked it or sat it out in the sun to dry.

Guess what? They decided to do the same. They huddled together, sculpted some stuff, and then set it out to dry. But there wasn’t much sun! History lesson. Check.





Now skipping rocks. That’s something every child should get a chance to do! As the children skipped rocks, I reminded them to throw the rocks at an angle, with a little spin, and to find rocks with a flat side. These bounce on the water better than round rocks, which just sink straight down. I could go on about the “science” of skipping rocks.

The children also collected rocks and took them back to the RV. We then, looked in our rock book to identify the name of the rocks. Science lesson. Check.

As they played with friends, they were learning how to share, cooperate, and work together. Getting along with others. Life lesson! Check.

Like most children, my children LOVE the water and swimming. They raced and I heard my camping friend tell them to hold their fingers close together while they swam on the floater, in order to go faster. They followed her advice, and won!

When I heard this, I immediately heard a metaphor. It was simple. I told the children that the same principle applies in real life. Just like their fingers, when they stick together, they’ll go further, faster! Another life lesson. Check. 




As we watched the waves, I asked them how waves were made. They answered. We talked about how the energy from the wind pushes the water, and that the stronger the wind, the bigger the wave. We discussed a few more details. Another science lesson. Check.


























So you see, many things can be learned at the beach. A math lesson, geography, and so forth, could have been taught as well, but for the sake of time, I focused on a few things.

After we went back to the RV, I began to write curriculum to go along with our day at the beach.

While on this journey, living and learning collide. They are always taking place, simultaneously! 

Our plans, His hands.

To get your copy of Swift Walker and other products. Click on the link below. Your support is greatly appreciated. Thank you!


 







Monday, July 25, 2016

Let's Celebrate our 1st Giveaway!

Sun and fun to everyone!

Please join me in congratulating Ivyonna and Devon! They are the winners in my Swift Walker giveaway!

Along with touring the USA with our family. I am hosting a Swift Walker giveaway.

My mission is to give one child in each state we visit a FREE copy of Swift Walker. That's right, a FREE copy. No strings attached, nothing to do to earn it.

Literacy is so very important and I'm doing my part to see that I put a copy of my book into a child's hand! Swift Walker is a cultural book, with a combination of learning, geography, and fun, all rolled into one.


They really did warm up to me... I think? lol

From our family, to yours.


First we give~now we celebrate!

If you want to be a part of this great vision, it's easy to do so. Comment below "I want to help!" and I'll show you how to bless a family.

Our plans, His hands.

To get your copy of Swift Walker books and products, click on the link below. Your support is greatly appreciated! Thank you.






Saturday, July 23, 2016

Healthy RV eating!

Sun and fun to everyone!

Even in the RV, we have to eat healthy. It's easy to get WAY off track living in the park with grills and all.

Today we are having fruit and nuts for breakfast and kale & apple juice with our lunch and dinner.



Always a bowl of fruit for snacking. (Sometimes chips. Yikes!) 






Eating healthy is a must to stay healthy and have fun!

In case you want to try the juice, here's the recipe.

6 large kale leaves
4-6 apples (depends on your taste)

Rinse kale and apples.
Slice apples.
Add all to a juicer
Pour into your cup











This juice is really pretty good. My children will ask for more. They love the green mustache!






 Don't let the green color fool you.

Think of it this way. The green color represents life.

Bottoms up!

Our plans, His hands,

*To purchase Swift Walker books and products, click the link below. Your support is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

http://astore.amazon.com/plumstreetpress-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=8

Thursday, July 21, 2016

Charleston SC The Jenkins Institute

Sun and fun to everyone!

Our trip only gets better! So we ended up in Charleston, South Carolina, and wow!

About a year ago, I found a book at our local library called, Hey Charleston, the story of the Jenkins Orphange Band. I found the book again at the library here in SC.

The story is about Rev. Daniel Jenkins who founded an orphanage right here in Charleston, in 1891. Jenkins was born into slavery, and went on to do AMAZING things despite this.

Here at the Main Branch, Orangeburg County Library

This is the cover of the book. A must read!


Jenkins and his boys, created a loving home and he taught them to be self-sufficient. They had a very large farm and grew enough to eat , sell and provide enough money to be self sustaining. In addition to teaching life skills, and providing shelter, Mr. Jenkins wanted them to learn music.

With this in mind, he hired music teachers. The boys were amazing, they played and started a band. This band went on to travel the world. His boys started music called "rag".  They were the inventors of the Charleston Dance that became very popular.

What's even more amazing is that this vision still lives today, after a hundred plus years. It has a different twist. Now it's called the Jenkins Institute for Children.


Rev. Daniel Joseph Jenkins




The Jenkins Orphanage Band!





After reading the book again to the children, I found the Jenkins Orphanage in Charleston. We visited there and met people I'll never forget.

One very special lady, Ms. Carrington, gave us the most profound history lessons, not just about Jenkins and his Band, but about Charleston's rich African history. This little lady has done everything, been on every committee and knows everyone!

Her knowledge was so vast, I thought I would pass out from overload. I wanted to sit in that pavilion and listen to her all day long. She is a true Historian, and passionate about it in every way.

We spoke of issues of race. Her words, although I heard them before, stuck to me. She said, we as people have a different ethnicity, but there's only one race, the human race.



This is Gretchen. I scheduled our visit through her.



This is the "larger than life" Ms. Carrington, the great Historian.







This lady  here dropped some serious knowledge also. Meet Dr. Nicole Gainyard!



This beautiful tree is on campus. We could not pass this picture up.


Another great shot of planes flying over during our history lesson.









The actual bell used to call the children in to eat.



The back campus. Lots of trees, breeze and beauty.



More of the campus.




New friends, Carol and Henry. They work with Fields to Families, delivering fresh food to the community.
Visit their site:  www.fieldstofamilies.org


This same Ms. Crrington, I speak of, knew the Reverend that was recently slain in his church, along with eight others, in Charleston. She spoke very tenderly of him. She said he helped her when others could not get the job done.  They were friends. Clearly, we still have a ways to go.

What a most fascinating visit!  We met other great, amazing people on this day. The hope is that we will stay connected.

The pictures here are part 1 of this visit. I encourage everyone to find this book and read it to your children, or to a child in your life.



Beautiful ending to a beautiful day with Ms. Carrington and the Jenkins Institute for Children


Our plans, His hands.

For more information about Rev. Jenkins, the Jenkins Band, and the Jenkins Institute for Children, click on the link below.

www.jenkinsinstitute.org

To purchase Swift Walker books and other products click on the link below. Thank you! Your support is greatly appreciated.


http://astore.amazon.com/plumstreetpress-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=8

Friday, July 15, 2016

Santee, South Carolina

Sun and fun to everyone!


Arriving in South Carolina. 




Visiting Santee State Park. I'll do a review on this park later.
So far, we love it because it's right off the water. 









A payphone in Santee, SC??  In the words of Swift Walker.
"Wow, amazing!"




Now this here, is the library, court house, and the police station!
How cool is this?


By the lake at Santee park. Beautiful scene. 




                                                          Where are we off to next?

Our plans, His hands.

To purchase Swift Walker books and products click on the link below. We appreciate your support!

http://astore.amazon.com/plumstreetpress-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=8