SCIENCE FUN

We are using Apologia's Zoology 2: Swimming Creatures of the 5th Day. Along with this we use the Learn N Folders from Live and Learn Press that correlate with our science. We really like these. This combines lapbooking with notebooking and provides an easy way for us to review our science.

Today was the first time we've pulled out the scissors and papers to work on our Learn N Folders. Here's another example of using one text for three grade levels.

Question from our Learn N Folder: What are neuromasts? How do lateral lines and neuromasts confirm creation?

Zander - 7 yo/Super 1st grade - "Only God could make this up!"

Nolan - 10 yo/4th grade - "Lateral lines go from the gills to the tail. It has a group of millions of little hairs called neromasts. The neuromasts sense movement and change the movement in the water to electrical signals for the fishes brain. Scientists can't make one. Someone smarter, bigger and in charge had to create lateral lines and neuromasts." Zander piped in with, "THAT WOULD BE GOD!"

Arielle's is much the same as Nolan's...a bit less wordy as SHE wasn't dictating. ::snort::

Question from our Learn N Folder: What is the usual way a fish produces - how is a sea horse different?

Zander - Super 1st - "Wives lay eggs that float or sink in the water. Husbands find the eggs and put sperm on them. That leaves babies in them. " Seahorses - "The mother puts them in the daddy's pouch (more like pants). The daddy takes care of them until they hatch. They explode out of his pouch, like daddy is giving birth himself. Strange."

Nolan - 4th grade - "Females lay eggs which fall or float. The male finds eggs and fertilizes with sperm. Baby fish form inside the eggs." Seahorses - Female puts eggs on male and leaves. Male takes care of eggs. They hatch and shoot out of his pouch. It's wierd."

Arielle - 7th grade - "Female fish lay eggs that either float or sink to the bottom. Then the male finds the eggs and fertilizes the eggs and the fish develope inside the eggs." Seahorses - "The female lays the eggs in a special pouch on the father and then leaves. The father takes care of the kids until they are ready, then the come out of his pouch."

Note the progression of thought and vocabulary. I found it intersting that the kids translated the whole process to kids, mommies and daddies. One text, interesting to all levels (Stacia - 4 yo - listens too) with each student interacting with the material at their level. It really IS possible to be "fair" with all multiple age levels using the same material...easier on mom and cheaper too.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

I LOVE THIS SEASON!

Last night's clue was, "I'm down, I'm up and I'm cool". The kids discovered a bag of multi-colored balloons (hu u sen) on top of the AC unit mounted high in the living room.

Tonight, after our dinner of Japanese veggies and chicken, we read our devotional and began our hunt. It was Stacia's night to pick the clue.

From 09 December

Here she "reads" the clue - memorized from last night. ::snort::

From 09 December

Clue: "It's a cubby for metatarsal containers."

From 09 December

This was the quickest find. Appropriately enough, tonight's find was a cache of funky local socks.

From 09 December

Yes, the men here DO wear toe socks. And check out Nolan's brown socks, he has the "split hoof" look. ::snort::

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Food From Afar

Another box of food arrived...this one had almonds peeking out the bottom...horrors.

From 09 December

All items seem to be in the box. Our hot chocolate is STILL backordered....

From 09 December

This is a test. I've loaded the photos directly into Picasa (instead of Photobucket) and I've been able to embed them with a link (bypassing the frustrating spacing issues and drag feature of loading from blogger). This may work. Gone is the buxom lady bidding us to "play now" and promising the Lord of the home to do her bidding. I'm tired of telling PB to remove the ads only to have them back a week or two later. I think the Picasa pricing is less than I believed.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Grass is always greener....

Stacia and I were having a discussion.

Mom: "In the G family we choose joy even when we'd rather complain."

"In the G family we show initiative and do our chores without being asked."

"In the G family we respect and obey our parents."

"In the G family we do all that we do wholeheartedly for God."

Stacia: "Hmmmm....How about the S family?" ::snort:: ::gasp::

Note - I'm back to "G" family...we'd figured after our summer adventures in the news our name was posted everywhere....but we'll make em dig...and go back to trying to remember....This story sounds much funnier with the G and S family spoken out loud. LOL

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Tuesday

Yesterday was a catch up day after a very busy Tuesday. THIS is why I must guard weekdays...it doesn't cost me one day of school, it costs two, as we endeavor to catch up. I've taken steps to safeguard weekday mornings. It will be better in a couple of weeks. Of course, it's HARD to get dental and doctor appointments here, when they are available, we must simply deal. LOL

I visited Maeda for a bit of food. I didn't want to drive to base and lose another a.m. Shopping always is full of adventure. For instance:

• I tried Sake, Shoyu (which I couldn't read the label or I would have recognized) before I found Yakiniku sauce.
• Akiko later informed me one of the yakiniku sauce that I purchased was really yakitori sauce. Ah well, it all works.
• Carts here turn in ALL directions....mine discovered a mind of it's own and headed back to the checkout line...mowing down a woman on the way. ::blush::
• Sumimaisen is a very good phrase to know....
• Bowing low is a very good talent to have....
• The dairy aisle has a ton of drink options packagaed like milk, but not all are milk....
• Do visit the obento aisle.
• Do visit the bakery, but....
• Beware of bean paste masquerading as chocolate in "donuts, brownies and rolls".

If there is a cow on the front, take a chance...Y149 for a liter. ouch.

Food Adventures

• Daigan is the white looking thing on the left. I bought a small one.I planned to saute/grill it with mushrooms and onions in Yakiniku sauce. Akikosan informed me that is NOT THE RIGHT way to cook it...but I think I'll try anyway.
• Across the top of the photo is Nikuman from Maeda's freezer. Thanks for the tip, Kim.
• I already mentioned the sauces. Akikosan says the yakiniku is a DIPPING SAUCE ONLY...and the yakitori is for CHICKEN only and for grilled chicken - a marinade. Hmph.
• The green bag on the right is our treat of the day - a mini sugar cone with "ice cream" like stuff in the middle...not really freeze dried, more of a mix between pudding and freeze dried. We thought the green was mint, we're not so sure now.
• The kids thought the mushrooms were strange....but I also found bananas, pineapple and seedless "clementines". LOL
  

Obento Adventures

The above sports a potato filled roll, cheese filled roll, wrapped sausages, pizza, chicken nuggets on a strip, chicken dumplings (pot stickers), and potato on a stick.... I decided to bring home a variety of selections that looked kid-friendly from the "deli" - which is set up to be obento - take out lunches. This led to a fun lunch and some new adventures:

• "Pizza" - I learned this before, but forgot. The crust was nice and thick - usually paper thing and crunchy around here.....it looked good. When we sampled we discovered it was topped with mayo, potatoes and fish chunks. The kids weren't thrilled.
• The Chicken dumplings are a hit.
• The various rolls met with various responses.
• Never assume "nuggets" on a stick ARE chicken nuggets. These were various unrecognizable pieces chicken and fat on a stick. This made the fish pizza more appetizing.
• We'll pass on those specific potatoes in the future, or buy them hot at a vendor.
• Get out and TRY the new things; it was fun. The kids will feel more and more comfortable with options out in public as we try them at home.
  

Stacia was THRILLED with the bananas...."Little bananas!" I bought two bunches and they are all gone...which is sure to lead to more shopping adventures in Northern Japan.

We did school, cleaned a bit, cooked a nice dinner, enjoyed our Advent traditions and had our Japanese lesson. Akikosan asked a few questions about our decorations. This is good. She had asked us each to bring our favorite book to the lesson. SHE ASKED. I brought my Bible. I wish I could have snapped a photo...but the moment was too important. She looked. Sat it down. Picked it up and looked again. She turned it on all sides to check it out. I have a big Bible...and as mad as I was at the theives who stole my Bible this summer leading to this new Bible....I realized I would gladly give it to Akikosan if she expressed an interest. I told her what it was. She told me it was a "Bibudu" or a "Sayisho".

Akikosan brought photos of her growing up years and pets to show us. After the lesson I asked her about Onsens - she recommended her favorite. We talked about children (because I wasn't happy with a boy in the onsen Tuesday night). This led to a chance to tell her that I believe children are a gift from the true and living God...even lots of them. She appeared a bit puzzled and may ask again about our family size. Little shrines to aborted babies are common here. It's heartbreaking. They ACKNOWLEDGE the baby is a life and soul....but feel that they must abort. Abortion rate is high. I knew that Akikosan wondered why we had nine children because she often comes back to this fact in our lessons. ::snort::

I thought we would need to cancel lessons for next week, as we have dental appointments on Wed., but she really wanted to continue to meet, so we'll adjust. Please pray with us that our family will display the love of Christ to Akikosan in a way that is authentic and real and understandable to her. She isn't real sure what Shintoism believes on a number of points which I've asked. Jared is now researching Shintoism and I think he knows more about it than her. We would love to introduce her to Jesus sometime in the next 3 years....or maybe we are simply here to plant seeds. I know that she has our Cadence Missionaries and another Chaplain's family in her group classes. God is planting seeds.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Advent Hunt & Musing

Mike and the kids went ahead with the Advent devotional and hunt while I soaked in a HOT tub. ::snort::

Tonight's Clue: Here's a Hent about Cortez. Hmmm...gotta know we collect G. A. Henty, so that may not be a spelling error. Yep, the gift was behind, "By Right of Conquest" by G. A. Henty. Good find, Arielle.

I am so blessed here. I'm not sure WHY I've been blessed with really good friendships so quickly. I ALWAYS pray for friends. I ALWAYS end up with at least one life-long friend from each assignment....but this is a strange season. I had prayed for the past 7 years for more margin, more time for friendships and relationships....and here I am. I'm busy. I'm happy. God's moved me into a season that certainly carries a lot of responsibility, though some days are busy, most days are less busy than I've been for the past many years. I'm NOT running two food co-ops, I'm not running a local PWOC.... He's provided quick friends.....friendships that feel much deeper than they should this quickly. Today, I ended up with several meetings, drama for Arielle and a doc visit. I had TWO friends both willing to watch Stacia as needed - and both friends I FELT COMFORTABLE leaving Stacia with. That's amazing. In fact, I called one in the middle of the day because I wasn't sure of the next step on my schedule. Where was I supposed to meet her? ::snort:: At the end of the long day I went out with another friend for a bowl of ramen and to soak at the Onsen.....and the fellowship was sweet....and I believe refreshing for both of us. SO....here I am in a busy season of life feeling quite refreshed, blessed, and at ease.

The doc....I finally found one who agrees with me. ::snort:: It took 3 doctors but hey....he agreed. He's a Christian. He's the chief of medical staff here.....and he said that I can come off Zocor. He said at my age, with my risk factors, I have a 4% chance of a heart attack in the next 10 years. ON the Zocor I have a 3% risk. He agreed that if it were his wife, given our specific factors, he wouldn't want her on the drug. He was concerned that my blood pressure was 145/94. OBVIOUSLY, working out was doing something for me. I wasn't losing weight at a rapid pace...but it DID keep my blood pressure way, way lower. SO.....I'm to get back into my typical lifestyle, figure out how to workout "aerobically 45 min most days of the week," go off the meds...and see him again in 3 months. I pushed for 6. We agreed on 3. He said there is a new test out that helps to measure the family risk factor. I don't really understand it, it's a blood test and gives them a "reasonable guess" as to if you've started heart disease and how long you may have until a major incident. He says its best to have the test without the Zocor as it can mask the results....so he's willing to let me go off, take that test, retest my numbers and then visit again.

Diabetes: My thyroid disease, gestational diabetes, family history and elevated cholesterol all put me at "high risk" for diabetes. They ran the big dog test and my blood sugars are great. He said to keep in mind that I'm at high risk and make lifestyle changes now....but that I can still have my treats from time to time.....my sugars average 81....that's GREAT. Now family can quit worrying. I'm taking care of myself.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

How EARLY it Starts

We don't have television in our home. We don't focus on external beauty. Where does this come from and why does it start so early?

Doing Stacia's hair this a.m.

Stacia: Mom, do you think Ricky will think my hair is pretty.

Mom: I'm sure he will, but isn't it enough for Daddy and your brothers to think you are pretty?

Stacia: I don't know if they think I'm pretty.

Mom: Let's ask...of course they do and have told her that....

I maintain that deep within every girls heart is the desire to be the princess, to be loved, to be cherished and special and pretty....because we can't blame this one on the media.

It sort of saddened me...but then it made me all the more determined to be sure the girls know how much their brothers and father admire them, how much we admire their internal qualities, how very beautiful they are in our eyes.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...