Civil War at Watkins Mill--Smithville MO area

We cordially invite you to attend a special upcoming program at Watkins Woolen Mill State Historic Site:



A Musical Journey Through the Civil War

May 19, 2012

7:00 p.m.



America was torn apart and came together again during the mid-1800s. Please join us as Jamin Bray explores how our Nation endured the tragedies and triumphs of the Civil War through songs, and how American music itself changed during this time of transformation.



Program will be held on the grounds of the Watkins House. (In case of rain, the program will move inside to the A/V room in the visitor center.) For more information contact the park office at 816-580-3387.



Please forward this information on to other possible interested parties. Thank you!





Amanda G. Coonce

Interpretive Resource Technician

Watkins Woolen Mill State Park & State Historic Site

Missouri State Parks

26600 Park Road North

Lawson, MO 64062

816-580-3387

816-580-3784 (Fax)

free interactive tour of the solar system

Check out this website,  http://nineplanets.org/  It is a free interactive tour of the planets of our solar system.  Its a fun way to learn!

Homeschool Coop Blues

We only have 2 weeks left of our spring semester of homeschool coop.  Then, we will break until fall.  In a way I am glad, as it will be a break from  gasoline prices on Mondays....but, we will miss all our friends at coop.  If we didn't have a summer break, we would not survive the summer as we are also involved in church camp for several weeks, 4H county and state fair, CIY,  family reunion, gardening and more.

But, it is still sad that we only have a couple more meetings.

This summer, I am going to try and schedule some field trips on a few Mondays.  Most of our coop families leave Mondays open, so we can publish where we will be and maybe some can meet up and join us.  Ideas we have tossed around so far, include the KC Zoo, Arabia Museum and farmers Market (pretty much side by side), Watkins Mill, Smithville Lake swim beaches, Powell Gardens, WOF, Oceans of Fun, and the Liberty Memorial.

You know it is spring when

Your lilacs bloom.....

You get stuck behind farmers beginning to prepare their fields....We were behind this guy for 4 miles-then he turned in 2 farms before ours......

Marriage according to kids

HOW  DO YOU DECIDE WHO TO MARRY?
(written by kids)


You got to  find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming.
-- Alan, age 10

-No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides       it all way before, and you get to find out later who you're stuck with.
-- Kristen,       age 10


2. WHAT IS THE  RIGHT AGE TO GET MARRIED?
Twenty-three   is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by  then..
-- Camille,       age 10


3. HOW CAN A STRANGER TELL IF TWO PEOPLE ARE MARRIED?
You might  have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids.
-- Derrick,       age 8


4. WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE IN COMMON?
Both don't  want any more kids.
-- Lori, age  8


5. WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO ON A DATE?
-Dates are  for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough.
-- Lynnette,       age 8

6. On  the first date, they just tell each other lies and that usually gets them  interested enough to go for a second  date.
-- Martin,       age 10


7. WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE?
-When  they're rich.
-- Pam, age 7 ( Love her )

8. The  law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn't want to mess with that.
- - Curt,       age 7

9. The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It's the right thing to do.
- - Howard,       age 8


10. IS IT BETTER TO  BE SINGLE OR MARRIED?
It's  better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean  up after them.
-- Anita,       age 9 (bless you  child )


11. HOW WOULD THE   WORLD BE DIFFERENT IF PEOPLE DIDN'T GET  MARRIED?
There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn't there?
-- Kelvin,       age 8

And       the #1 Favorite is .......


12. HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE WORK?
Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a dump truck.
-- Ricky,       age  10

Prayers for weather safety

We had some bad weather this morning, and more real nasty stuff coming later today.  Pray for a safe weather day!  The sky is rather scary looking right now, even though it is calm.
And, we can't find momma kitty, due any time anywhere.....would like to bring her in before tonights storms if we could find her.
In the meantime, we are off to Emily's soccer game, then make home to make some yogurt.

Oh no, pantry overload = buying no groceries for a month

We have 2 pantries.  One upstairs and a huge one (that resembles a store) downstairs.  Also, 2 frigs, and 4 freezers.  All are full. Over full, way over full.  Then I have another freezer that is a nonworking one that I store my large bag bags of flour, sugar, salt, oats and such in (I tend to get those in 20 to 50 lb bags)

Usually every fall and again right after winter (like a month ago) I inventory, and we use, rotate and restock.  But, I was bad and didn't do it last fall...yeah, or this March.  It must be done now before the garden starts producing and I start drying, canning, freezing even more.

So, I started with the first thing I pulled out of the big deep freeze, which was ground beef.  So, tonight we are having meatloaf, corn and a pasta salad, with Cheddar cheese biscuits.  To use up the rest of the family size package of ground beef we will also be having a crock pot of chili with corn bread one night and cheese burger casserole another.  So, the ground beef will take 3 meals.

Also, I came up with the makings for shrimp gumbo for a night, patio steaks for another, and then a sea food night of shrimp, crab legs and fish patties.  Also salmon patties, crab salad, at least 2 or more meals of spaghetti and meatballs (found 2 large gallon bags of frozen meatballs).

Also for deserts, came up with makings for several pumpkin pies, apple pie, cherry pie, pudding, tapioca and numerous cakes.

Tons of canned veggies and frozen veggies to go with.

My goal is no grocery shopping for a month except for milk, potatoes and possibly some cereal.  I make most of our bread, so bread won't be an issue.

Nine meals and I haven't really even looked yet or taken inventory.  In reality, this may take closer to 2 or 3 months to eat our way through it all!  We still have at least one hog in the big freezer and some beef as well.

So, needless to say, my grocery budget will be easy on the checking account for several months!

Homeschool skate in Liberty MO

Homeschool Skate in Liberty, MO

Friday April 20, 2012 from 1pm to 2:30 pm
Skating rink is next to the library on the backside on Kent St

 $4 per skater, and no outside food allowed



             

Rain, rain, go away

So much for planning on fixing fences this weekend.  Its not a heavy rain, but enough to make one not want to be out in it and this is the second day of it.

We have missed the last couple of freezes we were supposed to get, so the garden is still doing fairly well.  My strawberries are blooming, and my onions and chives are doing well.  The peas are just starting to come up as well.

It appears I will need to replant the carrots and lettuce, but I was sort of iffy on them anyway.  Duke (black lab the size of a small horse) dug up the carrots then rolled around in the carrot bed.  That didn't help any at all--if any come up, so much for my straight lines of planting!  But, the lettuce and carrots  were from seeds I found in the garage dated 2003.  So, really no loss there, and I think Duke learned a valuable lesson.  That is, don't do it when the Momma is watching, wait till she leaves so you can blame it on the cat or the other dog or a chicken...

In our homeschooling we have been concentrating on our spelling words as next month is the homeschool spelling bee.  The cat is also giving us somewhat of a biology lesson, as she is pregnant and due rather soon.

We also added 6 more baby chicks (in addition to the 9 we got a week before).  Eva (our calf) is growing and doing well.  She still loves to run and play with Duke, but she is now bigger than Duke.  I think Miss 54, the other expectant cow has lost her calf, so this one will be the only calf for now.