Bible Time Insanity

Papa: What do you want to be when you grow up?
Thor: A farmer.
Cecily: A homemaker. And someone who has horses.
Gloria: Someone who has horses.
Bjorn: Someone who has chickens.
...
Papa: How about a godly man or woman?
Thor: I wanna be a godly man or woman! I mean... um... a godly MAN.

Rosemary

Cherry Pie Day

I was the only one able to make it to Cherry Pie Day this year (once again)! Some friends of ours were kind enough to give me a ride. 

For those of you who don't know, Cherry Pie Day (also called Capitol Day or Legislative Day) is when homeschoolers from all over the state come to Springfield and deliver pies to our legislators to thank them for our homeschooling freedoms. We are not to ask them for anything when we go to drop of the pies; we're just there to thank them for their service and for the freedom that we enjoy. 

It means a lot to our legislators that we go down there in person to thank them for our freedom. If you're a homeschooler, I seriously encourage you to go down next year and bring cherry pies! You will make a difference... and it's also a lot of fun. ;) Even if you are not a homeschooler, do be informed about your legislation, and contact your senator or representative if you have concerns or suggestions or just thanks. The speakers today said over and over how influential letters and in-person meetings are to our legislators. It's vital that we let them know what we want so that they can serve us better. That's exactly how our government is set up, so we need to take advantage of it! :) 

Our schedule

The Capitol building

In the Rotunda

Kalei :)

Getting ready for singing 

Getting ready to listen to the speeches 

Another photographer :D

During one of the speeches

Meeting our Senator, Kyle McCarter

There were a lot more cherry pies than people to deliver them, so our group split up and delivered at least two each. Ben, Larissa, and I had a little "adventure" when one of the senators we had to deliver a pie to was in a different building than the one that we were told, so we had to ask for directions several times, run up and down stairs, through the tunnels, etc. until we finally found his office. :)

I did take several videos... one of the National Anthem sung by all the attending homeschoolers, and several of the (very short) speeches in the Howlett Auditorium.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL01ED5A55607DF436&feature=mh_lolz

Lewis and Clark Video Project

TeenPact

According to the TeenPact website (teenpact.com), TeenPact is:

TeenPact is a dynamic, hands-on leadership school for Christian students. Our mission is to train youth to understand the political process, value their liberty, defend their Christian faith and engage the culture at a time in their lives when, typically, they do not care about such things. 

TeenPact in Illinois is April 23-26, with an optional Political Communications Workshop on the 27th (which I will not be attending).

The pre-class homework is very extensive, but very interesting. I've learned so much about the government and how it works, the history behind parts of it, and the reasons for the ways many things are done. It's a lot of work, but I've been enjoying it! One of the assignments is to write a one-page bill on any subject. The first bill written has to be on a serious topic, but they encourage you to write more than one bill, and all but the first can be as silly as you want. My serious bill is on the topic of Cottage Foods, giving much more freedom to entrepreneurs who want to start Cottage Foods businesses. I've wanted to start something like that in the past, but was unable to because of the many regulations and fees.

My funny bill is as follows...

House Bill # 123,456,789

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT

To prohibit texting near motor vehicles and roadways in this state.

Purpose: To reduce the number of casualties caused by texting and similar messaging on or near roadways and motor vehicles.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS

Section 1: For the purpose of this act, “electronic message” shall mean any digital communication sent from a wireless communication including but not limited to electronic mail, posting to a social networking site, instant messaging, text messaging, or any message that includes a keystroke entry sent between mobile devices.

Section 2: It is unlawful for any individual to send an electronic message while being within 1,000 feet of any automobile or public roadway in this state.

Section 3: Any person who violates this act shall be subject to having their hands duct taped together for a period of 48 hours, and their mobile phone given to an energetic 2-year-old for the same amount of time. The amount of time shall be doubled upon each additional offense.

Section 4: All laws or parts of laws in conflict with this act are hereby repealed.

Section 5: This act shall become effective fifteen seconds after approval by the governor or upon its otherwise becoming a law. 

What have we been up to lately?

Quite a bit...

We went to Concordia, MO from Friday-Saturday March 16-17 for the funeral of Pastor Gary Clayton, the father of our pastor. Papa and Mom were in charge of the music, and it was incredible. The pieces that the family chose were so joyful, and the entire funeral had nothing somber about it. It was filled with reminders of the hope that we have in Christ and the fact that we'll all be reunited one day with Christ.
Mom greatly enjoyed her chance to play a sizable organ. ;)

Playing Quirkle in one of our hotel rooms

We got back late Saturday night. On Sunday, after church, we celebrated Grandpa & Grandma Davis's 40th anniversary!!

Later that afternoon we went roller skating with the homeschool group. :) Lots of fun!

Yesterday we went shopping for clothes... the boys have been shooting up, and there have been quite a few "arguments" about whose clothes are whose. Cecily and Gloria have also been growing... I haven't, but I still need a few things. :P We visited Good Will first, then went to the Mission thrift store, and altogether made quite a haul!

I am ecstatic to announce that I have found the only pair of heels in the WORLD that are somewhat comfortable. We'll see if I survive four days of walking everywhere in them in April (for TeenPact). ;)

Today Knut, Cecily, and Thor have a First Lego League meeting... yes, Cecily and Thor have joined! Mom will drop them off, and then she and I will do some more shopping. A couple hours later, she'll pick them up and drop me off at a friend's house. That friend will take me to 4:12 (a Bright Lights function) this evening, and Mom will pick me up after that. Quite a busy afternoon!

Sunday Afternoon Adventure/Field Trip: Lewis and Clark Museums (and of course geocaching)

Lewis and Clark Confluence Tower 

We took the stairs (all 265 of them) to the third level. It was quite the view! 

The parking lot far below. Wow, our car is so long... :O

The Confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers

Only Knut, Cecily and I took the stairs back down; everyone else took the elevator. Cecily and I were a little slower than Knut because I kept stopping to take pictures. 

And of course I made Cecily be in them. 

Everyone else waiting (im)patiently far below 

Geocaching was next. I can't remember if they ever found the geocache or not. I don't think they did. 

I amused myself by taking pictures up on the bike trail while they were down looking for the geocache. 

There just happened to be a fence at just the right height... and the wind was blowing... so of course I had to take random pictures of myself... but I'm not posting them. ;) 

Attempting to get a nice picture of everyone (except the camera girl, of course)

Nice picture? FAIL. 

Next, we went to the Lewis and Clark Museum. I didn't get too many pictures.

Then we went home and had leftover chocolate cake for dinner. :) Yes... very unhealthy... but at least we got plenty of exercise, what with the geocaching and the 265 steps and all! :D

You know you have too much schoolwork when...

-You come home from the library to find that your grandma is in the hospital for a surgery that everyone else has known about for a long time.

-You are completely out of the loop and have no idea what is going on with the rest of your family.

-Your youngest siblings hardly ever get a chance to play with you. :(

-You envy (well... almost...) public high school students who get out at 2:30 while you work until 7-8 (or later) most of the time.

-You decide to forgo lunch and spend your entire lunchtime at Lyceum playing Ninja since it's just about the only strenuous exercise you have time for in the week.

-You don't know that your six-year-old sister was brought home by a police officer while you were at the library.
(It sounds much worse than it is... she was just walking to the neighbors' and a very kind police officer wanted to confirm that she had permission, which she did. :) All the same, it was rather surprising to hear...)