Monday, May 2, 2011

sewing, siblings and the subject of history

Want to see what I have been sewing today?

Not just one...


...but TWO blankets for my sister Bobo's baby.


Her husband is in the USAF and flies the C-5, hence the airplanes (even if these are a bit old school).

I still have one more blanket I want to make, but the sewing machine, fabric and notions need to be packed away. The survey person with the moving company is coming tomorrow to see what we're planning to take with us to Guam!

My sister needs to have her baby just a little early. She is due in June and we are moving in June... so end of May would be very convenient for me. And it's all about me, right? *snort*

Baby boy is already over 6 lbs! Definitely great with child. :)


My brother was also at Bobo's shower. Stephen and Debbie (aka Bobo) are less than a year apart.


He and Debbie do look a bit like twins, don't you think?

And now completely off subject, I have a HOMESCHOOL question for y'all.

Shocking, isn't it. Me? Write about homeschooling?

Austin will be starting 7th grade in the fall. That is typically the year that a student will learn about TEXAS history. However, we will be moving to GUAM next month.

Do we have him study Texas history anyway (since we will be back in 1.5 years to stay)? Or should he study something else?

A little background info: Our history this year is Sonlight's Core F: Eastern Hemisphere, which is culture and history in Asia, Australia, the Middle East and Africa. We have studied American History the previous 2 years. Regardless of the history, we will be focusing on geography this next year using Mapping the World by Heart and digging deeper into the countries we plan on visiting.

So tell me, what would you do? Texas History? Guam History? Something else? Just Geography and extra readers?

15 comments:

Christine said...

I love the blankets. You're such a wonderful eemo. My kids still cherish their quilts you made them. Love you!

Debbie said...

I lerve the blanket! I know Hudson will, too :) Thank you so much, Marshy! I'm feeling pretty sure he'll be here in May...I know I could be wrong, but it's just my feeling. I've been trying to get things ready, but also feeling more and more uncomfortable. How could I possibly grow and ache for a whole month and 8 days more?? :)
PS--I was thinking the 3 of us look like triplets :)

I love you!
Oh, sorry that I don't really have a good answer to your homeschooling question...I mean, TX history is a must for us! But could you do a whole year on Guam history? Hmmmm......

Becky said...

I think you all look like triplets, too! And I LOVE the airplane material. LOVE!

Homeschool .... does it really matter what history you study (as in state)? Adam and I have been talking about it lately. He grew up in Ohio, I grew up in Alabama. We each retained a bit of information about our respective state but now we live in Tennessee and know nothing about it.

The closer the time comes for you to move to Guam the sadder I get. I don't know why it matters if you're in Texas or Guam since I've never really 'met' you but it just makes me sad that you'll be so far away =)

Tracy said...

NO Texas....plenty of time for that later!!!

I pray your Sister has that baby early! :)

amy in peru said...

study GUAM up close and personal like! texas will still be there when you get back...

:)

amy in peru

Karen said...

The blankets are beautiful!

If you're going to do history while you're gone, I would do Guam. Like the others said, Texas will be there when you get back. Also the kids may grow up and move--so does it really matter? (It does, I think, but maybe not as much as we think it does.)

I'm in a bind too. The kids were born in the States, we live in Canada, and they are half Scottish too. Errgh! I'm focusing on US history right now because it goes with the Sonlight cores, but I have two other countries to fit in there sometime!

Many blessings on your sorting and packing. And hope the baby comes in time, but not too soon.

Unknown said...

You sew too?!?!!? Good GRAVY! Brilliant! Well, I vote extra readers in addition to the geography ONLY. You did the Sonlight Eastern Hemisphere curriculum. Go into more depth on that with some books to give him time on his own. TExas has been there for almost 200 years or so, it'll be there for another 1.5 years. Texas will never go away, it's that good.

Brenda said...

1. the blankets look great.
2. it's only right your sister consider your schedule a part of her birth plan! :)
3. Texas history would be easier to study if you were in Texas. Makes field trips ever so much more convienient. I would study Guam for the year. What a unique experience for your boys. Well, not unique if you live in Guam but you know....

Anonymous said...

Hi Marsha,

I haven't posted here for awhile but I've been following along.

I am in awe of your baby blankets! I have zero sewing ability so I can fully appreciate yours, lol! They're gorgeous, very little boyish. I hope your sister indulges you and gives birth early too. Fingers crossed!

Hmm, I'd study Guam's history. Just think how much more you'll be able to soak it in while being right there rather than reading about Guam in some stuffy old text book! This homeschooling mama would do the same!

Molly (:

Unknown said...

I vote for Guam history and culture. Texas history will be more meaningful when you can visit the Alamo, etc. And remember that one of the reasons you homeschool is FLEXIBILITY - just because other 7th graders study TX history doesn't mean you have to do it that year. :)

Unknown said...

Definitely wait on the Texas history. Study Guam for sure, and if that's not enough, maybe some other similar regions.
I love the homemade baby blankets!! They are so cute!

Jenna said...

Hi Marsha! It is so exciting that you guys are mocing to Guam so SOON! Yay!!
I think you should NOT do Texas history next year. If you've already covered American History, and you've lived in Texas for any amount of time I bet they already know the basics of TX history, and as someone else already pointed out, so many people do not live (as adults) in the state where they learned state history in grade school, so even if they live in Tx forever and ever amen it's not liek they will be the only ones in that great state who might not know the state bird off the top of their head. Definitely study Guam, but also study in depth some other countries/cultures in that part of the world. BTW, what other countries are you hoping to visit during your stay there?
Jenna

Milk and Honey Mommy said...

Marsha,

Your sister looks great! I think you should have a conference w/your nephew and tell him he needs to come out just a little early. It would be great for all of you to see him before you move. Maybe, you can tempt him w/those beautiful blankets you made.

I think you should study Guam history (like Amy said, "Texas will be there...") because you will be in the midst of everyhing and have the opportunity to visit the places he is studying.

Gwen T said...

I'd say to take advantage of your locale!! You can always study Texas later, but authentic, on-the-spot Guam/Pacific Ocean (WW2) history/geography - you'll probably only have this opportunity once!

Although I'm a little biased since we're part of Wycliffe :) -- I'd say look up wycliffe.org and see how many of those Pacific islands and surrounding countries still have not even one word of Scripture. That's the highest concentration of unwritten language and Bible-less people in the world.

Susan said...

Those blankets are adorable. State studies can be as easy or complicated as you want it. We did a state study lapbook style. I have the picture book called B is for Beaver. THere is one on every state. Then downloaded a free study to go with the book, then downloaded free lapbook books on it and when we were finished we had a nice lapbook. Only took about 6-8 weeks.