We had a wonderful time at the Christmas dinner. Thank you to the Ramers who hosted us at their church and thank you to their pastor for extending such gracious hospitality to us. The songs and poems and Merry Christmas presentations were fantastic. I loved the m&m poem and the Grinch song especially. And Julie, you have a beautiful voice. The right left game was fun. I want to do that again. Nicole you did a great job on the ham. Who would of thought a can of coke would make such a yummy ham! The whole evening was very relaxing and fun. Thank you to everyone who made it happen. And thank you, Lord for the wonderful people that I call my PACHA family. Merry Christmas. TLM
Oh, my goodness! All of our students did an excellent job on their Geography Fair presentations. Well done, PACHA students! Our family had such a good time with all of you and we enjoyed learning about Australia, England, Trinidad, France, Egypt, Alaska and the USA. We especially liked the taste samples afterward while we fellowshipped together. The Alaskan "fillets" were great! I only have pictures of 3 presentations so I'll put them on here and when you read this I hope that you will add more pics to my post of some of the other presentations! Had a fantastic time. Thank you to our PACHA family for such great participation.
Who says it takes 80 days to travel around the world? We traveled around the world in 1 day! lots of learning and lots of fun! We "went" to Holland, Columbia, Turkey, Germany, France and Israel just to name a few. Our globetrotters went home with a passport full of stamps and a head full of memories.
We had fun at the pumpkin patch this year! I am so glad there is such a quality one right here in our town. The church that puts it on has made it very nice for our community. I am thankful.
Hi PACHA family, We would like to invite you all over to our house for a hot dog roast on Sunday evening, Oct 17 at 5:00. We will roast hot dogs and marshmallows. We will sing songs and visit and laugh and just have a nice fall gathering together. I hope everyone can come! Give me a call and I'll start a list of what each family can bring. Talk to ya soon! Love you all- Tamarrah
Last year we had a great time at the pumpkin patch here in Pryor. Lunch together, games, rides, stories and picking pumpkins!!! This year we are in for an even bigger day. With more fun games added it will be about 3 hours of autumn fun!
Kids are $5 each and parents are free. They will go home with some great crafts and a pumpkin and best yet, memories to last!
Tuesday October 19th. Lunch and group pictures starting at Noon and the fun and games begin at 12:30pm. Please RSVP As soon as you can to either myself or Angie. We would like to give them a head count ASAP.
Thank you to everyone who made the ice cream social a fun time. The school year has kicked off to a great start. We looking forward to the times of fellowship with all of our PACHA family this school year! TLM
What does everyone thing of an October Book Report day? I was thinking like a Thursday afternoon? I can call the library if everyone wants to do it. Let me know your thoughts.
Let's get together for a back-to-school ice cream social! We have the shelter at the park in Chouteau reserved for September 10th, Friday evening at 6:00. We will have a wonderful evening visiting, sharing a cool treat, playing in the park and praying together for God to be glorified in our homeschools this year. If we are lucky maybe Dakota, Julie's brother, will bring his guitar.
Bring your family's favorite ice cream and their favorite topping to share. Chilled bottled water will be provided. Hope to see you there! TLM
We are excited to see everyone this Friday evening, May 28, at our Graduation/Awards Ceremony. It will be at the First United Methodist at 6:00pm in Pryor right across from the Hallmark store. Come in the west doors. And remember to come hungry as we will have finger sandwiches and cake afterwards. I was there today and saw that there are plenty of tables so each student can have one if they want to display a board and/or some of their schoolwork and/or artwork and/or books from this school year, or anything else they would like to show! Remember that Angie's daughter Molly has made a DVD full of PACHA moments together with a special focus on our graduates. They are ten dollars if you would like to purchase one. We (the Morgans) will be at the church about 3:00 to set up if anyone wants to come help. What a great year we have had with all of you. Each family will have opportunity to give their children awards and say anything they would like to say. We are so proud of our kindergarten grad, Blake, and our eighth grade grads, Daniel and Carrie and our Senior, Travis!!! God is so good. We are looking forward to celebrating our children's accomplishments together. See you there! TLM
Angie will have the 2009-2010 video slide show, being shown at the graduation, on sale for $10 each. The video is 10 minutes long, showing Travis and Blake at the beginning, then goes into our events for the year, ending with some funny pictures with captions. Please let Angie know ASAP if you would like a copy.
July 13th - Angie is leading VBS for her church this summer and they decided to make it an evening VBS. She was wondering if we could have Mom Night Out during the day. But said if not her feelings would not be hurt. Please let me know if we move it to a different time, if that would work.
Oh, what a wonderful evening it was!! It was great to see all the neat projects that the students worked so diligently on . Their reports were great! And the project boards were awesome! Thank you Pacha Family for a fun filled evening.
We started a Secret Pal Prayer Partners this month. Pulling names out of the middle to get a secret sister to pray for. This will be done at every MNO and you can be praying for your sister for 2 months. At the next MNO you can bring your sister a gift. Be sure to send a card or note of encouragement to them through this prayer time. (But don't reveal who you are until the next meeting) :o)
July 13th - We decided to meet together this summer once if you can... informal get together at Emerald City Coffee House in Pryor. Bring a gift for your sister. :o)
September 14th - Very Veggie Night - Bring your favorite veggies and or veggie dips to share. Nicole Rouge will be leading the Devotional. Bring a gift for you sister that is in a jar. :o)
November 9th - Mulligan Soup - Bring a small pot of your favorite soup or stew to share. Jeanna Collins will be leading the Devotional. Bring a gift for your sister that is on a stick. :o)
January 11th - "Super" Sandwiches - Bring some of your favorite sandwiches to share. Tamarrah Morgan will be leading the Devotional. Bring a gift for your sister that is in a cup. :o)
March 8th - Muffin "Madness" - Bring your favorite muffins to share along with your favorite topping, such as Jam, Jelly, Butter, ect. Devotional is open for someone to sign up for. Bring a gift for your sister that is in a basket. :o)
May 10th - Chip-tastic - Bring your favorite chips and dips to share. Devotional is open for someone to sign up for. Bring a gift for your sister that is in a pot. :o)
My prayer is that this summer brings you all a time of refreshment and rest. I encourage you to spend time in God's word alone, as a couple and as a family this summer. Find out what God has in store for your family this next school year!
"It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect" (Psalm 18:32).
Do you ever wake up and feel like you have nothing left to give as a homeschooling parent? During one quiet morning as I looked out the kitchen window, I felt exhausted physically, financially, and emotionally. I just wanted my house to be clean, but as I looked around the house, each task I had accomplished seemed to have been replaced by ten others. Laundry, dishes, and dirt seemed to be everywhere. Added to this overwhelming burden was a mountain of schoolwork waiting to be graded and lessons needing to be planned. I felt depleted to the point of despair and prayed, "Lord, I'm so tired. Will I ever finish all this work?"
The struggle to find strength for the battle is nothing new. We can quit homeschooling, but if countless other Christians have remained steadfast through their difficult times, we can too. Clearly, believing the old saying, "When life gets tough, the tough get going," isn't the answer. As Christian homeschooling parents, we already know we don't have the ability to conjure up strength on our own. The strength lies in our attitude toward God and acknowledging our dependency on Him. Like Paul, we must learn "for when I am weak, then am I strong" (2 Corinthians 12:10b). Like a little child strengthened by his parents to lift objects much too heavy for himself, we can rediscover God's strength to move mountains of housework, schoolwork, or whatever comes our way.
If you are experiencing homeschool burnout and finding yourself shutting down, God is waiting for you. Your all-powerful and loving heavenly Father has the strength you need to face today, tomorrow, and even eternity. Stop thinking about what you can't do. Start depending on God and find out what you can do through Him today. "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13).
Lord, homeschooling is impossible without You. Show me how to cling to You and lift me above the weight of each day's tasks. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Lots and lots of fun going on at our local library this summer.
AHOY READERS SUMMER READING CAMP Who: Students entering 1st-3rd grade in the fall of 2010 Dates: June 2-4 OR June 16-18 OR July 7-9 Time: 9:00am-11:00am SIGN UP NOW!!!!
AHOY READERS SUMMER READING CAMP Who: Students entering 4th-6th grade in the fall of 2010 Dates: June 2-4 OR June 16-18 OR July 7-9 Time: 1:00pm-4:00pm SIGN UP NOW!!!!
SUMMER READING TEEN CAMP Who: Students entering 7th-9th grade in the fall of 2010 Dates: June 7-9 AND July 13-15 Time: 1:30pm-4:00pm SIGN UP NOW!!!!
JUNE FEST June 26th at Whitaker Park 3:00pm-10:00pm Red Dirt Rangers! Night Swim! Other Activities!
TURTLE RACES and INDEPENDENT SUMMER READING SIGN UPS! June 1st Sign ups 9-10am Turtle Race 10am AND Sign Ups 1-2pm Turtle Races 2pm
JUNE INDEPENDENT READING PROGRAM (You MUST sign up to participate) Tuesdays June 1, 8, 15 and 22 CRAFTS! COUPONS! GIVEAWAYS! Completed Reading Lists MUST be turned in by 5:00pm June 23rd!!!!
JUly INDEPENDENT READING PROGRAM (You MUST sign up to participate) Tuesdays June 29, July 6, 13 and 20 CRAFTS! COUPONS! GIVEAWAYS! Completed Reading Lists MUST be turned in by 5:00pm June 21rd!!!!
SCIENCE MATTERS MOBILE MUSEUM July 24th at the Library!
ELEMENTARY STORY TIME Saturday, July 10th and 17th 10:00am-10:45am ALL ELEMENTARY AGE STUDENTS WELCOME
JUNE PRE SCHOOL SUMMER STORYTIME Who: Birth - Kindergarten When: Fridays, May 28-June 18 Time: 10:00am-10:45am Story and Age Appropriate Activity
JUly PRE SCHOOL SUMMER STORYTIME Who: Birth - Kindergarten When: Fridays, July 2 - 16 Time: 10:00am-10:45am Story and Age Appropriate Activity
Have fun this summer, reading and learning with your children!
Moms Night Out is coming up! Tomorrow, Tuesday evening, May 11 at 6:30 at Tamarrah's house. It will be so nice to see everyone. We have planned a packed evening of prayer, praise, devotion, fellowship, food, information, voting on new council members, treasurer's report, planning our graduation/award ceremony and just plain enjoying one another's company. I hope everyone can make it! See you then. TLM
Top 10 Time Wasters for Women 1.The Telephone. You can waste hours of time talking and gossiping on the telephone. Not only is it time-wasted, but this is usually when your children get into trouble, or be naughty because they realize the phone has taken mother’s attention away from them.
2.The TV. I would rather live life than watch it! Teach your children to ‘live’ life, rather than watch it go by. Remember that the day is for work, the evening is for relaxation. A good rule for your home is to never turn the TV on during the day. (It’s still a time-waster in the evening too!)
3.Reading novels when there is work to be done. Don’t be tempted to read a novel during the hours of the night, only to wake up too tired to cope with your children during the day.
4.Self-Pity and Worry. Thinking about yourself is a deadly time-waster. You can’t adequately nurture your children or bless others while you use all your emotional energy on yourself.
5.Lack of organization. If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it. It is important to have long-range goals, and a goal for each day.
6.Lack of Discipline. Do what has to be done, not just what you feel like doing. This develops character.
7.Trying to do everything at once. Tackle one job at a time and finish it completely. Then start another job. Clean one room at a time. You don’t have to get everything done in one day.
8.Inability to say, "No." Stay focused. Don’t get sidetracked. Your first priority is to be a wife, a mother and homemaker. Everything else comes second.
9.Too Much Stuff. The more "stuff" you have in your home, the more you have to clean. The more gadgets and ornaments you have, the more you have to dust. The more toys your children own, the more you have to pick up. They only need two or three at once. Put the others away. Continually ‘de-junk’ your house. Keep only what you need.
10.Inefficiency. E.g. When cleaning up, don’t carry one thing to another room and then come back for something else. Put everything for one room in a box, and then take one trip to that room. Save on unnecessary movements.
www.aboverubies.org---I love this website for women!
We went to the Tulsa zoo today. It was very windy and it seemed as though every school also decided to have their zoo field trip today. I also did not seem to find anyone there from our group. :o( I am so sorry if we missed each other. I do, however, have a packet for each child in the group that wants one. Brook made a 30 animal scavenger hunt for each child. I will bring them to Mom's night, so every kids can have a hunt at the zoo whenever you all can make it. Hope everyone is doing well today.
I am going to move the zoo trip one more time to Thursday the 29th due to rain again on Friday.... What is up with the rain on Fridays? Thanks for being so understanding of this weather issue :o)
I am also so super excited to be stepping up to the Chairman/President position :o) What a way to serve God for this group! I am praying always for the better of our group.
We are very excited to announce that we will be welcoming Brook and Nicole Rouge as our next PACHA Chairman/President!! We are very excited and welcome them with open arms! We need you to be at our next MNO meeting, we will be voting for their family to serve in this position for PACHA. We are looking forward to seeing everyone at our next MNO meeting May 11, 2010 at 6:00pm at the Morgans home.
We now have a location for the Graduation/Awards Ceremony! I am very thankful to the Lord for his provision. The ceremony will be at First United Methodist Church in Pryor. They were so kind and more than glad to share their church with us. I am very thankful. It is still May 28 at 6:00pm
I just wanted to share a note about the Senior Banquet we attended a few weeks ago. It was a very delightful evening, the catered dinner was very delicious, and the guest speaker was very enjoyable and had alot of great things to give to the hearts of the graduating seniors. The whole evening was a very blessed one and we thank our Lord for His presence that night. The banquet was held at the Summit down town Tulsa. We had a very special time with our son Travis. We are so very proud of him and all of his hard work that he has done and look forward to seeing what God has planned for him next!!! We love you Travis!
I am sorry to say that tomorrow's trip to the Tulsa Zoo has to be postponed until further noticed due to rain. I will write a post when we come up with a date that will work. Have a super weekend!
We love the zoo! So much to learn and see and gaze upon the wonder of our almighty God's handy work :o)
We are making a scavenger hunt for the zoo. We will give every family a packet of pages that has pictures of the animals to find. Along with finding the animal you will need to write what the animal is and a fun fact you learn about the animal. So bring a clip board and pencil for the hunt.
We figured we would meet at 9am at entrance of the zoo. For lunch we are thinking picnica lunchs by the Rhinos and then gathering together at the end to see if you all found the animals and find out each child's favorite part.
We are so glad you all are coming! See you Friday at 9am!
Red Fern Festival April 23 - 24 in Tahlequah By Oklahoma Tourism Staff The award-winning Red Fern Festival is April 23-24 at Norris Park in downtown Tahlequah. What began as a small idea has grown into an event that that is firmly planted in Tahlequah soil. In its first year in 2007, the Red Fern Festival achieved a Merit Award for Outstanding New Event in the state from the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department and the Oklahoma Travel Industry Association. In its second year, the Red Fern Festival took the coveted RedBud Award for Outstanding New Event in the state.
“We are proud that our event went from an intangible thing that had yet to materialize to where it is now,” said Kate Kelly, tourism director with the Tahlequah Area Chamber of Commerce. “We should all be proud that one of our native sons authored ‘Where the Red Fern Grows.’”
Book author Wilson Rawls grew up in the Tahlequah area where the story is set. Many may not realize the impact this story has had, and continues to have. The book is in the curriculum of at least fifty percent of schools in the United States, and its popularity does not seem to be waning. The Tahlequah Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Council receives letters and phone calls from students and teachers, asking about Tahlequah because the story intrigues them and they want to learn more. They become captivated by the story, and touched by the magic, and want to make contact with someone who lives in the place where one of their favorite tales is set.
Inquiries regarding “Where the Red Fern Grows” are not limited to students and teachers. Many of the people who call and write read the story as a young person and make a visit to Tahlequah specifically because of the connection they have with this story. There are so many universal aspects of the story that there is something for almost everyone. The book has it all – drama, comedy, tragedy, triumph, evocative descriptions of our terrain, suspense, history. And, above all else, this is the story about the love of a boy and his two dogs.
Tahlequah’s Red Fern Festival will have some of the best components of the story. One of the highlights promises to be the Hound Dog Field Trials. Held throughout the Red Fern Festival, expect to be amazed and delighted by the dexterity and intelligence of these working hounds as they follow scents. Children’s activities will abound and will run the gamut from old- fashioned 1930s-era games to modern art activities to catching crawdads. The sweet smell of smoke will waft over town during the Red Fern Chili Cook-Off and Barbeque Extravaganza. Ferns will be on sale as well as a variety of arts and crafts, and crafts demonstrations. The Red Fern Parade will wend its way north on Muskogee Avenue to Norris Park. Bands will play bluegrass, rock and country music all day Saturday. All events will be centered at Norris Park, except for the 5Cs Car show which will be around Cherokee Square.
“The Red Fern Festival has captured the imagination of many. We want to warmly welcome our visitors to this event, but we also want to demonstrate our ability to honor our collective past while looking forward,” said Kelly.
For more information, please call the Tahlequah Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Council at 918/456-3742, or visit www.redfernfestival.com. TLM
I was just wanting to say thanks for praying for our pastor.She is doing a little better . She is facing open heart surgery in May. Please keep her in your prayers and thoughts. I also wanted to say a big Thanks to Chris and Tamarrah for opening their home for our movie night. Thanks to Angie for the doing our Red Fern Grows book club. I wanted to give a shout out to Travis. We are so proud of you! We pray that you always keep God the head of your life. Congratulations! JR
Thank you so much, Nicole, for setting up this blog for our group. How wonderful it is to be able to post all of our news in one place like this. I just want you to know how much I appreciate you and the work you've put into this. Thank you. Tamarrah
Tahlequah Public Library has a fun reading patch club available. This is how it works: Read 5 books and 500 pages for each patch category. Categories include adventure, animals, history, fiction, mystery, poetry, and many, many more. Then you will be awarded the patch for that category! TLM
The OCHEC homeschool convention is coming to Tulsa this year! In the past it has only gone to Oklahoma City. This year it is expanding into Tulsa. It will be on April 27+28, a Tuesday and a Wednesday from 11:30am to 9:00pm. The key note speaker is Todd Wilson, the author of the book Lies Homeschooling Moms Believe and founder of Familyman Ministries. He is a great motivational speaker and if you didn't go to the convention for anything else, he alone would be worth it to go . He speaks at 7:00pm on Tuesday evening. There will be workshops of all kinds and, of course, lots of vendors will be there so you can look over material first hand. Julie and I am already signed up and would love for more to join us. If you sign up online by April 19 it's discounted to $20 for you and your spouse. After that it's $35. Call me if you would like to ride together. Tamarrah 724-4135 TLM Location: SpiritBank Event Center 10441 S. Regal Blvd. Tulsa, OK
The movie was great. We didn't pass around too many tissues! Thank you to Angie for being our leader in the book club. Where the Red Fern Grows is a great book and the movie was good too! Julie said they watched the Disney version and she liked it even better than the original. Angie suggested to watch both versions and have the kids do a compare and contrast assignment. Thanks to all that participated. I know I am not alone when I say that we can't wait for next year's book club! TLM
What a great time we had playing at the learning centers that Mary Thomas' college class set up for us. She and her classmates are earning their teaching degrees and needed volunteers to participate in some learning centers they created. The kids had lots of fun. The centers included dramatic reading, painting, sculpting, story drama, and music. Thank you, Mary, for inviting us. TLM
You are invited to come and celebrate Travis' Senior graduation as he will graduate with CHEF of Oklahoma. There will be 39 homeschooled Seniors graduating with the class of 2010. It is scheduled for May 22, 2010 at 2pm at First Baptist Broken Arrow. We are excited for him and want all of our PACHA family to be part of this too. It would mean so much to him and our family! Thank You the Collins Family
Okay here is something that would be fun to go do with your family. "A Red Fern Festival"......it is April 23-24, 2010. If you and your family would like to have an outing day this would be a fun thing to attend. There will be lots of stuff going on to do, and you can purchase some ferns too. Go and have some fun!
Pacha Kids are wrapping up the book club with a movie night to watch "Where the Red Fern Grows". Scheduled for April 2, 2010 at 6pm at the Morgan's home. There will be movie popcorn and other goodies to munch on during the movie. Come and join us for an evening of fun as a whole group. Looking forward to it!! contact person--Tamarrah
Are you needing a refreshing, encouraging, prayerful evening? Then you gotta come to our last MNO meeting of 2009-2010 year! It is scheduled for May 11, 2010 at 6:00pm.We will have devotion time, planning time for the new year to come, re-elections for council positions, collecting dues for the new year at a deep discount, refreshments, and lots of fellowship. We will be matching some secret prayer partners together so it would be helpful for you to bring some address labels along, if you have some. Also, bring any materials (books or curriculum) that you would like to share, lend or give away and we will have a curriculum swap. We always look forward to seeing our momma's at the meeting. So, come and have an encouraging time with us. Location: Tamarrah's house (Chris and the children will be gone) We are having baked potatoes so bring what you signed up for. If you weren't there last MNO to sign up just give me a ring to know what to bring! contact person-Jeanna JC and TLM
Pacha Kids annual Science Show is scheduled for May 14, 2010 at 6:00pm.There will be refreshments following the show. This date is separate from the Graduation date. So mark your calenders and get researching & preparing on those science projects!! We look forward to seeing everyone there! Location: Angie's Church in Chouteau coordinator contact-Jeanna JC and TLM
Pacha kids.. will be going to the Tulsa Zoo on April 16, 2010. We all will meet there at around 9:30am. Don't forget your hats, sunscreen, and lunches. We will be having lunch in the park. What a day of fun it will be!! coordinator contact-Nicole Rouge.
Graduation time is coming!! Pacha Kids will be celebrating it's annual Graduation Commencement & Awards Ceremony!! We have a total of 4 graduates graduating this year! The celebration evening is scheduled on May 28, 2010 at 6pm. The Awards Ceremony-- Each family will be recognizing their children for the hard work that they had performed during their school year. There will be a fellowship & refreshments following the ceremony. (look for more info on where it will be coming soon.) contact person--Jeanna, Tamarrah or Angie
I set us up with a Blog Spot for keeping up with our newsletters without having to email such a large document :o)
This is something we can use to keep up on dates, activities, devotionals, pictures and encouragement for each other.
Who can find a virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.
The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax,
And willingly works with her hands.
She is like the merchant ships,
She brings her food from afar.
She also rises while it is yet night,
And provides food for her household,
And a portion for her maidservants.
She considers a field and buys it;
From her profits she plants a vineyard.
She girds herself with strength,
And strengthens her arms.
She perceives that her merchandise is good,
And her lamp does not go out by night.
She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hand holds the spindle.
She extends her hand to the poor,
Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of snow for her household,
For all her household is clothed with scarlet.
She makes tapestry for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them, And supplies sashes for the merchants.
Strength and honor are her clothing;
She shall rejoice in time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
“ Many daughters have done well,
But you excel them all.”
Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates.
Proverbs 31:10-31
