Squanto

Being Thanksgiving week, I wanted to impart some bit of Thanksgiving History to the kids. My original intention was to read a story or two a day from the book Stories of the Pilgrims by Margaret Pumphrey. However, the days slipped by me , and now I'd have to read like 10 a day to get them all in. Well, maybe next year I'll plan it a little better. However, today we read about Squanto from the book. I did it at lunch time while the kids were stuffing their faces. I have to do my devotionals while they're eating in the morning too, because otherwise, they won't sit still. I'm going to have to work on that! Anyway, Squanto had it rough, people. The story we read didn't tell much about his early life before meeting up with the pilgrims. If you're not familiar with his sad story, I encourage you to read up a little on it. Without him the Pilgrims probably never would have made it as good as they did. Overall , I was struck by his ability to put aside all the bad things in his life and do something meaningful with it. For our craft, we made an indian corn picture using construction paper and rolled up balls of colored gift tissue. We then wrote what we were thankful for on the paper. Jack's was mostly his toys and his Papa and his Papa's tractor. Lillie's blessings were mostly people. But we all agreed, we are blessed beyond measure. I got the idea from Family Fun Magazine but had to modify it because I didn't have all the needed supplies. I wish I had had the supplies called for because those would have made a beautiful centerpiece.



While flitting around my public library the other day, I found a jewel. It's call The American Schoolhouse Reader Book Two. I have tried and tried to find a more structured means of teaching Lillie to read and this book does just that, and she actually likes to use it! I will have to keep renewing it, as it has 40 graduated lessons and we do one a day. She finished her fifth lesson today and is doing a great job. I told her she got a sticker for every five lessons and then when she reached 20 lessons mastered, she'd get a celebration. So, that got her excited, though I'm not even sure she knows what a celebration is. She read to Jody's family Sunday and they were all astonished, and I tried not to beam too proudly. There are three books in the series and they are very one room school houseish in appearance. Full color victorian era drawings and good words. It was used in the 1800's originally and so I figure it's proven. Took the girls to town to grocery shop and that always takes most of the day, so we went light today. Jackson stayed behind to do maintenance on the lawn equipment with his Daddy and was obviously worked like a dog because I came home and he was laying in the living room floor just inches from a nice soft couch, asleep. At least he was laying down this time.