Aquarium and Beach Trip

We enjoyed a change of pace last week

and took a trip to the aquarium

and then to the beach with lunch

and a desire to get our toes wet...

though many got more than only their toes wet. ;)

We've been here for two years

and hadn't, yet, made it to the aquarium

so we were glad to do it!

Tooth pics :)

see-sawing

bicycling to produce water flow in the fountain

Learning about fish and sea creatures

clown fish

pot-bellied seahorse hanging upside down

watching the seahorses

we don't remember what they are- lol

 

jellyfish

a diver feeding the fish in the aquarium

watching the fish

sea worms (mom's name for them)

Reading about whales and listening to their calls

watching and petting - sea cucumbers and sea urchins

looking out at the ocean

Wetting their feet and more in the Pacific :)

Come, let us sing to {YHVH} יהוה! 

Let us raise a shout to the Rock of our deliverance.
Let us come before His face with thanksgiving; 

Let us raise a shout to Him in song.
For {YHVH}  יהוה is a great Ěl, 

And a great Sovereign above all mighty ones.
In whose hand are the depths of the earth; 

The mountain peaks are His also.
His is the sea, for He made it; 

And His hands formed the dry land.

Psalm 95:1-5

Shalom!

~ Christina

Learning Moment Memoirs

Lately, we have been trying to get back into the swing of things.

Though we learn various ways in our homeschool,

I have been aiming to 'pick up the pace' 

with more focused seatwork time.

So I am hoping that by beginning to document our studies, again,

(which I tried to do at my previous blog)

that it will help me to hold myself a little more accountable...

so... here I am... documenting. :)

In addition to our nature walk 

that I shared in my previous post,

this week, we continued to count the Omer.

It has been a blessing developing the daily discipline 

of counting together and reading various Scripture passages during this time.

The children have been taking turns cutting and sticking

the omer stickers to the chart we are using 

and it has, overall, been a joyous time together!

We have, also, been enjoying our study through Leviticus

and various worksheets, copywork, activities to accompany...

This week, one of the topics we read about was clean and unclean animals.

I enjoyed seeing the girls illustrations...

In our history studies, we read about the early nomads, their lifestyle,

and how they settled in the Fertile Crescent.

We, also, discussed how they irrigated their crops,

building shadufs - a lever-type simple machine...

so we built one, too.

It was nothing like the ones of ancient times

but we worked with what we had around the house...

a basin (tub - our "river/pond"), a smaller bucket to draw the water,

a broom for the lever, and a chair...

In addition to watering our half-dead plants,

they enjoyed an afternoon of fun, playing in the water. 

Also, this week held Holocaust Remembrance Day.

The children and I discussed the Holocaust

and watched this video together -

Ani Ma'amin (I Believe)

- with information and photos from the Holocaust,

listening to the song Ani Ma'amin playing in the background.

The song was a common song sang by those in the death camps.

"Ani ma'amin b'emunah shleimah beviat haMashiach, 

v'af al pi sheyitmameiha, 

im kol zeh achakeh lo b'chol yom sheyavo." 

"I believe with perfect faith in the coming of the Messiah, 

and though he may tarry, nevertheless 

I await his coming every day." 

 It was a heart-wrenching video.

In addition to 'getting on the ball' with our homeschool seatwork,

I have been aiming to devote more time to my personal reading.

So I've enjoyed working through my current stack of books...

:)

Tomorrow, we look forward to preparing for Shabbat...

even the preparation day is a blessing!!

Shalom!

~ Christina

"The Torah of Your mouth is better to me
Than thousands of gold and silver pieces."
Psalm 119:72

To Walk and Wonder

It was a beautiful day... 

The kind of beautiful day when one is compelled to take a walk,

soak in the sunshine, breathe the fresh air,

and marvel at Yah's creation...

and to share the experience with those close to one's heart...

Yeah... we marvel...

And we marvel more...

 

And we explore...

... to, yes, marvel more...

And explore... explore...

And marvel all the way home...

Take a walk. Breathe the fresh air. 

See and marvel at our Creator.

Praise Him for He is worthy.

"For since the creation of the world 

His invisible qualities have been clearly seen, 

being understood from what has been made, 

both His everlasting power and Mightiness..."

Romans 1:20

Shalom!

~ Christina

Plan Schman... Let's Have Tea!

Ever have those days when it's all planned out

but the day doesn't play out according to what you planned?

We had a day like that.

So... what did we do?

We made the most of it...

and had a tea party!

A variety of tea, conversation,

scones and cream,  and Jane Austen tunes

with two of the most wonderful girls on the planet...

Ahhhh... it was a blessed and lovely day, indeed! 

Have a change of plans??

Have a tea party!

Shalom!

~ Christina

Pesach Happenings

Pesach (Passover) and The Feast of Unleavened Bread

have come to an end this year

and I was able to take some time to look through

some of the moments that we captured.

One of the things we enjoyed this year

was our new board game - Let My People Go.

We chuckled at the rhymes 

as we made our way through the Exodus.

We, also, painted pillowcases to put on our pillows

that we brought with us to the seder (order of the Passover meal) we attended. 

We "experimented" with adding some tradition this year

and using pillows during the seder is a tradition that it used

to celebrate/commemorate not having to eat

the Passover meal in haste, as in the first Passover.

This is something we are still studying

but, this year, we did bring our pillows along

because we joined a traditional seder.

This was our first year to spend Passover with other people.

Who shall ascend into the hill of YHVH? 

or who shall stand in his set-apart place?
He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart...

Psalm 24:3-4

During the evening, the children put on a skit,

taking us through the plagues and the exodus.

It was a blessing to witness.

Putting the blood on the door posts

The death of the first borns

Pharoah was relentless...

We were all tickled to see Daddy do his part...

The evening was a new experience and a blessing in many ways.

The following afternoon/evening, the group we meet with

went through the parts of the Passover meal, as well.

It was a joy to meet for fellowship both times

and to hear, learn, and discuss the various applications.

Though I've only shared photos,

there was much more going on behind the scenes...

And though I may not have had some awesome revelation,

the Ruach (Spirit) was at work in my heart and mind

and it was a deep joy to draw nearer to the Father during this time.

I doubt that I will ever cease to be amazed at Abba's feast days.

They are like nothing I had ever experienced with other "holidays".

I will be eternally grateful that, in His mercy and lovingkindess,

He opened my eyes and changed my heart and mind.

Thank You, Abba.

I love You.

~ Christina

p.s. If you'd like to see the skit that the children did... here it is :)

Happy Passover (Pesach)!

"Guard the month of Aḇiḇ,

and perform the Passover to יהוה   {YHVH} your Elohim,

for in the month of Aḇiḇ יהוה  {YHVH} your Elohim

brought you out of Mitsrayim by night."

Deuteronomy 16:1

"And the blood shall be a sign for you

on the houses where you are.

And when I see the blood, I shall pass over you,

and let the plague not come on you

to destroy you when I smite the land of Mitsrayim.

And this day shall become to you a remembrance.

And you shall observe it as a festival to יהוה

throughout your generations –

observe it as a festival, an everlasting law."

Exodus 12:13-14

"... and looking at {Yeshua} יהושע walking,

he said, “See the Lamb of Elohim!"

John 1:36

"saying with a loud voice,

“Worthy is the Lamb having been slain

to receive power and riches and wisdom,

and strength and respect and esteem and blessing!”

And every creature which is in the heaven

and on the earth and under the earth

and such as are in the sea,

and all that are in them, I heard saying,

“To Him sitting on the throne, and to the Lamb,

be the blessing and the respect

and the esteem and the might, forever and ever!"

Revelation 5:12-13

"Therefore cleanse out the old leaven,

so that you are a new lump, as you are unleavened.

For also Messiah our Passover was offered for us.

So then let us observe the festival,

not with old leaven,

nor with the leaven of evil and wickedness,

but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."

1 Corinthians 5:7 

May your Passover be very blessed!

Chag Sameach!

~ Christina