Homegrown Explorers

Some Boston Pics...finally!

2011-01-24T08:56:00.003-05:00

Posted some pics from our group trip to Boston back in September on our family blog if anyone wants to check them out. They are mostly my kids but still of the trip. We had such a great time and ended up with TONS of pictures!! Sorry it has taken me so long to post some! Check it out:

Boston Trip Day One

Liz K.

Free Candlelight Concert at Fryeburg Academy December 12th

2010-11-08T15:27:00.003-05:00

December 12th at 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Free Admission
Book tickets and save seats at the Fryeburg Academy website

Christmas Music

Co-op is coming!

2010-09-30T06:55:00.002-04:00

The co-op registrations are done and in the mail. Please be on the look out for yours. The turn around time is short, but hopefully this will prevent the paperwork from getting lost.

There are lots of really wonderful classes - music, art, foreign language, science, dance and so much more.

Important Dates: Registration and 1/2 tuition due to Elizabeth J by Monday, October 11
First day of Co-op and balance due Monday, October 18

If you are interested in joining our co-op or would just like a little more information please leave a comment on this post or contact us via email.

This is so EXCITING! Thanks to everyone who helped make this a reality.

Boston Trip Ininerary

2010-09-09T09:22:00.001-04:00

Hi all
Those of you going on the Boston trip will want to print this out, but I also thought everyone else might like to see what we are doing in Boston. :) This is all tentative, but I have called most of the places to confirm details. Let me know if you think of something I may have left out. This trip is going to be sooo memorable for the kids! WOW! Sorry there is so much text below. :)
Sonja

Tentative Boston Itinerary

Thursday
7am meet at Conway Public Library for departure to Boston

10am Approximate arrival to Church, unload and head to Public Gardens

12pm T (pay $) to Public Gardens, lunch at the Make Way for Ducklings statues
Swan Boats
Snack _____________
Ritz Carlton lobby (reference to Trumpet of the Swan)
Boston Common (pasture land, British army, Boston architecture)
Snack _______________
State House (cod fish)
Granary Burial Grounds (Egyptian entrance, 4 famous people)
Snack _______________
Old City Hall (1st public school, elephant, Ben Franklin statue)
Snack _______________
Old Corner Bookstore (Dickens, Emerson, Longfellow, Thoreau)
Potato Famine memorial
Snack _______________
South Meeting House (Boston tea party, museum shop)
Snack _______________
Old State House (lion/unicorn, Boston massacre 5 died)
Snack _______________
City Hall Plaza (Ziggurat, bricks, teapot)
Snack _______________
Holocaust Memorial (SILENCE & observe, discussion at end)
NO SNACK!
Fanueil Hall (grasshopper, weaponry museum)
Snack ______________
DINNER Quincy Market and enjoy vendors and entertainment as long as desired

7:30 option beantownjazz.org/schedule.html
Free concert at David Friend Recital Hall
Arrive early for seats
On Boylston St between Boston Common and Fenway park
T (pay $) home to church

Friday

8:30 T (pay $) to Copp's Hill Burial Ground (revolutionary bullets in tombstones)
Snack _______________
Old North Church (climb bell tower)
Snack _______________
Paul Revere's House
Snack _______________

Lunch Christopher Columbus Park at Harbor edge

2 ½-3 hrs Aquarium visit (I know it sounds short, but it is the only spot I could fit it)
Snack _______________
3pm Tall Ships (2 hour harbor cruise)
Snack _______________

Dinner North End Italian Food MMMMM yummy!
After dinner
Play and hang out in Rose Kennedy Greenway (used to be the old Expressway, now a 1 mile park filled with vendors and a carousel $3/person) This wasn't open when I used to come to Boston. Should be interesting. Carousel open till 9pm? Visit rosekennedygreenway.org
Didn't find any concerts in Boston Friday night
T (pay $) home to church

Saturday

8:30am T (pay $) to USS Constitution & Museum (opens 9am-gets crowded should arrive early)
Snack ____________
Free Trolley to Long Wharf or $2.50 for Water shuttle bus to Long Wharf
Boston Harbor Cruise (first cruise 10:30 departs every hour-45 minute cruise)
Snack ____________
Lunch Pick a Wharf to eat on and watch the waves and boats and seagulls
Free trolley to next adventure
Pick an Adventure: (The rest of the day is open to your preferences-all free with go Boston card)
Museum of Science
Museum of Fine Arts
Children's Museum
Fenway Park tour 9-3pm Red Sox have a home game, tours end before batting practice begins
50 min walking tour start every hour on the hour
Tomb Adventure 11-5pm recreated 3,000 year old tomb, 45 minute adventure, located next to Fenway park

T (pay $) home to church
Costs of T:
$2 per ride x approx 6 rides per person = $12 per person
OR purchase an unlimited week pass for $15

June and July Events

2010-06-12T06:58:00.005-04:00

Here is what we planned at the monthly planning meeting the other night:

June 14th - Tennis 9:30am @ Davis Park
June 14th -Music Class 12:30 @ Mt. Top Music

June 17th - History Mystery 10:30am @ Schouler Park. There are no spots left for this if you have not already signed up.

June 18th - Emerald Pool Hike (this will not be rescheduled). Meet in the parking lot at 10:30 with a picnic lunch and we will eat at the pool. We also will be planting a letter box as a group! To find out more about letter boxing click here. Also here is where you can find the clue to our letter box planted at Sabbaday Falls.

June 24th - Book Club 2:00pm @ The River Church
Younger - Little House in the Big Woods
Middle - Treasure Island
Older - The Daughter of Time

June 28th - Strawberry Picking 8:30am @ Schatner Farm. After picking we will get together for a strawberry taste testing extravaganza! Each family should make a strawberry recipe and then we will set them out to share! Please decide what you are going to make and then share it one the yahoo group. The recipe can be assembled before or after picking depending on what it is, kitchen space will be available.

July 1st - 4th of July t-shirt making and parade decoration day! We will meet at 10:00am @ the Kelley's house. We need to come up with a design for the T-shirts before this date and collect the materials. Be watching for emails concerning this on the yahoo group.

July 4th - 4th of July Parade 2:00pm in Conway Village. This year our theme is patriotic! We will be sporting homemade t-shirts and red white and blue. Kids can decorate their bikes (or mom's with strollers) and ride or walk together to promote our group and our love for the U. S. of A!

July 5th - Monthly Planning Meeting 7:00pm at the River Church

July 9th - July Hike...more info coming soon!

July 12th - Raspberry picking and Earl Family Farm tour. More info coming soon!

July 22nd - July Book Club 2:00pm @ The River Church
Younger - Little House on the Prairie
Middle -
Older -

2010-06-10T18:44:00.003-04:00

This was posted through the yahoo group, but thought I would share here for those who aren't on the group. HINT - join the yahoo group! So far there has been a lot of interest in this so I am sure it will be going forward. It looks like the practices will be in Fryeburg. If you have questions you can post them in the comments here.

I spoke with Mike Mendonca, the Lovell Rec Director about coaching a fall homeschool running club. He is interested, if we can gain enough interest in our group. He would need at least 10 children to commit to meeting to run weekly. He would also need some amount of compensation, though he understands we are all on tight budgets. If i have clear commitment from enough children, I will go back to him and see what he can do for us. Hopefully, we can find a day/time which will work for all who are interested.

This would be a cross-country type program, with lots of fun thrown in. Basically, learning proper running technique and running on trails and through fields. We didn't discuss an age minimum, but I am thinking school age with a desire to run long distances? He coached a program like this for some Florida homeschoolers and was impressed with their organization and commitment. They even had running shirts made-up and called themselves HEAT(Home Educated Athletic Team). He also coaches a running club for New Life Christian Academy in Fryeburg.

There is a 5K in Lovell the Saturday before Thanksgiving, so maybe the goal for some would be participating? It is run around the athletic fields, so it's not a road race and is appropriate for all ages...even babies/toddlers in jogging strollers! Lots of fun,prizes and good food after.

A little about Mike: He is a Christian dad with a lifetime of experience running and training others to run both for the military and as a Recreation Director. He is a bi/tri(?)athlete and trains daily. He leads a weekly bible club for teens at Fryeburg Academy called the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He also coaches Nordic skiing for the Rec and Middle School while leading exercise classes for the Rec. Coolest of all, he is a *super* nice guy, is patient, kind, soft spoken and cheerful and *loves* working with kids. My boys think is Superman. :-)

Let me know if you have any questions and if you think your children would be interested. We can bounce thoughts around and try to decide by the August Mom's meeting.

Boston Trip Update

2010-06-01T17:59:00.002-04:00

Thanks for the feedback on the Boston trip, it looks like there is lot's of interest and our trip is a go! There have been a few questions that have come up since posting the first information and we are going to try to shed some light on them. We will be discussing the trip in more detail at the Mom's Meeting on Monday June 7th. Most people have asked about an estimated cost, we have tried to break it down for you here:

                                            Adult                               Child
Go Boston Card $90.00                              $55.00
Church Donation           $2.00/night    $2.00/night
"T" Transportation      $2.00/ride x7 (est)             <11 FREE
                                                                                   >12 $0.85

Other things to take into consideration:
Food - plan on 2 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners (one of which may be at Quincy Market for $9/person)
Shopping/Souvenirs
Gas/Tolls

The majority of people are interested in fund raising. After some research we have picked a couple that will give us the biggest bang for our buck.

Pizza Hut Card: We would sell coupon cards offering 6 "FREE Medium Pizza with the purchase of a Large" AND 6 "$5 off any purchase of $20 or more" / no expiration. The card costs us $4 and we sell them for $10 and make a $6 profit/card. A child that sells 11 card will have paid for their entire trip minus food.

Yard Sale/Bake Sale/Car Wash: Each family will get their own spot to sell what ever they would like including yard sale stuff, fresh veggies from your garden, eggs, brownies, cookies, crafts, plants, toys, or anything they want to get rid of. :) Plus a car wash.

If anyone has any other great fund raising ideas please feel free to share.

The Snake Guy!

2010-05-25T09:40:00.004-04:00

We were lucky enough to have Josh, the snake guy, come a share his snakes and what he does. Who would have thought there would be such a need for snake removal in our area? And we are not talking about the little guys in your garden, but 10-20 foot pythons and boas. Yikes! Better him than me.

The kids had a great time. Josh brought a bunch of snakes, a couple turtles and scorpions, an iguana, and gecko. And he was kind enough to let the kids hold most of them.

Just check out their faces. This was a once in a life time experience for most of them.

The little ones thought the snakes were cool, too. I thought they might be scared, but no. Lots of smiles and giggles.

Alexis is holding George. A Ball Python. George and his mate are pets of Josh's. We couldn't hold the female because she is caring eggs at the moment.

Here a bunch of the group hold Josh's seven foot albino boa. Can you believe this guy has free rain of the bedroom. I can't imagine waking up with this next to me.

Thanks Josh for a great day, and thanks to Shelia for setting this up.

Check out more photo's on the Kelley Family Blog!

Boston Overnight Poll

2010-05-18T15:53:00.005-04:00

Planning has begun for our overnight field trip to Boston.

We are looking at a Thursday through Saturday in the month of September. The actual dates are dependent on the availability of the church. (Leslie J. is working on the church accommodations, more information to follow. We will be giving them a donation)
Thursday morning we will leave Conway to arrive at the church around 10:00am. Next stop will be Boston Common for a picnic lunch and a Swan Boat ride! Then off on a scavenger hunt for the first half of the Freedom Trail, including Old South Meeting House and the Old State House Museum and many others, ending at Faneuil Hall. From there it is off to Long Wharf to board a harbor cruise. We will end in Quincy Market for dinner. Then it will be back to the church for an evening of games or movies.
Friday we will start the day at the USS Constitution and then finish the second half of the Freedom Trial with stops at the Old North Church and Paul Revere's House. Arrive on Long Wharf just in time to board the Tall Ships. Both the Science Museum and the Children's Museum are open Friday evening.
Saturday is your family's choice. Hook up with another family or explore on your own.

I know you are going to ask about the cost. Admission to all the above attractions is included in the purchase of a Go Boston Card. You can purchase two days to cover the events we have planned or three days to give you FREE admission on Saturday to your choice of over 70 Boston area attraction. We've done the math and this is definitely a savings. This also gives us options in case of bad weather. We could go to the Aquarium or other museums because it is all included in your pass.

Each family will be responsible for their own food, we are looking into the Quincy Market group dining pass for one or both of the nights dinner ($9.00 per person).

Please note that this is the plan, and is subject to change based on poll results, weather and group size. So it is important to let us know if you are interested or not. Please leave comments on this post if you have any idea, input or questions. Also please let us know if your family is interested via the comments section or the yahoo group.

Brass at the Big Top

2010-05-06T20:25:00.002-04:00

Here are a few pics from the last Portland Symphony Orchestra Kinderconcert we went to the other day! It had a circus theme and was lots of fun! One of the trumpet players was so nice to come and chat with the kids afterward.

He showed the kids all the parts and answered their questions!

Hope to see you at the next concert, Percussion the Beat Goes On in Fryeburg on May 17th! Please let Liz K know if you are coming.

Tennis Week One

2010-04-30T16:48:00.003-04:00

A few shots from week one of Tennis!

The kids have been having a ton of fun with Mrs. Thorne!

She plays lots of fun games with them, this one is bounce the ball as many times as you can!

The littles had fun playing in the sand and swinging at the little playground right next to the courts!!

Join the group Mondays at 10:30(ish) at Davis Park in Conway if your kids are interested in learning more about tennis!

Science and Technology Fair

2010-04-07T21:03:00.003-04:00

There is an article in the newspaper advertising a local science fair. It said for 7 -12 grade, with a dead line of this Friday to register. I spoke with the women and she said call if your child is not in 7th and is interested. Maverick will be doing a project and is super excited. Call the Technical School for more information.

Skating at the Ham - Week 2

2010-03-30T11:28:00.000-04:00

We are right in the middle of a month of homeschool skating at the local ice rink. It has been an awesome time - lots of friends and exercise to boot. This past week we had over 40 homeschoolers on the ice. I wish I had gotten them all in the picture.

A few the kids are just learning, and doing great! I just love all the little ones in the picture below.

The teen pack!

We ended the day with the Zamboni! Boy is there a lot more to that machine then I realized. Next week we are going to get a tour of the refrigeration rooms! Too cool!

Fun with Fondant

2010-03-24T21:24:00.001-04:00

Everyone had a great time in the kitchen at our FUN WITH FONDANT class. Everyone brought a small cake and learned how to cover and decorate it with fondant. It was a ton of fun and no where neat as difficult as I thought it would be.

Here are all the fabulous spring colors of fondant.

All the kids were able to pick a color of fondant to cover their cake. Then all the extra was passed around to use to make decorations.

Here Kevin and his mom start rolling the fondant. We rolled it on pieces of wax paper with a dusting of corn starch.

Looking good James.

Ian's cake is all covered. Not to start decorating.

A bunch of circle waiting to be placed on some one's cake.

Alexis, Hannah and James hard at work.

A work in progress.

A couple of finished cakes.

Check out some more pictures of our day at Heartfelt Homemaking - The Jette's family blog. You will also find the fondant recipe there.
Also at The Kelley Family Blog

String at Sea with PSO

2010-03-23T07:56:00.005-04:00

I just posted some pics from the Strings at Sea concert with the Portland Symphony Orchestra on our blog! Come on over and check it out!
The Kelley Family

Jean to Skirt Class

2010-03-11T18:48:00.002-05:00

This coming Monday night at 7pm, is the Jean to Skirt class. It will be held at the First Baptist Church in North Conway, next to Zebs. Park in the back of the church, pull into the Movie Gallery parking lot on Kersarge St., and go all the way back to the dirt part. Go to the right and you will see the back of the church. Park were you can and go into the door in the back and then down the stairs. Here are the things you will need to bring. If you have a sewing machine, please bring it. You will need a pair of paints that you have ALREADY pulled the inside seam apart.

A yard or more of material, and sewing stuff. I.E, thread, scissors, pins, a jean needle for your machine, and any embellishments like lace or patches, etc.. The fuller the skirt you want the more fabric you will need. Your skirt can be long, medium, or short, it's up to you.Also if you bring another pair of jeans that you can cut up, we can do a few other cool project. Like a small pocket purse.

So bring your jeans, supplies, and imagination. Please let me now if you are coming and if you are bringing a sewing machine. Hope to see you there.

Free Trial Art Lessons

2010-03-11T13:05:00.002-05:00

I spoke about this at the mom's meeting, and here it is. Maverick and I found an on-line art course for homeschooling family's. We tried the 4 free lessons and really like it. It was easy for Maverick to understand, and yet not below an adult. Have a small amount of art background I found the lessons clear, and well presented. We also loved that we did not have to go anywhere for the lessons, and could do them when we were ready. I am still looking into the membership and will share any information I get. But what I do know is it is $59.95 to sign up for a life time membership. The lessons have a video and a printable worksheet. They also have a place were you can buy supplies. Below is the link for the page, scroll all the way to the bottom for the free trial. You will get a new lesson once a week e-mailed to you for 4 weeks. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
http://www.fineartexperience.com/

Hamlet

2010-03-05T10:34:00.003-05:00

I saw this posted on a bulletin board and wanted to share. Advice to the Players are preforming Hamlet in Conway. Maverick and I will be going and we were wondering if any one else is interested. We will be attending the Sunday March 21st performance at 2:00. Below is a link to the web site with the information, and ticket prices. Please let me know if your are interested.

http://advicetotheplayers.org/now_playing.php

Book Club Selections!

2010-03-02T20:00:00.004-05:00

Hot off the presses! Here are the books that have been selected for the April 1st book club meeting.

Mrs. McClure and Mrs. Bresset's group - Stuart Little by EB White (FYI Boarders Express has a read aloud version of this book on clearance for $9.99 and you can use your teacher discount. It is a nice, large, hardcover edition.)

ROCKET READERS 4-6 GROUP - Mrs. Cowland and Mrs. Ness's group - The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare

Ms. Gormely and Mrs. Andrews' group - Silas Marner by George Elliot

Mrs. Thorne and Mrs. Lawrence have not yet chosen a book for the little ones, but since they don't need to pre-read it we should be okay.

If there are discussion questions or any other assignments your leaders will post or email them to you.

Hope you will all be able to join us in April!

Rocket Readers 4-6 Group

2010-03-02T16:45:00.002-05:00

Yes, we are calling are selves the Rocket Readers. After a wonderful discussion on Johney Tremain, we are now looking forward to the next pick. So here it is.
The Sign of the Beaver:
The year is 1768, and the story takes place in what will eventually become the state of Maine. It tells the story of a twelve-year-old boy who is left alone in the wilderness while his father leaves to bring back the rest of his family. He must use skills he learns from the Indians who live nearby in order to survive. When he meets a young Indian boy about his own age, they grow together into manhood.
It is a exciting and wonderful coming of age story, the took place in New Hampshire back yard. Can't wait to see what happens.

Calendar Of Events for March and April

2010-03-02T07:14:00.007-05:00

Here are the events and activities that were planned at last nights meeting. Please note that International Night has been bumped to April so that more families will be able to participate. Also, please keep watching for several trips and activities that have not been finalized yet and will be posted ASAP! This will include a trip to Remick for their maple syrup activities.

Tuesday March 2nd - Book Club, 2:00-3:00pm at the River Church with an hour of "free play" after.

Monday March 15th - Craft Night! This month we are doing a Jean to Skirt class where we will learn how to take a pair of jeans and make a cute skirt. We will be meeting in the basement floor of the Baptiste Church in N. Conway. Please sign up with Selena or Liz K.

Tuesday March 16th - Snow Day for ESSC participants.

Thursday March 18th - Swimming 2:00pm at the Eastern Slope Inn I believe the cost is $2 per person.

Monday March 22nd - Last Day of Pioneer Race skiing at King Pine

Monday March 22nd - Skating at the Ham Arena, 2:10-3:10pm. The cost is $4 per person, rental's included!

Wednesday March 24th - Fun with Fondant! 1:00pm at the River Church. Learn how to roll out and create fun shapes to decorate a spring themed cake using fondant. You will need an 8" cake and a rolling pin. Please let Dawn or Shannon know if you are coming so they can get a head count.

Monday March 29th - Skating at the Ham Arena, 2:10-3:10pm. The cost is $4 per person, rental's included!

Thursday April 1st - From 2-3:00pm will be a planting activity (maybe for Mother's Day) and from 3-4:00pm will be our next Book Club.

Monday April 5th - Skating at the Ham Arena, 2:10-3:10pm. The cost is $4 per person, rental's included!

Monday April 5th - Monthly Planning Meeting, 7:00pm at the River Church

Monday April 12th - Skating at the Ham Arena, 2:10-3:10pm. The cost is $4 per person, rental's included!

Monday April 19th - Craft Night this month will be learning the "art" of coupons! We will meet at 7:00pm at the River Church.

Monday April 26th - International Night - Our 5th Annual International night is sure to be a success. If you haven't participated in this event in the past you will want to. Set-up will be at 5:30 and we will start at 6:00pm at the River Church. Children or families choose a country to study and then present what they have learned any way they see fit. Most use foam or cardboard display boards found at Staples. Included are maps, flags, pictures, writing, models, art projects, costumes, money whatever you make or have. Everyone brings a dish from their country and we have a pot luck dinner. We also ask that you created a stamp or sticker that represents you country - think sticker paper and clip art. Each child will get a passport and the stamp from each country will be put in their passport when they "visit" the country. Lastly you need to submit four questions that can be answered by looking at your display. Two should be geared towards 3rd grade and younger. Two for 4th grade and up. These will be used to make a scavenger hunt for the kids. It helps them keep focused and really visit each display and learn something. This is a great event for dads to come to as well as to invite family and friends. In order to make the program for the event I will need to know what country you will be doing. Each child can do their own or you can do one as a family. Please email Elizabeth J to let her know what country you are doing and you questions.

Also be watching for the following activities:
Remick Farm
Amoskeag Fishways
Earth Day and Gardening
Goat Farm
Spring Road Clean-up
Red Cross Class
Fryeburg Fair Beef Expo
Spring Biking/Hiking
Fundraiser for a Boston Overnight

Fun Charlotte's Web Activities

2010-02-28T22:36:00.006-05:00

If you are reading Charlotte's Web this month for book club check out this site for some fun games and activities!

Charlotte's Web Learning Games

Charlotte's Web Movie Games

Charlotte's Web Quiz

Family Sledding 2010

2010-02-24T07:40:00.006-05:00

We had a great day sledding this year at the Kelley seniors home! It was a beautiful day and we had the largest group ever at family sledding!! Here are some pics from our day:

Hannah and Emmy headed down.

Waiting for a turn!

A great place to watch all the action!!

Headed back up!

Watch out here we come!

We sang happy birthday to Ian and enjoyed cupcakes even though we couldn't get the candle to light because of the wind!

Enjoying cupcakes!!

This cupcake's a gonner!

Thanks to Nana and Bumpa Kelley for having us!!! It really was a great day and we are looking forward to the next!

Here is a link to the Kelley's Blog with more pics from our day!

Upcoming Events

2010-02-17T20:54:00.006-05:00

Thursday, Feb18th, 2pm - Sledding in Conway on West Side Road (the big field across from the end of Passaconway Rd) Not skiing on Thursdays this year? Join the Eastmans, Bressetts and others for a day of sledding.

Canceled:

Wednesday, Feb 24th, 10am to 1:30pm Remick Farm Ice Harvesting Program and more - This was a pre register event. So you should know if you are going or not. If you are interested and didn't sign up be watching your email for someone who may want to sell their spot. Don't forget to pack a lunch!

Monday, March 1st, 7pm Mom's Meeting at the River Church - Bring your calendars, events, ideas and questions and help us plan the next month of activities.

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2pm Book Club PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

Book Club has undergone some revisions. Selena did a great job getting the ball rolling with book club. A big thanks to her. Discussion at the mom's meeting made it clear that lots of families want to participate but the idea need to be tweaked to fit. So here is what we came up with.

Four different groups:
Preschool-Kindergarten (Elizabeth T.) - Story Time

1st -3rd grade (Christy & Dawn) - Charlotte's Web

4-6th grade (Selena & Melanie) - Johnny Tremaine

7th grade and up (Cindy A. & Sheila) - Inkheart

Each group has one or two moms that will facilitate the group. That is the name listed after the group above. These ladies are selecting the first book and forwarding discussion questions for their group.

Parents should read or have the child read the book prior to the book club meeting and have gone over the questions. Of course listening to a book is also a great option. A trick is to use the questions as a book mark so that notes, page numbers, etc can be jotted down as the reading is done. The preschool/kindergarten group wont have work to do before the club meeting.

At book club the facilitators will do just that. Their level of involvement will depend on the level of the children. They will be helping the children discuss the book and stay on track.

Finally the group divisions are not set in stone. If you or your child, for some reason, would like to join another group that is welcome. Reasons for this could include but not be limited to reading level, content, interest, already having read the book, etc. The only thing we ask is that you let the facilitator know that you are coming.

Tuesday, March 2nd, 3-4 - Constructive Play Time - After book club you are welcome to hang out for some play time. We will be having stations including a building room, art room and game room. Please bring your family's favorite game and some snacks to share.

Friday, March 12th 6pm International Night at the River Church - Our 5th Annual International night is sure to be a success. If you haven't participated in this you will want to. Children or families choose a country to study and then present what they have learned any way they see fit. Most use foam or cardboard display boards found at Staples. Included are maps, flags, pictures, writing, models, art projects, costumes, money whatever you make or have. Everyone brings a dish from their country and we have a pot luck dinner. We also ask that you created a stamp or sticker that represents you country - think sticker paper and clip art. Each child will get a passport and the stamp from each country will be put in their passport when they "visit" the country. Lastly you need to submit four questions that can be answered by looking at your display. Two should be geared towards 3rd grade and younger. Two for 4th grade and up. These will be used to make a scavenger hunt for the kids. It helps them keep focused and really visit each display and learn something. This is a great event for dads to come to as well as to invite family and friends. In order to make the program for the event I will need to know what country you will be doing. Each child can do their own or you can do one as a family. Here is what we have so far:

Jette - Peru

Thorne - Canada

Graves - Austria

Lawrence - Denmark

Monday, March 22nd, 7pm Ladies Craft Night - Jeans to Skirt Class - Join Selena and Liz as they teach us how to turn an old pair of jean or any pants for that matter into an adorable skirt. Please let them know if you plan to attend and they will get you a materials list and let you know what you have to have done BEFORE the class.

April - Skating at the Ham Arena
- Science Class

Book Club 4-6 Grade Group

2010-02-05T09:33:00.002-05:00

This month the 4-6 group will be reading Johnny Tremain. It is a historical fiction, were a boy named Johnny is swept up in dramatic involvement with John Hancock and John and Samuel Adams. That will lead him to the Boston Tea Party and the Battle of Lexington. Sounds like a good book. Here are some study questions and theme topics to think about while you are reading. Write down some thoughts and thing you liked and disliked about the book for when we meet. On Tuesday March 2rd. Happy reading. P.S Come with a few names for our group, we will be picking one that day.

1. In what ways is Johnny Tremain’s life shaped by the social and economic practices of colonial America on the eve of the Revolution?

2. What does Johnny Tremain reveal about marriage customs in colonial America?

3. What role does religion play in Johnny Tremain’s world?

4. Contrast James Otis’s rousing speech about the need for revolution with Samuel Adams’s attitude toward rebellion. Which do you think Johnny finds more appealing, and why?

Some bigger thing to think about.

1. How does Jonathan Lyte serve as a foil to Johnny? How does their relationship dramatize the tension between the colonies and Britain?

2. Compare how Rab and the Lornes influence Johnny’s psychological development.

3. How does Johnny Tremain address race in colonial America?

4. Why is the relationship between the colonists and British troops complex and often ambivalent?

5. Do you think Johnny Tremain would have helped the Whigs in their fight for independence if he had not injured his hand?

Book Club

2010-01-14T08:37:00.002-05:00

So I hope you all were able to get the book for this month and are enjoying reading it. I found a great page with the questions and some activities as well. The link is below. Check out the questions, these are the ones we will be using as a jumping of point. I still have to post the meeting place, but I will do that soon. Happy reading.
http://cfge.wm.edu/navigators/DoorInTheWall.htm

Book Club

2010-01-01T18:57:00.002-05:00

Here it is, the book for January. The Door in the Wall by Marguerite De Angeli. I have never read this book, but it looked very interesting. And not a girly book :).
It is a story about a young boy named Robin. And throughout life there is always a "door in the wall." Robin learns what this means with a handicapping illness, separation from his parents, and a castle siege. Set in Medieval England during the time of the plague, the story focuses on Robin's development of character. The novel takes in the sights, sounds, and smells of a bustling medieval city and contrasts them with the calm serenity of a monastic community; it describes the nature of travel on the highways and byways of medieval England.
That's got me wanting more. I will be posting the question soon. Hope you can join us.
If anyone finds an audio link like last time, please post it. Thank you.

Book Club

2009-12-22T16:51:00.003-05:00

December is just a crazy month. After getting so many people interested in book club I was super excited that the date, even as close to Christmas would be OK. Well I was wrong. Getting closer to the date people were dropping like flys, so to speak. Between last minuet shopping and some illness I have decided to move the date and location. I hope this works better for more people. The new date and time will be next Tuesday the 29th at the River church after Karate. Yes there is one more week of Karate as well. We will start at 12:30 for those that do not attend Karate. Well will still have story time for the little ones as well. I hope this works better. And if you cant make it no worries. We will be doing another book in January.
As for Karate, If you are involved please do your best to make it to this class. It will be the last class till after skiing is over. We will be reviewing lots of stuff and I will be handing out practice sheets as well. Please contact me if you are not coming and I will try to get one to you. Merry Christmas to all.

Book Club

2009-12-16T14:56:00.002-05:00

We are a week away from our first book club meeting. I hope everyone is enjoying the book. Don't forget to go over the question before the meeting so we will have a place to start talking. Cant wait to see what people have to say. See you all on Dec 23rd at 10:30 at the Conway Liberty meeting room. If you need the question they are on an older post.

Cookbooks For Sale

2009-12-15T17:47:00.008-05:00

As many of you know our group did a cookbook fundraiser with Morris Press Cookbooks several years ago (like 4!) and we are still trying to sell the last of them! With the money raised we have paid for supplies, cut the cost of field trips , purchased equipment and t-shirts! We only have 13 cookbooks left! If anyone in the group would like one please let me know ASAP!

The price is now only $5 per book or 5 for $20!!!

These make great Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers! They are filled with great family recipes and fun craft food ideas in the back!

Remember this one from our Thanksgiving dinner???
Click on the image to make it bigger.

Thanks!
Liz Kelley

Christmas Party Games

2009-12-09T22:32:00.007-05:00

Here are some pics from the other night at our Christmas Party! We played some really fun games!! Here the kids are playing the unwrap the gift game, click here for the directions and a bunch of other games.

We thought it would be fun to have the kids use oven mitts to unwrap with!
Unwrap and pass! Quick!!

I couldn't resist taking these short video's of Christmas musical chairs! Hope you enjoy them!!
This is the end of the 3rd grade and up game. The best part is the end when there are only a couple chairs left!

Now the Mom's turn!

The Dad's turn:

The whole group then played Family Yankee Swap, this is all of us (or almost, a few got cut out by the camera angle) before opening gifts!

Candy Making

2009-12-09T11:30:00.003-05:00

Our annual Christmas candy making was once again a huge success. The kids had a great time making and tasting! And for the parents the best part was that the kids could do most of the making.

Check out some of the action from the day.

Kevin showing off his cutting form. Hannah and Tyler working away.

Patiently waiting for the next batch of candy. I am so proud that the kids didn't make powdered sugar clouds this year. A true sign they are growing up.

By the end of the day we had six batches of candy and a lot of tired and sugar coated kids.

You can see more pictures from the day on some of our family blogs:

Heartfelt Homemaking - The Jette Family

Wreath Making

2009-12-02T16:59:00.006-05:00

The Homegrown Explorers took to the woods in search of the perfect bough to make the perfect Christmas wreaths. It was a gorgeous December day - sunny and a little nippy!

Armed with pruners, saws and wagons the boys set off.

The little ones had a great day with Mama Thorne leading them through the woods. She even had them cutting their own little boughs. So cute!

As usual Hannah and Chase had to strike a pose.

A bunch of the older kids.

The whole group with just a fraction of our boughs. The tree farm in the back is the Chamberlain Christmas Tree Farm. Thanks to Ward for letting us visit and cut boughs again this year. He had gorgeous trees if you aren't sure where to go and cut your own!

Then we all headed back to the church to assembly our wreaths and swags. After a quick impromptu lesson the kids set to work cutting and wrapping.

Hannah is hard at work finding the perfect bough.

Slow and steady, Chase worked diligently creating her beautiful wreath.

A little help from a mom goes a long way!

Finally time to decorate!

All the kids did a great job. I wish I had a picture of all of them with their wreaths or swags!

Homegrown Explorers Thanksgiving '09

2009-12-02T16:58:00.005-05:00

I just posted some pics of our Thanksgiving feast on my blog if anyone wants to check them out! I didn't get any of food prep so maybe someone else could post them here!

Here is the link
The Kelley Family Blog
More Photos here
Heartfelt Homemaking - The Jette Family

Book Club

2009-12-02T12:37:00.004-05:00

Book Club will be meeting on December 23rd at 10:30am. We will be meeting at the Conway Library in the meeting room downstairs. The younger group will meet in the children room for story time. Below are the question to get your readers minds thinking. This is not homework, just a good place to get the discussion going. I do need to give the library a head count. So far I have 13 kids and adults. Please let me know if you are coming. I also need a head count from the younger group. Can't wait to see you all there.

Topics for Discussion

1. Why do the townspeople fear the Alm Uncle? Why does Heidi not fear him?

2. The grandmother is permanently blind, yet Heidi manages to bring her light. Explain the various ways in which she does this.

3. How is Heidi's year in Frankfurt a positive experience for her? What does she gain from being there?

4. Grandfather wishes to keep Heidi at home rather than send her to school because at home "she is safe and will learn nothing evil." What does he wish to protect her from? Is his caution justified?

5. As Heidi gets ready to go home to her grandfather, she is careful to wear her red shawl and old straw hat, and she leaves her feathered hat behind at Brigitta's house. Why is what she wears so.....

Book Club

2009-11-17T11:11:00.003-05:00

Here it is, the book for our first dissuasion group. Heidi by Johanna Spyri. Heidi is a heart warming story of a little girls love of nature and her adventurous spirit. We follow her life starting in the Swiss Alps and later in Frankfurt. And meet some interesting people along the way. Come join us in her adventures.
This book is a 5th grade level book, but don't let that stop you. All are welcome to participate in the book discussion group, if you read the book. If you have a reluctant readers or the book is a little difficult here are some suggestion to be able to join in the fun.
Read the book to your child.
Audio books. They are great to have in the car when your out and about.
Have a older sibling read it to a younger sibling.
I will be sending out discussion question soon. Along with the date and place of meeting for the end of December. Please shot me an e-mail if you want to join, so I can get this info to you. Also if you have small children. There was a fabulous idea to have story time with the younger readers while the older readers work. I bet we can even find a young readers Heidi. So much fun. Lastly please remember that this book has been in publish for many years and has been revised to many times. We ask that you try to get the book by the above author.
Thank you can wait to get started. Selena

Portland Museums

2009-11-14T17:06:00.004-05:00

Tuesday, November 17th we will be heading to the Portland Children's and Portland Art Museums. You can join us for both or either one, your choice.

We will head to the Portland Children's Museum first. Plan to be there a few minutes before 10am. If you would like to follow someone, we will be meeting at the River Church at 8:30am. The museum is geared for children 10 and under, but fun will be had by all I'm sure. Cost is $6.00 per person.

Next we are off to the Portland Art Museum. We are scheduled to be there at 1pm. The art museum is right next door to the children's museum. At the art museum we will divide into groups by grade/age (preschool-2nd, 2rd-5th, 6th-9th), we will then have a guided tour that should last about an hour. At the end of the tour you are welcome to explore the museum on your own. Cost FREE!!!

Please let Elizabeth J know asap if you are planning to join us.

Karate Class

2009-11-09T19:07:00.003-05:00

Due to illness, Karate class is canceled for tomorrow Nov. 10th. So sorry for the inconvenience, but I did not want to expose others to the flu. Isn't my piggy so cute?

Corn Maize Field Trip

2009-10-21T23:14:00.007-04:00

Here are some pics from our trip to the Corn Maize today! I forgot my camera so if anyone has more pics to share I would be happy to post them or give it a try and post them yourself!
Thanks!
Liz K

Most of the kids made it into this group pic. We had a total of 36 people in all!
Kathy Sherman teaching us a little about corn!

Some of the girls!

Mollie had fun riding the cows with the other kids but it was a LONG ride and so much fun for me! I look really impressed in this one don't I!!!

SCARECROW CONTEST!

2009-09-27T08:54:00.002-04:00

Good Morning Everyone,

Alot of you do not know me yet and I look forward to meeting you at the next Homegrown Explorers event. Hope you have enjoyed this warm beautiful weather this week :)

We decided at the Mom's meeting that we were going to go ahead and do the scarecrow contest at Settler's Green again this year and planned a organizational meeting for Tuesday before Art Class as Elizabeth had stated on her earlier email. We only had three families that actually showed up for the meeting and we came up with three different concepts and we were going to let the children vote after Art Class on which concept to do. We did get a little more participation on the vote and so a concept was chosen.

***The concept is to incorporate October being Fire Prevention Month and do scarecrows as fireman and a burning building and then include educational facts about fire safety & fire prevention. So this will be educational for our children as well as the public!!!

We can use the small framed house that is at the Kelley's house and then we just need to come up with fireman gear and make what they will need for fighting a fire, supplies for making the actual scarecrow and then are informational stuff to be included.

Question ** Do you still want to do this project and do we have enough people interested to do the project?? Please respond to my email address ASAP if you still want to do this event. The Judges Award for top scarecrow is $500 and that would go a long way in getting Homegrown Explorers what they need or a field trip that you would love to do but three families with a few children will not be able to meet this challenge, WE NEED YOU!!!!!

We understand that everyone is very busy and that is why we want to make sure that you want to do this. Monday is our next planned work afternoon for starting to put this together and then Tuesday before Art Class. They have to be ready for Friday Oct. 2nd so they can be dropped off at Settler's Green for judging. So time is of the essence to get this project off the ground. If we are going to do this then anyone that has access to any real fireman and we could tap into that resource that would be awesome. Would you please contact me?? either by email or call me at 603-662-5363

Again, I can not emphasize how important it is that if we are doing this project we need to know who is committed to helping so please let me know.

Have a great day and God Bless, Cindy Lawrence

2009-09-22T12:33:00.000-04:00

HIP HOP STARTS SEPT. 30, 2009 Wednesday

2009-09-15T13:12:00.001-04:00

Hip Hop Wednesday in Conway 4-5pm ages 11-16 see post below

2009-09-15T13:07:00.002-04:00

Mountain Top Music (Lessons)

does have group lessons for certain ages and instruments, but they are $360 per session

Private lesson (I think) are $25 per half hour, but they can be split with several students with that same price being split.

Perhaps when the mothers are all Yahoo linked, they can post instruments their children are interested in and figure out some schedules for shared half hour lessons...

Ellen Schwindt was the contact.

The phone number is 447-4737.

ART CLASS CANCELLATION!

2009-09-15T09:40:00.005-04:00

There is no art class today due to

the fact
that Bekah is not feeling well!

Art will resume next Tuesday as scheduled!

Here are some fun art sites if anyone is interested!

Art Projects for Kids
Kids Art
Kids Art Lessons Blog
Family Fun Arts and Crafts

Enjoy!
Liz K.

2009-09-14T17:04:00.001-04:00

HIP HOP

You can wear clean sneakers or just your feet (no socks)

Please wear stretchy pants (not jeans)

2009-09-14T14:40:00.001-04:00

HIP HOP Dancing!!!!

4-5 pm Wednesdays!!!

2009-09-14T14:30:00.002-04:00

HIP HOP !!!

Starting Wednesday September 23rd

Ages 11-16 Boys and Girls

8 week Hip Hop class for $80.00

Creative Sole Studio -(Samantha)
175 Main St. Conway, NH
by the Post Office
Phone 447-1353

Shakespeare Faire!!

2009-09-13T11:30:00.002-04:00

This October four–time award-winning Perform It! Young People’s Stage Company will hold their second annual Shakespeare Faire with acting, theater, and Shakespeare presented in a fun, hands-on, all-day workshop. Last year's Faire was a tremendous success. Twenty-four students attended and thoroughly enjoyed their experience with all aspects of theater. This year's Faire will be similar to last year's with students learning the inner workings of putting on a Shakespeare play including how to apply stage makeup, how to design stage costumes, how stage lights work, and what is involved backstage to make a show happen. Participants will learn about Elizabethan history and meet Shakespeare’s wife, Anne Hathaway, and their children Judith, Hamnet, and Susannah Shakespeare in a living timeline. The day's activities will culminate in an opportunity to act in a scene from a Shakespearean play with the help of trained, young Perform It! actors. This is a lively, hands-on, educational opportunity that you won’t want to miss. Open to all students grades 6 – 12.

Register now! In order to accommodate more students, we will be holding the Faire on two different days, Thursday October 22nd and Friday October 23rd , from 8:45 AM to 3:00 PM. The cost is $30 per student for the entire day. The Shakespeare Faire will take place at Village Players Theater on Glendon Street in Wolfeboro, NH. Contact Jenny Watson for more information at 603-524-3736 or visit our website www.PerformItStageCompany.org. and download an application. Come join the fun!

Sarah went to this last year and LOVED IT! This year she was accepted to Perform It, so there is a good chance we may be able to bring a few of you down to the Faire if you are interested. It is worth the trip!

Bison Farm

2009-09-11T17:52:00.006-04:00

Kelley Family Blog

or here
The Jette Family Blog

PS- what does everyone think of that pic for the header of the blog???

2009-09-09T11:12:00.001-04:00

Possible Hip Hop class for Homeschoolers

All interested perhaps Wed or Thurs 4-5 ages not yet defined
call Creative Sole Studio
phone number below V

2009-09-09T10:56:00.001-04:00

Creative Sole Studio Phone # 447-1353

Ballet Class!!

2009-09-09T10:42:00.003-04:00

Beginner Teen Ballet Class ages 12-15
Mondays 1-2pm
Starting Sept 14, 2009

175 Main St.
Conway, NH

Next to Conway Post Office

Creative Sole Dance Studio

Owner & Director: Samantha Hounsell

The ballet teacher is a former Principal Soloist and instructor with Maine State Ballet, Gretchen Brown.

8 weeks-$80.00

Karate Class

2009-09-07T19:06:00.002-04:00

I hope that most every one all ready knows this. But class is canceled for tomorrow. Sorry this is posted late. We will be talking about class at the moms meeting next week.

A Shave and a Hair Cut "2 Bits"

2009-08-21T19:04:00.002-04:00

I am going to have my scissors and clippers at next weeks Karate class (Aug. 25th). I am offering cuts at $5 for kids and adults. If you are interested or want your child's hair cut, come with clean dry hair. Selena travailing hairstylist extraordinaire (hehehe)

Contact List

2009-08-21T18:54:00.002-04:00

IT'S HERE!!! The contact list is done. If you have not gotten a copy and want one I will have them on me at future events. Also, I am still working on a PDA file to send out in an e-mail. Thank you for your patients. Selena

Karate Class

2009-07-30T15:02:00.002-04:00

After class on Tuesday, I was stopped and asked about next weeks class. I know it is not scheduled, but I will be at the church for class on Tuesday Aug 4th At 1:30. Please, if this affects your schedule don't worry about missing class. For those who want to come, I will see you there. The following week our family will be away on vacation. So there will be no class on Aug 11th. Augusts class schedule will be posted after the mom's meeting. Thank You Selena

Contact List

2009-07-16T23:18:00.001-04:00

OK, still working on the contact list. But I think I have gotten almost everyone. I have another round of e-mails to send out. If you have not heard from me please contact me with your info.. I hope to be getting this out very soon. Thank you, Selena.

Sabbaday Falls and Our First Letterbox!

2009-07-15T10:10:00.006-04:00

We had a fun hike to Sabbaday Falls on Monday! The weather gave us a little scare at first because it down poured most of the drive down the Kanc to the trail head! When we got there the sun came out and it was beautiful. Here is a group photo we took before heading up the trail: The falls were raging because of all the rain we've had, it was fun (and a little scary) to see them like that!

The kids found this little salamander and enjoyed "playing" with him and checking him out!

When we got to the top of the falls it was time to find the perfect hiding spot for our groups very first Letterbox! We started out by searching for the Letterbox that is already there. Samantha found it first and we enjoyed checking out all the different stamps that others had left. We exchanged stamps and then moved on up the trail to find our own spot. Here is a clue to where we hid it:
Here is the link to our letterbox clue:

Floating Leaf Series: Sabbaday Falls Letterbox

To find out more about Letterboxing check out these great sites:

Letterboxing North America

Atlas Quest Letterboxing

Calendar of Events

2009-07-12T21:53:00.006-04:00

Hi to all!

Here are the new group activities discussed at the Mom's Meeting last Monday night.

Monday July 13th Group Hike to Sabbaday Falls and Planting a Letterbox @ 1:00pm
The group did this hike 3 summers ago and we really enjoyed it! It is a nice one for little ones because it is pretty short and ends at a beautiful waterfall! It is posted as a no swimming area but it is easy to spend a lot of time there watching the water make its way through the falls and into the pools. We are also going to attempt to "plant" a letterbox! This is something our group has been talking about doing for several years. This will be a good spot because it is not that far into the falls so it will be easy for us to check on the box periodically. If you are not familiar with letterboxing this would be a great time come along and find out all about it! Here are a couple of sites on letterboxing too.

Letterboxing North America
Atlas Quest Letterboxing

We will be meeting in the parking lot of the Ranger Station at the beginning of the Kancamagus Highway at 1:00pm because several of us need to purchase National Forest parking passes ($20 for one or $25 for two if anyone wants to go in together on these and they are good for a whole year!). There are also lots of informational brochures and maps on the National Forest there! We will then proceed together to the trail head (about 15 miles).

You will not need anything for the letterbox (unless you want to bring your own personal stamps) but don't forget a snack and some water!

Tuesday July 14th Karate @ 1:30pm

Tuesday July 21st Karate @ 1:30pm

Wednesday July 22nd Thompson Brook Falls at Wildcat led by Tin Mt. 10-12:00

Tuesday July 28th Karate @ 1:30pm

Thursday July 30th Lost River Trip. We would leave town around 10:00 and then have a picnic lunch when we get there. Here are the group rates if we make a reservation and a link to their web sit:.
http://www.findlostriver.com/
2009 Group Admission Rates: Adults: $11.00 Ages 13-18: $9.00 Ages 4-12: $7.00 Ages 3, 2 & 1 are FREE. Group rates are offered to recognized businesses and organizations when reservations are made in advance. This would include, but is not limited to, school groups, church groups, camps and scout groups.

Monday August 3rd Ocean Trip (see email for more info)

Monday August 10th Mom's Meeting hosted by Melanie Ness

*A trip to Aquaboggan has also been discussed, more info coming soon!

If you have any more ideas for trips or activities or would like to plan something that the group would enjoy please let me know and I will add it to the list!

Thanks
Liz Kelley

Contact List

2009-07-09T11:49:00.003-04:00

OK, I know I said I would do this months ago, but life got very crazy. I found I had a few hours with no kids today and put myself to work. I have finished up with all I have, but I know there are people missing. Please e-mail me with your info if you want on the list. I am sending out e-mails to the people I have, to confirm the data. If you do not get an e-mail from me today that means I do not have your info.
Here is what I need.
Your Name and Spouse
Address:
Phone #:
Cell #
E-mail:
Children and there b-days.
Thank you for your help. I hope to have this done and out with in the next week.
Selena dakotawatchdog@yahoo.com

4th of July Float 2009

2009-07-08T09:11:00.006-04:00

Here are some pics from our float this year! Thanks to all who helped, it was lots of fun and a great success!!

Thanks to Pat and L.A. Drew for the use of the truck and trailer!

Our float from the side.

Our "garden".

Our "little house".

Callie and Jessica two of our wash girls!

The plow horse and the fishing pond.

Maverick the "plow man"!

This "pioneer" woman seems to be the inventor of the sippy cup and Cheerios's!

We got a little wet at the end of the parade! Here are some pics of us under the tarp for the ride home:
Some of the kids piled into the cabin!

Maggie keeping Sarah warm!
Check out these blogs for more pics from the parade:

The Everitt Family

The Kelley Family

Karate Class

2009-07-07T12:32:00.002-04:00

Last night at the moms meeting I informed moms of a schedule change in the time for Karate. Davids is now enrolled in a summer program and it does not get out till 12:45. So I need to push class from 1:00 to 1:30. I hope this is not an issue. I also talked about the older kids in the class, and time for more one on one instruction. I would like to start working with the older kids 10 to 15 mins after class has ended. I can put out a schedule if needed for planning. Please give me some feed back on this idea. Thank you.

This Weeks Float Plans...

2009-06-29T15:20:00.004-04:00

Our float and costumes are coming along well but...

this is cram week!

Here are the scheduled days we will be working:

Tuesday June 30th 10:00am until mid afternoon???

(There will be no Karate this week so that we can continue to work on the float!)

Thursday July 2nd 10:00am until mid afternoon???

Friday July 3rd 10:00am until we are done!

Saturday July 4th 10:00am to 11:30am - finishing touches

11:30am Homeschool Family 4th of July BBQ -

please bring what you would like on the grill (ie. burgers, dogs, chicken) and something to share (ie. salad, dessert, drinks, chips).

1:00pm -1:30 Parade line-up in Conway Village

2:00pm Parade Starts!

Please note that all work sessions will be at the Kelley's house and all are welcome to come to the work day's and play, hang-out, or lend a hand even if you will not be joining us on the float! That also goes for the Family BBQ on Saturday! Also, it is not too late to join us even if you cannot come to all of the work sessions, please contact Liz K via email ASAP.

Thought this photo was fun! From Strawberry Banke!!

Summer Reading Programs

2009-06-25T13:05:00.003-04:00

Enjoy reading with the kids this summer:

Wednesday Bookworms - Every Wednesday at 10:00 am beginning July 8th for six weeks. A fun and rewarding summer reading program developed to encourage young children to read during the summer months. BOOKWORM WEDNESDAYS entitles kids to free admission to a select children´s film when they present a book report at a participating Showcase Cinemas, Multiplex Cinemas or Cinema de Lux box office. Accompanying parents or guardians and children under six receive free admission and do not need to submit a book report. http://www.nationalamusements.com/programs/bookworm.asp

This is a cool program, but not available in NH. Check out the web site for participating theaters, especially if you will be traveling this summer. There are theaters in Mass and California.

Borders/Waldenbooks - Children 12 and under read 8 books and bring in the completed form. The child may then choose one of the selected items for $4.99, a savings of at least 50%. http://www.borders.com/online/store/MediaView_summerreadingkids?cmpid=k1-51809

Barnes and Noble - Children 1st-6th grade read 8 books and bring in the completed form. The child may choose 1 free book from selected titles. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/summerreading/

Chuck E Cheese - Read 1 book a day for 2 weeks and bring in the completed calendar. The child will receive 10 free tokens with food purchase. http://chuckecheese.com/promotions/pdf/RewardReading.pdf

Scholastic´s Summer Reading Challenge - Children sign up to be placed in 1 of 4 teams. Then they read books for points. The team with the most points at the end of the summer vote on which Save the Children U.S. program receives a donation from Scholastic.

http://www.scholastic.com/summerreading/

Half Price Books - Children 12 and under can earn a $3 Half Price Books Gift Card for each week they read at least 15 minutes per day. http://www.halfpricebooks.com/feed_your_brain.html

TD Bank - Read 10 books and bring in the completed form to receive $10. http://www.tdbank.com/summerreading/

We did this last year, the only hitch is that the kids have to have a savings account at TD Bank. If you don't it is easy enough to open one.

Read with Kids Challenge - Log your time reading with your children for a chance to win a US Airways vacation package to Walt Disney World, plus other prizes. http://readwithkidschallenge.com/

4th of July Float Planning

2009-06-16T19:12:00.004-04:00

Just wanted to let everyone know that we are having another float planning and construction day after tennis on the 18th at the Kelley's! Please come if you can!!

After heading "west"on our float last year we decided to continue the theme with a "little house on the prairie" type float. A cabin, Pa plowing the field, children in the garden, and maybe even some Indians??? If you have any items that would fit this theme that you would be willing to let us use on the float please contact us ASAP. We would love a real butter churn if anyone has one!

If you need to be reminded how much fun the float is here are a few pics from last year:

Karate Class

2009-06-12T17:54:00.003-04:00

Due to a scheduling issue I need to move Karate class from 1:00 to 1:30 on Tuesday the 16th. I apologize for any inconvenience. Please let me know if this is a problem. There is still a possibility I might be a little later then 1:30, but I will still run the class till 2:30, so parents can keep to the schedules. Thank you Selena

More White Lake Pics

2009-05-26T15:21:00.004-04:00

Here are some more pictures from our day at White Lake:

Emmy, James, and Maverick.

Maverick, Ethan, and Kyle.

Maggie and Sarah

Selena and Jonathan
Check out even more pics on our family blog!

White Lake State Park

2009-05-24T10:39:00.003-04:00

Believe it or not the mercury hit 90 before Labor Day and so a bunch of us decided to head to the lake for the day. The weather was beautiful - sun shinning, temp soaring, gentle breeze blowing. Who could ask for more?

The little one had a wonderful time digging in the sand and playing on the new playgrounds. a few of them even ventured into the water, but quickly exited with shivering, blue lips.

On the other hand the older kids were die hards and swam and splashed most of the day. I don't know how they did it. You wont find me in the water for a couple of more months. It is WAY too cold for my piggies.

You can see more about our day at the beach at these family blogs.
Heartfelt Homemaking - The Jette's

Maggie and Me

Mountain Top Music - Cello

2009-05-15T12:10:00.004-04:00

This was the second week of Homegrown Explorer's music exploration class with Mountain Top Music. Last week the children learned about and had the chance to play the violin. This week's instrument was the cello. Here are a few pictures . . .

The class has taught the children some basic musical notation, scales and rests as well as about the instrument and the family it is in.

Each week everyone gets a chance to play a simple song on the instrument. The rest of the group sing the song, counts the rests and claps to help keep time.

After all the children had a chance to play. Some of the moms had a turn.

You can find more pictures for our music classes on the following blogs:

The Kelley Family Blog - Cello

Heartfelt Homemaking (Jette) - Cello

Heartfelt Homemaking (Jette) - Violin

Sledding Day

2009-05-12T20:43:00.002-04:00

Here are some pics of the sledding day, thanks to Beth. We tried to post them last night at the Met but ran out of time. It looks like everyone had super fun at sledding. But I think we are all glad there is no more snow.
BubbleShare: Share photos - Find great Clip Art Images.

Bloggin' at the MET

2009-05-11T20:27:00.003-04:00

Here are some pics from our "learn to blog" night at the MET:

Welcome

2009-05-11T11:29:00.003-04:00

Thanks for stopping by to visit.

We have just begun the creation of this blog to follow the happenings of our homeschool group, HOMEGROWN EXPLORERS!

Hopefully this blog will be a way for our group to share thoughts and photo about our field trips, events and activities as well as share ideas, resources, reviews and more.

Our monthly calendar will be posted at the top of the blog. Please check out the up and coming events. We hope you will be able to join us.