Connor's Quarterly Update

 Connor has fallen in love with weights and working out in the gym.  He and Barry try to get to Dublin Fitness twice a week.  He still wants to run more 5K and 10K races, but with winter going on...interminably (okay so that's an exaggeration  but spring doesn't seem to be anywhere in sight), he's keeps in shape by walking the dogs daily. As for me, it's just too cold, I'll wait for spring--I know, he tells me I'm a wimp, and he's right!  But, I'm sticking with that!

In January he really got busy and started working on his science fair project.  However, time constraints with his mentor, Bro. Christopher Long, prevented him from getting everything done in time for the science fair.  This hasn't stopped him from continuing with his project. He plans to keep gathering data and will submit his project next year.

Here's what his project is all about...in his own words:

Basically, I'm taking a bunch of data and on what conditions affect the  accuracy of GPS. I'll do this by taking a bunch of GPS readings in different places and putting where the GPS thought we were and where we actually were on a map. That's about it. 

 Sister Zander, our piano teacher, tells me that he told her that playing the piano has now become a great joy in his life.  I surely can tell it has as he no longer has to be reminded to practice the piano and he practices more than the required 15 minutes a day.  I'm usually awakened by him playing when he comes home from seminary in the mornings.  He enjoys playing the songs from his lessons (presently he's working on Old Virginy) but he also loves to find music online from the video games.  He's currently working through  Sky Tower from Pokemon Mystery Dungeoun Red Rescue Team. It's a difficult song, but he's determined to learn it....and he's doing pretty good with it too.
I believe he's been greatly inspired by The Piano Guys, he even wants to pick up violin again. Hummmm, we'll have to see about that.

The Key of Liberty class has been a butt kicker for him this semester, but he's keeping up with it.  He has to journal the entire Constitution--which means read the document, section by section, and rewrite it in his own words.  This, along with reading novels and biographies, memorizing 10 scriptures, research project and a power point presentation has kept him hopping.   He also has an opinion paper due each week based on a question.  Here's a sample of his work:

Connor Hale

Tatiana Fallon

March 22, 2013

Key of Liberty

Never Twice

        The Constitution is the most advanced document governing a nation in existence. But what would life be like without it? What if the constitution had never existed? Would America have stayed its own nation, or would another power have taken control? What would have become of America?

        The first thing which would happen in the absence of the constitution would be a return to the articles of confederation. The articles of confederation were the original attempt at a constitution, made at the beginning of the American War for Independence. These articles gave all the power to the states, forbidding the federal government to have any power whatsoever. The federal government couldn't tax, and it couldn't raise an army. Everything was left to the states, nothing to the federal government. This may seem fine, but no federal government, complete with the checks and balances of the constitution, would inevitably fail. With no higher judge or supreme law, a state may do whatever it pleases. If a state forbids free speech, who shall stand against it? Without a national currency, one thousand dollars in one state may only be ten in another. Commerce between states would be impossible. In a confederation, a state may decide to require a passport to cross into its land, and no one can stop them.

        The second thing that would have happened would be the reclaiming of America by the British. Great Britain was waiting for America to collapse, and it clearly would under the Articles of Confederation. It would be at that moment that the British would swoop in to reclaim her lost child, who would no doubt be more wary of separation from her mother country. The immediate effects would be small. America would most likely demand as part of her demands of surrender to have a vote in parliament, and for a while life would go well. America would not be as large on account of the Louisiana Purchase not taking place, as well as the war of Mexico, but on the whole life would be fine. However, around the time of World War I, problems would occur. It was America, who didn't enter the war until 1917, who ended the war. If they had entered at the same time as the rest of Britain, their forces would have been more expended than they were, with Germany having been able to fight them off while their forces had still been strong.

        Life without the constitution would leave us under the tyrannical rule by Germany, and had done so since 1918, or the general area thereof. At some point, that power would collapse and history would restart the cycle which follows a destroyed empire. However, the most unfortunate loss would be the loss of the most advanced form of government ever invented. Without the constitution, the chance to make a government completely free of the bonds of previous government may not arise for centuries, nor have they a second time since the birth of the constitution.

Connor Hale

Tatiana Fallon

Key of Liberty 2

February 5, 2013

Two Powers

        What can the average citizen do to make laws? Since everything is done by congress, one might that they have no power, or very little. This is not true. The common person has two means of influence in making laws. The first is obvious: voting. The second is not so obvious, it is expressing their opinions. These are two ways normal people can help make laws.

       The first thing that an average citizen can do to make laws is vote. When you vote, you put your input into laws through voting for leaders. If you choose the leaders who will make laws that you want made, you put your input into laws, thereby making laws. This is the first power most people have in making laws.

        The second way people are able to make laws is to express their opinions. When we tell others our opinions, the ideas will eventually make it to those who make laws directly, whether the opinions are expressed directly or through others. Also, the opinions one expresses can be influential in how others vote. Thus, it is important to express our opinions.

        To answer the question at the top of the page, the average citizen can vote and express opinions. These two things are what make laws, essentially. 

Connor Hale

Tatiana Fallon

Key of liberty 2

February 27, 2013

Rectitude for Our Actions

        The ability to declare and levy war is important, as well as dangerous. This is why the Founding Fathers added numerous checks and balances to the constitution. But is congress really the group able to declare war? Is there another party involved?

        The foremost balance of power is that while congress can declare war, the president is in charge of the armed forces. Congress can declare war, but they can’t send forces without the authority of the president. Additionally, each state has its own national guard, which can only be called forth on the authority of the states themselves. These checks and balances stop any one from abusing the military. For this reason, the power to declare war rests where it belongs.

        For a republic, which is better for large groups, or a democracy, which is better for small groups, to function, people must be willing to except recompense for their actions. Likewise, when the people elect representatives they must choose with care, for it will be the direct result of those decisions which govern the nation they live in. If they elect too many pacifists, a reaction to war would not take place fast enough. If they elected too many war lovers, war would begin too quickly and unnecessary violence would occur. This means that the power to declare war falls indirectly onto the heads of none other than the people of the United States of America.

        The power to declare war falls to the people. This should be the basis of every government. Rectitude for actions is a divine principle, one that cannot be removed for any reason. This means that the people should be, and in America are, in charge of declaring war. 

He's come to love Geometry.   He's  half way through Bob Jones University (home school edition), this means he knows all the postulates and now he is proving them. BJU has 150 theroms to prove, however, he wants to get Euclid's book (350 more to prove) and prove all of those too.   He was quite eager for me to get Life of Fred's Geometry book.  I'm not sure where he is with that one, but I love how self motivated he is with his studies.  I rarely have to remind him to focus on his studies.  Connor's helped me see the wisdom of the TJEd principles...and have faith that they will work, if I have patience and pray--a lot!-- for guidance for help in how to implement them.  Considering the Lord has guided Barry and I in this journey of home schooling, I know he'll be there to see us through to the end.....oh just found out he's just finished chapter 2 with Lof F.

One day in January he picked up two books on logic.  He later told me that he thinks a study of logic would be a great thing for him to have.  So he began to read and study the books....and pepper us with lots of logic thinking puzzles.  I've always known I wasn't a very logically minded person, this has confirmed it.  Barry does quite a bit better than I do.  For presentations meeting in February, he shared some of what he learned and let some of the others play some logic games as well.  His next plan will be to re-read the book and annotate it.
    Books he's read since January:
Issac Asimov books (many of them)
Logic Made Easy by------------
Freedom Factor by Gerald Lund
Fifty Five Fathers
The Hobbit
The Great Little Madison

Due to the most wonderful changes to the youth Sunday School and mutual Sunday lessons.....can you tell I love them?....Connor gave the lesson in Sunday school today.  He just wrote a key word outline to remind him of what he planned to discuss with the class.  here are his notes:

         Sometimes, feel, inadequacy.

Courage, promise, “grace is sufficient to make weak things become strong”.

Acknowledge, weakness, faith, strengthen, teach.

        Jeremiah 1:9 Quote: I submit to you that may be one of the Savior’s commandments that is, even in the hearts of otherwise faithful latter-day saints almost universally disobeyed. I am convince that none of us can appreciate how deeply it wounds the loving heart of the Savior when he finds that his people do not feel confident in his care, or secure in his hands or trust in his commandments. Jeffrey R. Holland.

        D&C 1:19-23, Jacob 4:7, Alma 17:9-11, 29:9.

        Savior, prepare, fasting, prayer.

Seek, guidance, Heavenly Father.

How, follow, example, teach?

        Requirement, class, diagram, constitution. State, meaning. Help, understand. Must, understand, teach.

        Role-play: Friend, assignment. Feel, inadequate. How, help, friend.

        No, ridicule, others. Courtesy, respond. 

I'll have him write more about it later....but Cailin said that he did a wonderful job.

Ryan's quarterly school update

Ryan's still going strong with his college classes at New River Community College.  He's taking his 2nd semester of Calculus.  This semester his teacher is Dr. Chalmeta.   Last semester, Dr. Chalmeta substituted for Mr. Coake.  Ryan had a difficult time understanding everything Mr. Coake would say.  This one day he came home quite happy.  He said  "Oh I get it, the substitute really helped me understand."  He didn't remember the name of the sub, so when he came home from his first day of class this semester, I asked him who his teacher was and he said "it's the substitute."  He was excited and so was I.  Both, Dr. Chalmeta and Mr. Coake have been good at being available to help Ryan with questions.  This semester has been hard for him, but he's not giving up.  He's had a rough start, his first test was a D....yikes, but I think he'll pull through.

The other class he's taking is  Computer Programming using C++.  Here again, he's had a rough start, the first test was a C, however, his tenacious spirit is prevailing.  After his first day of class, I was quite concerned that he wasn't ready...or even that computer programming wasn't the path Ryan should be on.  However, after a prayer, I felt very peaceful that all would be well.  Of course, I've come to know that "all will be well" is quite liberal of an answer and that it doesn't mean there will be changes to come in the future, but for now, continuing on with this class was the right thing to do.
He struggled quite a bit with figuring out how to write a program that would work, but after 8 or so weeks I hear much less crying and hitting of his head on the desk when he was stuck and more "yeah baby, I got it on the first try!"  Because he's never taken any computer programming classes before (not from the lack of trying on my part), he's had quite a hill to climb in learning so much--the grammar and the functions of programming.  But he's doing it!

 Ryan had decided that he,indeed, wants to become an eagle scout.  Barry and I have been gently pushing him toward this goal, but it wasn't until he decided that he doesn't want to be left behind from his two cousins, Cory and Josh, that he's made the commitment.   He has chosen to make grow boxes similar to these. (Cory made these particular one for his project.)

He and Barry pulled all the paper work together.  Then Ryan set the date for meeting with the district level person that would approve the project.  He went, he presented, and came away with the 'go ahead' for the project.

He is now in the process of fund raising.  On the 26th of March he will be having a fund raising event at Cici's Pizza in Christainsburg.  Hopefully many will turn out and he'll get all the money he needs for the project  (about $500.00) so he won't have to plan another one.  So many people have been  generous and have just given him donations.

Ryan still loves to read....many of the books he's read lay around his room, unless he's
 checked them out of the library. 

 Following the TJEd principles, especially the 'inspire, not require'  is hard for me.  For so long, I always pacified myself with the fact that Ryan's Asperger's would keep me from it.  And, in some ways in the past it did.  However, I'm finding that now that he has a goal and a desire to become someone great, of leading a purposeful life, one with meaning, that inspiring him actually has merit.

The quest has now been how. How do I help him realize that he needs to take on the hard challenge of learning how to write well or any other such task that he really doesn't want to do?
One night I picked up the Nov. issue of the Ensign and the talk by Sister Barbra Thompson open up and I started reading it.....a tender mercy fell into my lap.
Here is what she had to say:

Several years ago I visited some dear friends in London, England. During this visit I traveled on the tube—a subway system of underground trains that people use frequently to get from place to place. In each of these busy subway stations, there are warning signs about dangers that people may encounter. Lights flash on and off to notify people that a train is approaching and they need to stand back. There is also a sign to remind people that there is danger—a gap between the train and the station platform. The sign says, “Mind the Gap.” This reminds people not to let their foot get caught in the gap and not to drop anything in the gap because it will go under the train and be lost. The caution sign is needed and warns people of a very real danger. In order to be safe, people must “mind the gap.”

Many of us have gaps in our own lives. Sometimes it is the difference between what we know and what we actually do or the gap between our goals and what we actually accomplish. These gaps can be reminders of ways in which we can improve or, if ignored, can be stumbling blocks in our lives.

I shared this with Ryan.  He cautiously said, "why are you sharing this with me?  Have I done something wrong?"    I assured him he hadn't and then we talked about his goals in life...his hopes and dreams.  He wants to serve a mission and get a degree in college in computer game programming and then he wants to get a good job as a game designer.  I asked him what he thought he needed to do to prepare for each of these things....and we talked some more.  I told him that he will need to take some classes at NRCC in English and that I thought what we had been doing thus far for his writing wasn't enough.  To my amazement, he agreed.  I then shared with him a catalog from Institute for Excellence in Writing that had recently come in the mail.  We've used this program before and it's wonderful.  We were introduced to with with CC and his only year with CC kinda killed his love of writing, (if is was ever there,) anyhow.....he found a class/ book/program that was interesting to him--History from the Civil War to present--and now we are working our way through it.

I'm proud of him for taking this on.  He's still not thrilled but he knows it will be beneficial for him and he's doing it!

Here's one of his first writing assignment:

Ryan Hale                                                                                                                   2/21/13

Slavery

The Slave

Depressed, Despairing
Laboring and plotting

Suffering people of life

Despicable

       Slavery goes against the ideals and virtues of the Constitution, however it existed for over two centuries. The history of slavery goes deep into the past of the New World. In between 1500 and 1800, over twelve million slaves were brought to the New World, which became known as North and South America. They were brought in overcrowded ships on voyages that lasted three dull, colorless months and ended with one-sixth of the people quietly dying. The first slaves were carried over to Jamestown, Virginia, which began slaver in the U.S. Slavery swept across the South, because huge tobacco and cotton plantations needed many laborers. Unfortunately for slaves, the invention of the cotton gin, which made cleaning cotton easier, need tons of slaves to work it. Farmers brought in more money so they planted larger fields and increased slavery. Slavery continuously increased, so that by 1860 slaves numbered about one-third of the population of the south, which was four million. Slavery became a way of life in the South.

          The life of a slave was abominable. Most slaves were forced to work in fields in all kinds of conditions. If they stopped working their masters or overseers maliciously punished them. Other slaves worked as servants in the masters’ houses and they tried being apathetic about the field slaves’ punishments. A few house slaves learned precious crafts that let them work in a city. However all slaves had no freedom, couldn’t choose where they lived or worked, and they received no pay or education. They were treated like animals and punished for no reason. The slaves’ largest fear was the auction block where they were sold and families were torn apart. Slavery resulted in slaves having no control over their lives. We must uphold the ideals and virtues of the constitution to make sure nothing as despicable as slavery happens again.

                                                                  

He still quite the reader....he loves to read.  I have him read classics that he's chosen but his preferred topic to read is still about dragons.  He's probably read his Temraire books for , oh, maybe 20 times now.

Books he's read this year:

The Kite Runner

My Father's Dragon

Many books from Issac Asimov

Three Men in a Boat

The Lonesome Gods by Laous L'Amore

Here There Be Dragons

The Cross and the Switchblade

The Screwtape Letters

....plus a zillion books about dragons and other fantasy themed books that he get from the library.

He meets twice a month with Mr. Bryant, his counselor.  He enjoys his time with him.  He's happy that Mr. Bryant has helped him stop being obsessed with sticky hands.

He's also started going to Dublin Fitness, (by his own choice!) with Barry and Connor.  He still loves to dance with Just Dance on the Wii.

At church he has the calling of 1st counselor in the Priest Quorum.  He had to attend a planning meeting at Bishop Becker's home on Friday.  He. did. not. want. to. GO!   My, was he upset and complained about the whole thing.  I dropped him off and worried about what a pill he would be for everyone there.   

I need not worry.....I talked with Julie Morgan the day after and she told me what a delight he was.  He was kind, participated, talked and even came up with a great activity--he mentioned that he wanted to better understand the Isaiah chapters in 2Nephi.   After everyone, picked up their jaws off the floor, they considered it, and thought a fun activity learning about them would be fun.  I'll be interested in seeing how that comes together.  He even flattered Ss. Becker with his comments on what a lovely dinner she made, and how she had 'out done herself' with the brownies.  What a charmer!

Once again, I've come to realize how I worry too much about him, and how he'll do great in life.  He'll have challenges, for sure, but don't we all?  His only disability will be what he makes of it. Asperger traits can be challenge to work through, but according to the scriptures:  "our weaknesses will become our strengths."

Math Fun.....Easter Style

Looking for a fun and intertaining way to add more math into our school, I picked up this book called Domino Addition.    I got tied up helping Ryan with his writing assignment and Barry was just sitting there....with nothing to do......(haha, not really) but, I asked him to read this book with Liam and Laney and he did!   They loved  the time with him, as he's rarely able to do sit and read and discuss with them.

Since Easter is just around the corner, they have been bugging me to make cookies.  I relinquished, gave in....in short finally said Yes.  (I really don't like to make sugar cookies with frosting, such a messy and drawn out activity), yet Delaney had the brilliant idea to make our sugar cookies into Easter domino cookies....what a splendid idea!!  

 Plus, rolling out the dough and cutting them into rectangles is much easier that using cookie cutters...re-roll the the leftover dough....and doing this process over and over with no end in sight.

 We colored the frosting light purple.  I added more color to a small amount of icing and put it in a ziplock bag.  After I cut a very small tip off one end of the bag, the girls piped the center line on each domino cookie.

 Colorful spring colored flower sprinkles were added for the dots.

 And then you have a yummy, delicious domino Easter sugar cookie.

 Brianne sure loved the frosting, while the rest of us enjoyed the entire confection treat.

 We wanted to share some with Mrs. Folden, our neighbor, but she wasn't home....to bad for her.  Now her goodies are gone.  I guess we'll have to make some more!

The Easter holiday usually sneaks up on me, this year I'm more prepared and I hope to make some fun memories with other activities from the Friend and my brain!
...... Resurrection Cookies, Honeycomb Candy, Sheep and Shepard, Easter Egg hunts, plus Delaney's birthday is this week,..oh my,......I think I'll be gaining a bunch of weight this week!

Monticello, Home of Thomas Jefferson

Thanks to a most wonderful friend (Thanks Christine!!!!!), Delaney, Cailin and Connor, were able to go on this field trip to Monticello that we've had planned for a month or two.  Sadly the rest of us we still sick.  That just means we'll have to schedule another time to come!

Hi it's me Delaney,  we went to Monticello with the Brame's. The statue of Thomas Jefferson shows his true height, so he was sort of tall,  6'3" tall to be exact.

I really liked the gardens and the activities in the cultural center.  I took most of the pictures that are  in this post. 

There was a printing invention that his friend made.  As you are writing with one of the pens a second copy would be made at the same time.

I really liked writing with a feather.  I was able to write what I have accomplished in my life (in this past year): swimming, tying my shoe, reading a lot better than before, and getting a kitten, Pumpkin, and helping to take care of him.

There were lots of plant there.  Thomas Jefferson loved gardening, just like my Daddy. Daddy wishes he could have come, I hope we'll go back because he would love to see all the gardens.

I liked the tour of the house. 

Hello people, it's me, Connor. I will be talking about our trip to Monticello. It was fun, and I enjoyed the tour of the mansion. It was also interesting to look for things there which weren't affected by the industrial revolution. We thought that maybe some of the stuff sent to Thomas Jefferson by the Indians most likely weren't. The most interesting thing were his ivory note cards. The people there used old piano keys instead of real ivory (for obvious reasons) but Jefferson would use these as his version of a dry erase board. 

It's me, Cailin, and I went to Monticello, too.
It was really interesting there. I never really knew what to think of Thomas Jefferson before I went here other than the man who wrote the Declaration of Independence.
Now I think of him as more of a brilliant, smart, and fairly stern man. I thought the most interesting thing I learned at Monticello was that he wrote different things on his ivory cards, and could wipe it off like a whiteboard. (Yes, I know its the same as Connor, but it's interesting.)

This is Thomas' grave.  On it was written:
 Here was buried
Thomas Jefferson
Author of the Declaration of American Independence
of the Statute of Virginia for religious freedom
Father of the University of Virginia

Criminal minds? No, just Liam

It has been said that "out of the mouth of babes", comes words that confound the wise. The other day I had to opportunity to witness Liam's simple but wise way of seeing the world. When I work the midnight shift my part of the bed is rarely empty. Delaney, Liam and usually Brianne somehow find their into the vacancy to keep Vicki company. As I was preparing to go to bed Liam had just woke up. He sat in the bed appearing to be in deep thought. He said to me, " I don't know why Bre-Bre would not eat her Chocolate cake. I assumed that he was talking about something that had happened the previous night. I made an half hearted attempt to put his mind at ease by saying that maybe she just was not hungry. He looked at me as if I was stupid and said, " I'm not hungry when I eat chocolate cake!" I think that I lost a bit of respect in his eyes that day. Surely he was disappointed to find that dad has a few less brain cells that he had imagined.

When I Was Young in the Mountains--FIAR

Reading a book...all on her own!  This is a big accomplishment for Delaney.  She's jumped by leaps and bounds with her reading skills.  She is now reading a book on snakes and learning about them.

We've just finished rowing the book When I Was Young in the Mountains  by Cynthia Rylant.  This was an enjoyable book to read over and over with Delaney, plus we had some fun activities to go along with it.

Social Studies:  Emotions--crying.  Appalachian culture and history, and occupations.
At one point in the story Grandma cried a happy cry.  We talked about all sorts of emotions, public displays of emotions and our emotional health.  Delaney and Liam pulled out the flannels and made many different emotional faces.
We also talked about the different occupations from the past and how things have changed now, in particular there was a traveling photographer.
We've studied Appalachian culture before, especially life among the coal mines, this was a repeat in this topic, but a good review.

Science:  Nutrition and Snakes.   In the book, Grandma served corn bread, pinto beans and fried okra with milk.  We analyzed whether or not this was a nutrition meal after learning more about the food pyramid.  We learned how legumes and beans can be combined with breads to make a complete protein.  The verdict....yes it is a nutritious meal.  Every food group was accounted for --it would have been good for some fruit, but really, we don't have fruit and veggies at every meal.  I looked into the vitamin content of okra, and was amazed at how many nutrients it has.

It took me three stores before I found some fried okra to buy, honestly I didn't think it would be that hard here in the 'south', but I found it and we too, had some pintos, cornbread and fried okra for lunch one day.  I like okra, Barry does not.  Liam and Delaney decided that they sided with Barry on this one!

 Now that spring is slowly rearing it's windy head, we decided to go and get some flowers and broccoli plants for the garden.  Cailin is studying plants so the two blended together fairly well.

 For her presentation at our group meeting Delaney shared what she learned about snakes.  She read the books and wrote most of her annotations (I helped when her hand got tired), and she drew her own illustrations.  We soaked a chicken egg in vinegar to demonstrate how snake eggs are leathery and not hard like bird eggs.   I don't have a picture of Tycon, Connor's corn snake, but she also brought a skin shedding of his to show the others.

 Math:  Weights and Measures.  In the book there is a general store with a scale.  This lead to discussions of weights and measures.  While we were at the fruit market, Delaney, Cailin and Liam decided they wanted to spend one of their own dollars for candy, which is sold by the pound.  This was a great time to talk about weighing things.  We also spent a bit of time in the produce area of Walmart weighing fruit and ice cream (?).

On the counter of the store there are gallon jars of pickles, so I pulled out different sizes of canning jars to fill with water and discover how many cups each size held (pints, quarts, gallons).

Language Arts:   Theme--contentment and repetition.   The theme of this book was contentment, being happy with what one has.  We talked about this and Delaney voiced that she has a wonderful life and is very happy with what she has. Yeah!  Authors sometime use repetition in a story, Ms. Rylant did too.  The line "When I was young in the mountains I....." was used often.  So I had Delaney write her own "When I was young is Pulaski I...." she has good friends and family to enjoy life with and to be contented about.

We never seem to get the art concepts that are discussed in the Five in a Row manual.  Sad really, I'm not very artistic and Delaney loves it....I'll have to try and do more of this on our next row.