alapaca farm

Yesterday the kids homeschool group ACE (Athens Cooperative Experience) went to an ALPACA Farm. It was really cool, though I think the poor alpacas were a little overwhelmed with all the kids and weren't so into letting the kids pet them, but we learned a lot and everyone who wanted to got to feed a baby and the kids all got to make a bookmark out of alpaca rovings (shavings off an alpaca before it is spun into yarn. It has been washed and combed and dyed and ready to be felted into something). We are definitely going to go back out there - maybe just the four of us - and buy some rovings. I've been wanting to do some felting with my kids, but I haven't bought anything to do it with and now, I'm feeling motivated - especially now that summer is here.

Here are a few of the photos from the day.

this is an alpaca - I didn't really realize before yesterday that they are not the same as a llama. They have been bread with llamas a lot, so they overlap and do look similar, but they are a lot smaller than a llama.


Who would have thought homeschooled students could form such a nice line. Guess there's incentive when you get to feed something as cool as an alpaca to stand in line.


India feeding a baby


Kalib feeding the baby






This one is a male llama.




The girls making their felted projects. I didn't get to make one, so Nancy let me bring home a kit. I think I'll be making mine a little later.

If you also want to visit the alpaca farm, here is the link... I'm sure Nancy would be happy to tell you all about them.

Talent show

It would be fair to say that my attention span is weak. I was trying to post every day for a month like India and all her friends, but alas 2 weeks into it, I failed to get things done on here - though I have been sewing a lot and working on a quilt (pics of that to come later this week - I hope)

Overall, last week was not much to write home about. We had a fairly mellow week for us. On most Mondays India goes over to Alexa's to play with Eli and Abram, but she ended up staying home and we just played around here and did some crafts. Tuesday, I started teaching an 8:00 class at the Y and I have to say I really love working out in the morning and getting it out of the way early on. I feel energized all day, but man was I tired that night. I am NOT used to getting up at 6:30. That is something I am really going to have to adjust to, but I'm excited because I like all the morning free time I get when I get up early. It's different than night free time where I'm all tired and worn out from our hectic schedule. Mornings, I'm refreshed and can get things done. As I adjust, I see me making that my computer and sewing time, maybe catching up on Grey's Anatomy... time just for me to keep me sane. Tuesday afternoon was Spanish and on to the Y for TKD. Wednesday, was the same ol' same ol'. Dad took the kids home and they helped meme cook for the church thanksgiving potluck.

This last week, Thursday was where it was at... I got to go to ACE with the kids. Well, not with them because there was work I had to do in order to take the afternoon off, but I met them there for the talent show. India called me as I was leaving (actually, I was nearing the perimeter) and said they were having a problem with the music she and the other girls were dancing to, so I turned the van around and headed home to find it for them and put it on my MP3 player. Thankfully, I did find it and the girls were very happy about that and I got to ACE in time to get some yummy food (it was a potluck), to do some sitting around and knitting with most of my mommy friends, and to video most of the talent show. Every session at the end the kids have a talent show. I love the idea of this - learning to stand up in front of people and do some kind of talent is huge! It is scary to stand up in front of people. I just overcame my fear of it a couple of years ago when I started teaching classes at the Y and if there are more than 20 people... I still get really nervous. So, I have video's for you of Kalib doing his form and India, Grace, and Hazel performing a dance number to Oh Oh Oh Sexy Vampire by Fright Train. Kalib combined multiple forms rather than doing just one belt form and the girls worked hard on learning their dance and you can see from the video what a great time they had! I also had a great time. I am learning to not take for granted the time I have with my kids. I feel lucky that I get to be a part of so much that they are doing, but I am also thankful that my mom is able to help them be a part of ACE since I can't take them due to work. Enjoy the videos!