More Babies :)

So again, yes I do believe in spayin and neutering.

But we had never had baby kittens on Gunn Ranch and so our little Queen Torie girl became a Momma.

The kids have had the time of their lives watching these babies born, and grow up.

Nothing cuter than little baby felines!!

Momma Torie is a positively adorable little queen.

Momma kissing Baby Meritt:

Kittens at play:

Meritt practicing his stalking skills:

Yep, Tayt has a favorite; nothin cuter than a fluffy little ball of fur!

Hunting for beetles:

For anyone not familiar with our pokey, stingy, scratching habitat here, notice the big thorns!

We love our kitties!

 

Lightning Lee Checking In

Just Lightning Lee checking in on the blog with Grace looking on adoringly:

Our Tripod Goat

This year Taylor went all out and decided to purchase an ABGA registered doe to show in the goat show and then keep to breed for babies.

She took immaculate care of her, and Margarita turned out to be a very nice show goat. She got 5th in her class, and Taylor didn’t auction her but brought her home to live.

Here are pictures Levi took of her (on our old camera, which is why they are so grainy) Margarita is the one on the right.

And in this one you can see clearly that she has all four legs…

 

As I pulled into the ranch after work on Tuesday November 6th, I found Taylor sitting with the goat outside the pen. Half of the goat’s foot along with the tendon was hanging from the fence. The other half (goats have split hooves) was dragging behind the goat, which left her walking on exposed bone.

The goat had tried to jump the fence which they’ve all done hundreds of times, and this time she got stuck.

After Daddy arrived home, we broke out the medic kit and scrubbed up the bloody stump on the tailgate of his truck out in front of the house. We wrapped it up for the night and headed to the vet hospital the next morning. Fortunately it was a Wednesday, which is a closed day for our clinic, so we had the place all to ourselves except the tech doing treatments.

I amputated the leg, leaving it a joint longer than usual because we had decided that we might like to take on the project of a prosthetic leg so the goat could still have a chance to breed and be able to support the extra weight of babies. We love projects, and I thought this would be a super educational opportunity!!

The amputation went perfectly and the goat was a perfect patient.

Taylor provided excellent post-op care and the leg never swelled, wasn’t red or even really painful to the goat. She acted like she never even knew what happened. She stayed on the porch for a week, and after that she just got stir crazy to be with the others.

So I went ahead and let her go back to the goat pen watching her carefully. The leg healed so fast, and she gets around perfectly on it.

She was super glad to be back to the jungle gym! I was worried at first and watched her closely. She started by climbing to the first level.

It didn’t take her but a few days, however, to reclaim her spot at the top!

(She’s about 8 feet up in the air!)

You just never know.

Taylor’s JWC Horse Show Award Buckles

Just now getting to posting pictures of the JWC Fair awards ceremony where Taylor received two award buckles. One buckle for Junior High Point Performance (the riding classes) and she also received:

Junior Overall High Point!

WOW, way to go my girl. You are an awesome and amazing horsewoman and I’m so proud of you!!

 

Morgan’s JWC Horse Show Buckles

Finally getting a picture up of Morgan’s award buckles.

She received a buckle for Reserve Grand Champion overall gelding with Sparky (no he is not a gelding, but they put all ages of male horses in for overall. The winners and reserve of each class go back in for overall.)

She won a buckle for Senior Overall Reserve Performance.

This is for the riding classes including Western Pleasure, Trail, Western Horsemanship, Hunter Under Saddle (English), Hunt Seat Equitation, Costume contest, Ride a Buck Bareback (and I’m probably forgetting a couple).

So proud of all she has accomplished!

You can see she has already put the buckle she won for Sparky on her belt as she receives her second buckle!

 

A New Addition

We haven’t had a little indoor companion for a few years.

I said I really didn’t want another one indoors since we are gone so much and not enough time to work with it. (Well, and actually we have our old indoor resident kitty cat we must extend our utmost service to and lavish our adoration upon. :))

But it happened.

I’ve watched a very good friend of mine breed a couple of litters of adorable Pembroke Welsh Corgi puppies.  I’ve helped her with tails and dewclews and watched the little plump adorable things grow and play.

She had intended on me taking her Momma dog in for a spay after the second litter, and then it happened. One more litter. (Sorry animal rights folks, I do recommend spay and neuter, but there is such a thing as responsible pet ownership, purebred breeds bred for a purpose and on purpose.)

Hooray!  I just couldn’t let the opportunity pass and my good friend allowed me to bring a sweet little, spit-fire of a baby into our home.

He has been one of the best little puppies I’ve ever had.

Meet 4 month old Watson.

(Dr. John Watson is his real name after Sherlock Holmes :))

Stylin’ and profilin’ with his ginormous ears:

He fits right in at the crazy Gunn Farms and Ranch!

Cute isn’t he? ❤

2014 TOS Review Crew

Our family has been invited back to cruise with the TOS Crew again in 2014. We are honored and will do our best to provide great reviews for our homeschool community and vendors!

We love the Crew 🙂

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Looking Back on our 2013 TOS Crew Favorites

Our first review of the 2013 year was Song School Spanish.

Levi LOVED this program. We slacked off of it a bit after our review because we needed to work harder on his reading. But he asked a while back if we could start it back up again, so we did. With him being able to read better now, it is going really well. I was surprised at just how much he remembered from the original lessons. It’s a GREAT program and I STILL highly recommend it.

Definitely one of our favorites!

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Next one of MY favorites is Handwriting Without Tears.

While I didn’t really follow the teacher’s manual, I LOVED the format of the workbook, and how it provided some much needed extra practice at just the perfect time. I loved having the book to pull out and have Levi work on independently when I needed to work with another student or had something else to do (like a review post due,LOL)

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Taylor and I are still working our way through Classical Academic Press’s Discovery of Deduction: an Introduction to Formal Logic.

We have worked through it at a leisurely pace, doing chunks at a time together.  It has been an awesome followup to CAP’s informal logic,  The Art of Argument that we reviewed last year.

I have reviewed other formal logic programs, and part of the lack of success was that my oldest student just wasn’t at all captivated by the subject, and the other part might have just been timing.

Whatever the reason, however, Taylor has really clicked with the classical subjects and we have had a blast going through these together. I do love subjects that I can learn right along with the student. I think this will really be a significant experience in Taylor’s educational resume for her future. Her brain seems to be wired for logic and argumentation, and Classical Academic Press is one of our very favorite homeschool companies!!

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One of the most unique and interesting reviews we did this year was Leadership Garden Legacy.

At first I wasn’t sure I liked it too much. Not really sure why- I think it just seemed really overbearing in the “anti-bully”theme, and seemed to be full of psychological babble. Like an intense therapy session, sort of.

But as we got more into it, the story was adorable with the animal characters, and we all LOVED doing our color wheels that categorized our temperaments, and learning/character strengths. I loved it that all of the kids could get in on it. We had two levels of books, and while I read the one targeted to younger kids to Levi, the older two girls read the older version. (Actually I think my high schooler sped-read through the elementary one, can’t remember.)

Either way, we ended up really loving this program. I love how the components go together, and how the story ties it all together.

It’s a great little family study in my opinion and I guess I should go back and read my review again, and make sure it reflects that! It is funny how our opinions can change as we work through stuff!

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See the Light’s Paper Jungle was among our top favorites.

What a super-great way to get some hands-on art projects in, while learning about real elements of art! And all from a professional artist, that adds in Biblical content and character training!

Which reminds me, we need to get started on our next See the Light project…

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A Mommy-favorite is next: Math Mammoth.

While Levi wouldn’t jump up and down for joy and say that Math Mammoth is his favorite, he does work through it very well. The worksheets are easy for him to do and understand, and so very easy for me to print off.

I love that I can take a few worksheets and teach him the concepts with the followup problems, and they are organized in a few different ways so he can get some good practice. I love that they are easy enough to give him the confidence he needs to move on, and thorough enough that he is progressing really well.

I love that I can print out what I need, when I need it.

Math Mammoth is a GREAT math program.

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Birdcage Press Wild Cards are still being played with.

We reviewed the Baby Animals Around the World which came with a neat little book.

I’m glad I came across this review again because I remember something I wanted to put on my Christmas shopping list. I think a couple of these sets will be great stocking stuffers! Levi voted for these as his favorites in a couple of the Crew voting categories.

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A favorites list just would NOT be complete with Institute for Excellence in Writing on it.

While we continue to use many of their other products, I was blessed to review one that I have always been interested in this year. It was really a review for ME, as I was to use the program to learn how to teach the classics to my students.

Teaching the Classics is certainly the quality and excellence I’ve come to expect from IEW. The program is thorough, very well laid out in structure, organization, explanations, and of course the seminar format is just my favorite.

I have grown to love the classical approach to teaching and we had started with teaching classical literature a few years back. With Levi, my newest student, it’s been nice to adopt a bit of a new approach to keep myself interested and learning as well. IEW’s PAL reading program that we started last year that ended up being an absolute life saver for us begins the classics and basic format of teaching in this way very early. I LOVE the way that the IEW products, though from different authors, all mesh together. I just LOVE IT!

I have adopted some of the teaching from Teaching the Classics, but as we are still working our way through really getting our reading and spelling down good, I haven’t really dove into the nitty gritty of the program yet.

I am anxious to go back through the program and add to my notes and really get going on it. The program is super-motivating and encouraging and really lights a fire for teaching!

I highly recommend this one, and will say it was probably my favorite teaching program I reviewed this year!

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Next on my chronological favorites list from the 2013 Crew year is 25 Truths.

This is just a super-cool little book for EVERYONE.

I really love the charming story of how this book stemmed from a list of truths a coach gave to his team to live by.

It’s real life.

It’s just really the way we all should live!

This would make a FABULOUS gift for graduates.

Just sayin…

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And, drumroll please…….

my vote for all time favorite product of the year was…

Picaboo Yearbooks!

What a fun, nostalgic, exciting fulfilling, wonderful experience!!

I feel a little off that I didn’t make an actual “yearbook”, but what I did make was a memoir of one of our biggest, best and most significant homeschool projects and accomplishments of all time.

I put together a memory book of the journey we took in breeding and foaling our own baby horse.

It was a magical time, and the memory book really shows that. The rich colors, backgrounds, quality paper, layout, they are all just perfect.

I LOVE these books. I will be making more!

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Another Levi-favorite is the Fascinating World of Insects dvd by Brainfood.

This really is a wonderfully produced and put-together dvd.

The photography and video are amazing, up-close and definitely capture the attention and affections of my 7 year old.

I really LOVE the way the video has questions and quizzes included!

This got a Levi vote in one of the Crew Favorite categories too!

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Time 4 Learning has been another life-saver for us.

Definitely a favorite, because it’s easy, educational, and has led Levi to some amazing progress in his reading and learning this year.

I love it because of the content- it’s introducing him to some basic things (okay, yes, it’s public schoolish, but it’s good basic info!) that he is grasping and interested in.

I love Time 4 Learning also because Levi can use it fairly independently, and I can count on him learning while I’m not able to be here to teach him, yet I can see the progress he has made.

I am planning to continue his subscription monthly once it’s over.

It’s a great tool, and peace of mind for this season of our homeschooling!

 

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We were blessed to review an old favorite that has been rekindled as a NEW favorite!

God’s World News is a monthly current events newsletter with a Biblical perspective that I subscribed the girls to for a few year. The newpapers are on the child’s level: Pre-K-K, 1-2 grade, 3-4 grade, 5-6 grade, middle school and high school. They also have an adult magazine called World that I just LOVE.

Before I was able to subscribe to each girls’ level and the content was the same so we could discuss the material together. I really loved that about the magazines, but our favorite part was probably the big wall map that the girls got to stick flags to as they did their “map-it” activities. These are little boxes included in some of the articles to map the location of the current event.

Well, just as I suspected, Levi has been every bit as excited and interested as his sisters.

I just LOVE sitting down with a fresh new newspaper for us to explore. It’s just a wonderful addition to our school day and is motivating, and filled with fun puzzles and projects as well.

There is a neat online website now too that has wonderful Worldview news and is linked to the magazines and can be accessed at all levels.

I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to read through World magazine again myself as well.

This is a Gunn Ranch Academy Favorite for sure!!

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Rolling around to fall of this year, Taylor’s favorite and voted our family favorite is next up.

Taylor was blessed with the experience of reviewing and online Marine Biology course from Bridgeway Academy.

She was super excited that the subject was Marine Biology because that is her career of choice as it stands and has been since she can remember.

She has been through numerous marine biology courses in the past, and studied Apologia’s Swimming Creatures for three years in a row. LOL.

She has studied and made numerous notebooks on her own, and was so excited to be able to be taught by a real marine biologist teacher.

She enjoyed the online live lectures so much once we got our new internet and she was able to participate.

She couldn’t make her homework submit correctly through the online website, but was able to email the instructor.

Taylor did a phenomenal job and worked so very hard on her projects that it seemed like she should be getting a college credit for what she was doing!

She said upon wrapping up her course that she would really love to do more courses through Bridgeway academy like this. She LOVED it.

Realistically, I don’t think it will be in our budget, but I am going to keep an open mind!

Bridgeway Academy was voted Taylor’s favorite, and our family’s favorite.

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Our next to last review of the year was a series of 4 little paper back books that covered different cultures around the world.

If You Were Me and Lived in…

Mexico

France

South Korea

Norway

The packages came with some extras besides the paperback books.

We got a blow-up globe, two flag pencils, and two different paper passports.

These little books are jewels. Levi and I both call them favorites.

The way they are written is really cool and I can’t wait for more to come out.

We journeyed through 4 cultures, learning history, language, favorite food, names, cultural events, and more.

We looked up many of the places, events, and other things on the computers and planned a trip someday to the Snow Hotel in Norway.

These are really fun little books and a wonderful way to bring geography, culture, and some unit studies into your day!

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Last but not least, a mom favorite that I enjoyed reading so very much.

I was able to sit back and relax and get a little nostalgic as I read through At Home in Dogwood Mudhole.

I just loved the journey through the real life times of the Sanders family in Dogwood Mudhole, Tennessee.

I am not really much of a “book reader”, in the fact that I just don’t have or take the time to really sit down and read a book cover to cover.

I tend to spend my time reading instructional stuff, digging into vet cases, animal stuff, etc.

But this book was something I just couldn’t put down. It wasn’t like any other I had really read, and I guess I loved it so much because of my connection to Tennessee and farming. and animals, and kids and family. That’s what this book was all about, and it is one of my favorites!

 

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So that’s it folks.

Gunn Ranch Academy’s 2013 Crew Favorites!

Enjoy Your Journey!

Chris

 

 

 

 

 

TOS Review Crew Year Wrapup

Well, another TOS Crew Review year is finishing up.

I just posted my last review, which is number 28 for the 2013 year.

This has been another interesting and busy cruise full of lots of hard work and abundant blessings.

I have worked diligently to blog about other things this year and was successful at getting my 4 posts other than reviews in. I try really hard to keep our 4-H activities updated because that is a HUGE and meaningful part of our lives and our homeschool lifestyle.

For the upcoming year we will be required to blog once weekly, so that will be another challenge to face if I am accepted to the crew again.

We discussed together whether our family should continue on with the crew and I prayed a lot about it.

I weighed the pros and cons just as I have in past years, and find that things really do change a lot as the years progress, both with the crew and with our homeschool and with my own time and energy.

As with everything, the crew has changed, matured, grown and more/different requirements and expectations have come about.

I have been able to meet those changing rules time has progressed, and I am still within the guidelines this year. The biggest obstacle for me is time, as I have way too many irons in the fire.

I do work outside the home, and have to really work to keep our schoolwork moving in the right direction. The only real way it can happen is that my older two girls have become wonderfully independent and have that fire burning within to learn and succeed. It’s a bit harder with my 7 year old, but we are making progress as well.

I do have to pass on the blogging extras like linking up on certain themed blog cruises, blog carnivals, blog giveaways, etc. I know that cuts my traffic down for “regulars”.

This year there was some concern on the part of one or more of the vendors about the exposure/traffic on our blogs. They were concerned that some of our blogs only had a few “followers”, as well as the concern that not very many of the posts/reviews had comments.

This kinda really stressed me out because my blog doesn’t have tons of followers because I don’t have hours and hours to sit at the computer. I don’t spend tons of hours with giveaways, facebook promotions, social media. I just don’t have the time to devote to sitting at the computer like that. I’m not putting anyone down who does- I’m actually pretty jealous of those stay-at-home-moms who do have the chance to stay at home and take care of “home” stuff. But I am not one of them. My life runs 1000 miles per hour all the time.

So the comments really ruffled me up a bit. But mostly because the “followers” are not really the ones who are interested in “yet another” review. They are really not the ones “buying” all of these things we review.

And when people click through the TOS review crew blog to check out multiple reviews on something, it’s rare that they would leave a comment on it. I NEVER really leave comments. I just don’t.  Especially when I am reading through reviews for information on something I’m looking to buy.

I get lots of emails and “outside” comments from my reviews if someone is really interested in something.  I give LOTS of recommendations for the products we love, both when asked, and when NOT asked.

I take my job as a reviewer VERY seriously, and it kinda just really still ruffles my feathers that a vendor would think otherwise.

I consider QUALITY to be more important than QUANTITY.

My blog is quality. There. I said it. I feel better now. 🙂

So that WAS a consideration as it has been EVERY YEAR I have been on the crew- whether or not I am doing a GOOD job, or even a GREAT job for these vendors. My work ethic has always been to do the VERY best job I can at whatever I am doing.

In the end, I feel my reviews are golden to the vendors I represent, and even more valuable to my homeschool community. I have helped a LOT of folks find just the right product, as well as helping some not waste money on something that might not work for their family.

I have met so many amazing and awesome vendors that have been and are STILL on my prayer list, because I really do appreciate. more than I can express, when people use their gifts and talents to bless others.

With my older girls moving on into more time consuming and more challenging schedules and studies, it’s been harder to include them in reviewing. The crew does review high school and upper level products, and we have had to pass on many because my high schooler and even jr high student just cannot fit full course studies into their already full schedules most of the time. But there have been times that we have worked some very valuable programs and products in with them.

My Jr. High student is super-great about working with my 2nd grader, which is also a wonderful aspect of review for the crew. It’s a whole different perspective that our family brings to the table. Just one among many.

In the end, I feel our family does a wonderful job and brings a unique and honest perspective to the crew, vendors, and homeschooling community.

My kids all voted to stay, and so I reapplied. If it’s time to move on, we will certainly understand, but if not, then we will see y’all to set sail again in 2014.

For now we are back on land, and ready to enjoy the holidays.

Stay tuned for “Our favorites” post along with the crew favorites that we voted on!

Enjoy Your Journey,

Chris