LTC 2014!

  

   A week and a half ago, we went down to Kansas City for our annual LTC (Leadership Training for Christ).  It is a leadership program that we participate in with our church.  There are all kinds of different events that we prepare for with other kids at our church.  This year Ellen and I participated in song leading, Bible bowl (a multiple choice quiz on a portion of the Bible), chorus and puppets.  For Bible bowl we studied the life of Moses in parts of Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.  We start preparing for Bible bowl in the fall (I did more last minute this year) and then starting around January we have chorus, puppet, and song leading practice after church on Sundays.  Then we go down to the LTC convention in Kansas City and participate in our events.  

 The theme this year:

Puppets!

Sunshine!

My puppet group:

(I'm on the left)

Me and my puppet

 Ellen's puppet show:

Ellen's Queen Fox

Song leading:

Ellen lead "He Leadeth Me"

I lead "I Am Thine, O Lord"

Chorus:

Group picture

NCHEA!!!

     This year I was able to be an assistant leader in the Nebraska Christian Homeschool Educators Association kids conference on Friday and Saturday March 28-29th in Lincoln.  I went down on Thursday to prepare and meet my team members.  This was my third time participating in the conference, but the first time I was old enough to be an assistant leader.
     This year the theme was The Quest set in the Middle Ages.  I was on a team with three other leaders.  We lead a group of 12-13 kids ages four to seven primarily and one eleven-year-old.  Each team was the name of a castle, and my group was Castle Goodrich.
On Friday and Saturday, we had large group sessions with singing, learning a memory verse, and a live drama!  Then we had small group sessions where we'd play a drama review game, and then have a little lesson time.  I taught two lessons.  The first one was called The Heart of the Matter, on hiding God's word in our heart by memorizing it, and the second was Grumble or Grateful?, on being grateful and focusing on our blessings.
It was a very fun weekend and a great learning experience!  I was very nervous about teaching; but, with the Lord's help, it went well.  The children were very sweet, and one of them I even knew!  I also love the singing and the drama!  I heard that there were over 300 kids who attended!
     I didn't take the camera so I don't have any pictures, but there are pictures on The Wissmann Family blog.  Hannah Wissmann was my team leader and her family were one of the first to start the kids conference. (The picture of my group is like the eleventh picture.)  NCHEA is always a highlight of my year!

Ginger's Birthday!

Yesterday was Ginger's birthday!  

Last night we took her for a ride in the car.  She doesn't get to ride often; although she tries to get in the car whenever she has a chance. :-)  She was very excited and kept moving around and standing on our legs.  It was fun letting her stick her head out of the window to sniff all the new smells.

Ellen gave her some extra treats for her birthday! :-)

Ellen's Calico Critters

A short Calico Critter intermission by...
ELLEN!!!  

Patrick

Patricia

Patrova + Emmett

Allison, Benjamin, Charissa, David, + Elizabeth

Paul + Olivia

Hannah Grace

Pricilla

Preston

Praxton + Julia 

Prudence

Patience

Providence

Paige

Philip

Padden

Peppin

Perdita

Promise

Parker

Peggey

Pelle

Pamela

Pheobe

Philipa

Peter

Piper

Pedro

Paquita

Panellape

Peregrin

Polly

Patsy

Penney

Purity

                                            The Wilder Family   

Coming soon...

The Wilder Spring Pictures on Ellen's blog

Zoo Pictures

I'm sorry that these pictures are month old, but I am still going to post them. :-)  Ellen, Mom and I took a trip to the zoo last month and visited the aquarium and the jungle.  It was so fun taking pictures of all the different animals that live there!

The aquarium:

These garden eels above were fascinating to watch because they were rapidly popping up and down and stretching this way and that.

The jungle:

It was hard to take a picture of these playful otters!  They're so active!

A young pigmy hippopotamus