Mom's Night Out in May

We've decided to move our Mom's Night Out until May and put the hopeful service project in April instead of May. Belinda is hosting our MNO and it will be a time of encouragement with a focus on curriculum. In preparation for next school year please come to discuss what works for you. Bring samples or books to show and anything you might want to get rid of. More details will follow but just to get the idea out there before we all start ordering new curriculum. This would also be a great time to invite someone who is considering homeschooling and might not know where to start. I've included an attachment from Lisa from the previous mother's gathering where frugal healthy cooking was discussed if you are interested. Thanks for taking notes Lisa for the rest of us!!!

Wow, I had lots this month. I look forward to being with you all again this month and am thankful for each one of you.

~Eva

Need Your Input for April

I have 3 things that I would appreciate your input on for the month April.

A. There is an interest and availability for us to start a bowling club for those 7 and older. Rick, a the base bowling alley, is willing to give some lessons to a group of kids that want to learn more about technique and skills involved in bowling. Casey, one of our Moms, is willing to be the overseer of this group. We are thinking of a morning time frame, like 10-11am maybe on a Friday to do this. We would just do it for the month of April to see how the kids liked it and what they learned. Please let me know if your children in this age range would be interested. The expense would be $5 a week per child.

B. There is a base wide project/ contest kicking off in April. It is providing encouragement to groups from Cannon to give back to our Clovis community. I was wondering if you would want to have our homeschool group join this endeavor to experience a service project and learn about our community's needs. We need to submit or entry by March 30 as to what we would be doing to give to our community. More details on this drive can be found here if you scroll down to the ad about Cannon's BIG GIVE on the service's website: http://www.cannonafbservices.com/. We would have all the month of April to do our project.
One great idea that has been discussed thus far is returning to a nursing care facility to engage in relationships with the elderly residents. AS families we could play games, kids could read to them, we could bring in snacks again that we've made, or just TALK to them.
Please let me know if you as a family would be interested in this and/or if you have any ideas for a service project that you feel would benefit and bless our community. We need to put together an entry form soon so quick thoughts and replies would be appreciated.

C. Finally, I was thinking that it would be a great idea to get us online. I've discussed this with a couple of you and Megan has graciously agreed to put together a blog site for our group:
http://cannonhomeschoolgroup.blogspot.com/
We want it to be a place of info, encouragement, showcasing of our activities for newcomers to Cannon, resources, and connection for us as military homeschoolers in this unique and special place!!!
In order to do this we need several inputs from you as members of our group. We would like to send links of homeschooling resources or websites that are great for you that you use and want to recommend to others.
Jami has agreed to write an article on teaching younger children their letters. It would be awesome to have other moms, gifted and passionate in different areas, share insights on topics (i.e. encouragement, home management, teaching various ages, organization, subject of learning, etc.) It would also be neat for our kids to post things from time to time on their experiences in the activities that we do. Megan has already posted something about the Blackwater Draw Museum trip from her experience. It would be neat to post pictures from what we've done also for those to see who are PCSing into Cannon or those that are contemplating being involved with our group that are already stationed here.
It would also be a place to have the monthly all in one place to help us all. We want to hear from you as to the details on the blog, like using e-mails, first names of children and parents etc. so as to protect our privacy also. Please e-mail meippoliti at gmail dot com or myself thechamberscrew at suddenlink dot net with your thoughts about the blog site. I am really excited about the opportunity of this!! It can be whatever we want it to be.

~Eva

April Activities

Thursday April 8 from 9:30-11AM we are having a Kid's Cooking Class. We will meet at the 801 Housing Community Center. The kids will be making pizza and a no bake dessert. There will be a discussion on fruits and vegetables as well. The cost is $3 per child to cover the cost of food. Kids LOVE to cook and they enjoy eating all that they have individually made!!

Moms, we need pizza pans for baking (rectangle ones work better than circular pizza pans to optimize space in the oven) and rolling pins.

Jami will be hosting this activity for us. Please e-mail her at creay at mac dot com to RSVP for supply purposes by Tuesday April 6.


Friday April 16 at 10-11:30AM we will be touring the Cross Country Dairy. Heather will be coordinating this field trip for us and assures that it is fun and educational for preschool all the way through adults! A great thing to learn about Clovis.
Please e-mail her so she can have a head count to present to the dairy. Directions with an address will be listed soon.

Saturday April 17 (pretty much all day I believe) is the planned Open House for Cannon with lots of displays, activities, food and fun for the base and community to enjoy. Mark your calendars now to not miss out!

Upcoming Activties (March - May)

Thursday March 25

In the afternoon we will go horseback riding and learn about horses at a ranch in Portales. Natasha is coordinating this. She is still in the process of firming up the details for this so will update blog as soon as I get them.

April

Dates and activities scheduled in April already with details are:

• April 8 from 9-11 am --- Kids Cooking Class hosted by Jami
• April 16 --- Dairy Farm Tour hosted by Heather
• Mom's Night Out hosted by Belinda

May

Activities planned for May are:

• A service project for our community hosted by Jenn
• Field trip to the Science Museum in Lubbock hosted by Jill
• Family Potluck to conclude school year hosted by Barbara 
  
  
  
  
  

Blackwater Draw Field Trip

Looking up at the gray sky, I hoped that the looming clouds would not burst, drenching us with rain. Today was our Home School Group Field Trip to the Blackwater Draw Museum and Site. The boys were excited to see mammoth bones and I was happy to tour a museum. How could I forget that two young boys (almost 4 and 2) and a 4 month old baby strapped on the front of me would make the day interesting no matter what? We drove to Portales, NM, passed the yummy Sunland Peanut Factory and almost missed the tiny Blackwater Museum that was set back in a dry yellow covered grass rest area.
The displays in the museum were simple, yet we all still learned a lot of information about the Clovis Man time period from our knowledgeable guides. It helped that the young kids that made up the group did not faze them. I would not suggest children younger than 6 or 7 to tour this museum, for there are too many fun things to pull, twirl around, and huge glass windows to bang on.
After watching an entertaining dino movie, we picnicked in the cold breeze, then headed out to the actual site which is about 11 miles from the museum.
The clouds still gray mocked our fun. The wind whipped the hoods on our jackets, but we were determined to see the site (the site is not usually open during the winter). We looked at huge mammoth teeth and other bones, then set out on the dusty red trail that wound along the draw. It was a lot of exercise, but exactly what the boys and other kids needed. Though, there were a few drop offs that made all us moms squirm and block the tempting overhangs.
We then proceeded to tour a flimsy looking building, where the archaeologists were actually still digging. It was neat, that the draw was still a live site, where artifacts were being discovered. Once again, this dwelling was not kid friendly and kids younger than 7 or 8 should not enter.

Over all, this was a fun trip, but would be more enjoyable in the Spring or Fall with older children.

Written By: Megan
Photos are not to be duplicated and are owned by Cannon Homeschool Group. Please contact for permission to copy.