ready or not... here she comes!

in my last post i thought i might write more about moral training today.

but, now i'm thinking i'll go have a baby instead. :)

i hope you don't mind.

:)

Fisher Academy: About Us

Inspired by Heart of the Matter's Not Back to School Blog Hop, I've decided to post a peep into our teaching home!  Fun, huh?!  It's been awhile since I posted pictures of the kids and our schoolroom (click here for post: circa, 2005!), etc. so hold on to your pants I'm gonna try and pull a four-posts-in-one!

First off, in a true about us post, I thought you'd probably like to know who is being taught here, right?  So, here goes...

The students:

We have 2 students currently starting year six of Ambleside Online.  They are 12.5 and 11.5 years old, respectively.  Now, I took these lovely mugs and got all through editing them, before realizing that I have every freedom to take more creative poses in more exotic settings... oh well.  :)  Darcy has good advice in her post Do's and Don'ts of School Picture Day, it is important that as homeschoolers we don't forget to take these monumental photos of our kids so that they can see the sequence of their very own history, how they looked EVERY year growing up.  Of course they don't have to look anything like traditional school pictures, thankfully.








...and then we have our Ambleside Online year two student...   oh wait she was absent on picture day.  She'll be there on 'retake' day though for sure.  :)  She's 7.5 years old:








Our two youngest are in year 0 of Ambleside Online.  It is an unofficial schoolyear, basically not really even preschool per se... but education is a life and life starts before birth and so their education begins as soon as they're out, right?  :)  We read lots aloud, do lots of nature study, hang out with the bigger kids and get in on some of their stuff... you know, the life of a homeschooler's tot.  ;)








The teacher:
Well, that's me up there at the top left of this blog... :) I don't love to post pictures of myself, way too conspicuous. I don't even really like to be in pictures at all except to remember that I was in fact present while my kids were growing up, not ALWAYS behind the camera!

The schoolroom:
We do school at home (literally all over our home) and away from home...

"The world is the true classroom. The most rewarding and important type of learning is through experience, seeing something with our own eyes."

Jack Hanna 

Our curriculum:
If you've read this blog before you know that I'm crazy about Ambleside Online's Charlotte Mason education. We stick pretty closely to AO's recommended curriculum. We use MEP maths and The Easy French and Rosetta Stone Spanish and Spell to Write and Read (thanks Richele)


Our day:
I have posted about how I do my scheduling here and here.  What it works out to be in real life is completely dependent on a 267 variables which in themselves vary from day to day.  :)  However, this is the list that keeps us on task and helps us to make sure we get what we need to get done every day.
We all have our own copies, the boys' is for 4 weeks at a time, and mine covers the whole term.
Basically, we get up between 6 and 7, breakfast is at 8, sit-down-together-sit-at-the-table-school starts at 9.  We do a couple things after lunch and try to be done with everything by 2 or 3pm. (that even happens occasionally! ;)





So there you have it folks!  Fisher Academy International Teaching Home, or life of FAITH as it were :)
I hope you'll be inspired to spotlight your own unique homeschools!  :)  Make sure to link up if you do, so we can all be inspired!   Also, check out the Not Back to School Blog Hop posts for TONS of links to other homeschools over at Heart of the Matter!  Fun, fun.

Peruvian boys spin tops

As I mentioned in last weeks' Snapshot Summary, all Peruvians under 20 who've grown up in this part of the jungle know how to play tops [trompos]... When in Peru do as the Peruvians do, right?!

I'm made of wood, a nail and string... I fly spinning through the air... if I miss I might get hit with a machete...

I'm a TROMPO!
(of course.)

Definition of terms:

Trompo: Top
Pita: String
Clavo: Nail
Jonla: Circle
Pepa: Aguaje pit (the size of a smallish egg)
Mepiada: twirl hit
Mepa: whack, punishment for losing...
(meted out with the point of the top, a knife or a machete)
Piojoso: cheater  (I know a person who's trompo is falling apart because he's a cheater, he's only gotten caught like 5 times ever)

"Trompos is something you do when you're bored.  And since the kids don't play marbles as much anymore (like as much as they did last month...heheh. ;), we play trompos."  - Cullen.


Here's the wiki on trompos (in English)... of course it's not the exactly the same as you will see here,
but the Spanish wiki is WAY better... if only you could all read it ;)

The boys on the street rank themselves by trompo skill:

"Gino is the champion of everybody.
Big Victor is the champion of me and Teddy.
Little Victor and Joel are the champions of Josiah.
Siah is the champion of Diego.
Diego is the champion of nobody."



Here's a game in process... 
1) pits are planted we're winding up... 2) Cullen gets the first strike.  3) Teddy rewinds his top after having given his first strike.

 
3 different games:

1) Golf - You tie the trompo onto the end of the string and you swing the thing toward an aguaje pit trying to hit it into the circle.  You have like 10 tries to hit it...  If you don't get it into the circle within ten hits, your opponent gets to whack your top 10 times (with the point of your top, a knife or a machete).  If you get it in within 10, for example in 7 hits, you get to hit your opponent the remainder...3 times.  So no matter what your top gets hit... that's why it's not a very popular game. :)

2) Spinning [Trompeada] - You make a circle about 2 meters in diameter (the length of your 'pita' or string).  Put an aguaje pit for every person playing (it's worth 5 hits against you).  You wind up your trompo and try to hit any of the pits out, if you don't hit any out it's not very much good luck.  If you hit your own pepa out it removes all whacks against you and you can keep throwing trying to hit everyone else's trompo. If you hit someone else's pit out of the circle you get to hit them with 10 whacks. If you cheat you get 50 whacks!  Like if you kick or push out your pit.  If your trompo stays within the circle after it's done spinning, your opponent get to whack you ten times...

[okay... if anyone wants to know the specifics we'll have to really work this out, because it's REALLY complicated! ]

twirling

3) Twirling - the same as above except you swing it (tied like in golf) instead of throwing.  There are all kinds of twirl moves like machine gun, helicopter, meteorite, etc.

Trompo Nitty Gritty:

"The cost of the trompo depends on the size.  A big one with a 2 meter string is S./2, a smaller one with a 1.5 meter string is S./1.*  There is another one called a punto acha (I've only seen one of those in my whole life) with like a 3 meter string that costs S./10.  It's HUGE!  The trompo is like 4 inches high with a 5 inch peg...  The nail is always longer when you buy it, but it wears down.  I gave my old one to Siah because the nail is worn way down."

"The wider the trompo is, the longer it spins."

"I like to wear the nail down as soon as I get it so that I can spin it on my hand.  Otherwise it would make a hole."

"Some tops are not made well.  Like this one, it's junk!  The top part where the string wraps around can't be too slippery or too narrow or the string will slip off."

"I've only had one trompo be split into quarters from a whacking, and that was when I wasn't as good.  That was when I was playing spinning, and because they used a screwdriver."

Incredible video of a Colombian professional trompo player.

When watching this video Cullen exclaimed, "Who is that?!  I wanna get that guy's autograph!
He's AWESOME!"

* 2.80 nuevo soles / $1.00

a mommy moment...

A thumb-sucking baby perched on the back of this chair twirling my hair with her finger
and a small girl waits to tell her story...
Sandwiched between words for the second-born's spelling test
is discussion with a boy whose mission has only one requirement: his very life.
A small sweating boy sticks to my legs watching pictures...
all while a hymn keeps time softly in the background.


...this is a picture of this homeschooling mommy today.

2 things I can't live without... (figuratively speaking) ~ a memoir

Okay, honestly and to make sure I never come across as 'holier-than-thou', I admit to you that I seriously can not handle life, let alone school, without the Lord. I'd be a basket case. While many moms can and do probably go without spending much time with Him, I'm not that good (or crazy as the case may be :) . I get impatient with my kids, I say mean things, or even get just plain angry with my kids if I'm not regularly hanging out with the Lord.

I mean, I need time with Him and in His word like crazy.

Second to time with my Lord, is time with my man. My man is so sensitive to my weakness that he takes me out on a date weekly. I need him. This is the MOST valuable way he helps with homeschooling. Without this time, emotionally I break down. I just can't handle all that life and ministry, and these crazy & yet amazing kids can throw my way.

Now, this sounds like I'm somewhat dependent, and yes, yes I am. The Lord is my strength and he's my strength through provision of a strong man who loves me too :) I am so thankful.

The verses that I repeat over and over are:

"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you,
because he trusts in you."
Is.26:3

"Come to me all who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Mt.10:28-30

"Since ancient times, no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God like you who acts on behalf of those who wait for him."
Is.64:4

Boy, Scripture is so powerful, daily I read verses that are a constant help to me.
Living and active. YAY!

Amy

The Tuttle Family: A Memoir

This week we're supposed to come up with our own lyrics to the following tune, describing our own family...





Here's my rendition:
(with not a whole lot of thought given, mind you)

We live down in Peru
We'd love to chat with you,
5 kids plus parents two,
The Tuttle Family

Working for the LORD,
We daily use our Swords,
We can't ever get real bored,
The Tuttle Family.

We're always together,
can think of nothing better,
you should send a letter,
to the Tuttle family

Hope you join in!
Amy

Favorite snacks? a memoir

(this is a catch up post from 10/01)

Okay, snacking is not going to be a regular subject on this blog, and that's because, I don't think it's that interesting of a subject. Besides the fact that we don't really snack around here. Oh, don't get me wrong, we love to eat, but we discourage snacking between meals. When we snack inevitably, it seems we don't eat our meals or we become picky and don't eat all of our meals... I'm sure you know what I mean. And living here in Peru there just aren't as many snack-y things available. Unless I make them from scratch... and I don't have much time for that :)

But when we snack this is what we eat:

Frozen mango
Frozen grapes
Vanilla ice cream w/ milk or Chocolate w/ peanut butter
Trail mix (sent from the States)
Graham crackers (also sent from the States)
Bran muffins
Homemade strawberry shortcakes with homemade whipped cream!!! -our favorite
Cookies
Popcorn
Apples quartered
Bananas
Mandarins
...all kinds of fruits available

I'm getting hungry...

Amy

We'll try to aim for our regularly well-intended "school-ish" themes soon.

Fisher Academy Beginnings ~ A memoir

I wonder how many other moms find it difficult to know where to begin when writing about themselves. Boy, I do. I can write about my kids, I can give advice to younger moms, and I can always think of something to complain about, but tell a little about myself is hard! Where do I begin?!

Well, ever since I can remember, all I ever wanted to be when I grew up, was a wife and a mommy. I wanted at least 4 kids (preferably boys). I spent hours picking out names and dreaming of what they would look like and who they would be. Funny, how when you actually have everything you've ever dreamed of, you can still sometimes find yourself less than satisfied.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my life. But sometimes I forget and have to remind myself, when I'm having one of those days, or when I just can't see the positive light on matters, "Amy, you are living your dream life! God has given you everything and more than you ever asked for... This is what you've always wanted! Cheer up!" ...and that helps. :)

I married my high school sweetheart, and love him more then ever. My husband and I were married almost 12 years ago, we have 5 kids and I'm still 30! We've lived our lives in a kind of fast forward mode as we've been on the missionfield for 5 years. We've moved innumerable times, which means we've packed and unpacked a LOT. God has been SO gracious to me, and I am so thankful to be His bond-servant. I am a total work-in-progress. I have so much to learn, and I love that God is making me more like Christ.

We strongly desire that our family and home exemplify what a real working relationship with Christ looks like. This means dependence on grace, transparency and a lot of forgiveness. We're still learning. We've made lots of mistakes. We keep on making them. But we're trying to do our best! May God bless the work of our hands.

We originally decided to homeschool way back when we first came to Peru. Our oldest 2 kids were 1.5 and 2.5. We were planning to work in a small town in a remote part of the jungle (this remains a possibility), and the school there was not even a consideration. So, we decided we'd homeschool. I was excited about the idea, I love learning! As we've gone along, we homeschool for so many more reasons. I LOVE having our kids around. I love discovering who they are, what they love and helping them develop their God-given talents. I can't wait to see what God has in store for them.