Visiting Halvorson Ranch

It was an absolutely perfect spring day for touring a ranch. Rebecca and Wayne Halvorson along with two of three children, Lauren and Calyn, gave us city folks a real education about raising championship horses.

Calyn's horse is cared for and groomed daily.

Rebecca told us many details regarding the anatomy of the horse, and especially regarding the bones and muscles.

We are trying to find a horse's knee!

A tour of the 300 acre ranch---just beautiful.... and to think, it just a few minutes up the road from our school. We appreciate your time with us, Halvorsons.

Our Capitol Building

Taking a morning to tour our Oklahoma Captiol is always a treat. It is truly a beautiful tribute to our state. We had studied the three branches of government so this field trip gave opportunity to see how that works on a state level.

Here we are in the House seeing the room where our 101 representatives discuss and debate items important to our state.

Our dome is spectacular and includes the colors of our state wild flower, the Indian Blanket.

This is my favorite piece of art in the Capitol. It is called "Flight of Spirit" by Mike Larsen and depicts five world-renowned Native American ballet dancers from our state.

The Hall of Governors includes a bust of every governor that has served in our state.

The Supreme Court

We were honored to have our photograph with Representative Marian Cooksey on the Grand Staircase. Later on, Representative Lewis Moore and our Lt. Governor, Todd Lamb, stopped by for a few minutes to visit with us. Todd Lamb challenged us to be strong in our faith and to think about making a difference as tomorrow's leaders. We look forward to our signed copies of photographs with these state leaders.

Pleasant Valley One Room School

What a day! Our class headed up to Stillwater, Oklahoma to experience school as it was back in the late 1800's. Slate boards, outhouses, coal stoves, dunce caps, and ink wells were just a few of the numerous differences observed. We decided that it would take some time getting use to all the rules such as standing before asking or answering a question and drinking from a common ladle in the water bucket. Studying in the same classroom with students from kindergarten through high school would also be an adjustment. We decided it would be important for the older to assist the younger in completing their lessons.

Don't they look GREAT!!!!

Ready to start the day.

Reading, writing and arithmetic!

Games and authentic lunches, including beef jerky, fruit, biscuits, honey, and other yummy treats.

The ringing of the school bell was a normal activity.

A friendly spelling bee competition completed this memorable day. What fun we anticipated as we considered the fun stories we would share with our families when we returned to Edmond!

Westward Ho!

What's the best way to learn first hand the challenges facing those who traveled West in the 1800's? One way is to construct a model of a covered wagon. Each student received a list of typical items pioneers may have included in their wagon for the journey. The maximum weight limit for an average-sized wagon was 2500 lbs. With a partner they decided what items wereoo most important to include in their wagon. Besides the basic necessities, we considered the fact that each pioneer child would have probably been able to take only one or two favorite items such as a precious book, carved toy or handmade doll. Once they decided on the items needed, each team went to work. We used scrapes of fabric, wire, construction paper, twine and plenty of creativity!!! Notice the details both inside and outside of the wagons. They wanted to be prepared for ANYTHING on the trail! There are tools, sacks of flour, rope, extra wagon wheels, favorite pieces of china packed in a barrel of flour, pets, chickens, cows, Bibles, firewood, quilts, a chair or table, seeds for planting a garden, and on and on it goes. Of course the skills of cooperation were high on the list too.

Watching all this transpire over five days is just another reason why I LOVE teaching. Great job, class!!!!

"When I Survey The Wondrous Cross"

As we look forward to Easter, we are memorizing the beautiful hymn, "When I Survey The Wondrous Cross" by Isaac Watts. Perhaps better than any other, this hymn is filled with poignant words about Jesus' sacrifice on the cross for us. The third verse says:

"See from his head, his hands, his feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down,

Did e'er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown."

We invited Mrs. Aduddell to come and tell us about one of her paintings that portrays this so well.

Everything in this painting points to His love for us. Even the spear which was meant to harm Jesus, is placed in such a way as to point you to the blood so that we understand that through his pain and suffering, a gift of life everlasting was given. The sparkling jewels remind us of the price He paid---a cost too great to even imagine. The hearts in the blood capture the intensity of his love too. Only Jesus could satisfy the righteous demands from our holy, just God. All the sin of the world was placed on Him. Mrs. Aduddell challenged us to take time to contemplate that love and sacrifice and to dwell on the GLORY displayed through the cross. She likened it to a beautiful rose that opens it petals or a fireworks display that we "ooooh and awe" over.

My prayer is that each one of us would be drawn closer to our Savior and gain a greater understanding of the magnitude of His love for us. Thank you, Mrs. Aduddell!
Contemplating the meaning of the cross as Mrs. Aduddell shares with us.