The Foothills Gazette

May 2007 Have a Blessed Summer! Study to Show Thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 Summer in the South has arrived—the school Children were in bed, since all of our activities year has come to an end, and numerous were family-centered. But I tell you, since re- adventures await our families. For the instating our dating life, it has deepened our Williams Family, we are looking forward to bond as a couple, strengthened our welcoming our newest blessing sometime commitment to homeschooling, and taught us around June 13 (probably later—I’m always to appreciate each other as people, not just as late!) and working in our garden. I hope that parents. this year we can keep it well-cared for and How were we able to pull this off with four weeded enough to increase our yield! Our children and one income? We prayed to the corn was non-existent last year as our escaping Lord, and He provided a solution. We can’t cows took care of that harvest for us. afford babysitting services, so we arranged a But a homeschooling parent never really gets a trade with another homeschooling family. We break, do they? Our summers are often filled watch their children once a month for date with reading books, lesson planning, night, and then they watch ours. So TWO curriculum fairs, and self-improvement. Our families are blessed by mutual cooperation! choice to Homeschool is an all-encompassing Talk to others at Park Day to find a “match” one for our family, as it is for most of you. It is for the trade-off. The parents enjoy the night truly a way of life, not just “school”. out, and the children enjoy having others over We do need to remember, though, not to let it for games and play. Find an inexpensive place so consume our time that we take no to eat (if dining out is your thing) like the Ye opportunity to refresh, renew, date our Old Sandwich Shoppe in Seneca, or go to the husbands, and strengthen our spiritual walk. dollar movie in Clemson (if movies are your Every ‘pitcher’ needs to be refilled. My Oldest thing). Get creative! It’s the time you spend daughter was 8 years old, I am ashamed to say, together, not really the “Where” that counts. before my husband and I renewed our Reconnect with hubby this summer, and “dating”. We had always grabbed moments refresh your spirit!  God Bless you and keep you after the in peace! Hire a Homeschooled Student! attn moms and dads in need Doing so aids in Character Training, Support and of a date night! Baby sitters encouragement, and prepares a new generation for a world of work! for hire!! Plus, the help they provide is such a blessing! *These are all home schooling teens or parents. ****** *************************************** DANIEL’S HELPING HANDS *** Babysitting available for people in my area. Do you need an extra pair of hands around the house? I’m in Liberty right off of Hwy 93. My name is I am available on weekends for odd jobs. Allena Holder. Phone number is 843-3654. I can split your wood with my wood splitter I can till your garden with my tiller I charge $3 hour no matter how many kids. I will do yard work including raking, cutting grass and I just ask for advance notice as to when I am weed eating. needed. But if there is an emergency need Fee depends on job and location. for late notice I will try to work around it. Very reasonable rates ************************************************** Will give you estimates. Will Baby-sit—very responsible teen in the If you are interested in having an extra pair of hands Seneca/Fairplay/Townville/Clemson area. Jennie call me Tyner, - 972-0609 Daniel Dellorso *************************************** 247-2247 or 247-7310 (Parents will supervise) *** *************************************** Babysitter available: 13 years old, experienced **** with infants, toddlers and older, attended "Safe Matthew Dickerson, homeschooled student will do basic Sitter" class at Oconee Memorial Hospital, lives lawn maintenance, weedeating, raking, etc. this summer in Central/Clemson area. Contact Bethany in the Seneca Fairplay Westminster area. Reliable, Bowen at 639-4723 or trustworthy, and hardworking. Parent will supervise. email [email protected]. 972-0760. ************************************************** *************************************** My name is Jessica Williams and I have am Red **** Cross certified for infant/child CPR and First Aid. Will baby-sit in the Westminster/Townville/ Fairplay/Oakway area. I am responsible and have experience, and will be 13 this summer. Low prices, but vary depending on time and # of kids. 972-1366. --I will also feed pets/water plants while you are on vacation. I also do farm work including milking, chickens, and feeding/watering horses. *********************************************************** * A Big “Thank you!” and God Bless you to all of you who contributed your thoughts and encouragements to this issue of the Foothills Gazette! If you have a special gift (yes YOU! You’re using the special gifts God gave you EVERY DAY!) you’d like to share, please let us know. The timesaving ideas and tips and homeschooling methods you take for granted, others are dying to hear! Praise our Lord for the commitment of these women to share their experience with us!

Legislative Updates

There are several bills in the works that will negatively impact homeschoolers, including one that will violate our privacy and require 2nd and 3rd Option groups to turn over names, addresses, and personal info on students registered. Please visit the SCHEA website to get more details and to find out what YOU can Fourth Grader Sierra Nicholson pitches her first game on do to preserve our current freedoms to teach April 16 for the Seneca LSU Tigers. She struck out 9 our children! batters! Way to go, Sierra! ************************************************* 2007 South Carolina HOMESCHOOL CONVENTION "For Thee instead of Me" JUNE 15-16 Upcoming EHE Used Book Sale Keynote Speaker: Mark Hamby Easley Home Educators will hold a Used USC SUMTER Curriculum Sale on May 24 at Trinity Point (formerly sponsored by South Carolina Home Educators Summit Heights Baptist Church). This sale is wonderful Association and much anticipated by all of us. Contact Rose Mackey for www.schomeeducatorsassociation.org more information at 843-0999 or [email protected] ************************* *********************************************** MENTORS NEEDED: **************** Do you remember what it was like your first year of Help Needed for Foothills! homeschooling? How lost you felt? How overwhelmed? Kim Williams is expecting another child, due the first of June, Are you willing to share a couple of hours with new and needs some folks to help with Foothills duties this May-July. homeschooling moms to encourage them through this This job will only take a short time to complete, but requires you difficult time? to have a computer with email access. PLEASE sign up to help! God Bless you! Please contact Kim at 972-1366 Mentors usually do the following: **A group of veteran homeschoolers willing to receive *introduce themselves and their children to a new email requests (forwarded to you by me as I receive homeschooler by phone or in person them) for Homeschool information/applications, or folks *PERSONALLY invite them to Park Day, their home, or that just have questions (usually easy questions like how just check in over the phone to encourage them. to homeschool legally, how do I join, what about *Answer any questions they may have once they get socialization, support groups, etc.) started about curriculum, social opps, grading, etc. All forms and letters are on a Word File that I can *Just reach out in Christian fellowship! email to you and give you letterhead. THANK YOU!!!!! *mentoring usually takes no more than 2 hours per family per year—Not much time at all! We are also in need of more checkoff persons to Call Kim if you are interested—volunteers are desperately needed ! help with checkoff next year. If you are interested, please call! ******************************************************* The Basis of the Christian Ethic ************************************************************ Praise the Lord for His Blessings! For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving diverse lusts and Foothills Website now up and running! pleaseures, living in malice and envy, hateful, Patrick Phaup, a SWU student, graciously volunteered his and hating one another. time to create a website for Foothills. It is beautiful—he But after the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, did a great job. Checkoff dates, Upcoming events, Not by works of righteousness which we have Photos of “outstanding students” and links to helpful done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by websites are on the site, with more to be added. By the the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the end of June, member applications can also be Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus downloaded. The address is: Christ our Savior; www.scfoothillshomeschool.com. Check it out! Titus 3: 3-6 (italics emphasis added)

Classified Ads Anyone who is interested in educational toys and unique baby gifts should check out my website If you like honey you will love our "homegrown" www.babycrazy.com/mom2mom and/or call me for honey! It is truly delicious! more information at 647-4347, 247-6501, or email It is $5 per pound while supplies last (the bees only me, Tara Haney, at [email protected]. The age range for the products we carry are birth-8yrs. make it once a year). Call (864)845-7337 ask for ********************************************** Kathy. Scented soy wax candles $10 for a 9oz candle. ********************************************** Customize your candle to match decor of your home. To Lost Books - If you've checked out these books from see fragrances and colors go to Tandy Collier in the past and have just forgotten to return them, she'd love to have them back: Ancient Egypt (Case on www.alannahsoycandles.com Candles can be ordered Files blue hardbound); hieroglyphics rubber stamp kit in from the website or can be emailed to me at yellow/black case; many animal reading books; United States [email protected] history reading books; Saxon math 54, 65, 76, 87, Algebra I; *************************************** BJU literature for high school. Please contact her at [email protected]. *** ************************************************* Clemson Starter Jacket, good condition, Adult size For Sale: Both items are in excellent condition small, will fit older child also. Very warm, $10.00. Kelly Backpack (child carrier) bought new for $100, will Steven Williams 972-1366, [email protected]. sell for $25; Graco Pack n Play will sell for $20 . Also, *************************************** An entire Black CB Drum set with an added cymbal and *** stand for $100. All items are in excellent condition Cast iron/glass gumball machine, old, very nice. Interested buyers, please call Betty Davis at 654-3259. $30.00 OBO; Two mahogany corner chairs, Queen ********************************************** Anne, beautiful with blue cushions, $50. each. OBO Curriculum Advice Wanted: I would like to talk to Sherrill, 287-1284 or [email protected] anyone who has used Alpha Omega Lifepacs and am *************************************** especially interested in any used first grade lifepac *** materials. Tara Haney 647-4347 or 247-650 Free Puppies!!! Black with white markings. ********************************************* Piglets for sale, undetermined breed, parents on Mother is on site and a registered Eskimo Spitz. site, white with black markings, $10.00. Two litters, Dad is ????. Very cute, fuzzy roly-polies! Free aged 7 weeks and 2 weeks, male and female. Also to loving homes! 972-1366 two adult females for sale, $20.00, proven breeders, ******************************************************* healthy. Call Becky Dickerson 972-0760. Swimming Lessons Available, formerly certified ************************************************** instructor through YMCA and Red Cross. All ages, including adults, Mon-Thurs, 2weeks (8 lessons), $25.00. Townville area, Hwy 24. Call Debbie Charles, 972-9980 ********************************************** Veggie Plants for Sale: Very healthy peppers, Play in the Sandbox indoors with your child this squash, cukes, watermelon,--3 pks, $1.00 each. summer with this fun recipe! Tomatoes, .75 each in cups, Ambrosia 2 c. sand cantaloupe, 4 pk-$2.00. 1 c. cornstarch Also, Hostas for sale, $3.00 each. Call Suzanne 1 c. water Matheson, 944-5530. Mix sand, cornstarch, and water in a saucepan. Heat the *************************************** mixture over low heat, and keep stirring. Remove from *** heat when mixture is thick. Let mixture cook, and then make a sculpture. Let it dry and harden. Makes a great 10 week old male Boer goat for sale, $30.00. pyramid or sandcastle! It can also be painted. Would make a great pet, very gentle and sweet. White with brown face. Sabrina Lanford, 647- What Home Schooling 8490 Means to Me ********************************************** 4-H - Fun for Everyone!

By: Stacey Nicholson Home schooling means freedom. Freedom If you have never been involved in a 4H club, you to teach my children according to what God wants are in for quite a treat. Our club is filled with fun things me to teach them. Freedom to worship God as he to do for all ages. The club meets the second Monday of leads our family. Freedom to teach my children and each month. Our new year begins in August. We meet myself to hear God when he speaks. Freedom to in the “B” Room at Hamilton Career Center in Seneca help others even if it is on a “school day”. Freedom from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. We have project to enjoy learning. Freedom to go slowly if we don’t presentations, guest speakers, and crafts and more! Our understand or move more quickly if we are getting club is for K-13th grade. Members complete group bored. It gives my children the freedom to be who projects and individuals have the freedom to complete God is molding them to be without worrying about projects that interest them. 4H has so much more to offer the ridicule of their peers. than cows, chickens, and goats. We are involved with There are many who believe that woodworking, trapping, tracking, rifle knowledge, home schooling is a right. I believe that home robotics, cooking/baking, sewing, horses, public schooling is a privilege and freedom that was speaking, government, and so much more…too many to earned by those who worked hard and were self- name. Project books make great unit studies sacrificing. Those who were the “Marines, Army, for school as well! Here is an example of some of Navy and Air Force” of the home schooling world. the things we did this year: So when you say your prayers make sure that you  Singing and crafts at Senior Solutions remember to thank God for those who heard His  The Snake Man brought snakes! voice and adhered to His call.  US Pony Games Rally  Birdhouse contest  Summer camping at Chau Ram  Anderson County Fair  Soldier letter writing (photo not available in this format) Individual projects included horses, cooking, arts and crafts, raising goats and chickens, and small engine repair! All children are welcome! We really want our club to continue to be active and it can only happen with willing members. If you are interested in joining 4H this coming year, please contact Suzanne Matheson at 944-5530, or Sabrina Lanford at 647-8490.

Joy Matheson recently won state champion in the Horse Class for the State of SC 4-H Presentation Contest. She’s awarded her 1st place ribbon by Mrs. Rembert, the State 4-H Leader.

Interested in 4-H? CP: Suzanne Matheson 944-5530 Eragon book review Or Sabrina Lanford 647-8490

By: Jessica Williams

This book is called Eragon, and it is the first book in the trilogy, Inheritance, written by Christopher Paolini. (Christopher Paolini wrote this Eat Dessert First! book shortly after graduating at age 15 after home by Savannah Mabry schooling all his 12 grades!) This is a fictional story set in a land called If you combined math, cooking, fun, and Alagaesia about a poor farm boy named Eragon. desserts, what would you get? That’s just what While hunting one day Eragon finds a polished blue some local home school 6th and 7th grade girls stone in the woods. He brings it home with the idea wanted to know. Mrs. Kathy Mabry, home of trading it for some food for his family for the schooling mother, arranged for the girls and their coming winter. But he unknowingly brings home a moms to come over to her house for some dragon egg. The dragon, called Saphira, hatches for experiments to taste and judge desserts. Eragon, and he becomes a dragon rider, a protector Participants included: Alexis Campbell, Anna of Alagaesia. He embarks on a journey that will Heinz, Marah Jordan, Maris Mabry, Savannah change his life and the future of Alagaesia forever. Mabry, Joey McElroy, Kacie McElroy, Abigail This is a very good book. It is well written, with Rollins, Hannah Rollins, and Jessica Williams. humor, battles, adventure, suspense, lovable “Eat Dessert First”, the title of this characters, and all the other “great book have-to- event, was held on Friday, May 4, 2007. Each girl haves.” This is one of the best fantasies I have ever brought two desserts, one homemade, the other, a read. Eragon and Eldest (the second book) are both similar convenience item. Before the day of the on the best sellers list. I would recommend this event, they compared the time each dessert took to trilogy for all young fans of the fantasy genre! prepare and its cost per serving. Then participants created charts to present their findings to the group. The fun began when the sweet treats were displayed and made ready to taste. The girls and their mothers were given a plate and a piece of paper on which to judge the taste. The individuals were to take one of each item, tasting both the homemade and the convenience (in no particular order) and write down the taste score, with 4 being “very good” and 1 being “poor”. The group savored these scrumptious desserts: chocolate chip cookies, peach cobbler, lava cake, cheese cake, cream (Photo not available in this format) puffs, shortbread cookies, lemon squares, pumpkin pie, and brownies. The girls discovered that most of the homemade treats were less expensive, but the convenience desserts were quicker to prepare. Also, the home schoolers found that the homemade items were often tastier. The experience proved both educational and fun for mothers and daughters During a recent 4-H club project, students had to build a alike. birdhouse of their own design. All birdhouses were judged and voted on by club members, ribbons awarded, and then the birdhouses were donated and hung at Seneca Health and Rehab on Hwy 59. The winners were (L-R): Darbie Barr (Best in Show), Emily Williams (Best Decorated), and Joy Matheson (Original Design). What fun we all had!