Brandi's Place

  Last week was our FIRST EVER week of home schooling for our 3 rd grader and our PreK girls! It has been around 110 ° in Oklahoma City for the past few days, so we decided that it would be a great time to get started and enjoy a break later in the fall when it’s cooler.   I’ve been a little nervous about the idea of homeschooling. I wasn’t sure if I was up to the task. But this week has been absolutely terrific and A.J. and L.A. LOVED schooling at home.    Because it was our first week, I didn’t break out the main curriculum I have selected just yet. Instead, we played math games together so A.J. could brush up on her math facts. We explored some current science articles produced and short videos by Answers in Genesis and discussed their impact. And we also discovered some “ancient ruins” in the yard where the girls had to make a conclusion about the history of a make believe family when they found some items buried in the dirt (I buried them beforehan...

 I am a dreamer. I love stories, either reading them or writing them. If I am not reading a story, I am writing one in my head. Only sometimes do I actually write them down. Does this sound like you? Does your brain reach for a story like a street drug? Do you ever say "I'm sorry, you're interrupting me." to someone because you're busy conversing with the voices in your head? Then maybe you are born to be a writer!   But, where do you begin? You've probably heard this before: Write what you know! But it's so true. Even if you are coming up with a fantasy world where everything is different than reality, there has to be some feelings, experiences, or interests you can draw from to inspire your story. Think about: What do you like to do? What do you enjoy reading about? Then, sit back and daydream. Go back to pretend land like when you were a little kid and imagine your story playing out like a movie in your head. They say every character in an aut...

Did you visit the beach or play in a sand box this summer? Recall those sweet memories as you enjoy this poem together. (text)   How to Build a Sandcastle By Brandi Peterson A sandy beach is a perfect spot, for building up your castle plot. Get a bucket and a shovel. Fill it up and pack it level. Now, turn it over really fast. Lift it gently to make a cast. Repeat the process one by one, until the sandy work is done. Decorate it with twigs and shells. Populate it with crabs and snails. Stand beside it and say “Cheese!” Mommy wants a picture, please! If you enjoy my poems, you'll LOVE my book! Pona and the Valiant Veterinarian is now available on Amazon!  Click the image below to see a preview of the book on Amazon.

  In my previous post, I mentioned that “Pona” was the name my oldest daughter AJ gave to one of her stuffed animals. But if you’re thinking ‘that name just sounds kind of familiar’, maybe there is a reason why. If you are familiar at all with popular video games, perhaps you have heard of one called The Legend of Zelda. Although I’m not much of a gamer, I do enjoy the story behind the Ocarina of Time game.   AJ has often enjoyed watching her dad play around with Ocarina of Time some, especially the part when the character Link obtains a horse named Epona. When she was little, she pronounced it as “Pona” and then named one of her favorite stuffed horses after the character. The rest as they say is history.     There you have it! “Pona” is a little girl’s mispronounced version of “Epona” from The Legend of Zelda game.   So if you happen to be familiar with or a fan of the game, maybe you’ll enjoy my little story that much more knowing where the name c...

  How did Pona and the Valiant Veterinarian come to be? To start, AJ and LA both seriously love My Little Pony, Barbie, Sailor Moon (the 90’s version), Littlest Pet Shop, and Pokémon. Strong female leads, doe eyed animals, and adorable pets that do what you tell them are apparently all the rage with my two kids as I am sure is probably the case in many households with little girls. Ha! Right?   Every night before bed we have the same routine of reading a story together, singing some nursery songs, and saying our prayers. A little over a year ago, my kids surprised me by requesting that I make up a new story and tell it to them on the spot. (Thanks for putting me on the hot seat, girls.) So, I thought for a moment, and then began telling them a story about AJ’s favorite stuffed animal, a horse she had named Pona. I used their names in the story as well. Princess Pomegranate was originally Princess AJ. And Dr. Valerie was originally Dr. LA. They loved the story I made...