Growing Grass

Kitchen Chores Chart

2011-12-07T15:06:00.001-06:00

Life is settling down and routines have returned to expected norms, albeit with holiday interruptions. As the head chef in the kitchen most meals I have found myself becoming more and more disgruntled with the lack of assistance. Time to revisit our Kitchen Duties chart.

This simple chart was something I created a little over a year ago and used for a period of time. It is a huge help! My assistants, ages 4-9, know exactly what is expected of them and who is responsible for which assignment. In the past they actually looked forward to being assigned the different roles.

Each position is given a title and duties that would loosely be performed by those positions in any restaurant or dining venue. This is a quick rundown of the general descriptions of each. (You can view the specific tasks we perform in our home on the photo of my chores chart. We use clothespins with the kids' names to keep track of resposibilities.)

Sous Chef- The second in command. Sous is French for "under", and the sous chef works directly under the command of the head chef often directing a portion of the kitchen activity and food prep.

Host/Hostess- The personal representation of the overall hospitality of the staff of the restaurant. It is the job of the hostess to ensure that the dinner seating is prepared and guests are made comfortable.

Maitre D'- Also considered a host/hostess position. This term comes from the French maître d’hôtel which means "master of the hotel". This role is defined much like the host/hostess role above and serves in a similar capacity.

(Omni)bus Boy/Girl- Generally the clean-up crew. This originally came from the term Omnibus Boy meaning "providing many things at once" boy. It is expected for the Busboy/girl to be available to perform many needed tasks with their primary focus being clearing dishes and garbage.

In our home these tasks are performed during the evening meal and rotated daily. This allows my children to work each position and with each other in the various roles. There are two children in the kitchen with me at any given time - sous chef & host; maitre d' & busboy- based on the ways we have divided the various roles. While this still involves a certain amount of assistance from the head chef, the help is greatly appreciated and the skills learned will last a lifetime (I hope =).

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The Barber Who Wanted to Pray- By R. C. Sproul

2011-12-02T17:50:00.008-06:00

This delightful children's book is a wonderful story of an important figure in church history, Martin Luther, and an interaction that is reported as having taken place between Luther and a local barber. The barber asks Luther to describe how to pray more effectually. In a letter back to the barber Luther outlines some simple ideas to pursue while considering prayer.

In this beautifully illustrated account, the author, R. C. Sproul, uses an engaging manner of addressing children in the matter of prayer. It is an excellent tool for any parent interested in encouraging their own child to pray and how to pray with meaning.

With young children myself (ages 4-9), the subject of prayer has been a recent interest in our own home. I am thankful to have on hand a resource that will challenge us in our understanding of prayer and some pointers of how to grow in these areas.

For more information regarding this book please visit Crossway Books or for others like it see http://www.crossway.org/blog.

{This book was received as part of the Crossway Book Review Program. All opinions are my own.}

School Interrupted-Life on the Move

2011-11-14T14:34:00.010-06:00

Over the last 6 months, since I previously posted, a lot in life has changed. Our family moved again, twice, making that 3 moves in 18 months. A lot to say the least! We are finally settled, for a while anyway, and I felt it was time to start back to the regular routine.

During this time one of my biggest challenges has been school. My role as wife, mother, and primary educator became severely redirected when moving boxes invaded and nothing was at a status quo. Over these months I have struggled with feeling that life was running me instead of me directing life. But as I reflect on these past months, and all that was happening, I am so thankful for the Lord working in mighty ways. These are some of the rich blessings we have to celebrate as a family:

Health and Safety- Amidst packing, moving many miles to a new environment, and many new encounters the Lord has kept us healthy and safe.

House Provisions- We moved across the country to live in a temporary home that was gratefully provided for us. It allowed us the time needed to find another home, that while still temporary, is very comfortable and a great place for us to be currently.

Friends- It is never easy to leave behind friends, but again the Lord has given us so many new connections that we are thrilled to have a growing number of dear friends.

Proximity to Family- We are very thankful for a new closeness to family. Everyone lives 3 hours or more away, but we are able to see each other more frequently than before.

Church- Through much prayer the Lord directed us toward a Church family that we are excited to be a part of and look forward to getting to know more. Very thankful for Truth being taught.

Activity- While it may seem silly to have this as a praise when life can be so busy, we are thankful for the wealth of activities available to us all, both in homeschooling and the community. Being near the mountains again is a personal blessing to me =)

This is only the quick list of items as I sit here and think, but it is a good reminder that while I may feel I am running through my days the Lord is sustaining in mighty ways. I can surrender the little nagging feeling I have of school being delayed, or temporarily stalled, to a Great God and instead praise His name for the miracles He is working all around and in me during these times. The school bell we can hear ringing from our newest home is not intended for me. My children will learn where and when they need to through God's providence.

Picture Study- A Charlotte Mason Approach

2011-05-13T13:57:00.004-05:00

Winslow Homer - Waiting for Dad

While there are many things in our homeschool day that I orient around a classical education, I truly appreciate a large part of the Charlotte Mason (CM) philosophy and practices in home academics. Some time back I decided to purchase the Dover Publications Art Cards to put to use in a CM picture study manner. I have been meaning to post about these cards and how I prepared them for some time, and when I read the two most recent posts from Simply Charlotte Mason, I was encouraged to share. (If you are not familiar with picture study, please, please take the time to learn how simple and meaningful this is. Go here and here to start.)

When I ordered my art cards from Dover I loved the way they had information about each card in the books. I knew I wanted to make an "art library" using the cards, but I wasn't willing to give up the overviews of the artists while discarding the cover and leftovers of the book. So, I decided to cut out and save the parts that I could use.

My intentions were to create photo albums with the cards. I pasted the overview information to an insert for the back cover of my album and added specific information to the reverse side of the images. Then I combined all the cards and the information in 4X6" photo albums. Now I have an easy reference for finding images by artist or artistic style. While these small prints don't show the detail of a larger image, I am glad to have them available and for a reasonable price.

Now let's do some picture study!Frank Benson - Sunlight

Memory Building

2011-04-19T12:51:00.015-05:00

Last fall I had the privilege of gaining and sharing a wealth of information with a group of homeschool moms led by a Master Homeschool Teacher. (I call her a "Master" teacher based on her years of experience schooling both her own children as well as others.) From this time I gleaned many useful ideas that I have enjoyed implementing in my own school. Here is one of them...

Mental Memory Building

My objective with this activity is to encourage memory skills, directional awareness, attentiveness and color recognition. Each is a basic skill that is used in all areas of life and especially academics. I use this with all my kids at different levels of difficulty.

For the materials, we use what we have on hand, LEGO DUPLO, stored in the cooler you see in the photos =). We play it as a game and the kids love to do it, but they also let me know when they are done. Mental activities can be taxing, so move along when they are ready.

To start I select a series of blocks, usually 3 blocks in 2 colors, and set them in a line.

I allow my child to look at the blocks for a period of 1 second per block before hiding them and asking them to recreate the series I had with the blocks placed in front of them. When they announce they are done, we compare their blocks to mine to see if they remembered correctly. We casually dismiss errors and praise both hard work and correct answers.

After the child has shown they can easily get 3 blocks I move to 4 blocks in 2 colors, 4 blocks in 3 colors and finally 4 blocks in 4 colors. We keep adding to this until they are worn out or the level of difficulty is too great.

For my older boys I have found that creating a line alone is too simple, so I add more blocks and start moving in different planes.
This challenge can continue to grow as much as desired by the parent and child. My kids have found it is fun to test their siblings.
The best part is when they get to challenge you!
A great tool even for adults to build basic mental memory skills.

For a system available for purchase that uses this type of training, Audiblox, is a brand I am aware of although I have not used it myself and cannot give an opinion regarding it. On their site you can find a number of videos clips that demonstrate these ideas, and their use for learning disabled students.

The Organized Home Schooler

2011-03-14T18:06:00.003-05:00

Though there are days the above title can feel like an oxymoron, there is hope. In this inspiring book by Vicki Caruana help abounds. Each chapter is a mix of encouragement and checklists to order your life and school while building off the solid foundation of God’s Word. The author addresses all areas of concern from abstract issues such as heart matters and time management to the basic physical concerns of organizing paperwork, supplies and materials.

This book has been a welcome addition to my own library. It is an encouragement for me now and will remain on my shelf as a guide when reevaluating in years to come. I especially appreciate Mrs. Caruana’s reference to Scripture as our source for orderliness and work ethic reminding me that all that I do needs to be done to the glory of God. The checklists fit my personal style of completing tasks, though the book is written to be a source of reference for all types of personalities.

Mrs. Caruana’s insight comes from her own experiences as a former public school educator and a homeschooling mother of two. She frequently speaks at homeschool conventions and shares through workshops and her online blog, Apples & Chalkdust. For more information regarding this book or others like it please visit http://www.crossway.org/blog.

{This book was received as part of the Crossway Book Review Program. All opinions are my own.}

Christmas Wrap-Up

2011-01-01T18:24:00.007-06:00

Now that the New Year is here, I decided I should take some time to wrap up our Christmas Around the World posts. While in America most of us have begun putting away our holiday regalia, in Siberia and elsewhere the holiday season has just begun. So here's the rest of what we learned this Christmas....We can still have a fruitful year even if our wheat didn't grow 6 to 8 inches. We were amazed how quickly it grew at all.My version of the Croatian Licitar Heart is neither dough nor edible, but it does have a "mirror" of aluminum foil to reflect the soul.Babuska may be a legend in parts of Russia (La Befana in Italy), but a good friend in Siberia has never heard stories of her. She does make a cute ornament, though.

And for the food...Bolivian Bunuelos- These are a more Puerto Rican style, but I look forward to trying authentic Bolivian Bunuelos someday.Puerto Rican Pasteles- Not sure the masa I made out of pumpkin, green bananas, plantains, potatoes and yucca was quite right, but the filling was delicious. Again, I'd love to try authentic pasteles in the future.Tanzanian Green Beans & Potatoes- A yummy version of potato salad that I will have to make again, though next time I may go for smaller veggies.
Philippino Pancit Bihon- An excellent recipe and a crowd pleaser. This may become a regular at our house.Croatian Braid Bread- So good! This tangy, sweet bread is a treat I hope to make more in the future. It is wonderful breakfast bread.
Russian Tea & Cakes- Excellent and a favorite even before this Christmas, albeit not Siberian necessarily. Alex sent us some favored Siberian salads that we will have to try soon.American Green Bean Casserole- It wouldn't be the holidays without it, right?

Hope all had (or are having) a wonderful holiday season. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

2010-12-18T10:00:00.000-06:00

While studying about Siberian Christmas we found this fun animation of the Christmas story.

We also learned that Christmas Eve dinner in Siberia is often a meal with 12 parts or dishes. These twelve items represent the 12 Apostles during the Holy Supper. Supper is served on Christmas Eve after the first star appears in the sky. I especially like finding that "After dinner, no dishes are washed and the Christmas presents are opened". I believe this is something we will have to do after our Christmas Around the World meal.

As a child myself I remember my mom sharing "Russian Tea" with us. I have found that indeed the instant tea, made with Tang, is based off a traditional tea made in Russia. Here is a yummy-looking recipe I hope to use with my family.

Russian Spice Tea - Christmas Holiday favorite
Ingredients:

3 lemons	2 quarts weak tea
3 oranges	2 tbsp. whole cloves
1 pt. pineapple juice	2 c. sugar

Preparation: Squeeze juice from the lemons and oranges. Pour some boiling water over the cloves and let stand for 10 minutes. Strain the juice and cloves. Add sugar and mix well. Add the tea and heat to boiling. Serve hot.

On this same site is a recipe for Russian Tea Cakes, very similar to Mexican Wedding Cookies. I think we will have to have some of these to go with our tea.

Oh my, our Christmas Around the World celebration is going to be quite festive and yummy. I hope I am able to pull it all together. Check back soon to see what all we put together. I hope to have a menu finalized in the coming days and will post it as soon as I do.

Links:
Russian American Christmas

Christmas in Siberia

2010-12-17T11:21:00.015-06:00

As we move away from Croatia our schedule is getting busier with Christmas preparations of our own, but we wanted to take the time to look at a few more countries, so today we will focus on a region in Russia, Siberia. As most people imagine, this part of the world can get incredibly cold during this time of year, but I have enjoyed reading about the way they bundle up and face the cold as they go on with daily life.

Christmas occurs in Siberia on January 6th as the Russian Orthodox refused to follow the Gregorian calendar and instead use the Julian to determine the date of the holiday. Because of this Christmas comes after the celebration of the New Year which is often the bigger celebration of the two. Christmas was also outlawed during a time in Soviet reign and this has had an effect on the traditions that have lasted to today.

One story we enjoyed hearing from Siberia was the folktale of Babushka, grandmother, and the role she plays in the gift-giving. It is the story that the three wise men asked Babushka to join them on their way to Baby Jesus. She refused and regretted it later. So, today she offers gifts to all the good children in place of the gifts she missed giving to the Christ-child.

Also in Siberia we found the Santa Claus is represented instead by Dedushka Moroz, Grandfather Frost, and his grandaughter, Snegurochka. These two show up on New Year's Eve to offer gifts of candy to the children.

Links:
Russian Crafts
Russian Christmas

Praying for the work of Alex and Yulia in Siberia. Learn more from them at Transform Siberia.

Christmas in Croatia- Cont.

2010-12-17T10:00:00.000-06:00

Though I haven't had time yet to make and photograph the ornament for our Christmas Around the World Tree, I am planning to base it off this Croatian traditional ornament, the Licitar Heart. These hearts are given during many special celebrations in Croatia as a symbol of love. They are often edible, though I don't think mine will be.

For our meal I am hopeful our wheat that we planted on the 13th will have grown some, and we will place it in the middle of Bozic Pletenica, a braided bread wreath. A great-looking recipe can be found here.

I also hope to make Croatian Knedle (Potato Plum Dumplings) using the recipe found here. I may be a bit overambitious on all this food, but do hope to have as much of it done ahead of time as possible. We'll see.

Christmas in Croatia

2010-12-13T13:00:00.003-06:00

Next we wanted to take a look at Christmas in Croatia. This country has many long-standing Christmas traditions that date back to the 9th Century when Christianity was first introduced here. As in most other countries, homes are decorated with all kinds of festive items including a nativity. A variety of greenery is used, holly, ivy, evergreen boughs, etc., and in more recent years Christmas trees have also become a part of the holiday home.

On December 13th, St. Lucy's Day, many homes place wheat seeds in a saucer of water to begin to germinate. The growth of the wheat is considered a measure of next year's fortune. A tall, stalk of green wheat by Christmas Eve suggests a fruitful year ahead. Straw is also placed around the home and under the tablecloth as a sign of fertility and Christ's birth in a manger.

We'll be continuing to learn more about Croatian Christmas and be back soon to share what we learn.

Links:
Christmas Around the World
Holiday Traditions
Christmas in Croatia
100 Years in America

Christmas in the Philippines- Cont.

2010-12-13T10:00:00.001-06:00

The kids and I had fun focusing on the Philippines and creating our own simple version of a parol. For these stars, we used colored vellum that allows light to shine through them. With them hanging in the window they make bright, cheery sun-catchers. I also made a miniature parol for hanging on our Christmas Around the World Tree.

Here is a recipe for Pancit Bihon shared by our friend, Naomi, in Mandaluyong City, Philippines. We look forward to making this for our Christmas Around the World Dinner planned for a couple weeks from now.

Pancit Bihon
1 8 oz. package pancit bihon noodles (or angel hair pasta)
1 cooked chicken breast, shredded (can also use pork)
1 pound shrimp (optional)
2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1/4 cabbage, sliced into strips
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, sliced into thin strips two inches long
3 stalks celery, sliced into thin strips two inches long
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Teaspoon oyster sauce (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
5 wedges of lemon
Soak the pancit bihon noodles in warm tap water to soften for 10 minutes.
Grease a large pan or wok with oil. Saute garlic and onions.
Add the chicken broth, the shredded chicken breast and all the vegetables until cooked.
Mix in the pancit bihon noodles and add the soy sauce, cook for about 5 minutes or until
the noodles are soft. Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve hot with lemon wedges on the side.
Serves 6 as main dish.
Serves 10 as side dish.

Christmas in the Philippines

2010-12-11T10:00:00.005-06:00

Moving on from Africa we focused our studies on the chain of islands in the Pacific Ocean, the Philippines. Christmas is a big deal here! As we saw in South America a large percentage of this nation has Catholic influences. (They also have a Misa de Gallo, known as Simbag Gabi in Tagalog). Celebration of the holiday season begins back in September. Yes, in September, when people begin decorating and start a daily countdown from 100 days. This is even broadcast on the nightly news.

Many homes decorate on the inside as much as they can afford to with Christmas trees and a Nativity. The most important decoration in a Filipino Christmas is the parol. This star lantern can be hand-crafted by the family, but is also available commercially.

Gift-giving is an central part of Christmas in the Philippines with gifts often exchanged amongst family, friends, acquaintances, and co-workers. The biggest celebration takes place at midnight on December 24th. During this time, Buena Noche, gifts are shared and a large meal enjoyed.

Caroling takes place throughout the region by those seeking to gain money or food. Performances can also be planned as a way to raise support for charitable work. We enjoyed listening to this Christmas song done by a school in the Philippines.

We'll be back soon to share a little more of what we learned about this region of the world.

Links:
Christmas in the Philippines
Parols

Special thanks to Naomi for sharing all she is learning in the Philippines. Praying for you and your family.

Christmas in Tanzania- Cont.

2010-12-10T15:36:00.009-06:00

Here are the results of our study of Tanzania. For our craft we focused on creating Cut Paper Collages of Christmas scenes. This is a few of the kids works, though they had so much fun with it, they have made many of them to decorate the house.

I also finished the ornament to represent Tanzania on the World Christmas tree- an African-style angel.

Christmas in Tanzania

2010-12-06T09:09:00.005-06:00

Continuing with our studies of Christmas Around the World we zoom over to Tanzania today to look at an African country. This country has a population that is largely Muslim, so Christmas is not as prominent as it is in other parts of the world. On a whole the nation is poorer than most as well, so we learned children often receive a set of cloths as their main gift (possibly the only clothes they will receive all year). Knowing that Christmas is simpler here makes me look at our American Christmas through different eyes. What a wealth of things we have for ourselves even when we think the budget is a bit tight. It is good to be reminded of the need around the world for simple things that we take for granted.

Our craft for today is roughly based off the book The Night Before Christmas by Rachel Isadora. This book is a retelling of the well-known poem by Clement Moore with beautiful artwork depicting an African setting. It is done in a cut-paper collage format that we will be duplicating with our own Christmas images. This is a great way for us to incorporate our paper-fold-and-cut snowflakes for this holiday season. Be back tomorrow to share our results.

For links used in reference today go to:
Christmas in Africa
Christmas in Tanzania

Praying for Mavuno Village and their work in Tanzania.

Christmas in Puerto Rico

2010-12-02T10:19:00.006-06:00

Now we travel to Puerto Rico in our Christmas Around the World studies. A Puerto Rican Christmas has similar traditions to Bolivia with many of the influences coming from Spanish descent and Catholic history.

Holiday celebrations begin after Thanksgiving and last until January 6, El Día de los Tres Reyes Magos (Three Kings Day). Most of the festivities center around music, such as parrandas (caroling), where groups of friends travel the neighborhoods waking up "unsuspecting" neighbors with singing. The group is welcomed with parties and further singing through the night. Here is a well-known song I thought fitting to share.

Many Puerto Ricans do their big feast on Christmas Eve and also attend La Misa de Gallo. After a week of celebrating and bringing in the new year, the children prepare for Three Kings Day by placing a box with grass under their beds for the kings' camels and in return receive gifts. For our Christmas Around the World tree we created a star (again from the ornament dough) to represent los Tres Reyes Magos who followed the star to Bethlehem in search of Christ.

Links I referenced:
A Puerto Rican Christmas
Welcome to Puerto Rico
Christmas Traditions of Puerto Rico

Christmas in Bolivia- Cont.

2010-11-30T10:52:00.008-06:00

Here are the results of some of our Bolivian Christmas studies. The felt gallo is for adding to our Christmas Around the World tree.

The pesebre created with the ornament dough recipe from my previous post. (These were created by my children, ages 8 and under). The background is a woven cloth brought from Bolivia to me by my sister and brother-in-law.

For further study of Bolivia we will be endeavoring to make some treats that may be found in Bolivian homes around the holidays. Here are a couple links to recipes for special candies, Turrones, and puff pastry, Buñuelos.

Christmas in Bolivia

2010-11-29T11:06:00.010-06:00

For our first country we focused on Bolivia as a representation of South American culture. We listened to a few villancicos de Navidad (Christmas carols) and found this one to share.

We read that many Bolivian homes have a pesebre (nativity) as their centerpiece. To make our own pesebre we are using the following recipe and molding the pieces:

Clay Christmas Ornaments
Mix together in a large bowl.
4 c flour
1 c salt
1 tsp alum
1 1/2 c water
If the dough is too dry, work in another Tablespoon of water. Roll dough to 1/8" and cut with cookie cutters, or mold dough into figures no more than 1/2" thick.
Bake ornaments at 250 degrees Fahrenheit on an ungreased cookie sheet for about 30 min. Turn over and bake another 1 1/2 hr until dry and hard. Remove and cool.
Sand with fine sandpaper and paint. Seal with clear acrylic or shellac.

We also found that many Bolivians attend La Misa Del Gallo (Mass of the Rooster). This name is based on the legend that the rooster may have been the first animal to announce the birth of Jesus. To remember all the countries we are studying this year we have started a felt tree. Each country will be represented by an ornament we place on the tree. For Bolivia we have chosen to make and add a rooster. For now I will share this wonderful rooster I found online. Soon I hope to have pictures of our own work to share.

For more links and sites I have referenced go to:
Bolivia Bella
Christmas Traditions in Spain and Latin America

The Ornament Recipe is loosely based on a recipe found in Feed Me I'm Yours by Vicki Lansky.

Christmas Around the World

2010-11-29T10:36:00.002-06:00

Christmas is such a busy time in our home, that I decided to take a relaxed approach to our home school day. Our plan for the next month is to continue with math and reading, while for other subject areas, we will be completing a unit study on Christmas around the world. As there would be no way to cover the cultural traditions of most of the countries, we have chosen to focus our studies on countries that have a more personal meaning to our family. In the upcoming days I will be organizing my thoughts and ideas here, so feel free to glean any helpful ideas that would benefit your own home. (And if you have any ideas to share with us, please feel free to leave a comment. We love to learn.)

Duck Soup by Jackie Urbanovic

2010-10-14T15:05:00.004-05:00

Each day I start preschool time by asking Bearhugs and Darlin' to pick out a book each for me to read to them. I find that it is something they look forward to and beg for if we miss it. One of the books chosen for today was Duck Soup by Jackie Urbanovic. We received this book from an Aunt and Uncle as an addition to our library in honor of Bearhugs 5th birthday. It has become an instant favorite.

By Darlin' (DD3) and Bearhugs (DS5)

After our reading time the kids often want a craft to do that goes with the story. (Construction paper and glue never last very long at our house =) So for today I thought I'd take the time to share kiddo's creations. Notice Trapper and Trout won't be left out of preschool activities when if involves paper and glue!

By Trout (DS7) and Trapper (DS8)

Slow Cooked Moroccan Chicken from BGH.com

2010-10-13T10:00:00.000-05:00

Always on the hunt for more great recipes for the Crock-pot I came across this Moroccan-Style Chicken that my family loved. It is a little different than the typical American flavoring we are accustomed, too, but it is a fun ethnic food that we all enjoyed.

Ingredients

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped (1/2 cup)
8 oz. baby carrots with tops, trimmed, or baby carrots, halved lengthwise if large
1/2 cup pitted dried plums (prunes)
1 14-oz. can reduced-sodium chicken broth
8 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned
1-1/4 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions

1. In a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker combine onion and carrots. Add plums and broth. Top with chicken. In a small bowl combine curry powder, salt, and cinnamon. Sprinkle over chicken.

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours. Remove chicken, fruit, and vegetables from cooker with a slotted spoon. Spoon some of the cooking juices on each serving. Makes 4 servings.

This recipe is not my own and can be found at http://www.bhg.com/recipe/chicken/slow-cooked-moroccan-chicken/

What I'm Learning About Tae Kwon Do

2010-10-10T16:44:00.006-05:00

Hana, Dul, Set, Net...
Let me start by saying this is a crash cultural course if there ever was one! I have no background in martial arts of any form. No one in my family participated in them, I never attended any events surrounding them, and my understanding of martial arts was predominantly formed by movies such as The Karate Kid (think 1984 version with chopstick fly nabbing).

Fast forward a couple decades and now I have children that want an after school activity that both challenges and fascinates. Enter, Tae Kwon Do.

After a thorough search of the internet and local do-jangs we decided to look into a Kukkiwon approved studio that works with all ages. Upon visiting with Master M. we decided to preview the first couple classes before signing up full-time.

We were impressed and overwhelmed, to say the least. In the first class it became apparent that the older more experienced students are responsible for the younger students. My 7yo DS, Trout, jumped into the first class excited to try this new experience. In about 2 seconds he realized he had no idea what he was doing, didn't understand why this older boy was redirecting him, and figured it might be best to watch from the sidelines where his 3 siblings were already gawking at all that was going on.

The class starts with a simple stretching routine. As the students follow the masters instructions they are sure to respond with "Yes, Ma'am" and the proper Korean counting. They work through a series of simple exercises before moving to more difficult techniques that are to be learned or worked on by all participating. The more advanced "belts" (students that have tested to prove their advanced understanding) work to help the newer students, or lower "belts". Everyone in uniform is expected to participate. At this particular do-jang respect of authority is strongly emphasized as the students must respond properly and do as expected or they are punished with further exercise (most often push-ups).It's great! Currently all 4 of my kids participate, ages 8, 7, 5, & 3, and they love it! I love the training they are receiving on respect, discipline, exercise, routine, and defense. It is an excellent reinforcement of so many things we hope to instill in our children at home, but how fun and cool is it to learn while wearing white uniforms!

Stick around and I'll share more about all this in future posts as I am learning more all the time.

Homemade Meals- Hearty Veggie Beef Stew

2010-10-06T10:00:00.000-05:00

As a busy mom and wife with 6 of us to feed, there are many times I find myself wondering how food is going to appear on our table come meal time. I enjoy cooking some days, some days I don't. I have lots of time to think about cooking some days, some days I don't. I have a thoroughly filled pantry and fridge some days and some days I don't. So as a favor to myself and a way of sharing some of the things I have learned with others, I hope to have an ongoing blog meme concerning all these matters. Let's begin...

The first of many recipes I want to share is assembled by myself and prepared by my trusty cooking companion, the Crock Pot. This recipe is great! Throw in all the ingredients, fix a side of biscuits (especially if you have no eggs for bread or rolls) and sit down to a great dinner once you have all congregated around the family meal table.

Hearty Veggie Beef Stew

2 lbs. lean stewing beef, thawed the night before and cut into 1" cubes
3 medium potatoes diced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced chunky
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp thyme
16 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups water
2 bouillon cubes (water and bouillon may be replaced with beef stock)

Combine all ingredients in crock. Cover and cook- Low for 8-10 hrs; High 4-5 hrs

Delicious option for the end of a cool fall day! Enjoy!

They Were Completely Amazed

2010-09-13T07:06:00.003-05:00

While looking at Scripture this morning I was caught up on this portion of Mark 6, "They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened." This chapter recalls the event of Jesus walking on a stormy sea to calm the waves for His disciples lurching about in their boat. (This all happened shortly after the feeding of the five thousand, hence the reference to the loaves, a provision from the Lord.) As He approached the vessel they became frightened thinking He was a ghost, but He settled their hearts by announcing Himself before climbing into the boat and calming the storm. As the storm abates the disciples were amazed that Christ could accomplish this "for they had not understood about the loaves;...".

So many times I find myself in the same predicament, wondering how the Lord will see me through my trial of the moment. Then, when He answers "immeasurably more than all [I] ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within [me]", I am amazed. Have I forgotten the many ways He has already cared for me?

I must then ask myself the questions found in Galatians 3:3. "Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?" When the disciples found themselves on storm-tossed seas, yet again, Christ is there to meet their need and answer before they have even asked. Why should I doubt that He will answer my need? I am not able to accomplish anything as great as He, so I need to continue to trust Him.
May my faith in Him grow greater! That I may know to surrender my path to His will, trusting always that He will guide my steps, even through the dark ways.

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful (Hebrews 10:24)."

Saturday Morning Donuts

2010-09-04T12:25:00.005-05:00

This morning I woke up to a crisp, chill in the air and thought, "Today is a good day for donuts!" Silly, yes, but it doesn't help when one is reading Homer Price to the kids at night and you just recently read the chapter on the unstoppable donut machine =)

So with vim and vigor I got up and decided to try my hand at making donuts for my family. I got my tried and true copy of Joy of Cooking from the shelf and mixed up a batch of Sweet Milk Donuts with my 3yo's help. The dough was a little sticky, so I had to add flour. While I was doing that my oil got too hot, so the first donuts out were a bit doughy in the centers.

But, lo and behold, after getting the temperature corrected and the consistency of the dough right, we ended up with a beautiful batch of homemade donuts. This recipe was so sweet that we decided they were good enough without added sugar or glaze. What fun! Glad I got up and did this today, but my thighs will thank me for not doing it all that often!BTW Notice my utensils here. The biscuit cutter was my Grandmother's and the smaller cutter (used for the centers) was taken from my kids play dough supplies. Gotta love play dough cutters =)

School Scheduling

2010-08-21T14:41:00.005-05:00

Well that time of year has come again. I have been busy organizing materials, planning and preparing for our upcoming school year. In some ways it can be overwhelming to get it all done, but one bite at a time, and I am so thankful for the results when I get done.

You can see my most recent daily school schedule here. This is a result of lots of time and reflection on what has worked for us in the past. It is an ever-changing agenda that acts as a guideline for our school days, but by no means is it a rule.

Now time to focus on the individual subjects themselves as I finish pulling together materials, establish yearly and monthly goals, and excite my children for their upcoming academic pursuits.

Wordless Wednesday - Grocery Shopping

2010-07-21T10:26:00.001-05:00

New adventures at the local grocery store

Hope this lasts more than a week

Jesus Heals the Paralytic- Mark 2:1-12

2010-07-16T14:39:00.003-05:00

While reading this passage in Scripture today I was struck with a few thoughts I wanted to share.

At this time in Christ's teaching, crowds have grown so profuse that the skeptics are starting to appear. In this brief account we see four trusting individuals bringing their friend, a paralytic, to the Lord. They were seeking Christ for His healing. They labored to present this lame man to the Lord in the midst of His teaching.

But, what amazes me is Jesus response to this faith. "Son, your sins are forgiven." I doubt this was the intent of any of those men that lowered their friend through the roof. Certainly, sins being forgiven was a true blessing, but he was paralyzed, couldn't Christ see the need for physical healing? And yet, the skepticism here is revealed in another manner.

The teachers of the law didn't question whether Christ had healed the man or not, but rather they focused on the potential blaspheming of God in the forgiveness of this man's sins. Hello, has everyone forgotten, this man is crippled? Why are we discussing his sins?

Then, there it is, the answer to both the skeptics and the faithful friends. In verses 10 and 11 we read, "'But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...' He said to the paralytic,' I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.'" Christ saves! He heals the man both spiritually and physically and gives him new life. Praise God!

Sometimes I find myself seeking for the physical healing, skeptical of the working of the Lord, looking for answers for the here-and-now. While all the time my Father is working to complete me, seeing first my spiritual depravity and meeting my need. How amazing it is to be reminded of the work of the Lord in my life through reading about others who sought Him.

Blueberry Season

2010-07-09T16:03:00.004-05:00

Last week we had the opportunity to pick blueberries at our friends' farm in Northeast Missouri, Lost Branch Blueberry Farm. The day was beautiful with sun shining and a time of cherished fellowship. The blueberry bushes were loaded with ripe berries ready for picking, and my children didn't hesitate to jump right in with buckets in hand. While we chatted and picked, the kids enjoyed running up and down the rows rejoicing over each plump, purple treasure they found. By the end of our time the load of berries we brought home was enough to make a fresh pie, eat tons by the handful, and still stick some in the freezer for blueberry pancakes or muffins at a later date.

A wonderful day with great friends. Thank you, Price Family!

Make sure to stop by and pick your own if you are anywhere within the northeast Missouri region, or just need a good excuse to be =)

Music to Share

2010-06-15T15:51:00.005-05:00

I recently heard about the music group Page CXIV over at Thoughts On the Way, and decided to do some further investigating into their music. On their website they state the following:The hymns they sing are incredible blessings and an excellent resource for praising our Lord. Here is a sample.

Find out more and support the project at Page CXVI.

Knockout Entrepreneur by George Foreman

2010-05-15T17:26:00.001-05:00

Building a business. Venturing out. Striving for more.

These are all themes found in the Knockout Entrepreneur.

This book is an autobiographical look at building a business and a better life through perseverance in difficult situations. It is a motivational push to pursue entrepreneurial ventures against the odds. In his personal writing style, Foreman, with Ken Abraham, presents the reader with a host of tips and advice for overcoming defeat or moments of indecision. "Successful people, however, realize that rejection means that you move on to the next opportunity." Overall this book is a challenge to become a stronger person when life presents new heights to be gained.

While encouragement is always refreshing, this book may rank a bit higher for those who have an interest in boxing as Foreman often refers to his own life and the lessons he has learned along the way. I found the material to be a bit more focused on Foreman's history than I had originally hoped when I got the book. Certainly we can all learn from the lives of others, but this didn't quite suit me personally. The book is one of Thomas Nelson's Nelson FREE books which means you are really buying 3 books in one- hard copy, ebook, and audio. This might not be a top rating book on my shelves, but the exposure to the Nelson FREE material is certainly incentive to pursue more of their books in that program.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Let's Play "Spot the Difference"

2010-05-13T15:50:00.006-05:00

I had hoped to post images of the second remodel before now, but life is moving along at break-neck speed currently. So amidst blood, sweat and tears the second bathroom remodel was completed. We are thrilled with the results!
You may not initially see a huge difference in the photos, but look closely. You will find that we changed out horrible looking linoleum with tile, the trim is now white with bead-board, and while you can't see the change from the first photo, the cabinet has been painted white with a new counter-top, sink and faucet installed. (Bead-board is a pain to paint, but has a glamorous aesthetic =)

And, voila, we have brought our bathroom to the 2010's! It is such a refreshing change we do wish we would have taken the time to do it sooner. Ah, but that is how all household projects go, especially when one is seeking to make it look as appealing to a buyers market as possible.
On to the next project- fresh coat of paint in the laundry room...

Crazy Life!

2010-04-22T17:52:00.005-05:00

Old Bathroom

Things have been a bit busy around our place as we work to sell our home and move a few hours north of where we currently reside. Along with packing, cleaning, homeschooling, work and other duties of life we also decided to update our Master Bathroom. Thankfully this is the smallest room of the house, so it didn't take too incredibly long. We replaced the flooring, sink and vanity. The whole room got a fresh coat of paint (actually three coats after removing wallpaper border and covering the dark tan it was before). We are pleased to see the improvements and are praying a buyer will be pleased soon as well.

New Bathroom

Celebrating Passover

2010-04-03T13:16:00.005-05:00

We are a non-denominational, Bible-believing Christian family that seeks to serve the Lord through continued understanding of His Word and the blessings of the Almighty. With all that said, we celebrated the Passover earlier this week as a tribute to the Jewish tradition and a reflection on the Ultimate Sacrificial Lamb, Jesus Christ, who came to save those who are lost. This event occurred through much reflection on the history of Passover and the Biblical context of the holiday. We used the book Biblical Holidays from Heart of Wisdom as our main resource for planning the holiday. We also did a lot of online research and Bible reading to further determine our evening plans. The result was a full night of celebration, focused on the Passover and the symbolism that points toward Christ as the Messiah.

Here are a few photos of our evening and a menu that we used to put together our Seder. The Matza Tash and Afikomen covers were made using supplies I had on hand. The Afikomen wrap says "Messiah" in Hebrew. The last photo here doesn't really show the food well. (I forgot to take a photo until after the meal had begun.)
.Our menu included-

Matzo Ball Soup
Potato Kugel
Roast Beef
Steamed Asparagus w/ Red Wine Vinegar
Apricot Jello Mold
Passover Chocolate Torte- This was delicious
Kisses - Meringue Treats from Joy of Cooking

While this was a fun menu for our first Passover, I imagine there will be changes to it in the years to come. Feel free to ask questions in the comment section if you are curious. I will answer them if I am able.

The 39 Clues

2010-03-02T15:41:00.003-06:00

For my oldest son's 8th birthday he wanted a detective theme. The party went well with a mystery to solve as our main activity. Along these lines my husband's mother, aunt and uncle sent a theme-appropriate gift, the first 4 audiobooks of The 39 Clues. With a bit of skepticism I have begun to learn more about these books and have to admit I am intrigued by the depth of thought put into each book and the surrounding activities. Anyone captivated by National Treasure movies can appreciate the type of "what's-coming-next suspense" these childrens' books depict. As we begin this next adventure of discovery my sons have been hooked into a world of espionage, mystery, and problem solving. More to come as the tale unfolds. Learn more for yourself at The 39 Clues homepage.

Some Great Resources

2010-01-22T15:45:00.003-06:00

There are excellent resources all over the internet for homeschooling materials for free, but I am really excited about the excellent resources I am just now discovering on nature study. Through tomorrow Jim Erskine is offering the The Giant Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock in individual downloads at Homeschool Freebie of the Day. Along with this some of you may be aware of Harmony Art Mom and her great blogs, but you must check out her Handbook of Nature Study blog that coordinates with the handbook. Be sure to look around the blog because there are a lot of free resources here that can be used with your nature study.

I have been struggling with our Science material up to this point, and I am so excited about having discovered all of this. I look forward to learning more and implementing it into our homeschool day.

Why Should We Require Unregenerate Children to Act Right? - John Piper

2010-01-12T06:51:00.004-06:00

This is an excellent reflection on parenting by John Piper that I found posted over at Thoughts on the Way. If you have opportunity to read through it, I hope you find it encouraging today.
______________________________________________

Why Should We Require Unregenerate Children to Act Right?

If mere external conformity to God’s commands (like don’t lie, don’t steal, don’t kill) is hypocritical and spiritually defective, then why should parents require obedience from their unregenerate children?

Won’t this simply confirm them in unspiritual religious conformity, hypocritical patterns of life, and legalistic moralism?

Here are at least three reasons why Christian parents should require their small children (regenerate or unregenerate) to behave in ways that conform externally to God’s revealed will. I say “small children” because as a child gets older, there are certain external conformities to God’s revealed will that should be required and others that should not. It seems to me, for example, while parents should require drug-free, respectful decency from a 15-year-old, it would do little good to require an unbelieving and indifferent 15-year-old to read his Bible every day. But it would be wise to require that of a 6-year-old, while doing all we can to help him enjoy it and see the benefit in it.
So the following points are reasons why we should require smaller children to behave in ways that conform at least externally to God’s word.

1) For children, external, unspiritual conformity to God’s commanded patterns of behavior is better than external, unspiritual non-conformity to those patterns of behavior.

A respectful and mannerly 5-year-old unbeliever is better for the world than a more authentic defiant, disrespectful, ill-mannered, unbelieving bully. The family, the friendships, the church, and the world in general will be thankful for parents that restrain the egocentric impulses of their children and confirm in them every impulse toward courtesy and kindness and respect.

2) Requiring obedience from children in conformity with God’s will confronts them with the meaning of sin in relation to God, the nature of their own depravity, and their need for inner transformation by the power of grace through the gospel of Christ.

There comes a point where the “law” dawns on the child. That is, he realizes that God (not just his parents) requires a certain way of life from him and that he does not like some of it, and that he cannot do all of it.

At this crisis moment, the good news of Christ’s dying for our sins becomes all important. Will the child settle into a moralistic effort the rest of his life, trying to win the acceptance and love of God? Or will he hear and believe that God’s acceptance and forgiveness and love are free gifts—and receive this God in Christ as the supreme treasure of his life?

The child will have a hard time grasping the meaning of the cross if parents have not required of him behaviors, some of which he dislikes, and none of which he can do perfectly.

Christ lived and died to provide for us the righteousness we need (but cannot perform) and to endure for us the punishment we deserve (but cannot endure). If parents do not require external righteousness and apply measures of punishment, the categories of the cross will be difficult for a child to grasp.

3) The marks of devotion, civility, and manners (“please,” “thank you,” and good eye contact) are habits that, God willing, are filled later with grace and become more helpful ways of blessing others and expressing a humble heart.

No parents have the luxury of teaching their child nothing while they wait for his regeneration. If we are not requiring obedience, we are confirming defiance. If we are not inculcating manners, we are training in boorishness. If we are not developing the disciplines of prayer and Bible-listening, we are solidifying the sense that prayerlessness and Biblelessness are normal.

Inculcated good habits may later become formalistic legalism. Inculcated insolence, rudeness, and irreligion will likely become worldly decadence. But by God’s grace, and saturated with prayer, good habits may be filled with the life of the Spirit by faith. But the patterns of insolence and rudeness and irreligion will be hard to undo.

Caution. Here we are only answering one question: Why should parents require submissive behaviors of children when they may be unregenerate rebels at heart? Of course that is not all Christian parents should do.

* Let there be much spontaneous celebration verbally of every hopeful sign of life and goodness in our children.
* Let us forgive them often and be longsuffering.
* Let us serve them and not use them.
* Let us lavish them with joyful participation in their interests.
* Let us model for them the joy of knowing and submitting to theLord Jesus.
* Let us apologize often when we fall short of our own Father’s requirements.
* Let us pray for them without ceasing.
* Let us saturate them with the word of God from the moment they are in the womb (the uterus is not sound proof).
* Let us involve them in happy ministry experiences and show them it is more blessed to give than to receive.
* Let them see us sing to the King.
* Let us teach them relentlessly the meaning of the gospel in the hope that God will open their eyes and make them alive. It happens through the gospel (1 Peter 1:22-25).

-- John Piper

December 11- Jingle Bells

2009-12-11T14:36:00.003-06:00

After a few days break from Christmas music, we were back at it today with the popular Christmas song Jingle Bells. As some may know this song was originally written for Thanksgiving in 1857 by James Pierpoint. Somewhere along the way it transitioned to a Christmas tune that is still a favorite among children. While my kids didn't do a craft today, we did make sure to jingle bells as we sang this song.

Dashing through the snow
In a one horse open sleigh
O'er the fields we go
Laughing all the way
Bells on bob tails ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to laugh and sing
A sleighing song tonight

Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh

A day or two ago
I thought I'd take a ride
And soon Miss Fanny Bright
Was seated by my side
The horse was lean and lank
Misfortune seemed his lot
We got into a drifted bank
And then we got upsot

Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh yeah

Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh

December 8 - Silent Night

2009-12-08T14:37:00.003-06:00

Today, we again focused on a German Christmas carol, translated into English by John Young in 1859. This carol is one that is quite well-known and even in our household my two older boys know the beginning verse completely. It was fun teaching them that it actually comes from another language and they enjoyed listening to German singers on YouTube. Here is the version we enjoy, though.

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Saviour is born
Christ, the Saviour is born

Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth

December 7- O Christmas Tree

2009-12-08T14:11:00.002-06:00

Many people know the first couple lines of this German Christmas carol, but often forget the remainder of the song. It is a song of controversial history due to its use during the Third Reich to try to remove the Christian elements of the holiday season (more history here). There are various versions of the song, though, and below is an excellent rendition that compares the unchanging color of the Christmas tree to our ever-constant God. (The rest of this version can be found here.)

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy leaves are so unchanging;
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy leaves are so unchanging;
Not only green when summer's here,
But also when 'tis cold and drear.
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy leaves are so unchanging!

*****

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
How richly God has decked thee!
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
How richly God has decked thee!
Thou bidst us true and faithful be,
And trust in God unchangingly.
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
How richly God has decked thee!

Though I don't have pictures, my children made their Christmas tree crafts today using the Shapes Tree from DLTK's.

12 Days of Homeschool

2009-12-08T11:47:00.002-06:00

No, this is not part of our Christmas music study, but it is a well-done version of a Christmas song as a response to all the questions we get as homeschoolers. Enjoy! I'll get back to Christmas music, right after this.

December 4- Angels We Have Heard on High

2009-12-04T18:59:00.007-06:00

Angels We Have Heard on High is a traditional French carol that was translated into English by James Chadwick in 1862. More history can be found at Wikipedia. What I love about the language of this carol is that it introduces a simple, yet prevalent, Latin phrase to my children. It is a more familiar carol that I have enjoyed singing since I was a child myself.

Angels we have heard on high,
Sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song? Refrain

Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ, the Lord, the new-born King. Refrain

See him in a manger laid
Whom the angels praise above;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While we raise our hearts in love. Refrain
Our ornaments are Handprint/Footprint Angels loosely based off these directions at DLTK's.

December 3 - The Holly & the Ivy

2009-12-04T18:22:00.008-06:00

This carol is one that has a familiar tune while the words are a little less known. It is a great lead into Christmas decorating, though, as my kids are now noticing holly and ivy everywhere on Christmas items. The history of the song is similar to other carols since it has been around a while and the words have changed over time (more history here). It is a beautiful song, and a great study for our look at Christmas music.

The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown
Of all the trees that are in the wood
The holly bears the crown
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir

The holly bears a blossom
As white as lily flower
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To be our sweet Saviour
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir

The holly bears a berry
As red as any blood
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To do poor sinners good
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir

The holly bears a prickle
As sharp as any thorn;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
On Christmas Day in the morn.
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir

The holly bears a bark
As bitter as any gall;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
For to redeem us all.
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir

The holly and the ivy
Now both are full well grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown.
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir

A video we all enjoyed on YouTube -The Winchester Cathedral Choir recorded in 1986

My childrens' ornaments (seen at the top) were constructed with craft foam, glitter craft foam and a pretty paper background.

December 2 - O Come, O Come Emmanuel

2009-12-02T10:46:00.008-06:00

As we continue in our Christmas music study, we focused on a traditional carol reported to be from the early 12th century. Originally this song, O Come, O Come Emmanuel, was written in Latin, and, while I hope to teach my children the Latin in the future, we focused on the English translation done by John Mason Neal in 1851.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o'er the grave

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height,
In ancient times did'st give the Law,
In cloud, and majesty and awe.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Our ornament for today is simply an old key to represent the "Key of David", as taken from the song. This was a fun way to use some old keys, and the kids are excited about having these ornaments when they are older. Here are the four kiddos keys.

Reference site: http://www.carols.org.uk/o_come_come_emmanuel.htm

December 1 - Christmas Music Unit Study

2009-12-01T07:19:00.009-06:00

Today our focus is on where Christmas music originated. Over at Homeschooling Apropos there is a great write-up about the history of Christmas Carols. Our ornaments for the day are music notes depicting music at Christmas.

Christmas Music Unit Study

2009-12-01T07:02:00.003-06:00

In search of a Christmas unit, I figured I would be able to find one online that fit our family and would take some of the guesswork out of the preparations for me. (There is already so much to do at holiday time.) Though, I don't plan on breaking from regular school for Christmas studies, I was wanting something special to do for the days leading up to this special time of year.
Thankfully, I think I have found a perfect fit. At Homeschooling Apropos VegieMama has put together a great unit for studying Christmas music. I especially like the simple craft suggestion of creating ornaments that go along with each day of study.
As we begin this journey here today, December 1, 2009, I hope others also will be encouraged to take time to reflect on the Lord and the coming of His Son to earth.

Thirsty Thursday - White Board Schedule

2009-09-10T17:06:00.008-05:00

It may seem crazy that something as simple as a white board has brought such joy to my school days, but I finally feel I really look forward to each day of school now. Let me share a bit of our story.

Last year we were in the midst of a basement remodel and finished it up just about the time we started our schoolyear. I was so excited organizing my materials on the new book shelves and felt like I had my schoolroom set. The year started off well enough, but I was often feeling like I didn"t have anywhere to organize our daily routine.

I tried notecards, schedules, and various assundry papers, but I often felt that I was putting more into it than any of us were benefitting from. So,...fast forward a year. Our newly remodeled basement had water damage and needed more work. Back to square one on the classroom, and this time it was pushing the beginning of the schoolyear. We did get it all put back together but in a slightly different arrangment and with added wall space. Finally I was able to hang our stashed whiteboard in a useable location and WOW! what a difference it has made.

With 4 young children, and only two of them doing any independent schoolwork, the white board has made school so much more organized for all of us. I am able to write our schedule out the night before with simple details my older boys can read. Throughout the next day of school, the kids look forward to erasing the board and seeing the subjects completed. At the end of the day the board is wiped clean and ready for the next day's events to be posted.

It keeps us all going and ready for school.

Read more educating encouragements at Five J's.

Littles Learning - The Tortoise and the Jackrabbit

2009-09-07T08:00:00.002-05:00

This week for the Littles' Learning we will be using the book, The Tortoise and the Jackrabbit by Susan Lowell. (This is a busier week around the Low house, so the unit this week is a little less invovled =)

Here's our plan for the week:

Monday-

Read The Tortoise and the Jackrabbit. First time through without interruption to hear the whole story.

Reread the story, pausing while the Littles line up animal cards (see links below) to help tell the story.

Leave the animal cards out to be colored throughout the day.

Materials needed- Crayons, Desert Animals 1 (printed and cut), Desert Animals 2 (printed and cut)

Tuesday-

Read the story again and ask the children to identify any animals they can remember.
Use play dough to create any of the animals they are interested in.

Materials needed- Play dough

Wednesday-

Practice identifying the beginning phonemes of the animals/plants in the story.
Play a guessing game by asking which animal(s) begins with /t/, /j/, /c/, etc.

Materials needed- Animal cards from Monday

Thursday-

Discuss the moral of the story, "Slow and steady wins the race".

Use library books to learn more about the desert habitat and the animals.

Materials needed- Library books

Friday-

Review the moral of the story and discuss ways we can strive to finish our goals (picking up toys, sharing, helping others, learning, obeying God...).

Plan a course for your child to steadily and quickly carry a ping-pong ball on a spoon (i.e. from the fridge to the dining table). Explain again the importance of "slow and steady" versus "with haste". Add more obstacles to add to the challenge (i.e. step over a small stool, go around the chair, etc.).

Materials needed- Spoons, ping-pong balls (or pom-poms)

More Littles Learning to come, next week our book will be one of our family favorites Bear on a Bike by Stella Blackstone.

School Year 2009-2010

2009-08-25T08:09:00.004-05:00

Wow! When I look at the year I just typed I can hardly believe it is going to be 2010. It sounds so futuristic or something.

On other topics, I wanted to share what our plan is for the upcoming year. (This is just a brief overview of curriculum with hopes of posting a schedule in coming days.)

Bible- We are currently reading through an older version of Little Visits With God. We also sing children's songs and learn a new hymn each week. Soon adding Awana and Scripture memory that goes along with that.

Math- We will be continuing with Math-U-See using the Alpha and Beta books for Trout and Trapper.

Language Arts- This is my biggest excitement of the year as we will be starting Spell to Write and Read with Cursive First. I am really looking forward to using this program and hope to see great improvements throughout the year as we all become accustomed to the material

Science- I have chosen to use Sonlight Science Year 1 as there is a lot to gain from this material and it is so appropriate for my children's ages.

Social Studies, History, Geography- My trusty backbone will be the basis of most of our schooling again this year as we use Tapestry of Grace Year 2 to provide a little direction in our school days.

Art- Drawing with Children by Mona Brookes is an excellent resource, but sadly it got a little dusty on the shelf last year. My hope is to wipe away the dust and incorporate more of this material in our school days.

Preschool- I hope to establish a weekly routine of preschool activities for BearHug and Darlin'. We will be using Activities in a Bag Book 2 along with unit studies based on classic and current favorite children's books. Look for more of this in my Little's Learning posts to come.

Ever Amazed!

2009-08-10T10:59:00.003-05:00

During my time in the Word I am reading through Matthew at random as I find that some days I read a chapter and other days I only read a few verses, but so often I have found incredible things about my Lord that continually draw me closer to Him. I was so excited about today's reading that I wanted to share.

In Matthew 8 Jesus is traveling around teaching and healing. We learn of the faith of the centurion in verses 5-13 of whom Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith." But, the passage I found encouraging today is in verses 23-27. Jesus was on a boat amidst a storm with his disciples. The men aboard became frantic and woke Jesus saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!"

Verse 26 - "He replied, 'You of little faith, why are you so afraid?' Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm."

Now when I read this, I think - the men knew they were in danger, and they knew who to turn to, but Christ still said, "You of little faith,..." When you look at the words they chose, indeed they were afraid of dying, but Jesus was with them and would not allow that to happen.

But...their lack of faith becomes even more evident in the last verse once Jesus Christ has calmed the storm.

Verse 27- "The men were amazed and asked, 'What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!'"

The disciples saw their demise, sought the Lord for help, but didn't even expect Him to do all that He did. They seemed to know where to turn, but they were still uncertain of the outcome and therefore demonstrated little faith in the One whom they called.

Now, I know it is easy to look at this passage and wonder over those foolish disciples, but am I any different? Don't I ask with doubt and questions? If indeed my faith were that of but a mustard seed (Matt. 17:20), then I would know the Lord will meet my needs.

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20

Praying this encourages you today!

Yogurt -Making

2009-08-03T11:30:00.002-05:00

While I may only post infrequently about homemaking, I did want to share this little bit that I enjoy. There is something about being able to make things at home that intrigues me and excites me when my family enjoys the fruits of my labor. One of these things is homemade yogurt.

If you have never made yogurt before, it is relatively easy and definitely cheaper than purchasing store-bought at full price. To make mine I follow these few steps...

Heat 2 quarts 2% milk in a pot to 180 degrees.
Allow milk to cool to 110 degrees
Add 1/2 cup milk to 1/2 cup previously prepared yogurt (store-bought, if needed)
Mix the resulting cup into the remaining 2 quarts and pour into clean glass jars
Place jars in an oven warmed to 110 degrees and maintained by leaving the oven light on
Allow yogurt to set undisturbed until jelled - around 4 hrs for mine
Refrigerate and enjoy for up to two weeks leaving at least 1/2 cup to prepare your next batch

We like to stir in jam or brown sugar to sweeten the yogurt to eat. I also use it for various bread and pancake recipes.

Yogurt is a food item that was first evidenced in the beginning of recorded history and still today benefits those that enjoy it. Hope this encourages you to try some of your own!

What New Books Mean to Me

2009-08-01T11:12:00.001-05:00

I know there is so often the talk of Christmas in July, and I am also aware of the fact that most people utilize this time to begin any planning or thinking on the holiday. But, this year Christmas in July really feels like Christmas to me.
Indeed, I have finished my curriculum purchasing for the upcoming year and the materials are beginning to arrive! Seriously, I think this may be more fun than presents. While I may not be celebrating the Lord's birth, I am celebrating the opportunity to share with my children all about the world God has created and the history He has orchestrated in His time. I can't think of anything more exciting than to be able to share this with some of the most precious people in my life, my children.

So off we go in preparations for a new year of learning, growing, and seeking to serve the Lord through the academic pursuits of our household. Praise God for this opportunity!

10th Anniversary!

2009-07-31T10:49:00.008-05:00

To celebrate our 10th anniversary, B and I had the opportunity to take a night away. We decided to visit a bed & breakfast in Hannibal, Missouri.

The Garth Woodside Mansion is a beautifully restored historic building from the 1880's that has been turned into a vacation getaway. The owners, John and Julie, are incredibly personable and seem to thoroughly enjoy their guests. The house itself is filled with all kinds of period mementos and the cabins are little islands of luxury for a private and peaceful retreat.

Currently a dinner special is included in the price of a stay at the mansion, so we were treated to a wonderful, complimentary meal. We enjoyed our night away and were so glad to have taken the trip to see a bit of historic America on the Mark Twain Riverboat and at one of Samuel Clemen's favorite respites, the mansion.

Breakfast was excellent as well!

Roman Aquaduct

2009-07-15T14:26:00.003-05:00

Our school year has continued throughout the summer this year due to early summer travels, so the kids and I have continued with Tapestry of Grace in the final unit where we are currently learning about Ancient Rome.

At times I find myself feeling a bit overwhelmed with trying to accomplish all that I want to for the school day when the kids are ready to run outside and play with neighbors (who are out of school for the summer). So, to take a little more laid back approach to our schooling, I try to find ways to make hands-on activities less intensive. This lesson on Roman Aquaducts is a great example. I had all these grandiose ideas of the cardboard/plastic tubing aquaducts we could build, but then...reality hit. The mess, the time, the work (mostly done by Mama). It just wouldn't be worth it, so in lieu of the elaborate structure we could build we did the next best things- the Marble Maze.

As you can see in the image, we did assemble it in a linear fashion similar to an actual aquaduct, and indeed it did carry water from the bathtub spout to the red holding tank at the end. They boys thought it was great and proceeded to run marbles in their new waterslide before excitedly running outside to play with their friends.

Brand New Blogs

2009-07-14T15:56:00.006-05:00

Do you ever look at all those blogs out there and wonder to yourself how everyone else has been blogging forever? Their blogs are beautiful, they have all kinds of widgets, post upon post of logical and wise information for us to glean from. Well, while I have had other blogs before this one, I am in the baby phase of starting on a new adventure in my homeschooling with this blog. I want to share (and to be heard) by other moms that feel the same way I do - mostly overwhelmed and trying to accomplish too much.

Now, I'm coming to find you. Are you a new blog author wanting to share your thoughts and ideas while still working out all the kinks? Are you a homeschooling mom looking to be heard and understood? I'd love to share in this journey with you. Add your site below and I'll come check it out.

Late Readers

2009-07-09T21:53:00.003-05:00

I have had the opportunity to read a few of Raymond and Dorothy Moore's books, but by far the one that has had the most impact on me is Better Late Than Early. I first read this book a couple years ago before starting schooling on a regular basis with my children. I have heard that boys can be a little slower with reading in the beginning, and I feel I have prepared myself for this...then pressures begin to build.
My now 7 yo, Trapper, is displaying all the traditional signs of a later-to-learn reader. He knows the "rules" and is even able to read when he wants to, but getting him to read a cereal box is a challenge. Whenever I begin questioning myself on this subject I begin looking for those whom have walked this path ahead of me. God is gracious indeed!
Just minutes ago I came across this article by Annette MacKay. In the article she shares her own sons journey through a slow start in reading. While this is an older reference the material is still true today, and I look forward to taking it "slow & gentle".

Homeschool Blogging

2009-07-09T15:50:00.000-05:00

I have attempted to start a blog before this about family and life, but abadoned ship as it was not working at that time. I continue to feel that I am learning so much that I would like to share, though, in my family's homeschooling journey, that I think I will try again. My hope is that this will be avenue to share some of the things I find and learn as I go with the hope that there may be some who will benefit from it. Praying the Lord leads in this new endeavor.

2008-06-18T14:46:00.001-05:00