Faith in Love - Homeschool Blogger

~Simple Woman Daybook for July 13th, 2009~

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 08:35:00 -0500

Wow...it has been two months since I've done a Simple Woman Daybook! The reason is because it has been two months since I've had a full weekend off! Monday morning's leave me feeling drained. I also choose not to get on the computer Monday morning's because there is to much to do. But this morning finds me desiring to participate in this great meme.

click on the above picture to join other women @ The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY~ July 13, 2009

Outside my window...Everything is green, I love the beautiful green that is a part of summertime in Iowa. Green grass means a lot of rain has fallen during our humid July, also beautiful green corn fields promise a bountiful harvest.
I am thinking...About our church's VBS this week, it is called "Fun Fest". The theme is "Extreme Home Makeover, Heart Edition".
I am thankful for..The Lord's faithful Grace, Mercy and Lovingkindess to me, the wretched sinner that I am.

From the learning rooms...We are doing "light" summer school, which consists of Math Workbooks for review, bible study and lots of reading.

From the kitchen...cucumbers are coming out my ears I am planning on making a cucumber tomato salad and lots of sliced cucumbers with onion & dill. Soon I will have to make some pickles. There are also green beans to be frozen or canned. I love our summer garden!

I am wearing...My comfy pj pant's and t-shirt, it is time to shower and get dressed.

I am creating...A planning page for my TOS Crew reviews, a review for SpellQuizzer, lesson plans for Apologia Biology lab and Picturing America co-op class.

I am going...To remember the promises that the Lord spoke once again into my heart this AM, during my quiet time with Him.

I am reading... Two interesting, yet very different, books for review.

I am hoping... To remember that these days are brief and pass quickly, therefore I need to make very careful choices in my words and deeds.

I am hearing... The air conditioner and my laptop cooling pad humming.

Around the house... I hope to begin to organize the school room, there are piles of books everywhere. Also the refrigerator needs a good scrubbing. Ü

One of my favorite things... Is my delicious morning coffee!

A few plans for the rest of the week: Our church's VBS, packing with Jennifer for her two week's of summer camp and reviewing SpellQuizzer.

Here is picture thought I am sharing..

A thank you to the owner of The Simple Woman's Daybook for creating this wonderful meme.

~Red Rock Lake...Knoxville, Iowa~

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 20:55:00 -0500

We enjoyed a relaxing weekend camping and boating at Red Rock Lake near Pella and Knoxville, Iowa. The is an Army Corps of Engineer's lake and campground that is not overcrowded and well-maintained. The girls enjoyed tubing on our new three-person tube. I even was brave enough to let Grace take an easy spin around the lake in it with Jennifer and her friend. I prayed a lot!

Jen, overboard!

Belle really would prefer to be at home!

This camp ground was filled with beautiful trees and in Grace's words "Great nature!" One evening Grace and I were walking to the bathhouse and a fawn walked three feet in front of us on the road. I also saw many birds including blue birds up close.

~Adventureland Park...Des Moines, Iowa~

Wed, 8 Jul 2009 16:44:00 -0500

Every summer we get tickets through my work for Adventureland Fun Park in Des Moines, Iowa. We all enjoy the rides and fun! Last year they added a water-splash park, the girls appreciated cooling off in it!

Liz on the Himalya...this is a ride that goes around in a circle really fast!
She loves it!

What a ducky prize!

Great summer memories! I wish I had pictures of elizabeth on the upside down rollar coaster or Jennifer on the ride that swings you upside down and side ways or Grace on the "Lucky Lady". The weather was very nice(mid 70's) which is fabulous for July in Iowa and there were no lines!

~Book GiveawayA Bride in the Bargain by Deanne Gist

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 10:17:00 -0500

This Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is reviewing

A Bride in the Bargain

Deanne Gist.

The Wedding Is All Planned...
Someone Just Needs to Tell the Bride
In 1860s Seattle, redwoods were plentiful but women scarce. Yet a man with a wife could secure 640 acres of timberland for free.

Joe Denton doesn't have a wife, though. His died before she could follow him to Seattle and now the local judge is threatening to take away his claim. In desperation, he buys himself a Mercer bride--one of the eastern widows and orphans brought to the Territory by entrepreneur Asa Mercer.

Anna Ivey's journey west with Mercer is an escape from the aftermath of the Civil War. She signed on to become a cook--not a bride. When she's handed over to Denton, her stubborn refusal to wed jeopardizes his land. With only a few months before he loses all he holds dear, can he convince this provoking, but beguiling, easterner to become his lawfully wedded wife?

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Bride In The Bargain, go HERE

I have one copy of this book to giveaway.

Leave a comment with your email address and I will pick a random winner on June 26th!

The lazy days of summer invite a lot of delightful reading!

~Wordless Wednesday~

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:10:00 -0500

~Mentoring New Home-educating Parents~

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 09:59:00 -0500

My husband and girls went on our church camp-out last weekend. He is such a great dad! Soon I'll post some pictures. On Sunday morning he became the center of a group discussion about home-educating. One of the sweetest mommy's caught the home-educating dream!

I feel ill-equipped to mentor this sweet mom! But I am excited that the Lord is calling her to keep her child at home. So I am prayerfully beginning the process. I thought I would share an email containing some answers to her questions. We are meeting next Monday evening at our home. If you would like to share any wisdom, for me to pass on to her, please feel free to leave a comment!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here is my first email to her:

Hi Amy,

Here are the sites in the order that I'd start with:

http://homeschooliowa.org/getstartedhomeschooling.html

then...

http://www.homeschoolingabcs.com/

(this site has a lot to chew on so I would take my time on it).

I am excited for you and will be praying for you. Home-educating our children takes some work but the rewards are numerous!

This is my second email to her:

Good Morning Amy,

I love your excitement about homeschooling it is precious and contagious! You are going to do a fabuloug job of homeschooling Lily!

First I want to make a suggestion, be very careful with the book The Well Trained Mind. I read that book the first year we home-educated and it sent me into a tizzy! Susan Wise Bauer has very high standards that are almost undoable, in my humble opinion. Although it is a great guide, it isn't that helpful in the day to day of home-educating.

Instead I would suggest reading your Bible, praying and writing in a prayer journal what the Lord speaks to your heart. I know this sounds weird at first, but He is who keeps me grounded in the day-to-day of our home-education. When things get shaky I am able to be firmly established in the facts that He is the one that called us to home-educate our daughters. He then speaks the nuggets of Truth that He has given me during these times spent with His Word.

Next I'd think through your day-to-day routine of your home...when do the other children nap? I'd write out a simple routine that could incorporate 15 minute learning times for Lily. You will be amazed how six-eight, consistent, 15 minute learning times will reap a lot of knowledge. Plus by keeping it to 15 minutes will keep her from getting burnt out on learning and instead ignite her desire to become a life-long learner and Christ follower.

These methods are called the Charlotte Mason Method...this is one of my favorite website:

http://simplycharlottemason.com

and this is the page about what to do in the early years of learning.
http://simplycharlottemason.com/planning/eyguide/

Sonya Shaffer is a homeschooling moms with lots of great wisdom and fabulous ideas to share.

To answer your questions more specifically:
Did you ever have doubt that you would not be able to teach you kids how to read???

Well...yes and no...I have a terrible sin condition called "pride" and with Elizabeth my stubborn pride wouldn't ever let me doubt I couldn't do it. Plus, Elizabeth is a bright child and she quickly picked up on it. Grace on the other hand I've had a few moments where I've been a little shaky in my ability to teach her. She doesn't like to sit with the books open and read for as long. She loves to play and does a great job doing this quietly. So I tend to be busy with the other girls while she gets to play. This year that is going to be different for her, because she is no longer 4 turning 5 in the middle of the school year. She is 5 turning 6 in the middle of the school year.

I will show you a couple of tools that I used/use for teaching reading. Sherry F. is the best resource for teaching reading though. But there are great curriculum out there to teach reading.

When people at my job ask me "how do you know what, when and how to teach your children?" I reassure them that there are entrepreneurs out there that will sell you the best curriculum to teach your children. The hard part is narrowing down the choices into what is best for you. A lot of prayer is involved and sometimes you will pick something that just doesn't work. Then the choice is ditch it and move on or keep with it until the end of the year. That will just depend on the individual situation of that curriculum.

I assure you as long as you have the desire from the Lord and drive to do it, home-educating Lily will not ruin her in anyway!

Did you feel worried at all that public schools would be able to do a better job than you could???

Jennifer was in the public school for grades k-4th, and I know from that experience that there is no way they can do a better job. The basic premise for public school is generalized group learning. The majority of classes that are taken to be a school teacher is in classroom management and teaching large groups. In your home you can give Lily the individualized education that best meets her learning style/needs and personality. You know your child better and will lovingly give her the best education.

Plus again I struggle with the sin of pride and that makes it totally not even a thought in my brain that they could do a better job. With time and experience those doubts will subside also.

Another question, what do moms do with other siblings while the older homeschool students are partaking in the activities that have been planned for the group for the day???

Do you mean the activities that the support group is participating in? That depends a lot on the activity. With the Little Keeper's you could bring the other children along to participate. If we go on a field trip, like to the Fire station then all the children could come with us too. I organizing Civic Center educational play tickets for the group this year and one of the plays is the Very Hungry Caterpillar. That would be fine to bring all of the children to as well. A lot of home-educating families have many children...so bringing a few extra children with you and Lily to the activities will be no problem. Some moms have the grandparents watch the other siblings while the older homeschool student is involved in the activity as well.

You are going to be the greatest homeschooling mom for Lily and Reed.

Keep the questions coming!

Hugs,

Linda

~The Schoolhouse Planner~

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:27:00 -0500

One of my goals this summer is to develop the best planner for our next school year! We are getting ready for a very busy 2009-2010 school year and one of my motto's is "fail to plan, plan to fail". I searched through the Donna Young sites and began creating my own planning pages in Microsoft. I knew that The Schoolhouse Planner existed but I underestimated the value of this fabulous resource. It is more than a resource it is the wisdom of many homeschool moms, plus a home organizer and educational encylopedia all rolled into one!
I was very excited to be given the privilege to review The Schoolhouse Planner for my first TOS Crew review. It is going to provide the firm foundation for a great plan!

Still doubting the need to spend the $$ on this great resource let me share with you my favorite parts of the planner.

The monthly calendars have large boxes that I will not be able to over-fill! Yeah, no more writing in the margin. But if I did need to write in the margin there is plenty of room to do that. Also pictured here are two recipes, each month there are two tried n' true recipes. Examples of the recipes include....Spinach Alfredo Lasagne, Chicken and Rice, Big Dave's Big Family Chili, and Stromboli. Then each month there are topics for study, with an expert in that area sharing wisdom for us. For instance in the month of September, Dr. Jay Wile writes about "Weather", followed by a handy guide to clouds with extensive description of them. These tools each month would be great starters for month long unit studies.

Charts and tables galore!

Homeschool Forms...there is a plethora of fabulous forms to use.

Some I have already printed off to include in the planner I will have bound include:

~Annual plans....these are set up to briefly write out your homeschool plan for the whole year. They could be for one child but I also intend to use them for a full year. For example, today I am writing out my plan for our hymn study for the year. I will print off the full year and schedule in each hymn will study week by week. Oops...I forgot to mention that each planning sheet has the capablity to type in it! Yes...so I can type the topic "Hymn" then type in each week which hymn we will study. Isn't that fabulous! A planner where you can type into the form anything and everything to make it personally yours!
~Curriculum Planning Sheet...Wouldn't it be great to have a sheet where side by side you could compare each curriculum that you are choosing between? That is exactly what is available within the planner.

Other forms which I will use this year include:

~High School Hours Tracking Log

~Weekly planning for two children(I plan everything for Jennifer using Homeschool Tracker than it transfers into her report card and transcript

~Books Read this Year

~Field Trip planning sheet and a Field Trip report sheet

the list is endless!

If that doesn't peak your curiosity, then let me list a few of the household planning forms.

- Address Book
     - Website Login/Password
     - Home Repair Projects Worksheet
     - Christmas Card List
     - Car Maintenance Schedule
     - Party/Celebration Planning
     - To-Do List/Appointment Schedule
     - Emergency Medical Info Sheet
     - Grocery List
     - Seasonal Cleaning Checklist

Ok I am beginning to sound like a infomercial but before I conclude I want to mention one last really neat feature of this planner.

Have you ever opened a large PDF file and got tired of paging through to get to the exact page you wanted? Well not with the TOS Planner! From the table of contents you click on the line listing the page that you want and it takes you to that page. How cool is that!

Here is the link where you can buy your TOS planner:

(click the picture)

Cost for this fabulous planner is $39.00

Order between June 11, 2009 and July 12, 2009 and receive the 2008 Planner Excerpts FREE.

I will post pictures of my completed planner after I have it bound in late July.

~Strawberry Picking~

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:45:00 -0500

The girls and I went strawberry picking last week at a local pick your own patch. It was a lot of fun, we have been enjoying the fruits of our labor.

~~This is one of our favorite summer time fun things!

Blessings,

Linda

~Homeschooling in Iowa---on Iowa TV Channel~

Wed, 3 Jun 2009 09:14:00 -0500

Our local TV channel aired this piece on homeschooling last month. For the most part it is good, the parts that made me cringe were comments from the Iowa Director of Education.

Happy Viewing.

~Great Summer Reading Programs~

Fri, 29 May 2009 11:01:00 -0500

I love the incentive of Summer Reading programs for my girls. They get rewarded for doing something that is already expected of them :) ....I've found some fun reading programs...

(click the title to go to the program website)

Splish's Summer Reading Program at Homeschool Blogger:

There are lots of fun things happening this year @ Splish's blog...check it out!

Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program:
Although I am in no way endorsing the theme of this program the incentive is good. For reading eight books your children can win a free book. Here are a few of the choices for free books:

GRADES 1 & 2
Abe Lincoln’s Hat by Martha Brenner
Biscuit Takes a Walk by Alyssa Satin Capucilli
Camping Out by Mercer Mayer
Fancy Nancy: The Dazzling Book Report by Jane O’Connor
Little Bear’s Visit by Else Holmelund Minarik
GRADES 3 & 4
Chocolate Fever by Robert Kimmel Smith
The Enormous Egg by Oliver Butterworth
Henry Huggins Beverly Cleary
Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World by Mildred Pitts Walter
Moonwalk: The First Trip to the Moon by Judy Donnelly
Pick of the Litter by Bill Wallace
GRADES 5 & 6
The Aurora County All-Stars by Deborah Wiles
Beacon Street Girls #1: Worst Enemy/Best Friends Annie Bryant
Ben and Me by Robert Lawson
Sounder by William H. Armstrong

Half-Price Books:

This year's program at Half-Price books is called "Feed Your Brain".

Your children will earn a $3 gift card for each week that they read fifteen minutes per day.

Download the reading log directly from their site. We LOVE Half-Price Bookstore at our home.

Sylvan Reading Challenge:

Book Adventure is a FREE reading motivation program for children in grades K-8. Children create their own book lists from over 7,000 recommended titles, take multiple choice quizzes on the books they've read, and earn points and prizes for their literary successes. Book Adventure was created by and is maintained by Sylvan Learning.

Check out your local library:

All local libraries have summer reading programs for children. Our's will have prizes for every 5 hours they read, some prizes include gift cards, free books, and a t-shirt. The girls will also be able to register for special prize give-aways.

Soon I will post our summer reading lists!

~~Keeping those pages turning....

Linda

~Timber Ridge Reflection Series by Tamera Alexander~

Fri, 22 May 2009 09:33:00 -0500

Determined to become one of the country's premier newspaper photographers, Elizabeth Westbrook travels to the Colorado Territory to capture the grandeur of the mountains surrounding the remote town of Timber Ridge. She hopes, too, that the cool, dry air of Colorado, and its renowned hot springs, will cure the mysterious illness that threatens her career, and her life.

Daniel Ranslett is a man shackled by his Confederate past, and he'll do anything to protect his land, and his solitude. When an outspoken Yankee photographer captures an image that appears key to solving a murder, putting herself in danger, Daniel is called upon to repay a debt. He's a man of his word, but repaying that debt could reveal secrets from his past he would prefer remain buried. Forced on a perilous journey together, Daniel and Elizabeth's lives intertwine in ways neither could have imagined when first they met from a distance.

Dismissed from the university where she served as Professor of Romantic Languages, Dr. Molly Whitcomb travels west to start over in the secluded mountain town of Timber Ridge, Colorado, where she'll be teaching children. Her train stops in Denver, and on a whim, Molly purchases a wedding band--an attempt to cover a mistake, but also a chance at a fresh start.

Sheriff James McPherson was eager to hire a schoolteacher, but Dr. Molly Whitcomb isn't what he expected. His instincts about people--which rarely miss the mark--tell him she's hiding something. And when Molly's secret is revealed, her reinvented life begins to unravel. What's more, she risks losing her newfound relationship with the sheriff and her renewed faith in God.

Tamera Alexander is a bestselling novelist whose deeply drawn characters, thought-provoking plots, and poignant prose resonate with readers. Having lived in Colorado for seventeen years, she and her husband now make their home in Tennessee, where they enjoy life with their two college-age children and a Silky named Jack.

My Thoughts....

I thoroughly enjoyed reading these two books, there were engaging with great plots, character development and detailed setting descriptions. Mrs. Alexander does a great job of adding twist and turns within the plots that keeps them from becoming the predicatable inspirational romance fiction book.

Although the stories are written in a series it would not be difficult to pick up the second book "Beyond This Moment" and feel connected to the storyline in an instant.

I also appreciated the way that Mrs. Alexander wove principles of scripture throughout these stories. Each of the main characters continue to turn to the Lord, to trust Him and allow Him to direct their paths. Although as the author of the book Mrs. Alexander can orchestrate their ending she does not necessarily wrap it up in pretty little packages. The characters spend a lot of time dealing with hard issues and healing their hearts from past hurts.

I was delighted to return to Timber Ridge in "Beyond This Moment" but found it to be less of a historical fiction book than "From A Distance" was. The only historical element touched upon in this book is how the west became a melting pot for many ethnic groups.

Although there is a few kissing scenes in the books there is no sexual content.

I highly recommend reading these two books and would give them both five stars out of five stars.

~In Gratitude for His servants that share their gifts,

~NaturExplorers Unit Studies ~

Tue, 19 May 2009 17:43:00 -0500

There are several blogs that inspire me to get my children out into the outdoors and immerse them in God's Creation. Now two of them had joined their talents to create a new business called:

Shining Dawn Books.

Through their company you can recieve fabulous unit studies that guide you and your family into God's creation. Titles include:

Animal Signs

Beautiful Birds

Captivating Clouds

Creatures of the Night

Delightful Deciduous Trees

Wonderful Wildflowers

There are so many great titles I don't know which one to chose, I've narrowed it down to "Hard as a Rock" and "Fungus Among Us".

How about you? Please visit their blogs to encourage them and join this contest too!

Melissa and Cindy.

The Simple Woman Daybook for May 18, 2009

Mon, 18 May 2009 07:17:00 -0500

click on the above picture to join other women @ The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY~May 18, 2009...
Outside my window...Is a hotel parking lot!
I am thinking...How blessed I am to have this alone time with my wonderful husband.
I am thankful for...What fabulous grandparents my children have.
From the learning rooms...All is quiet. We ended our school year last week and will start our summer schooling on June 1st.
From the kitchen...It is quiet...I'm on vacation with my wonderful husband.
I am wearing...My favorite khaki capri's and a teal t-shirt.
I am creating...Lesson plans for: our summer school, Apologia Biology lab and Picturing America co-op class.
I am going...Shopping at on outlet mall, boating on Lake of the Ozark's, hikiing @ two Missouri state parks and eating out.
I am reading...Apologia Biology textbook
I am hoping...for a wonderful time of relaxing and connecting
I am hearing...my husband laughing at a silly TV commercial
Around the house...I'm praying that my oldest daughter and little dog are getting along ok.
One of my favorite things...

Lilacs...they are my favorite flower.

A few plans for the rest of the week: I hope to steal a few moments to write blog entries and clean sweep my blog template.

Here is picture thought I am sharing..

Elizabeth and I prior to her dance recital this weekend.

A thank you to the owner of The Simple Woman's Daybook for creating this wonderful meme.

"What Does The Bible Say About That?" by Carolyn Larsen

Tue, 12 May 2009 11:09:00 -0500

In "What Does The Bible Say About That? Carolyn Larsen develops 340 topics using the Bible as the guide. Written in conversational style, the target audience is ages 8-12 years of age.

I have been using this book for part of our morning devotions over the last few weeks. The pages are straight forward but not exhausative in content. We've also discussed other verses that apply to that topic. For instances after reading 1 John chapter 4, we then discussed the devotion on Love. But this is not an exhausative discussion on how to love others, mainly it is a skimming. Obviously when covering 340 topics all cannont indepth.

As the previous reviewer wrote, the author does not go indepth about Jesus but there are mentions of Him throughout the book. For instance, in the devotion "God's Love" she writes about the ways that God shows His love for us and she states "and the greatest gift of all...his son, Jesus." True she does not clearly state that God sent His Son to die on the cross as a propitiation for my sin. And in the devotion on sin there is no mention that as a sinner I need to accept Jesus as my Savior to be free from the punishment of sin.

We will continue to use this as a topical devotional but not as an all inclusive guide to biblical character devolopment in our home.

~REVIEW~HomeWork and WeEbooks

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 19:28:00 -0500

With the current economic crisis realistic more and more homeschooling mothers are going to have to contribute financially to their homes. Working from home is an excellent way to be able to do this, while continuing to be the keeper of their home.

In a new book from TOS "HomeWork" seasoned work @ home homeschooling mothers share their tried and true tips from their families experiences.

Here are a few of the chapters and my favorite tips shared:

Chapter One:

Homework: A Labor of Love

In this first chapter we get a glimpse of how six families turned some of their "loves" into businesses. The first family is a beautiful example of taking talents and turning into a financial future for their family. This family is also on an adventure of RV schooling!

Chapter Two:

Homework: Computer Based

These mothers share their expertise in computer-based businesses. Although computers are a part of almost all businesses, these mothers share how they use their computer talents to bring income into their homes.

The first mother really shares how she by faith began her businesss from the ground up. It was neat to read how she and her husband work as a team caring for their children.

Chapter Three:

Homework: Creative Writing

In this chapter four mothers share their passion for the written word either writing or publishing it. I especially appreciated the words of Rebekkah Wilson of Hope Chest Legacy, to never give up on a dream was extremely encouraging. This chapter is worth the price of the book.

Chapter Four:

Homework: Business Support

In this final chapter two mothers share their stories of starting home-based business out of necessity and seeing them turn into special blessings from the Lord. As Karen Kirby shares "God has blessed what started out as "yuck typing" and turned it into a wonderful opportunity to work at home something that I could have never made happen on my own".

~Great book to encourage mothers in their endeavors to work from home.

~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^

Currently their are currently forty-two We E-books at the Homeschool Store all great reads for any homeschool parent. They are concise information packed books that can be read in an afternoon instead of a weekend. Plus they only cost $1.95, how great is that price?

Here a few titles that caught my eye:
*Homeschooling the Rebel Part 1 by Debbie Wuehler

*Are Parents Really Necessary by Amelia Harper

*The Italian Renaissance, by Maggie Hogan

*Science on the Wings of a Butterfly by Michelle Eichhorn

*The Value of Homeschool Conventions
By Amelia Harper, Deborah Wuehler and Kate Kessler

*Changing History Theories and How to Teach Them by Ruth Beechick

I downloaded and read through "The Value of Homeschool Conventions". What a great information packed resource, filled with great ideas on how to get the most of my homeschool convention this year. In these twenty-one pages the tips were very applicable on how to really enjoy our homeschool convention this year.

These books are little but big reads!

~~~Wishing you joy in your home-educating journey,

~Encouraging Words~

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 07:43:00 -0500

I don't want to be one of those bloggers that leaves a long list of reasons why they haven't blogged in forever. I do apologize that I haven't at least put a note on here that I may not blog much. I could say I am very busy with a list of the various activities that take me away from the computer. I am really looking forward to May when life will return to a more reasonable pace. All of these things have been "good" but I'm not going to so eagerly jump into them next year.

The other part of my lack of blogging is that we are in the midst of a personal trial here in our home. The Lord is so gracious and loving, it is nothing compared to other ordeals that could happen. But it has impacted our daily living and we are all grateful for the Lord carrying the burden.

These words, written by Elisabeth Elliot, encourage me.

Title: Faith Is Holding Out Your Hand

Sometimes when I was a child my mother or father would say, "Shut your
eyes and hold out your hand." That was the promise of some lovely
surprise. I trusted them, so I shut my eyes instantly and held out my
hand. Whatever they were going to give me I was ready to take. So it
should be in our trust of our heavenly Father. Faith is the willingness to
receive whatever He wants to give, or the willingness not to have what He
does not want to give.

I am content to be and have what in Thy heart
I am meant to be and have.
--(George MacDonald, Diary of an Old Soul)

From the greatest of all gifts, salvation in Christ, to the material
blessings of any ordinary day (hot water, a pair of legs that work, a cup
of coffee, a job to do and strength to do it), every good gift comes down
from the Father of Lights. Every one of them is to be received gladly and,
like gifts people give us, with thanks.

Sometimes we want things we were not meant to have. Because He loves us,
the Father says no. Faith trusts that no. Faith is willing not to have
what God is not willing to give. Furthermore, faith does not insist upon
an explanation. It is enough to know his promise to give what is good--He
knows so much more about that than we do.

~Holding out my hand in faith, to one who always gives what is good,

~Spring Reading Thing~

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 07:45:00 -0500

I think this is my third year to participate in Callapidder Days Spring Reading challenge. It is a simple way to inspire me to set goals and read the stack of books accumulating around me and in my book case. It also encourages me to complete partially read books. I plan to complete these spring reading goals by June 23rd, check back on that date for a follow up entry. Also I have a book review blog where I am hosting a contest: FaithfulGraceReader.My spring reading goals:

~*Bible*~I plan to read the following books of the bible, taken from my read the bible through in a year plan found here.*Deuteronomy*James*Joshua*Matthew*Judges*Romans*Ruth*Ephesians*1 Samuel *Phillipians*2 Samuel *Colossians*1 Kings*Jonah*Philemon*2 Kings

~*Family Bible Reading*~finish Mark then Esther*Phillipians*Ruth*1 John~*Bible Study Books*~~~I Saw the Lord by Anne Graham Lotz(complete this one)Experiencing the Resurrection by Henry and Melvin Blackaby~~A Vision of His Glory by Anne Graham LotzBegin with Christ by Carole Lewis

~*Personal Reading*~Christian FictionChasing Charity by Marcia Gruver~~A Cousin's Promise by Wanda Brunstetter~~The Shack by Wm. Paul YoungA Vote of Confidence by Robin Lee HatcherThe Secret by Beverly LewisMy Son, John by Kathi Macias

Boneman's Daughters by Ted DekkerPJ Sugar by Susan May WarrenShame by Greg GarretAccording to Their Deeds by Paul RobertsonTaking Tuscany by Renee RivaBeloved Counterfeir by Kathleen Y'BarboDeceptive Promises by Amber MillerJillian Dare: A Novel by Melanie JeschkeRose House by Tina Ann ForknerBreathe by Lisa BergrenBreaking Up Is Hard to Do by Anne Dayton & May VanderbiltA Bride in the Bargain by Deeanna GistA Love to Last Forever by Tracie PetersonBeyond this Moment by Tamera Alexander A Claim of Her Own by Stephanie Grace Whitson
(This list looks long, but a lot of these books I can whip through in 4-6 hours)Christian Non-Fiction~Finish~Disappointment with God by Phillip Yancey(I've been reading this one for 2 years!)Let the Nations Be Glad by John Piper(I started this one on family vacation in June of 2005)first place 4 health by Carole LewisQuiet Strength by Tony Dungy~Then Read~Don't Waste Your Life by John PiperThe Christian Secret of A Happy Life by Hannah Whitall SmithPure Gold by Pam DavisThe Mission Minded Family by Ann DunagenFinding God in the Shack by Randal Rauser

~Family Read Aloud~(this list will get added to later, when I have planned our remaing 8 weeks of school)God's Leader for Our Nation: Abraham Lincoln by David CollinsThe Yearling by Marjorie RawlingsThe King's Daughter by J.E. White

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
This list is somewhat lengthy, it is my "goal". If I don't aim high, I will accomplish low!

Looking forward to reading other lists! ~Wishing you many delightful blessings found within in the pages of your favorite reads,

~Resources to Review for Standardized Testing~

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 16:39:00 -0500

Today in Preschool Co-op we got into a discussion about standardized test.
I shared with the other mom's about books I've used to "prepare" Jennifer for taking the Iowa Test of Basic Skills. Although we wouldn't have to do standardized testing for Jennifer this year, I think it is nice to know where she is at. Also it helps prepare her for taking the ACT and SAT one day. She isn't a great test taker, mainly because she hurries through it without thorougly reading the questions and answers.

I have her do these review books for practice and to cover areas that we don't cover during our school time. Last year she did poorly in library skills and map reading. We've worked on her geography off and on throughout the year. But the test preparation book helps us pinpoint the area that will be tested and increase her knowledge in these areas. Please know I am not really in to testing, there are a variety of circumstances that affect the test results. Netherless we do test Jennifer, we are still praying about when and if we will test Elizabeth.

This is the book I purchased this year for Jennifer to use. The pages are precise and have enough questions to determine whether or not Jennifer "gets" the area that is being tested. I purchased this one mainly because of the reveiws at Amazon.

Last year Jennifer went through the 7th grade version of this book. I liked this book but the reviews on Amazon were not as good. Her test results were better than the previous year though. But again, there are a lot of factors that go into test results.

Hope that this helps someone,

~Weekly Homeschool Report for Week Ending 3/6/09~

Fri, 6 Mar 2009 06:38:00 -0600

Hymn.. What a Friend We Have in Jesus

Bible Reading..

Sadly we didn't do any bible reading together this week. We've all done our individual reading and verse memory work. Next week this will be a priority.

Math, Language Arts, Science.....

Well we just keep plugging away at our textbooks in these areas. Jennifer and I spent a few hours on Wednesday going over her Geometry lesson. I think she had simply raced through the lesson and not thought it through. Thank you Lord for Teaching Textbook! Secretly I'll be glad when we are done with Geometry. Jennifer never complains but I dread it!

Elizabeth and I are working on her addition math facts. I looked through a friend's son's Christian Light 2nd grade math book this week and we will definitely switch from Math U See to it. I plan to have her work through a few of them this summer to get caught up with Christian Light's third grade level work.

I like Math U See for teaching the basics, but I am ready to switch to more traditional style textbook. Elizabeth does well with workbooks and I believe the Christian Light will provide enough review to keep her math skills sharp.

Elizabeth is enjoying writing her story, unsurprisingly it is written in the same style as Little House on the Prairie. This has been a great way to work on her spelling as well.

Jennifer is working on a critique of The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Anderson. This has been an interesting assignment for us. We have become well versed in Disney's version of The Little Mermaid, but this is not the exact version that Hans Christian Anderson wrote. Writing a critique is a great skill for Jennifer to learn and I am learning right along with her.

Science has been light this week...Jennifer is learning about the laws of the forces of nature, other than gravity. Elizabeth's science class did a review lesson this week.

History...

For history this week I cheated! The girls and I watched The Civil War by Ken Burns DVD this week. We just watched the beginning of the first espisode. Our history time is cut short a lot of time's for co-op, piano lessons, nature walks, orthodontist appointments and Keeper's of the Faith meetings. I'd be lying if I said this didn't stress me somewhat, but I try to remember that we can catch up with some good reading this summer. I will not alter my plan to do history chronologically in four year cycles. This will put us back to the beginning next year for Jennifer's freshman year of high school.

Nature Walk

Thursday we had perfect weather for a nature walk. I've missed our nature walks this winter, but it gets very cold in Iowa during the winter.

Elizabeth and I looking into the glorious sunshine!

Elizabeth working on drawing moss on a tree trunk.

Jennifer and Grace encouraging Liz and I to hurry up!

Miss Belle patiently waiting for me to hurry up!

A quick picture before....

They are off to play....

Grace's Kindegarten...

I don't want to forget to add a little bit about Grace's learning. We continue to do a few lessons a week in her 100 Easy Reading Lessons,A Beka K workbooks and she is finishing up her Rod and Staff PreK workbooks.

I want to write a separate entry about our Preschool Co-op lessons for the last few weeks. But it is bedtime and that will have to wait.

That wrap's up my report for this week, the hardest thing to put into words are the little things that happen throughout the week that make big memories for me. Every little spontanous "I love you, Mom", and hug and kiss. Seeing Jennifer taking responsibility for so many things. It isn't only about book education and this week was one more about being a family.

~Treasuring these precious days as we train our daughter's to love the Lord and serve Him all of the days of their live's,

~Weekly Homeschool Report*Week Ending 2/20/09

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:21:00 -0600

click on the above picture to view other Weekly Homeschool Reports

This week seem to fly by very quickly. We did accomplish a fair amount of learning, mixed in with other fun activities.

We have completed 105 total days of school, I hope to have most of work wrapped up by May 15th. Thankfully the respiratory illnesses that have struck our home have not stopped our schooling. The girls are troopers and plug along at their work.

Math: Jennifer has moved into the trigonmetry part of her Geometry Teaching Textbook. She seems to like it and is doing fairly well. She will finish this book about 2 weeks before we are done with our school year. I will then have her go through the last 1/3 of her Algebra 1 book, this will help her prepare for Algebra 2 in the fall.

Elizabeth has sped through her Math U See Beta book, she will be done in a month with this book. I need to be more diligent with her on memorzing her math facts. Once she is done with the book, we will do math games during her math time.

Language Arts: Jennifer has been re-writing Aesop's fables in her writing class. This is her one written in Southern Hick dialect.

The Fox and the Crow

By: Jennifer

A crow wasin up dat there tree, with dat there food in beak. Sittin’ low on park bench, wasin Mrs. Fox and boy.

“Ma,” sez boy, sezee, “me wanna eat.”

“Yo’ will,” Sez ma, “watchen dis”

She sayin’ loud for dat there crow, “Dat there crows sooo mighty perty!”

Hearin’ dis, da crow ruffled up his feathers, bein pleased n’ all.

“Why, boy don’t dat coat never look so perty?”

Dat there crow never did felt so proud.

“And look at em’ manners.”

Dat crow, he feelin’ so mighty proud, lik’en a cat, he kin purr.

“People been sayin’ dat there crow got him a mighty fine caw”

“I’m gwine ter show dem people I can caw!” Dat there crow thinkin’. Den he openin’ up his beak to do so. When’in dat happened, hiz a food fell right to that ground for dat there fox to eat.

“Here go boy, eatin dat food.” Sez Mrs. Fox.

“Comin’ boy,” sez Mrs. Fox, “Dat there cawin’ don hurtin my ears”

Common sense is greater than beauty~

She had a lot of fun writing that one, this week she is writing one using Hans Christian Anderson style of writing. He wrote with a lot of adjectives and similes. She isn't quiet as fond of it.

Elizabeth has begun writing a story as part of her language arts. She is developing the setting, plot and characters. She is making good progress in her Abeka workbooks, this week she even did a great job of proofreading her work before turning it in.

Science: Jennifer finished up her chapter on Sir Isaac Newton and will move on to studying Johannes Kepler. Elizabeth is learning about arthropods in her science class.

History: We spent a lot of time studying the Underground Railroad and slavery this week. The two little girls and I made tin can lanterns, wish I had a picture to share.

How about this one:

They watched the Nest Family video on Harriet Tubman and Abraham Lincoln this week. We also listened to the recording "Harriet Tubman" which was offered this week on Homeschool Freebies.

Elizabeth did the lapbook for "Follow the Drinking Gourd" found at Homeschool Share.

Thursday, Jennifer went to a play at the Civic Center with another homeschool family. The suggested ages for the play were 6th-9th grade. The little girls and I made a trip to the Des Moines Public Library. There is a traveling sculpture show at the library. Everything sculpture is made of items pulled from Iowa rivers.

Elizabeth is holding the hand of a frog made from old bike parts.

That is pretty much the highlights of the week. They also did their usual workbooks and worksheets, plus; piano lessons and practice, walk/ran on the treadmill, dance classes, helping mom cook, bible/prayer/devotional studies and Awana's on Wednesday night.

Treasuring these day's in my heart,

In gratitude to the One who makes it all possible.

Faith in Love - Homeschool Blogger

~Simple Woman Daybook for July 13th, 2009~

~Red Rock Lake...Knoxville, Iowa~

~Adventureland Park...Des Moines, Iowa~

~Book Giveaway~~A Bride in the Bargain by Deanne Gist~~

~Wordless Wednesday~

~Mentoring New Home-educating Parents~

~The Schoolhouse Planner~

~Strawberry Picking~

~Homeschooling in Iowa---on Iowa TV Channel~

~Great Summer Reading Programs~

~Timber Ridge Reflection Series by Tamera Alexander~

~NaturExplorers Unit Studies ~

The Simple Woman Daybook for May 18, 2009

"What Does The Bible Say About That?" by Carolyn Larsen

~REVIEW~HomeWork and WeEbooks

~Encouraging Words~

~Spring Reading Thing~

~Resources to Review for Standardized Testing~

~Weekly Homeschool Report for Week Ending 3/6/09~

~Weekly Homeschool Report*Week Ending 2/20/09

Common sense is greater than beauty~

~Book GiveawayA Bride in the Bargain by Deanne Gist