Dulce Domum

Happy St. Nicholas Day

2009-12-06T16:32:00.001-08:00

Today is the Feast Day of St. Nicholas of Myra, and these are some of the ways we celebrated today! The kids layed out their shoes by the fire place and left St. Nicholas an apple, carrots for his horse :)

We have been reading books for a couple weeks that I have gotten from the library (many books:) but here are a few that we liked! I heart inter-library loans!
The kids love the different history and legends that are written. I have used so many great blogs as resources for lists!
Here were their shoes to discover in the morning!! They were all so excited (of course) and shared their stories of St. Nicholas before we headed to church. (Niky was at a neighbor's birthday sleep over:)We decided to have a brunch after church with Steve's parents to celebrate. We made strawberry blintzes and read some of the books cuddled on the couch. Allie set the table for me and Steve put a picture of St. Nicholas on everyone's plate. Shaye made our dessert...
Kerry helped me with an idea and the kids responded SO wonderfully! I told them that they were to secretly help out someone in our family and then they had to place the St. Nicholas card where they gave sacrificially. I think EVERY bed was made by dinner time and even the trash taken out by my four year old! Seth even took half the rice krispy treats to a neighbor with a note. They LOVE giving! We may be inerrantly sinful, but we love responding to our Lord! I really needed to see this!

We got to help a family we love this weekend that just naturally gives to others. Then, they were all given monetary gifts today for Christmas by their grandparents...Steve and I were challenged that we need to adopt a family or a need to take care of howEVER we could. We had a family meeting and decided to help a family that has been dealing with cancer attacking this family's father and ALL that that entails. A local group in our town is collecting money for their Christmas and we decided to give to them. This really has nothing to do with US! I see it as, it really has to do with helping this family. We GET to give!!! Two days ago, we could NOT have! The whole spirit of St. Nicholas got to play out in many ways today. SO thankful!

What started as maybe a lesson in church history or Anglican tradition ended in seeing how God was truly meeting our need so that we could look OUTSIDE ourselves!

Emmanuel, God WITH us!

First Week of Advent Comes to a Close

2009-12-05T21:37:00.000-08:00

It has been a great first week of Advent.

We unpacked some Christmas decorations last Sunday...the girls were SO anxious to get started. I walked into the living room at one point and saw my cute hubby putting together an artificial tree that we have borrowed from my inlaws the past couple years...he had super glue and my hair dryer, trying to piece it back together... Once he got the top on and saw that the lights were not working he threw it all back into the box. Poor guy! He tries so hard for us!! On Monday I took the kids to BSF and Steve and Shaye went and got us all a tree! Shaye was so proud to pick it out and kept saying...This is the best Christmas tree ever! Its finally decorated!

I explained to the kids how I wanted Advent to be focused and asked what past Advent traditions they wanted to use to walk that out. The Jesse Tree was a must to them...we are hit or miss on a daily basis, but overall this week, we have had some great conversations of Jesus being chosen from the beginning of time! Many of the ornaments are ones that Nik made when he was 8, so he is a tad emotionally connected to them. It is neat to be going over it again and see how each of them has grown in scripture over the past couple years and how they get certain aspects of theology on a slightly deeper level than before. I just don't think you can overdo the Jesse Tree. I have found different sites (bought that one a couple years back) and books that are great also, but for some reason I keep going back to this one and use it every year!

Also, they wanted to start Jotham's Journey again. This is a series of books we had started about 4 or 5 years ago. The kids are all at different stages now, so the girls (7 & almost 5) will start to appreciate them like the boys do! They always beg for more to be read! I love ending a storytime like that!! During this reading we light our advent candles, their other favorite part :)

I mentioned also to the kids that I wanted to focus on Advent music/hymns this month, instead of just the typical Christmas music. Nik took it upon himself to pick a hymn each day with a book he got last year for St. Nicholas Day. Because of those little lessons, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear was ruined for me because the author believes all roads lead to Jesus...sigh...we did get introduced to the "O Antiphons" though and cannot wait to discover those more, very interesting!! I also was sent these two devotionals. One is from Our Grace Journey, a blog that I have used for different studies before. The other one is from an AMiA church in Chapel Hill, NC.

Mentally I feel like I am IN Advent...which is NO small feat for me and my brain! I feel focused and able to think outside my homeschool mental box (something God is trying to grow in me, patiently). I am loving the revelations that I am getting regarding Advent and the traditions, I just love the depth of our Creator!!

Third Annual Advent Carnival

2009-11-29T09:51:00.000-08:00

Kerry over at A Ten O'Clock Scholar is hosting again the Anglican Advent Carnival! It has so helped me fascilitate and learn the liturgy of Advent the past couple years. Please go over and read all the great posts about how others prepare their hearts for Advent.

Advent

2009-11-28T19:42:00.001-08:00

Stir us up, O Lord, to make ready for your only-begotten Son. May we be able to serve you with purity of soul through the coming of him who lives and reigns.

The first Sunday in Advent is November 29th this year. I think every year I wonder how quickly it got here. Some years I don't feel like I was paying attention, others, I felt so crazed that it was over before I caught up. This year I feel somewhat cognizant of what is actually going on around me. This does not mean I am planned all the way through Advent or any other sort of foolishness. But, I am ready to prepare my heart for Advent. And I guess that is what it is about! Because, if I am ready, then, I am somewhat prepared to walk my children through it also!

I went back and looked at different things we have done over the years. So much we have learned as a family since then. But this week I discovered this blog. It brought to my heart a few things...one, it is not Christmas until December 25th, no matter what sale's ads tell you! I SO understand the anticipation and longing to make this season seem longer than it is and to LAST longer than it does. But when you follow the calendar of Advent, Christmastide and Epiphany, it really does last longer than we think! So much depth to this season that I have missed before, even growing up in the church. I just love how the author of this post expresses that, even just through the music alone! Its about the anticipation, we are SUPPOSED to feel that way! But anticipation of WHAT?!? I have understood the answer to that question for years, but I feel I finally *get it* this year on a deeper level. But, thats how God's word works, ever growing inside of us.
Another thing it brought to my heart was: to give understanding of the anticipation that the kids feel.
I am typically not anti-consumerism (in general), but the more I start to get this on a spiritual level, the more I see how it totally steals. It steals from our joy, our anticipation, our true happiness, all of it (if we are really honest with ourselves). Of course we will give gifts this year, but I want my children to understand *why* they feel those butterflies in their bellies. Its, dare I say, God ordained, to point back to Him! They're all signs to point back to the One who it is all about! Emmanual...God with us!

I do not get music the way Jennifer Miller gets music, but I understand what she is trying to express and communicate. Advent. Adventus. Ecce advenit Dominator Dominus. Behold, the Lord, the Ruler, is come. Advent is VERY different than Christmas, and I feel like that is what I am finally understanding. I feel with the traditions we have set up the past couple years, we have built the form of the spiritual truths that God wants to communicate to us this season.
It will help (hopefully) make sense because of these traditions we have used in the past! I have such a deeper anticipation even in my own heart! I am so excited to be able to communicate this with the kids and help them put meaning to that anticipation that they feel. Some of this revelation I wonder why I had not seen, not only have you come Lord, you are so patient as well! Help us look to you, Emmanual, God WITH us!

Confessions of an ESFP

2009-11-28T18:21:00.000-08:00

Ok, most of my family and close friends know I hate (HATE) personality tests. The first time I took the Myers-Briggs (I refuse to link that...you can google it on your own:) test in 92ish, I was on staff with Youth With A Mission and we took it so we could learn how to work together. I thought it was so dumb. I have no idea why, but I remember our Director saying, your personality type hates to take these tests. That sent me over the edge!

My husband is now working toward getting ordained as a Deacon with Anglican Missions in America (AMiA) and we had to do a marriage assessment for that. Of course that entailed 5 personality tests, no joke. One was even a Spiritual Gifts test, all it really tested was my cynicism, which I am sure my Myers-Briggs fully explains:) Anyways, I have to say...I think I learned something...I don't know who Myers or Briggs are, or how they even came up with all those questions, but it helped me. Well, it helped part of me:)

My personality type was/is E (extrovert) S (sensory) F (feeling) P (perceiving). Henry is almost the same except for the end which his is J (judging). Mine is supposably *the performer*, which maybe explained me at 15, but not really now. What it did help with is...homeschooling.

What it explained to me is that I like things open ended, not structured (though my head likes to think I want to be structured), want to consider ALL possibilities, nothing set in stone because of unknown variables, flexible, likes adventure, takes risks, etc. This explains me to a T! Its actually what drives my poor hubby crazy. I even yell at him for writing in his calendar in ink, cause something might change! I NEVER write on ANY calendar in ink...its forbidden!

Link to homeschooling with four children, which really needs to be scheduled, organized (times 4), time slotted, written in ink, goal oriented, big picture minded===STRESS. And not just any ol' stress, MY stress! Something that our counselor that was in charge of giving and interpreting all of this said, was, you need to mesh your personality type with homeschooling four children. You need to lower your stress.

No duh! was what I was thinking! Thats the only thing I KNEW walking in there! It actually had been my heart's cry!

So, now I at least feel like I have a mission. I need to have a schedule that serves my children to the fullest, but doesn't stress me out and HELPS me to serve them. I am going to work on that over Advent as we take a break from the rigorous schedule that we usually are working on. I need to also trust God in this. I need to see it as a tool and not *who* I am specifically (my type wouldn't allow that anyway:).

Simplicity of the Gospel

2009-11-22T20:38:00.000-08:00

This is the last week of Term One of this year! We are finishing off books, ending units, preparing for Thanksgiving and Advent…exciting and exhausting all at once. Yet, this was the hardest term for me. Which seems strange, since this is our seventh year of home schooling, so it should be getting easier, not harder right?

God is taking me to the END of me…all those *great* Christian clichés we often quote: ‘more of Him, less of us’, ‘Him increase while we decrease’, ‘in our weakness He is strong’ (ok, that one is really scripture)…you get my point. Well, if you have ever truly fleshed that out…you don’t really pray those when you are IN it…you mostly start saying, “OH GOD! HELP!” Which I suppose is His point! Nevertheless, the process is so very valuable, and yet excruciating all at the same time. And even more important: eternal.

Then tonight, I came across this quote in my BSF study notes on John 6: “In order to recognize and appreciate a supernatural work of God, it is first necessary to recognize its impossibility on a human level.” Which, quite honestly, makes me cuss every time…not kidding.

Home schooling, obviously has been easy for me to handle until this point. I have made it work, had fun, learned the Charlotte Mason method, learned about my children, enjoyed my children. Then this year (the most organized I have ever started), cannot make it work, yell more than I want to, cuss out Charlotte Mason and not enjoying my children like I want and I don’t even want to know what they thought of me the past couple weeks.

And, yet, its not even really all about ME…I can so make every hard time and/or Bible lesson about me, about how I am changing, about how I am becoming a moldable vessel to him, about my fruit, about how THIS scripture spoke to ME, etc, etc.

The real question remains:

What about my homeschooling reveals the Glory of God?

Am I focusing on the food that is perishable, instead of the food that is imperishable?

“Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to
eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father
has set his seal.” John 6:27

What does Jesus say that this imperishable food is?? Jesus answers some of the 5000 that just ate the miraculous ‘3 loaves, 2 fish’ meal (they just experienced a miracle, a sign of who He is, and MISSED the whole point) : verse 29: This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.

That’s it??? No steps? Just believe? Are you sure? It’s not harder? more complicated?

Lord forgive me of my UNbelief.

I am t.r.y.i.n.g. to make sure school is enjoyable, not scarring, creates a love of learning and knowledge, builds good habits, is structured, provides lessons of character building. On and on and on and on I could go. Efforts toward food that perishes;

He says…BELIEVE in the one who was sent.

The Inaugural National Running Day~June 3

2009-06-03T11:29:00.000-07:00

I was looking for a race to do in Maryland while we will be visiting family there and I found this article on Active.com ! I even ran 5 miles this morning without even knowing, how exciting!! Especially, it is not like me to get up and run early...a habit which I am trying to instill in my life! Here is the official Running Day website!

Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival

2009-05-27T19:36:00.000-07:00

Its here again, and posted! Please go over to Higher Up and Further In!!

Apologia Science Books

2009-05-20T08:21:00.000-07:00

Apologia is now producing notebooking journals that accompany each of the elementary science books. I am very excited because we are about to start Botany and do it over the summer. Both Botany and Astronomy are now available. I posted the sample pages at the bottom.

These journals are beautiful spiral bound notebooks that will save you time and money. You won't have to print and keep up with your child's notebook pages, buy and maintain page protectors, or purchase and compile binders...everything that makes notebooking time-consuming and labor intensive for mom. Also, your child will adore having their own notebooking journal.

Each of the notebooking journals include:

A daily schedule for those who like to have a plan or would like their children to complete the book on their own.
Templates for written narrations, the notebooking activities and experiments
Review Questions
Scripture Copywork, with both print and cursive practice
Reading lists and additional activities, projects, experiments for each lesson
An appendix with beautiful, full-color, lapbook-style Miniature Books
Field Trip Sheets to keep a record field trips
A Final Review with fifty questions the students can answer either orally or in writing to show off all they remember and know at the end of the course.
See the sample pages here:
Botany and Astronomy

Jeannie is giving away four Astronomy Notebooking Journals and four Botany Notebooking Journals to bloggers who post about this on her site. Visit her blog to learn more about this contest. I am obviously hoping to win one;)

Seth's Year 2 Term 1 Exam

2009-05-04T14:20:00.000-07:00

Year 2 Term 1 Exam Questions

Penmanship
Write 1 John 4:7-8 from memory in your best handwriting.
Recitation
Recite fluidly 1 John 4:7-14
Poetry
Tell me about your favorite poem by Walter De La Mare. Read me three of his poems.

Bible (from BSF classes on THE LIFE OF MOSES)
What happened at the first Passover? Tell me in your best words its meaning for us today.Who was Balaam?What was Balaam's sin? What lessons may we learn from the story?
Why did the Israelites get sent back toward the desert after the 12 spies came back from the Promised Land?
Who did not get to enter the Promised Land and why?
Why did the law have to be repeated again later in Deuteronomy?

History/Geography
(No CHOW-not consistent with it this term)

Leif the Lucky
1. When the Vikings were in sight of the new land, a storm arose. What did Eric the Red think caused this?

2. What was Brattali like?

3. Describe Leif’s early years.

4. Who was Olav Trygvason?

5. What did Olav share with Leif?

6. When Leif left to go back to Greenland, a storm blew up and they were blown off course. Describe the land that they found?

7. Were Leif’s parents happy that he was a Christian?

8. Who found Stone-Slab land?

9. Who was Snorre?

10. What is a Skraellinger and what was the relationship between them and the Norsemen?

11. Why did the Norsemen leave Vineland?

12. Why was Vineland so important to the Norsemen?

13. What happened to the Norsemen over the years?

14. Show on the map about where he would have sailed with his boats.

Trial & Triumph

Little Duke
1. Who was “the Little Duke?”
2. Why was he called “the Little Duke?”
3. What kind of person/boy/ruler was he/did he become?

4. What were some of the important learning experiences in Richard’s life?

OIS Chapter 22-32 (we only got to half of 31)
1.Who did the people of England elect king after the death of Edward the Confessor? (Harold II, Earl Godwin’s son)
2. Why did Harold hate the Normans? (Because he had promised the crown to the most powerful Norman of all - Duke William of Normandy.)3. What was the first thing Duke William did when he heard the news that his cousin, Edward, was dead and that Harold was now king of England? (Sent a message to Harold to remind him of his promise that he would be king after Edward the Confessor.)
4. Who invaded England from the North in the battle of Stamford Bridge? (The Vikings.)
5. Who was the leader of the invasion that lead to the battle of Stamford Bridge? (Harald Hadrada, King of Norway.)6. Tostig was with the invaders. Who was Tostig? (King Harold’s brother.)
7. Who won the Battle of Stamford Bridge? (The English.)
8. Who invaded England in the Battle of Hastings? (The French.)
9. During the battle a rumour was spread that Duke William was dead. How did Duke William show his army that he was still alive? (Lifted up his helmet and rode bare faced shouting to his army that he was still alive.)
10. Who won the Battle of Hastings? (The French.)
11. Why did the Duke of Normandy invade England? (To take the crown of England by force.)
12. Did the people of England want William to be their King? Why? (No because they wanted an English king.)

13. How did William finally defeat Hereward and the English people at the Monks castle? (Some of the monks became tired of fighting and plain food and sent a message to tell William how to get into the castle and defeat the English.)

14. Why did the English hate the Normans? (Their land had been given to the Normans.)

15. What is the New Forest? (An area in south England that King William cleared, burning houses and destroying the land, to make an area for himself for hunting.)

16. What did King William write in the Domesday Book? (How much land the King gave to the Normans.)

17. What is the ‘feudal system’? (A system of making sure the King had enough men to fight in battles.)
18. Why was William Rufus called ‘William the Red’? (He had red hair.)

19. What kind of king was William II? (Wicked, cruel and greedy.)

20. Who are the ‘nobles’ that went hunting in the New Forest with King William II? (The Norman nobles who came with William the Conqueror to fight the English and were given English land as their reward.)
21. Who was elected King of England after the death of William the Red? (Henry I, William the Conqueror’s youngest son.)
22. Why was Henry I called “Beauclerc”? (He was known as a fine scholar.)

23. How did Henry I encourage unity in England? (By marrying a Scottish princess who was Edumund Ironside’s great granddaughter.)

24. How did Prince William die? (He drowned at sea after the White Ship hit a rock and sank.)
25. How many people survived the sea accident of the White Ship? (1.)
26. How was King Henry I remembered? (As a peaceful and wise king.)
27. Henry I wanted his daughter, Matilda, to be queen after he died. How did Henry I’s nephew, Stephen, become the next king instead? (The Norman barons chose Stephen because he was weak and they knew they would be able to do whatever they wanted to do. Also they were proud and hated the thought of being ruled by an English and a woman.)

28. Why did England suffer civil war and siege during King Stephen’s reign? (The country was divided in their opinion about who should be on the English throne. Some people supported Stephen and others supported Matilda.)

29. Who made the treaty called the Peace of Wallingford and what did it say? (Treaty made by King Stephen and Matilda. It said that her son Henry II should become the next King of England after Stephen dies and that the castles the Normans had build should be destroyed because of the evil things that happened there.)

30. King Henry chose Thomas A’Becket to be his Chancellor. They were also good friends for a long time. How did their friendship turn to quarrelling? What was the result of their quarrelling? (When Henry decided to reform the church which had denigrated, he chose Thomas A’Becket to help him and made him Archbishop of Canterbury. Thomas didn’t want the position because he said it would lead to them quarrelling because he would have to leave his life of luxury and become God’s servant. Henry insisted and appointed Thomas Archbishop. They began quarrelling over issues that Thomas would only obey God on. Ultimately 4 knights killed Thomas after overhearing Henry complain about the quarrelling Thomas).

Tree in the Trail

1. How did the Indians hunt buffalo?2. What is a "travois"?3. What happened when a group of Comanche Indians chased two Pawnee braves up past the cottonwood tree?4. Why did settlers travel along the Santa Fe Trail in big groups?5. What did the Indians make their arrows out of?

Literature and Tales

1. Please tell why Betsy had to suddenly leave Aunt Harriet and Aunt Frances and go to live at the Putney Farm.

2. Soon after Betsy arrived at the Putney's she started to school. How did they figure out which grade she was to be in?

3. Think about what Betsy was like when she lived with Aunt Frances at the beginning of the story and then think about how she had changed at the end of the story. What can you tell me about some of those things that had changed.

4. Where did Pilgrim come from and where was he going in the story of Pilgrim's progress?

6. Tell what you can remember of King Lear.

Nik's Pre5 Term 2 Exam

2009-05-03T19:29:00.000-07:00

Pre5 Term 2 Exam Questions

Penmanship
Write 1 John 4:7-8 from memory in your best cursive.
Recitation
Recite fluidly 1 John 4:7-17
Dictation
Use last dictation paragraph from TCOO pg 209

Bible (from BSF classes on THE LIFE OF MOSES)
Describe the institution of the Passover and its meaning.

Write the story of Balaam.

What were the three great national festivals of the Israelites? Describe one of them.

What was Balaam's sin? What lessons may we learn from the story?
Why did the Israelites get sent back toward the desert after the 12 spies came back from the promised land?
Why did the law have to be repeated again later in Deuteronomy?

History/Geography

Trial & Triumph
What can you tell me about John Bunyan?

CHOW Ch 70-74
Tell me about a king or a time period you have read about in CHOW.
Answer from one of the chapters below:
70~A prince who ran away…Prussia, Frederick the Great. Tell me what you know about him and where is Prussia? What country is it now?
72~Upside Down…What can you tell me about the key of The Bastille? What is the Reign of Terror? Why were the people considered to be Upside Down?
73~Napolean…What can you tell me about him? Write at least four detailed sentences.

OIS Ch 74-94
Answer from 4 of the chapters below:
74~What can you tell me of Guy Fawkes?
75~What can you tell me about England during the journey of the Mayflower?
76~Who is Jenny Geddes?
77~What is known as a Long Parliament? What are the circumstances surrounding it?
78~Charles I…the story of his death
79 & 80~Commonwealth
81~Charles II~How did he become King?
82~How did London burn? What is the Habeas Corpus Act and what did it mean for prisoners?
83~What kind of King was James II? What was the Fiery Cross?
84~Who was King Monmouth?
85~What is the story of The Seven Bishops?
86, 87, 88~Who is William the Deliverer? Who was his wife? Who had more claim to the throne? What happened in the town of Londonderry? What is the Massacre of Glencoe? How did Mary die? How did William die?
89~How was the Union Jack made? Who was Anne?
90~Who is George I? Where was he from? Who are the Jacobites? What is the rebellion called “The Fifteen”?
91~What can you tell me about George II and Prince Charles?
92~Who was Flora MacDonald? What happened to Prince Charles?
93 & 94~(George II)What is the Black Hole of Calcutta? What happened with Canada during George II’s reign?

Poor Richard by James Daugherty

1. Why was Benjamin Franklin called “The Water American”? Tell about his life abroad in London.
2. Discuss Franklin’s formula for success.

This Country of Ours
Chapters 25-43 are about what in general? Use at least 5 detailed sentences.

Who was King Philip and what was his war?

Who was Captain Kidd?

Who was Will Penn?

LITERATURE & TALES
Age of Fable by Thomas Bulfinch (preface – chp. 14)

Term 1:

1. Tell me as many Gods as you remember and what they are known for.

2. Where did the Gods live?

3. Tell me three stories about the following: Prometheus and Pandora, Apollo and Daphne, Pyramus and Thisbe, Cephalus and Procus, Juno and Io, Juno and Callisto, Diana and Actaion, Latona and the Rustics.

Term 2:

1. Tell me four stories from the following: Phaeton, Midas, Baucis and Philemon, Proserpine, Blaucus and Scylla, Pygmalion, Dryope, Venus and Adonis, Apollo and Hyacinthus, Ceyx and Halcyone.

2. Why do we study mythology?

Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
Amid tears, grief, self-pity and frustration (almost halfway through the book), Robinson Crusoe shares the following personal revelation about his situation:

But now I began to exercise myself with new thoughts: I daily read the word of
God, and applied all the comforts of it to my present state. One morning, being
very sad, I opened the Bible upon these words, “I will never, never leave thee,
nor forsake thee.” Immediately it occurred that these words were to me; why else
should they be directed in such a manner, just at the moment when I was mourning
over my condition, as one forsaken of God and man? “Well, then,” said I, “if God
does not forsake me, of what ill consequence can it be, or what matters it,
though the world should all forsake me, seeing on the other hand, if I had all
the world, and should lose the favour and blessing of God, there would be no
comparison in the loss?”
From this moment I began to conclude in my mind
that it was possible for me to be more happy in this forsaken, solitary
condition than it was probable I should ever have been in any other particular
state in the world; and with this thought I was going to give thanks to God for
bringing me to this place. I know not what it was, but something shocked my mind
at that thought, and I durst not speak the words. “How canst thou become such a
hypocrite,” said I, even audibly, “to pretend to be thankful for a condition
which, however thou mayest endeavour to be contented with, thou wouldst rather
pray heartily to be delivered from?” So I stopped there; but though I could not
say I thanked God for being there, yet I sincerely gave thanks to God for
opening my eyes, by whatever afflicting providences, to see the former condition
of my life, and to mourn for my wickedness, and repent. I never opened the
Bible, or shut it, but my very soul within me blessed God for directing my
friend in England, without any order of mine, to pack it up among my goods, and
for assisting me afterwards to save it out of the wreck of the ship.

Consider the following and freely discuss, citing examples from the book to support your answers: Do you think Robinson’s change of heart was a permanent, lasting change? Is it wrong to be tempted to take a course of action displeasing to God? In what ways does God use imperfect people to bring to pass His purposes? Frequently we turn away from God, while His hand is “outstretched still” – where do we see this with Robinson?

Shakespeare
Tell from which Shakespeare play the following lines are copied:

The duke had now an opportunity of rewarding those true friends who had stayed with him in his banishment; and these worthy followers, though they had patiently shared his adverse fortune, were very well pleased to return in peace and prosperity to the palace of their lawful duke.
4. Describe a scene in your favorite Shakespeare play.

Pilgrim’s Progress
What happened when Christian came into view of the cross?
Tell me about Apollyn.
Describe the “Valley of the Shadow of Death”.
What kind of person was Talkative?

Jungle Book
Write a poem about your favorite part of this story. At least 4 stanzas with 4 lines each.

Plutarch

Tell me the type of man you think Poplicola is? What are his strengths thus far? What are his weaknesses? How would you like to be (or not be) like him?

Robin Hood
Write a journal entry from the perspective of one of Robin Hood’s “merry men” about his daily life, etc. Remember to use specific, descriptive, vivid language.

SCIENCE
Story of Invention
1. Who invented the steam engine? What was the first use of a steam engine?

2. Watts' partner, Boulton, thought that the best use of a steam engine was inmills and factories. Why were people opposed to this idea?

3. How do we honor James Watt today?

4. Who invented the steamboat? Do you know where he was born?

5. Fulton invented something that could be used in war. What was it?

6. Who invented the locomotive? Where was he born?

7. What were some of the fears that people had concerning locomotives?
Choose three out of the seven and answer with detail!!!

Science Lab in a Supermarket
Tell something you learned about how science impacts the food we buy.

Whew...this for sure is going to take us all week! I did math separately last week. Still need to grade that. And this is not including Robin Hood, Abigail Adams, Jungle Book, Composer Study, Artist Study or Poetry...

Not all of these ideas are mine for sure! Got lots of ideas from the Ambleside yahoo group from as far back as March 2005. We are going to try to get the next term done in 8 weeks, with maybe some literature being brought on vacation with us, but for the most part I think we can do it!

Quote of the Day...

2009-04-18T19:20:00.001-07:00

Tonight Alexandra and I went on a run. Actually, I did the running, she got to ride a bike! We did 5.4 miles and the route I mapped out had lots of hills! We were at the bottom of this one hill, and she says to me..."lets rock and roll..." and proceded to conquer this steep street! It was so hilarious and encouraging to me! I even made it up...twice!

The Stripped Down Easter

2009-04-13T09:03:00.000-07:00

Easter really became only about the Resurrection to me yesterday.

Doesn't that sound weird? Kinda of a "DUH" statement, but the last 48 hours has shown me how much more I personally have added to the Easter "experience" in my head.

My brother and sister (in law) were in this past week and with my birthday being on Good Friday, we were very excited that they extended their stay for a day so we could have fun on Saturday and get ready for Easter. I put all my fun *emotional eggs* in one basket apparently.

Our youngest daughter got really sick, waking up on Friday night throwing up. It went downhill from there! All of a sudden, my weekend was unraveling completely!
My family was leaving early (in case this was contagious), all my *fun* plans for Saturday were gone, I couldn't buy new ties for the boys, I wouldn't end up getting something new for Easter, we weren't eating my birthday cake, I wasn't planning an Easter meal, we were going to be without any family, and here my sweet girl was puking up anything going in...and on and on it went in my mind! I was a wreck! I had a complete meltdown on Saturday evening (that kinda started in the afternoon, my sweet, patient hubby;)

Sunday morning...I was better...sort of! Helped Steve get the kids ready for church. Seth found a tie on the closet floor (new to him :), Alexandra wore a turtle neck under her new Easter dress (because we live in the tundra!), Nik was excited about taking my place in the Nursery and Steve was excited about serving as Acolyte that morning! I tried not to think of all I was missing...its very difficult to go ALL through the Lenten season and then end it with Maundy Thursday and Good Friday and NOT get your Easter Sunday!!!

I decided to go to church online...I felt so PATHETIC! But I knew Mark Driscoll was streaming all his services live that day (he did FIVE services with baptisms at every one! the dude is AMAZING!) Anyway, I watched his 8am service and part of his 9:45 service...and it wasn't anything eye opening for me per se. But God starting dealing with my heart...of course...and all of a sudden things started coming to my mind...ties, hams, family, birthdays, shopping, dinners, new shoes, eggs, baskets, all of it...what does it EVEN have to do with MY GOD dying and MY GOD raising from the dead?? And not that you cannot USE all of those things to celebrate, I don't even mean that. But I wasn't going to be able to use ANY of those to help me celebrate...and in that moment it all became VERY VERY clear to me!

OUR Creator, YOUR Creator...appeased the wrath of God and died for us! Who the heck needs Easter grass for that! AND, every Sunday is Easter! So I really didn't miss anything!

If you are a parent...

2009-02-23T14:18:00.000-08:00

Here are the links I promised from the Ted Tripp seminar that I listened to online. I am about to do it again, they are that good. He gives SUCH a great biblical perspective on parenting, and laying that foundation of the gospel and instilling Godly character. I have been mulling over these since the beginning of January, and I feel like I STILL don't totally have it yet! Let me know if you listen to them and what you think. I would love to say that I will blog about each session (cause I really would like to), but we all know what kind of blogger I am. Maybe...

The Call to Formative Instruction

Giving Kids a Vision for God's Glory

Helping Kids to Understand Authority

Helping Kids to Understand the Heart

Overview of Corrective Discipline

Wisdom

2009-02-20T20:01:00.000-08:00

Have you ever felt that parental compulsion to make the RIGHT decision?!? Probably if you are a parent, you feel it every day and so you know exactly what I am talking about. We are feeling the bumps in the road with our oldest and I refuse to chalk it up to prepubescent-ness or because he is in middle school now, or because *they just act that way* stage. I REFUSE!

Well, as I was trying to process this with my wonderful Henry...God so used him to speak to my heart. "We are called to lay a foundation right now...that is it!"

Can you hear my sigh? And NOT that, by any stretch of the imagination is that EASY, but...possible and RIGHT! He does NOT have to get every BSF lesson, he does NOT need to understand every memory verse, he does NOT need to *get* every sermon on Sunday, etc, etc, etc. BUT, it is adding up, it is building, it is going to give him his foundation.

Tedd Tripp (which I will expand on soon in a post) said at a conference, that we tend to believe that raising children is a sprint, when really it is a MARATHON. Which happens to be speaking my language, I am starting to get the difference.

Our children don't *get* everything we tell them every time. Imagine God expecting that from us! (God forgive me!) But it DOES build that foundation from them. Our children WILL have a place to draw from in the desert and dry times. They will know God when they leave here.

Foundation building...mother guilt cannot be found today in foundation building. Thank you Henry!

Quote of the Day...

2009-02-18T12:09:00.000-08:00

"Look Mom! I found the cross of Egypt!"

Our family participates in Bible Study Fellowship and this year we are studying the life of Moses and recently there has been much talk of Arks, Candlesticks, Egyptians, Promised Land etc. Sethie and Allie were doing their timeline figures for their History lesson, which today happened to be the same time period. I gave Shaye some timeline figures you to color, and this was her narration of our lesson! Hopefully one day all her dots will be connected! :)

I have survived lots of firsts!

2008-12-10T20:27:00.000-08:00

I survived in the last three months:

homeschooling our first term, our 4 really inquisitive, motivated, spirited, (sometimes whiney) children
a half marathon
an election
gas at $4.24 a gallon (ok, that was in August, but I still survived!)
24 hours of Foster Parenting classes
lay offs
bailouts
paycuts
no 24 (Jack Bauer) since before the writer's strike
missing family
my oldest turning 12
Just So Stories...again...
a women's Bible study after MANY years (though I did sweat a little)
my own mental lists

See, so I have been busy;) And I have lots to share!

Blog the Vote

2008-11-04T06:03:00.000-08:00

For some encouraging reads for you to get to the polls check out Chasing Ray-Blog the Vote! Many great posts here! The kids want to go with us, so we will be voting in the afternoon, probably in a humungously long line, but Shaye is hoping to run into Palin;)

Things I am thinking about...

2008-10-12T18:23:00.000-07:00

God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"

Try some how to get outside the "I AM WHO I AM" part...I dare you...
We are now the people of Israel, spiritually speaking...
We are sent. (PERIOD)
There are lost out there.
Everywhere.

Humility, conviction, love, gratefulness, encouragement, hope, hope, hope, small, yet big, confident, then back to humility, conviction, love...it encompasses it all.

Be Informed!

2008-10-04T20:59:00.000-07:00

My friend Mish posted some history bullets of our financial crisis. The sources are cited at the bottom, so please, look them up for yourself to see. I am just sick of hearing that Bush, for the last 8 years, led us into THIS financial crisis. PLEASE! (insert sarcastic tone! or better yet, insert it BEFORE the please) We all are smart enough to know that this started WAY before...and don't get me wrong; there are MANY things that Bush has decided that I don't really appreciate. But, I don't believe the Bush hating hype. I am smarter than that! I am just really tired of spin and hype and media bias and our political process.

Update: For all those skeptics out there, please visit Doctor Bulldog and Ronin. He is an independant and apparently the history bullets started as a Power Point Presentation and was emailed out. His post has cute little pictures to go with it. ;) But even more interesting, are the comments. Please scroll down and read them ALL! The author of the above blog responded to everyone. Express your thoughts;)

I did it!!

2008-09-28T17:19:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to have been pushed to where I never thought I would go!! My friend Kelly asked me to power walk a half marathon with her, and we had such a great experience. She is such an inspiration to me for just wanting to do it. I always use the excuse that I was a sprinter and NEVER really wanted to do distance. But, training for this once she asked me, really focused me and my workouts.

Everything was going ok, until Henry asked me to do hills with him ten days ago. It would have been fine if my achilles wasn't already in a tendinitus state, and if I wasn't two weeks out of a 1/2 marathon (and if I could just say NO...). But it was, and I didn't...I am so weak to a challenge;)

So today we arrived at the Lansing Center at 7am and went to pick up our stuff;) It was so fun just being around athletes who had trained for something like this. I cannot explain it. Total adrenalin rush;)

We took care of blister hot spots and stretches! I so relied on Kelly for details, she brought everything we needed and researched it all. It was so frustrating to me to not be on top of my training and researching all the details. All the things I used to take for granted of just knowing, because it was a job (that I LOVED). Its been so long, and I was so trusting Kel to just know the details;) We have been taking foster parenting classes and just our school schedule has been llllooooonnnngggg! I just haven't been able to focus on it like I have wanted. Thank GOD for her, she just led me to the line!

I took some cool pictures on the line (well, actually, we were quite far from the *line*;)) But it was a beautiful morning and great weather. NO humidity and it was cloudy, so not real hot.

We look so cute *before* the run starts;)

The course was so beautiful. We ran downtown at first, then to MSU, through parks, trails, neighborhoods. Now trying to think about it, we were so concerned on how we felt through the run, that I almost would need to do the course again to take it all in. My first impressions, are that it was a beautiful course, lots of shade, lots of woods, lots of water (mostly by the Grand River), but the details are lost on me. What I remember is, mile 1, our anterior tibialis' (shin muscles) were SORE and it took almost a mile for them to loosen for both of us. I think because it was a slight incline for the first 1/2 mile (at least) and we were so motivated, we started pretty quickly. We walked on Michigan Ave for most of that, and it smelled of exhaust. I hate that smell when I am working out. We turned onto Michigan State University and came out by the Breslin Center, that is where I was confused on how I got there;) You end up being so concerned on how you are performing, and then start to recognize where you really are;) Strange experience. I look at the Google maps running map, and don't even recoginize most of it! Is that normal? So weird! Makes me want to do parts of it again;) THATS probably weird! Ha! I have NO idea why I look like that...I think I was anxious about stopping to take pics, but still that is NO excuse!

Here is Kelly at our half way mark. This is when most people are finishing I am sure, or are at least close. But, we were so EXCITED to be ahead of schedule. We kept each other going and trying to take it all in;)

We came out of some woods and started walking along a lake I had taken the kids swimming at. All of a sudden, Kelly sees my family!!!

Steve had decided to take the kids and cheer us on along the run. It was SO fun to see him and the kids!!! Such and encouragement;)

The kids and Steve met us in another area of the race in a neighborhood! I asked Seth, did you have this planned?!? He said "NO! We had a map!" It was so fun to see where they would turn up.

We kept talking to each other about how we felt, so as to know how to encourage each other, and keep tabs. About mile 10-11, the muscles trials started. But once I reached the Lansing Center again, I was so pumped about finishing (about 1 1/2 miles out) and knew we were close. I felt so strong, it was CRAZY!! But it did show me, that it IS possible to train for something like this. We trained to walk it, but yet, we ran many parts of it. Imagine if we trained to RUN it;) It was great to talk and have the same goal as Kelly, to do our BEST! I am proud of us!!

Thats MY church!!

2008-09-24T17:51:00.000-07:00

I got forwarded this blog post about our church this week and immediately was so thankful (or MORE thankful) of where God has us! Thats MY church I wanted to tell whoever was near me (except most of those people around me at the time, go there too;).

Steve and I love our church! We love the vision our Pastor has, and we love to serve our church and be under his leadership. God has already used him in so many ways in my life personally, our family, and my extended family. Its nice to read others articulate what Steve and I have felt for MONTHS!! Just felt proud, and thankful, and blessed and wanted to share!

One of the times my father was here visiting, I remember him sharing with my Pastor's wife that it wouldn't surprise him if God used our church as a proto-type for the area! It wouldn't surprise me either!!

Chris Tomlin is Stalking Us

2008-09-24T16:48:00.000-07:00

Ok, not really, but on Thursday mornings, we have worship as a family to a CD. Chris Tomlin's new CD is the new family favorite! (Which really needed to happen because my kids were starting to dread Jeremy Riddle...) I printed out words to Sing, Sing, Sing and Exalted and we had worship to those. Well, we started praying afterwards with the CD still playing, and the last song on the CD is our HYMN we are studying Fanny Crosby's All the Way my Savior Leads Me started playing. I stopped praying and we all looked at each other in amazment, we had no idea that it was on this CD! Is God trying to say something to us? hehe If I was a true Charismatic I would think it was a confirmation to something;) Nik bursts out, "Chris Tomlin is stalking us!" Yeah, I am sure that is it!

We went ahead and finished praying and then sang his version. The kids were pretty proud they knew most of the words. God's moving in our worship time;);)

There is a line drawn in the sand

2008-09-22T15:47:00.000-07:00

Milehimama designed this poster about the infanticide/born alive issues that Obama seems to have! Well done!

There are many issues that are preference when it comes to politics...this is not one of them, and when we thought that the abortion issue couldn't get any more horrific, it does! It doesn't surprise me, but it does grieve me. And its not just Obama, hardly. But where is his line? Where do Christians draw the line? When will enough be enough? How much more women's choice can we take? We at least need to be moving in a direction of LIFE! And besides all that, Palin is BAD A! :)

Composer, Artist, Hymn, Shakespeare Monday

2008-09-22T08:51:00.000-07:00

We discussed the Last Supper today. The kids were pretty fascinated by it. One of the resources we used said that the pictures that we hold in our hand is probably in better condition than what is left on the Refectory wall now in Milan. I also found this link for detailed discussion. We will spend more time on that next I am hoping. Breaks down the painting piece by piece to understand it. Nice that they built a door way right through the bottom of the painting!

We re-started As You Like It by Shakespeare. We are using the Lamb version of the tales until the kids get older. Nik could actually probably handle reading the actual plays right now, but the point right now is MY sanity, so we are sticking with Lamb for a bit more. I was reminded last night on one of my lists to not keep stopping and rephrasing everything for the kids understanding. For one, this makes the readings LONG and tedious! But, yet, I was still doing it. Here is what Charlotte Mason says about that:

Volume 1, pg 232
The points to be borne in mind are, that he should have no book which is not
a child's classic; and that, given the right book, it must not be diluted with
talk or broken up with questions, but given to the boy in fit proportions as
wholesome meat for his mind, in the full trust that a child's mind is able to
deal with its proper food.

Before the reading for the day begins, the teacher should talk a little(and
get the children to talk) about the last lesson, with a few words about what is
to be read, in order that the children may be animated by expectation; but she
should beware of explanation and, especially, of forestalling the narrative.
Then, she may read two or three pages, enough to include an episode; after that,
let her call upon the children to narrate,--in turns, if there be several of
them. They not only narrate with spirit and accuracy, but succeed in catching the
style of their author. It is not wise to tease them with corrections; they may
begin with an endless chain of 'ands,' but they soon leave this off, and their
narrations become good enough in style and composition to be put in a 'print
book'!
This sort of narration lesson should not occupy more than a quarter of
an hour. The book should always be deeply interesting, and when the
narration is over, there should be a little talk in which moral points are
brought out, pictures shown to illustrate the lesson, or diagrams drawn on
the blackboard.

Isn't she so smart? So, I put it to the test, (I have been timid to try it with dealing with 3 different ages, but I do KNOW better!). I read 10 minutes of As You Like It, and asked for a narration from anyone who could give it to me. Seth went first and gave really good details (of the wrestling match of course;) of the story line. Nik filled in most of the gaps. Lesson accomplished in a mere 15-20 minutes! If only I would always just follow the method... The first time I read it, I got 2 pages and stopped and explained every strange word and innuendo, its just unnecessary! And they would really hate Shakespeare when I was done with them;)

Bach we watched 2 more episodes on YouTube of The Great Composer~Bach series. They are interested. I just need to somehow get us listening to classical music during the day. I think that would help them.

I still have half a day to do with them, but its close to 2pm, guess we will get in the major stuff!;) It is getting smoother for sure!

An Education funny

2008-09-20T04:47:00.000-07:00

Because of the evolution in teaching math since the 1950’s:

Teaching Math In 1950’s: A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit ?

Teaching Math In 1960’s: A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100 His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What is his profit?

Teaching Math In 1970’s: A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80. Did he make a profit?

Teaching Math In 1980’s: A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20. Your assignment: Underline the number 20.

Teaching Math In 1990’s: A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or the preservation of our woodlands.
He does this so he can make a profit of $20. What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes? (There are no wrong answers, and if you feel like crying, it’s ok. )

Teaching Math In 2008: Un hachero vende una carretada de maderapara $100. El costo de la producciones es $80. Cuanto dinero ha hecho?

Things I am thinking about...

2008-09-17T08:49:00.000-07:00

Grace, Grace, Grace

Because we have entered through the veil, which is his torn flesh, we can go boldly to the throne of Grace. People think that is arrogance, they don't realize that arrogance is presuming you have really done enough.
Ken Jones

But have the godly no sense of law-wrath? yea, so far as they are under the law, for the are never wholly free from a legal temper while here. The dead ghost of the law may rise up and frighten them. But so far as they are dead to the law, it is not law-wrath but fatherly judgement that affects them. Indeed, through unbelief they may fear hell, but they cannot do so by faith, seeing there is no foundation for that fear, since there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus. It is not easy to get the law killed, something of the legal disposition remains even in the believer while he is still in the world.
Ralph Erskin from a sermon titled: Law-Death, Gospel-Life

Composer, Artist and Hymn Study

2008-09-16T15:56:00.000-07:00

On Mondays, I try to combine as many things as I can and teach them as a *class*. This works really well with the Composer, Artist and Hymn of the term (I also combine Handbook of Nature Studies, Shakespeare & Folksongs, but so far I am not as creative with those three, ha!, but we still do those on Mondays also). This school year, with all the crunches most of us are going through, I basically do not have a school budget. So for these three I use itunes and YouTube alot. I just wanted to share some of the links that I have been using.

Johann Sabastian Bach
For Bach, the first four weeks we are focusing on the Magnificat. I am finding it so fun to have to teach the kids something that, on a regular basis, I would not take the time to study or listen to on my own. (this is all about my education, right?) Anyway, I found lots of great links and info!
The Magnificat was written for an Orchestra and (I believe) 5 vocalists. So the first week we talked a lot about what an Orchestra is and what instruments make it up. I got to show the kids the different instruments and listen to them. I think they appreciated the music after they got to hear all the different types that go into it. I found this on YouTube:

Then I found this breakdown of the Latin of the Magnificat for them. Of course you could just look it up in the book of Luke;) Then a short bio with LOTS of MIDI files are here. A longer bio is of course on Wikepedia;) Also, since this wasn't enough (ha!) I searched Bach's full name in YouTube and found a Great Composer Series from BBC! We spent a slight bit of time around the computer screen on Monday morning.

Leonardo Da Vinci
Ok, then for Mr. Da Vinci...we have been studying him for LITERALLY a year! UGH! He was the Artist for the first term of September 2007! I was so good and got the prints off to Office Max and got copies for all the kids, laminated, etc. But, well, then our house got literally turned upside downside;) (Ok, just the back of the house got ripped off, but still.) So, since I had the prints and the books, I kept on with him. So beside the prints, we are using a couple books that guide us through some of the portraits. One is Leonardo Da Vinci by Ernest Raboff and the other is Leonardo Da Vinci (haha) by Bruno Santi. I did find some websites also. One is from the Louvre that takes a close up view the Mona Lisa. And then Nik is reading this Landmark book by Emily Hahne.

All the Way my Savior Leads Me, by Fanny Crosby

This is our hymn to study for the next twelve weeks. It is a beautiful hymn, but learning more about Fanny Crosby has really impacted my kids. She went blind at 6 weeks from a mere eye infection, and a *doctor* gave her a wrong remedy and ruined her eye sight. She wrote this poem when she was 8:

Oh what a happy soul I am,
Although I cannot see;
I am resolved that in this world
Contented I will be.
How many blessings I enjoy,
That other people don't;
To weep and sigh because I'm blind,
I cannot, and I won't."

And she is quoted as saying:

It seemed intended by the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank him for the dispensation. If perfect earthly sight were offered me tomorrow I would not accept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting things about me.

And then good ol' youtube helped me out again;) A pastor used her as a sermon illustration. The kids had heard most of it, but I think it was like they were getting to watch TV during school, so I let them see it. The only thing that was questionable, was how he presented her getting saved...but beside that it was good information, and it brought up good conversation starters. (Not that my kids really need any of those;))

She definitely led an extraordinary life, writing over 8000 hymns and poems! Her concepts and dependence on her Lord is quite inspiring.

Its that time...

2008-08-23T15:30:00.000-07:00

The school bell is almost ringing around here! Oh, wait, that was the coffee pot;)

If you have read this blog for any amount of time at all (all five of you;) you know that I am ready for a *normal* year! Well, I have MUCH to communicate, but first, step into this ADD mind of mine and see how our schedule came together.

First, it started with fear and trepidation at homeschooling a middle schooler, a 3rd grader and a 1st grader who thinks she is a middle schooler...

Then, I needed to figure out HOW in the world I was going to do it. I use the BEST curriculum guide in the world, with the BEST philosophy (IMHO of course;). But there is that applying thing that gets the best of us stuck at times! Plus, three kids, with three different book lists, one three year old, four days a week equals crying out to God (and of course a glass of wine...).

Here is what I did:

wrote everyone's initial and subject needed to be covered in the next 12 weeks on a piece of paper and threw it on the floor:

this is just a portion

I am not good at processing AND making a chart on the computer at the same time, and I needed to see the whole week at once.

Then I put the lessons times along one side of the room and started to fill in the gaps.

On Monday mornings, I decided to do everything we can together, which isn't too much, but every little minute I can squeeze out of the week helps. Together we are going to do our quartly Composer Study, Artist Study, Shakespeare, Hymn Study, Folksongs, scripture reading, and handwriting.

I worked on one day at a time, and I think I have it all figured out. At least it looks really good on paper!

Here is what my paper squares week looks like after rearranging a couple times. We only school 4 days a week and each column under each day is one of the kids schedules. Nik was a little overwhelmed at the amount of his squares.

The final schedules are here...they even each got their own font;) So, it fits on paper (even with some of the books they didn't finish up last year), we will see if it works in real life!! I will keep you posted!

Still not home yet...

2008-06-20T22:08:00.000-07:00

I am still not calling this home yet, so if you have found yourself here...and wondering why its so empty;) I am still at Dolce Domum over at homeschoolblogger for a bit longer. I am a slow HTML learner...and a perfectionist;)

2008-05-18T11:44:00.000-07:00

May. 16, 2008
Happy Birthday, (Steve A. Steitz) Babe!
Things that I LOVE about my man!
1. He is teachable.
2. He loves his Creator.
3. He loves his family.
4. He takes his job as a provider seriously.
5. He is punctual.
6. He is a handyman.
7. He is clean (but still a messy...ahem...sorry).
8. He is thoughtful.
9. He likes to wrestle with his kids.
10. He does my errands for me.
11. He picks up the household slack without being asked to.
12. He is courageous.
13. He takes Sunday mornings very seriously.
14. He has GREAT boundaries.
15. He looks good in a suit.
16. Ok, he kinda looks good bald .
17. He is taking up breadmaking.
18. Better yet, he is taking up YOGA!
19. He is a good researcher.
20. He has an awesome work ethic.
21. He cannot be manipulated (I like this now...).
22. He has TONS of common sense.
23. He is a beer snob.
24. He has a soft heart.
25. He supports me and my endeavors.
26. He values character.
27. He is pretty funny.
28. He SEEKS God.
29. He automatically sees us as a team.
30. He is God's gift to ME.
31. God is starting to renew his missions desire, and Steve is letting him!!
32. He is loyal.
33. He is interested in the character of his children.
34. He is good at doing favors.
35. He loves to serve his church.
36. He is not intimidated easily.
37. He knows when to draw the line in the sand.
38. He doesn't let me mow the lawn .
39. He started cleaning bathrooms when I was pregnant and hasn't stopped!
40. He is good at making our huge bed.
41. He is good at pushing people to do better.
42. He tricked me into thinking he was layed back before we were married (only knew him for six months...)
43. He respects my need to sometimes be alone.
44. He's got good (ahem...expensive) taste in clothing.
45. He brushes his teeth for the FULL two recommended minutes at least three times a day.
46. He is a rule keeper.
47. He is a good neighbor.
48. He is really good at poneytails.
49. He was good at taking care of his Grandma.
50. His gift is serving.
51. He washed my kitchen and dining room floors the day before his birthday.
52. He is open to adoption.
53. He likes to laugh.
54. He loves to worship.
55. He likes politics.
56. He wants the best for our family.
57. He loves to do what is RIGHT.
58. He is so much like my mom personality wise, that sometimes we joke that I married my mother;)
59. He is *man* enough to let me decorate our room as flowery as I would like it.
60. He is starting to eat vegetables!
61. Did I mention that he bakes bread for our family?!?
62. He has prayed about our relationship from the VERY beginning.
63. He secretly wants to be Amish.
64. He took a huge risk in starting his own business.
65. He is black and white.
66. He bought a wheatgrass puree-er and knows (because he researched it) the benefits of it.
67. All kids love him as their soccer coach.
68. He loves ME!

Test

2008-05-11T12:13:00.001-07:00

Testing

Week in Review

2008-03-24T23:49:00.000-07:00

From Palm Sunday to Easter was one packed week for us! My little brother was here visiting, and he kept getting extended (which was of course fine with us!!)because of flying standby and Spring Break. I love sharing our life here with our family back home. Monday was St. Patricks day and my daddy's birthday! I also got to experience my first Maundy Thursday service as an Anglican. SO powerful!! We did our Spring Celebration this week also, to free up Resurrection Sunday for the resurrection! The Easter Bunny came Friday morning, so that morning we decorated eggs, found baskets, ate chocolate, etc. Then by noonish on Good Friday we were trying to bring it in a little for some contemplation on the cross. Full gamut of emotions on Friday;) It just all happened in the same week, so I don't know how separated it seemed to the kiddos. Good Friday ended up so good. We took our time throughout the day to do the Stations of the Cross, have some quiet time, make our playdough tombs, and barely make it to our Service that night because of a snow storm. But even that service was worth the struggle to get there. God met me in ways I haven't experienced in a LONG time!
The next couple weeks are going to seem anti-climatic in comparison. Of course Easter Sunday was wonderful. We made Resurrection Cookies on Saturday night, pulled out our Alleluia banner on Sunday after church. We worshipped the resurrected Christ on Sunday.
After listing it all, it sounds like a crazy busy week, but it really didn't feel like it. God's grace I think;) I took my time with the kids at the end of the week to get across what I thought was worth their attention.
Here are our pictures, what would be a post from me without them?
The kids watching Father Jack anoint the Palms with Holy Water.
Our awesome Pastor's wife Amy doing the children's sermon~the kids love this time!
Green Pancakes for St. Paddy's Day that Allie wanted to make for Bekop's birthday!
My little helper!
Our green pancakes with bacon...not so good;)
Uncle Mike and Shaye enjoying the green;)
Stinkin' cute Shaye
Made Corned Beef and Cabbage with Guiness for the first time without my mom;)
Me and my baby brother Mikey;)
The stripped altar on Maundy Thursday!
Celebrating
Spring!
Niky's egg creatures;)
Watching daddy be creative;)
Making our clay tombs.
Rolling our saved change to give to Rwandan Blessing.
Making our resurrection cookies.
Sealing the tomb!
Christ has Risen! He has risen indeed!
Happy Resurrection Day!

~~Dulce Domum~~

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