Praiseworthy Things

Papa Please Get The Moon For Me - Eric Carle

2012-01-21T21:45:00.000-08:00

2012-01-16T12:54:00.000-08:00

Source: nobelprize.org via Doctors for on Pinterest

...I say to myself that hate is too great a burden to bear. I have decided to love. If you are seeking the highest good, I think you can find it through love. And the beautiful thing is that we are moving against wrong when we do it, because John was right, God is love. He who hates does not know God, but he who has love has the key that unlocks the door to the meaning of ultimate reality.

Martin Luther King, Jr. 16 August 1967

2011-12-31T23:10:00.001-08:00

Source: meltingpot.fortunecity.com via Jill on Pinterest

2011-12-25T16:03:00.000-08:00

Source: flickr.com via Jill on Pinterest

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. Isaiah 9:2

Christmas Tangrams

2011-12-20T06:30:00.000-08:00

Source: almostunschoolers.blogspot.com via Jill on Pinterest

Here is a really fun idea at Almost Unschoolers suggested by my friend at E.W. Spider. A huge set of tangrams to tell the Christmas story. This could be a fun project for those days before Christmas that are all too short for mothers and long for children. Thanks Tanja!

O Antiphones

2011-12-06T13:45:00.000-08:00

Source: google.com via Jill on Pinterest

Antiphons are sentences from scripture that are sung or recited. Some sentences from scripture that have come to be known as the "O Antiphons" are part of the Catholic tradition. These sentences are recited the seven days preceding Christmas Eve, Dec. 17-23. What is special about these sentences is that each one is a title for the coming Messiah. They are, O Sapientia (O Wisdom), O Adonai (O Lord), O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse), O Clavis David (O Key of David), O Oriens (O Rising Sun), O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations), and O Emmanuel. Each one is explained in depth on this site.

This year we will be spending some time during these seven days reflecting on these titles that appeared in the prophecy of Isaiah. We might add some fun to it by having some O Antiphon coins that I linked to in my previous post. We may also use this booklet.

Source: catholicicing.com via Jill on Pinterest

Perhaps you'd like to do the same or maybe you already do. There are also printable ornaments that are part of a Jesse Tree set here and more activities here. You can hear them chanted in Latin here. I'd love to hear about the traditions you use during this season to teach and remember.

Advent Week 1: HOPE

2011-12-02T13:24:00.000-08:00

St. Nicholas Chocolate Coins

2011-12-02T10:39:00.000-08:00

Source: catholiccuisine.blogspot.com via Jill on Pinterest

This post on Catholic Cuisine has really got me excited. The author provides downloads for artwork to make chocolate coins special for this season. There is a set for St. Nicholas day, a set of Jesse Tree coins, a set of the O Antiphons and a few more. They are as easy to make as print, cut and glue.

First Sunday in Advent: Hope

2011-11-27T14:27:00.000-08:00

Source: prestostore.com via Jill on Pinterest

Polar Bear Cam

2011-11-25T19:14:00.000-08:00

Source: polarbearcam.com via Jill on Pinterest

I just heard about this and can't wait to watch polar bears live! A web camera was set up on the edge of the Hudson Bay, close to the town of Churchhill, Manitoba. The camera is in a spot where polar bears are waiting for the ice to form on the Hudson Bay so that they can travel further North to begin their seal hunt. The Polar Bear Cam delivers a live feed from 9 am - 5 pm central time and is being watched in schools all over Canada. Perhaps you would like to watch too!

2011-11-24T00:49:00.001-08:00

Source: spearmintbaby.com via Jill on Pinterest

2011-11-20T20:16:00.001-08:00

Source: lamplightart.com via Jill on Pinterest

Remembering Christ's Birth

2011-11-19T08:34:00.000-08:00

Source: google.com via Holly on Pinterest

Advent is a season that is close upon us. It usually begins the Sunday after Thanksgiving and as it does this year as well. Advent is the beginning of the liturgical year, a tool used by the church since early times to learn about and focus on the life of Christ. Advent is a time to prepare for and remember the birth of Christ, the beginning of God's plan for our redemption through Christ.

Something that our family has really enjoyed doing together during Advent the last few years is an Advent Wreath. This was something from my childhood I wanted to share with my children. It turned out to be the best thing to include my husband in as he can't be with us for all the daily Jesse Tree readings. And if a Jesse Tree is just to DAILY for you (and I certainly understand that) this is a very simple but meaningful way to prepare your heart for the coming of Jesus.

This blog post explains a really simple method of using an Advent Wreath. Our family's tradition is similar. We light the candle for that week, my husband reads the scripture, we pray, and then we sing a hymn together. Simple, yet very powerful. We have found that it really helps us to focus on what Christmas is really about, the coming of the Savior of the world. Now that is something to celebrate!

If you do like daily there is another option here. These are made by a young boy and the proceeds go to support a child through Compassion International. A very worthy way to remember Christ this season.

Source: adventtolenttoascensionwreath.blogspot.com via Jen on Pinterest

This was posted on the Nativity Carnival at A Ten O'Clock Scholar's blog. Check it out for other great advent ideas.

2011-11-13T21:18:00.000-08:00

Source: deesbbboutique.blogspot.com via Jill on Pinterest

Tic-Tac-Toe Review

2011-11-12T12:01:00.000-08:00

E.W. Spider had a great blog post this morning about playing Tic Tac Toe. Turns out it's a great assessment tool! She also has some links to fun information about the game and how and where it is played.

A search of the internet yielded a lot of fun free printable boards. Here is a fun Turkey themed Tic-Tac-Toe board your students might enjoy this month.

Source: preparednotscared.blogspot.com via Cherie on Pinterest

Or maybe a pumpkin theme?

Source: partyblog.mygrafico.com via Kate on Pinterest

Freebie - Mary Frances Knitting Book

2011-11-11T18:28:00.000-08:00

Hurry, while you can and get this wonderful freebie offered on the Homeschool Freebie Of The Day blog. Homeschool Freebie of The Day is a wonderful blog and there is always something fun there so check it often. But they don't last long. Most freebie's are only offered for 24 hours so get this one while you can!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T13:56:00.000-07:00

Source: anostalgichalloween.blogspot.com via Jill on Pinterest

The Ghost and Mr. Chicken

2011-10-29T21:10:00.000-07:00

Don Knotts is my favorite comedic actor and this is a delightful way to spend Halloween with caramel apples, popcorn balls and candy corn of course.

Stories and Legends of Autumn, Hallowe'en and Thanksgiving

2011-10-27T19:27:00.000-07:00

2011-10-16T22:27:00.001-07:00

Source: diosmudanzas.tumblr.com via Jill on Pinterest

Free Origami Paper

2011-10-12T09:43:00.000-07:00

Source: everythinginpapercrafting.com via Jill on Pinterest

I've recently discovered a terrific blog for homeschooling freebies, New Beginnings. Today's post had this link for 50 free sheets of origami paper in three sizes. This site also has many helpful tutorials for beginners. Origami is an excellent activity for teaching hand eye coordination to children. Grab it while you can!

Free Old Schoolhouse Summer Issue

2011-10-11T19:40:00.000-07:00

I love getting something for free. Especially something that I actually find practical and helpful. Click on the image above to get a free issue of The Old Schoolhouse one of my favorite homeschooling magazines.

Need 5 minutes?

2011-10-11T15:58:00.000-07:00

This is sure to entertain your children for at least that long....

Pete the Cat - I Love My White Shoes - Live Telling

2011-10-10T00:29:00.000-07:00

New Curriculum - Philosophy Adventure!

2011-10-09T22:58:00.000-07:00

Source: homeschoolfreebie.wholesomechildhood.com via Jill on Pinterest

Check out one of my favorite sites Homeschool Freebie of the Day for information on how to download a sample pdf of this new curriculum that develops writing, speaking and thinking skills while studying the history of Philosophy. While you're there sign up for Homeschool Freebie's newsletter so you can keep up on the wonderfully free items for homeschoolers offered there every day.

2011-10-02T13:46:00.001-07:00

Source: janefarr.blogspot.com via Jill on Pinterest

2011-09-25T21:57:00.000-07:00

Source: annhovsepian.wordpress.com via Jill on Pinterest

Happy Autumn!

2011-09-23T10:30:00.000-07:00

Source: aq.ioffer.com via Jeanette on Pinterest

The first day of fall is here. The autumnal equinox 2011 occurred today at around 5 am, signaling the start of the autumn season. It just happens to be my favorite season too.

Source: timeanddate.com via Sarah on Pinterest

The autumnal equinox is a time when the day and night are nearly equal. There is a wealth of information on timeanddate.com.

Winter's Tale

2011-09-17T10:43:00.000-07:00

Source: walmart.com via Dena on Pinterest

No, not the Shakespearean play, but the story of Winter the dolphin. Winter is the real life dolphin in the new movie The Dolphin's Tale. Read more about why you should go to this movie suitable for the whole family on The Texas Homesteader.

To find out more about the real Winter and her trainer read this article on Tampabay.com. There is a an abundance of information on this special multimedia page as well.

2011-09-10T21:03:00.001-07:00

Source: 3.bp.blogspot.com via Jill on Pinterest

2011-09-05T15:29:00.000-07:00

Source: s3.amazonaws.com via Jill on Pinterest

Nutrimill Giveaway from Paula's Bread an Heavenly Homemakers

2011-09-03T20:45:00.000-07:00

If you are like me and enjoy baking bread then you must check out this great giveaway! Paula's Bread is a great site with lots of fun things. Check it out!

Nutrimill Giveaway from Paula’s Bread!!!!

The Old Schoolhouse digital magazine!

2011-07-25T16:03:00.000-07:00

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine is one of my favorites and right now they are offering a free digital copy! I highly recommend this resource.

2011-07-16T11:13:00.000-07:00

Source: tumblr.com via sarahjanestudios on Pinterest

A Day for Remembrance

2011-05-30T12:25:00.000-07:00

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

- Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918) Canadian Army

Friendly Chemistry Giveaway!

2011-05-26T09:27:00.000-07:00

Freely Educate, a favorite blog of mine, is hosting a giveaway of the Friendly Chemistry curriculum. The winner will receive a student book and a teacher book. Find out more about this great giveaway at the Freely Educate site.

Ambleside on Librivox

2011-05-07T07:42:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if I'm the last person on earth to know this, but Librivox now has a Wiki!!! And low and behold they have a page dedicated to the Amblesideonline reading selections that are available as audiobooks on Librivox. I hope you're as excited as I am.

Free Easter Devotional

2011-03-31T19:29:00.000-07:00

Ann Voskamp's Blog, A Holy Experience, is one of my favorite blogs. Ann is a very gifted writer and I am always convicted, moved, humbled or filled with joy as I read her words. Her openness and honesty are a great blessing.

I had the privilege a few years ago to review her Advent devotional, The Glorious Coming, which my children and I have read together. Now she is making her Lent Devotional, Trail to the Tree, available for free on her blog. You should definitely check it out.

Seeds of Change Sowing Millions

2011-03-31T11:45:00.000-07:00

Seeds of Change , an organic seed and food company, is making available 25 packets of seeds of their choice for only 4.99 shipping and handling. If you like an adventure this is a great deal on seeds. For ever seed request they receive they will send a matching donation to the American Horticultural Society.

Give Up Yer Aul Sins - Story of Saint Patrick

2011-03-15T20:01:00.000-07:00

Who better to tell the story of Patrick then an Irish school girl? This has got to be my favorite version ever but I've got lots of other things to help you celebrate one of my favorite days. Don't forget my favorite Irish Soda Bread recipe!

Enjoy.

Old Time Radio for St. Patricks Day

2011-03-14T08:11:00.001-07:00

St Patrick's Day Old Time Radio

Win a Hamilton Beach Crockpot!

2011-03-02T12:44:00.001-08:00

Cheeseslave is hosting a great giveaway of a new crockpot on her blog. Check it out here: http://www.cheeseslave.com/2011/03/01/monthly-drawing-hamilton-beach-crockpot-45-value/#comment-101118
I really enjoy reading her blog so take a look around while your there.

Hope for Spring

2011-02-04T10:49:00.001-08:00

...is getting primroses on sale for my living room.

Happy Sesquicentennial Kansas!!!

2011-01-29T19:10:00.000-08:00

150 years ago today Kansas gained Statehood in the United States of America. I am proud to be a Missourian and I love my home state, but I've adopted Kansas as my home and I love it here too. There is so much I love about this state that I've now lived in for more than a decade that it would be hard for me to put it all down here. But I do have a few things to share.

Kansas Public Radio is my favorite radio station in my area. The station is in Lawrence, Kansas which is the first city I lived in here. The station recently aired a reading in two parts of the book S is for Sunflower. You can listen to it here and here. I learned a lot about Kansas listening to this children's book. For example the Empire State Building was designed by two Kansas brothers and the Chrysler Building was built by another Kansan who also happened to be the founder of the Chrysler Corporation. Of course President Eisenhower and Amelia Earhart are famous Kansans. Jack St. Clair Kilby, the inventor of the microchip was born in Jefferson City, Missouri and raised in Great Bend, Kansas. A fellow Missourian who spent time in Kansas. Lest anyone thing we transplanted Kansans aren't great, he won the Noble Prize for science.

There is a lot to be said for Kansas. For one thing it's not all flat which surprised me when I lived in Lawrence and drove to Baldwin, Kansas through hills everyday that reminded me of Southern Missouri. But I will warn you that once you head west from Topeka you'll be learning to appreciate the beauty of wide open spaces.

If you want to know more I've written about Kansas before and you can find out more about the state there.

Shhh! Currclick Secret Sale

2011-01-06T20:11:00.000-08:00

Check it out! Super Secret Sale at Currclick!!

Shhh! Currclick Secret Sale

Just for Fun! "Gerbils of the Caribbean"

2010-12-12T15:05:00.000-08:00

Bittersweet Magazine and the One Room School

2010-12-07T19:46:00.000-08:00

Bittersweet Magazine began in 1973 as a class assignment. An English teacher found a great way to get her students to write. They began a project "dedicated to preserving the crafts, lore, legends and personalities of the Ozarks." And so the students began documenting the culture of the area around Lebanon, MO.

This project is near and dear to my heart because it just so happens that I am originally from very close to the same area. Several generations of my family lived in this area. And this same culture is a part of my heritage.

One particular article struck me as I was reading tonight. This article is an interview with a woman named Lois and she tells about what it was like when she was going to school back in the early 1900s. I was struck by how very different the school experience is today. From something as simple as having an hour for lunch and playing to the orderliness of lining up outside according to where you were seated and marching inside.

Morgan School from Bittersweet Magazine

I really found this article in the same issue fascinating. While the previous article I mentioned is from the point of view of a student in a one room school in the early 1900s, this article is from the point of view of a teacher in a similar school in the 1970's. He has some really interesting points that I think home educators will be interested in reading. I was sad to read his hopefulness at the end that perhaps the one room school approach was coming back in vogue.

Another article shows what a day is like for one teacher in a one room school house. Her lesson plan is shown and her thoughts on how to get eight grades through one day in one room. Her organization style will be so familiar to any home educator. Especially one in a large family. I'd love to pick her brain!

I hope you'll enjoy reading through the issues of Bittersweet Magazine and learning a bit about the Ozark culture. Tales of a hardworking, industrious people from a time long gone.

Jesse Trees to Benefit World Vision

2010-11-28T14:03:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine and her children make Jesse Trees each year to sell in order to raise money for World Vision. If you would like to use a Jesse Tree during Advent but don't have the time to put it all together she is a one stop shop for the tree, ornaments and devotions. She will also sell you the materials to make your own ornaments and the devotion book. If you order right away there is still time to get one and start without missing too many days. Or you can put it away for next year. Here is more information from her flyer:

What is a Jesse Tree?

It is a wonderful spiritual tool to help your family prepare for the Christmas season. It is similar to an advent calendar as you daily reflect on a different aspect of Christ for the 25 days leading up to Christmas.

What do I get?

Each Jesse Tree Set comes with an 18" Christmas tree, 25 hand-made ornaments, and hardbound devotional book, "The Advent Jesse Tree: Devotions for Children and Adults to Prepare for the Coming of the Christ Child at Christmas" .

How does it work?

Starting December 1st, you simply work through the devotionals and place an ornament on the tree each day. In our family we even wrap each ornament and place them under our tree. We love the excitement of unwrapping a new ornament each day .

Where do the proceeds go?

We are selling Jesse Trees to benefit World Vision! When we decided to sponsor children through World Vision, we thought that making and selling Jesse Trees would be a great way to meet our sponsorship requirements.

How much does it cost?

Each Jesse Tree set costs $40. Or as another option if your family would like to make the ornaments yourself, we will provide all of the materials plus the book for $25. Remember all of our proceeds go to World Vision.

What if I want to know more?

If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at doyel@everestkc.net.

Thank you and God Bless,

Nathan, Lauren, and Rebekah Doyel

Advent

2010-11-27T23:24:00.000-08:00

Today is the first Sunday in Advent, a time of waiting and preparing for the birth of our Saviour into the world. I like to observe this time as a learning time for my children as well as a way to keep Christ in our thoughts during this season that can all too often can become about the idols of greed and self gratification. So I have spent some time over the years finding activities for us to use to learn.

One fun way to do that is by making this Paper Doll Creche browse through the photos in the set to find all four pieces of this. This is at the Flickr site of one of my favorite blogs Agence Eureka . This blog is all in French but it doesn't really matter because the point is to share the author's incredible collection of paper ephemera, something that I adore. Scroll through and find some interesting things from the past.

In the past I've posted about other activities we do at this time. You can learn about the Jesse Tree and a nice resource for Jesse Tree readings. There is also a reminder of the most important lesson we can teach at this time.

Our family has also really enjoyed using an advent wreath with weekly readings during this time and even though tomorrow is the first Sunday in Advent it's not to late to start one. Just go out and find 3 purple candles, a pink one, and a white one. Our time each week is simple but something we all enjoy. We light the candle or candles for that night, read a passage of scripture, say a prayer and then sing a hymn together. In the past we have worked on O come Emmanual. Here are some suggested Bible verses that you can use to get you started, but you can vary the devotions for your family:

First Sunday of advent : Hope - light one purple candle to symbolize Hope. Read Isaiah 11:1 – 11. Extinguish the flame.

Second Sunday : Peace - Light two purple candles - Hope and Peace. Isaiah 9:2, 6-7. Extinguish the flames.

Third Sunday : Joy - Light two purple candles (Hope and Peace) and one pink to symbolize Joy. Read Isaiah 35:10. Extinguish the flames

Fourth Sunday: Love - light all four candles - Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. Read Isaiah 9:6-7. Extinguish the flames.

Christmas Eve: Light all four candles and the fifth white candle (the light of Christ). Read Luke 1:68-79 and Luke 2:1-20. Keep the candles lit throughout the evening.

I hope you will find some way to reflect on this season and it's true meaning. Slow down and spend time with God and draw closer to him. There is no greater gift.

Book Review: A Century Turns

2010-11-16T17:30:00.000-08:00

I have been looking forward to reading William Bennett's latest book, A Century Turns. This book covers the period of 1988 to 2008 in American history and politics. The author had a very intimate perspective into this time period as he served as Secretary of Education and chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities under President Reagan and director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy under President Bush. That means that this particular volume of Bennett's history series is full of first hand, inside information. This book follows Bennett's previous works, America: The Last Best Hope: Volumes 1 and 2.

I believe that anyone interested in American history and politics would find this a valuable read because of the primary source that Bennett is to so much of the history of this time in this place. I found it very readable and engaging. Bennett's "voice" is very comfortable to read. Very like sitting down with a friend to hear their side of the story of an event they were involved in. But at the same time the book is much like a history text with plenty of good information. Having lived through these events I found the book helped me to create a timeline of sorts in my mind of the events that took place. Some of the events had faded from my memory and this book was a good reminder and at the same time added new information I had not known before. In addition the personal view of the people we see only in the news shorts was fascinating.

Because of the primary source material I believe that this book would be an excellent supplement to a history spine for an American History class for students in high school or college. I would certainly use it to teach my own children as the part of a larger curriculum. I believe it has value in teaching Bennett's side of the story that unfolded as our collective history. I enjoyed his writing style enough to now want to read his previous two volumes of history.

I was provided a copy by the publisher for review. I am under no obligation to "like" the book and I wouldn't publish a review here if I didn't like the book. But I did really enjoy reading this book and recommended it for personal edification or teaching in a classroom.

The Louisa Alcott Reader

2010-11-16T10:04:00.000-08:00

This book is a sweet 4th grade reader from 1908. The first story is a charming Christmas story inspired by Dicken's classic The Christmas Carol. It's worth a look for that story alone. You can find this book and many, many other wonderful storybooks for children at Childrenslibrary.org.

I found this book because I have a gadget on iGoogle that shows me a different book from the site each day. You can get that gadget on their homepage. You can also get apps for the iPhone and Ipad on their homepage. But be careful, you can lose a lot of time looking through books here!

Great Deal On The Old Schoolhouse Magazine

2010-11-02T19:15:00.000-07:00

I've said before here that I'm a big fan of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. Right now there is a terrific sale going on to subscribe for only $10 a year. However, this sale ends Wednesday, November 3rd at midnight. Get it while you can!
$10 one-year (U.S) subscription to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine-Click Here!

Awesome Hymn Resource

2010-09-19T19:54:00.000-07:00

Those of you who follow the Ambleside Online Curriculum (and I do albeit somewhat loosely) are familiar with teaching your children a hymn each semester. If your not proficient enough on the piano to accompany each hymn it can be tricky to find a good resource to help your children learn. Today I saw a link to this semester's hymn that I love so much I sat here and listened and sang along with several.

This semester's hymn, I Am Resolved, is here. The link to embed wasn't working.

And here is one of my favorite Hymns, Nothing But The Blood of Jesus. I first heard this hymn working at a local mission to the homeless. It was requested by one of the men who had come for dinner. Singing this hymn to the piano in this video is very similar to the experience at the mission as it was also sung to piano like this.

Of course, some of you may not like this style of music, but my family loves old fashioned gospel and hymns. And I love the "sing a long" feel of the piano. And if you go to the youtube "channel" for Oldsongswithlyrics who posted this video you will find dozens more.

You should try it really. Just sitting and singing through some of these hymns is very uplifting and even more fun with more people.

Inside the Vaults - The Declaration of Independence

2010-07-04T18:35:00.000-07:00

Win an Excalibur Dehydrator!

2010-06-20T16:15:00.000-07:00

Keeper of the Home is having an excellent giveaway of a 9 tray Excalibur Dehydrator. But you only have until June 25th to enter. Or not...and then I have a greater chance of winning!!

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-20T15:28:00.000-07:00

The person on the left is having the time of her life, the one on the right loves the one on the left...

Un Bel Di

by Gerald Locklin

Because my daughter's eighth-grade teachers

Are having what is called an "in-service day,"

Which means, in fact, an out-of-service day,

She is spending this Friday home with me,

So I get up in time to take us,

On this summery day in March,

For a light lunch at a legendary café

Near the Yacht Marina.

Then we feed some ducks before catching

The cheap early-bird showing of

My Cousin Vinny, at which we share a

Dessert of a box of Milk Duds large

Enough to last us the entire show.

Afterwards we drive to a shoe-store to

Get her the Birkenstocks she's been coveting,

But they're out of her size in green; we leave

An order and stop for dinner at Norm Calvin's

Texas-style hole-in-the-wall barbeque rib factory.

When we get home I am smart enough

To downplay to my wife what a good day

We have had on our own. Later, saying

Goodnight to my little girl,

Already much taller than her mother,

I say, "days like today are the favorite

Days of my life," and she knows

It is true.

Remembrance

2010-05-31T09:13:00.000-07:00

Today in the United States we honor the soldiers who fought to protect our country and the right to peace, liberty and the pursuit of happiness of others. This holiday began after the Civil War but did not become a national holiday until 1971 although almost every state celebrated it. I remember my Great Grandmother calling it "Decoration Day" as did many in her day. You can read more about the holiday here. In our family we recognize the day by talking with our children about what it means to give your life for another, the ultimate unselfish act. I encourage you to do the same. As we live our lives in peace and the freedom to do as we chose on this day, we live out their gift to us and show that it was not in vain.

Art and Music Appreciation

2010-04-29T07:36:00.000-07:00

I recently ran across this site that has a set of paintings in a slideshow with the music of a particular artist. For instance, this set contains the works of Van Gogh with the music of Bach. They are well done and particularly nice to watch if your are studying either of these artists. The only problem is they are hosted by some mice that I find particularly annoying. Fortunately you can skip their intro, but they reappear at the end with links to short biography of the artists. Sadly there wasn't one with Monet or Ravel who we are currently studying. But you'll want to check them all out!

2010-04-04T16:12:00.001-07:00

Thoughts on Holy Week

2010-03-31T11:23:00.000-07:00

Hans Memling's Scenes From The Passion of Christ

find a list of the scenes here

We began our Holy Week watching The Ten Commandments and talking about Passover. Passover started on Monday and as Jesus was a Jew he celebrated Passover. During Christ's Passover meal he proclaimed that the meal symbolized himself and he died at the hour that the Passover Lamb was sacrificed in Jerusalem as you can see in Matthew 27:46, 50, Mark 15:34-37, and Luke 23:44-46. The New testament calls Christ our sacrificial lamb and John the Baptist called him, "the Lamb of God." So for me the Passover is linked with the celebration of the Resurrection this Sunday.

There are some really nice Old Time Radio Shows being offered by the Erskines of homeschoolradioshows.com. Check their page this week for some nice Easter themed freebies and while you are there check out the cds they offer of Old Time Radio specifically for educational purposes. If you sign up for their newsletter you will receive frequent free program links from them as well.

Another tradition we have this week has to do with food of course. Good Friday we make Hot Cross Buns which are an old tradition going back centuries in England. My dear British friend, Rachel, of The Jacobite Rose makes the BEST but I'm too much of an American to do flour paste crosses and I do a nice big fat cross of icing across each bun. I've written more about them here.

This week we will also read the accounts of Jesus' life this week in the Gospel begining in Matthew 21: 1 and continuing through to the end of Matthew. I've been thinking of doing the Stations of the Cross with my children this year as well. There are some excellent resources for that here and here .

Also this week we will be cleaning up our Easter Garden. Another idea I received from my ever resourceful friend Rachel. You can read more about that here.

No matter what I do it's not the activities that are important. It's knowing that Christ freely gave his life as a substitution for my own so that our relationship with God could be reconnected. All that Christ asked is that I remember and believe. The activities are just to help me focus on that fact and teach it to my children. I pray that you will also meditate on this during this week.

Patrick's Day

2010-03-17T11:33:00.000-07:00

If you have read my blog for awhile you know that I'm very fond of St. Patrick's Day celebrations. Patrick was indeed a great man and an excellent role model for us all. For one, he is a great example of forgiveness. Young Patrick was stolen from his home on the coast of Britain by Irish raiders. He was taken to Ireland and lived there as a slave. Homesick, sad and lonely he cried out to God and was eventually lead by God to escape and return to his home. But once home God asked him to go back and tell the people who had captured him about God's plan for their salvation through Jesus Christ. And Patrick did it.

On this day my family not only remembers Patrick, but also the Irish people. I've posted many other things on this blog that you may be interested in checking out again or for the first time about St. Patrick's Day. Here are some new things.

St. Patrick's Old Time Radio I especially enjoy the show "Beat the Band."

Notebooking Pages and More notebooking pages for your kids.

Saint Patrick Curriculum

Toymaker St. Patrick's Day fun and the new Celtic Circle box

One of my favorite movies about the Irish is the Secret of Roan Inish. This movie is a fairy tale on film. It has beautiful imagery, a great story, wonderful actors and a soundtrack you'll want to hear again and again. Here are the trailer and a video with some clips of the film. Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh! May the Blessings of St. Patrick's Day be upon you.

Lullabies of the World

2010-03-12T21:07:00.000-08:00

Lullabies of the world by Metronome Films is a collection of animated films based on lullabies of different nations. I'm really not sure if this is even for sale anywhere as I can't seem to find it for sale, but I'm in LOVE with the clips I'm seeing on Youtube. My children only very, very rarely request lullabies at this point in their lives, but I would love this just for me. It reminds me of when my daughter was a toddler (she is now 11) and we got the the Baby Bach DVD. We watched it all the way through and at the end my husband turned to me and said, "that was so relaxing I'd watch it everyday." Hee...hee!! I feel the same way about these videos. Beautiful, intriguing animations and lovely songs combine to create very enjoyable viewing that both children and parents will like.

There are several on Youtube; French, Yiddish, Greek, Indian are a few I saw. The link I provided above takes you to several more too. The videos I've embedded here were posted by the creators of the film. The Turkish Lullaby is my favorite, but I love the portrayal of weary parents in the beginning of the Chukchi Lullaby.

Gerald McBoing-Boing

2010-03-03T10:36:00.000-08:00

Dr. Suess' birthday this week is the perfect excuse for me to share one of my favorite animated shorts, Gerald McBoing-Boing. This story written by Theodore Geisel is one of my favorites because of the animation style. I love the Mid Century style of the UPA Cartoons from the 50's and 60's.

If you enjoy this too search for "UPA Cartoon" on youtube for more (Jot the Dot was a UPA Cartoon).

2010-02-14T14:25:00.001-08:00

Nancy Drew Revisited

2010-02-07T20:56:00.000-08:00

Recently I visited a new blog, Books, Movies and Chinese Food, and while there saw a Nancy Drew Challenge which caught my interest. The challenge is to read all 56 books that are in the original series by December 31, 2010. This challenge is to read specifically the yellow spine covers which are versions of the books that were "revised" beginning in 1959. Personally, I would like to read the original books from the 30's. The originals are longer and I'd like to read Carolyn Keene's original intent. But since I have three of the yellow spine covers from my childhood I started there. My books were purchased in the early 70's and I noticed the tag on one said it was $1.79!!! And it's a hardback!! Wow!!!

I read #3, The Bungalow Mystery. Although I know I have read all three of the books I have, I remembered nothing in the story. Well, it has been a long time after all. Another interesting thing is I really enjoyed it! What really struck me was how Nancy is so “perfect.” She is pretty, even tempered, smart... you name it! I was laughing as I read aloud a passage to my husband in which she has car trouble. Nancy jumps out, opens the hood and figures out what’s wrong in about 30 seconds. She thinks to herself, "good thing I took that automotive repair class." It was very funny, but at the same time I realized that Nancy is a good role model for girls. Nancy's character models for girls that they are capable and they can do a great deal for themselves. But at the same time she is very feminine. She cooks, she dresses appropriately for all occasions (who knew there was appropriate dress for sneaking around someone's house late at night), and she is very kind. Nancy has compassion for people and her sleuthing is more from her desire to help others than from a thrill seeking nature. I think she is a great role model. Is she real…no…is there ANYONE out there like Nancy Drew…probably not…but I believe, like Plato, that there is a perfection that exists that we may not be able to obtain, but that we should spend our lives striving towards. We shouldn't beat ourselves up when we aren't perfect as we know it's impossible to achieve, but the joy is in the journey after all.

So I highly recommend Nancy Drew Mysteries for your readers and maybe even for yourself! If you want to take part in this challenge check it out for yourself at Books, Movies and Chinese Food.

And if you'd like to take this further watch the old black and white Nancy Drew movies which are a lot of fun. Start with this one on Youtube. It's in several parts which you can find on the right side of the screen if you fully open Youtube.

L.M Montgomery Reading Challenge

2010-01-30T18:01:00.000-08:00

I've decided to participate in the L.M. Montgomery Reading Challenge offered by Reading To Know. My goal is to read the very first book in the Anne series, Anne of Green Gables. Believe it or not I have never read this classic children's story! I watched the entire series on PBS and loved it and I've always wanted to read these books but never have. So this seems like a good excuse to do so.

If you'd also like to join this challenge you can do so at Reading to Know. She is even having a contest to go along with the challenge. If you haven't read any of these books, only a few or want to reread them join me! I'm hoping to get my daughter interested as well. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think.

Great Backyard Bird Count

2010-01-26T11:21:00.000-08:00

Time again for the Great Backyard Bird Count. A really great way to contribute to information about bird species and their numbers while learning about the birds in your area. The time commitment is vey small. Just 15 minutes a day of looking for birds in your yard and then reporting them online. All the information you need is at the site including some information for teaching children about birds.

The Handbook of Nature Study - FREE!

2010-01-20T10:25:00.000-08:00

I have often blogged about and linked to the Homeschool Freebie of the Day site. It's one of my favorites for sure. This week they are featuring two great resources for followers of Charlotte Mason and Amblesideonline.org. First Comstock's Handbook of Nature Study. They have divided it into parts and are doing one part a day. Right now you can start with Monday's download of part one as it is still up. But who knows how long?

In addition this week is a free download of a radio program about the poet Eugene Field and a free e-book of his poetry. Field is near and dear to my heart as he is a fellow Missourian. This was featured yesterday but is still available! Check it out quick!

Fun for a Rainy Day

2010-01-18T12:19:00.000-08:00

This video even shows how it was done at the end.

Free Habit Training Download

2010-01-11T06:56:00.000-08:00

Habit training is foundational in the Charlotte Mason Educational Philosophy. But it seems to be one of the hardest things for me to do. Perhaps that is because of my own habits that need retrained! If there is one thing I have learned it is that we all have bad habits to remove and good habits we need to replace them with.

Simply Charlotte Mason is providing a free download on habit training called Smooth and Easy Days With Charlotte Mason. If you aren't familiar with Charlotte Mason SCM is a great resource with lots of articles on this method and how to practice it. SCM wrote my favorite habit training book Laying Down the Rails. I urge you to get both! It's a New Year and a great time to start building good habits.

2010-01-06T20:13:00.000-08:00

I'm sure many of you have already experienced the delightful period drama called Cranford based on the novel by Elizabeth Gaskell and produced lavishly for television and shown on PBS. The novel takes place around 1840 and is about life in a small town in England. You can find out more here.

But what's REALLY exciting is that for a limited time you can view all the episodes online!!!!! I would definitely not delay in watching these because who knows how long they will be available?? And it's so charming you'll really want to.

Even MORE exciting is that after you watch all three episodes of the first production...you'll be ready to watch Return to Cranford which is starting January 10th!!! Suddenly all this snow we have seems much cozier.

Gaskell is one of my favorite authors and Masterpiece Theatre also aired a lovely production of her delightful novel, Wives and Daughters. You can see it on YouTube of all places. Or borrow it from your library...or buy it. It's really worth it. Oh and definitely read the books! They are not only humorous with an excellent story and charming, but also feature spunky young women that your daughters might enjoy. I certainly did.

The Book Seer

2010-01-05T08:06:00.000-08:00

I'm in love with this...

Next Year's Reading

2009-12-19T10:53:00.000-08:00

A very long time ago I read the bible but I was young and it didn't really mean that much to me. Then I sat through years of liturgical readings and probably reheard massive chunks of it. In fact, to this day I'm surprised at the verses I know by heart from hearing them each Sunday in church. But years went by when I didn't attend church, and frankly thought it was all about equal to mythology anyway.

Then, in adulthood I made a decision to follow Christ's example and accept him as my Lord and Savior. Okay, that's christianeze for I decided that he would be in charge of my decisions and my example for how to live and I believed that he did indeed serve as a replacement for me in the punishment for my sins.

Naturally, I decided that it was now time for a very thorough reading of the Bible, the book that contains the information about Christ's life and teachings as well as God's words that have been written down for all of us by the men He chose to write them. I read it several different ways. Through intensive bible studies with others that took months to get through a book or two, reading it on my own and now I listen to someone else read it.

I listen almost daily to http://www.dailyaudio.com/. I've written about dailyaudiobible.com and I highly recommend it. January 1st Brian will start reading from the beginning once again and it's a good time to start. You can get there by clicking on the red button on the right hand side of my blog. No matter what any time is a good time to jump in and start listening. It will be a worthwhile experience regardless.

Rose Publishing offers many study aids for the Bible and Biblical History. If you sign up for their newsletter you will receive links to free downloads frequently. Right now they are offering a free Bible in One Year reading plan. You can get it on their website here.

Another opportunity I recently ran across is The Bible in 90 Days. You can read about it at The Happy Housewife blog. It only requires an hour a day for 90 days. I think if you want to just read the whole of scripture this would be a good way to do it, but I really think and the Bible directs us, that reading scripture daily is a worthwhile goal. I know that for me my whole day is set in better perspective when I do.

So my New Year's wish for you would be that you would give it a try. You may find the answers you have been looking for through the experience.

Pan Giveaway!

2009-11-25T07:27:00.000-08:00

Mary of Owlhaven is giving away a great looking Emerilware Stainless 4-Quart Sauce Pan. If your needing a good pan this size I suggest you enter. But even if you don't take a look around this great blog. Mary has a large family and lots of good information.

1200 Free Prints at Arts Cow

2009-11-02T06:01:00.000-08:00

This is an exceptional deal. Right now you can get 1200 free prints credits & 3 8"x8" photo books & other great photo gifts credits at Arts Cow if you are a new member. If you use this link I will get some free credits too!

Remembering Martin Luther

2009-11-01T13:55:00.000-08:00

Today is All Hallows Day, also known as All Saint's Day, a day set aside by early Christians to remember the Christians that have gone before them. It's an excellent day to talk about your family's Christian heritage and talk about the godly example of your ancestors. If not in your own family than you can teach your children about Christians in the New Testament or in Church history who have sought to glorify God in their lives.

Martin Luther was one such person. He was a man who found the knowledge in the scriptures that Salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ alone. At that time he was a Catholic monk who felt that he would never be good enough to achieve righteousness...he was correct. None of us can on our own. This knowledge ripped apart Europe as the reformation swept that Continent. But even under threat of death Luther stood by his belief in the word of God.

This day is also known as Reformation Day as it was the day that Luther nailed his 95 theses on the door of the Church in Wittenburg in 1517. These theses outlined his problems with the Church at that time. Since he was "protesting" the Church he and others like him became known as Protestants.

So today you might remember Martin Luther as you are remembering the godly who went before us. I found this videos from PBS's Empires series on Martin Luther. I haven't watched them all the way through, but they are a good overview from what I have seen. Please remember...Luther was protesting the Catholic Church at that time and these videos will contain critical remarks about the Catholic church.

New Free Audio Site

2009-10-23T07:32:00.000-07:00

I found a new site for free audio through my Learnoutloud.com newsletter. I've blogged on Learnoutloud.com before and I urge you to receive their newsletter which provides links to all sorts of free audio, some not good, some good but definitely worth looking at. Today's link was for Cicero's Treatise on Friendship. I thought this was something that would be good for me to listen to with my kids to start some conversations on friendship. That brought me to Ejunto.com

Learnoutloud.com links to other websites with free audio. Ejunto is a site that provides audio of Historical and Philosophical works and there are some really interesting offerings there. Everything from Aesop and Shakespeare to The Federalist Papers and The Communist Manifesto. Lots of things we can use for school. I bet you can find something useful there as well!

Joshua Bell CD Giveaway!

2009-10-18T12:14:00.000-07:00

I recently discovered a nice blog, freelyeducate.com. Lots of nice free resources everyday. And today they have announced a CD giveaway of one of my favorite artists, Joshua Bell. Check it out!

Bave Circus- Just For Fun

2009-10-10T18:17:00.000-07:00

Bave Circus from DuDuF on Vimeo.

The First Book of Bugs

2009-10-06T07:05:00.001-07:00

Click on the window and use your mouse wheel to turn the pages and read this book!

A Lovely Giveaway

2009-09-25T19:26:00.000-07:00

Eden's Bouquet is a lovely online store with children's clothing. They are having a random drawing for a $300 gift certificate to their store. You can only enter until September 27th so hurry!!

Constitution Day

2009-09-16T13:22:00.000-07:00

The Scene At The Signing Of The Constitution by Howard Chandler Christy

More on this picture including who the people are in the picture here

Today we are celebrating the document that rules our country, the Constitution of the United States. I've found several resources to help.

Lots of resources and activities at the Constitution Day website.

Homeschool Freebie of the Day provides activities and audio.

For fun let your kids listen to Barney Fife recite the Preamble to the Constitution and then ask them to see if they can do it!
Remember...I can't endorse everything on youtube so proceed with caution.

And you can't beat Schoolhouse Rock for learning fun!

Youtube yields lots of dramatic readings of the Constitution. This is part one of a 5 part series.

And don't forget to have your kids draw their own Constitution Day poster in this contest!

Addendum!! Learn Out Loud just listed this free audiobook on the life of George Washington.

Why Study Latin?

2009-09-16T10:28:00.001-07:00

For all those who ask me why I teach my children Latin. This video was created by the creators of the curriculum we use, Lively Latin.

Lively Latin is a program that all of us here enjoy. I love the availablilty and variety of resources. The program is online and there are materials to print out for reading, worksheets, and tests. There are also audio clips to listen to for pronunciation, teacher helps, answer keys, links to learning games and flashcards geared to each lesson.

And most importantly, my children really enjoy it! My daughter enjoys reading the history and seems to be learning more from this program than our introductory program. Believe it or not, it is more lively and fun. I highly recommend it.

Free E-Book from The Old Schoolhouse

2009-09-15T07:19:00.000-07:00

Get your free copy of the E-Book: The New School Year

The people at The Old Schoolhouse are feeling VERY generous this month. They are providing this free E-book as a back to school gift for homeschooling families. Enjoy!

Subscribe to The Old Schoolhouse™ Magazine for only $7.95!

2009-09-07T19:48:00.000-07:00

I have blogged before about how much I like the Old Schoolhouse Magazine and so I'm excited to tell you that their one-year print subscriptions on sale! For a very limited time, you can subscribe or renew for $7.95! (US only) Just click on the image of the magazine above to start your subscription.

You can buy a gift sub for friends too! To gift a subscription:
1. Go to the one-year subscription page (US only) again by clicking on the magazine image above.
2. Scroll to the bottom of the page.
3. Enter the name, address, email, and phone information for each recipient
4. click "Add this to my cart".
5. The information will display in your cart and simply proceed to check out.

There are only 2000 of these available, and they are going quickly! Your subscription begins with their Fall Issue.
Perhaps, like me, you prefer to have your magazine on the computer, you can subscribe to their digital edition for only $7.95. It's the same great content as their print magazine, except it is instant and interactive!

This is a great deal on a really helpful and inspiring magazine. I urge you to subscribe now to get one of these!

Happy Tasha Tudor's Birthday!

2009-08-27T20:54:00.000-07:00

Please pop over to one of my favorite blogs, Storybookwoods for more information about celebrating one of our favorite authors, Tasha Tudor. Her simple, sweet illustrations grace her wonderful books and the books of others. Her simple, sweet life an example to others.

How To Teach A Child To Write A Novel

2009-08-24T16:44:00.000-07:00

via: Homeschool Freebie of The Day

Free Audio! The Divine Comedy

2009-08-07T08:08:00.001-07:00

Check out this great new free audio at Christianaudio.com. If you sign up for their newsletter you'll receive a link to one free audio book every month! I put these on my mp3 player and the kids and I listen to them in the car. You can also listen from your computer at home. But remember...you can only download it free until the end of August.

Being Good Stewards - Recycle Girl

2009-08-03T08:23:00.000-07:00

I admit it...I've been known to cringe at the term "go green." It's not that I don't appreciate the efforts of the movement. I've long been a proponent of taking care of the Earth our home. When I was a child my parents would get us to work alongside them cleaning up garbage piles dumped on our country road. They also composted and grew a large percentage of the food we ate. What I don't like about "go green" is the way businesses have made it a selling point. I don't like it's use as a marketing term. I believe that taking care of the Earth is our responsibility as Christians to be good Stewards of all that God gives us.

Then Recycle Girl entered my life and she makes "go green" so cute that I just have to love it! I've had the privilege of knowing Recycle Girl since she was a little girl. Her sweetness is infectious and completely genuine. I'm so pleased to see that she has grown up into such a lovely young woman and mother. And that she takes her time to share such important information with children.

If you'd like to teach your young children more about recycling then I urge you to share this video with them. And if you live in the Fort Worth, TX area you may be lucky enough to have an appearance of Recycle Girl. She is featured in the upper right hand corner on the Keep Texas Beautiful webpage as their Volunteer of the Month.

To The Moon!

2009-07-21T11:00:00.000-07:00

In 1969 at the age of 4 I was one of a billion people watch the moon landing on television. My memory of that is of sitting in the early morning hours on the floor watching the tv screen. Not much else. But I'm still proud to have experienced such a momentous occasion.

In today's world, where space travel, personal communicators and computers that fit in your pocket have become commonplace, it can be difficult to teach your children the importance of this event. But I've come across some free resources to help.

The National Archives has placed several films on Youtube! I loved it in school when we had a film and now you can recreate that feeling in your own home! Seriously, if you're close to my age you'll find these quite nostalgic. These films also offer glimpses of presidents at the time and their speeches. Here is a list of some about the moon landing.

The Eagle Has Landed - Through television, motion picture and still photography, this film provides an "eye-witness" perspective of the Apollo 11 mission that put a human on the moon.

The John Glenn Story 1963 - A film biography of Astronaut John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth in 1962. A salute to an American hero. I particularly like the pictures of New Concord, Ohio in this video. Small town America as it used to be! As a past Theatre teacher, I did cringe a bit at the prepared line readings! If this gets to you, just skip to the halfway point where more specific information is given about his space flight.

America in Space: The First Decade 1968 - A look at America's first decade chasing the stars.

Assignment Shoot the Moon 1967 - How did unmanned spacecrafts get a man on the moon? Find out in this historic video from 1967.

Within This Decade: America in Space 1969 - This film traces the principal accomplishments of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in aeronautics and space research from 1959 until the eve of the first lunar landing in 1969.

Debrief Apollo 8 1969 - This film portrays the story of man's first journey in orbit around the Moon with comments on the significance of the Apollo 8 flight by several prominent Americans.

Awesome Audio Freebie!!!

2009-07-05T11:53:00.000-07:00

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine on Facebook just alerted it's "fans" to this incredible freebie. "We Hold These Truths To Be Self-Evident" is a reading by Max McLean of four great works in American history: The Declaration of Independence, The Preamble to the Constitution, The Gettysburg Address, and Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address. And right now it's available completely free!!

Another freebie on this site can be found under the "free downloads" tab on the left side of the site. Max McLean reading "Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God" the famous sermon written by Jonathan Edwards.

For those of you who don't know Max McLean his narrations of the Bible are stunning. This work is equally well crafted and professionally rendered. What an excellent way to share these documents with your children or to reacquaint yourself. I urge you to check it out but hurry!!! It's only free until July 6th.

How to be a Patriot

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

Every child in America should be acquainted with his own country. He should read books that furnish him with ideas that will be useful to him in life and practice. As soon as he opens his lips, he should rehearse the history of his own country.

Noah Webster, On the Education of Youth in America, 1788

I agree with Mr. Webster that every child in the United States should understand the privilege of being a US citizen. Like the holidays in the Bible, patriotic days are a great time to remind your children of the past, where we have been and how we got where we are. In this country we have a common heritage of music and heroes that should not be forgotten. Here are some resources to help you do that.

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine has a series of informative and helpful newsletters. One of those is called Freebie Fridays. This Friday's newsletter contained several links to help educate children on our heritage.

Learn Out Loud is a collection of audiobooks for sale and for free. They have a daily newsletter that let's you know what's free and it often touches on the current holiday or events. This week there have been several American History audios highlighted that are free. On their kid's page scroll down and under "most popular" you'll find audios of The Declaration of Independence, documents of the Founders, biographies of famous Americans, The Bill of Rights and several important speeches.

Amazon gives away several mp3s on their site everyday. I downloaded Documentary Recordings Presents Patriotic Music . Another great source of copyright free music is one of my favorite blogs Music You (Possibly) Won't Hear Anyplace. Wednesday's post contained a link to 78's For A Fourth of July Mood, a collection gathered by the blog's author. It's a great collection of music from the early part of the twentieth century. A teachable moment for kids on how we used to listen to music as you explain the scratchy sounds in the music! If you want more of this kind of music check this blog's archives for patriotic holidays. There are some real treasures here.

I hope you enjoy your weekend and spend some time teaching your children!

Free Paper Dolls!

2009-06-26T12:03:00.000-07:00

I just came across a post on the Freebies For Mom blog about Patty Reed paperdolls and thought I would share with you. Patty Reed designed fabric for Simplicity and she would design paperdolls to go with the fabric that was given to customers. Sadly, this practice has stopped because of production costs, but the good news is they are being offered free for download! These are new paperdolls done in the style of the beautiful, classic paperdolls. I hope your little girl (or you) will love them!

Free Art and Music Appreciation Lesson Plan!

2009-06-24T06:51:00.000-07:00

Harmony Art Mom has put together a six-week Art & Music Appreciation lesson plan for summer use, focusing on the music of Felix Mendelssohn and the paintings of Monet. She has the download link available on her site at:
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=BNm9p&m=1cX8AARDKQYxun&b=Erfa3XMTEOkK6fu6YV7A4A

Please check out her blogs if you haven't before. It's a wonderful resource for mother educators following Charlotte Mason or anyone interested in leading their children in artist, composer and nature studies. You won't be disappointed.

Handicrafts for Boys

2009-06-07T12:02:00.000-07:00

My husband recently became interested in making his own lanyards. His first two are in the picture above. He really enjoys working with his hands and loves a challenge. After seeing them I realized this would be a great handicraft for boys which is something Mother Educator's following the Charlotte Mason method are always looking for.

Lanyards not only are practical in that they help you to hold onto and keep from dropping things but they also provide emergency supplies. An inch of knotted lanyard can take up to 12 inches of cord to make. If you find yourself in an emergency situation needing cord you simply unravel your lanyard and have a supply of strong cord. And boys seem to love the idea of being in an emergency situation. And there are many different styles of knots to learn which means this is a craft that can be practiced for quite awhile.

My husband learned techniques for making lanyards from youtube videos. Simply entering the phrase, "paracord lanyard" in the youtube search yields many tutorials. My favorite of the videos my husband showed me is this one which is taught by a young boy. I can't recommend all his videos as I have only watched this one so as with all youtube videos...check it out before showing your child!

There are some really good books on knot tying that a child who wants to pursue this craft may want to look at. I recently found an exhaustive resource at a library book sale, "Encyclopedia of Knots and Fancy Rope Work." I just enjoy looking at this book! You can find some other resources here. There is also a fantastic site called Animated Knots by Greg that is so helpful. A pdf booklet on knot tying is also available at the Scoutmaster blog.

American Music

2009-05-31T17:58:00.000-07:00

American music can trace it's roots from two distinctly American styles; blues and gospel music. I think that as Americans we should take time to familiarize our children with these two genres and their importance in the world of music. Charlotte Mason advocated teaching children folk music and this is the music of the folk of this country.

I am a big fan of early American country music which developed from gospel and was influenced by blues and the music of Irish and Welsh immigrants. I have found a wonderful set on youtube to teach specifically about this form of music. The set is comprised of clips from a BBC documentary, The History of Country Music. I recommend you look for this or borrow it from your library. It is excellent. If you would like to learn more about this style, check the links below.

What About Preschool?

2009-05-25T11:59:00.000-07:00

I am in the minority in our country when it comes to preschool. I think that preschool as an institution is not necessary for the average child. We seem to have developed a national mindset that if children don't attend preschool they are destined to a life of failure. Many of my reasons for believing this is not true are here.

" As stated on universalpreschool.com "Children learn mainly through play, interaction with caring adults, lots of conversation, reading, and exposure to the bounty of life." This seems so simple that I think many parents wanting the best for their children and feeling inadequate to provide them, dismiss these things. I am often asked "what curriculum should I use for preschool?" To help in providing the recommendations just stated and to give you some ideas, let me make some suggestions.

Slow and Steady, Get Me Ready has a lot of great activities. It's just a book that is very inexpensive with activities I believe for every day of the year arranged by age. Simple, but fun and effective.

Letter of the Week is a free online curriculum that I used with my daughter. It is intended to be used in one year. This is a unit study with several subjects being taught around one theme, in this case a letter. Each week a particular letter is explored through music, poems and rhymes, books, snacks, character traits, math, science, social studies, art, games and field trips. And did I say it's free?

Another unit study curriculum that is very popular is Before Five in a Row. Although I have never used this, I have read the curriculum and used the book lists as a resource for good books to read to my children. That is the beauty of this curriculum to me, the wealth of really great books to introduce your children too. Reading to your children at an early age is a wonderful experience of closeness for you and them. Being read to at an early age is also one of the predictors of successful readers. And I'm happy to report that at 8 and 10 my children are both excellent and avid readers!

I have also used Learning At Home , a complete curriculum for preschool and kindergarten. This is a very full curriculum and probably much more than is necessary. If you feel it's too much you can adjust this as necessary. Ann Ward, the author of this curriculum, also has a book for second grade and a book called Learning the Classics at Home about teaching literature.

Most of all, don't believe that you can't teach your own child. Who taught them to eat with a spoon? Use the toilet? Tie their shoes? With the help of good tools you CAN teach your child.

We Remember

2009-05-25T10:35:00.000-07:00

Leavenworth National Cemetery

It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.

General George S. Patton

Free Audio: Foxe's Book of Martyrs

2009-05-03T13:19:00.001-07:00

Christianaudio.com has a great free download this month. Check it out!

Download - christianaudio.com

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Free Homeschool Magazine Issue

2009-05-02T15:06:00.000-07:00

I ran across this announcement that I thought you'd be interested in. Mark your calendars!

Did you know that, while many birds build the typical cup-shaped nest on top of a tree branch, other birds build and use a wide variety of nests, from hanging baskets to rock shelves to holes in trees and even a 50-foot wide 15-foot deep compost pile with carefully regulated warm temperatures? Come explore this fascinating topic in our latest issue of Creative Homeschooled Kids Magazine, now available on the CurrClick.com newstand! With its focus on Nature (a unit study in every issue), Art (a full art course throughout the year) and Bible, this multilevel bimonthly magazine is sure to keep your children's learning interest going strong.How do you get a FREE full-color issue? Keep reading...

Don't miss our special 10-page section in this issue on celebrating Mother's Day, with ideas on how to celebrate the day and to love Mom in practical ways all year, along with a card-making activity and a Mother's Day story! We're excited to announce that on Friday, May 8, this current issue of Creative Homeschooled Kids Magazine will be FREE to all who visit CurrClick.com! So mark your calendar and take the opportunity to download this issue FREE, and tell your homeschooling friends and family so they can get their free copy, too. (This is part of CurrClick's Mother's Day Giveaway, with 4-5 free products on their site every day for seven days from May 6 - 8th and May 11th - 14th.) Be sure to take advantage of this giveaway (May 8), and of 10% off ALL of our products during the Spring Back from Recession Sale (May 1-15).

Warmly,

James & Joy Marie Dunlap

LightHome Publications

www.lighthome.net/ebooks