Valerie's Living Books!

Eileen at 8 - George Soper

I have blogged on Valerie's Living Books in the past but I just learned that Valerie has recently updated her site. Valerie's Living Books is a fantastic resource not only to buy quality children's books but also to become more informed about them. Valerie graciously provides information on quality books gleaned from her years of homeschooling her 11 children in her information pages. These pages contain recommendations to many praiseworthy books and book series for children. I highly recommend you check them out. And if you find something you like do take the time to see if Valerie has it. I've purchased from her before and the product is always excellent. AND you get to support her homeschool. Go check it out!

Love of Nature

An important part of the Charlotte Mason educational philosophy is Nature Study. Here are some quotes about Nature Study from Miss Mason's own writings taken from this page.

Let [children] once get touch (sic) with nature, and a habit is formed which will be a source of delight through his life.” --Home Education, pg. 61

“We must assist the child to educate himself on Nature’s lines, and we must take care not to supplant and crowd out Nature and her methods with that which we call education. Object-lessons should be incidental; and this is where the family enjoys a great advantage over the school. The child who finds that wonderful and beautiful object, a “paper” wasp’s nest…has his lesson on the spot from father or mother.” –Parents and Children, pg. 182

“…It is unnecessary in the family to give an exhaustive examination to every object…” --Parents and Children, pg. 183

Now, my parents had never heard of Charlotte Mason and I was not homeschooled, but they definitely were in sync with her idea of Nature Study. It really started with my beloved Grandpa. My Grandpa grew up in the hills of Southern MO. The kind of place where it is beyond dark when there is no moon because of the shadow of the hills. As a boy he ran all over those hills, sometimes for fun and often out of necessity. For him understanding nature was not only a way of life, but necessary for survival. As a parent he imparted a great deal of this knowledge to my father and my father to me. And the most fun was walking in the woods with both of them! This is how it would go. We walk along a trail and just as a part of conversation I'd hear, "there's a Sassafras tree...look at that red squirrel...there goes a rabbit must have a nest nearby...." It was all just a part of the conversation, something interesting to look at and talk about. Not a stilted lesson on nature but the passing of knowledge nonetheless.

When my husband and I were discussing having children he said, "I want you to teach them all about plants." I was surprised as I had never thought of myself as knowing all about plants. And truthfully I don't know all about them, but as my children grew and we went on the walks that I loved to go on I found myself pointing out things just as my Grandfather and father had. It had become a part of who I was. As Miss Mason says "a habit" had been formed. And I'm so thankful that God blessed me with people in my life who gave me the habit because it has been a source of endless delight.

So the nature walks and the interest in nature were "natural" to me (hee, hee, couldn't help myself). But the second part of Miss Mason's philosophy on nature study was not. That being the nature notebook, a place for a child (or adults) to draw and write observations. A journal of their observations. So, I took the easy way out as I always do. I bought a blank page notebook and set it down in front of my daughter who loves to draw and said, "this is for you to draw pictures of things you see in nature." And when we are looking out the window in winter at birds as we love to do I'll say, "wow, you should draw that in your nature notebook," and she will. Then I'll say, "you should write the name and the date that you saw it so you don't forget," and she will. Now, I rarely have to prompt her (following Miss Mason's idea that the parent should be involved in this process only a little) as she loves to do it and she enjoys looking back and saying, "oh remember when we saw that turtle?" or "here's the groundhog we saw that day!" Simple really.

ummmm....yeah....even bagworms....

So it really is as simple as that. Give your children time out of doors. Share your own love of nature with them, but give them time and space to make that love their own. Provide them with paper and time to record the things they see. It's a very praiseworthy endeavor.

Look here to see how another mother implements Charlotte Mason's Nature Study

And just so you know...my mother is an exceptional gardener and lover of nature and passed on so much of her valuable knowledge to me as well. I'm so very blessed with parents who love nature!

Lent

The season of Lent begins this Wednesday and I have been invited to take part in the Anglican Family Lent Carnival hosted by Kerry at A Ten O'Clock Scholar with help from Jeanne of At A Hen's Pace. They have asked us to share the following on our blogs:

How do you observe Lent in your personal and family life?
What traditions do you find most meaningful?
What new spiritual disciplines might you undertake or which ones would you commend to others?
How do you bring young ones on the path with Jesus through the desert-season of Lent?

First let me tell you that I am not an Anglican. I was raised in the Episcopal church and attended with my parents for most of my life. Currently I attend a conservative, evangelical, non-denominational church and you can find out all about that here. A few years ago I developed a passion for returning holidays to the holy days they were intended to be. I began exploring the roots of these special days and started using them to teach my children about our faith. I have found this a wonderful tool for turning our hearts to God and continually reminding us what He has done for us. So that brings me back to Lent....

The ancient church developed a calendar of special days to relive the events of Jesus' life. Lent is a period of 40 days before Easter that are meant to represent the 40 days that Jesus spent in the wilderness. It is a time of reflection and preparation for the celebration of a risen Saviour. You can find more information about Lent here and here.

Since we will have a break in the weather this weekend, I'll be getting a few things ready in our house for helping us to observe this time. In my home I place a wreath with thorns in my kitchen with a purple candle. Last year my wreath was made with rose canes but this year I collected some thorns from Hawthorne tree that I will use. I was thinking today about this wreath and how strange it may seem to place it out. For me it is a reminder of how our Lord suffered for us. When I happened to look at it I found myself reflecting on that which helped me to keep my focus on Christ during that time.

I'll also take some time to clean up our Easter Garden that we made last year. My children particularly enjoyed this aspect of the season. I'll talk more about that in later posts.

As always there will be special foods! On Shrove Tuesday we will have pancakes and we will talk about how Christians used this day to get rid of the rich food products they wouldn't be eating during Lent. Which will lead us to a discussion of why some choose to fast during this time. We will make pretzels and hot cross buns on Good Friday.

My family really enjoys doing devotions centered around an advent wreath at Christmas and I would like to do weekly devotions during Lent as well. I like these devotions and we may read them while burning the candle in my wreath. Lighting a candle just seems to bring a formality and special warmth to devotions. Our devotions during advent ended with singing O Come Emmanuel and I'd like to find a hymn appropriate for Lent to end Lenten devotions. If you have suggestions please leave them in the comments!

And we will watch movies. Just like the church learned in the Middle Ages, people learn well through theatre. Our family will watch Jesus Christ Superstar , The Gospel of John, and The Ten Commandments. My husband and I will watch Mel Gibson's The Passion of The Christ. The Passion is difficult to watch but a masterful work of art.

So those are my plans. I'll let you know as we go along how we are doing and I welcome your comments about your activities as well.

Happy Kansas Day!!

I am a transplanted Kansan from Missouri. As a Missourian I always had a bit of animosity towards Kansas. I remember a friend in college who hailed from western Kansas. Each year he would have a big party on Kansas day. All my friends snickered.

Then there was my great uncle also a transplanted Missourian living in Kansas. He didn't go down without a fight. Riding in the car with my father and I one night in Kansas he complained of all the bad "Kansas" drivers and bade my father, "hit 'em with your brights!"

My experience with Kansas has been less turbulent than my uncle's. I loved it from the first. Although Missouri will always have my heart, Kansas has my love too. It is the birthplace of my son after all. We affectionately refer to him as "the Kansan" here. But this state has given me so much more than just a home. Many happy memories and treasured friends are here. So I choose, like my friend long ago, to celebrate it today.

Find some resources for celebrating Kansas with kids here and here.

Free Rocket Kit for Educators!

I just saw this in The Homeschooler's Notebook:

Free Model Rocket Kit Offer
http://www.questaerospace.com/challenge.asp
"All you need to do is fill out the information at the site and
then wait for your free sample kit to arrive. I ordered mine
today. I hope it arrives soon! Enjoy!"
-- Tawanna, member of our HomeschoolingBOYS.com email group

To join The Homeschooler's Notebook, a free email newsletter, send an email to join-hs-notebook@hub.thedollarstretcher.com

This video is 17 minutes long and may be too much for some children but let them at least watch the march at the beginning and see and hear the voice of Dr. Martin Luther King, jr. And do watch it yourself.

Here are more free audio resources for MLK day from Learn Out Loud:

I've Been to the Mountaintop
On this Martin Luther King Day, listen to Dr. King's final speech which he delivered the night before his assassination. In this prophetic speech Dr. King looks back over his life and thanks God that he was able to take part in the victories of the civil rights era.
He makes a passionate cry for nonviolence and freedom throughout the world, and confesses that no matter what happens to him that humanity will make it to the Promised Land. This speech is available on MP3 download and streaming audio & video from American Rhetoric.
I've Been to the Mountaintop
You can also download and listen to Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech and Robert F. Kennedy's "Remarks on the Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr." on LearnOutLoud.com's Great Speeches in History Podcast (these two speeches are listed toward the bottom of the podcast feed).

Festive Cake

I love old community cookbooks. Specifically Church cookbooks. I find that the recipes that women submit to these cookbooks are either a special or unusual dish or something they make particularly well that garners lots of praises. Looking through these books I often find recipes that are "family pleasers." Here is one of them from the Overland Park Christian Church in Overland Park, Kansas called "Cooking with Friends". This makes a large cake and instead of using the ten cup pan I have also used a 9X13 pan with success. It is so moist and delicious you'll have a hard time stopping at one piece. Enjoy!

He Had A Dream

In our house we take time on important days to explain to our children why we are observing something important on that day. Martin Luther King, jr made some praiseworthy contributions to the history of our country and is worth remembering on the day our country has set aside to honor him. He is also an excellent example of a godly man who gave his live for the cause of freedom.

When I'm teaching my children about something important I always like to use books and last year I blogged on my favorite book for children in early elementary, My Brother Martin. My children also viewed a video "Our Friend Martin" about two boys who go back in time to meet Martin Luther King, jr.

Please let me know in the comments if you have found other good resources. Whatever you do on this day take time to remember this great man and to say thanks to God for people like him willing to speak out for all God's people.

Theme for a New Year

I am so very blessed to have a group of friends that I never see, but talk to every single day throughout the day. The are a group of like minded Christian homeschooling women but we are also different in enough ways to keep things interesting! I'm so thankful for them.

One of us introduced the rest of us to an idea we have been using for the past two, maybe three years. My friend Dana listens to God to discover what it is he would like her to focus on in the coming year. You'll enjoy reading her post on her theme this year which is "consider the lilies."

As I said most of the group picks a theme and I thought you'd be interested in some of the others as well. You might find a blog you love as well!

Rachel is focusing on "simple, beautiful." There are so many praiseworthy thoughts in this post.

Dee Ann will spend the year thinking about "simple, lovely, grateful." She is simply lovely and I believe you will enjoy her blog.

Crissy will be "going live" and may be giving up the internet all together, so hurry over. Look for the post "It's (almost) a new year folks..."

And last but certainly not least...Brooke is hearing voices - but it's the good kind!

I'm calling my theme "first things first". Taking care of what's most important first. Carefully prioritizing my day. But that also means seeking God before opening my mouth. Making sure the log is out of my eye, etc...those are first things too. I've already started keeping a list of verses and quotations I come across on this subject that I hope will help to inspire me. If you all can think of some please leave it for me in the comments. Thank you Dana for introducing us to this wonderful way of preparing for a new year.

Even I have been tagged

My dear sweet friend Rachel has tagged me and I feel that I should comply:

1. One book that changed your life:

For The Children's Sake by Susan Schaeffer McCauley. This is the book that started me on the homeschooling path I'm still on.

2. One book that you have read more than once:
To Kill A Mockingbird. Forget Mobey Dick, this is the great American Novel.

3. One book that you'd want on a desert island:

As cliche' as it sounds it would be the bible. It's all there: romance, adventure and wisdom

4. One book that made you laugh:

A Walk In The Woods. I had just had a baby and would read this book in the bathtub and LAUGH. It was sort of like therapy.

5. One book that made you cry:

Technically a short story but A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote always makes me cry.

6. One book that you wish had been written:

A manual for my husband

7. One book that you wish had never been written:

Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence. I grew to hate the main character so much I couldn't finish the book. That is rare for me. And of course I've already mentioned Mobey Dick. But that could have more to do with reading it in a two day period for a graduate English class.

8. One book you are currently reading:

Does Country Living Magazine British Edition count as a book???? This season has been so busy I haven't read any books in awhile.

9. One book you've been meaning to read:

Are you kidding me??? I have a book list of books I want to read that is 70 pages long!!! I am not exaggerating. That doesn't even include the stack beside my bed that I've picked up at sales and want to read. Well, the most recent addition to my huge list is Switched Off by Eric Brende. Several of my friends have read it and recommended it and then I found out at Christmas that he lives in my Uncle's neighborhood.