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| The stingray petting tank at the Tennessee Aquarium |
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
Kregel Publications Review - Route 66
Route 66 is designed to help Bible readers delve further into their studies by explaining what the various genres in the Bible cover, how to read them, and (most importantly) how to apply them to daily life. It is perfectly arranged for either personal Bible study use, small group use, or even pastoral use as a sermon series.
The information presented in the book is good, solid "how to understand your Bible" information, as well as how what the Bible teaches applies to our modern-day living. While I already knew some of what Route 66 covered, I enjoyed learning new things, and I especially liked the daily Bible studies for further in-depth study and thoughts about application.
Each day's reading is about 1.5-2 pages long, followed by a recommended verse or chapter to read, and 3-5 accompanying questions to think further about the verse, tying into the topics discussed in that day's reading. I felt the length of each reading to be just right, and the questions thought-provoking and interesting, but without being overwhelming.
I found Route 66 to be enjoyable and easy to read, while also very informative. The writing is friendly and warm. The author uses many allegories and real-life examples to explain his points, which I appreciate and feel make the book more personal. There was only one thing that took me a little getting used to - that was a few references to UK culture that I didn't understand right away! ;-) Those did not detract from the actual informational content of the book, and actually fascinated me a bit, as I love to learn about other cultures.
Curious? Check out a sample of the book! You can also read the publisher's synopsis, and hear some 3-minute devotionals from the author himself, Krish Kandiah (gotta love that accent!).
Route 66 is reasonably priced at $13.99, and available from Kregel Publications.
Disclaimer: I was given this product specifically for the purpose of reviewing here on my blog as a part of Kregel Publications Blog Tours. I received no other compensation in regards to this review.
Friday, August 19, 2011
TOS Crew Blog Hop!
As I, and the rest of the members of the TOS Homeschool Crew, gear up for another year of fun reviews, we'd love for our readers to get a chance to know all of us! Stop by the linky to find some wonderful homeschool blogs and leave a few comments to say hello! It's a great way to read some really fun blogs that you might not have come across previously, and to discover who else will be providing reviews!
If you would like to check out previous reviews, be sure to check out all of my reviews from 2010-2011!
Also, please give a special visit to our Blog Hop Hosts, Our Homeschool Studio, a glimpse of our life, and Our Village is a Little Different!
Have fun hoppin'!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Monday, August 15, 2011
An Apron Giveaway!
I know I've said this before, but I love aprons! I love how useful they are, not to mention how domestic they make me feel. The kids love it when I put my apron on, because they know something fun (and usually messy!) is about to happen in the kitchen, and they run to get theirs! The only problem I have with my apron is... I only have one! How have I made it so many years with just one?!
Leah, a sweet young woman from my church is having a giveaway for a homemade apron to celebrate 2 years of blogging at The Narrow Path... this might be my big chance to double my apron supply! Or... for you to win it for yourself, and enjoy the apron love!
Want a sneak peak?
I *heart* this apron! I really love the colors and pattern - pretty and feminine without being impractical. I don't wear an apron as a fashion accessory, I actually use my apron. Which means it gets dirty! So whenever I daydream about getting another apron (and yes, I do daydream about that, and window shop, too!) I definitely bypass the lighter, easier to stain ones. This apron fits the bill perfectly!
Drop by Leah's blog and leave a comment over there to congratulate her on two years of blogging, and to enter her giveaway! It ends on the 23rd, so don't dally!
Leah, a sweet young woman from my church is having a giveaway for a homemade apron to celebrate 2 years of blogging at The Narrow Path... this might be my big chance to double my apron supply! Or... for you to win it for yourself, and enjoy the apron love!
Want a sneak peak?
I *heart* this apron! I really love the colors and pattern - pretty and feminine without being impractical. I don't wear an apron as a fashion accessory, I actually use my apron. Which means it gets dirty! So whenever I daydream about getting another apron (and yes, I do daydream about that, and window shop, too!) I definitely bypass the lighter, easier to stain ones. This apron fits the bill perfectly!
Drop by Leah's blog and leave a comment over there to congratulate her on two years of blogging, and to enter her giveaway! It ends on the 23rd, so don't dally!
Friday, August 12, 2011
Friday Funny - Vegetarians?
Did you know that the ancient Israelites were vegetarians? According to Judah, our 2-year old Bible Historian, it's true!
For the last memory verse of Sonlight Core D, the boys are memorizing Psalm 42. We recite it every morning, and also listen to it in song. Judah can sing the entire song (how amazing is music in the way of helping memorization?).
The actual version of verse 4 goes like this:
These things I remember,
These things I remember,
The way he says it in his sweet little 2-year old voice just gets me every time! I've tried desperately to get it on video, but as soon as the camera comes out, he plays shy. Trust me, it is beyond cute!
For the last memory verse of Sonlight Core D, the boys are memorizing Psalm 42. We recite it every morning, and also listen to it in song. Judah can sing the entire song (how amazing is music in the way of helping memorization?).
The actual version of verse 4 goes like this:
These things I remember,
as I pour out my soul within me
how I used to go along with the throng
and lead them in procession to the house of God
with a voice of joy and thanksgiving,
a multitude keeping festival.
Judah's version goes like this:
These things I remember,
as I pour out my soul within me
how I used to go along with the throng
and lead them in procession to the house of God
with a voice of joy and thanksgiving,
a multitude eating vegetables.
The way he says it in his sweet little 2-year old voice just gets me every time! I've tried desperately to get it on video, but as soon as the camera comes out, he plays shy. Trust me, it is beyond cute!
Monday, August 08, 2011
"Not" Back to School Blog Hop: School Room Week
This week at Heart of the Matter Online's "Not Back to School Blog Hop", the highlight is school rooms. The way our house is set up (and probably the way in which I homeschool), we don't have one designated room for school - it happens all over the house! That means that our decor tends to reflect that - our main room accents include bookshelves, wipe-off boards and maps!
Here's a peek into our school rooms - oh, and I didn't do any special clean-up before taking pictures - I'm keeping it "real" here! ;-) Consider yourself warned!
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| This bookshelf is in our front living room. It holds 4 Sonlight Cores, preschool and math manipulatives, and other miscellaneous homeschool and non-homeschool books. Oh, and a BB gun and remote controlled helicopter. This is a houseful of boys, afterall! |
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| The dining room, where the big kids do their independent work. The bookshelf holds art supplies and paper, and other "stuff". See my easy-to-put-away school boxes? Notice they are not actually put away? Yeah, I know. |
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| The wipe-off board in the dining room, where we do our spelling. |
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| The eat-in nook in the kitchen. Notice lovely aforementioned wipe-off board and map decor. We usually use this wipe-off board for memory verses and science. And keeping track of who loses Wii time due to door slamming. |
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| Another view of the kitchen. The dresser to the left holds, well, junk. Actually, it has CDs, plus alot of artwork that needs to be sorted and corralled. The plastic drawers to the right hold wipe-off markers, coloring books, magazines for cutting up, and other random art supplies. The basked holds some kitchen rags, always good to have in quick reach for spills! |
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| This is our back living room, which is open to the kitchen. Again, the map look. |
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| The main couch, where I read to the littles and also do History and Read-Alouds with the big kids. This is across from the fireplace pictured above. |
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| The same couch, different view. A bookshelf! |
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| The love seat that holds the dog and some laundry. No, that's not it's actual purpose, but it does do that frequently. Our end table is decorated with legos, of course. Isn't everyone's? |
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| A close up of the basket next to the main couch. It holds 6 weeks worth of Sonlight stuff, for easy access. |
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| This basket is next to the love seat, and holds our P 4/5 books. |
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| This is the computer desk. We had a bigger one and I thought downsizing would help me keep it cleaner. I was wrong! |
Sunday, August 07, 2011
Encouragement for the Mom of Littles
In our house, among the children, we have "bigs" and we have "littles". Our "bigs" are the 8 and over set (currently only two fit into that category, Isaac, who is 10.5, and Ezra, who is 9) and the "littles" are, well, everyone else (that would be Joel (6.5), Nathan (4.5), Judah (2), and Rachel (6 months). While my big kids are actually still on the younger side (no drivers yet!), I have come to notice there is a definite difference in my life from when I had ALL littles to now having some big ones.
The "all littles" years are hard. Plain and simple! I remember being the only source of entertainment, the only one who could buckle carseats, hold hands in the parking lot (difficult when you've got more littles than hands!), push a grocery cart, make breakfast for lots of hungry mouths, change diapers, and so on. I remember trying to nurse a baby to sleep while keeping a toddler occupied, quiet and safe. I remember wondering how to get all the groceries into the house by myself with a baby that needs to nurse and a toddler that needs to go potty. It can be, and often is, exhausting.
The being said, I wanted to encourage any moms who are in the middle of the "all littles" phase - it gets easier! I promise!
The littles grow, and with good training and discipline, they become helpers! My oldest two can make snacks and meals, entertain the littles while I'm nursing the baby, hold the baby while I help another in the potty, load up the car and buckle car seats, unload groceries and put them away, and so on. I was recently left alone with just my four little guys for a few days, and, boy! did it bring back memories - and a greater appreciation for my big guys.
First, keep in mind that while you have just littles, you will need to be looking toward the future by teaching your littles to obey and to be helpers. They won't just magically become that way at the drop of a hat. Let the little ones come alongside you in everything you do. Yes, that will mean more work in the beginning. But the harvest will be worth it! Love them, encourage them, and train them to obey! They will be eager to start taking on more and more "big" responsibilities.
It can get easy to start dreaming of an "easier" time (I say easier in quotes because ALL phases of parenting has their challenges - they're just different challenges!). Planning and preparing for the future is one thing, but constantly putting your mind on "when they're ____, I'll be free!" will only breed discontent. Mamas, you will miss so, so much if this is your mindset!
The "all littles" years are hard. Plain and simple! I remember being the only source of entertainment, the only one who could buckle carseats, hold hands in the parking lot (difficult when you've got more littles than hands!), push a grocery cart, make breakfast for lots of hungry mouths, change diapers, and so on. I remember trying to nurse a baby to sleep while keeping a toddler occupied, quiet and safe. I remember wondering how to get all the groceries into the house by myself with a baby that needs to nurse and a toddler that needs to go potty. It can be, and often is, exhausting.
The being said, I wanted to encourage any moms who are in the middle of the "all littles" phase - it gets easier! I promise!
The littles grow, and with good training and discipline, they become helpers! My oldest two can make snacks and meals, entertain the littles while I'm nursing the baby, hold the baby while I help another in the potty, load up the car and buckle car seats, unload groceries and put them away, and so on. I was recently left alone with just my four little guys for a few days, and, boy! did it bring back memories - and a greater appreciation for my big guys.
However, the are some words of caution I want to toss out, too. These are very important!
First, keep in mind that while you have just littles, you will need to be looking toward the future by teaching your littles to obey and to be helpers. They won't just magically become that way at the drop of a hat. Let the little ones come alongside you in everything you do. Yes, that will mean more work in the beginning. But the harvest will be worth it! Love them, encourage them, and train them to obey! They will be eager to start taking on more and more "big" responsibilities.
Second, don't keep your focus so much on the future that you sacrifice the now.
It can get easy to start dreaming of an "easier" time (I say easier in quotes because ALL phases of parenting has their challenges - they're just different challenges!). Planning and preparing for the future is one thing, but constantly putting your mind on "when they're ____, I'll be free!" will only breed discontent. Mamas, you will miss so, so much if this is your mindset!
Littles are only little for such a very short time. It might seem like eternity right now, but, really, the time flies. Enjoy your littles! Play with them, read with them, laugh with them. Pour the love of Jesus into them! Yes, they are hard work. But while the days can seem long, the years will fly by. The little years are such wonderful years of wonder and learning, and a prime time to be able to really pour your love into them, forging bonds that will help relationships to stay strong as they get older. That foundation of relationship is essential!
Cherish your children, mamas, at every age. They are precious gifts from the Lord!
Cherish your children, mamas, at every age. They are precious gifts from the Lord!
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| My bigs when they were little! |
Wednesday, August 03, 2011
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
Monday, August 01, 2011
Treasures of July
The Truth About Preschool at Simple Homeschool - this gets a hearty amen! of agreement from me!
To All the Mamas: It Gets Better at Small Town Simplicity - this is so, so true! I was really apprehensive about the newborn stage for my first few kiddos, but the next few have barely rocked the boat.
Why Homebirth? at in other words...
Relaxing in Our Homeschooling at Angela's Analysis - the video shared spoke right to my heart!
Tips for Having a Successful Homeschool at A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
to break the circle at To Love - Oh, have I been there. On the giving and receiving end - both equally as painful.
Happiness and Holiness at A Christian Worldview of Fiction
Another Reason to Homeschool: So You Can Treat Your Boys Like Boys and Your Girls Like Girls at Why Homeschool
Motherhood Is a Calling (and Where Your Children Rank) at Desiring God Blog - I LOVE this!!
The Hardest Part of All at Small Town Simplicity - This is an absolute jem - so, so true!
Time Saving Ideas at Doorposts - great tips!!
5 Dangerous Things You Should Let Your Kids Do at TED - I liked this video and the points he made. I'm happy to say that we've let (most of) the kids do all 5 things (actually, there's 6)!
From Encouraging Hearts at Home:
laundry devotions (on approval seeking) at Biblical Homemaking - this is exactly what the Lord has been speaking into my heart as of late!! Convicting, and confirming!
What I Didn't Know: Reflections on Motherhood at Clean.
HOW to Read to Your Child - Valuing Interruptions at Real Child Development
5 Secrets to Being a Super Fun Mom at Motherhood Your Way
From Passionate Homemaking:
From Making Home:
From Getting Down with Jesus:
What I Learned About Motherhood from Watching Millionaire Matchmaker at Faith Barista
In Which Life Gets Messy at Divine Calling
Listen to Them or Lose Them at True Woman
From Large Family Mothering:
How Do We Become Readers? at The Happy Housewife - great points! Some of my fondest memories are of my parents reading to me, and I'm sure that plays a part in how avid a reader I am today, as well as how much I love reading aloud to the kiddos!
You Are Not Managing an Inconvenience... at Homeschool Jungle
Spiritual Maturity at ~Around Here...
To All the Mamas: It Gets Better at Small Town Simplicity - this is so, so true! I was really apprehensive about the newborn stage for my first few kiddos, but the next few have barely rocked the boat.
Why Homebirth? at in other words...
Relaxing in Our Homeschooling at Angela's Analysis - the video shared spoke right to my heart!
Tips for Having a Successful Homeschool at A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
to break the circle at To Love - Oh, have I been there. On the giving and receiving end - both equally as painful.
Happiness and Holiness at A Christian Worldview of Fiction
Another Reason to Homeschool: So You Can Treat Your Boys Like Boys and Your Girls Like Girls at Why Homeschool
Motherhood Is a Calling (and Where Your Children Rank) at Desiring God Blog - I LOVE this!!
The Hardest Part of All at Small Town Simplicity - This is an absolute jem - so, so true!
Time Saving Ideas at Doorposts - great tips!!
5 Dangerous Things You Should Let Your Kids Do at TED - I liked this video and the points he made. I'm happy to say that we've let (most of) the kids do all 5 things (actually, there's 6)!
From Encouraging Hearts at Home:
From Raising Arrows:
- Weekends in the Word: Why Won't Somebody Help Me
- The Perfect Mess {guest post}
- Conversations of a Husband and Wife
- Bible Based Homeschooling Resources for Toddlers and Preschoolers
laundry devotions (on approval seeking) at Biblical Homemaking - this is exactly what the Lord has been speaking into my heart as of late!! Convicting, and confirming!
What I Didn't Know: Reflections on Motherhood at Clean.
HOW to Read to Your Child - Valuing Interruptions at Real Child Development
5 Secrets to Being a Super Fun Mom at Motherhood Your Way
From Passionate Homemaking:
From Making Home:
From Getting Down with Jesus:
What I Learned About Motherhood from Watching Millionaire Matchmaker at Faith Barista
In Which Life Gets Messy at Divine Calling
Listen to Them or Lose Them at True Woman
From Large Family Mothering:
How Do We Become Readers? at The Happy Housewife - great points! Some of my fondest memories are of my parents reading to me, and I'm sure that plays a part in how avid a reader I am today, as well as how much I love reading aloud to the kiddos!
You Are Not Managing an Inconvenience... at Homeschool Jungle
Spiritual Maturity at ~Around Here...
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