Movin' and Shakin'

After taking the occasional couple of steps for the past month, last week, Judah decided he'd jump into full-fledged walking! So of course I had to capture the moment:


(Please excuse the background noise, ordinary things such as Science must go on even during milestones in progress)

Since he has gained confidence in this new upright position, he has also adapted his most favorite activity, dancing:



Or perhaps he is making an exercise video?

A Song and Scriptures for Saturday

Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.
Hebrews 12:28-29

Praise the LORD because he is good. Make music to praise His name because His name is Beautiful.
Psalm 135:3

I've heard this song get some flack because it's not specifically "Christian" (although it is meant to be a Christian song), but I love it. Enjoy your Saturday!

A Review - Download N' Go: Expedition Australia

If you are a homeschooler that frequents other homeschooling blogs, you may have have heard of the "TOS Homeschool Crew". The Old Schoolhouse Magazine recruits bloggers who desire to test and review homeschool products on their blogs - what a fun idea! I filled out the application to join the Crew for this upcoming year, and as part of the process of selection, they sent me a product to review: "Expedition Australia", one of TOS' "Download N' Go" e-books.

This was perfect for us, because we were supposed to start studying Australia in about 2 weeks or so in our geography, so with a little modification, I went ahead and made this week the week we'd study Australia. Sorry, Russia, we'll get to you soon! (I love the flexibility of homeschooling!)

We've used the e-book all week in place of our normally scheduled activities, and I've been very impressed at how many interesting things we've all learned that we wouldn't have learned otherwise. From neat Australian terms (the boys especially like "lollies") to fascinating facts about Australian creatures (did you know how beautiful Nudibranches could be?!), we have found Expedition Australia to be very enriching to our otherwise sometimes rather dry geography studies.

Here are some things I appreciated about the Download N' Go e-book:

• It provided a thorough and in-depth study without being too weighty or dry.


• Many interesting websites and videos linked within the e-book.


• Easily customizable - can do as-is, and learn a ton! You can add to it, and draw it out into a longer unit study. Or, you can use it as a suppliment to another curriculum, to which it will add depth and interest.
  


• Download N' Go e-books would definitely save on time and work, as there is no need to try to search out and pull together resources on your own. This is wonderful for moms like me who wish they could supplement but get discouraged just thinking of all the prep work that would be needed - these e-books eliminate the need for prep work! The title of the series is appropriate - just download and go!
  


• It can be used with a wide age-span. My older boys (9 and 7.5) did all of the notebooking pages, while my younger ones joined in on the drawing and coloring pages. One afternoon, after talking about Koalas in the morning, my 3 year old, who had been in and out of the room during that time, came to me with a book of Koalas and said "Look mama! Just what we learned about today!"
  


• Perfect for making cool mini-notebooks about specific areas of interest or study - great for those who like notebooking, lapbooking, Unit Studies, or the delight-directed approach.


• Also included is a book list to help select library books to add informational reading - as I've mentioned before, we love reading aloud, so I appreciated this very much!
  

Areas which I felt could be improved:

• I'll admit, this was my first experience with an e-book and I wasn't exactly sure how I was supposed to use it - should I print out all the pages? Ask questions orally? Do all the pages and the lapbook books, as well? (I ended up printing out the notebooking pages, but not doing the lapbooks at all). They do provide helpful hints on how to lapbook in general, but that didn't encompass the overall e-book. After going through all of these quandaries in my mind and finally making my decision, I did run across this helpful page: http://downloadngo.com/faq.php. I would suggest that the section on "How Do I Use These Units" actually be included within the e-book itself for those who might not be so quick to figure things out sometimes! Like, ummm... me!
  


• Since I did decide to print out all of the notebook pages, there was alot of printing to do for two children, plus a few extra pages for the little ones. However, some pages were mostly links with just one or two questions on them, so it seemed sort of strange to print out one whole page for it. I did, but I think in the future, I would just leave those pages of questions to be done orally instead to save on ink and paper.

So, those are my opinions. But wait! What about the ones who actually have to DO the work? Well, as I mentioned, we primarily did it with my oldest two boys, ages 9 and 7.5. The first two days, they were a little skeptical - mostly, I think, because it was a change from what they were used to. However, by the third day, when I said "Let's do our geography!" both boys yelled "Yesss!" and ran into the computer room to get their pages and watch the day's videos. They asked me why we hadn't done any of these before and if we can do more! So I'd give that two, ooops, I mean, four thumbs up from them. And two more from me for making school even more enjoyable and interesting - gotta love that!

Isaac (9) says "I like that we get to go deeper into the countries, instead of just learning the basic information"

Ezra (7.5) says "I like drawing the pictures, that's fun"

All in all, we really enjoyed using the e-book! Being able to give it a try and see what it was all about made me wish I had used the ones they have available for some of countries we've already studied. I will definitely be keeping Download N' Go books in mind for future topics, since they offer a good variety on various themes, and are reasonably priced at $7.95 each (less if you buy a bundle), and can be reused for more children. I want to thank The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew for giving me the opportunity to try it out and offer my opinion!

Homeschooling Preschoolers

In today's world of "Head Start" programs, "Kindermusic" classes, and "Teach You Baby to Read" programs, there is alot of pressure on parents to start "teaching" our children as much as possible as soon as possible. Surely this is required for ultimate success, right? And its important not to waste those "formative" years! I think the pressure can be even more for homeschooling parents, where the there's a subliminal challenge to "prove your child is smarter than the average population" or "prove that homeschooling is actually beneficial".

On that note, I thought I'd share what we did with Isaac and Ezra to ensure that they'd have that desired academic edge and preparedness:

nothing.

Well, ok, not really nothing. I'll try to elaborate a little more:

We taught them to read, and we read them good books.

That was it. Isaac did not start any "formal" type schooling until he was 6.5. No flash cards, no workbooks, no counting drills, no extracurricular preschool classes.

Surely, we did more than that, you're thinking? Well, ok, here's more of what we did:

He was with me, all the time. We talked about life's day to day happenings. We talked about how to pick out good apples and peaches at the grocery store. We talked to the elderly man next door about his garden. He sat on the counter next to me as I did dishes. We sang songs. We read, alot. We didn't watch TV, or play computer games. We played on the playground, and he played with his brothers. We went to church, and spoke about God in everything. He was surrounded by those who love him best, secure in his world of family.

We did what babies and children are wired to do naturally - we interacted. We explored. We imagined.

And when it came time to start a more formal education, it happened without struggle. His mind was ready, primed from the years of being allowed to grow at its own pace, rather than already exhausted from force-feeding it facts and figures before it was ready.

Now, I know that I've mentioned that I am doing "preschool" with Nathan (age 3) and Joel (age 5.5). Has my philosophy changed? Have I suddenly seen the light and regretted that I wasted all of those opportune years with my olders, so I am making sure to do it differently this time? Nope, not one bit.

You see, things are a bit different with older children in the house. The littles want to "do school" like the older brothers they look up to. They also want and need some of that one-on-one mama attention that the olders got so much of at their age, but that isn't as readily available as it once was. So, to make that happen, I carve out "preschool" time into our schedule.

However, our choice of curriculum for these preschool years aligns exactly with our main goals for this age of discovery:

Teach them to read, and read them good books.

Sonlight's preschool curriculum is not one of worksheets, flash cards, drills, or forced lessons. It is simply a compilation of good books. The new Instructor's Guide for P 4/5 includes light, basic activities which are easy (and help me to remember to do the little fun things I used to love to do with the children but now sometimes forget as my littles get bigger and my time is spread more thinly). The rest of the day, they listen in on some of the discussions we have with the olders, but mainly their job is to just "be" - exploring, playing, imagining, working and loving.

And they learn so much. They really do.

So, mamas of littles, if you are feeling the pressure of getting a good "head start" on your preschoolers' learning, or feeling discouraged or overwhelmed thinking that perhaps you're not doing enough - let it go. Your child learns so much, every day, just by living and interacting with you. Take time to be with them. Read good books, play fun games. Your home, and the real world with you by their side, is the best schoolhouse there is.

Fitness Friday - Milestones and Modesty

I thought I'd go ahead and do a Fitness Friday post today, in celebration of my first running milestone - as of this morning, I have run 100 miles this year! My goal is to do 500 by the end of the year, so I'm not exactly on track, considering the year is already 1/4 overwith... however, my mileage will continue to increase as time goes by, so hopefully things will average out a bit! I'm now running 3 miles or more at a time, 3-4 times a week.

I'd love to go on and on about how rewarding it is and how much I'm loving it, but I haven't felt the running love in a while. I do it because afterwards I feel good, and like I accomplished something. But I can't say I relish getting out of bed while it is still dark just to make myself pant and sweat on a treadmill! I also haven't lost any weight. None at all! However, my clothes are fitting much better and I feel alot healthier, so the numbers on the scale don't bother me so much. And my energy level has definitely improved, as well. So there are tradeoffs for my suffering! If you've ever suffered from a lack of motivation in running, you might find this post as funny as I did (although, I caution that the author is not a Christian and there are some themes mentioned that might be offensive to some).

I've also added in the 30-Day Shred, which is going well. I'm on Level 2, now, and I'm definitely feeling stronger and seeing more definition, especially in my upper body. Unfortunately, its my lower body and abs where I really need the definition ;-) But not having flabby arms is nice, too!

If anyone who reads my blog and might have some opinions wouldn't mind chiming in - I have a question regarding exercising during the hot summer months and modesty. How does one keep comfortable and cool while also maintaining a sense of decency? Running shorts are... well, short. I put some on the other day and Joel said "Mama, it looks like you're just wearing underwear!" The perspective of a child can certainly change ones' mind about what's modest and what's not! Running skirts are cute, but almost more suggestive because of the way the flip around - even though there are shorts underneath, I've heard from sources that it still can attract the wrong kind of attention. Basketball-type shorts are baggy (uncomfortable) and can ride up (even more uncomfortable), and capris and exercise pants are hot! What's a modest girl to do? Any suggestions?

I hope anyone else who is trying to meet some fitness goals is also having success!

Wordless Wednesday - One of the (Many) Blessings of Older Children

Haiku Mania

We are finishing up studying Japan in My Father's World Exploring Countries and Cultures. We've talked a little about the art of Haiku, a style of poetry that originated in Japan. In Haiku, there are three lines in the poem - the first line has 5 syllables, the second has 7, and the third has 5 again. I have always loved Haiku because it is so simple, but can be so beautiful.

However, the boys didn't exactly share my enthusiasm... that is, until I broke the ice and tried my hand at writing one:

Apples
Crunchy, sweet and red
Sweet juice leaks out at each bite
Delicious snack - yum!

Yes, I know, its nothing prize-winning, but it got the kids so excited that they started a torrent of writing! The best part is, I didn't even ASK them to! Once they saw how easy it really was, they grabbed paper and pencils and started scribbling away. I could see them mouthing words and counting on their fingers... and within 10 minutes, they each had one written.

Here are two from Ezra:

Mom
Mom is nice to us
She makes good food to feed us
I know she loves us

Homeschool
We have to do school
Sometimes it is a bit fun
I do not like Math!

And here are two of Isaac's:

Ada
Ada is black and white
She is so hyper, so fast
Then she falls asleep

Molly
Molly is so black
Black as a crow's wing at night
I love our black dog

Even Joel did one!

Math
My math is so fun
Because you do it with me
I like my math blocks

I love how quickly they caught on to the idea and gave it a go. Just another one of those moments when I sigh dreamily and say "This is why I love homeschooling!" :-D

(Oh, Isaac posted a few others on his blog, if you want to check them out)

Our Favorite Children's Bible

We have a fair collection of children's Bibles that we've obtained through the years. All of them do a decent job of retelling the Biblical accounts of important people, the life of Jesus, and have cute or artsy pictures to accompany each. However, we recently got one that really blows ALL of them out of the water. It is truly the best Children's Bible we've ever read - its one that even adults can enjoy and even learn from - I'd actually even recommend it to new believers! It is The Jesus Storybook Bible.

What makes it so good? Well, for starters, it lives up to its tagline: "Every story whispers His name". Every single story in it reminds us of the need for a savior, God's promise for a savior, and His great, never failing, never changing Love for His people. The illustrations are winsome, and each story's length is only 2-3 pages, just the right length to keep a child's interest without being too brief, as many Children's Bibles tend to be.

I recommend the Deluxe version which includes audio CD's of a read-aloud of the Bible. These are AWESOME and well worth the extra few dollars compared the price of just the Bible alone. The narrator really pulls you in with his excitement and emotion expressed in reading - not the dull recitations or cutesy sing-along types that many other Children's audio Bibles have. All of our children ask to listen to the CDs as they're going to sleep at night. They're enjoyable even for me, and I am not that patient with children's CDs in general, so that says alot! Joel has listened to them so often that he'll walk around retelling a story in the same British accent as the narrator!

Now, I will say that the one potential drawback that some might have with it is that it is not "scripture" - the accounts are paraphrased with a little bit of humor thrown in here and there. The author has taken liberties, but none that I found offensive or that detracted from the point of the story or overall message. Often, I have found that the modifications actually help to simplify and drive the point of the message home better for those who might not otherwise have gotten it.

One example that comes to mind (and this comes to mind because the children find it so funny) is in describing the account when James and Peter are discussing who will be greatest in the kingdom, it actually has them saying "I am", "No, I am" "Am not", "Am, too!". Obviously, that is not an accurate representation of the exact conversation. However, things like this are not an issue for me for two reasons: One, because even though their actual words were not those, their attitudes very likely were along those lines! And, second, the children really get it - they can hear it and remember similar conversations they've had just days or even minutes before. I, personally, don't mind "liberties" taken like this. Also, since we read the actual Bible outloud to them daily, if not several times a day, they're getting their fair dose of the real thing!

The thing that amazed me most after we got it, is after reading a few stories to the children, Michael said "Wow, this is a really good Bible. We should get one for each of the little kids" Anyone who knows my husband knows he can be the ultimate critic, so that is a big thing for him to say, lol!

So if you're in the market for a good children's Bible, or even a gift for a new believer, I can't recommend The Jesus Storybook Bible enough! Its one for all to enjoy.

Treasures of April

Submission, the Subject that Never Gets Old at Breathing Grace

Casually Feminine: The Mouth at The Family Revised

From I Take Joy

• "I Want You With Me," said the Little Princess
• Your Message Defines You
  

From Passionate Homemaking:

• Finding Joy in your Homemaking
• Get a Chef, a Maid, and a Nanny by Creating Effective Routines
• Growing Through Motherhood
  
• What is the Purpose of the Home
  

From Inspired to Action:

• Goal Setting Principles From a 7-Year Old
• How to Set Goals with Your Children - the Simple Version
  

The Pleasant Home at Lessons for Ladies - this gave me lots to think about and helped me refocus a bit!

What to Do When you Want to Give Up and Stay in Bed at holy experience - I, too, have these struggles at times, and the solution is just right!

Why Won't He Lead? at At the Well... In Pursuit of Titus 2

It's Not About Me at Chats with an "Old" Lady

What Every Family Really Needs to be Really Strong at (In)Courage -if you only read one post listed, let this be the one. It is like poetry, so beautifully written, and so profound. A real treasure!

Rear-Facing or Forward-Facing - What to Do and When to Do It at breezymama - a very informative post about extended rear-facing for children over a year in their carseats. I believe there is enough evidence to demonstrate that keeping a child rear-facing for longer than a year is the safer decision. Nathan rode rear-facing until he was 3 years old!

The Perfect Mom at Raising Arrows - good reminder!

Top 5 Ways to Ensure that your Homeschool Kid is Weird and Unsocialized at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers

How the Kids & the Neighbor-Next-Door Might Really Become Christians? at holy experience

A Song for Saturday

When I first heard this song, I thought it was a mixture between catchy and... cheesy. Just being honest! But, the more I heard it (and frankly, with 3 Christian radio stations in the area, I've heard it alot) the more I really started liking it. The catchy won out! Now its honestly one of my favorite songs :-)

But it also holds some meaning for me. See, I had struggled with severe bouts of depression in the past, from the time I was young, and even after becoming a Christian. But after listening to the lyrics of this song, it dawned on me that depression hasn't been something that I've been burdened with for years now, and for that, I can only give the praise and glory to God! He IS the lifeline - the Love, Hope, and Truth that we all so desperately need. His love is the only love that can change us.

So, even if you think its cheesy, I hope you enjoy it just a bit, too!

You say love is just a word,
just four letters in a row.
Just a thing that people say,
or they never tell you so.
And you use every excuse, to let nobody in.
Now this cloud you bring around, has become your only friend.

And everybody's saying that it's gonna go away, but it don't go.
And everybody's telling you one day it's going to change,
but you don't know,
if it's really going to end.

But there is a way, there is a spark,
there is a hope that you can hold on to.
There is a lifeline come to the rescue,
just like a hand that's waiting for you.
And if you believe in this I promise that you won't be alone.
There is a way, the Truth and the Life, and the Way.

But if love became a man,
if the Word had flesh and bone,
Would you recognize His face,
if He came to bring you home?

You think you're all alone, gotta do it on your own, riding solo.
Is there someone you can call, when you stumble and fall?
'Cause you don't know,
if you'll be getting up again.

There is a way, there is a spark,
there is a hope that you can hold on to.
There is a lifeline come to the rescue,
just like a hand that's waiting for you.
And if you believe in this I promise that you won't be alone.
There is a way, the Truth and the Life, and the Way.

Don't you think your life's worth saving?
Don't you know that love's amazing?
Don't you want to lay your troubles down?
Lay them down.

If I thought love was just a word,
I might feel the same way too.
But there's so much more than that,
and it's waiting here for you.

There is a way, there is a spark,
there is a hope that you can hold on to.
There is a lifeline come to the rescue,
just like a hand that's waiting for you.
And if you believe in this I promise that you won't be alone.
There is a way,
there is a way,
there is a way.
The Truth and the Life and the Way.