As I was decluttering in my bedroom today I came across a stack of paint samples.  I started to toss them since we were no longer considering any of these colors but then decided to try to use them in some sort of craft instead.  I thought up this craft and I think it looks pretty darn adorable!! 

SUPPLIES:

Paint sample books or cards (from home improvement stores)
Card stock
Fine point black Sharpie marker
Stencil
Glue
Scissors
Hole punch
Yarn, string or ornament hanger

Take a stencil in whatever shape you prefer, I used a star but I think a heart would look great, too.  Really, just a square will wind up looking just as nice.  Use the marker to trace the stencil onto the card stock. 

If you press hard enough the marker will just barely bleed through onto the back of the paper which will make it easier when time to cut it out.  If it doesn't bleed through, you can just retrace the stencil on top of the paper scraps later.

Cut the paint samples into various sizes, try to keep the edges very straight.  Lay the scraps onto the cardstock until you have a design you like.  Start gluing the scraps being careful to not let any of the cardstock show through the cracks and make sure you completely cover the stencil lines.

Once you have it the way you like it, let the glue dry if necessary.  If you can see the lines on the back of the cardstock, follow them to cut it out.  If you can't see it, then simply retrace the stencil on top of the scraps and cut it out cutting inside the marker line so it doesn't show on the finished ornament.

Use the marker to make a variety of stitch marks everywhere the papers meet up.  A crazy quilt uses a variety of decorative stitches, so have a lot of fun with this.

Draw a straight stitch all around the outside edge of the ornament, this really makes it look nice.  Turn the ornament over and do these same stitch marks on the back.  In the center, write your name or greeting and be sure to date it.

Punch a hole near the top edge of the ornament and tie on some yarn or string.   Now it's ready to hang on your tree. 

 Dianna enjoys coming up with craft ideas using found objects.  There is always some sort of project going on in her house, usually on the kitchen table.  You can check out her other blog here.  Dianna and her family are in their 5th year homeschooling.

The problem with Traditional is that there isn't too much written about it.  There isn't a blueprint of what subjects to teach and when to teach them as there is in Neo-Classical.  This makes  teaching a bit vague.   There is a website  called Circe Institute that aids  classical schools  as they travel down the road  of giving their students  a classical education.  This organization is a help to homeschoolers as well. 

The Circe website is a tad convoluted  in its set-up.  There are quite a few different terms that make understanding difficult.  Each time  I have gone through the site,  I have come away from it with a bit more understanding than when I started.   Patience is important when dealing with this website. 

According  to the Circe website,  classical education is the cultivation of wisdom and virtue.  This happens through nourishing our soul with all that is good,  true and beautiful.   In a pracitical sense,  this plays out by  using Great Books  and works of art.  Through the Great Books  you expose the student to Great Ideas.  They are able to meditate on these ideas and then  act on them through service.   Pieces of art  show the students all that is beautiful  in the world.  Beauty can also be shown in the natural world through  God's creation.

To  know what to teach,  the teacher  focuses on the Seven Liberal Arts.  This  translates into the Trivium (grammar, logic and rhetoric) and the Quadrivium (arithmetic, geometry,  music and astronomy.)  These 7 subjects are the basis  of a child's education.  After the child is exposed to these liberal arts, then the sciences may be introduced.  When I say sciences,  I mean natural science,  humane science (history and literature),  philosophical science and  theological science.   

As each subject is taught,  they share the same strand as to how they are taught.  Each subject should be taught  using the three columns  (hold on to your hat because this is where it gets tricky.)   The first column of teaching any subject is to communicate information to the student and then make sure that the student  has  retained this information.  The second column  is where the teacher makes sure that the student  grasps the ideas that are being taught.  This is done through discussion.  The third  column includes skill.  The teacher attempts to train the student in an intellectual or physical skill.  This is where the teacher coaches or mentors the student.   

In order to  make sure that the student is  grasping the idea or skill that the teacher is attempting to teach,  there are two modes of teaching  that need to take place:  the didactic mode and the socratic mode.   I won't go into those right now  as I am afraid that I would truly lose you.  I might try to tackle the two modes later on  but for right now I think it is interesting to just ponder the three columns of teaching.   That is huge on  its own. 

If you are interested in traditional classical education, I encourage you to wander through the Circe Institute website.  There is alot of information to digest there.  Not only does Circe have the website,  they also offer yearly  conferences.   They use these conferences to encourage the classical teacher, be it a school teacher or a homeschool teacher.  It doesn't matter.  Both kinds of teachers come away from those conferences refreshed and rarin' to go for the next year.   For the many of us that cannot  afford to go to the conferences,  Circe offers CD sets  of each workshop.   These CD sets are amazing.  I bought my first one earlier this spring and I learned quite a bit about traditional classical education and how to effectively teach it to my children.

Julia lives with her husband on the Canadian Prairies homeschooling  their 3 children (9,7.5,)  attempting to give them a classical education.   You can read more  at http://homeschoolblogger.com/Juliainsk

Thanksgiving

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

Blessings to you and your family this Thanksgiving,
grateful to God the Father,
to our Lord, Savior, Jesus,
and to the Holy Spirit.

Donna Conner lives in Fort Worth, TX with her husband, Glenn, their son, Mike, Donna's mother, Charlotte, and their dog, Lucia. Donna and Glenn have been homeschooling their son since the beginning of his education. Mike completed his homeschooling in the fall of 2008. Donna is an artist and has always enjoyed writing. She wrote Homeschooling Only One in 2003, after discovering that there were many other families homeschooling only one child. Her website is devoted to those with only one student in their homeschool, with listings of online resources. You can visit her website at  http://donnac.com and read her blog at: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/DonnaC

copyright © 2008 Donna Conner ~~ All rights reserved. Content may not be reproduced in any form without written permission of author, except in the case of brief passages embodied in critical reviews and articles where the title and author are listed.

Welcome to Special words for Special needs. I hope and pray that you all had a wonderful peaceful Thanksgiving. 

Today I would like to talk to those who are thinking of homeschooling their special needs child.  Have you reached the middle of the year and the IEP results are dismal?  Do you have a war on your hands every morning trying to get Jr to get to school?  Or are you tired of the phone calls about behavior issues?  It's time to do something but what? 

So what is the major problem with the situation as it is?  Is it the school? Physically, is it inadequate or overwhelming?  Is it the teacher or aides your child deals with? Is it the travel to and from the school that is the issue? Or is it the progress or lack there of that is problematic?  I have heard all these as repeated problems in the circle of friends I have in the past year.  Some parents I talk with chose to go private or parochial at this point. There is a problem with that when you have a child with special needs. Many private and parochial schools do not accept special needs students.  So we come to homeschooling! 

Smile, homeschooling is not a last ditch, better than staring at a blank corner option. I happen to think, and I have seen that, homeschooling is a wonderful experience for all.  Homeschooling can be extremely flexible, much more so than an IEP.  You can still get expert advice to guide you if you feel you need it. There are now many services available outside of the school system that  fill a vast majority of needs. Look below to my blog, Getting Started, for more detailed instructions.  Emotionally many children blossom.  Their relationship with you will deepen and grow.  Just like a well tended garden you will see the fruits of your labor.

The holiday season is a great time to pull your child out of public school. In several states there is a time between notification of intent to homeschool and time you begin schooling. In most places the holidays count as time. So no hassle, clean out the desk and locker and start a new education life!  

You can pull your child for a year, a couple years, or until college. You only have to focus on the year you are in. Let the future tend to its self. Focus on the problems your child is having, and take note of his strengths.  There are a wide variety of homeschooling materials now. Do not be fettered by grade levels. Instead focus on the needed skill. You can use a workbook below your child's grade level, just rip out the page. 

I have a dear friend that pulled her son for a year. He was falling behind and having more and more problems socially because of it. She brought him home. They worked through the rest of the year focusing on the problem areas. She found that his reading needed practice so she found something he was highly interested in. At home he blossomed his confidence and grade level restored he started school again the next year. Since then he has thrived and has been a glowing example of homeschooling to all his teachers. 

The argument about socialization will more than likely rear it's ugly head. I once heard a funny comment on that, "How many times in school did your teacher tell you, " Be quiet class, your not here to socialize!"  Oh how true. You can quite effectively socialize your child. Keeping up with their school friends that were near and dear is easy. You still go to their house to play; you still allow sleepovers.  Homeschool Co-ops and other groups for homeschooling are sprouting up all over the country. Look up your state and local organizations.  You can usually find online support for your area and any other special need.  

If things are not going well at school you can choose homeschooling.  You can homeschool as long as you want or your child needs. Check the laws in your state before you make the jump. Home School Legal Defense Association is a great resource for state laws, but I still encourage you to look at the actual law from your state to be sure.  There may be doubts in the family or near you. Relax, time will show that your child is better off at home learning with you. You can do it!  

Heather lives in West Virginia. She and her husband have been homeschooling their 5 children for 7 years.  Due to a genetic disorder their children have multiple special needs. Living life to the fullest for the glory of God is their goal!  Visit Heather's page at  www.homeschoolblogger.com/gfcfmomofmany/

Two of the first words we teach our children are Please and Thank-you, yet do they truly understand what it means to be thankful?  Thanksgiving is a wonderful season and opportunity for modeling and teaching thankfulness, yet it shouldn't be limited to the month of November. Plant the seed now, but water and tend to it each day afterwards.

Here are some ways you can take advantage of this teachable moment, now and throughout the year.

Model what it means to be thankful.  Don't just talk about it. Show it. Everyday, not just during Thanksgiving week.

Verbally express your feelings of thanks.  Let your children hear you tell people you are thankful for them and why.  Don't miss this opportunity to let your child know you are thankful they are in your life.  Encourage a conversation with your child about who and what they are thankful for.

Cultivate a grateful heart. Contentment is a gift. You will do well to teach this to your child early on.

Pray with Thanksgiving all year long.  During meal and nighttime prayers let your children hear you give Thanks to the Lord for the blessings in your life. 

Incorporating picture books  and craft projects celebrating the spirit and history of Thanksgiving is another way to send the message home to little ones.

Thanksgiving Picture Books:
Thanksgiving is for giving thanks by Margaret Sutherland
A Thanksgiving Story by Alice Dalgliesh
The story of Thanksgiving by Nancy Skarmeas
My First Thanksgiving by Tomie dePaola
One little, Two little, Three little Pilgrims by B.G Hennessey

Thanksgiving Craft Ideas:

Create a Thankful Tree.  Have each family member name a few things they are thankful for and add that to the tree.  As a variation you can name PEOPLE that you are thankful for and each day following Thanksgiving you can remove a name from the tree and pray for that person.

Create a Thanks and a Giving Tree.  This tree helps keep track of what you are thankful for and what you have done for others.  A wonderful way to capture the spirit of Thanksgiving.

Create a Thanksgiving Thankful Turkey.

Create a Thanksgiving Turkey Card by tracing your child's feet (in shoes) for the turkey body, and hands for the wings and feathers.  Add googly eyes and cut a beak, waddle and feet.

Create Pine Cone Turkey placesettings

Create Learning Letters Turkey

Create Learning Numbers Turkey

Create Indian Corn Mosaic (wonderful cutting activity)

Create a Turkey handprint card
Include a handwritten note letting someone know why you are thankful for them.Create a Playdough Turkey Kit

Additional ideas:
Danielle's Place


I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with your Littlest Learner.
You can follow our homeschool journey at PassportAcademy.com

Photo credit: The Mayfly.com

Kids Table Activity Ideas

Day 7 in my series  "21 Days to More Godly Communication" comes to us from Psalms.  As the election nears, we see more and more speeches by politicians who speak smoothly but carry a sharp tongue. 

When someone speaks well, it is sometimes difficult to know if their purpose is to deceive or if their motives are to destroy.  God warns us here that there are those who sound smooth, but who have it in their heart to cause division or to cut someone down.  Only God knows what's in the hearts of men, but He does give us some degree of discernment.  How can we tell if someone has an

ulterior motive?  Here are a few ways: * Watch the eyes for they are the windows to the soul.  Unless someone is an accomplished actor, the eyes will usually give them away.  It's harder to look someone in the eye and tell them a falsehood at least for any length of time.  * Notice body language.  Most people who are not accomplished liars will feel somewhat uncomfortable when they are hiding another agenda.  You might notice they don't look comfortable or look nervous.  * Notice how calm and poised they appear.  Some people stumble over their words or appear confused when they are trying to appear to be doing something else.  * Notice the words they use.  A slip of the tongue can give away their true motives. Keep in mind that, while most people leave tell-tale signs that they are not telling the truth or that they have another agenda, some understand communication skills well enough to look like they are telling the truth! Here God tells us that things are not always as they seem.  This being the case, one of the things we must do is to check their record and reputation.  Have they lied in the past?  Have they done, in the past, the very thing they are telling you they are NOT doing now?  I remember watching Leave it to Beaver reruns (Contrary to my kid's beliefs, I am not quite old enough to remember the original shows!).  Eddy Haskell was a smooth talker who frequently had an agenda.  It was his ability to schmooze that made him likable.  However, it was his past record of scheming that caused everyone around him to question his motives. Beware the Eddy Haskells in your life for they may lead you astray.  God also tells us to beware becoming an Eddy Haskell ourselves.  ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ JoJo Tabares holds a degree in Speech Communication, but it is her humorous approach to communication skills which has made her a highly sought-after Christian speaker and writer.  Her articles appear in homeschool publications, such as Homeschool Enrichment Magazine and The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, which also endorses her Say What You Mean curricula.  You can also find JoJo on web sites such as Crosswalk.com and Dr.Laura.com.  For more information on communication FUNdamentals and Christian-based communication studies for the whole family, please visit http://www.ArtofEloquence.com ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

This is one of the dishes that I wouldn't dare show up for the Thanksgiving meal and not have it with me! Everyone loves this recipe and I really wanted to share it with you all. It is an interesting and yummy way to eat sweet potatoes. I'm not a fan of marsh mellows on top of the sweet potato casserole, but I do like sweet potatoes.

By the way, in culinary school, there was a joke from the chefs about sweet potatoes and yams. It goes like this: "The only difference between a sweet potato and a yam is the amount of space in the grocery store." Meaning, sweet potatoes and yams are the same thing. Because our family loves this dish so much, I doubled the recipe. You can also make this ahead of time, bake it and then freeze it. Bring it out the morning of your meal and warm in the oven. It makes things much easier, esp. if you are having the meal at your house.

Praline Sweet Potatoes

4 cups of mashed sweet potatoes
1/2 cup of white sugar
2 Tbs. vanilla extract
4 eggs
1/2 pint heavy (whipping) cream
1/4 lb. butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions:
1. Boil or roast the sweet potatoes until soft and cooked. If boiling, drain very well and place on a cookie sheet in the oven for about 15 - 20 minutes. This will get most of the moisture out of the potatoes.


2. Butter a 9 x 13 casserole dish and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, eggs and cream into your mixer. Blend well until there are no more sweet potato lumps. Spread into your buttered pan.



3. Prepare the topping by combining the butter, brown sugar, flour and nuts into a bowl. Mix with a pastry cutter, a fork or with your hands until crumbly. If the topping seems to greasy and it clumps together, add a bit more flour until the big clumps are gone. Sprinkle over the sweet potato mixture evenly.



4. Bake for 35-40 minutes in your preheated oven.

Jennifer Dewing has experience in the restaurant business. She turned in her chef's hat and donned the many hats of a stay-at-home mother 7 years ago. She is now the mother to 5 children, 7 years and under. She home schools her eldest two children. Her husband is a professional chef and in their house, food is a big part of their family. Come visit her at The Days' Dewings.

My mother-in-law asked us to bring croissants for Thanksgiving. I know she meant the Pillsbury brand, but my husband and I are not to keen on pre-done food. Plus, we thought it would be a fun thing to do if we made our own. Okay, so we're a bit adventurous over here, but please don't let the idea of croissants scare you away from trying them yourself. Yes, they do take more time then the pre-done ones (they take about a day and a half). But are they ever worth it! And you get the satisfaction of telling your family come Thursday (or whenever your meal is) that you made these from scratch! That's a pretty good boast right there! We took lots and lot and lots of pictures for you to get a better idea about what each step is. That is why there are 3 parts to this post (other-wise there would be 29 pictures in one post!) My 7 1/2 year old daughter helped my husband make these. I got to be on the other side of the camera for once!

Croissants

1 lb. (16 oz.) water or milk
1 Tbs. yeast
27 oz. of flour *
1 Tbs. kosher salt
1/2 cup white sugar
1 lb. butter (not softened!)
* we used half white flour and half wheat flour

Directions:
1. Mix your dry ingredients and your wet ingredients in your mixer. Mix until the dough comes together into a ball. Let is rest for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.





2. Once your dough is resting nicely, get your pound of butter out and place it on a clean cloth. Fold the cloth into 3rds, with the butter in the middle. Pound the butter out with your rolling pin until the butter is about the size of one 3rd of the cloth. Fold the edges of the butter over, if needed, to make a clean edge.

You can read Part 2 HERE.

Jennifer Dewing has experience in the restaurant business. She turned in her chef's hat and donned the many hats of a stay-at-home mother 7 years ago. She is now the mother to 5 children, 7 years and under. She home schools her eldest two children. Her husband is a professional chef and in their house, food is a big part of their family. Come visit her at The Days' Dewings

~ This is a continuation from Croissants (part 1). If you have not read that, please go to that post first.  ~

3. After your dough has rested, place it on a well floured surface and roll out to about a 1/2" thick rectangle, roughly 3 times the size of your butter rectangle. Place your butter in the middle of the dough. Fold one side over onto the butter and then fold the other side to overlap in the middle about an inch. Make sure the edges are even. Roll it out until it's about 1/2" thick. You now will fold your dough into thirds, as you would a buisness letter. Bring the bottom third up to the middle and the top edge down to the bottom edge. This is what I will refer to as a "tri-fold". Wrap the dough into your cloth (that you wrapped the butter in) and place in the fridge for about 30 - 40 minutes.

4. Once your dough has rested, take out of the fridge and roll the opposite way then you did before (instead of having the folded edges on the sides, start with them at the top and bottom) and then fold it up again. You will do this (rolling it out and folding it up) a total of 3 times.  After the 3rd tri-fold, wrap it in plastic wrap to prevent a crust from forming and refrigerate your dough overnight.

You can read Part 3 HERE.

Jennifer Dewing has experience in the restaurant business. She turned in her chef's hat and donned the many hats of a stay-at-home mother 7 years ago. She is now the mother to 5 children, 7 years and under. She home schools her eldest two children. Her husband is a professional chef and in their house, food is a big part of their family. Come visit her at The Days' Dewings.

In preparation fo the holidays, I like to do a quick cleaning and tidying.   I love getting out our special Christmas decorations, and can't have clutter turning me into a scrooge, so a-tidying I go! 

It always amazes me what a little decluttering will do to perk things up.  A lady I know recently admitted that when she was a young girl, she loved to rearrange her room. The night after rearranging, she was often unable to sleep from sheer excitement!   This week I organized and cleaned my pantry, and I can relate to the excited room-rearranger--at least in part.   Being a busy mommy I fell into bed that night and slept soundly, but it sure is a joy to open the pantry as I go about my cooking and see the neat rows of clean jars lined up on the shelves!

Elegant efficiency lends a peace and satisfaction to our surroundings and drives away the mundane. 

Go forth and tame the chaos.  Declutter to make way for holiday trimmings!   Then, step back and enjoy! 

Domestic Chaos Tamer and Homeschool Mom of Five,  Dell  writes about home, heart and hearth.

I thought this looked kind of fun and something exciting to share with you! I got this tag from Nancy, who got this tag from Marsha, who got this tag from. . .

1. He's sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen?  This Old House, The New Yankee Workshop, The Woodwrights Shop, NASCAR.

2. You're out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad?  Ranch dressing. 

3. What's one food he doesn't like?  liver

4. What kind of drink does he order?  Pepsi

5. Where did he go to high school? Moanaloa High School, HI, Redmond High School, OR

6. What size shoe does he wear?  9 Wide

7. If he was to collect anything, what would it be?  Hot Wheels, car parts, hot rods, remote control airplanes.

8. What is his favorite type of sandwich? Grilled cheese. . .I think

9. What would he eat every day if he could?  Hot dogs, corn, lumpy mashed potatoes.

10. What is his favorite cereal? He doesn't like cereal.

11. What would he never wear?  A Speedo swim suit

12. What is his favorite sports team?  He doesn't like any sport that involves a ball. He likes NASCAR and Dale Earnhardt Jr. is his favorite competitor. 

13. Who did he vote for?  He doesn't discuss politics with strangers.

14. Who is his best friend? Wayne C. and Troy M.

15. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn't do? Gasp when I'm scared. 

16. How many states has he lived in?  Four: Oregon, California, Hawaii, Washington

17. What is his heritage? German, French, Cherokee Indian 

18. You bake him a cake for his birthday; what would it be? Spice with cream cheese frosting. 

19. Did he play sports in high school? As car racing was not a sport offered in high school, he declined the opportunity to chase after a ball.

20. What could he spend hours doing? Working on his 1923 T-Bucket.

21. What's something cool about him? He works hard. He enjoys taking us geocaching, camping, hiking, and to car shows.

You can do this tag too! If you do, leave me a comment!

Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB

This Contest is now
CLOSED!

Here's a chance for you to win a copy of TOS's newest E-Book, What About Socialization? Dispelling the Myths and help spread the word about our upcoming Black Friday Sale and our lowest subscription price EVER!

We're going to give away 3 copies of the E-Book on Saturday November 29. All you have to do to enter is to post the info below in your own words on your blog or website, or at least email it to 10 friends if you're not a blogger. Then leave a comment here!

Here's the info for you to post. Feel free to reword it and add your own flair. :O)  

The Old Schoolhouse^® Magazine is having an amazing sale on subscriptions during their annual Black Friday Sale November 26 – 30. For those 5 days only, they are drastically reducing their one-year subscription price to $7.95! That's the price you would usually pay for just one issue at a bookstore!