Rosetta Stone has been the #1 foreign language curriculum among homeschoolers for a while -- next week they are unleashing a brand new curriculum, and you can WIN the *all new* Rosetta Stone Homeschool Version 3… FOR FREE! 

This is a $219 program (and believe me it's worth every penny!) and the winner gets to pick from any of these 14 languages: Spanish (Spain or Latin America), English (American or British), Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Irish, Hebrew, or Russian.

This will also include a headset with microphone, and students will participate in lifelike conversations and actually produce language to advance through the program.  Rosetta Stone still incorporates listening, reading and writing as well, in addition to speaking.  Many homeschoolers requested grammar and vocabulary exercises, and with Rosetta Stone Homeschool Version 3, they're included!  For parents, the new Parent Administrative Tools are integrated into the program and allow parents to easily enroll students in any of 12 predetermined lesson plans, monitor student progress, and view and print reports. 

To win this most excellent program -- in the language of your choice -- copy these (blue) paragraphs and post it in (or as) your next blog post -- then to enter the contest, go to the original contest page HERE: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/JenIG/501132/  and leave a comment with the link showing where you blogged about it.  And please make sure the link works to get back to the original contest page when you post it.  And good luck!  The winner will be picked randomly on March 26, and will be notified thru the link they left to their blog pg.   And if you have more than one blog, you can post them and enter those separately for more chances to win.   Yay for free stuff!

Okay, it's technically not still Friday, but somewhere in the world, it still is.  After my Retro-Blogging entry, I was looking over kellieann's Flashback Friday post, and figured I was so behind I'd be in the right ballpark for a flashback.

Here is a very old picture of me as a baby:

My mother did try to get me to stop squinting when I smile.  I did try, but everytime I'd end up looking and feeling rather scary--a little like an insect about to eat or be eaten.  When I saw this picture as a teenager, I was so pleased to find out that my natural way of smiling is with my eyes mostly shut.   She also tried to get me to close my mouth when I laugh.  Tee hee!  Don't worry Mom--lots of things you taught me, did "stick"--I even (try very hard to) clean up the kitchen as I cook now! (: 

And, Kellieann, thanks for the inspiration, and I really, really, did try to leave a comment on your blog, but the post a comment page(s) I tried to open are still frozen and churning somehwere in cyberspace, but not opening on my monitor.  I'll try a howdy another day!

Take care, ya'll!

Lori

Betty, at FloridaSunsets tagged me with these instructions:

Find a book nearby (with at least 123 pages).  Open to the 123rd page.  Go to the fifth sentence.  Copy the next three sentences.  Here goes a very bad advertisement for a wonderful book:

"Cheaters sometimes win. One-dimensional people often end up with more money.  Selfishness, cunning, and backstabbing are often faster tracks to fame." 

I just can't resist typing the next key section: "Grace dictates that we keep achievement goals in context with the children's bigger role as members of God's chosen people.  They need to see their commitment to achievement as a way to glorify God as well as a way to make them more valuable to others.  Grace helps us keep achievement in its rightful place, as a means to an end."

The book is Grace-Based Parenting by Ted Kimmel.  I saw it on a shelf of a friend whom I respect and devoured it.  I have been disappointed with the approach of grace-based discipline as I have seen it in various forums, and wondered if this would be in the same vein.  It's not.  It's an extremely challenging book, and my "take-aways" were:  1).  Do not parent out of fear of the world/the flesh/the devil--Our God is powerful and mighty.  2).  Our children have three driving needs: the need for secure love, meaningful purpose, and strong hope.  He points out that Satan understands these needs, and will provide counterfeit solutions to meet them, and that grace applied in a solid framework of moral truth will equip us and our children to resist them.  3).  Let your child be "himself" as long as he is within biblical moral guidelines, and delight in those things that make your child unique (even if it's a little embarrassing/irritating, etc).

Thanks, Betty, for tagging me. 

(:
Lori

You all have great imaginations--thank-you for sharing your ideas.  I liked the chocolate cupcake idea, especially, but then again, finding beauty in chocolate would not be unexpected (in my book, anyway).  Yes, I have made cakes that look a little like that, unfortunately...  I could use it as a candle vase, but it doesn't look as good in general, as you see below.  Now, it might be interesting as a little candle shade lamp, but I have no idea how to make that happen!

The picture is of the little bowl of evaporated coffee from our science experiment the other day.  I was waving it around for some reason, and it caught my eye when it caught the light.  I held it right up to the light bulb and SNAPPO--we have a fun picture.

Here is t he bowl when photographed in the normal way.  By the way, I'll give a text prize to anyone who can tell me any of the following:  why the coffee evaporated first, why the milk didn't stink, and why soy sauce doesn't evaporate at all.   I will post the rest of the bowls and the general results later.

I found beauty in an unlikely place today (no, I did not steal a photo of a damaged retina from my husband's office).  Can you tell what it is?

Since seeing Dell's children's lovely artistic efforts at Illumination, I thought I'd post a picture of a special gift from my sister-in-law from several Christmases ago. 

I am finally posting the answer to Guess.

The prize for first and most community-oriented response goes to ReelMomof4,

The prize for the most honest answer goes to Anissa

The prize for funnest answer goes to kellieann (oh dear, I dare to give a non-word award to an English teacher. 

The answer is: the colored scarves hanging in our playroom...

My friend, kellieann, tagged me, so I am "It" for the following. 

1. All right, here are the rules.
2. We have to post these rules before we give you the facts.
3. Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
4. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight
things and post these rules.
5. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged
and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re
tagged, and to read your blog

Here are my answers:

1.  I sometimes "type" the lyrics with my fingers (in air, or tapping the hymnbook) while I'm singing. 

2.  This was really useful since my husband and I "courted" while in two separate continents, and did most of our communication via e-mail (we are both superfast typists).

3.  Last night was the 8 year anniversary of our first date.

4.  On our first date, he offered for me to wear his sunglasses.  Maybe I was unused to wearing them, maybe I was delirious from being with him, maybe I am just absentminded, but I inadvertently kept wearing them when he took me to a museum movie.  I was groping around, trying not to step on any toes or grab ungracefully onto his arm, when he leaned down and whispered in my ear, "You might want to take off the sunglasses."   We still laugh about it...

5.  I used to dream about gloriously saving the day in military and espionage settings, and surviving incredible difficulties.  Now, I feel like a hero when I keep on top of laundry, keep my children's curiosity satiated and maintain the preciousness in our marriage.

6.  I have been able to keep my sunglasses in the same place without losing them for about seven months now.  I like it that way (gasp!).

7.  God has just answered our prayers for a friend of mine, in a glorious way, regarding her marriage.  I am overjoyed, and am reminded that we have a great God.

8.  I'm almost 40, and I think I'm only now just getting an inkling that "It's not about me", and am amazed at God's humor/wonder that there is incredible joy and freedom in that stance (still growing).

It is hard, as most people have been tagged before, so I'm going to be odd and change the question:  What is the most precious spiritual lesson you have learned this year, OR, How has God's glory been evident in your life this year?  KONOS, Jimmie, Dell, Anissa, Florida Sunsets, kellieann, 2Peter318. 

Thanks!

(:
Lori

What is it?  I don't know how to do little button-ma-jigs, so I can't give you an award other than the satisfaction of being right!