Posted By Gena Suarez, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
We are half way through summer!This is the time of year when homeschool parents start planning for the Fall.This time of year can also be a great time to start working on some fun review items with your kids to get them ready for the new school year.Here are some great Math items we just added to the schoolhouse Store.
25 Engaging, Reproducible Stories with Math Problems That Build Early Math Skills. Kids read easy and adorable math stories, then solve companion word problems! Reinforces addition, subtraction, shapes, patterns, time, money & more!
Reproducible easy-to-read stories and activities that invite kids to add, subtract, measure, tell time, and practice other important early math skills.
Reproducible, Easy-to-Play Learning Games That Help Kids Build Essential Math Skills
Play Hickory Dickory Clock, Pocket Change, and other games to build skills, such as time, money, patterns, and more!
Posted By Gena Suarez, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
The Pre-K Act (HR 3289) and Education Begins at Home (HR 2343) are two bills that if made into law could give the government control over how to raise your own children. Click on the links above to read the full bill or you can go to World Net Daily to read a summary of the bills.
Education does begin at home but the teachers are the parents, not the government. While this bill seeks to intervene for those infants that may be at risk, the bill does not clarify whether or not a parent has the right to say no. Instead it reads that if the child fits under this category or that category they are at risk and must be given help. Not everyone with a low-income is a drug addict or an abusive parent.
The Pre-K Act would encourage parents to put their children in a government approved pre-school, with a degree holding pre-school teacher, so that the government can raise them up. This of course would happen with a visit by a state trained employee who will know how to make preschool sound like a wonder no child should miss and make you feel neglectful for not even considering it.
As it stands right now, many hospitals already have a visiting nurse come to your home after you have had a baby, on the premise "to help you if you need it". I had a friend who lived just across the street from me who had a visiting nurse come by and then turn her in for child abuse because her house was a mess. Imagine that, a mom with a newborn baby and a three year old running around in a messy house. The nurse claimed that it was unhealthy for the baby. There was no mention of how unhealhty it was for the three year old and the baby couldn't even roll over yet or pick up things off the floor to put into its mouth. I asked my friend why she had even allowed the woman to come visit her. She said, "I didn't know that I could tell her no." The charges were later dropped and my friend learned a lesson, it's your house, it's your child, you can say no. Especially to someone who isn't there just for the purpose they are claiming to be there for.
Both bills point out that states, teachers, and parents must comply with the law in order to gain the funds and services, as always. It's their way or no way.
I have never won a blog contest before until NOW. Yeah I won a ticket to the virtual homeschool conference that has a goody bag worth 80.00 and cost 29.95. Heidi picked 5 names and I was one of them! It is going to have many live conference speakers and more! I'm so excited, I can't wait to show up in my PJS and have my frappincino while I attend on my computer. Well I may be pushing it there but I can dream. This is the ad for the conference!
Shhhh! Do you hear that? It is the comfort of your home calling you. PJs, coffee (your flavor), and four fun filled days just for you!
July 31st through August 3rd
In our quest to bring you the absolute best home school resource online, we have listened to your requests and are providing you with a fun filled online adventure! On July 31st through August 3rd, we will be hosting Heart of the Matter Online's first annual Virtual Home school Conference! We will be providing the attendees with motivational speakers, video tutorials, free products, question and answer sessions, and a vendor hall - all ONLINE! Just log on and either listen live during that time or log in at your convenience and listen to the audios.
We are trying our best to make it the most user and speaker-friendly conference possible. I know that God blessed us by helping us find this amazing conference software. The speaker will just log in at her/his scheduled time, with a plugged in microphone, speak about their topic(approximately 30-40 minutes), and then hold a Q/A session with the listeners (approximately 20-30 minutes). All the while the attendees will get to chat amongst themselves in true Instant Message format.
We really want the conference to be less like a “seminar” and more like a bunch of close friends in a chat room. We want everyone to feel comfortable. Some sessions will also be pre-recorded. Just wait till you see what some of your favorite home school personalities have done to educate and entertain you! At the end you will join in to chat with them, ask questions, and they will answer.
BY THE WAY! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT ONE.
Honestly...I'm NOT in a rut. But I thought doing another one would be fun...
OK gang...just remember...I'm an oldie goldie compared to some of you! I was a kid in the 60's and a teen in the 70's (class of '77!)...Sooo, this may even be a history lesson to some of you! HAHAHAHA!! Have fun!...
What were your 3 favorite things to watch on TV when you were a kid?
1) Beany & Cecil the Seasick Sea Serpent, 2) Beverly Hillbillies, 3) Andy Griffith Show.
What 3 commercials do you remember most from when you were a kid?
1) Don't squeeze the Charmin/Mr. Whipple, 2) Frigidaire [sp?] commericals w/ladies dressed up, dancing around their appliances, 3) Marlboro Man cigarette commercials.
What 3 toys were popluar when you were a kid?
1) Barbies, 2) G. I. Joe, 3) Baby First Step.
What 3 things did not exist when you were a kid?
1) Telephones w/o a cord, 2) VCR/DVD players, 3) CDs. (I still miss the huge posters that we used to get w/our 33 rpm albums!)
What 3 fads did you fall for when you were a kid?
1) Earth Shoes (did you know they're back!!! Love 'em!), 2) white lipstick, 3) huge bell-bottom jeans.
What 3 songs do you remember most from when you were a kid?
1) ANYTHING by the Beatles!, 2) "Easy Come, Easy Go" by Bobby Sherman (oh, be still my heart!), 3) "Puppy Love" by Donny Osmond.
What were your 3 favorite movies when you were a kid?
1) "Mary Poppins" (the FIRST TIME it was out!), 2) "101 Dalmations" (the FIRST TIME it was out!), 3) "The Ghost & Mr. Chicken" (the FIRST TIME it was out!).
What are your 3 most embarrassing moments from when you were a kid?
1) Throwing up on the school bus, 2) when a hoody-type girl who - for some unknown reason - made it her life's goal to make my life miserable tried to get me to fight her. Of course, since I wouldn't, everyone thought I was a chicken...yep...public school is great! What was your question about socialization? 3) falling off the top of the monkey bars...back then we HAD to wear dresses in grade school.
What 3 things do you wish you could get back from when you were a kid?
1) My friend Debbie who moved, they were an Air Force family, 2) my cat, Boots, 3) my grandparents.
July's meeting was less of a nature day and more a celebration of water. We had a water field day! Each of the moms brought a water game or two which turned out to be tons of fun.
Let's see, the kids played a relay carrying containers of water on their heads, a sponge and bucket relay, and competed in a water obstacle course. They had to try to keep water in their cups while jumping rope ten times, and they had a water balloon launching contest. They also had a frozen t-shirt contest, trying to be the first to thaw and put on a wet t-shirt that had been folded and frozen solid. And apparently, it doesn't matter where the water is, kids will jump in and have fun (see the cow watering container below. It was clean!) Here are a few pictures from the day.
And look! My friend, MonkeyX4, brought me a whole box of cucumbers since we haven't been having any luck with them this year. I was able to can 14 quarts of dill pickles this morning! Thank you, D!!
It's that time of year again at our house -- when Mama makes plans for our year as Daddy oversees the direction for the upcoming year. I love his help -- he lets me know what is really important in his eyes, saving me much time and sanity.
Last Wednesday, my dear friend took the kids for me so I could have a planning day in a quiet, quaint town near us. I was thinking how rare it is that I ever have day to myself -- I love being a mommy, but how glad I am my friend offered to take the kids for me.
My morning did get away from me, but in a glorious way -- I had two "divine appointments." The first was an unexpected phone call from our friend who did the Creation Camp -- the woman who had blessed the camp with the pontoon frame from the raft was leaving town and wanted to see pictures. My camera was the main camera used at camp, so I met Brent at a coffee shop and downloaded the boat pictures onto a CD for him.
Next, I went to a park that looks out over the waterway, and read from 1 Timothy. I felt God nudging me to talk to the person who I could hear on a bench behind me. So I turned around and said, "Isn't it a beautiful day out?" That started a chat, and he asked me what I was reading, which lead to a talk about churches, a relationship with the Lord, his past experiences in churches, and more. Finally, as our conversation wound-down and we said our good-byes, I was able to give him an invite card to our church.
I went to lunch at a Thai resteraunt in town and then headed over to the library to do some planning. I am tutoring again this year for Classical Conversations in their Foundations Program, so I planned my first 12 weeks of classes in the areas of history and science. My friend said she wants to give me another planning day, which will help me with my other planning (our own homeschool, the rest of Foundations, and a Pressentials class I will be teaching at Classical Conversations).
I finished my day with a chocolate-peanut butter shake from a dairy bar in town and then met my friend at the chiropracter both of our families go to so we could get adjustments. What a blessing my friend is, and our children had a great day together. (Playing on their slip&slide, seeing their friends' great-grandmother, and exploring their backyard.)
As promised, here is the recipe I used to make my Raspberry Buckle. For those who aren’t familiar with the term ‘buckle’, think coffee cake with fruit. I’m happy to report that it did turn out nicely. I find red raspberries a bit too tart for me to LOVE them and I’m wondering if I could soak them in sugar like strawberries. Most people probably wouldn’t have this opinion, though. I just happen to have a huge sweet tooth. The cake as a whole is very good. :-)
This is perfect to have with some whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!
The original recipe is from Martha Stewart. I made minor adjustments like using an 11 x 7 baking dish, using frozen berries (from my back yard), and adding about a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Here is the original recipe so you can follow it exactly or make changes like I did.
Raspberry Buckle
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for baking dish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2-quart oval or square baking dish. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition to combine. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder; with mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture until incorporated.
Spread batter in baking dish. Scatter raspberries on top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean and top is golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes; dust with confectioners’ sugar, if desired. With a large spoon, scoop out onto serving plates; serve with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.
With dd's current health issues, the scripture that keeps going through my head is "In everything, give thanks." (For more info on my dd, please see my Wednesday post.)
1. Thank You, Lord, that what is happening with my dd is no surprise to You.
2. Thank You, Lord, for keeping her in the palm of Your hand.
3. Thank You, Lord, that this will not deter her from the plan You have mapped out for her life.
4. Thank You that we can depend on You to do what is truly best for us.
5. Thank You for the close relationship I have with dd. I do not take that for granted, especially as she gets closer to those teenaged years.
6. Thank You for the opportunity to hs, especially while we are dealing with this illness. What a blessing to know that we can cut back where we need to so that she doesn't get stressed out by a mountain of schoolwork.
7. Thank You for helping me to take my thoughts captive when they want to run amuck with fears of what may be wrong with dd.
8. Thank You for Your faithfulness. Thank You for being with me in other hard times, like my miscarriage. Those times have been training ground to give me the strength I need to make it through this trial with dd.
9. Thank You, Father for my blogging friends, who will pray for us, even though we will likely never meet on this side of heaven. I do not take that lightly, for we are all so busy, and time is so precious. To know that these precious sisters will take of their own time and pray for strangers means the world to me.
Since we are currently going through some scary issues with dd, I decided to use a devotion that talks about trials. I know I'm not the only one out there who could use a little encouragement and insight into our trials.
God Sees the End
When the angel visited Mary in Luke 1:30-33, he told her that she would give birth to a child whom God would give the throne of his father David, and that he would reign forever. Mary saw many amazing things in those early years regarding her son.
When Jesus was born, wise men came to worship him and give him treasures. Matthew 2:1-11
When Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the temple, Mary hears Simeon say "My eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared for all people." Luke 2:30-31 She treasured this in her heart.
Luke 2:8-19 tells us about the angels who appeared to the shepherds, telling them that a Savior had been born. Mary treasured this in her heart.
When he was only twelve years old, Jesus amazed the people when he spoke at the temple. Again, Mary treasured this in her heart.
In John 2:1-11, Mary witnesses the first miracle which her son performs. The Bible isn't clear about how many more miracles Mary was able to witness, but I would imagine that even if she didn't see them happen, she at least heard about them.
In Matthew 21:8-11, everyone is going to Jerusalem, and here comes Jesus riding into town on a donkey. Not only that, but the people line the roads, shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David!"
Just a few days later, Mary sees her beloved son hanging on a cross. Her chosen son, the son who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, the son who was to be a king, and he is hanging on a cross? How can this be? OH! The emotions that must have been coursing through her. Can you imagine what she must have felt? She must have felt such anger and confusion. Utter despair must have had a tight grip on her innermost being. Surely her mind was screaming, "WHY?"
After all, she was there when the angel proclaimed that he would be a king. She heard the angel say that he'd sit on David's throne and that he would reign forever. Why would God send an angel to tell her these things when it's obvious that he can't be a king - after all, he's hanging on a cross! She must have been asking God why he pulled Jesus from death's grasp when he was only two years old, only to have him die a cruel death on a cross.
We all know the end of Mary's story. We know that only three days later, her precious Son rose victorious over death, hell, and the grave. We know that He is indeed a King.
Just as we know the end of Mary's story, God knows the end of YOUR story. You may be going through a heart wrenching experience. You can't possibly see what good God could make of the situation. You don't understand what He is trying to teach you, or to show you.
There are times that Rachel wants me to explain things to her. Sometimes the things which she asks about are things that are just too complicated for her little mind to understand. At those times, I have to tell her that I can't give her the answer to that right now because she isn't old enough to understand. She has to just trust that I know best for her. God, who is our loving Father, often chooses not to reveal things to us, as well. He sees that some things just don't need to be explained to us. We just have to trust His wisdom in it.
Isaiah 55:8-9 says that God's thoughts are not your thoughts, and His ways are not your ways. His thoughts are higher than your thoughts, and His ways are higher than your ways.
Jeremiah 29:11 says that God knows the plan he has for you - plans to prosper you, not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.
Romans 8:28 tells us that ALL things work together for good, to those who love God and are called according to HIS purpose.
Habakkuk 1:5 says that He is going to do something in your days that you wouldn't believe, even if you were told.
God is so much bigger than ANY problems which we face. He will not fail us. He will not forsake us. Be patient and wait on Him. Be still and know that He is God.
My husband got to help set up the fireworks for a local fireworks show where we live. He had a great time with the 'guys' and he had fun and learned a lot.
Here is a shot of all the fireworks ready for the show.
The fam stayed home while he spent the morning and early afternoon helping with the set-up. We as a family went to the park for dinner and the show. We all had a great time.
Meet Our Incredible Family
My mostly random blog about my homeschooling and life adventures with Mr. Incredible and our 3 little Incredibles: 8 year old "Violet", 4 year old "Dash", and 20 month old "Jack Jack".
But I thought doing another one would be fun...
I was a kid in the 60's and a teen in the 70's (class of '77!)...Sooo, this may even be a history lesson to some of you! HAHAHAHA!! Have fun!...
3) Marlboro Man cigarette commercials.
3) falling off the top of the monkey bars...back then we HAD to wear dresses in grade school.
