I've decided to begin a new blog(A View From The Mountain) and hope that you all will visit me.   I will continue to be here as well for the time being, but will probably post more often there.

Please come check out my new blog, http://sommersmountain.blogspot.com

Blessings,

Sommer

Recently I was asked to review two books by Randy Alcorn.  At this point I have been able to read one of the books.  This book is called Wait Until Then by Randy Alcorn and illustrated by Doron Ben-Ami.  What a wonderful book!

This book is about a young boy and his grandfather.  Both the grandfather and boy are disabled in different ways, but the grandfather tries to teach the boy that he is still valued and that when they get to heaven their infirmities will no longer be there.

It is a very touching story, even causing me to get teary.  It is intended for children to help them understand heaven in a biblical way.  Randy Alcorn did a wonderful job in presenting this topic in a gentle and theologically sound way.  Both my children, dd7 and dd4, listened and enjoyed it.  Although, it talks about death, it is done in a way that I feel is not frightening to children.  It also opens up the possibility of dialogue that as parents we can often find hard to start.

I also want to just say that the art work in this book is outstanding!  Doron Ben-Ami has an amazing talent that just amazed my husband and I. The pictures had a photo quality about them...so life like! 

I would highly recommend this book.  I think that it handles the subject of death and heaven in such a way that children will have a healthy understanding of it.  If you are in need of dealing with this topic, consider reading this book.

A friend of mine sent me a link to a warning about Hand Sanitizer.  I would highly reccomend reading it, as it may keep your small children safe.  I personally don't use it, but know those who do and it is a bit of a concern. 

Knowing my 4 year old, I could see this happening to her.

Look here: http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/sanitizer.asp

Right now I am taking a moment to pop on as dd7 is working on her copy work.  She is writing out a copy of Tennyson's  The Eagle...a very short but exciting poem.

As we were doing our reading practice and memory work, my dd4 was sitting with her little brother.  Even at her age she is able to help me by entertaining him.  She is my sweet helper...she gives him toys to play with and shakes rattles at him.  She makes funny sounds and faces at him to get him to smile.  This is so helpful when he begins to get tired of laying on his tummy or back, but I am trying to do something with dd7.  Obviously if he gets too anxious, I pick him up and talk to him or nurse him, but sometimes he is satisfied with her sweet play.  Of course this only lasts as long as she finds it interesting, but for the few minutes she does it...it is a great help.

I am thankful that God has given me two daughters that love to entertain their brother.

My how the year has flown by!  We are now in the last two or so weeks of school and how it is speeding along.  I am really pleased with how things have gone, and how my dd7 has progressed.  She is I think ready for 2nd grade work now and perhaps more.

I haven't yet set out my schedule plans for this next year, but I do have most of our curricula taken care of.

This is basically what we will do for dd7:

Copywork(poetry, catechism and bible verses)

Memory work(review catechism)

Reading/Spelling and Vocabulary(Christian Lib Nature Readers, spelling/vocab words from some of our readers, etc.)

History(Veritas Press:Old Testament and Ancient Egypt)

Arithmetic(A Beka Arithmetic 2)

Science( a combo of: Apologia(zoology 1), A Beka Health 1&2, and Pearables Home Ec. 1)

Bible(sections from the Child's Story Bible by Catherine Vos, and Proverbs)

Latin(Rosetta Stone level 1)

I wont be doing everything every day with her, but this is what we will be doing this year.  Now I just have to set up a schedule and plan it out a little better.

I will also be having dd4 doing some work, but not too much.  I want to teach her to read and get her familiar with numbers too.

So here is what I basically have planned for her:

Phonics(TATRAS)

Arithmetic(informal and Math-U-See)

Memory Work(Bible ABC's from New England Primer)

Bible(Child's Story Bible by Catherine Vos, and Proverbs)

I'm very excited for our next year.  I am enjoying homeschooling so much and I know that the Lord will continue to equip me with what I need.

Stay tuned for a review of Wait Until Then by Randy Alcorn.

I really love having children!  This last Sunday was Mother's day and although we didn't do anything huge, I found myself pondering just how blessed I am.  I have 3 beautiful children...and I pray the Lord continues to remind me of this.

There are days when it is hard to see how precious they are, what blessings.  But even amid tantrums and disobedience, they are precious jewels that the Lord has entrusted to me and my husband.  I look at their faces and wonder why He blessed me with them, it is certainly nothing I've done. 

I spent the evening at a homeschool meeting with my Little Man and it was just so special.  Because I nurse him, I get the opportunity to spend special, quality time with him.  It has been such a special thing.  He truly is a sweet little boy...mild and joyful. 

Lord, thank you for entrusting these dear little children to me and I ask that you give us wisdom in raising them.  May they become bright lights of your Word!

Hi Everyone!

Well, it has been some time since I posted but here I am again :-)  I'll write more of a post later, but how about some fun...

My dear friend Peggy at Home Made Simplicity has encouraged a fun little question answer time.  I hope you enjoy this and perhaps you'd like to join us!  Please check out Peggy's great blog...she is so encouraging and a treasure... http://homemadesimplicity.wordpress.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lace or Ribbon?  Lace
Mountain or Beach?  Mountain
Reading or Writing?  Both
Cookie or Cake? Cookie
Baked or Mashed Potato? Mashed
Side or Back?  Side
Shrimp or Steak?  Shrimp
Scrambled or Fried?  Fried
Orange or Apple?  Apple
Spring or Fall?  Fall
Roller Skating or Bowling?  Bowling
DVD or Theater movies? Theater
Wood or Glass?  Wood
Blue or Green?  Blue
Chocolate or Vanilla?  Chocolate
Quilt or Knit?  Knit
Early Morning or Late Night?  Early morning
Coffee or Tea?  Coffee
Watermelon or Strawberry?  Strawberry
Lunch or Dinner?  Dinner
Cold Cereal or Oatmeal?  Can I say  cream of wheat?

Song or Dance?  Song
Carpet or Hardwood Floor?  Hardwood Floor
Red or Pink?  Red
Cat or Dog?  Dog
Pretzels or Chips?  Chips
Iced Tea or Lemonade?  Lemonade
Non-Fiction or Fiction?  Both
Rose or Daisy?  Rose
Sunrise or Sunset?  Sunrise
Comb or Brush?  Brush
Pottery or Basket?  Basket
Bracelet or Necklace?  Necklace
Pen or Pencil?  Pen
Couch or Chair?  Couch
Country or Victorian?  Country
Farm or Ranch?  Farm
Braid or Ponytail?  Braid
Cash or Check?  Cash
Chocolate Bar or Jelly Bean?  Chocolate Bar
Coke or Pepsi?  Either

Hot Dog or Cheeseburger?  Cheeseburger
Blinds or Curtains?  Curtains
Dress or Pants? Dress
Sun or Moon? Moon
Adventure or Comedy?  Adventure
Cloud or Star?  Star
Lake or River?  River
Half Full or Half Empty?  Half Full
Truck or Car?  Truck
Bath or Shower?  Shower
Clothesline or Clothes Dryer?  Clothesline
New or Second Hand?  Either
Gum or Lifesaver?  Lifesaver
Email or Handwritten?  Handwritten
July or October?  October
Barefoot or Shoes?  Barefoot

Thanks for the fun, Peggy!

Before I go to bed tonight, I just wanted to pop on and wish all of you a wonderful Easter! 

We will be attending our church's Easter Brunch and then services at 11am.  I hope to have my brother go with us.  After church we will come home for a few hours and then go to my husband's Grandfather's home for dinner and an Easter egg hunt.  I know not all do this, but we still enjoy it and I try very hard to keep the true meaning of Easter at the forefront.

As you begin your day tomorrow, I encourage you to remember the great gift we've been given and praise God for so gracious a gift.  May your day be blessed and full of joy!

Happy Easter!

There is something to be said about cuddling a brand new baby...the warmth they give off is so satisfying. 

Every once in awhile I catch myself just gazing at my little son's hands and tracing his wee little knuckle wrinkles.  Have you ever thought of just how perfect each little part is on a baby?  They are exactly as they should be, just like us only in minature...sigh...

I love to hold him close just after his bath and take in his sweet scent.  His hair is so soft and his skin so smooth.  Can you believe that our skin was ever that perfect?  It is a perfection that only a baby can have.

I realize that just a few years ago, my dear sweet daughters were that small and soft.  Now they are big, beautiful little women...growing up so fast.  I don't want to miss it or make a mistake! 

Thank you Lord for making little babies and children for us to cherish. Thank  you Lord especially for mine. Remember to hug your little ones today and to thank God for them...they are a precious gift.

Ever since I got pregnant, I have been stressing over my home and schedule.  I tried so hard to get everything in order before my ds came home...decluttered our room, sorted out old toys and rearranged the girls' room, reorganized the kitchen, and such.  However, when I came home from the hospital, I found that my home was still just as cluttered and hard to care for.  So, now that I have very little time...how will I get it under control?

My main desire is to have a little simplicity...a little less "stuff" and a lot more family happiness.  I want to feel like we aren't trying to keep up with the neighbors, that we aren't looking like the "world"(and that we can get through the livingroom without tripping :-p).  How do you do this when you don't know where to start? 

The funny thing is, the more time I take to snuggle my little baby and try to reconnect with my girls, the more I realize it is a heart thing.  I need to get God back in the center of my life and days.  I am so very aware that I am not taking time to sit with the Lord and pray over my family/day everyday...and yet that is more important than whether I have my livingroom pristine and my kids room clean.  Those things are good too, but if God is absent from our home, then it is all in vain! 

Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord  keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.  It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

From Psalm 127

As I write this, the light bulb goes on and I realize that even if I need to wake up a little earlier, I need to make time for the Lord.  I can not ignore Him, just because my baby woke up too many times last night or because the dishes need to be done.  That can wait...He can't.  He must be first and last in my day...I need to bring my husband, children and day(and all that we will do in it) to him daily!