When the dust settles,
*bits of bliss*
*flashes of fury and frustration*
*times of testing and trials*
*twinkles of laughter*
*winks of joy*
*words to remember*
All of which prove time and time again that I’m just a lump of clay, a mound of workable earth material being daily and lovingly transformed by His hand to fit His purposes…a vessel to carry His Message…a cracked pot to pour out His Love.
I am grateful…He is good.
How many of you are TOS Affiliates? Ever think about becoming one? I'm sure you have a lot of questions about it. Let's find out with this week's Featured Blogger the TOS Affiliates Corner!
How do you become a TOS affiliate? Find the answer on the first blog post, Welcome to the TOS Affiliate Blog!
If you become an affiliate, what kinds of ads have to go on your blog? Check out the latest TOS promotion for When I Grow Up I Wanna Be A Police Officer.
As a TOS affiliate you won't always be asking your readers to buy something. TOS loves go give away freebies! While you don't make any money off of these promotions being able to tell your readers about free gifts is always a bonus!
So if you aren't a TOS affiliate yet, what are you waiting for? Christmas break is a great time to get started because in 2010 TOS has a lot of great products coming out!
Say hi to Cheryl, the TOS affiliate coordinator and if you have any questions you can ask her in a comment.
Would you like to nominate a HSB blogger for Featured Blogger of the Week? Email me at tlinschied@thehomeschoolmagazine.com. Please keep in mind that Featured Bloggers must be at least 18 years of age and their blog must be encouraging, uplifting, and/or inspiring.
Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB
Merry Christmas (very soon)!! It's time to talk about Christmas!
How do you run your homeschooling around Christmas? The season has plenty to do, but my kids demand structure. This time of year I tend to turn to my Christmas unit study. The art time in the afternoon will get turned into present making time or ornament making time. Though being Christmas time I search for more meaning in our days.
This time of year I also try to fit in outside service projects. In talking with a homeschooling mom recently she shared how they use this season to help train their children in service to others and keep it Jesus focused.
The day after Thanksgiving she and her family settle on a family that is in great need. They each give part of their Christmas gifts to feed and care for this family. Then a week before Christmas they drop this package off at the needy family's home.
You may say well there are groups out there that do that. Yes, there are. I would argue though that it is our duty as Christians to help others and what better way than just a simple exchange in love and covered in prayer. You show very clearly to your children that it IS better to give than to receive.
Thank you my friend for sharing that with me!
Think of a way you can share the love of Christ with others. What does your family do at Christmas to make Christ an active, real part?
I pray blessings to you and may your Christmas time be productive for the Lord!
Heather lives in West Virginia. She and her husband have been homeschooling their 5 children for 8 years. Due to a genetic disorder their children have multiple special needs. Heather is also dealing with personal health difficulties. Living life to the fullest for the glory of God is their goal! Visit Heather's page at www.homeschoolblogger.com/gfcfmomofmany/ or at Special Needs Homeschooling.
My sons were very busy this week. This past weekend was a struggle for me because I suddenly got a severe muscle spasm. I was in so much pain on Saturday that my mother and husband had to carry me around the place. My cousin's son had a birthday party. I stayed in the car with my legs up and my back down. I was better for Sunday. My son's birthday was on Sunday, but it was ice rain. So we ended up taking him to a gaming place where they played with Playstation, Xbox, Nintendo, etc. Get the picture. This was a real treat for them since they don't do this that much. We took him out for dinner and they sang "Happy Birthday."
On Monday, we had our pizza party for the FIRST Lego League team, NXT United. Two of the children were sick. So, I sent their certificates out to them later in the week. Then we took my older son for his 12 year old check up. He received some immunization shots that he did not get at age 11. I had his eyes check also. He is in good health and is developing nicely. We told the doctor about FLL. He was fascinated with it. The boys complete their school work before we had the party.
Math:
My older son completed the section on angles and started the reviews in the workbook of Primary Mathematics 6B. He continued his work in section 7 of Challenging Word Problems 5.
My younger son finished Primary Mathematics 3A, this week! Yay! He completed parts of section 5 of Challenging Word Problems 2.
History:
My younger son read about serfs and noblemen in England in Story of the World 2.
Science:
My older son read the first two chapters of a book called Rocks and Minerals. This is his earth science lesson. We were so busy with FLL, but he did a science research project. So, I counted that as science.
Writing and Grammar:
My older son completed Classical Writing: Beginning Poetry this week! A big YAY!
My younger son completed lesson 58-60 in First Language Lessons 3.
Latin:
My younger son completed lesson 9 of Latina Christiana I. We still love this program.
My older son worked on translating and diagramming in lesson 2 of Henle 1. I am taking this program very slowly with him.
Logic:
My older son completed his 10 pages of Building Thinking Skills level 3 verbal. He is doing flow charts.
My younger son completed 6 pages of Building Thinking Skills level 2. He is copying patterns.
Music:
My sons were in two concerts this week. They sang for the music program on Thursday and played the violin for two nursing homes on Friday.
Bible:
My sons had the AWANA Christmas party this week. My older son got Discovery 7 of book 4 of TnT.
My younger son almost got Discovery 5 of book 2 of TnT.
My older son was invited to play at a Christmas Eve service. The rehearsal is Saturday, but I just saw that there is a possible severe storm watch!!
Blessings!
Baby brother receives lots of kisses from us all.
Happy little brother and baby brother
Baby brother
One baby brother's half smiles
Our precious little boys Baby brother is now two months old. He is doing well, full of sweet smiles and precious coos.
We are all doing well, my days are full with homeschooling, homemaking and being a wife and mama. Throughout the day, I will have thoughts and ideas for blog posts, but by evening, baby may be fussy, or I'm too tired to even think about blogging. This is a busy season, but I'm happy.
The Lord is good!
I'm having a video countdown to Christmas that started on December 15th. Each day I'm uploading an inspirational or comedic video that shares the spirit of Christmas with my readers. Check it out each day on Communication FUNdamentals!
Ok, I'm back for a post. My dear wife has told me, multiple times, that I need to get back to posting. I haven't for a variety of reasons, and I am fairly certain that most of the people who used to read this have disappered, but I do have a thought, so, here goes.
Christmas is a wonderful time of year. It is, hands down, my favorite time of year, and the older I get, the more I love it. There have been a few times this year I have been nearly moved to tears thinking about the fact that God, Sovereign, became Man, to save us from our sins. It is a truly joyous time of year, for believers. I don't want to minimize the pain that many feel this time of year (and that isn't even the point of this post), but even those who are lonely can take comfort in the One who never forsakes. Those who have lost loved ones can have peace in His Sovereignty. And those who are wrestling with death and illness can take comfort in the Eternal Life that He brings, if you are a believer.
On the other hand I have watched our society try to take Christ out of Christmas. Now it is Happy Holidays, Nativity scenes are gone, and children are suspended from school for acknowledging Christ. While I wish we, as a society, would acknowledge God, I am surprised that so many Christians are shocked by this. Christmas should not be a joyful time for a non-believer. Christmas means that God does exist, and so does sin. Christmas means that sin must be punished, and that punishment must be paid either by Christ on the cross, or by me through my suffering in Hell. Christmas means that hell is real, because if it wasn't real, Christ didn't have to come, and Christmas means that if I reject Christ, that's where I go. I don't mean to be harsh, but Christmas should not be pleasant for unbelievers, it should be a PAINFUL reminder that without Christ, they are LOST and destined for eternal destruction.
So, here's my point. I understand why our culture wants to take Christ out of Christmas. A baby in the manger means a just God in Heaven, and means unless He is my Lord (another whole post on what THAT means), I will be punished. If I wasn't a believer, I would want the Christ out of Christmas too. Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, jingle bells, Rudolf, Frosty and Santa are much easier to deal with than my sin. So, I guess I am not surpised when those around my are offended by a baby in the manger, because the baby in the manger means the cross is coming and that truly is an offense to those who don't believe.
Yesterday, B and C took a bubble bath. N wanted to take one, too, but we were low on bubbles. I told hubby to just turn on the jets and that would make more bubbles. Well, you know men.. er... kids... they never know when to stop.
It started out innocent enough... but soon escalated out of control.
And then D wanted in on the fun.
We were all laughing so hard at how the bubbles kept growing. The little ones were screeching in delight. It made for a fun evening.
As part of our Christmas study we also had a little fun reading the gingerbread story. I read them a few gingerbread stories and the kid had to write a summary of what they heard. They also got to decorate a gingerbread house. We had not done that before and so it was lots of fun. I did however learn that putting down newspaper would have saved me a lot of time trying to get the island clean. The more I washed the stickier it seemed to get. After several washes I think I got all the icing off. 
I also have gingerbread boy and girl cookies for the decorating this week.
Here are the kids working on their house.
Notice Carter... The kid wouldn't just smile. I think he was sampling the candy a little too much. 
And if you are wondering about the red cheeks?? Their Dad was playing monster and chasing them through our house before they came to the kitchen.
And finally here is how it turned out.
Kiley had a big day in our house this week. She lost 2 teeth on the same day, one on top and one on bottom. They had both been loose for a while. She looks so cute and is making her voice adorable. Those words just don't sound the same without your two top teeth. She was so excited to put them under her pillow and wait for her surprise.
Here she is smiling with pride.
She sure is going to look grown up when the new teeth grow in.
And finally, since Brayden wasn't in any pictures I will include a couple of his little smiling face.
:>Michelle
Our family LOVES Christmas. What a more glorious way to celebrate the birth of our Savior. We have several traditions that we've started some newer, some later, but we very much enjoy them all. We started having Advent devotionals several years ago and we buy Christmas ornaments from our vacation spot for the year...I know many of you have similar traditions. The two traditions I want to share a couple that you may never have thought of before.
Several years ago Shane was laid off at Christmas. It was only by God's grace that we paid our bills, and in addition, we even paid off some debt. God is SO good! But we started a tradition that year that has remained. We make home made gifts that we share on Christmas Eve. The materials need to cost around $5.00. We've had everything from tissue paper art (when the children were younger) to an "imperfect" plaque I made one year of that year's family theme verse. The year Sweet Cheeks came home, her home made gift was a name plaque with the attributes we thought fit her. As the years pass, we have to help the younger ones less and less and the gifts are more and more creative.
The tradition that is fast becoming a favorite is our gift-giving tradition. Last year Desiring God (John Piper's ministry) offered a small paperback book that could be purchased by the case for $1 a book + shipping ONLY if they were given away. We bought 2 cases and wrapped each book in Christmas paper with a "Merry Christmas from our family" note. We gave them away to friends, family and to the people we met while shopping... the store clerks, the barista, whomever we met. It was SO MUCH FUN! We have continued the tradition this year. In addition to Piper's book, we've added some children's books we found on clearance at Answers in Genesis.
We've had people look in amazment at us, clerks have asked "for .... me?" yes! for you. Merry Christmas! We've had people jump up and down and say "I got a present" giving gifts to others helps us get the focus off of us, and almost always brings a smiler to the receiver. Giving books to those that we regularly see has helped us make friends with them. And, most importantly, we've planted a seed about Christ. What God does with that seed is up to him.
May your Christmas traditions glorify Christ and May you be blessed all year long!
From our family to yours!