This blog will be silent for a period of mourning for the family of Dozer, aka Christian Drews. My heart is simply broken for this lovely family, and I am going to spend the time I would use for blogging in prayer for the Drews family.

Tami

You bet! It is official!!!!

 Go check out this blog, and by the way--the mastermind behind this grassroots campain to draft Sarah Palin for VP, just in case you didn't already know it, is a homeschool grad whose mom is right here on HSB.  Woooo-hooooo!

BTW, his blog has already been all over the news--AND he's being interviewed tomorrow morning on FOX.  Way to go ADAM!

 addendum:  Julie's links weren't working but here is one for you, and here is the Townhall article.

Blessings!

Nancy

Public schools and homeschoolers have two very different ways of looking at reading.

Most public schools tend to believe that reading is an important skill to have but that it doesn’t really matter what you read – just as long as you do. So, why is it important? Maybe so you can read the warnings on your prescriptions or the clauses in your healthcare plans or the terms of employment on your contract so a greedy employer can’t take advantage of you. Then there are the street and restroom signs – and the menu, of course.

Homeschoolers, on the other hand, tend to believe reading is a means to an end. That end is wisdom, which means that what we read is of the utmost importance. What we put into our minds comes out in our attitudes and behavior. That’s not to say that we can’t read for relaxation or entertainment, but homeschoolers understand that even this is important – that entertainment reading does not have to be vacuous reading, that what we consider fun and funny is also a reflection of the sort of people we are and want to grow into.

What we read is critical because it shapes our worldview, and our worldview determines how we will respond to life’s trials and triumphs, how we will treat others, how we will conduct ourselves every moment of every day in every situation.

Here are some quotations to fuel your thinking about reading…

“Education... has produced a vast population able to read but unable to distinguish what is worth reading, an easy prey to sensations and cheap appeals.” - G. M. Trevelyan

“I read my eyes out and can't read half enough. The more one reads the more one sees we have to read.” - John Adams

“When you have mastered numbers, you will in fact no longer be reading numbers, any more than you read words when reading books. You will be reading meanings.” - Harold S. Geneen

“Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them at all.” – Henry David Thoreau

“Few are sufficiently sensible of the importance of that economy in reading which selects, almost exclusively, the very first order of books. Why, except for some special reason, read an inferior book, at the very time you might be reading one of the highest order?” - John W. Foster

“Read good, big important things." - Peggy Noonan

“Live always in the best company when you read." - Sydney Smith

“Reading is a basic tool in the living of a good life." - Mortimer J. Adler

Tammy Drennan homeschooled her sons from 1985 through 2003. She now works as a writer and tutor and maintains several web sites and blogs, including www.educationconversation.wordpress.com and www.homeschoolstarter.com

Here is a fun free project to do with your kids.  I bet you even have the supplies around the house!

You will find the directions HERE.

Happy Homeschooling,

Jamin

This post is in the celebration of the life of Dozer, also known as Christian to his family. Marsha and David, my heart is just broken for you. God is a mighty God, and I am lifting you up to Him.

As I was reading through the blogs about Dozer's home-going, I was listening to my iPod, and the song that was playing was, "I Miss You" by Miley Cyrus. It was written in honor of her grandfather who has gone on to be with the Lord as well.

Tami

A friend sent this link over.  Great Job Ladies!  I love this video!!!

It's great to see homeschool Moms having fun.  You know, we WILL survive, but there is more to that.  I'm not trying to wax philosophical about a fun parody video, but surviving isn't thriving, and that is what we need to do in all of our endeavors.  But let us not try to be perfectionistic.  Laugh and have fun!  You don't have to do it all, you don't have to be perfect.  You just have to take one day at a time and remember that "This is the day the Lord has made.  Rejoice and be glad in it!"

Be thankful for this day, whatever it may bring.  There is so much to be thankful for.  And yes, I know there is grief and sadness---some days bring those to us and although it is hard to be thankful in the midst of confusion, sorrow, sadness, and weariness but we must remember that it will pass.  You won't necessarily forget, or even get over those hard things in life.  But you will survive, and even thrive in the midst of whatever comes this day.

Blessings to all my homeschooling (or not) friends.  May you acknowledge your Creator each and every moment today. 

Nancy

Our daughter is starting Jr. High School this year, so we've decided to rearrange and add a few things to our homeschool room which reflect this new transition in her life.  She is a Jonas Brothers nut, so we added a bulletin board above a brand new desk, with what else?  That's right . . . Jonas brothers posters.  I don't mind, as they are great role models and men of purity.  I used to work with their Dad (Kevin Sr.) back in Dallas when I was a Pastor's Admin., and he was the Worship Leader.  He was also the Worship Leader when I was at CFNI, so I am confident that if dd had to choose posters of someone to put on her bulletin board, she couldn't have chosen better!  I'll post pictures when I can :-)

Here is her line-up of Curriculum for 7th Grade:

Bible 
(1) The Narrow Way, by Pearables (2) Scripture Memory System by Simply Charlotte Mason.

Math 
Rightstart Math, from Activitie For Learning

Science 
(1) Apologia General Science (2) Creation Journaling

Grammar
(1) Book 3 of Spelling Wisdom, from Simply Charlotte Mason (2) Notebook for copywork and dictation
(2) Word Roots B1, from Critical Thinking Company

History/Geography 
(1) Story Of The World Vol. 3 (2) Book Of Centuries Timeline from Simply Charlotte Mason

Reading/Poetry 
(1) Little House On The Prairie Series, by Laura Ingalls Wilder (2) Poet Study

Art 
Picture Study Module #1, from Simply Charlotte Mason - John James Audubon; Claude Monet; Mary Cassatt; Christian Riese Lassen; Maxfield Parrish; P. Buckley Moss
 
Music 
(1) Composer Study Module #1, from Simply Charlotte Mason - Bach; Mozart; Chopin; Strauss; Tchaikovsky; Stravinsky (2) Piano Lessons from 2 different teachers this year (one that focus' on classical, and another which focus' on music/songwriting). (3) Hymn Study Module #1, From Simply Charlotte Mason - I Sing the Mighty Power of God; Great Is Thy Faithfulness; To God Be the Glory; Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise; Crown Him with Many Crowns; O Come, All Ye Faithful

Typing 
Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing (computer program)

Foreign Language 
Greek/Latin, from English From The Roots Up

Personal Development 
Beautiful Girlhood Book and Journal

EXTRA
Pure One is also cast in a local musical which will have her in rehearsals/shows from September through Christmas.

We'll begin on September 2nd and go till May 29th, with school days Monday -Thursday, so we can keep Friday's free for Field Trips. It feels so good to have everything organized and ready to go for her new step to the Jr. High years.  She is ready, I am ready and we are thanking the Lord that we have the freedom to homeschool in the United States of America. It is a freedom we do not take for granted.

Any other Jr. High Homeschool Moms in here?  Any special things you've done to make the transition from Elementary to Jr. High special? I'd love to hear :-)

<>< Kelly

My precious grandchildren are once again back-to-school.  ~sigh~  Yes, my son has them in public school again this year, however, they will continue with the lessons they learn at my kitchen table--reading, writing, arithmetic, science, cooking, homemaking, and most of all, scriptures being poured into them. 

I have managed to look at this with a positive attitude, I must admit.  This does free up more of my time for studying, and I did manage to get most of my homework done today (I still have a 4-page research paper and a spreadsheet to finish for my online class by Saturday evening, though).  So perhaps I will feel a bit less stressed and actually relax a bit now and then.  Perhaps.  Perhaps I'll finally manage to get the Nuggets of Wisdom newsletter out to the inboxes every month, too.  Perhaps.  ~sighing again~

These are positive changes, yes, but they are still "changes."  I don't adapt well to changes, whether they're positive or negative.  Aging, perhaps?  Nah!  However, I will adapt soon enough to these, and find my rhythm and get in step with the new schedule.  Soon enough.  For now, I am just remembering the lovely summer the children and I had together, even through the hectic moments--schooling for them and I both, council meetings, church, cooking & baking, homemaking, etc.  And lots and lots of time outdoors around their pool.  Yes, they were fun days.

Autumn is in the air, for sure.  The mornings are a bit crisp (in the 50's and 60's), some of the leaves are beginning to turn color once again, and the humidity has lowered.  We actually had a few days over the last week with highs in the 60's!  Wow!  Yesterday and today we enjoyed rain from Tropical Storm Fay (we haven't had rain for about 5-6 weeks), and now it looks like a couple of others are heading in--one up the Atlantic side of Florida and one into the Gulf of Mexico.  I do pray that lives are spared and damages are minimal.  Its proving to be an active hurricane season this year already!  I surely hope and pray New Orleans and the surrounding areas are spared from any big storms this year--they're still in recovery stages from Hurricane Katrina. 

If West Virginia gets the rains from these new storms, I don't know what it will do to the glorious Autumn color displays we enjoy every year.  The state gets a lot of tourism trade this time of year, as so many come to enjoy the beautiful scenery and white water rafting.  I pray the rains don't knock the leaves off before they have a chance to show their true brilliance. 

May you have a peaceful and joyous weekend, and I will be back next week some time.

Hugs,

Cynthia Robin

This year our homeschool camp had the theme PIONEER and our camping spot was just perfect!  Though we wanted to consider pioneers in general it was a perfect opportunity to become familiar with some of our local history as we looked at the regions pioneers.

Our corner of the campsite - actually you can't see our kitchen which is based from our trailer.  We usually have our trailer close to the left of the big tent but we moved it further to the left to get some shade.

The older kids listened to their well known story, Kings in Grass Castles, by Mary Durack before we went on camp.  Josh mentioned that this made the whole thing worth while – having some context for the activities at the camp; knowing the story, knowing the people.

They tried their had a several pioneer type activities.  Making a tent using sticks, rope and a piece of Hessian, building a stone wall, and making a bed from bamboo, rope and Hessian sacks.

Nomi and Daniel making a tent.  They had to learn which angle to hammer the tent peg, how to tie knots, how to work as a team (there were about another 4 kids in this group).

The also had the opportunity to go fishing but the fish weren’t really biting so there was only a few with success.  The kids also re-enacted different scenarios, which were videotaped, acting out the different aspects of a pioneers life.  Gold prospecting, droving, setting up a homestead.

The other activity which was just fantastic to see happening was the kids all prepared our Saturday night evening meal – pioneer style.  The little boys were responsible for the fire and filleting the fish (they looked on more than anything here but they loved it!).  The girls were responsible for making Johnny Cakes (flat damper, bush bread), the big boys put the stew meat together (floured it, chopped the onions and browned it over the campfire), the girls chopped, chopped and chopped veggies.  

  Jess chopping sweet potato

Nomi kneading damper

Daniel (and many other helping hands) flouring the stew meat

Joshua pulled the camp oven out of the fire so they could give it a stir, and add vegies and water. 

Watching one of the dads keep 4 camp ovens going with hot coals was a highlight for me.  I have wanted to cook in a camp oven myself but the science of it completed baffled me so know I’ve seen it done I might give it a shot (I won’t be inviting anyone over for dinner though!)  He was impressive as he kept a fire going to provide hot coals, kept the four camp ovens cooking as well as keeping a few hotplates going for the Johnny Cakes.   It was full on work for him.  Stock Camp cooks, who use this method have my admiration!

The big kids went for a 2 hour bush walk taking them to an amazing lookout.

View from lookout.  You can see the dam wall in the middle of the photo.  This relatively short wall holds all this water.

We came home completely exhausted but we had a fabulous weekend and our thanks goes to the mums who put so much thought and effort into making it a memorable (and learning) time.