Happily Homeschooling

Review: C. S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters

Posted by SchoolingServingScoutingByGrace
9:59 PM, Nov. 23, 2009 .. Posted in Book and Curriculum Reviews .. 2 comments .. Link

When I was seventeen years old and only a few short years after my spiritual conversion, I attempted to read C. S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters. I say attempted because I neither recall completing it nor did I feel I really comprehended it completely. I never did study it again until now. Yet as much as I looked forward to listening to this audio drama, I did not anticipate how brilliantly disturbing yet insightful this audio drama would be.

True to the spirit of the original letters penned by C. S. Lewis and published in book form in 1942 as The Screwtape Letters, this audio rendition not only captures Lewis' depiction of the demonic underworld but also sheds light on the nature of human temptation. Indeed, Lewis' underworld is a dark depiction of a totalitarian bureaucracy, with demons not only delighting to torment their human victims in order to escape punishment themselves but also out to manipulate and even torment their fellow-demons. By learning to recognize demonic temptations in our own lives, Christians can hope to better thwart these schemes. For Lewis' original intent was perhaps best expressed by his stepson, Doug Gresham:

You see, to know what's contained here is to gain vital insights into how to fight those beings who would devour you even while they are embracing you in an imitation of love. Now you can laugh at them, and that really annoys them.

This audio drama, due to some mature subject matter as well as the intense dramatic interpretation, is recommended for ages 12 and up, which is an appropriate guideline. My own 14 year old has become quite enamored with not only this audio drama, but has now almost completed reading Lewis' original The Screwtape Letters--inspired by listening to this audio drama. However, I have not been allowing my younger children to listen to the audio CDs nor view the bonus DVD with behind-the-scenes featurettes. The outstanding cast, including such actors as Geoffrey Palmer portraying C. S. Lewis and Andy Serkis (perhaps best known as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings ) portraying Screwtape, has entertained me while it has occasionally convicted me of my own susceptibility to temptation.

If this review intrigues you, be sure to look at the official Screwtape audio drama website for more information about this audio drama and bonuses including a downloadable study guide, audio samples, ring tones, wallpaper and icons. This set includes 4 CDs of approximately 4 hours of material, plus a bonus DVD.

I was provided a free review copy of this audio drama by Tyndale House. However, I was not compensated in any other manner, and opinions expressed represent my own honest opinion.

We R Fun: Life On The Farm Board Game

Posted by ElCloud
11:42 PM, Nov. 23, 2009 .. Posted in Homeschool Crew Reviews .. 0 comments .. Link

My kids love board games! They especially love board games involving money, although they have been known to start making up their own rules after awhile, and playing the game ElCloud style. I enjoy board games, because I know they are engaging my children's minds and teaching them things like strategy and math.

We were very happy to have a chance to review the Life On The Farm board game by We R Fun, Inc. It had been on our children's wish list for several months. This is a high-quality, well-designed board game with a colorful playing board. We received the original version, for players age 8 and up, but there is also a preschool version available which doesn't require any reading.

Life On The Farm was designed by Keith Gohl and his sister Ev Johnson, to help others understand what life on a farm is really like ... from a family business perspective. Each player rolls a dice, moves forward that number of spaces, and then follows the directions on the board. Players draw income cards and expense cards which require them to pay vet bills, taxes, or collect sale income. It's a game of chance, as my 12 year old daughter discovered last night. She was poised to win, until she had to pay taxes four times, when no one else paid taxes at all that game.

The goal of the game is to be the first to retire with 60 cows and the money you began farming with. As We R Fun states on their how to play page: "Life on the Farm is not about running other players out of business - it’s about managing money and making the most out of what happens to you - what life is really about on a family farm! It is a classic board game, fast-moving, easy to understand and fun to play, and it truly appeals to all ages."

While I agree that this game appeals to all ages, and the family can enjoy playing it together ... we didn't find it very fast-moving. Well, I suppose the plays happen quickly, but the process of playing the game itself can be long. The instructions do include a shorter version, and that is the only way we have played it so far. It's just the nature of this type of board game to take awhile.

My kids have enjoyed playing the game twice since we received it. They wanted to play it many more times, but we didn't always have enough time to fit a game in. In our opinion, Life On The Farm is a great board game, with educational entertainment value for the entire family. It's an excellent way to spend quality family time on a winter evening.

The original version of Life On The Farm (ages 8 - 108) retails for $25.00, and the preschool version retails for $20.00. The game can be bought from We R Fun, Inc, The Old Schoolhouse Store, Amazon.com, and also on Kmart.com.

This would make an excellent educational (and FUN!) Christmas gift for any children age 7 and up, or a family gift for those you love!

This item was provided free for our review as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew. We received no other compensation, and this review is our honest opinion. Click the TOS Homeschool Crew banner at the top to read more reviews on this product by other Homeschool Crew members.

Trusting In Him,
April E.

Easy Holiday Cran-Apple Fruit Salad

Posted by ElCloud
6:06 PM, Nov. 23, 2009 .. Posted in ElCloud Kitchen .. 1 comments .. Link

On Saturday we attended a potluck dinner for our 4-H Achievement Banquet . Unfortunately, I was lacking inspiration on what to prepare. Just after lunch, I finally started flipping through cookbooks looking for ideas.

I settled on a cheesy scalloped potato recipe, but had to take shortcuts by microwaving the potatoes for awhile before putting them into the crockpot. (If you're curious it was Potluck Potatoes from the Fix-It And Forget-It Cookbook.)

But, I still needed a second dish. I started flipping through the desserts and salads in the cookbook my church put together. I found a Cranberry Jello salad that sounded good, but I didn't have fresh cranberries to boil into syrup, and didn't have time to mess with letting a jello set-up. BUT I decided to take some of the ingredients and improvise my own fruit salad. It was easy and delicious! (If you like the tartness of cranberries, that is.)

ElCloud's Easy Holiday Cran-Apple Fruit Salad

Ingredients:
2 (16 oz.) cans of whole-berry cranberry sauce
3-4 apples, cored and diced
1 cup mini-marshmallows

Directions:
1. Open both cans of whole-berry cranberry sauce and pour into a 2 qt. bowl
2. Use a spoon to break up the cranberry sauce.
3. Cut apples into wedges, removing the core. Skin can be left on, or peeled off.
4. Cut apple wedges into small pie shaped slivers.
5. Stir apples and mini-marshmallows into the cranberry sauce.
6. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

That's it! It looks beautiful, and it's delicious!!

Enjoy!!

Trusting In Him,
April

Last Week's Activities in Photos

Posted by SchoolingServingScoutingByGrace
10:51 PM, Nov. 22, 2009 .. Posted in Family Life .. 1 comments .. Link

Okay, I said I would try to share these photos Friday, but my camera battery went dead right after my husband came home Friday and he took a short video of my two year old. So, we had to charge the battery up today. So, here are some photos today!

Here is a recent woodworking project my son completed for scouts. He actually completed that one last weekend, but close enough! Doesn't my son look proud? That aloe vera plant on the back deck behind him came inside this week, as it has turned cold lately.

And here are some of the Operation Christmas Child boxes my daughters packed this week. Below you can see one of my daughters wrapping shoeboxes.

Here are the shoeboxes my children bought gifts for and packed for Operation Christmas Child.

And here is nearly $1500 worth of Trail's End popcorn and trail mix, stacked in our living room ready to be checked off and tagged to be delivered!

And below is what happens when you spend all week at church packing shoeboxes, you sort and deliver BSA Trail's End popcorn, and your husband goes out of town to a conference. Something has to give somewhere, and this week it was laundry getting folded and put away. We finally are caught up just in time to need to wash a few more loads!