Yesturday we found my four year old's cat dead in the road. After her initial grief has abated, she began to worry about the kittens. Who would feed them? Who would protect them?

I assured her that the kittens would be fine. They are old enough now to be on their own, which is why we have been trying to find new homes for them.  But she was still worried, especially about Cherry Dumplin, the kitten we had told her she could keep as a substitute. (dark grey one on far left)

As we were putting things away and closing the house up for the night, I noticed my oldest son carrying a wooden box out to the back of the house. He had spent the afternoon building his sister a cat house out of scrap lumber. She was absolutely thrilled.

Someday she may appreciate the fact that she has brothers who protect and care for her. But for now, she is content knowing her kittens are safe.

I found a couple of neat ideas in a library book I was reading today, and thought I would "file" them here so I don't forget about them.

The first idea was to create a cloud diary using cotton balls stretched out to show how the clouds look each day. I thought this would be a great idea to use in a notebook or lapbook on weather to show the different types of clouds.

The second idea was to place an abandoned bird's nest in a shallow pan with 1/4 inch of water.  After a few days, any seeds that were left in the nest will grow, and you will be able to see what the mother bird fed to her babies.  I'm guessing this would only work with certain types of birds' nests, but it sounds fun anyway.

My four year old was upset because she got left home alone while all her brothers and sisters went to the store with Papa. So I came up with this quick lapbook for her. The puppets on the side are from the Making Friends website and the coloring pages are from the membership area of the Danielle's Place website. My five year old was very jealous when she got home and complained that she shouldn't have gone.

I love how they think a lapbook is a special treat. :-)

I was recently going through some boxes of papers and came across some old issues of Crowned With Silver magazine. I used  subscribe to this publication and loved reading it, but somehow forgot about it over the years. I decided to do a quick internet search to see if it was still available.

While this magazine is no longer being printed, it is still being published digitally and is now available for free online.  I'm so excited!

Crowned With Silver Magazine

I love to study geneology. I find it facinating to look at lists of names and dates that tell me who my ancestors were, when they were born, and when and how they died. I enjoy reading those long lists of names in the Bible and figuring out who was alive when various events took place. I even love  visiting cemeteries and reading the gravestones. It is interesting to see what names were popular at different times and what each family thought was important enough to record on the headstone.  But what I really love is the stories that are hiding behind all those names and dates. That's also why I love geography- it is the study of stories that are still being lived.

There are may wonderful  resources available on the internet to help you start learning these stories from many nations. Harvest Ministry is even offering a complete free downloadable homeschool curriculum with an emphasis on missions. Teaching With God's Heart for the World  is a two-volume world missions curriculum by Ann Dunagan. The curriculum includes day-by-day teaching plans, missionary highlights, motivational mission stories, crafts, songs, prayer projects, and hundreds of ways to incorporate a passion for the lost into nearly every subject (including Bible Study, Family Devotions, Reading, Writing, Geography, History, Art, Science, and even highlights for Math).

Everyone, in every part of the world, has a story to tell and every story is different. But no matter how different, they all have one thing in common. Your story and my story and every other story from Adam until the end of time are all part of a bigger story- HIS story.  No matter how different we all may be, God can still use our lives for His glory. And even though the world may seem like a very large place, there is no place so far away that God's love cannot reach it.

For more geography ideas, please visit my Geography Unit Study page.

My 13 year old just finished the Live and Learn Press Lapbook for General Science. Although he isn't a fan of science or of lapbooking, he did admit that he learned a lot this year. And, much to my surprise, he requested that I order the lapbook to go along with Physical Science next year. The price is a bit steep, but as I plan to use it with all of my eight children I think I will get more than my money's worth.

I really like how easy the LNL booklets are to cut and assemble. There aren't many shapebooks, so most of your cutting is on straight lines. Although some of the graphics are "silly" the overall look is nice.  I did compare this with the Knowledge Box Central lapbook and prefered the Live and Learn Press overall, though the lab forms in the KBC version are a really nice addition.  

If you're interested in making your own comparison, both companies have samples available.

Live and Learn samples

Knowledge Box Central samples

Here is the chocolate lapbook my 13 year old son just completed using a kit from Hands of a Child. He also made chocolate using a kit which can also be purchased from Hands of a Child.

I've been working on this lapbook with my two little girls off and on for several months now. We've had a lot of fun, but we are glad to finally be done. The printables for this lapbook come from an Evan Moor Literature Pockets book that I purchased at Currclick. I just printed at half-size, and everything was the perfect size for a lapbook. The girls have had the best time going back and playing with the minibooks and puppets and reciting the poems they learned.  They are so proud of the final product. I think this has been their favorite lapbook so far.

Here is the lapbook completed by my 4 year old:

And here is the lapbook completed by my 5 year old:

If you have studied economics you are probably familiar with the expression "There's No Such Thing As A Free Lunch." As homeschool moms who face an abundance of teaching resources, avaiable at the click of a mouse, with no cost to us personally, it is easy to forget this fact. But the truth is, none of those "free" resources are really free. Each and every one of them has cost somebody something to create them or host them and it  is by their generosity that these resources are available to us. In return, we ought to consider it our duty to show gratitude for the benefits we receive.

Here are three easy ways to demonstrate your appreciation to these "silent heroes" of the curriculum world:

1.  Don't forget to say "thank-you". This ought to be obvious, but how often do we really send out notes of thanks for the freebies we receive? Most of these individuals ask for nothing more than to know that they have made a difference in someone's life. Be dilligent to encourage those who otherwise receive no recompence for their labors and they will feel that all their time and effort was well spent. 

2. Be fair in your critiques.  Have you ever downloaded something and thought, "What a waste of my time! I could have done a better job than this!" or "This isn't what I was hoping for!"  Yet, the fact that you have no need of that item doesn't make it less valuable to others that might download it, or make its creator any less generous for offering it.

As both a reviewer and a publisher on the Currclick website, I like to keep up with the comments posted there. Over the past several months I have noticed some very bad reviews being given to products which are offered as  freebies. People download a file because it costs them nothing, then give a review based on how the product fit their needs, rather than on the quality and merits of the product. They do this without stopping to think what it cost that publisher to offer it in the first place or to consider what their review will do to the overall reputation of that publisher.  I wonder how many of these publishers, after making such a sacrifice and receiving such a poor thanks, will have the desire to make that mistake again?

 
3. Respect copyrights. It is easy to assume that because a publisher is willing to give his product away, he has given up all rights to it. Yet this is not the case. Many publishers use free promotions to draw traffic to their  websites and generate income to support themselves. Others offer freebies solely for the gratification that comes from helping others. No matter the reason, and no matter the price, these items are still under copyright. It is up to the publisher to decide where they are posted and who receives them. And it is also up to the publisher whether or not these items should remain free.

 
Too often I've seen examples of files being copied from various websites and posted on Yahoo Groups or  on file sharing sites without the permission of the original creator. I 've also witnessed conversations concerning limited time freebies. Someone who has missed out on the opportunity to download a previously posted freebie will request that the item be forwarded to her  and someone else will send it.  We may see these as harmless acts, but if intellectual property rights are not respected, more and more publishers will decide that these "free" products are not worth the cost.

I'll end with a quote from Jessica Feliciano of Notebooking2Learn. I believe she voiced the thoughts of  all our "silent heroes" when she wrote:

"For those of you who have been blessed by the free resources that you find here and elsewhere among generous homeschooling mom's, please don't take them for granted. They truly are labors of love and many times cost their creators much more than time. What some may not realize is the that the cost of clip art, printer ink and paper to make these resources and to make sure that they "work" before they are shared can really add up. If you are blessed by a free resource, consider taking the time to say thank you. It is a little gesture that goes a long way. Be considerate of the creators and make sure you link others back to their work and don't just share a resource because it was free. Be grateful for the resources that are available and don't make a habit of expecting more."

I stepped out on my front steps this afternoon to be greeted by the sight of our cat nursing five brand new kittens. She had given birth to them on a pile of clippings left under the holly bush. This is her second litter and, just like last time, there are three white and two grey kittens. We aren't sure if they were born last night or this morning, but since I was an Easter baby myself, that is my vote.

Here is SnowWhite as she looked when I first found her.

And here are the kittens. The third white one rolled out of the "nest" when its mama stood up, so it didn't get to be in the "group photo."

We quickly made up a box and put it under the bush for them and Mama cat moved them in right away. I'm sure those old holly leaves were  pretty uncomfortable.

I've been trying to go back through all my old blog entries and check for dead links, but I haven't been getting very far. Today I discovered a really cool tool that will make this job a whole lot easier. It's an online link checker. You just type in your blog address and it will let you know which links aren't working. Now I don't have to spend time finding broken links, just fixing them. Yeah!

Here's where you can find it: http://www.quicksiterank.com/tools/pack4/linkchecker.php

My daughter decided she wanted a Strawberry Shortcake theme for her party. "No problem," I thought, "I can handle that."

Then she started getting specific. She wanted me to put Strawberry Shortcake, Apple Dumplin, Pupcake, and Custard on the cake. Hmm . . . maybe I could find something in the toy department that would work? It could be a combination cake decoration and birthday gift.

Wouldn't you know it, Strawberry Shortcake is now COMPLETELY out of style! The only thing I could find was a bottle of bubble soap with a soft rubber Strawberry Shortcake on top.

It was time to get creative. I pulled out my lapboking supplies, turned on the computer, and went to work. A quick Google search turned up some really cute Strawberry Shortcake clipart.  I saved the ones I needed and printed them onto cardstock. My older daughter cut them out, I laminated them, and then she cut them out again. We then taped a length of drinking straw to the back of each so they would stand up on the cake.  My daughter was very pleased and it was a LOT easier than trying to do everything with frosting. 

I also printed some additional clipart onto a full sheet label. We used some of these "stickers" to decorate some pink party napkins, and my older daughter cut the rest out to give her sister as a birthday present.

What would I do without my printer?

It seems that each year our homeschooling takes a particular focus. One year may be heavily influenced by our history studies. Another year everything revolves around what we are doing in geography. The next year we might do more science.  This year, our focus has been language arts.

When my three oldest children began their formal studies, their first year was spent solely in the study of phonics and reading.  The next two started out by sitting in on their older brothers and sister's lessons.  They got a great background in science, history, and such, but there never seemed to be much time to practice their phonics skills. At ages seven and eight, they were still sounding out every word and struggling with that. Meanwhile, my four year old had also begun learning her letter sounds and was anxious to start reading. I knew this year had to be different.

At the same time I realized I needed to start focusing more on what the younger children were learning, I also began to realize that the older ones were needing a change. They had mostly outgrown the need for hands-on activities and were wanting to exercise more control over their own schedules.  The timing was perfect! 

I am pleased to report that my seven 1/2  and eight  (almost nine) year old are now reading fluently, with little sister hot on their heals. Their older siblings have enjoyed having the ability to finish an entire weeks worth of work by Tuesday, if they so desire, and not being tied to MY schedule. They also have learned what happens when they wast time and don't get their work done. Lots of great learnig taking place!

Maybe next year we can focus on something a little more exciting . . . like math.

This light, refreshing dessert is perfect for a Spring brunch or teaparty. It also tastes great on a cold, snowy evening when you are simply wishing for Spring.

8 0z. Cool-Whip, thawed

6-8 oz. raspberry yogurt

1-2 cups red raspberries (fresh or frozen)

Combine ingredients. Serve chilled.

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

In Memory of  Grandma Betty

April 28, 1920- February 25, 2008

Today I came across a neat experiment as I was browsing through an old Highlights magazine in a second hand store. My oldest daughter decided  to try it out as soon as we got home.

Take one tablespoon of cooking oil and add two drops red food coloring and two drops blue food coloring. Stir until there are drops of color spread throughout the oil. Pour this into a clear glass which has been filled with water and watch what happens. Why does it do this?

It was really neat to watch the color separate itself from the oil and descend into the water. And in the end  the water turned . . . PURPLE!

I've been saving for a while  for the eleven volume Uncle Eric series that I want my older children to read through next year. I just received them last weekend and have already finished reading the first two. They are fantastic!  I am honestly finding them hard to put down!

These books are written by Richard Maybury aka "Uncle Eric" as a series of letters to his nephew Chris and deal with the topics of economics and government. But there is so much more you can  learn from them. For instance, in the first volume Mr. Maybury also touches on educatinal theory, ethics, and history. Volume 2, Whatever Happened To Penny Candy, contains almost everything I learned in two college level economics classes plus a few things I didn't, explained in a simple and interesting way that even a younger child could understand. 

In his first book, Personal, Career, and Financial Security, Mr. Maybury introduces the concept of models as "the way we think and understand the world." I really enjoyed what he said in chapter five about how to learn or teach models. I think it sums up pretty well the way I prefer to teach my children and why it works so well.

"Experience creates models automatically . . .This is why classrom instruction via lecture is the least effective way to teach and hands-on learning by doing is the most effective.  We are made in such a way that we build models autmatically by doing. Typically, classroom instruction is like teaching someone to play Monopoly just by  making him memorize the rules and then giving him a test on those rules. . . Unfortunately, some models are impossible to learn using hands-on process, so one method humans use to substitute for real world experience is telling stories. Stories are used to demonstrate and illustrate ideas."

There is much more wisdom packed between the pages of these books, but I will leave that for you to discover. I can't quote the whole thing here.  

There were a couple of things I disagreed with, but I see them as opportunities for additinal discussion. For instance, at one point, Mr. Maybury states, "Beware of certainty. Certainty stops inquiry. " In another place he warns to always be openminded because we are humans who make mistakes and we can never be 100% certain of anything. While I understand what he is saying and agree UP TO A POINT, as a Christian I do believe there some things ARE 100% certain. I will be sure to point this out to the children.

If you're intersted, you can find these books in many different places. I know CBD and Amazon both carry them. I did find them quite a bit cheaper if ordered as a set from Fun Books.

The younger kids just got done studying King Tut. Here are some pictures my 8 year old and 7 year old drew using a lesson I found on the Art Projects For Kids blog. You can see they added their own embellishments. While I have tried to make sure that all my children learn to draw, my 7 year old has shown a lot of natural talent in this area. 

King Tut drawn by 8 3/4 year old boy

King Tut drawn by 7 1/2 year old boy

We also watched some YouTube videos on King Tut. While we were there I stumbled across a two part series on mumification that I found facinating. In order to test the accuracy of the report Herodotus wrote on the mumification process, modern scientists did their own mumification of a human body by following his directions. It is pretty graffic and the kids chose not to watch, but it's really educational if you can stomach it.

If you'd like a free Tutankhamen notebook or coloring page, you can find them in the files section of the Lilliput Station Yahoo Group. And for more ideas for teaching your children ancient history, visit my Ancient History Lessons page on Squidoo.

When you have a lot of children, people inevitably want to know when the next one will arrive. For the past several years I've been telling folks we are in a holding pattern because we weren't planning to have more, but we hadn't done anything to permanantly stop having them. 

For a while I said I might consider another one when the youngest was about five, but the closer that day got, the less inclined I was to reenter the world of pregnancy, labor, sleepless nights and dirty diapers. I've enjoyed sitting at homeschool outings watching  my older children play as my friends wrestled  fussy babies. I was  thankful to be past that stage.  This summer I even got rid of all my baby stuff in preparation for moving.

OK, you can stop laughing now.

Number eight is due in August. My husband and children are ecstatic and their enthusiasm is contageous.  I'm still not looking forward to pregnancy, labor, or all that other stuff, but it will be very nice to have a little one around again.