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Beatyfam
Jun. 19, 2009
recipes
Blueberry Spinach Salad
1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c raspberry vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp sugar ( I used agave)
1/2 tsp salt
10 oz spinach, torn
4 oz. blue cheese ( I used parm, but will try blue next time)
1 c fresh blueberries
1/2 c pecans, toasted and chopped( I used walnuts)
Combine oil, vinegar, mustard, sugar and salt in a jar and shake well. Toss in a bowl w/ spinach and half of cheese, blueberries and nuts. Toss gently w/ enough dressing to coat. Garnish w/ remaining cheese, berries, and nuts. |
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Jun. 9, 2009
For mothers....
"Men say that into the strings of some old Cremona violin the life of the master who once played upon it has passed, so that it as an impersonal soul, breathing out at every skillful touch. This is only a beautiful poetic fancy. But when a little child in its mother's bosom is loved, nursed, caressed, held close to her heart, prayed over, wept over, talked with for days, weeks, months, years, it is no mere fancy that the mother's life has indeed passed into the child's soul. What it becomes is determined by what the mother is. The early years settle what its character will be, and these are the mother's years.
O mothers of young children, I bow before you in reverence. Your work is most holy. You are fashioning the destinies of immmortal souls. The powers folded up in the little ones that you hushed to sleep in your bosoms last night are powers that shall exist forever. You are preparing them for their immortal destiny and influence. Be faithful. Take up your sacred burden reverently Be sure that your heart is pure and that your life is sweet and clean. The Persian apologue says that the lump of clay was fragrant because it had lain on a rose. Let your life be as the rose, and then your child as it lies upon your bosom will obsorb the fragrance. If there is no sweetness in the rose the clay will not be perfumed. "
The Family
1882 |
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May. 29, 2009
MHEA conference
Found my notes from the Mississippi Home Educators Assn. conference a few weeks ago. Here are some highlights....
Doug Phillips: 7 toxic threats
"Write down the top 15 conversations you want to have with your kids."
Top threats to homeschoolers
1- loss of vision
2- Fear of men
3- Love of "security" more than freedom
4- Hatred for accountability
5- Replacement of a Biblical community for a virtual community
6-Incivililty, gossip, juvenile behavior
7-Loss of our 1st love (Christ)
The wise woman's gude to blessing her husband's vision(Phillips)
"Our homes become places of encouragement and evangelism when we are virtuous wives."
How the imperfect wise woman responds to her husband
1- Seek to understand
2- Have compassion in his weakness
3- Reinforce husband's authority
4- Don't compare him to others
5- Encourages to pursue the Lord, but never rebukes him
6- She seeks to build his kingdom, his way.
7- She covers, not exposes his weaknesses (not immoral or illegal behavior)
As unto the bow the cord is;
So unto the man is woman;
Though she bends him, she obeys him;
Though she draws him, yet she follows;
Useless each without the other.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Healthy meals on a budget:
"If God made it, eat it. If man made it, leave it alone."
"Do not be intimidated by people who are at a different place in life than your family."
"If you are saying ' I couldn't get it all together' ( about planning/cooking), then you should reassess the way you are doing things." |
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May. 29, 2009
Spelling Bee
http://public.spellingbee.com/public/results/2009/finishers/html
I am always interested in how homeschoolers fared in this each year. 2 of the top 11 in the Scripps National Spelling Bee were homeschoolers! Not bad! |
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May. 26, 2009
May schedule
I sent the following email out to someone today, just thought I'd post it since I typed it all out already.
I wanted to send you my schedule, but be assured we don't stick to all of it everyday! Also, I change it fairly often, especially when the weather changes. It is crucial for us to have time built in to take a walk or exercise, play outside, and rest. These times move around depending on the season. Right now it is getting warmer so we are walking earlier- around 9 am. In the cooler weather, we may walk right before lunch or after resting.
May Schedule
6:45 Sam quiet time (this is crucial also!)
7:15 Make breakfast
7:30 Kids eat breakfast- Steve reads aloud out of Bible usually
7:45 Chores/ help Steve get out the door
8:45 Steve leave
9:00 Walk
9:30 Daily "extra" (sign language/art/music/memory work/cooking)
10:00 Snack
10:20-11:30 Outside play
11:30 Lunch
12:00 Read aloud
12:30 Nate nap/Grace and Patrick history
1:00 Grace and Patrick rest time/ Sam nap, dinner prep, read, etc.
3:00 Snack/ outside
4:30 Afternoon clean-up
5:00 or 5:30 Steve home
6:00 Dinner
7:00 Family time/ Family worship
7:30 Begin bedtime prep
8:00 Kid's bedtime (since the weather has been so nice this will get delayed if we have spent time playing outside or gone for another walk w/ Daddy if he didn't get to exercise yet. We shoot for 8, but sometimes is 8:30)
Of course the schedule is different when we are doing more schoolwork, but we are done with everything except history. We always get behind on that and do it through the summer! Also, often the kids won't get done with all their chores first thing, but I try to make sure they are done before they get snack. They are usually pretty motivated to get done at that point!
2 hours may seem like a long time for your kids to rest, since they aren't used to it, so you may want to work up to that. Grace is allowed to read the whole time, and I think she looks forward to it. Patrick is usually given a set number of books to look at and then he has to be still on the couch. ( They are in separate rooms) If they come upstairs, or if I hear them playing or talking, they get punished. I am serious about rest time. It is necessary for them and for me! They are rewarded after naptime with a snack and a smiling mama! They are used to it by now. This time of the year it is easier because they are worn out from playing so much. In the winter, of course, it is more challenging to get their energy out.
Hope this gives you some ideas!
Samantha |
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May. 4, 2009
How to stretch a can of tuna to feed 4
Tuna Salad in Pita pockets
small can of tuna, drained
1/4 carrot, julienned
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1/4 apple, finely chopped
2 T chopped parsley
1/2 t celery seed
1-2 T mayo
salt and pepper to taste
Chop lettuce, put in pita pockets, then add 1-2 T tuna salad on top. The kids and I had 1 1/2 pita pockets each. This is a good way to have a cheap, healthy lunch! |
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Apr. 29, 2009
No television update
| I wanted to give an update on life without television since it has been 3 weeks since we discontinued our cable. Well, surprisingly not only do we not miss it, but it is almost like a burden is lifted. I think there were certain shows that I liked, but some I felt obligated to watch so I wouldn't miss out on anything. It turns out that there is a lot of music I haven't listened to in years, many, many books to catch up on, and of course this time of year Steve and I love sitting out on the screen porch at night listening to crickets and frogs and catching up on each others day. We still have 3 episodes of 24 we recorded, but in 3 weeks haven't gotten desperate enough to watch them. The winter may be more difficult with the shorter days, but maybe by then we'll be used to it, and our minds will be recovered from 30+ years of being turned off for a little while each day! :) |
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Apr. 24, 2009
Our little foxes
 Isn't this baby red fox so cute?! There were 3 of them down the road from our home and a not-too-shy parent close by. One day, we even saw one of the parents bringing in some food for the babies.
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Apr. 21, 2009
Easter!
The night before Easter for the past several years, we always make "Tomb cookies". There are Bible passages that go along with each step in making them, then the next morning, you open the taped shut oven, and the cookies are empty in the center like Jesus' tomb on Easter morning!
Here is Grace showing the empty tomb cookie.
Cousins were waiting for us when we got home from church!
Ready for the hunt!
 http://www.allhomemadecookies.com/recipes/drop/easterstorycookies.htm
Here is the recipe for the empty tomb cookies. |
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Apr. 6, 2009
Regarding television
I stole this from my friend Anita's blog (http://busyhandsbusyminds.blogspot.com/). I thought it was appropriate in that we have made the decision to turn off our cable indefinitely beginning tomorrow! The decision was made for various reasons, one being that it is a "time vacuum" for our family, and another is similar to the reason given below! I'll keep you updated on how it goes!
The most important thing we’ve learned,
So far as children are concerned,
Is never, NEVER, NEVER let
Them near your television set
Or better still, just don’t install the idiotic thing at all.
In almost every house we’ve been,
We’ve watched them gaping at the screen.
They loll and slop and lounge about,
And stare until their eyes pop out.
(Last week in someone’s place we saw
A dozen eyeballs on the floor.)
They sit and stare and stare and sit
Until they’re hypnotized by it,
Until they’re absolutely drunk
With all that shocking ghastly junk.
Oh yes, we know it keeps them still,
They don’t climb out the window sill,
They never fight or kick or punch,
They leave you free to cook the lunch
And wash the dishes in the sink-
But did you ever stop to think,
To wonder just exactly what
This does to your beloved tot?
IT ROTS THE SENSES IN THE HEAD!
IT KILLS IMAGINATION DEAD!
IT CLOGS AND CLUTTERS UP THE MIND!
IT MAKES A CHILD SO DULL AND BLIND
HE CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND
A FANTASY, A FAIRYLAND!
HIS BRAIN BECOMES AS SOFT AS CHEESE!
HIS POWERS OF THINKING RUST AND FREEZE!
HE CANNOT THINK -HE ONLY SEES!
‘All right!’ you’ll cry. ‘All right!’ you’ll say,
‘But if we take the set away,
What shall we do to entertain
Our darling children? Please explain!’
We’ll answer this by asking you,
‘What used the darling ones to do?
How used they keep themselves contented
Before this monster was invented?’
Have you forgotten? Don’t you know?
We’ll say it very loud and slow:
THEY....USED,,,TO,,,READ!
They’d READ and READ and READ and READ,
and then proceed to READ some more.
Great Scott! Gadzooks! One half their lives was reading books!
The nursery shelves held books galore!
Books cluttered up the nursery floor!
And in the bedroom, by the bed,
More books were waiting to be read!
Such wondrous, fine fantastic tales
Of dragons, Gypsies, queens and whales
And treasure isles and distant shore
Where smugglers rowed with muffled oars.
And pirates wearing purple pants,
And sailing ships and elephants,
And cannibals crouching ‘round the pot,
Stirring away at something hot.
(It smells so good, what can it be?
Good gracious, it’s Penelope!)
The younger ones had Beatrix Potter
With Mr. Toad, the Dirty Rotter,
And squirrel Nutkin, Pigling Bland,
And Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and-
Just How the Camel got his Hump,
And How the Monkey Lost his Rump,
And Mr. Toad, and bless my soul,
There’s Mr. Rat and Mr. Mole-
Oh, books, what books they used to know,
Those children living long ago!
So please, oh please,
We beg, we pray,
Go throw your TV set away,
And in its place you can install
A lovely bookshelf on the wall.
Then fill the shelves with lots of books,
Ignoring all the dirty looks,
The screams and yells, the bites and kicks,
Fear not, because we promise you
That, in about a week or two
Of having nothing else to do,
They’ll now begin to feel the need
Of having something good to read.
And once they start--oh boy, oh boy!
You watch the slowly growing joy
That fills their hearts.
They’ll grow so keen
They’ll wonder what they’d ever seen
In that ridiculous machine,
That nauseating, foul, unclean,
Repulsive television screen!
And later, each and every kid
Will love you more for what you did.
From Charlie and the Chocolate Factory |
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Apr. 1, 2009
Cheese!
 Nate loves cheese- and he loves to break into the fridge and steal it....or grab it off the counter if I am cooking! Here he is with mozerella..... ......Cream cheese...... ....and feta! |
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Mar. 2, 2009
Let it snow!
We woke up yesterday to a beautiful layer of perfect powdery white snow and as quickly as we could we gathered up our snow gear, and headed outside to play and explore. Grace made a snow angel right away, and Patrick grabbed up snow for a snowball- typical of both! Nate was just in awe. He has seen snow before, but it has been a year so he probably didn't remember. It was so fun to watch them enjoy the snow, running, playing, and laughing. After we made snow cream, we took off for a hike through the woods. The way the snow lay on the trees was so beautiful- everything was covered and so white. We hiked as long as Steve could with Nate on his back then came back home to sit by the fireplace and warm up. We looked at pictures of snowflakes on the internet and were amazed at God's creation once again when we saw how intricate and perfect they are. Here is the website we found if you want to check it out http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/photos/photos.htm
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Feb. 21, 2009
Sam shaw quotes
The following are recent quotes from our insightful pastor, Sam Shaw.
"God never downplays the difficult part of following Him."
"When we cover our sins, God uncovers them, when we uncover our sins, God covers them."
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Feb. 2, 2009
Patrick quotes
Just wanted to write down a few of the funny things Patrick has said recently before I forget!
One night a few weeks ago, during our family devotion one night, he randomly said "I wish that God would have put me in charge of the all the animals. I never would have eaten that fruit that he said not to eat!" Just a little prideful, maybe?
Then, last week, we were studying Joan of Ark and he was trying so hard to make sense of who she was. We have been studying Jonah in church and he knows about Noah and the ark, so he was really trying to figure out why I combined those two people. He thought I was really confused!
He and Steve were looking for a game to play on the wii one night and they came across the ice-skating game. After watching a guy on that for a few minutes they decided neither wanted to play that. Patrick said "He is a boy, but he is acting like a girl!" I think he is more of a boxing/baseball kid! |
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Jan. 14, 2009
Another blessing
 It has been so long since I blogged....but I have a good excuse. It has to do with fatigue and morning sickness! Yep- I gave Steve an unexpected Christmas gift.....a positive pregnancy test! #4 will be due in September! The kids are so excited!! |
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Dec. 25, 2008
Immanuel
Immanuel, God with us in our nature, in our sorrow, in our lifework, in our punishment, in our grave, and now with us, or rather we with Him, in resurrection, ascension, triumph, and Second Advent splendour.
C. Spurgeon |
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Dec. 13, 2008
Merry Christmas from Total Eye Care!
 This photo is so appropriate, because our wonderful staff at the office always stands behind us and supports us in all we do at TEC. They are 5 of the smartest, kindest, and hard -working ladies I know. We love y'all, Charlotte, Lisa, Emily, Donna....and Patsy too! |
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Dec. 1, 2008
Thanksgiving
Nov. 26, 2008
Christmas tree farm/new toy
We broke with tradition and went to get a Christmas tree before Thanksgiving! It was such a beautiful day and we didn't have anything else to do except rake leaves and cook a turkey....
Before we left, Steve decided he needed to go ahead and give me my Christmas gift early so we stopped by the office and he went to get my new camera lens out of his secret hiding place. So far I love it....this picture of Grace is one of my favorites I have ever made. I just love the colors and shapes of this picture....and of course I love the subject also! Thank you Steve, for my gift, and for staying up until 10 tonight cooking for my family!  |
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Nov. 20, 2008
Patrick on Creation
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