This was from January of this year, but is worthy of repeating.  Especially since many of us are scrambling to plan "next year."  Remember to PUT GOD First and everything else will fall into place!

“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11) 

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

He maketh me to live on less sleep: He leadeth me through the noise of many voices.

He restoreth my soul:

He leadeth me to teach The right lessons each day, for His name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of undone laundry and kitchen messes, I will fear no evil:

For thou art with me, my teacher’s guides and answer keys, they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of threatening school officials and critical family members:

Thou anointest my head with heavenly wisdom, my cup runneth over.

Surely educated and Godly children shall follow after me all the days of my life:

and I will dwell again one day In a clean house with the Lord forevermore.

Praise God, we do have a good Shepherd who leads us through every homeschooling problem and provides for our every need. Best of all, our Shepherd knows us and promises never to desert us when the wolf comes seeking to destroy. (John 10:11-13) As we listen to the Shepherd’s voice and follow Him, we are sure to receive a great reward as we reach the peaceful green pastures of Christ-like, educated children. “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.” (1 Peter 5:4)

Father,

How I praise You for leading me and my children in the path of homeschooling. Without You, we surely would be confused and lost. We come to You again this day and pray for Your continued blessings as we follow You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

By Chris Dunmire

from http://www.creativity-portal.com/howto/writing/summer.writing.prompts.html

Sunny hot vibrant energy! In some parts of the world, warm summer weather starts in June, stretches through July, and winds down in August. In other parts of the world, the heat is on all of the time! But summer is not only about hot temperatures and school vacations, for it's a season experienced planet-wide and means different things to different cultures.

These summer-themed writing prompts and photos will WARM YOU UP and breathe new inspiration into your creative stories, blog entries, and reflections for the summer season no matter where and how you experience it. And please, take a break to cool down if your writing gets too hot for you!

Writing Prompt 1:

Summer Photo Inspiration:
When do you feel the arrival of summer has come? When school lets out? In mid-June? On the first day that reaches 85 degrees? Does summer assert itself into being just by calendar days or by other environmental factors too?

Writing Prompt 2:

Write about one of the five senses (related to your summer experience):

• The smells of summer

• The sights of summer

• The sounds of summer

• The touch of summer

• The tastes of summer

Writing Prompt 3:

What is your favorite summer memory? How old were you when it happened? For 10 minutes relive that memory through writing about it as if you were right there recording it in real time.

Writing Prompt 4:

Summertime conjures up images of full-blooming nature, fluttering butterflies, and nighttime crickets. It also reflects sweltering sheets, stagnant heat, and restless nights where flipping over a cool pillow is the only way to survive. Write a poem that captures a summer evening's essence in all of it's beauty or beast-ness.

Writing Prompt 5:

This windmill is from an early 1900s guest riding ranch in the Chiricahua National Monument Mountains in Southern Arizona. Can you imagine how visitors spent long summer days riding horses through the steep mountain hills and valleys? What does this remind you about your favorite outdoor summer activities?

Writing Prompt 6:

Do you like the summer heat or do you spend most of your time in the cool, air-conditioned indoors? How do you think people coped with the heat before air conditioning and electric fans were invented?

Writing Prompt 7:

Did you ever climb trees when you were a child? How high did you go? Did you ever fall out of the tree? And how did the thick, full-leaved tree branches during summer insert themselves into your childhood play?

Writing Prompt 8:

Summer Photo Inspiration
Full, green thriving trees. Some trees are a hundred or more years old. Imagine living through 100 years of summers, watching families picnic, children play, outdoorsmen fish, and hikers blaze the trails. Imagine you are one of these trees. What have you seen in your vision of history?

Writing Prompt 9:

Imagine the weather gods suddenly decided that the summer season would be no more. Seasons would go from Spring to Fall to Winter. What does that prospect invoke in you? Are you happy? Sad? Glad? Mad?

Writing Prompt 10:

Summer flowers are one of nature's most beautiful works of art. What other natural art does summer bring forth from the earth, sea, or sky?

Writing Prompt 11:

What do you think the symbolism of summer is in relation to the human life span?

Writing Prompt 12:

What is the summer season like where you live? How is it different from other parts of the world?

Writing Prompt 13:

Summer Photo Inspiration
"Knee high by the Fourth of July", "Don't swim for an hour after you eat", and "Dog days of summer". What other summer-related sayings come to your mind, and what does this image inspire in you?

Writing Prompt 14:

Go with the flow: Choose a prompting word from the following list and write about whatever comes to mind for five minutes without stopping.

Prompting Words List:

Sunny, warm, Fourth of July, picnics, outdoors, sunshine, hot, sticky, sweltering, insects, bugs, camping, swimming, Father's Day, dry, desert, air conditioning, electric fans, cooling, fishing, lakes, boating, summer, corn, carnivals, festivals, parades, beach, fun, celebrate, biking, hiking, campfires, pools, outdoors, Labor Day, watermelon, marshmallows, hot dogs, volleyball, horseshoes, Frisbee, sand castles, ice cream

Writing Prompt 15:

Summer Photo Inspiration:
If you live where summer is between 80 and 100 degrees for only three months out of the year, can you imagine living in a region where it is always hot and sticky? These Saguaro Cactus grow in Tucson, Arizona, where conditions are always hot and sunny. Could you live in the desert? Would you?

Remember the Color Wheel, one of the first things taught in Art Class?  It describes the relationship between colors, and how colors are mixed to create new ones.  Traditionally, Primary Colors (Red, Yellow, Blue) are colors that are not made from others.  Secondary colors (Purple, Orange , Green) are created by mixing two primaries. 

Tertiary colors are achieved by mixing primary and secondary colors.

When all primary colors are mixed, the resulting ‘color’ is black.  When all color (pigment) is removed, white remains. 

 
Complementary Colors, which are opposite on the Color Wheel, contrast and complement one another. 

 
Analogous Colors are those grouped next to each other in the color wheel. 

 
What is Color?

 
Any color that we see is the part of the light spectrum that is reflected.  Black occurs because all colors are absorbed (not reflected); white reflects all colors and therefore has no ‘color.’

 
There are three terms used to describe colors:  hue, value and saturation. 

 
What is Hue ?

 
Hue is described with the words we normally think of as describing color: red, purple, blue, and so on. 

 
What is Color Value? 

Color Value describes how light or dark a color is – its overall intensity.  For example, light blue, dark green. 

Shades are the relative darkness/intensity of a color (by the addition of black), and Tints are the relative lightness of a color (by the addition of white).

What is Color Saturation?

Saturation describes the purity of the hue in a color.  The ‘pure’ hues are on the outer edge of the hue wheel.

When designing the focal point of a painting, choose the color that best fits the project, is a favorite color or one that blends well with the décor of the room.  Once you’ve established this color, you can use the guidelines above to choose additional colors for the painting.  Project books, DVDs and magazines can be great inspirations for color selection as well. 

I have been looking for greenhouse plans all over the Internet.  Our needs are odd in that I don't want a shed type greenhouse, I want one we can assemble in the fall and spring but take down and store the rest of the year.  This plan is ideal for our needs an should not cost all that much to build.  We plan to start it late this summer when I will take pictures and add them here.

Index and materials/quantities Introduction >> Step 1. The greenhouse base >> Step 2. Making the side walls >> Step 3. Making the roof frame >> Step 4. Making the end walls >> Step 5. The greenhouse windows >> Step 6. Making the doors >> Step 7. The greenhouse cover >> Index and materials/quantities

Materials and quantities Item Description 100m (330ft) of 75x50 (2"x3") treated, or natural decay-resistant, sawn lumber framing; rip down for battens, doors and windows Misc nails, plates, strapping, hinges, handles etc 11m (36ft) of 100x100 (4"x4") treated, or natural decay-resistant, sawn lumber base 3m (10ft) of 150x50 (1"x6") treated, or natural decay-resistant, sawn lumber fascia 1200mm (4ft) x 2400mm (8ft) x 10mm (3/8") thick treated plywood gussets 30sq meters (350sq ft) ultra-violet-resistant polythene covering

Introduction In this project all measurements are given in both metric (mm) and standard imperial (ft and inches). This greenhouse is 2400mm (8ft) wide x 3000mm (10ft) long. It is lightweight and portable but can be fixed more permanently if required.

The unit is inexpensive and easy to construct. The cover is a clear UV-resistant polythene film. This greenhouse is ideal for those areas which suffer just enough winter frosts to be annoying. Where to position the greenhouse Pick a site likely to get the winter sun. The site should not be in a possibly boggy area and should be level or in a place that is easy to make level. If the site is below a hill or slope, then it might be necessary to put in a drain (open, tile or scoria) to redirect any water flow away from the greenhouse site.

Step 1. The greenhouse base Once your level greenhouse site has been determined, construct the base from 4"x4" treated, or natural decay-resistant, sawn lumber. Make an oblong 3000mm (94-1/2") x 2400mm (118") as shown in the drawing. Fix the lumber together in the corners by using galvanized nails and nail plates.

Check that the two diagonal measurements are equal. If not, make any necessary adjustments. When the diagonals are equal, then the base is square. Check that the base is level. Secure the base in place by hammering pegs around the perimeter. Nail the pegs to the base and trim off any pegs protruding higher than the base timber.

Step 2. Making the side walls Construct the wall out of 75x50 (2"x3") treated, or natural decay-resistant, sawn lumber. On an even surface construct two side walls to the dimensions as shown in the drawing.

Make the diagonal measurements equal (in the same way as with the base in step 1.) and when the walls are square, cut and fix the bracing members in place. Stand the two side walls upright and temporarily prop in place, on top of the base. Fix the bottom plate of the side walls to the base boards with galvanized nails.

Step 3. Making the roof frame Cut all roof frame pieces to the dimensions as shown in the picture. Use 75x50 (2"x3") treated, or natural decay-resistant, sawn lumber. In total, cut 5 rafters @ 1900mm (74-3/4"), 5 rafters @ 1310mm (51-1/2") and 5 uprights @ 500mm (19-5/8") with end angle cuts as shown in the drawing. Also cut five triangular gussets 500mm (19-5/8") x 500mm (19-5/8") x 500mm (19-5/8") from a sheet of 10mm 3/8" treated plywood

On an even surface make up the five roof frames to the pattern and dimensions as shown in above drawing. Ensure the two furtherest points are 2400mm (94-1/2") apart and then nail the triangular gussets in place with galvanized flathead nails spaced about 50mm (2") apart: one gusset to each roof frame. Lift the 5 roof frames in place on top of the side walls: one roof frame to each end of the side walls and the other three spaced evenly in between. Fix the roof frames to the side wall top plate with galvanized nails. Temporarily prop the two end roof frames plumb (vertical). Nail the fascia board 25x150 (1"x6") to the top of the roof frames (see drawing next page) making sure all the roof frames are vertical and parallel with each other. Fix the window support plate 75x50 (2"x3") in place under the roof frame apex and behind the fascia board. See drawing next page. Brace the roof on the side that has no windows. Nail metal strapping from the apex of both end roof frames down to the middle of the side wall top plate.

Step 4. Making the end walls Ensure side walls are plumb (vertical). All wall framing lumber is 75x50 (2"x3") stock. Cut studs (a) to size and fix in place. They should be 700mm (27-1/2") apart to allow for the door. Cut top plates (b)and (c) to size and fix in place. Cut bottom plates (d) to size and fix in place.

Measure, cut and fix the bracing lumber (e) in place.

Step 5. The greenhouse windows For the windows use 50x50 (2"x2") stock for the top and bottom frames and 75x50 (2"x3") stock for the side and middle mullions. Bevel cut the bottom window frame 30 degrees.

Make two windows to the dimensions shown in the picture and then fix them in place with two butt hinges on each window screwed to the top frames of the windows and the window support plate. Fit a window latch to each window. Measure, cut and fix a row of blockings below the window and in between the roof frames. (see drawing.)

Step 6. Making the doors

Make the doors (2: one each end of the greenhouse) as per drawing.

Use 50x50 (2"x2") stock for the frames and cut the gussets from 10mm (3/8") treated plywood.

Make the door frames up on an even surface. Ensure that the frames are square and then nail the gussets in place on both sides of the doors.

Hinge the doors in place and fit handles or pad bolts of your choice.

Step 7. The greenhouse cover

Cover the greenhouse with an ultra-violet-resistant polythene.

Hold the coverings in place by laying thin battens over the polythene (when the polythene is taut) and nailing the battens to the greenhouse studs, roof rafters etc.

Cover the doors and windows also.

Most hardware merchants or garden suppliers only stock standard plastic polythene which is not UV-resistant, however, they should be able to advise you where to source polythene required for the greenhouse covering.

One source that might be worth looking at for cover (USA only) is Tyco Plastics

This fall I will be starting Pre-K with three Four year olds.  No they are not triplets, only one is mine, the others are here for daycare.  I have scoured the internet and come across LOADS of helpful links.  Here are some of my FAVORITES!

The core of our Pre-school will be Brightly Beaming Preparatory curriculum.  It's FREE and it uses books from the library!

Because I have no clue where the other 2 children are in their preschool prep I am supplementing BBP with some other items.

Handwriting Sheets

Nature Notebook

"But now are they many members, yet but one body." (1 Corinthians 12:20)

Summer vacation was a great learning adventure for our homeschooling family. As we took trips to the mountains, my children experienced lessons from nature that made both science and Scripture come alive. One lesson in particular came from a large stand of beautiful aspen trees. As we hiked past their white trunks, my son shared a fact that he had learned from his schoolwork. "Mom, my science worktext says that aspen trees grow from one common root. Is that true?"

"Yes," I replied. "Every one of the individual trees you think you see is actually one big tree."

Excitedly, he ran from one tree to the next and cried, "Mom, look! This one tree must be over two miles long!"

Talking further, we discussed the similarity between the aspen tree and the body of Christ. "Each believer is like the individual aspen tree and plays a unique role in God's family," I said. "However, we all grow from one common root, Jesus Christ, and we must work together in the body."

Smiling, my son replied, "Yeah, I get it Mom. If we all do what we're supposed to as Christians, we'll show God's beauty like this bunch of trees . . . I mean tree," he laughed as he quickly corrected himself.

Do you know where God has placed you in the body of Christ? Although some gifts may seem more important than others, they're not (1 Corinthians 12:23-24). Each believer contributes to the well-being of the body by faithfully using the gifts that God has given. Whether your spiritual gift is teaching, serving, or showing mercy, you can bloom where you're planted and give God the glory as you depend on the life-giving root of Christ's forgiveness and love. "Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving." (Colossians 2:7)

Father,

Thank You for my place in the body of Christ. Use our homeschooling family for Your glory and let us praise You with lives that are fully committed to Your purpose and plans. In Jesus' name, Amen.

This is another one from my frein MeritK at Creative Learning Lifestyles...

http://www.classicalastronomy.com/The_Sky_This_Month.asp

The link above is for a terrific website that shows where to find the
constellations and heavenly bodies in the night skies. The animation is
very helpful and you will want to watch it with your kids even if you
do not go outside to "skywatch"!

There are links to good resources for teaching this subject too.

Math is often a problem for homeschooled students and parents alike.  Especially those of us who hate rules...Here are a few helpful sites forwarded to me from my friend Merit K at Creative Learning Lifestyles.  I always enjoy her insights!

http://www.homeschoolmath.net    http://www.homeschoolmath.net/worksheets/

Maria Miller runs this site and has lots of free stuff there too. She is a Homeschool Mom who has 1/2 a million degrees in Math and knows how to teach it too. We just got one of her "Math Mammoth" workbook
downloads to do a little remedial work this summer and they look really fun.

Here is a website that offers suggestions for books to use for Math.  I just really have to get that one titled " What's your Angle Pythagoras?" !!!

http://www.livingmath.net/LivingMathLessons/BookListCycle1Q1/tabid/447/Default.aspx

and also a good article on having proper goals as we teach our kids math;

http://www.homeschoolmath.net/teaching/teaching.php

Here are more links from my files:

Fun & Creative Ideas for Teaching Math

Math Activity Worksheets

For Preschool through rising 2^nd Graders

Sea Tales

 During this 45-minute program, your child will be immersed in stories of the sea. Topics will include lighthouses, mermaids, shipwrecks, and sea critters! Afterwards, educators will help the children create a simple craft that illustrates the lesson or information learned during the story. Parents must remain with their child for the duration of the session. Pre-registration is not required.

 When: Tuesdays, June 15, 22, and 28 at 11 a.m.

Cost: $3 per child

For Families

Are you looking for something FUN & EDUCATIONAL to do with your family this summer? Then, join The Mariners’ Museum for one of two remaining Family Days.

“I Spy” Photographic Adventure, Friday, July 25, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Learn to artistically interpret the world as you see it, with just a camera and your little eye! Experts will introduce families to the basics of photography. Interactive activities, held in the Stationary Voyages gallery, will prepare you to take photographs of your own. With your new skills, capture the beauty around you while cruising the galleries, hiking the Noland Trail, and paddling boats on Lake Maury with your family.

No experience required. Cameras & paddle boat tickets will be provided. Appropriate for ages 5 and older. Pre-registration is required by Friday, July 18.

“Chemistry, Conservation, & Civil War Ironclads,” Friday, August 1, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Then, Join conservators from The Mariners’ Museum as they introduce students to the chemistry of conservation. Using examples from The USS Monitor, families will learn how chemistry is used to conserve metal and organic objects found in a marine archaeological environment. Hands-on experiments that utilize the scientific method, as well as a behind-the-scenes tour of the wet and dry labs of the Batten Conservation Facility and The USS Monitor Center, will provide your students with examples of real-life chemistry applications. Appropriate for ages 13 and older. Pre-registration is required by Friday, June 20.

Cost: $60 per family for Museum Members and $75 per family for non-members (Six-person per family limit please)

To Register: Please fill out the form found at http://www.mariner.org/educationalad/homeschool/index.php.*

For High School Students

Scholars’ Seminar

Among our new line of engaging programs is an in-depth seminar designed especially for college-bound students. This seminar will introduce and acclimate high school homeschool students to college-level historical research, primary and secondary source analysis, discussions, argumentative, scholarly writing, and presenting. During this 7-month program, students will conduct extensive historical research based primarily in one of our most renowned exhibits, The Crabtree Collection of Miniature Ships or the USS Monitor Center, and complete a capstone project.

Details, including session dates and the application process, can be found on our website at: http://www.mariner.org/educationalad/homeschool/scholars_seminar.php.

A FREE Q&A session will be held on Saturday, July 19 from 11 am.-12 p.m. here at The Mariners’ Museum. We will be highlighting this seminar in more detail and answering any questions families may have regarding the program. Discount coupons will also be handed out to interested students. Pre-registration is required to attend this event. Please call Armalita Holley at (757) 591-7743 by Thursday, July 17 to pre-register.

For more information on these programs and more, please visit our webpage at http://www.mariner.org/educationalad/homeschool/index.php. 

Ever the aquanaut this story jumped out at me while looking through the online news headlines.

Here is the Link:

Sunken British warship found in Lake Ontario

"Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me." (Micah 7:7)

Preparing for the new school year started early in our home. Lesson plans needed to be made for each child and boxes of new and used curriculum needed to be sorted. As I began to look ahead into my son's 9th grade science, I realized we were missing a very important component to a successful year-a quality microscope. For the past several years, we had managed with an inexpensive model, but a serious study in biology required something better. However, with my homeschooling budget already spent on curriculum, I had no idea how we could afford this additional expense.

Throughout the remainder of the summer, I continued to worry over the situation. On several occasions, I attempted to lay the burden at my Lord's feet and leave it there; but then the waves of anxiety would creep over me again. Soon, only a week remained before our scheduled start date for school, and I more or less gave up on the dream of having a new microscope. Even my idea of sharing a microscope between several homeschooling families was turned down by my friends.

That weekend, however, God took me to His schoolroom to teach me a valuable lesson about His timetable and provision. My brother, who was a medical doctor, called unexpectedly, and somehow we got onto the topic of science during our conversation. By chance (I don't think so), he mentioned that he had a microscope left over from his pre-med days in college, and he promised to send it to my son. Thinking it was probably somewhat similar to what we had now, both my son and I were amazed when we opened my brother's package on the first day of school. There, in all its glory, sat a high-tech, state-of-the-art scientific microscope complete with glass slides and other lab paraphernalia. My eyes filled with tears as I realized again God's unfailing blessings on our homeschool. Yes, if we learn to wait on the Lord, He is never early nor late in sending us exactly what we need. "For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him." (Isaiah 64:4)

Lord,

Your loving faithfulness is too high to comprehend and too wonderful to understand! Thank You for guiding our family while we homeschool and always sending what we need, when we need it. In the name of Jesus, Amen.