|
check this out. Build your vocabulary and fight world hunger at the same time. I'll warn you...if you love words, like I do, you'll find this addictive! It's a great vocabulary building exercise that's free and fun! |
|
"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day, saying, "I will try again tomorrow." Mary Ann Radmacher Isn't that a beautiful quote? I found it tonight, in Big Lots of all places, on a strip of vellum scrapbook stickers. Isn't that serendipity? I run into the corner Big Lots for a bottle of dish detergent, and come out with a quote that makes my heart sing. I don't feel like roaring these days. In fact, I feel much more like the cowardly lion. But I hope I always have just enough courage to say "I will try again tomorrow". I think that's beautiful! |
|
Here's a link to a really great money blog that I recently discovered. Today he's giving 20 suggestions. Each can be accomplished in 15 minutes...and can save you money. I think it's a pretty good list. His blog is an excellent daily read.
|
|
Well, life’s been a bit of a whirlwind, but I’ve finally found time to sit down with the Fall issue of Teach Magazine. The theme of this issue is “The Taming of the Tongue”. Ouch. “How wild is your tongue? When your kids do something that gets on your last nerve, how many seconds does it take for you to respond?” asks writer Jayna Petterson. Um, can I answer in nano seconds? So, yes, this magazine has been a challenge for me to read, but it has also been encouraging. Publisher Lorrie Flem has written and gathered several practical articles, dealing with issues like yelling, complaining, and bickering. “Soccer Lessons” written by Val Smith, challenged me to think “how life could be if we were as modest with our words as we are with our clothes”. Mrs. Smith addresses a flaw I see first in my own heart, and also within the homeschool community. We are (I am) far too quick to judge and condemn others whose convictions and ideologies may not measure up to our self righteous standards. I understand completely that there are biblical, unchanging, scriptural principles to live by. But I think that our propensity to be contemporary Pharisees is most dangerous. There are several helpful pieces on homemaking and hospitality, including a two page spread by “urban homemaker” Marilyn Moll (www.urbanhomemaker.com) titled “Accent on Apples”. I’m inspired to bake (and eat!) a healthy, fragrant apple crisp. To be fair and balanced in my review I’d have to say that I can’t wholeheartedly endorse or agree with Lorrie’s suggestions for handling bickering. Having said that, let me point out that Lorrie has raised twice as many children as I have (she has 8), and is sharing what has worked for her household. I enjoyed a feature that shared a day in the life of a homeschool family, highlighting unit studies. Also, a two page spread showcasing home-based entrepreneurs was an interesting and inspiring read. Product reviews, inspirational quotes, short pieces and poems, as well as a FEW homeschooling related advertisements round out the magazine. I also LOVE the colorful front cover featuring beautiful fall leaves. It’s interesting, now that I look at the cover again, I see that the subtitle says “To Encourage and Challenge Homemakers and Homeschoolers.” I hadn’t noticed that before, yet that is how I started my review! (3rd paragraph). Mrs. Flem, you have met your goal! |
|
I came across this entry recently at a blog I enjoy reading. It's pretty funny, very clever, and insightful in a tongue-in-cheek way. Read it for yourself! Most of us are fighting colds and sore throats here. On Tuesday almost half the families at our homeschool co-op were either at home sick, or sick at co-op. The other day when I was checking out at the grocery store I wanted to gag when the cashier kept coughing into her hand, than handling every...single...item...while bagging. I felt sorry for the poor soul, but couldn't help cringing at the little germy bonuses riding home with the mac and cheese. Well I must needs arise from the computer (in keeping with the hymn theme above) and make haste to be diligent. The maidens are now stirring from their beds and earnestly desiring to begin their math. Yeah. Verily. hahaha. Yesterday they rose up and called me...but it wasn't "Blessed" they were saying. It sounded more like "Mom, I don't have any clean socks!". Alas, she looketh not well to the ways of her household. It was 50 degrees yesterday morn and her maidens had bare feet in tennis shoes. Perhaps today they will bring this discomfort to remembrance and carry down their soiled raiments to the laundry room. This mama doth not light a candle and search diligently for garments under the beds and in the corners, and the dog doth eat dirty socks left lying around. In proof that I have definitely fallen off the Proverbs 31 wagon (If I ever was on it in the first place) last night's dinner was Wendy's drive through. Yeah verily. The master of the house had eaten an enormous business lunch, and wasn't too concerned about a big dinner. The lady of the house felt like eating the bread of idleness. It doth not appear to have had lasting ill effects on anyone, although my van does smell like stale grease. Eww. |