Posted By Homeschooling6

What Summer School did we do today. Josh & Annette did a page of Daily Grams, a page from their Language Lesson for the Elementry Child. Josh, practiced his multiplication using Math-It and Times Tables the Fun Way! Math-It is great but sometimes we need the stories from Times Tables help, so by using a combo of Math-it & Times Table the Fun Way is working out great for Josh (& me)

 

Annette did two pages of her Singapore Word Problems book. She was figuring out the problems quicker than I. I was trying to keep one step ahead of her. We were sitting together. She almost got all the answers right the first time doing it all in her cute head. I had to use a pencil & paper. The only thing she had a problem with was writing out the problem. She could do it all in her mind but couldn't figure out how to put it on paper. Add, then subtract and add again type problems. Annette said that Math-It has helped her do her problems faster. Today she practiced her addit game & I introduced her to the Dubbit game. She really enjoys them. At first she would get frustrated but she doing better now ;)

 

Caleb & Brent did their schooling online today using Big Math Time & Lets Go Learn. I was supposed to have them do "The Reading Lesson" today but forgot . Maybe later.

 

I need to take the time to start Pre Math-it with Ethan. He is so ready to learn. Today he was making a fort with the Domino Bears and he said "They need reinforcements" I didn't even know he new that word, much less how to use it in a sentence. He surprises us a lot with his vocabulary. This week he is practicing the "c" sound. He colored a big cookie and I hung it up in the hallway. When we pass it I'll ask him what sound does this make?

 

In Him,

Linda<><

Email me at Homeschooling6[At]hotmail[Dot]com.

Posted By Mrs. Deborah

Posted By HomeschoolBlogger Company Blog in hsingonlyone

A week or so ago, I had a dear friend's 15-year-old daughter give me a letter asking for a response. Due to a conference she attended, she was challenged to ask an adult, "What do you wish you knew when you were my age?" As she mulled this over, she felt the Lord encourage her to ask several people, of all "persuasions" (friends, family, Christ followers, Non-Christ follwers, acquaintances, and so forth). She may write or do some sort of art piece from the answers. With her permission, I share with you my response to her question. It doesn't really have anything to do with homeschooling (although she is and has been homeschooled) or with having only one child (she's the oldest of four). But it is a challenge to all of us, to look back and ponder what would be something we would have liked to know "if we knew now..."

My first paragraph concerned watching the internet broadcast of this past week's sermon. LifeChurch.tv does a sermon series based on movies for the month of July each year. They are only broadcast during the weekend Experiences (worship times) and online both on Sunday at 11:30am Central USA time and Tuesday evening, 8pm Central USA time. They are not archived since they do use clips of particular movies (a different one each week). This week was based on "The Bucket List" and was quite poignant. I encouraged her that she ought to make time to watch it on Tuesday (July 22nd). I thought specifically of her during the sermon Sunday morning (July 20) and thought she ought to watch it. (She and her family attend the same church we do, but she had not been able to attend church last Sunday.) This particular one won't be saved, so no one here will be able to access it, but if you're interested, you can watch this coming Sunday's (on July 27 and 29). It will be the last one for this year's "At the Movies" series. 

I continued my reply with the following....

Fifteen... I turned 50 this year. I never thought of myself "being" 40 or 50. Thirty, I think I might have thought of in some form or fashion at some point... figured I'd have kids and be settled into my own family by 30. Mike (our firstborn) arrived the September after the April I turned 31. So at 30, I didn't "have" all I thought I would by that age. In fact, I felt his first kick on my 31st b'day so that was pretty monumental for me. What does that mean to you, now, at 15? I'm not sure... maybe that what you envision for your life now (for then) may look TOTALLY different then than what you see now...

Plus, 15 is incredibly YOUNG. Realize that your life has barely begun. Traumas and heartaches now (and in the ensuing several years), however hard to walk through, might be seen in later years as "nothing" or mere bumps in the road. I'm not trying to minimize or invalidate those bumps and traumas and heartaches that you may have now (or in the next 5 to 10+/- years), but in the larger picture, the highs & potential lows -to-come- will truly make these upheavals diminish in size. Often 15-year olds see everything in the NOW, and the tragedy of things that happen to them...well, the way they see the situations they find themselves within are soooo tragic and sooooo large, and it's just not true. (Although adults around them need to remember that for this age, it IS tragic and horrible and traumatic to the young lady who is experiencing them, in her perception.) The young lady (or young man) just needs to remember that perception is not reality.

The last few years of one's life (at 15, meaning from even 8yrs old to 15 years old) are so full of change (with hormones and such; learning to be one's own self, not just an extension of one or both of your parents; challenging one's family beliefs, even in a small way, making them your own, etc.). There is just a LOT of change. Knowing that life does settle out and although we are always challenged (in different ways and methods), things do settle down some. Usually. ;) That is something that would have been nice to know at 15 (or even 19...) for myself.

I think another thought would be that no matter what you have to walk thru, that if you have a personal relationship with Jesus, He will walk through those situations (your life, period.) with you. You don't have to be alone. There may be desert experiences and times, but hang tight with Him and no matter the outcome, it will work out. Even if the outcome ends up in Heaven ultimately and you don't see one "good" thing in the here-and-now. I have lived WITH Him since I was 10. That's when I invited Him in. He's walked me thru a cross-country move (after living in CA the longest I had EVER lived ANYWHERE which was a little traumatic, but not horrible--I was 10), my parents' divorce when I was 19 (pretty traumatic for ANYONE, no matter their age!), thru the birth & life of a special needs baby (very high needs) and through his death.

I think the bottom line of what I'm trying to say in the above paragraph, is what happened to me during that weekend of Richard's death. (He died on a Friday morning and his funeral was on the following Monday, 3 days later.) The whole weekend ALL I could think of, kind of like a mantra without the Eastern Religious feel to it, was:  "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. BLESSED be the Name of the Lord." Over and over and over... it was all I was aware of almost. NOT Blessed because of what He has done or what He allowed me to walk thru, but simply for WHO He is/was/will be. I know without a shadow of a doubt that He is trustworthy. That He loves me. That He knows the "big picture" and I *CAN* trust Him in all things. Even the things that are not fun, are painful... and trust me, arms that held a baby that is not here in this life any more, those empty arms are truly and utterly desolate and empty... but even so, BLESSED be HIS NAME. I trust Him. I don't know if I could have ever even wrapped my mind around that happening and the depth of the Trust and Love I have for Him before it happened, living thru it, and after it, the and that Love He has for me, even in the midst of pain and travails.

I guess that's my answer to her question, "What do you wish you knew when you were my age (15)?"

What would have been your answer?

Donna Conner lives in Fort Worth, TX with her husband, Glenn, their son, Mike, and their dog, Lucia. Donna and Glenn have been homeschooling their son since the beginning of his education. Mike completes his homeschooling this year. Donna is an artist and has always enjoyed writing. She wrote Homeschooling Only One five years ago, after discovering that there were many other families homeschooling only one child. Her website is devoted to those with only one student in their homeschool, with listings of online resources. You can visit her website at  http://donnac.com and read her blog at: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/DonnaC

copyright © 2008 Donna Conner ~~ All rights reserved. Content may not be reproduced in any form without written permission of author, except in the case of brief passages embodied in critical reviews and articles where the title and author are listed.

Posted By ByHisGraceInColorado in Creative Blessings

Whew!  Life is like a merry-go-round, and I am about to be dizzier than a kookaburra on my way back down under!

We have been busier than bees getting our county fair projects finished and turned in.  Last year hubby said we had better get them done before the 11th hour.  Did we listen?  Well, yeah, of course!  But did we obey?  Nope.  Sorry honey, I know you are right.  I PROMISE we will do better next year!!!!

So the four kiddoes and I have been taking photos, painting, drawing, sewing, knitting, crocheting, beading and all other manner of craftiness.  Then came the cooking!  The kids baked cookies, candies, cakes, pies and made jelly. 

Amidst all the drama of getting everything done and having two kids sick we had to add just a tad bit more drama the night before drop off.  We had *thought* we had until noon on Friday to drop off our entries.  Then another mom called to ask us about it....so my daughter double checked and yikes, found out we had to be there before 10 a.m.  This is about an hours drive for us.  Ok, so we planned to get up at 7:00, pack the car etc., leave by 8:00.

Then the inevitable happened.  My oldest daughter still had a cake to bake and a pie to finish, and at about 10:30 p.m. that final night....she burned her left hand on the electric stove burner.  OUCH!

We submerged her hand in a tub of cold water with several drops of lavender essential oil (thanks to my other daughter's wonderful memory, she reminded me that it was good for burns) and she proceeded to bake her cake, roll out pie crust and get all her baking finished.  Finally, at around 1:00, when we figured we had better get to bed, she was in some pain and we decided to go to the E.R. and have it looked at and wrapped "professionally."  We did, and only one person asked us what we were doing up that hour baking.  LOL!

Anyway, she had a mummy hand for a few days but I am happy to report that it looks fabulous now, can't even see much of the burn at all.  (2nd degree)

And to top it all off, she won First Place, AND Grand Champion in her division for that pie she rolled out with one hand.

 

We went out to the fairgrounds that same evening (thinking it was opening night) but found out it wasn't!  The nice people at the art hall let us come in and take a quick peek at our ribbons....and we actually missed some of them that we found on Wednesday.  That was quite a surprise!  Anyway, here are a few more of our awards. 

My youngest daughter did this lovely "checkerboard" cable knit sampler. 

 

 Youngest son did a "trash to treasure" entry (recyclable project) and much to my surprise, got some nice ribbons! Its the little town square made out of old milk cartons etc.  Very creative!

 Next, this is a model my youngest daughter made.  She made most of these miniature elements and put them together with her little bear, "Red-Red."  She actually did the minute cable knitting on the toothpicks! 

 Here she is with her lovely giant watercolor pansy.  I thought it deserved a first place, but she only got a participation ribbon on this one.  Does she seem to care that it wasn't first?  From that smile, I'd say no!

My oldest daughter knit these socks.  They are made from her hand spun wool.  (She even cleaned and carded it too)  She made these for her Daddy to take when he goes hunting, but now she's not so sure she wants him to do that!  This is the second pair she has made, the first pair were white and she made them for herself.  I was so proud of her! 

Did you know how much math goes into knitting a pair of socks? 

 This is Essie's acrylic painting of a robin.  Pretty cute! 

 The little guy got a second place on his candy canes he made! 

 

 He also did a lovely watercolor and got a 3rd place ribbon. 

 

These are both watercolor paintings I did, one landscape (canoeing on Rampart Reservoir) and one nature (the columbine flower.)

 

 And this is a leather rounder that my oldest son did.  He had several projects that my photos didn't turn out well on, so I will try again and get them posted later!  I know he will be crushed not to have his picture in here several times.  You know how teenage boys are about that kind of stuff!

Ok, well, we worked on the farm on this day and my face shows it!  (Very tired and red from the heat.) But I was pleased with my ribbons on these three next to me, the two watercolors and the acrylic of the fall leaves.

The one of the candles there, I think that was a pastel.  Isn't it fabulous!? That person did a great job!  I think I need to try some pastel too....maybe next year!

 This is my oldest son's Red Velvet Cake.  He did well!  First Place!  I made the mistake of trying it at home, I HAD to after all.  But I paid the price with a three day migraine from the chocolate!  Was it worth it?  Um...sure, anything for YOU son!

 

This is the second year my oldest has won in her division, for photography.  The funny thing is that she says she's not a photographer.  She really isn't!  She would much rather be sewing, spinnning, crocheting, knitting or baking. But she sure got lucky these last two years.  :)

And this pencil sketch really surprised me!  I liked it, (It's my yougest daughters drawing) but I really didn't think it was ribbon worthy---even if I am the mom.  Those judges sure have good taste though!

I was really proud of my acrylic this year.  I know, pride goeth before the fall!  I thought it was a ton better than last years entry (which won first and grand)  ~ Ya just never know!

 

Well, that twern't all of them, but I need to find the rest of the photos.  Crazy computer sometimes hides things from me!  IT has a mind of its own!

Hope you enjoyed seeing some of our entries. Last year's can be found here.  And the year before that, here.

Be sure to let me know if you are posting any of your county or state fair entries.  I'd love to see them!

Nancy

 

 

Posted By Abiga

My dil is due to deliver within a week so I probably will not get scads of new recipes on this visit. If you check my old old old blog articles you will find some olod pics and recipes especially from 2005 or 2006.

But for all interested parties here is what we have been eating in Sunny California.

Breakfasts -  First we had whole grain flax cereal topped with strawberries and blueberries. The second day we had yogurt with strawberries and blueberries. Also whole grain raisin toast with cream cheese. Of course natural blueberry flavored green tea or raspberry leaf tea to drink. I have been drinking hot tea lately because temps are around 60 ish in the am and in the evening.

Lunches - Rye bread with pastrami, spinach leaves, cucumber, and tomatoes. Carrots on the side.

Dinner - First we had farmer's market roasted chicken and potatoes. A truck goes to the markets around here which has a roasting area for chickens and the potatoes inside of it. People who buy their fresh food can also take home dinner. It is delicious and freshly made as the rotissarie keeps spinning out more roasted chickens. Second night we had tortillas filled with  Spanish rice and fresh chopped avocados. Choice of toppings were shredded cheese and sour cream. Fresh salsa with chips was a side dish. Delicioussssssssssssssss. This is something I would like to try when I go back to my d's house. We usually have beans and rice but it was good also topped with the avocado. But getting avocado in small town Illinois may not be as easy. Do you get the feeling that I have gone to a California spa over here? 

I did go to the Universe Spa yesterday to get my nails done. They cost a little more than the other nail spas on the main street here but it was well worth it. They do have different levels and prices but I just took the regular treatment. I have been a few times getting my nails done but I have seen that they have gotten lax at doing a nice job.  They seem to rush through it to get to the next customer. Universe Spa had pleasant music playing, plenty of help to take you right away, they offered you tea, and gave you a warm neck thingee.  The chairs were the old version which gives a pleasant soft rolling massage instead of beating you to death. It also had three differing levels of intensity to choose from. The lady I had did a great job on my toe nails also. While your toes are being done you can also get manicures. There is room between the chairs for another lady to do your hands while your toes are being done. I passed on that since I have no nails left really after all the packing and moving we were doing. It was a great experience and worth the extra money for this somewhat vacation I am on.

Oh and my dil's doctor's appt. went well today and she has dilated to 3 and is thinned 50 % for those of you that understand that lingo. She has been cramping on and off for a week or so already. Please pray for her to go in to natural labor with no assistance being needed to bring on the labor and no early water breakage.

Blessings.

Posted By HomeschoolBlogger Company Blog in Featured Blogger of the Week

Oh what fun!  This week's featurd blogger, oldschoolmarm of Forty Acres, A Husband, and Three Kids, had her birthday yesterday.  Happy Birthday Julie! Her birthday post also gives her testimony, the best beginning anyone could have.

Speaking of birthdays, what about the birth of a homeschool?  Our Homeschool Beginnings describes how this homeshcool started and what they did.  It's amazing how quickly a homeschool can grow up!

Another new beginning is Julie's first blog post here at HSB, I Found It!  While she had lost her ring and later found it, she also found peace with Christ for a prideful heart.

As you read Julie's blog you'll see that she truly has a heart for the Lord and that she is excited by His creation. Go say hello and wish her happy birthday!  You'll be so glad you did and that you found a new friend!

Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB

Posted By HomeschoolBlogger Company Blog in Communication Corner

Concluding this week with my series, A Day Without Communication is like...IMPOSSIBLE! 

You may be able to get through your entire life without ever having to make a speech but you can't get through one single day without communicating something to somebody!  

In the last eight weeks, I have shared how communication is important, not just for making speeches or for debate, but for every day life.  I talked about the importance of communication skills in marriage, parenting, defending and sharing your faith, learning, college prep , interviewing for a job, Job Success and business ownership.  The last major area of life in which communication plays a vital role is friendship. 


9. Friendship
"A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." Proverbs 25:11

Good communicators enjoy:

• Self Confidence
• Leadership
• Personal Presence
• Credibility
• Ability to Explain and Persuade
• Understanding of Others
• Interaction Enjoyment
• Happiness
  

And all of these qualities help us make friends and maintain relationships!

A study by the National Communication Association in 2001 revealed that "Youngsters with poor communication skills are sometimes viewed as less attractive by their peers and enjoy fewer friendships.  Antisocial and violent behavior often accompany or occur with underdeveloped social and conflict management skills.  On the positive side, the ability to communicate orally supports sound psychological development.  One's self concept is acquired through interaction with others."

The study shows that effective communicators are more likely to make contributions in groups, exert influence over others to achieve a desired result and use socially acceptable behavior in doing so to accomplish many of their wants and needs.

"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Proverbs 16:24

Effective communicators are also better equipped to handle anger in a positive way.  The American Psychological Association outlines four communication based steps to take when dealing with anger:

• Talk about your feelings
• Calmly express yourself
• Listen to others
• Negotiate

"An offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city, and disputes are like the barred gates of the citadel." Proverbs 18:19

Those with ineffective communication skills are unable to share their thoughts and calmly express themselves in order that their friends might understand them.  Further, they are unwilling to listen to others and negotiate with them in order to work through the inevitable issues friends have. 

Communication skills have always been important to master, but recent technological advances have left individuals with the impression that communication is easy and unimportant to study.  Many have come to think of communication as the very narrow speech and debate necessary only for lawyers and politicians.  If communication skills were not an important subject worthy of the attention given to math, science and history, then why has the Lord seen fit to mention it hundreds and hundreds of times in His Word?

"Let your conversation always be full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." Colossians 4:6

 

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:" 1Peter 3:15

"From the fruit of his mouth a man's stomach is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied." Proverbs 18:20

"The wise in heart accepts commands, but the chattering fool comes to ruin." Proverbs 10:8

"He who answers before listening-that is his folly and his shame." Proverbs 18:13

"A fool's mouth is his undoing, and his lips are a snare to his soul." Proverbs 18:7

"A fool finds no pleasure in understanding, but delights in airing his own opinions." Proverbs 18:2

"With his mouth the godless destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous escape." Proverbs 11:9

"The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of judgement." Proverbs 10:21

"-So is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:11

The world is a smaller place through technology and we are no longer sharing our thoughts with only like-minded individuals.  Communication technology does not equal communication skill and effective communication is required in every day life more today than ever before!

In a recent article some disturbing statistics are found in the UK which I believe are mirrored in the United States today:


"The number of children who arrive at primary school unable to speak in full sentences is rising, according to a government review which today reveals that 7% of children now have a serious communication problem."

"In some of the most disadvantaged areas of the country, up to 50% of children had speech problems"

"If a child is exposed to a relentless diet of TV and computer games and deprived of interaction at home, that is very damaging."

The article goes on to say that  "Instead of being an optional add-on, communication skills should be at the heart of the primary curriculum ... speech and listening have been elbowed out of schools for literacy and numeracy for too long."  And it confirms that "...people have fewer options through life if they cannot speak"

Virginia Beardshaw, chief executive of I CAN, a speech charity, said: "Communication is the fundamental life skill for the 21st century."

Don't make the mistake of thinking that your child will learn to communicate well just by talking.  Don't wait until he is in high school or college to begin teaching communication skills to your student.  Speech and debate classes can teach a great deal but speech and debate are NOT the only communication skills we need to master! 

Communication touches every aspect of our every day lives and each communication skill is unique and distinct.  You cannot learn to communicate effectively in your marriage, as a parent, to share or defend your faith or in business by taking one college speech class.  There is much more to communication skills than just speech and debate and it is vital that we take steps to ensure our children have the skills they need for success all areas of life!

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JoJo Tabares holds a degree in Speech Communication, but it is her humorous approach to communication skills which has made her a highly sought-after Christian speaker and writer.  Her articles appear in homeschool publications, such as Homeschool Enrichment Magazine and The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, which also endorses her Say What You Mean curricula.  You can also find JoJo on web sites such as Crosswalk.com and Dr.Laura.com.  For more information on communication FUNdamentals and Christian-based communication skills for the whole family, including Say What You Mean Every Day, please visit http://www.ArtofEloquence.com

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Posted By HomeschoolBlogger Company Blog in hsingislife

Hi Friends! 

Thanks so much for stopping by the HSB front porch.  We really enjoy doing these articles and we also enjoy your feedback!  I personally love to hear from anyone who stops by and reads one of my blogs.

Last week I goofed up and well, I posted an article for our dear editor and then I posted the same one to my personal blog.  I guess my brain was in neutral.  :)  Anyhow, here are some of my thoughts on what has been going on at our humble abode.

I posted on my personal blog about a dear little bird that we enjoyed for several days--Wow, what an experience!  The funny thing about it was that a couple of folks looked at me with downright disdain over it.  I hope to write more about that over at Homeschooling Is Life, as soon as I can.  In other news, we are in a frantic last ditch effort to get our "creative arts" projects done for the county fair.  Every year, well, for the last couple anyhow, we have entered several pieces of our handiwork in the fair.  I'd like to say that we have been consistently working away all year on these.  Some of us have (aka: my oldest daughter) but the rest of us are finishing up with only one full day left to do all we need to do.

The county fair is an excellent avenue to pursuing a goal.  Just seeing their work on display will thrill most children's hearts.  Not everyone gets a ribbon, but if they do then they will be even more excited!  I hope you will check out your county fair this year and see what you can plan for next time.  Some homeschoolers do 4-H, but your fair should also have open competition.  You can pretty much do ANYTHING and enter it in the fair.  You can do baking, sewing, building, painting, photography, etc.  The list goes on.  If you have already done this, please let me know!  I'd love to hear about your endeavors.

                                        (Columbine~Watercolor by me)

Today, while we were working hard (with two kids who are battling illnesses, no less) I got to thinking about things.  Most of us were being exceptionally productive.  There was so much creativity going on, I just loved it!  I said to the kids, "I want our "homeschool"  to be like this more!"  Everyone was working on individual projects, yet there was cooperation going on.  Not perfect, mind you.  We are just like most families - we gripe, complain, fight and all that other stuff I could do without.  But we actually do get along pretty well when we put our minds to it. 

So with all that said, I just love to see my kids being creative!  I can't wait to see all our projects hung up and on display, and hopefully some will have ribbons attached!  If not, that's ok.  We really enjoyed ourselves with all this flurry of activity. 

I will post some of our projects soon, over on my other blog.  Be sure to stop by!

Blessings,

Nancy

Nancy Baetz is a homeschooling Mom of four, and the author of "Haircuts For Little Men," an e-Book designed to teach Moms how to cut hair at home!  She is also a contributor to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and The Girlhood Home Companion.  She's working on some other projects, but has NO IDEA when they will ever get done~ :)