Dec. 1, 2009 - Tag from LoLo!
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1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Hmmm, I would have to say both! 2. Real tree or Artificial? Real tree!! We have three artificial trees. 3. When do you put up the tree? Like, two days after Thanksgiving! 4. When do you take the tree down? A few days after Christmas WEEK. 5. Do you like eggnog? It's okay. 6. Favorite gift received as a child? My American girl doll! 7. Hardest person to buy for? My second oldest sister and Sunshine. 8. Easiest person to buy for? My third oldest sister, and my oldest sister! 9. Do you have a nativity scene? We have three. 10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Cards. 11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? NEVER HAD A BAD PRESENT!! 12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I like a lot. 13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Well, for the family a few days before Christmas. 14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? NO! 15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Hmmm, I don't know. 16. Lights on the tree? Duh! Yes. 17. Favorite Christmas song? Joy to the Word, Silent Night, Mary did you Know, and White Christmas! 18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home of course! 19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? NO! 20. Angel on treetop or star? We have a star. My Dad let me have the broken Angel! 21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Both! 22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Ummmm. 23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Theme: IDK, Color: Red. 24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? IDK! 25. What do you want for Christmas this year? An American girl doll horse, One of my doll's dresses, and her book. 26. Who is most likely to respond to this? ?? Sunshine. 27. Who is least likely to respond to this? ??? I don't know! Thanks Lolo! I loved it. And I will tag: Sunshine and Butterflygirl! Merry Christmas! Horsiebabe P.S The high on Saturday is going to be 37, and they are calling for snow! |
Dec. 1, 2009 - A, B, C, D, & F Too Hard for Parents?
Apparently the Spokane School system thinks letter grades are the cause of ongoing problems with communicating how a child is doing in their subjects. Numbers on the other hand make everything clear. Read the article to find out how.
I have nothing against numbers, and I have nothing in favor of letters--as grades, but the problem the Spokane schools are hoping to solve won't be cured because of their preference for numbers over letters. They could do the exact same report card using the letter system. Nor will telling parents how their children are doing after the term help. Parents need to know how their children are doing during the term. Unfortunately many teachers never communicate that at all and leave it to the report card to do their "dirty" work for them.
Just a few weeks ago I spoke with a mom whose son had been placed in a new school. She thought her son was doing well. She had signed up to be a substitute teacher's aide and one day she was called in to help in the remedial math class. She was shocked to find her son in it. At first she thought he'd lost his way or something, but he soon let her know that this was his math class. It was a rough day for her as she waited for the day to end to find out the answers as to why her son was in this special class and why hadn't she or her husband ever been told?
While the parent should always be the one to keep tabs on their children and not leave it up to the teachers to relay how a student is doing, parents have been conditioned to believe that they have put their children in safe hands and that until they are notified, by report card, everything is fine and dandy.
Communication among parents and teachers is bound to get worse, not better, no matter what grading system is used as long as parents continue to blindly follow the blind.
Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB
Dec. 1, 2009 - Hi!
Nothing has happened lately......Just to let all of u who read this..all of the movies that we've been watching had a "Clearplay" filter on them that bleeped out swearing and things like that! Just 2 let you know!
Dec. 1, 2009 - Kitchen Moments ~ Holiday Planning
When planning meals and menus for the holidays, my best advice is strive for simplicity. Plan menus that are simple to prepare and don't require a bunch of ingredients that you do not regularly keep stocked in the pantry. As much as I enjoy trying new recipes and Kitchen Adventures, I avoid those with long lists of exotic ingredients because I know the cost of buying all those little extras will add up quickly, and chances are, I'll never use some of them again. Simple food prepared with love will be a blessing. The most elaborate of dishes, if it stresses you to the max to create, isn't worth the trouble. And, if your crowd is like mine, the familiar foods are usually the best received.
One family tradition that my sister-in-law and I started a few years ago, and one that we plan to continue is a soup & sandwich buffet on Christmas Eve. We ask everyone who wants to bring food to make either a soup, a plate of sandwiches, or a simple dessert like cookies or candy. We serve coffee, tea, and spiced apple cider to drink. Everything gets set out buffet style, with the soups kept warm by crock pots, and people can serve themselves as they wish. Coffee mugs make great easy to carry soup "bowls" for this type of gathering. We have had a large crowd in a very small space, and this worked out very well, as everyone isn't sitting down to eat at one time.
If you are planning to give gifts of food this year, again strive for simplicity. Make foods that are easy to create, and don't worry about the latest "thing" in the magazines. Get the children involved and make simple, fun treats like pretzel rods dipped in melted chocolate or almond bark and rolled in nuts or sprinkles. For great gift giving ideas, the book Homespun Gifts from the Heart by Karen Ehman, Kelly Hovermale, & Trish Smith, is an excellent resource (check your local library for a copy).
Finally, if you haven't already done so, be sure to download The Old Schoolhouse Digital Holiday Supplement. This great holiday freebie from TOS is filled with wonderful ideas and planning helps.
I hope your family has a simply blessed holiday season!
Catherine
Catherine Love lives in the heart of Texas with her husband Carl, and their 3 daughters, Sarah, Hannah, and Cana. They enjoy cooking, gardening, and learning new things as they seek to live a lifestyle of learning together as a family. You can read Catherine's Kitchen Adventures and more on her blog- Seeds of Love.
Nov. 30, 2009 - Classical Education ~ Racing Odysseus
The title of the book, Racing Odysseus, caught my eye before I even knew what it was about. I think I ordered it from the library without ever knowing the topic. It wasn't until I got into the car from going to the library and had a chance to read the inside cover that I realized that I had picked up a book about a liberal arts education. One can hope with a title like this one but, these days, that doesn't mean anything.
The premise of this book is intriguing. Racing Odysseus is the memoir of a 61 year old college president, Roger Martin. after a victorious struggle with cancer, he decides to go back to college as a freshman. This book journals his experiences.
Martin decides to enroll at the Annapolis campus of St. John's College. St. John's is a liberal arts college. Their teaching of every subject is based on the Great Books. The method of teaching is based on the Socratic Method. There is very little lecturing but much discussion. The facilitators ask a question to start off the class and then the discussion may go in any direction. There are few rules to these classes. The main one, though, is that everyone must participate in the class discussions. If you don't, then you face failing that class. The facilitators are there to make sure that everyone gets a chance to talk and that the discussions do not get side railed on to a non-related subject. Liberal Arts people do not like rabbit trails.
Martin's book talks a lot about the Great Books that he is assigned to read for class. As is common, Martin finds many analogies in the Great Books that coincide with his life. We are given a glimpse of Martin's early life via the Great Books.
We are also shown that liberal arts' colleges are still needed and important in this day and age. Liberal arts colleges provides an excellent foundation for anyone that wants to pursue any kind of education. St. John's has turned out to be the first educational stop for many students who want to go on to be doctors, businessmen, and lawyers. The Great Books education teaches them perseverance and how to learn through hard work. It also teaches them how to think and express themselves. Martin had doubts about this kind of education but his experience proved to him that a liberal arts education is a good foundation for any kind of line of work or vocation a person may decided to follow.
I found this book to be an exhilarating read. Another vote was cast for the side of a liberal arts education. It was nice to see this vote being pledged by someone like Roger Martin.
Julia lives on the Canadian Prairies with her husband, homeschooling their 3 children (10,8,6) and is attempting to give them a Classical Education. You can read more at her blog.
Nov. 29, 2009 - Thanksgiving Dinner
The Menu
Turkey
Corn Casserole
Dinner Rolls
Green Bean Casserole
Sweet Potato Casserole
Gourmet Potatoes
Stuffing
Seven Layer Salad
Pumpkin Pie
Apple Pie
Coconut Cream Pie
Pecan Pie Bars
Monster Cookies
Now, would you like to see the pictures??? 
The list...
Our 13 and 7/8 pound turkey...thawing out. : )
The FOOD!
The Dessert 
(okay, vegetables are NOT dessert!)
The tables...
Happy Thanksgiving!
Nov. 29, 2009 - Tag!!
Hi! I decided to do this tag from penguinlover!
1.have you ever had chicken pox? Yes, when I was really little, I had one on the tip of my nose! LOL
2. What is your favorite color? Pink, lime green, oarnge, purple..bright, lol
3.Do You drink coffee? No
4.Do you read the Bible every day? Yes!
5. Whats the last thing you said? "Hello"? I don't know! lol
6.What is your favorite food? Chinese/oriental!!!
7.Does it snow where you live? YES! I live in Minnesnowta! LOL
8. Are you a tomboy? Mmm, kinda, lol
9. How many siblings do you have? 1
10. Is Jesus your Savior? YES!!!!!
Well, better go, I will tag whoever wants to do it!!
~Anna~
Nov. 29, 2009 - Yesterday and this morning...
Ok so yesterday William,Tessa, Uncle Dave and I went to the pool. And we watched "Christmas Vacation"! It was funny! And yesterday/today Mark already had a fever but now mom and dad do too! UGH! ( I guess I'm in charge for a while =)
Nov. 28, 2009 - Happy Thanksgiving!
Were acting kinda goofy at first but keep watching! Hope you enjoy. My Grandparents are there too!
Nov. 28, 2009 - Snowflakes!!
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