Ang the flying kiwi ~ living by Romans 12:2 God wants spiritual fruit - not religous nuts! - Homeschool Blogger

Want to get fired up for God?? Freebies!!

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 21:51:00 -0500

My favorite ministry at the moment is Living Waters (The Way of the Master) with Ray Comfort & Kirk Cameron. They have a bunch of AWESOME free downloads & audios that will fire you up for God!

Living Waters have all sorts of COOL resources about Biblical evangelism, true Christian faith and evolution.

Living Waters mission statement:

Vision

To inspire in every Christian a God-glorifying passion to fulfill The Great Commission

Mission

In our passion to glorify God, magnify His grace, and exalt His Son, Jesus Christ, it is our mission to serve the local church by assisting in globally educating God's people in the principles of biblical evangelism; Exhorting them to fulfill the Great Commission; and equipping them with every necessary resource along the way. We do this primarily through the teaching and preaching of God's Word, strategic conferences, academic and practical training opportunities, networking platforms, and the production and dessemination of various printed and audio/visual media.

Free downloads: http://www.livingwaters.com/index.php?option=com_multidoc&vid=1&Itemid=237

Free audios: http://www.livingwaters.com/index.php?option=com_multidoc&vid=4&Itemid=241

Anyway, check out their free resources...you might just be eternally grateful you did!

Love & blessings

Ang

You are Dearly Loved

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 12:41:00 -0500

<embed src="http://www.tangle.com/flash/swf/flvplayer.swf" FlashVars="viewkey=8a95386b703f5c9e474f" wmode="transparent" quality="high" width="330" height="270" name="tangle" align="middle" allowScriptAccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" /></embed>

Tried & failed to put a you tube video on this page (of the below song), I just can't get it to work, so you'll just have to click on this link if you want to listen, it's a great song!

http://www.tangle.com/view_video.php?viewkey=8a95386b703f5c9e474f

Dearly Loved

by Jimmy Needham

(Matthew 11:28)

Please lay down your arrows
For they're sure to pierce the skin
And water from a broken well
Will make you thirst again
When all things you've acquired
Are tested by the flames
And you can see them melting
Then will you call his name

It's worth it brothers
It's worth it friends
To know your maker
To lose your sin
Did you know that you are dearly loved

To the slaughters you are being led
Being told that it's a party
That this God is in your head
And every single lie
Sounds just like the greatest truth
But the one truth you're not hearing
Is that he died for you

No greater joy
No greater peace
No greater love than this

It's worth it brothers
It's worth it friends
To know your maker
To lose your sin
Did you know that you are dearly loved

Beginning my kefir making adventure

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 22:23:00 -0600

Okay, first of all, for those who don't know, kefir (in this case I am talking about milk kefir, there is also a water kefir, which is a little different and I don't have any yet, but I want some!) is a probiotic cultured & fermented milk drink, cultured from kefir "grains" (not a cereal grain), which is easily and inexpensively made at home.

Basically, kefir is VERY good for you, and is a tasty and refreshing drink. Kefir can be a some-what acquired taste, I LOVE it, and so does my one year old, it does however have a slightly fermented, yeasty taste, and can be a little - or alot - fizzy, depending on how long it is fermented. But even fussy eaters (like my dh) enjoy it in a smoothie!

For more extensive info, visit Dom's kefir site here (all you ever wanted to know about kefir, and much more!):

What is kefir?

http://users.sa.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefirpage.html

How to make kefir:

http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/Makekefir.html#Storing

You need to purchase real kefir grains (try ebay, or TradeMe if you're in NZ like me, or a health food shop) to get started. Don't buy the commercial powdered kefir starters - it's not the real stuff and you don't get a life time supply like you do with kefir grains (which grow over time - mine are doubling on a weekly basis in our warm summer, southern hemisphere weather).

I have had my kefir grains for a couple of weeks, and I am really enjoying my new kefir-making hobby! So far I have only made plain kefir for drinking, pouring over cereal and making smoothies etc, but I have started to make a kefir sourdough starter today, so I will let you know how I go with that in a day or two when my starter has doubled in size.

You can also make cheese from kefir, so I am looking forward to trying my hand at that, when time allows!

Love & blessings

Ang

Okay, I am officially the worst blogger ever!!

Tue, 3 Feb 2009 13:04:00 -0600

O boy, it's been over 7 months since I last blogged!! I just had a sudden panic attack that my blog might get deleted and I might actually want to get back to regular blogging one of these days!!

I really am going to update my blog soon...that picture of me and my son Jack is very out of date (he's 3 years old now!!).

Our newest addition Levi is turning 1 this month...oh my goodness how time flies!!

My husbands uncle Steve and his family have just arrived from Phoenix Arizona this morning (their flight got in at 5am!!). They are in NZ (to learn Bengali, & catch up with Steve's family) until around October, when they leave for Kolkata (Calcutta), India to work with Freeset, who do amazing work in there helping to get prostitutes off the street by providing work making jute bags. Here is a link to their blog: www.poundsprogress.blogspot.com. They are an awesome homeschooling family with 4 children, who were missionaries for some time in Fiji.

Anyway, must go...I think I hear my two little boys getting into the bathroom cupboards!!

Love & blessings

Ang

This week's new habit: The Bathroom

Tue, 3 Jun 2008 17:15:00 -0500

I'm going to be working on adding one new habit to my routine each week and I'm going to blog about it here to keep myself accountable.

This weeks new habit is keeping the bathroom tidy and clean...I gave it a major clean last week (removed all the old-almost-empty bottles etc from the cabinet, sprayed & cleaned the whole thing out with bleach, including behind the drawers!).

Now I am keeping the bath towels, hand towels and bath-mat in there and one small container to hold the shampoo & conditioner (we can't leave them in the shower because my toddler can reach them and squeezes them out!).

So my new habit is to change the hand towel each morning after my shower, and then use the old one to wipe down the basin, keeping it clean & shiny without needing a major clean (every now & then I will use a tiny bit of shampoo & wet the hand towel if it needs more of a clean).

This is what my bathroom looks like this morning:

I also decided to splash out and buy liquid soap from now on...regular soap is way cheaper, but makes a huge yucky mess.

Next on my list of things to buy is a nice bathroom set (toothbrush holder, and liquid soap dispenser etc).

Love & blessings

Ang

The new kid on the block...

Tue, 8 Apr 2008 18:04:00 -0500

Here are the pics of my new baby boy Levi, born 21-02-04, weighing in at 8lbs 5oz and 59cm long (23.2"). That's pretty impressive for 38 weeks gestation!!

Levi the "bump" about an hour before the birth...hmm, I've really gotta work on my posture, and I'm really wishing I put on some make-up LOL! This is the ONLY preggy photo I have of myself...I actually really dislike having my photo taken...especially when I feel like a whale LOL!!

Newborn (via c-section)

Big brother Jack (who gets his cheeky smile from his dad!)

Okay, so those are all newborn photos, he's actually 7 weeks old tomorrow!! So here's what he looks like today:

One of these days, I might just have to make some time to start blogging again...for now though, it'll only be random blogs here and there, as it'll take awhile to adjust to being the mother of 4, especially having a two year old and a baby...now that's hard work!!

Love & God bless!!

Ang

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 (NIV)

Just a quick update...

Sun, 30 Dec 2007 19:47:00 -0600

I know I don't get here very often these days (as in, hardly ever!), but I really felt God telling me to drastically cut down on my computer time, so I've given up my e-groups and blogging has taken a back seat to my "real life". I was spending way too much time 'surfing', and not enough time on my children & keeping house.

My friend 40winkzzz, wanted to know how I was getting on (got sick of checking my not-updated blog for for the hundredth time probably!), so this is just a wee note to update anyone who might be interested.

Well, I'm doing fine...I'm 30 weeks pregnant now, so I'm big and hot (as in temperature-wise LOL, it's the middle of summer here in NZ), this is my first third-trimester-in-summer pregnancy (oh joy). LOL, pregnancy is so NOT my favourite thing (but I do LOVE babies!!), just one of those ends-justify-the-means kinda things I guess!! We are taking a wee break from school at the moment, but we'll get back into it next week...I don't want to take too much time off the 3 R's right now, as we'll be having time-out from that when the baby arrives.

Anyway, I must go...lots to do!

Love & blessings

Ang

Funny (but oh so true) TV song from "Charlie & the Chocolate Factory"

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 16:54:00 -0500

"Mike Teavee..."

(from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)

"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 hypnotised by it,
Until they're absolutely drunk
With all the 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 takes
Of dragons, gypsies, queens, and whales
And treasure isles, and distant shores
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. Tod, 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,
And children hitting you with sticks–
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.
P.S. Regarding Mike Teavee,
We very much regret that we
Shall simply have to wait and see
If we can get him back his height.
But if we can't–it serves him right."

My kids are offically READERS!!

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 13:26:00 -0500

Woo hoo!! I have just (last week) completed The Reading Lesson with my children and THEY CAN READ!! Ds-8 had 18 mths at PS from age 5, and came away from that reading at his 'age level', but only able to read very basic stuff - lame early readers etc, and HATED reading with a passion. So after I brought him home, we took a little over a year off formal reading and writing 'lessons' to allow him to learn to LOVE reading and writing again. Dd-7-next-week had 2 months at PS and couldn't read much at all...I had got half way through Learn-to-read-in-100-Easy-Lessons with her, but she hated it.

We started using The Reading Lesson in the 2nd week of July on the recommendation of my good friend Cynthia Hancox (author of the awesome and FREE ebook Goodbye Chaos, Hello Peace) and they both just whizzed through it!

We used stickers as a motivation & reward for completing lessons and mastering the accompanying words lists (which worked really well...it's amazing how much motivation a cute sticker can be!).

As well as getting a sticker on their progress chart for each lesson completed, they also got to choose a sticker for their sticker albums.

Now the children are each choosing a short story to read to me each day - they usually choose a story from The Aesop For Children - with Pictures by Milo Winter (also available here as a free printable online ebook) which is an excellent book that we also use for narration (I would have to say that this book - which I brought cheaply 2nd hand, is by far our BEST, and most used, educational resource - apart from the Bible of course!). It has nice large print for easy reading with a great balance of words that they know and words that challenge them (without frustrating them).

It is such a good feeling to have both my school-age children now reading well!

Love & blessings

Ang

Free Yearly & Weekly Planners

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 19:31:00 -0500

Here are my newly developed yearly planner and weekly homeschooling record form (Charlotte Mason Style).

They are in pdf format, as I don't seem to be able to post a Word.doc...but if you would like a copy you can modify for yourself, I will be happy to email one to you.

Ang

Weekly HS Record Form

Yearly Planning Form Jan - Dec

Yearly Planning Form Aug - Jul