Welcome to Kingdom Covenant Academy & KathyMarie's Home Education Blog http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ExploreExpandEnjoy/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:38:00 -0500 Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:38:00 -0500 I'm finding out that when you have a side job that consists of a lot of writing, you don't have much time to write the things you really want to write about—I miss that part of my life! I haven't written here in so long I feel the urge to just put down a little something so here goes: Anyway, we've started a brand new school year here, with the last two boys in homeschool high school. I love the beginning of the year and the goal planning stage. The boys have written their goals and I've been working on mine and things are going well. I REALLY want to encourage as much independence as possible with our studies and assist the boys in meeting their goals. I'm open to "What do you want to study for history or science?" as well as "What are your personal goals? One of Jeremiah's goals is learning how to speak, read and write French. He got interested in this over the summer when he met some French speaking Canadians. I'm thrilled! I'm utilizing some DVDs this year and we're enjoying one called "How to Be a Super Star Student". Sounds kind of corny, I know, but there's some good stuff in it—and stuff to make you think seriously about study habits and your future. Math DVDs and Language/Composition are on the agenda as well. Standard Deviants has some fun stuff—and you know—we're learning too! Have you guessed I have an auditory learner? I should have been using more DVDs and audios all along! I look forward to the coming year in a big way. I'm filled with expectations as I always am, but each year that I get closer to the idea of the empty nest, I just want to cherish the days as long as they are there. Sometimes I reminisce about the olden homeschooling years but they are gone. It's a different homeschooling scene here now. But you know, it's just as good! I hope you have some worthy goals lined up for yourself and family and enjoy the year to the fullest! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ExploreExpandEnjoy/717469/ Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:38:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ExploreExpandEnjoy/717469/ I came across this one day after I had a wonderful conversation with a close friend about some of these very things. I just had to share it here: Letting Go author unknown To Let Go does not mean to stop caring,      it means I can't do it for someone else. To Let Go is not to cut myself off,      it is the realization I can't control another. To Let Go is not to enable,      but to allow learning from natural consequences. To Let Go is to admit powerlessness,      which means the outcome is not in my hands. To Let Go is not to try to change or blame another,      it is to make the most of myself. To Let Go is not to care for,      but to care about. To Let Go is not to fix,      but to be supportive. To Let Go is not to judge,      but to allow another to be a human being. To Let Go is not to be in the middle arranging all the outcomes,      but to allow others to affect their destinies. To Let Go is not to be protective,      it is to permit another to face reality. To Let Go is not to deny,      but to accept. To Let Go is not to nag, scold, or argue,      but instead to search out my own shortcomings and correct them. To Let Go is not to adjust everything to my desires,      but to take each day as it comes, and cherish myself in it. To Let Go is not to criticize and regulate anybody,      but to try to become what I dream I can be. To Let Go is not to regret the past,      but to grow and live for the future. To Let Go is to fear less,      and love more. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ExploreExpandEnjoy/717459/ Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:32:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ExploreExpandEnjoy/717459/ Homeschooling is a way of life for us and has been from the beginning. We are the Kingdom Covenant Academy, a family of six, living in the beautiful Ozarks of Arkansas. I am Kathy, a stay-at-home mom whose main passions are homeschooling and writing. I help my husband, Mark, with a home business, as do our four sons: Josiah 22, Gideon 20, Benjamin 17, and Jeremiah 14. I’d call us eclectic/relaxed homeschoolers if I had to give it a name. Besides our learning to trust God on this amazing journey, one of the many important lessons we’ve experienced is that the attainment of knowledge is best gained by a self motivated and delight directed path by each individual. We love learning. My job is really assisting my sons how to learn on their own and helping them develop necessary life skills. We adjust to personalities, learning styles, and individual needs, enjoying flexibility, and creativity. I also consider my needs—yes, me the teacher/motivator!  Learning can be fun, and hands-on methods are particularly useful. Here’s a favorite math program we all enjoyed—Hands-on Equations. It's worth every penny, and fun too. Presently, The Algebra Survival Guide makes the task of learning algebra delightful and understandable (we’ve attempted several other programs in the past, knowing each child is different).  Learning to read well is high up on our priority list, but learning to be a man of honor and high integrity rates way up there. How delightful it is to know that we have young men in our household that exhibit strong moral character. How did this happen? With lots of time, energy, discussion and example—a family bound together by love. Our sons see through the choices we make that character is important and that our relationship to our Creator, and study of His Instruction Manual is a priority. We joyfully discovered children's classic books, advancing to some of the great classics. Real, fascinating books, with a special liking of those based on truth and real history, highlight our home education. (You can view a huge list of past books we've read further back on this blog.) With the younger two sons, our studies are based around great, living books (yes we still read aloud together too) using a unit study method. Presently, we are enjoying The Story of the World and using it as a kick-off point and supplementing with other books. In the past I have composed my own unit studies, but for several years I found Learning Adventures to be an excellent, exciting program that I could alter to meet our needs. (I customize everything!) A favorite resource of mine­—Ignite the Fire helped me learn how to do a terrific book study. We also discovered Apologia Science, finding its text very engaging. As I think back, every year has been different. I kind of like it that way. I am a writer and it’s an important skill I want my sons to have. I must own at least half of all homeschool writing programs in existence, but I really think any good library book on writing would really suffice. But then, The Writer’s Jungle is a fabulous resource! I have taught the boys grammar along with their writing through the years but a good deal (for less than a buck) at the library sale table helps us out—The Least You Should Know About English. Benjamin uses an online GED/College Prep program to supplement his highschool studies, which is great because he can do this independently. Along with “real” books, we get involved in real life experiences. When the boys were much younger and doing a unit on books, authors, and writing, they made their own hardbound, handmade, illustrated books using Making Books With Children. When Josiah was nine, a computer entered our lives, which led to the production of the Homeschool Gazette, a newsletter and online site, featuring our boys’ writings and drawings, designed to encourage them as well as their friends and neighbors around the world. (Homeschool Gazette) Josiah developed his first computer software about age 14: the Color Selector. His high school years allowed for self directed studies in computer science and programming, and he’s since come a long way. Gideon studied photography, computer graphics and art on his own. He loved drama in college, and his portrayal as the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland inspired the younger two boys to take drama workshops. Jeremiah landed the role of the Grinch in Seusical the Musical, appearing at our community theater, and is making plans to audition for another play next month. Jeremiah’s other interests are photography, raising guinea pigs and learning to play the electric guitar. Benjamin recently accompanied Josiah, traveling by car all the way to Seattle, Washington, and enjoyed some interesting sites and museums, as well as visit some old friends. Plays, concerts and church activities too, all count as homeschool! Last year’s involvement in a homeschoolers’ Keeper’s of the Faith Club, history club, and art classes, kept us hopping. This year’s pace is much slower. Our physical education program consisted of each of the boys receiving black belts in martial arts along with Dad, working out at the gym, and Benjamin shares his dad’s love of bike riding. All assist and learn from their Dad-of-all-trades, things like: painting the house, building additions, remodeling, tiling the bathroom floor, plumbing, and car/home repairs. One of the best ideas I had a year ago, was when Benjamin took over the family’s laundry! I’ve thought, if I could go back and change things, what would I have altered? I could have been more consistent and organized, seized a few more opportunities (my oldest would have loved Boy Scouts), been more persistent with our learning musical instruments (we are presently working on that again), and maybe had more families over to dinner (I just made that phone call).  But I must say, in looking back, we had a bountiful, homeschool harvest. I know because of who my sons are—delightful, intelligent, young men, who love God, know how to think and learn for themselves, and of whom we are very proud. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ExploreExpandEnjoy/649944/ Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:50:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ExploreExpandEnjoy/649944/ One of the perks with my job at the Old Schoolhouse Magazine is getting to read a lot of the new E-Books that they are producing- most all homeschool related of course. I am so a lover of hard copy books, but hey, I'm getting used to sitting at the computer and doing some reading there and then a little work too. I've read some fantastic and motivating E-Books in the past two months:  Living on One Income-How 12 Families Make it Work; HomeWork (homeschooling and home business); What About Socialization?;  Molly's Money-Saving Digest; Turning Points in Homeschooling (I absolutely LOVED this one!); and Creative Nature Study to name a few. All are recommended, by the way, and available now or in the future through the Schoolhouse Store. Perhaps I'm getting hooked on E-Books! I didn't think that was possible. I enjoyed reading about remarkable families from all walks and backgrounds making homeschooling a success and loving it, with God's guidance through many ups and downs. I'm just really amazed and uplifted and motivated and blessed to be homeschooling and interacting with my family the way we do. I'm also re-evaluating  where we're headed in our journey. I'm going to be project managing a new E-Book (what an opportunity!) on College Prep for Homeschoolers too, so my mind is focusing also, on my own highschooler (though two have since graduated) and my soon to be highschooler, and the path we are taking. Exciting times for sure, when everything you've done and said and tried to do will be put to the test as you watch your children venture out into the scary and awesome world of independence and great responsibility. I think we've done a good job, and I sometimes think of the what ifs, but I can't go back and change anything, and I don't really think I want to. Life's a dance, you learn as you go (hey, I think that's a song!) and anyway we've sure learned a lot and had a bunch of fun on our journey and it's not over yet! So many good things have transpired, but our relationships with each other and with God are still the main priorities. I was talking with my son, Gideon, 20, today, and you know he just really inspired me and made my heart leap and jump. I am so proud of him, to see the transformation that God has done in him, in the last few years. I can say at one time I was worried about him and his attitude, but miracles happen. If you take a good look at yourself and don't like what you see, make a change. Do something! Make those little steps and more steps and more until they lead to progress and marked change. Anyway, Gideon is like the motivational speaker, pep talk rally coach kind of guy now and inspires everyone around him. I know he'll do great in life. The right attitude goes a longgggggg way! Well my original thought was that hey, we did great in homeschool highschool because he knows how to learn whatever he wants or needs to, he has a love of learning, he has the skills necessary to learn and do well, and a heart for God and what is good and right. How much more do you really need? With God's continual hand of guidance on our lives we can't go wrong. It's just amazing when you can simply TRUST God to continue what you have started and KNOW that even though it's not all smooth sailing, there's a good outcome. He's teaching us all manner of worthwhile stuff on this journey. I love homeschooling! Oh, and I love books, and E-Books too!   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ExploreExpandEnjoy/643154/ Thu, 8 Jan 2009 23:01:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ExploreExpandEnjoy/643154/ Meet us in Bliss Hollow where your child can escape for a visit with Splish the frog, his endearing family and homeschooling animal friends. Mama Frog shares her son's frustrations with wisdom and reassurance as she patiently guides Splish along a pathway of understanding and character building with a delightful, heartwarming story, where he finally learns that Mama was right-everyone learns and grows at his own pace—it takes time.   Any beginning reader or struggling-to-read child will relate to Splish, with all of his discouragements, frustrations, trial-and-errors and not trusting Mama that some day he will read.    One of a mother’s treasured gifts to her child— helping him learn to read.   Learning to read is one of the most important parts of your young child’s home education. He has cuddled up on your lap and heard you read such lively stories to him over and over again. Together, you experience the world of imagination, information and exploration of God’s creation, through living books. The late reading child wants so badly to decipher those magic, elusive letters on the page, and feels frustrated and discouraged because so many his age and younger can read and he can’t (often within the family). Many parents are tripping through this stressful situation looking for that hopeful day when everything will click. Be assured, it usually will—when they are ready.   It is important to remember that they are all on a unique schedule when it comes to reading: God’s schedule.    Where was this book when my two middle boys were learning to read and on a very late schedule? It could have helped make an easier transition for them, that when they were ready it would happen. Of course they heard that from me, but this charming soft cover book encourages so sweetly. I think there are a lot of discouraged, late-reading kids out there that would love to hear this story.   And Then Mama Said . . .it Takes TIme to Learn to Read by Gena Suarez, is a brand new book available from The Old Schoolhouse Store. It comes with a free companion activity book too. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ExploreExpandEnjoy/620720/ Mon, 17 Nov 2008 20:32:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ExploreExpandEnjoy/620720/ My life has been a whirlwind of activity the past month and it  looks like its not going to slow down much, if at all!   It's so interesting and faith building to look back and see the hand of God in the circumstances surrounding your life. I have felt Him nudging me to write more and more and knew that He was going to use me somewhere down the line in that capacity. One thing has led to another and another and I found myself accepted into a special Marketing Class being offered by TOS (The Old Schoolhouse Magazine) of which I had recently begun a subscription. I was one of 30, chosen out of 125 for this amazing, educational, one month class.   Why was I interested in marketing, of all things? Well, we are a home business family that produces a bimonthly magazine where advertising is involved, and we are looking for new ways to promote ourselves. We also have web sites, my sons are interested in small business ventures, and hey, it's just become an interest so I thought, I can learn something worthwhile here. I was right.   I have been telling myself more and more, that when opportunity comes knocking, if you can, take advantage of it. I didn't want to miss out on this opportunity involving my favorite homeschool magazine with these 30+ friendly, awesome ladies from TOS and elsewhere. AND at the end of the class they  offered several staff positions to ladies that had done especially well and successfully completed the class.   Guess what? I was one of those offered a position. Wow, I was almost in shock, but I knew God had called me into this and I shouldn't be surprised at what He can do through me. My new part time position is E-book Production Assistant, and I will work with the production of E-books that TOS produces, writing ads (sell sheets) and managing the E-books and I'm even contributing a chapter in their soon to be released new book To Market, To Market. (The publisher really liked my last written assignment and asked if I'd expand it for the book.) Getting compensated for writing is a dream come true. I pray that I can be a great team member and be used in a significant way in this new endeavor, and continue to be an encouragement to homeschoolers through TOS.   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ExploreExpandEnjoy/618298/ Wed, 12 Nov 2008 13:48:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ExploreExpandEnjoy/618298/ One of the best unit studies we ever did resulted in a wonderful way of sharing what we were learning and writing with other homeschoolers around the world. This is taken from our web site Homeschool Gazette. We no longer accept submissions there, nor do we have a newsletter, but you'll find some creative ideas and encouraging information. ~Kathy   Since age seven, Josiah took off with reading. He loved 3-2-1 Contact, Ranger Rick, and Highlights magazines. His favorite was Reader's Digest, in which I had to rip out any unwanted articles that I preferred to hide from him. I so enjoyed seeing him curled up with a book, and hear him chuckle at something funny he had read.   Writing was a different story. He had a vivid imagination and could sometimes narrate his ideas, but he seemed to balk at attempts to write on his own, outside of simple thank you notes and short letters to grandma. I felt he needed a reason to write.   An inexpensive work book caught my attention in a homeschool catalog - Newspaper Reporters (an introduction to newspaper writing), published by Teacher Created Materials. At age nine, Josiah, and Gideon, seven, began a unit study on "Newspapers and Reporters". My idea was to study various aspects of good writing related to newspaper and magazine type articles, try writing their own similar articles using our word processor, culminating the study with a newsletter filled with their writings to share with family and friends. The boys thought it sounded like fun. It worked out to be one of the best ideas I've ever had!   Grandma sent a Sunday paper from Ocala, Florida. We lived in Washington state at the time and I wanted a different perspective on the news to study from. We used the workbook but only as a guide to meet our own desires and needs, feeling free to skip parts that we had no interest in (like writing sports stories) or that were redundant, unnecessary, or unappealing to the boys. It had some great ideas though that we had fun using.   Before long, the boys compiled articles, poems, ads, puzzles, cartoons, and a contest. Josiah wrote a humorous piece after reading the Dave Barry columns. He wrote a feature article on traveling through New York state, requiring research. Gideon dictated an intriguing work of prose about springtime. We studied layout, headlines, art, advertising, weather, proofreading, interviews, and editorials. Some of Josiah's work was half narrated, which helped ease his way into writing on his own.   At the time we were ready to embark on our own newsletter compilation, a real live computer had just arrived in our living room! The timing was perfect. Our study turned to computers and learning how to set up our newsletter using Publisher software. We turned out our first Homeschool Gazette soon afterward. The computer became an instant love, and Josiah absorbed knowledge incredibly, as if by osmosis. The newsletter turned out so nice, we all had the idea to continue it, making it a publication that our friends (most all homeschoolers) could participate in. [We published it faithfully for close to five years. Josiah designed and maintains this web site, and other homeschoolers from around the world are welcome to participate.] But best of all, Josiah is a writer, and an editor. When he gets an idea, he can whip out an article on the computer and he enjoys it.   During this particular time of study, we concentrated on writing and language arts. Only a smattering of math was accomplished apart from facts review. We read a lot together, and discussed what we liked about the articles we read and what we didn't like. I also participated by writing some of my own articles to share with the boys. It was a very enjoyable time for all of us. As a side note, I have heard home school moms say to me, "But you are so creative. I could never do what you do!" Perhaps they are afraid to try. We are ALL creative, and just need to act on our ideas. Relax, and let your God inspired creative ideas go wild...   P.S. Our boys are presently 22, 19, 16, & 13. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ExploreExpandEnjoy/616448/ Sat, 8 Nov 2008 12:55:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ExploreExpandEnjoy/616448/ I want to share this poem because it has touched me so.  By Jen Abbas,  an18-year-old child of divorce:   The Eruption   Divorce is like a trembling earthquake,   The world shakes, rumbling with rage,   And all the anger, guilt, and frustrations   That have been festering for so long         below the surface   Suddenly spew upward in an inferno of hate         or apathy.   At times the earth calms and you think the       turmoil is over,   Settled, stable, but then the cycle begins again,   Repeating, repeating, repeating.   You are weary, you want to rest,   And that is when you realize the shaking has         stopped,   But there is an eerie feeling lurking in the air.   You are hesitant to believe anything anymore,   You are so tired after struggling for so long,   And so you rest on the one solid patch of land,   Only to watch it split in two,   Two separate, distinct parts that will never         come together again.   Each new patch supports part of you,   And as you watch, they pull away. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ExploreExpandEnjoy/616278/ Fri, 7 Nov 2008 23:01:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ExploreExpandEnjoy/616278/ I don't usually read much fiction for myself. The last book of fiction I read was the huge Echo in the Darkness by Francine Rivers, which was recommended to me. I mostly read it when it comes highly recommended which is what interested me in the book Honey for a Woman's Heart. I gave "Honey..." also to my mom as a gift and she has dissected it and is finding all sorts of great treasures as a result which we discuss together. I still like to read kid's picture books. This week at the library I found Leonardo's Horse by a favorite children's author, Jean Fritz. I have a collection of hers but didn't even know about this particular book. Now I need to buy one for my own. I have read much fiction, especially historical fiction with the boys over so many years of homeschooling (my favorite activity!) but I tend to love what is true the most and that is what excites me - real stories of real heroes in real life!! There's a slew of interesting books all beckoning me at once. Let's see what I am reading at this scene in my life... Honey For a Woman's Heart by Gladys Hunt Living Peacefully in a Stressful World by Ron Hutchcraft The Teenage Liberation Handbook by Grace Llewellyn The Bible Cure for Weight Loss & Muscle Gain by Don Colbert, M.D. (rereading) The Writer's Jungle by Julie Bogart Families Writing by Peter R. Stillman Home by Choice by Brenda Hunter, Ph.D. Caring Enough to Forgive; Caring Enough to Not Forgive by David Augsburger Write Upon My Heart : Cheerfulness by Keepers of the Faith Publishing The Raw Food Gourmet by Gabrielle Chavez Your Right to be Beautiful-the Miracle of Raw Foods by Tonya Zavasta (a bit at a time) Juices & Smoothies by Suzannah; Farrow, Joanna Olivier With the Boys: It's a Jungle Out There! by Ron Snell Created for WORK - Practical Insights for Young Men by Bob Schultz Fearfully & Wonderfully Made - a Surgeon Looks at the Human & Spiritual Body by Dr. Paul Brand & Philip Yancey http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ExploreExpandEnjoy/616275/ Fri, 7 Nov 2008 22:58:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ExploreExpandEnjoy/616275/ The following list of books include some of our all time favorites and inspirational treats (in no particular order). Many have been delightful read-alouds, especially those at the top children's section. There are some genres I'm not including like much adult fiction and very young children's books, poetry, political or historical, though they'd have a place in my favorites also, and I'm sure I've left out a few that should have been included here. These are mainly from the gist of our normal life's reading. If you want to explore new horizons or have a life changing experience, check these out! Children/Teens: Heidi by Johanna Spyri Little Britches, Father and I Were Ranchers by Ralph Moody (and others in the series) Sir Gibbie by George MacDonald A Hive of Busy Bees by Effie M. WIlliams Treasures of the Snow by Patricia St. James Mama's Bank Account by Kathryn Forbes Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher James Herriot's Treasury for Children by James Herriot Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank B. Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey Charlotte's Web by E. B. White The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Little Women by by Louisa May Alcott (also Little Men) The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann D. Wyss Black Beauty by Anna Sewell Far North by Will Hobbs Lost on a Mountain in Maine by Joseph Egan Pagoo by Holling C. Holling Minn of the Mississippi by Holling C. Holling Benjamin West and his cat Grimalkin by Marguerite Henry Leonardo Da Vinci (Childhood of World Figures) by George E. Stanley Painting America's Wildlife: John James Audubon by Janet Stevenson Seeing Fingers - the story of Louis Braille byEtta DeGering Little House in the Big Woods (and others in the series) by Laura Ingalls Wilder Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Brink Missionary Stories for Children Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls Nothing is Impossible: the Story of Beatrix Potter by Dorothy Aldis So Dear to My Heart by Sterling North Rascal by Sterling North Young Thomas Edison by Sterling North Holes by Louis Sachar The Giver by Lois Lowry The Saturdays (and others) by Elizabeth Enright The Merry Adventure's of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle The Great Fire by Jim Murphy An American Plague by Jim Murphy Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Spear Hank the Cowdog (and many in the series) by John R. Erickson The Chronicles of Narnia (series) by C. S. Lewis Cricket in Times Square by George Selden There's an Owl in the Shower by Jean Craighead George My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli Homesick by Jean Fritz (and her many historical fiction biographies for children) The Great Brain by John D.l Fitzgerald (more in the series) The Borrowers by Mary Norton Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis McGraw The Ransom of Red Chief and other stories by O. Henry Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Gray Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes Watership Down by Richard Adams Pollyanna by Eleanor Porter Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien The Wheel on the School by Meindert Dejong Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle All Creatures Great and Small and others by James Herriot One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich and others by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn The Strange Lives of Familiar Insects by Edwin Way Teale Tesla: Man Out of Time by Margaret Cheney Scottish Chiefs by Jane Porter The Librarian Who Measured the Earth by Kathryn Lasky Archimedes & the Door of Science by Jeanne Bendick Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin Augustus Caesar's World by Genevieve Foster The World of William Penn by Genevieve Foster Material World by Peter Menzel (photographic journal) Honey For a Child's Heart by Gladys Hunt Women's Interest: The Story of My Life by Helen Keller Mrs. Mike by Benedict and Nancy Freedman Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen The Small Woman: The True Story of Gladys Aylward of China by Alan Burgess Honey For a Woman's Heart by Gladys Hunt I'm Going to be the Greatest Mom Ever by Terri Camp Fascinating Womanhood by Helen Andelin Created to Be His Helpmeet by Debi Pearl How to Become Your Husband's Best Friend by Gary Smalley Creative Counterpart by Linda Dillow The Fruit of Her Hands: Respect and the Christian Woman by Nancy Wilson Praise Her in the Gates: the Calling of Christian Motherhood by Nancy Wilson Intimate Issues by Linda Dillow and Lorraine Pintus Seasons of a Mother's Heart by Sally Clarkson Tilly by Frank E. Peretti Pro-Life Christians by Joe Gulotta Educational: Ignite the Fire by Terri Camp The Holy Bible A Child's History of the World (also Art & Geography) by V. M. Hillyer The Way They Learn by Cynthia Tobias Teach Your Own by John Holt How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie The Law by Frederick Bastiat Preparing for Adolescence by Dr. James Dobson The Well-Educated Mind by Susan Wise Bauer Literature Alive! by Cay A. Gibson The Moral Compass by William J. Bennett Letters to Jessica by Robert Bissett Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz Marriage/Family Helps: Jumping Ship by Michael Pearl Grace Walk by Steve McVey Shattered Dreams: God's Unexpected Pathway to Joy by Larry Crabb The Marriage Builder by Larry Crabb Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul by John Eldredge Sheet Music by Kevin Leman Love is a Decision by Gary Smalley & John Trent The Blessing by Gary Smalley & John Trent His Needs, Her Needs - How to Build an Affair Proof Marriage by Willard F. Harley Jr. The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands by Dr. Laura Schlessinger Marriage Fitness by Mort Fertel Health, Nutrition, Cooking: Inflammation Nation by Floyd H. Chilton What the Bible Says About Healthy Living by Rex Russell Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon God & Vitamins by Marjorie Holmes The Hallelujah Diet by George Malkmus I love to get recommendations and always have a "to read" list going. Please share your favorites with us too! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ExploreExpandEnjoy/616273/ Fri, 7 Nov 2008 22:56:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ExploreExpandEnjoy/616273/