Why do we homeschool? As education is largely accomplished by imitation, exposing our children to the greatest works of literature, art, music, and persons of virtue and accomplishment throughout the history of western civilization, will train their minds, souls and will to be great. We have chosen to homeschool to encourage our children to both know and love what have been the greatest achievements of civilization and to understand the unity underlying them; a unity that leads back to one loving, merciful God of all. We endeavor to provide a discovery-based, literate and enthusiastic environment where lifelong learning become self-initiated and self-fulfilling. As children of God we will strive always to know, love and serve God through discovering God's gifts to us and sharing our God-given gifts with others. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Mon, 1 Jun 2009 14:13:00 -0500 Mon, 1 Jun 2009 14:13:00 -0500 The entire object of true education is to make people not merely to do the right things, but enjoy them;  not merely industrious, but to love industry;  not merely learned, but to love knowledge; not merely pure, but to love purity; not merely just, but to hunger and thirst after justice. John Ruskin  Parents become more mature by just surviving a few years of homeschooling.  Their pride is humbled by seeing how much they don't know.  Their willfulness is controlled by self sacrifice.  Their laziness is replaced with self discipline and industry when required to hold down the equivalent of a second job. J. Richard Fugate The highest reward for a person's toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it.  (from my 1996 notes-to-self in my 1st "Teacher's Planner") John Ruskin     http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/730393/ Mon, 1 Jun 2009 14:13:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/730393/ Cathedral of Notre Dame at Strasbourg Pulpit - 24 ft above Interior grotto A little street entertainment Loved all the window flowers Took advantage of all the street cafes   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/730013/ Sun, 16 Aug 2009 12:16:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/730013/ Neckar River Narrow village streets Heidelberg Castle ruins Heidelberg Castle courtyard Beautiful day to enjoy Heidelberg   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/730006/ Sat, 15 Aug 2009 11:55:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/730006/ front attached garage lakeside Master Bedroom view Living Room panoramic view from Living Room view of small lake from back patio 3BR, 3 BA, 2800 sq. ft. ADDENDUM:  We closed September 15, 2009     http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/715235/ Fri, 7 Aug 2009 13:13:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/715235/ 11th Grade Daughter: Spanish at the community college (2 semesters) Medieval History and Geography Medieval Literature Chemistry 101 at the community college (1 semester) Intro to Physics (online) Algebra II Introduction to Philosophy Scripture Studies Youth Symphony Orchestra Millikin University Youth Chorale private piano and flute lessons 10th Grade Sons: Spanish at the community college (2 semesters) Ancient History and Geography Ancient Literature Chemistry 101 at the community college (1 semester) Intro to Physics (online) Algebra II Apologetics Youth Symphony Orchestra Gators Swim Team private piano and clarinet/French Horn lessons     http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/711728/ Mon, 27 Jul 2009 07:45:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/711728/     http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/693004/ Mon, 26 May 2008 21:42:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/693004/ Playing For Change | Song Around The World "Stand By Me" from Concord Music Group on Vimeo.   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/692741/ Tue, 26 May 2009 12:47:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/692741/   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/687545/ Sun, 10 May 2009 13:59:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/687545/ Bike trail connecting Fairview Park and Rock Springs Nature Center Observation deck at the nature center....and a little rest! Kieran, Uli, Kevin & Kaleigh Uli (from Germany) is one of the family!  His sister, Anna was here last year. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/675312/ Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:03:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/675312/ 4 bedroom condo in Park City, Utah Father-son ski trip Steve's brother came too....so it was also a brother's ski trip - two generations! My brother-in-law and favorite artist http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/675307/ Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:39:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/675307/ We have an "adopted son" for two weeks.  Uli is a young lad from Germany who has become our family member.  He was in the USA less than 24 hours when my own kids were asked to participate in a service project involving painting. Uli and Kevin They worked and played...painting the walls AND one another! Some of Uli's new American friends A job well-done, new friends, and memories of American teen life. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/674420/ Sun, 29 Mar 2009 10:00:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/674420/ Teens Encounter Christ (TEC) is a celebration of the Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ.  The celebration takes place in a setting which is informal, safe and comfortable for youth.  Activities, discussions, music, sharing, food, fun, fellowship, recreation and worship are all part of the TEC experience, all designed to enhance the faith life of young Christians. My daughter with her new TEC friends http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/674232/ Tue, 24 Mar 2009 19:42:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/674232/ Last year I had a wall built to enclose an alcove in our walkout Lower Level.  It was the thrown-together guest room filled with hand-me-down furniture.  Recently I was inspired to give it a little face lift.  Before and After: Before I made an upholstered headboard Sewed up some lined curtains and pillows Before And updated the window treatments and bedding http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/673636/ Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:21:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/673636/ I have written about our ministry work at Mission Outreach in the past.  We love going there several times a year to sort through medical supplies/equipment, package it, weigh it, and catalog it.  These items are sent to missions throughout the world. I've also written about assigning a leadership project to the kids as a requirement of their homeschooling.  Over the last year, my boys have partnered in a two-fold project related to their Mission Outreach ministry.  The 13yo attended a parish Ministry Fair and "advertised" his project to collect used prescription medicine bottles.  He explained to each inquiree they would be washed and stripped of labels, then sent to missions around the world. via Mission Outreach  Every week for 6 months he collected the bottles donated in the church vestibule. The 14yo coordinated the same bottle collection at a couple other churches in town through a liaison in each parish.  He then hosted a service project day at our parish hall for assemby line-style washing, stripping of STICKY labels, and drying.  13yo son scraping labels off 15yo son training one of the helpers Cooperation = Success All ages pitched in on this project! Helpers were served milk and cookies. Today, we delivered the "booty" which totaled 70 lbs of clean prescription bottles! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/667242/ Wed, 18 Feb 2009 10:58:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/667242/ I decided my 13yo daughter should do a leadership/service project for 8th grade graduation this year.  She had to choose and organize her own service project.  I suggested it be a cause near and dear to her heart.  She chose to volunteer to help a local pro-life pregnancy organization.  "K" completed the process of creating invitations, recording R.S.V.P. responses, and providing snacks for the people who gave their time to help her with the work at hand.  The organization we helped dropped off baby bottles at churches throughout the area, which were collected by members of the congregation.  People filled their individual bottles at home with change over the period of a month,  and brought them back to church.  The organization then needed volunteers to empty the bottles and count the donated money .  The bottles have labels and inserts.  The service project job included cleaning out the bottles, placing new  inserts in each bottle and replacing labels.  They also had to wash out any  dirty bottles.  The girls completed nine cases or about 450 bottles. Although it was tedious work they all had a good time and learned helping others CAN be fun!   My daughter also developed confidence in the role of leadership and the basic skills needed for project management. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/667223/ Fri, 25 May 2007 11:09:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/667223/ Warm, sunny winter vacations are awesome, but February calls us back to our studies.  The kids use Jay Wile's Apologia science series.  Having completed General Science and Physical Science, we are now studying Biology.  In addition to the textbook, we have participated in online lectures and labs through the Virtual Homeschool Group.  This has added a fun and social aspect to their studies, sitting in on real-time classes with 15-20 other homeschooled kids throughout the country. On Fridays they also participate in a Biology Lab class through our homeschool co-op.  Last semester microscopes were used to identify paramecium, euglena, volvox, fungi, mold spores and various structures in botany.  This semester they are dissecting earthworms, crayfish, perch and frogs.  Unfortunately, I've only remembered to bring my camera once so far. 14yo....looks like a crayfish surgeon! 13yo identifying internal organs 16yo deciding not to be a science major, but toughing out the labs! 13yo's crayfish diagram for his lab report 16yo's earthworm diagram for lab report As we draw near to the end of our biology studies, we will be reading, discussing, and writing about Darwin's Black Box and Humani Generis.   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/667217/ Fri, 6 Feb 2009 09:35:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/667217/ January 1st - January 20th....we're playing hookie from school. Marco Island Gulf view Watching sunsets from the lanai My reading gazebo after too much sun. Researching retirement is a tough job! The kids are absorbing Vitamin D, playing basketball and water volleyball everyday.  I think that counts for Phys Ed and Health?  We're enjoying loads of discretionary reading time.  I'm not letting them skip their online classes each day, so they're not completely off the hook!  I'm re-evaluating our goals....both their high school goals and my retirement goals.   Somewhere in between I plan a job!  Yes dear, a job that pays instead of the 15 years of volunteer work I've been enjoying!   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/642082/ Thu, 1 Jan 2009 17:14:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/642082/ Painted by my brother-in-law, Robert J. O'Brien: watercolor artist extraordinaire! http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/641261/ Mon, 29 Dec 2008 19:52:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/641261/ FIRST LAYER 2 cups coarsely crushed pretzels 3/4 cup melted margarine 3 tablespoons sugar SECOND LAYER 1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese 1 cup sugar 2 cups whipped topping (small container) THIRD LAYER 1 lg pkg (6 ounces) strawberry flavored gelatin 2 cups boiling water 1 (10oz) boxes frozen strawberries In 400° oven, bake first layer in a 9x13x2-inch pan. Bake 8 minutes. Remove to cool. Second Layer - Beat sugar into cheese, stir in whipped topping. Spread over cooled pretzels. Third Layer - Mix gelatin, boiling water and strawberries together and set aside 10 minutes. Pour over cheese mixture; chill thoroughly.   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/637299/ Sun, 28 Dec 2008 12:12:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/637299/ a Christmas Eve tradition 1/4 cup olive oil salt and pepper to taste 6 baking potatoes 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese 1 egg, beaten 1/4 cup butter 1 cup sliced green onions, divided 1/2 cup milk paprika to taste Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a small bowl combine oil, salt and pepper. Rub potato skins with oil mixture. Bake potatoes (do not wrap in foil) in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until soft. Remove potatoes from oven and slice skin off of the top. Scoop the flesh into a large bowl, reserving the intact skins. To the potatoes add cheese, egg, butter and half of the green onions. Mash potatoes while gradually adding milk  (ok, I confess....sometimes I throw in a dollop of sour cream too). Spoon the mixture into the skins and top with remaining onions and paprika. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until golden brown. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/635409/ Sun, 21 Dec 2008 11:57:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/TRINITYPREPSCHOOL/635409/