Clemens Christian Homeschool

Wednesday, December 16, 2009 - Daybook Monday on Tuesday

$Original Home of The Simple Woman\$

December 15, 2009...

Outside my window...
It is looking like a beautiful day today!. The sun is just coming up and there is the thick later of frost with maybe a dusting of snow from yesterday. The kids are hoping for snow later today, but it sounds like it may just turn to rain.

I am thinking...
how quickly this year has gone by! In just over two weeks we will be starting 2010.

I am thankful for...
a quiet Christmas with my family. It is pretty simple without a lot of outside activity, just our simple holiday traditions at home.

From the learning rooms...
both David and Rachel are working on Math and Piano this morning. They have really been working on their piano in the last few months. (They stated taking lesson in September.) They have come so far. I'm really proud of them.

From the kitchen...
Burritos

I am wearing...
my PJ's. The kids are dressed and I need to get dressed, but I hate to wake Chris up, but I need to get in the habit of taking my clothes out when I get up because he will be on night shift starting tomorrow evening.

I am going...
down town this afternoon to take the kids to piano lessons. I need to buy groceries but I think I will wait to do that later in the week so I can spend some more time on my grocery list.

I am creating...
we have all been having fun making cookies and brownies and such lately. I think the only things I have created have been of the eatable variety.

I am reading...
Israel My Beloved and Little Town on the Prairie to the kids.

I am hoping...
for snow!

I am hearing...

the pellet stove and fan. The sounds of David on the laptop and David and Aaron discussing the weather forecast.

One of my favorite things...
Christmas music

A few plans for the rest of the week:
David and Rachel have play date with friends, grocery shopping, taking some of Aaron's old clothes to consign and school.

A few late afternoon frost photos to share:

Would you like to start your own daybook? Check out this website. http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

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Sunday, December 13, 2009 - weekly Wrap-up

From the Heart:

It has been a good week. Nothing special really, just fun with the kids and family stuff. We had a friend over and the kids made sugar cookies. We slept in and stayed in our PJ's and just enjoyed some quiet mornings together and watched a movie from our church library together. We made pizza together. Simple joys that we take for granted or "get too busy" to enjoy. When you add all this up (plus 15 minutes in a tanning bed to get some light) it is amazing how it takes so little to chase away some of the winter blues.

On the HomeFront:

We enjoyed going to the Nutcracker again this year. It was so fun watching the kids just spell bound! We have enjoyed a few quiet days with Chris this week while he had a few days off. It has been fun.
I'm ready for snow! We have a think layer of frost that could pass for dusting of snow, but you cannot play it that.

In the Schoolroom:

Not much going on in the school room. I've never taken this much time off during the holidays, but we have enjoyed the break.

In the Literary Scene:

We finished up The Long Winter today. I had other plans, but they are all begging for Little Town on the Prairie, so it looks like that will be started this afternoon.

On the Last Frontier:

In just over a week we start gaining daylight!!! We are hoping for some snow soon, so we can dig our out snowshoes and sleds. We have enjoyed some clear days so that is a blessing!

Just for Fun:

I think our whole week was just for fun this week. I'll try to get our the camera and have a picture next week. I keep hoping if I wait we will get some snow.

Carol started this meme. Check out here blog if you would like to join us. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ThreeLittleLadies

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Dec. 12, 2009 - Advice or research help.

Since I got prego with our son(SuperB) in 2008, we have been changing so much and learning so much. I have come to find out that organic is really turely good. And you can cure a yeast infection with garlic. Mastitis pain with potatoes and the list could go on and on. I have learned that a GOOD midwife is more useful and helpful than anything!

Now I am on a healthier cooking and baking road. But I have no clue where to start. Our family has a sweet tooth and I have always limited what we bring into the house and I have always tried to stay away from high fructose corn syrup. I really want to cook and bake healthy though. I do want to make treats, but really want to make them with whole wheat, raw sugar or honey. I also really want to learn how to die my own food and get away from food coloring, for birthday cakes and that kind of stuff.

I also really want to learn how to make my own broths and soups. One day I hope to learn to can and make home made jelly and jams, oh and apple butter!

I am hoping that you all will point to some good cookbooks or any other useful tool for this road my family and I are on!

Thank you!

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Dec. 9, 2009 - Another reason why to homeschool

#152 Promotion of Felony Crimes in High School Musical

Can you imagine your children being encouraged to practice a lifestyle that could give them diseases and cost them their lives? Only in our public schools can you get this teaching. When will Americans finally have enough?!!

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Tuesday, December 8, 2009 - Daybook Monday

$Original Home of The Simple Woman\$

November 7, 2009...

Outside my window...
It is a beautiful sunny day. That is three is a row and such a blessing.

I am thinking...
not very clearly at the moment. I told Chris that I think someone switched the coffee to decaf without my knowledge.

I am thankful for...
a warm cozy house. The insulation we put in the attic and crawlspace is helping this year! Chris will have four days off of work after today! We are all looking forward to that.

From the learning rooms...
Piano is a high priority this week. We will be finishing The Long Winter. To change things up a little I'm thinking about focusing on Alaska State History and Science after they do a page in Math each day.

From the kitchen...
?

I am wearing...
blue jeans and a red sweatshift with a snowy sleigh and horse picture on the front.

I am going...
to stay home today expect for taking David to Boy Scouts. Tomorrow David and Rachel have piano lessons and we will be starting the DVD for their Grandmothers Christmas Recital.

I am creating...
?
I am reading...
The Long Winter to the kids.

I am hoping...
this coffee wakes me up! It is so hard to get going this time of year. I really need to go and spend a ten to 15 minutes in the tanning bed sometime this week.

I am hearing...

One of the kids practicing Christmas songs on the piano and the fan on our pellet stove.

One of my favorite things...
The view out my living room window on a sunny day.

A few plans for the rest of the week:
We are looking forward to the Nutcracker on Friday.

Would you like to start your own daybook? Check out this website. http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

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Monday, December 7, 2009 - Weekly Wrap-up

From the Heart:

Christmas is always my favorite time of year! I have to admit thought, that it has been hard to get in the spirit of the season this year. Dark dreary days can easily breed discontent. It isn't just the short days, but when the snow cover leaves and is replaced by freezing rain or a mixture of one sort or another, it is just darker outside. I find the winters affect my mood far more here in Juneau than the farther North Fairbanks ever did. But it isn't fair to say it is just the lack of light. It is the general discontentment of my heart that is just being magnified. Is God just using this weather to show me what is in my heart. If so I need a total hear change on the matter. Something I intend to think on and ponder.

On the HomeFront:

We decorated the tree this week and worked on general stuff for the house. The kids have been so excited to start the Advent calendar again. It is fun watching them! Seeing their faces as we bring out all the old familiar Christmas things. I'm so grateful for children at Christmas!!

In the Schoolroom:

We took a few more days off and then got back to school on Wednesday. David and Rachel are working on Christmas music in piano. Karen, their piano teacher and dear friend, will be making a DVD of them for their Grandmothers this week. We are all excited about that. We worked on their workbooks and just some wrap up stuff from the week before and read The Long Winter for read-aloud. We spent Saturday working on Alaska state history this week.

In the Literary Scene:

I'm still reading The Long Winter to the kids. I had forgotten how much I love this story! I've just finished (in only about 5 days) Riven. I have not read a book that I just could not put down in awhile! Just a good read and I have to agree with what Jerry Jenkins (author) said. "If a novelist has a life's work, this is mine. I hope in the end you agree and that Riven stays with you long after the final page."

On the Last Frontier:

Our days are getting shorter. How does it take me be surprise like I don't know it is coming! We are only just over two week until we start gaining daylight! The snow has melted and we had a rainy/ snow cannot make up its mind kind of week. We got a dusting of snow on Friday and the sun came out yesterday. Oh it is such a beautiful day outside! I love the pink glow on the mountain as the sun is coming up!

Just for Fun:

We went to the "Galley Walk" downtown. Still trying to figure out what is so fun about that, but we came home and make donuts (from canned biscuits) and hot cocoa. That was fun and we need to do it again sometime soon!

Carol started this meme. Check out here blog if you would like to join us. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ThreeLittleLadies

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Dec. 4, 2009 - Movies for Your Holidays

    Loved the movie Blind Side. It is based on a true story. My husband remembers it being on the news some time ago. I think it is well worth the ticket.

    Another well worth movie is the movie, Up. It is now available for purchase. Pixar has done it again with another great movie. They sure do a great job with story lines. Can't wait to add that one to our collection.

   One movie that we had a lot of fun as a family was Mandie and the Secret Tunnel. It took us over a month to wait in line at Blockbusters for it. It is in huge demand. The Mandie series books are Christian books which have a great story line. Unfortunately the movie doesn't mention all the Christian aspects that the writer put into her books. However, the movie is still great.

    Another movie is Dawn of the Dinosaurs. That was cute. I was very hesitant about it because the second Ice Age was so distasteful to me. There was way too much potty mouth and other offensive things. But, this one was a pleasant surprise. Much better.

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Sunday, November 29, 2009 - Weekly Wrap-up

From the Heart:

Do you ever fill like you keep going through the same lessons over and over and over. I'm impatient with myself. It is so hard to understand how God does not just want to throw up his hands and say I give up. I know I would. Sometimes I look back at my life, this two steps forward, 1 back, two steps forward, three back, three steps forward, 2 back and wonder am I really getting anywhere. I find myself thinking quite often to some of Paul's words in Roman 7.

15I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[c] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

And thanks be to God they he is so much more loving and patient than I am!

On the HomeFront:

It has been dreary and drippy this week. We had some beautiful snow for awhile, but we are back to just above freezing and it is rain or snow/rain/ice mix. Most of the snow has melted and what is left is just ice. We are less than a month away from the shortest day of the year, so it is just a dreary time of year where it would be easy to hibernate with the bears. I'm so ready to get the Christmas stuff up. It helps build a festive mood and as soon as Chris finishes up his last night shift tonight, that will be a goal of mine.

In the Schoolroom:

Everyone needed a break from school. I usually only take a couple days off for Thanksgiving, but we just were all a little burn out this year. So we have been pretty lazy this week. With Chris on night shift, we read, watched movies and played video games in our PJ'a a lot of the time.

In the Literary Scene:

I'm reading The Long Winter to the kids. I'm reading lots of different things at the moment and most are my nightstand in the room where my DH is sleeping. I'll have to check the titles later.

From the Garden:

IT has been a while. The garden is dormant for the winter. Maybe I should find another heading for this time of year.

Just for Fun:

Plans to put of the tree tomorrow, with hot chocolate and Christmas music!

Carol started this meme. Check out here blog if you would like to join us. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ThreeLittleLadies

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Tuesday, November 10, 2009 - Daybook Monday

$Original Home of The Simple Woman\$

November 9, 2009...

Outside my window...
It a beautiful morning! I'm greeted with sunlight reflecting off the snow on the mountaintops. Seeing the sun can be such a rare treat this time of year.

I am thinking...
of tons of things I need to do in the house this week.

I am thankful for...
Sunlight and Chris being back on day shift this week.

From the learning rooms...
We are reading (or listening to CD's which is a nice break for me) to Johnny Tremain. We are learning about the early colonial period before the American Revolution. Rachel and David are busy with piano, math, reading (although they have finished all of the Sonlight readers) and Aaron is busy on his workbooks. We are also learning about birds in Science.

From the kitchen...
Homemade Hamburger Helper, I have not decided which kind.

I am wearing...
PJ's

I am going...
to stay home today. Chris is off work, but needs to be working on his class. We will be going to a Boy Scout Event tonight.

I am creating...
??
I am reading...
We are finishing up the Narnia books this week. I have tons of books on my night stand, but I have not touched them in awhile. I have been enjoying reading the Narnia books and some magazines (This Old School House and Answers in Genesis.)

I am hoping...
the sun says around for awhile so that we can enjoy it today.

I am hearing...
the sounds of the keyboard when the kids have headphones plugged in. I need to listen to them play today. I love the headphones! They can practice without disturbing anyone---like while the others are doing other schoolwork, but I don't always hear the progress they are making.

One of my favorite things...
are winter mornings. I love watching the fire in our pellet stove and snuggling up on the couch a blanket and a book.

A few plans for the rest of the week:
Boy Scout Court of Honor tonight, Piano Lessons and any errands I have on Tuesday and not sure about the rest of the week.

Would you like to start your own daybook? Check out this website. http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

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Nov. 2, 2009 - What is UP in Colorado! (Free Holiday eBook!)

Hey friends, what is up with you? It has been quiet on the homeschooling front lately---I'd say that is a mixed blessing. I hope you will take time to share a homeschooling question here in the comments section or share an event or activity that you would like to tell others about.

I'd like to share something with you, a wonderful freebie from The Old Schoolhouse Magazine! You can download it right here:

2009 Holiday Digital Supplement/Idea Book

Enjoy!

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