In His Whirlwind

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Check Out Our NEW Nature Blog, "FOR THE BEAUTY"

Come on in & make yourself at home as you catch up with the happenings of our little family. I'm Karla, the "scribe" for our family, and am better known as "Momma" to our two blessings, "Honey" to my hubby, and "the maid who provides for our every need" to our 2 kittens. I hope you will call me "friend."

We are a homeschooling family that has our mix of funnies and failures, along with triumphs & successes. I am a recovering perfectionist, who is ever so grateful that I serve a perfect Savior. He teaches me that I have a lot to learn, but also that He has brought me a long way.

I have been the bride to the most gracious, sweetest man in the world for the last 11 years. What I love most about him is that he is always striving to be a better husband, father, and child of God.

I am also the blessed mama to
OUR TWO GIFTS:

a creative 9-yo Darling Daughter who loves pink, being a little lady, having tea, reading, being creative, and riding horses

and a 5-yo tremendously adventurous Little Man-in-training who loves helicopters, bugs, dirt, running, and the sport of eating.

(If you are wondering about the curlers, go down to the Sweet Monday section of the sidebar. It's a women's ministry that was started in Richmond, Va, and when we moved from there, I decided to start one down here. While I’m not doing it this year, please feel free to glean away from my entries of all the past programs & devotions.
Please let me know any of them have blessed you, and if you would like permission to use anything I've written. Thank you!)

COS & Learning Websites for our 2009-10 School Year
Our Favorite Books of the Quarter
HELPFUL HOMESCHOOL LINKS: GEOGRAPHY
Little Man on the Race for President
S&T Fri -- Little Man's Birthday Extravaganza
Week in Review -- August 10-16
We Found Our Fill, On Blueberry Hill.... (with recipes!)
"This is the Best Bread" -- "Just Like a Restaurant's!"
S&T Fri -- First Week of School
Personal Quiet Time Goal Outline for 2008-09 School Year -- Paul's Epistles
Padems Visit, Part 2
Padems Visit-- One of Our Favorite Moments of the Summer
S&T Fri -- "Farm Families Have Always Gone Green"
2008-2009 School Plans
Creation Camp

Show&Tell Fridays
Family Funnies
From My Recipe Box
Homeschooling Helps & Ideas
Homeschooling

Wondering about the curlers?
CLICK HERE to get the scoop!
It's just one of the silly things I did at my monthly "Sweet Monday" meetings!

• Past Meetings & Devotionals
• Information On Sweet Monday
• Sweet Monday's Main Website

"The bringing up, as of a child, instruction; formation of manners. Education comprehends all that series of instruction and discipline which is intended to enlighten the understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future stations. To give children a good education in manners, arts and science, is important; to give them a religious education is indispensable; and an immense responsibility rests on parents and guardians who neglect these duties." ~Noah Webster~
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"Gradually we have become aware that family life is God's classroom for shaping us into the kind of people He wants us to be."
Catherine Marshall, A Closer Walk

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2008 Habits:

1. Gentle voice, gentle heart
2. "Peruse&Purge" magazines
3. Have hot tea every day
4. Wake up between 5-6 am

2008 Goals/To Do's:

1. Complete top of DS's quilt.
2. Tackle reading list.
3. Organize fabric.
4. Make blocks for charity quilts

Aug. 8, 2008
S&T Fri -- First Week of School

We do school year-round, but took time off from heavy academics during the month of July. We started back this week, and what a great week it was! (Our curriculm outline is HERE.)

Every year, we give the kids a large gift bag with their school supplies, books, etc and we sit around and the excitement begins as they pull everything out one-by-one. Afterwards, they decorated the outside covers of their school planners.

Little Man is wonderfully creative, like his sister, and came up to me on Monday and said, "Mommy, I want to make an American flag." Before I could finish what I was currently doing to help him, he had gotten some paper towel, a kite stick, and the markers out and was busy doing it all on his own. Our little guy is getting big and more independent!

We also did some really great nature study this week, so go on over to our "For the Beauty" blog to check it out. (Was a "C" Week theme -- Crickets & Cicadas!)

Please join the rest of the crowd for Show&Tell every Friday! Get all the information over at:

Aug. 8, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by 4sweetums

I like the idea of giving them their supplies in gift bags. I hope you have a great new semester.
Blessings,
Dawn

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Aug. 8, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by solidrock

Awesome tradition. We do the first day in our jammies after a big special breakfast. I like to also tuck something special onto their school shelf.

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Aug. 8, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by BChsMamaof3

Love the gift bag idea *grin* This time of year when we start getting all of our new books and supplies is so exciting for the kids. It's just like christmas time!
Blessings,
BChsMamaof3

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Aug. 8, 2008 - :)

Posted by CelticMom

What a wonderful way to get your school back into gear! I love your son's flag- that's some pretty great creativity he has going on there! Don't you just love it when they go and do?

Have a blessed new school year, and a wonderful weekend. :)
~Shani

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Aug. 8, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by sonoranstamper

I love the gift bag idea!! We school year-round also!!

This would be a great way to get them remotivated when we 'begin' the next school year!!!

They certainly do grow up fast!!! Almost too fast for my liking!!!

Thanks for sharing the great tip!!
Robyn

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Aug. 8, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by mamakaren

Little Man is doing a great job of making his flag! Yikes! We have lots of crickets and cicadees now too and our cat doesn't like to be outside as their noise confuses her.

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Aug. 8, 2008 - <em>Untitled Comment</em>

Posted by Kinley

It's a good thing when you can see the fruits of our labor in our kids. I love it when my son shows a real interest in what we are learning. I only wish it happened more often. LOL
Kristy

Edited by Kinley on Aug. 8, 2008 at 3:26 PM

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Aug. 8, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Haflingerhorses

You have some great pictures there! It looks like Christmas morning :)
Do you do school 11 months out of the year? Or do you have mid-breaks? Short weeks?
Antoinette

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Aug. 10, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Canadagirl

What a neat idea to give a bag full of school supplies. I might have to do that or something very similar. [0=

I am sitting down this week to write out my plans. Get it out of my head and onto paper [0=

Blessings and ((HUGS)) in Him<><
-Mary

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Aug. 11, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by eclecticeducation

What a neat tradition! Thank you for sharing that idea. The flag looked great. He did a wonderful job! :)

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Aug. 14, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by bethanyrae

You have some wonderful ideas for creating fun and excitement! Hmmmmm.
bethanyrae

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"Watch for the storms of God. The only way God plants His saints is through the whirlwind of His storms. Will you be proven to be an empty pod with no seed inside? That will depend on whether or not you are actually living in the light of the vision you have seen. Let God send you out through His storm, and don’t go until He does. If you select your own spot to be planted, you will prove yourself to be an unproductive, empty pod. However, if you allow God to plant you, you will "bear much fruit" (John 15:8)." ------------ My Utmost for His Highest, March 11th

We chose "Longhome" from Eccl.12:5 KJV, to keep us ever mindful that our eyes, hearts & lives should be focused on our longhome: HEAVEN!

But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith."
(1 Timothy 1:5)

• We take an eclectic approach: This year we are using Classical Conversations with Charlotte Mason ideas integrated in, and as always, many trips to the library!

• We approach learning as fun & something we do all of the time. Once we are done with the 3R's for the day, we dive into the things we want to learn more about or that interest us.

Remember doing this in Kindergarten? What to participate in an on-line version? Come join us!

“Let the book on your nightstand be something that is not likely in ten years to be out of print."
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MOM's 2008 READING GOAL:

• Created To Be His Helpmeet (Rre-read every year & will be using accompany journal in '08)
• The Kiss of Heaven (D. Zschech)
• The Kneeling Christian (anon)
• Prayer Power Unlimited (Sanders)
• God's Guidance (E.Elliot)
• The Power of a Praying Wife (Omartian)
• A Woman After God's Own Heart (E.George)
• A Closer Walk (C.Marshall)
• Intercession: Thrilling & Fulfilling (J.Dawson)
• The Power That Women Have--Keys to Unlock a Man's Heart (C.Johnson)
• Courtship After Marriage
• Come Out of Babylon, My Beloved Bride (A.Smith)
• Letters From the Hole in My Heart...Seeds to be Planted (T.Martin)
• Know Why You Believe (Little)
• Captivatingm(Eldredge)
• Real Presence (L.Payne)
• The Master Plan of Evangelism
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FAMILY READ-ALOUDS:

• Arabian Nights
• Leading Little Ones to God
• Boys & Girls Playing (JC Ryle)