Cub Scouts

Ethan started Cub Scouts a few weeks ago and loves it. He earned his first badge after about two weeks.

Ron Paul on Glenn Beck

February 24, 2009




* ht to http://blog.yaliberty.org/

Lent begins

I've been looking for some good Lenten resources for my family to prepare for Easter. They're not easy to find. Then this morning, Freebie of the Day sent me a link for Lenten Tree ebook : Lent Activities for the Family. It has 49 simple activities and a tree to count down the days of Lent. You can download it for free from the author's blog Sharing the Journey. I also have another book coming through Amazon. I had it shipped expedited, and this is the 7th day of the "1-7 days" that expedited shipping is supposed to take. The post office isn't exactly known for its punctuality any more, but I'm hopeful that it will arrive today.

The Song on the Radio Yesterday...

...that made me cry. :^)

Not Magic

Daddy: "Rosie, did you write on yourself with magic marker?"

Rose: "No, they were real."

Homeschooling Update

For those of you who might be interested in what we're doing this year:

Bible - Brian does this Bible study with Anna Kate and Ethan in the evenings - they love it! Earlier in the evening he reads the corresponding Bible story from Catherine Vos' fantastic The Child's Story Bible to all of the children. Anna and Ethan also use Samaritan's Purse prayer journals that focus on a different country each month of the year and have a Bible verse for the month. I'd like to get back on track with some more substantial Bible memorization for them soon. This has been a rough year for me.

Math - Anna is almost finished with Horizons K-5 math. Ethan is doing Singapore Math this year and has gone from hating math to loving it as a result. I'll be using Singapore for both next year.

Reading- Anna Kate uses ABeka's Handbook for Reading and some old Dick and Jane books, as well as lots of other kinds of readers and books. She reads everyday, but not always the same kind of things. She can read all kinds of Level 1 readers and when I compared them to the last few Bob Jones kindergarten readers she was far more advanced, so I think that she's reading very well. Ethan reads at least a chapter from a book each day. It's not always quality literature, but he's made great strides this year, and I have focused on providing him with materials that encourage him to love reading. Right now he's reading a Star Wars book. He's read some Usborne readers, including Greek myths and the Canterbury ghost, and also enjoyed some Magic Treehouse books, both the fiction stories and the non-fiction books, like Magic Treehouse:Space.

Writing- The year started with alphabets (Anna manuscript and Ethan cursive) and different copywork sheets, but I frequently got behind finding and printing the free resources that I usually use, thanks to being sick all year. So I finally gave up and bought A Reason for Handwriting. Anna Kate is in book A, and Ethan in book C. They enjoy it, and I don't have to think about it, which for this year, is a very good and helpful thing. We also have Draw-Write-Now Book 3, which they thoroughly enjoy and we use topically. They did the Pilgrim section at Thanksgiving and we're using the Native American section now.

Social Studies - This has been primarily topical. Ethan did read the majority (so far) of ABeka's 2nd grade Social Studies book, but mostly we've done topics, including the Inauguration, Abraham Lincoln, the Pilgrims, 50 states, etc. We also use God's World News : Taking Off! editions for current news. Right now we have several books for Black History month. This week and next week, however, are primarily dedicated to the study of Native Americans. I also want to nail down some world geography objectives soon. Ethan also recently began Cub Scouts which provides us with new social studies and science project opportunities.

Science - Also primarily topical. We've done studies on space and the planets, and I frequently get books on science topics to read - animals, atoms, health, etc. I hope to get in some substantial coverage of electricity and magnets and one on water and the ocean before the end of the school year. I'm also ready to send in our coupon for the butterfly eggs to go in our little pavilion that we bought. I think that that will go well with Lent and Easter topics too. :^) I've been able to read the ABeka K5 science book to Anna Kate, I've just saved the ocean chapter, she also just studied animal groups.

The Arts - We're blessed to have many opportunities for student performances of theatre and music productions. We've seen several children's theatre productions and The Nutcracker, among other things. We recently dedicated a couple of weeks to a study of famous composers. Art projects usually go along with topical studies, and I like to throw in books about famous artists or books of fine art too. Anna Kate also takes ballet lessons and Ethan does piano with me (unfortunately sporadically again this year), and also wants to begin lessons on his new guitar.

Best Gluten Free Pizza

This gluten-free pizza crust by Bob's Red Mill is amazing! It is the best crust that I've made so far and got rave reviews from Brian and Ethan, as well as my extended family which has also used and loved it.

It takes about an hour from start to finish, but is very simple, as that includes rise time and baking times, so you're not working most of the time.




I've tried plenty of "from-scratch" recipes without much success. We do like the frozen crusts by Kinnikinnick, and our favorite pre-made frozen crust is from the Whole Foods bakery, but this is a rising crust pizza.

So what are your favorite gluten free pizzas or crusts, brand or recipes?

The 1000 Page Bill That No One Had Time To Read - and the democrats passed it anyway (doesn't that tell you something?)

Our Valentine's Day

I finally got our traditional strawberry pancakes with strawberries and Smuckers Strawberry syrup and whipped cream and colored sugar done. I didn't, however, get the pancakes cut into heart shapes - and I heard about that!

Then they got surprises from us - the girls got their first Barbie Peek-a-boo Petites from the Ballet Bunch - they were thrilled. And Ethan was equally happy with a new Star Wars action figure. Brian got Ghiradelli dark chocolates, cabernet sauvignon, Irish Cream, and a card that plays our song ("You're Still The One").

For lunch, we were invited to Gran and Pa's house (Brian's parents) for a venison roast they'd been saving. I'd picked up some flowers to take to Gran, then I found out that Gran Gran (Brian's grandma) was going to be there, so we stopped on the way for more flowers. Of course, we pulled up to the house to find Aunt Eloise (Brian's great aunt) was joining us as well - so back to the store I went! But the ladies were all equally pleased with their flowers - Gran got a purple African violet in a purple pot because that's her favorite color and the children know it, Gran Gran got a beautiful red miniature rose, and Aunt Eloise three red tulips - all dressed in Valentine finery.




My surprise was waiting there too. I knew that he'd been working on something creative during his lunch breaks. Isn't he the sweetest guy ever???

Click to enlarge

The poem is from Amici Forever's song "Whisper of Angels"

I was yours before the first morn broke

Before the sun that woke the earth

And I was yours before rain kissed the ground

Before the first dawn's sound was heard

I'm the rush-the fire in your veins

Across the desert plains I ride

I'm the ache the sound that midnight makes

A streak of star across the sky

I'll be the whisper of angels

And I'll be the frost on your glass

And I'll be the shadows at twilight

I'll be your first your last

We all got a fantastic dinner, then the children got suprises and treats, including some late Christmas gifts from Aunt Barbara and Uncle Roy that were a real hit. Then the kids settled in to watch Wall-E . And I got to take a nap. :^)

Happy Valentine's Day

make yours here

Gratitude

I'm grateful to Kelly for giving me this award for a good attitude of gratitude.

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I'm passing it along for great attitude and gratitude to:

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Ann at A Holy Experience

Kelly at A Spacious Place

Elisabeth at In the Heart of My Home

Now I'm taking up the challenge to live that attitude of gratitude in my home today and every day. Even as the children are currently creating a many challenge as possible to keeping that attitude. :^)

Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial - February 12, 2009

1. Pick up some storybook biographies of Abraham Lincoln at your library, or dig out the stories and books you have at home.
2. I even lucked out with a Lincoln Logs building guide book. We'll be making Lincoln Log cabins for our table centerpiece again.
3. Apples4theteacher has a nice selection of coloring pages.
4. Check out the National Lincoln Bicentennial website. Several states have their own sites. Check the left sidebar for events near you. I like the kids section better than the teacher's section.
5. Four variations on a pretzel log cabin here, here, here, and here.
6. An Abraham Lincoln bank craft for all of those pennies.
7. A Paper Plate Abe Lincoln Hat.
8. An Abe Lincoln maze.
9. Mr. Lincoln's White House is a rather fascinating site.
10. Time for Kids has Lincoln worksheets in PDF files here, here, here, and a cut and paste activity here.

More ideas from last year.

It Might As Well Be Spring

We're having a stint of days in the 70s - heaven! So we spent Sunday at the park and zoo.

The playground has been completely redone and is very cool.

Don't you love the nosedive pic.

But those recycled tires really work - no permanent damage. :^)

Rose wanted to know why the lions didn't have any babies.

I told her that I dodn't know, but that I was sure

the zoo would be happy if they did.

She replied, "Maybe them are not married."

7 months and counting.

Oh, and my first chance to wear my pretty $4 thrift store find.

Wait 'til you see the dress I found this week for $1 -

I'm saving it for Easter.

My favorite tea is in decaf!

Apparently Twinings makes most of their classic teas in a decaf version, but this is the first time that I've seen decaf English Breakfast Tea in the grocery store. It made me happy. And it tastes so good....

CA counties say "we're not gonna take it"

Tax revolts, Boston Tea Parties, yeah, this is starting to get good. Here's to the second American revolution! Tell the out of control government that we're not gonna take this anymore.

http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/1600656.html

Glad there are still a few good men in the Senate

I'm Still Here, or I'm Back, or Something Like That

Just a little update before I start throwing out random posts.

My Nanny (paternal grandmother) died two weeks ago and the memorial service was in PA this past weekend. So we drove back up last Thursday and home again Monday. It was a smooth trip and the service turned out very nicely. The children hated the long drive, but were good sports and delighted to be back at Gramma and Pappy's so soon.

They even got to go sledding with Daddy and Pap on Friday morning thanks to a nice Wednesday snow that had stayed nice and frozen for them - wish I had pictures of all that, but I was running errands with my mother and sister and didn't think that Brian would appreciate juggling three kids, toboggans, saucers, and an expensive camera.

I'm still having a typically lousy pregnancy. I came home pretty wiped out again, but not quite as bad as Christmas. I think it might be partly connected to my iron level (or lack thereof). I can't keep vitamins down, so I've been eating Total, but I never think to take it along with me.

The kids started on another round of colds the night before we left. Rose is still pretty sick with it, but the other two seem to be recovered. Brian's pretty much had a cough/throat thing since New Years, but I don't know if it's the same one, or if he just keeps getting the kids colds and that's just how they affect him. I'm doing pretty well with the cold thing. I did catch the first round - my first cold in ten years! - but this round I just had a random cough. It contributed to the pregnancy issues, but wouldn't be worth mentioning otherwise and seems to have gone away.

So I've stocked the fridge with Dole fruit juices and the cabinets with teas, honey, and apple cider vinegar. We also have stockpiles of Delsyn and Sudafed, and boxes of lotion Puffs (my kids think that only Puffs are soft enough for sore noses, so I just go with the flow.)

We're still studying composers and are also doing some other fine arts stuff. This worked out well as we were able to listen to several CDs on our car trip - composer stories, classical CDs, etc. I picked up some books at the library this week to go along with my plans for the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birthday this month. Also our traditional small stack of African American biographies for black history month and some books on George Washington, so I think we should sail smoothly through February. I'll share more details if I have time.

Well, there's my traditionally random catch-up post. Hopefully I'll be around more often now.

Pause

Inauguration Day for Kids

I'm actually doing a music theme this week. It's crazy being a former music teacher and knowing that your kids are actually getting very little music training. But now that the pregnancy symptoms seem to finally be easing up a bit (hopefully it wasn't just another short stretch of decent days that just get my hopes up before smashing them), I'm hoping to get music lessons back on track. More on the music stuff later...


We're breaking for a bit of Inauguration stuff on Tuesday. Some TV viewing, though I have to admit it's more to watch Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman than Mr.Obama - see a music week tie-in!- just kidding. Seriously, he's swearing in on the Lincoln Bible, which my kids will find very cool. Of course, we have the possibility of snow being on the ground in the morning, in which case all bets are off about any viewing or doing of things inaugural. All of you out there that are snowless or sick of snow will have to use these links instead. :^)


Without further ado:

1. Time for Kids is our first stop. They have their teacher guides available online with some great worksheets for younger (K5-1st) and slightly older (2nd-5th grade) students. And another one on the White House here.
2. A linked schedule of Inauguration Day events
3. Scholastic has some really nice worksheets as well as lesson plans.
4. This is a great page of links . I recommend the links to streaming news sites for the inauguration, coloring pages, and a pretty nice powerpoint on the inauguration in lew of a lower elementary book on the topic. And actually the 44 Presidents rap song, while irritating, has really nice portraits of all of the presidents. If you already know their names, maybe you could watch it on mute. :^)
5. This is an interesting Obama Inauguration Q&A page. It includes information about the first daughters that my kids will be interested in.
6. National Geographic Kids has an interactive Inauguration Trivia Quiz. I scored only a 70% - see if you can do better.

Don't forget to let your voice be heard in the fight against the Freedom of Choice Act. Millions of children will thank you.

A New Name

Okay, I couldn't convince him that Jane Claire was perfect, but we had a name pow-wow tonight again, and (can this be real??), he really loves the name I've been hoarding at the top of my list since before I had kids, but we've never used - Maria. What made the difference in changing it from a name he liked to a name we both love? The perfect middle name, of course. Eirinn. The oldest way of spelling Ireland.

So all you who loved (or hated and just didn't comment) Laurie Jane, what do you think of...

Maria Eirinn?

(Write it in script, it's even prettier)

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I'm grinning from ear to ear. I like it much better than Laurie Jane, Jane Claire, and any other name I've pretty much ever come up with. I mean, you really can't beat a name that comes with a soundtrack.

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"How do you solve a problem like Maria? How do you catch a cloud and pin it down?"

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"Maria Maria She reminds me of a west side story"

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"My Maria Don't you know I've come a long, long way I've been longin' to see her when she's around she takes my blues away"

*

and best of all:

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"The most beautiful sound I ever heard:

Maria, Maria, Maria, Maria.

All the beautiful sounds of the world in a single word:

Maria, Maria, Maria, Maria, Maria, Maria.

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Maria, I've just met a girl named Maria,

and suddenly the name will never be the same to me.

Maria! I've just kissed a girl named Maria..."

*

Yeah, I'm really hoping this one is the keeper.

Does it take a rocket scientist to discount the logic of ethanol?

Nope. Just high schoolers that can do math.

What's Been Up, or Alicia In Real Life

Long time, no write (but I have been reading your blogs!).

We had a very nice Christmas with my family in PA. Our trip was delayed a day by Rosie getting a very high fever and my having some very bad days that made packing impossible. So we missed the family reunion on Saturday, but arrived late Saturday night. I had a kind of average week pregnancy-wise, so I was sick a good bit, and just doing the family stuff pretty much used up whatever energy I had. So I enjoyed my family, but didn't get to see some of you as I had hoped.

The children were so glad to be there (as was my Brian) and they all enjoyed themselves. Grandma's ham was it's usual Christmas wonderfulness, and I got my chocolate chip cookies from Hershey's Chocolate World as I must each trip - they're delish.

Thanks to the size (very small, think hobbit hole) of my parents' home both my parents were very aware of my middle of the night spilling of guts :^) and were very sweet. My daddy, after learning of my need for a simple sugar, like Poptarts for breakfast when I'm having a hard time, presented me with a honeybun from his morning coffee run after hearing me up the night before. He simply said, "I figured you'd need something sweet this morning." It was nice to be taken care of - wish they were closer.

We got home the next Sunday night, and by Monday evening, Rose was burning up with the same fever she'd had before we left, despite the fact that I had stripped beds and sprayed couches. Too weird. This time it lasted three or four days. Then the cold/virus things began to hit. They're almost over them (I don't get colds). Anna got one and recovered after a couple of days, then Brian got it and is still fighting it almost a week later, Rose got a milder version. She had a nighttime cough for about a week and is now showing other symptoms, but they seem to be working their way out rather than worsening.

And I've been about the same as before. A few days that are somewhat normal, most days that are not so great, and a few days of debilitating fatigue and/or nausea and vomiting that make me want to die.

So the suitcases are finally unpacked and my living room is starting to resemble itself again, but the Christmas stuff (what little I got out this year) is still out, though I've finally managed to get the boxes down from the attic to put it away.

School is still starting very late in the day, but we're accomplishing more.

And ya know that girl's name that we liked. Well, it's just not growing on me. I really like Jane, but not the Laurie so much. Laurie was never really I name I'd considered before and I really don't care for the name Lori (no offense to anyone out there :^). So, my husband and I , being equally picky about names are just not having a meeting of minds yet with anything. So the hunt continues. I have several names I love (names being first and middle name combinations), but he's not in love with any of them.

Oh, and Ethan had a birthday. Eight years old. I'll get his birthday letter posted soon. He had a Clone Wars theme, but really more of a sleepover than a party. Three buddies slept over the night before his birthday and we spent his birthday afternoon with them at a children's hands-on museum. They thoroughly enjoyed it.

I think that about sums up this past month. If you made it this far, you must be a true friend or very bored. :^) , but thanks either way. I'll try to resume normal posting. Oh, and my CPU is shot again, it was dead when we got home from PA, so I have to use Brian's laptop. At least my favorites are internet-accessible. :^)

Happy New Year (a couple of weeks late)!

A True Definition of Irony

After informing my children that they are not eating lunch until their rooms are cleaned up, they are, of course, spending far more energy complaining of how hungry they are, then they are cleaning. The climax comes as one stands outside the bathroom door watching me lose everything that I have eaten for breakfast and continues complaining of how hungry she is instead of cleaning up. Was she really anticipating my sympathy??

It's a girl!

And we were pretty sure it was a boy.

After we caught our breath, we went into a flurry of name searching, since we'd been concentrating on boy names. Even the kids were writing name lists.

Ethan, Anna, and I love "Ruby", but apparently Kenny Rogers forever ruined that name for Brian (I may have to send him some hate mail - is he still alive?). It was so cute to watch the kids work on their lists - and see how they spelled the names. Rosie just said that she like Genevieve. I said, "Oh, we could call her Genny or Genna", "Vieve" she replied. No compromising with that one. :^)

But by the end of the evening an unexpected name had come out of nowhere and captured us - Laurie Jane. We have a few others from our combined name list that we both like, but this on is really burrowing in. Not 100% official yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's the keeper. What do you think?

Free God's World News student editions

Some of the God's World News student magazines are only released online. And those issues are available for everyone to read. Here is the December issues link. Last year we subscribed to Early Edition and this year we get Taking Off. The kids really enjoy them and I like their new format this year of fewer, but larger issues. They often come with great posters as an added bonus.

More Christmas for kids

1. Going carolling is easy with this ready to print Christmas carol book.
2. At Christian Preschool Printables you can print Christmas bingo pages made up of the nativity story pictures. And on the next page is a Road to Bethlehem file folder game and a nativity puzzle.
3. No kids activity list would be complete without The Toymaker. This year I'm planning to have the kids make the Dodechahedron of Little Snow Guys after reading (or rather looking at - it's perfectly wordless) The Snowman (this version is an easy reader just right for Anna Kate) and watching it on DVD. And I think that I have a resident artist or two that will enjoy learning to draw this Santa.
4. And Edhelper has a lot of Christmas worksheets, some are free, some are only available with a site subscription.

Christmas for Kids

1. Easy Christmas Star craft - we've been slowly working on these the past few days, allowing the glue to dry and doing the next step the next day. We are covering ours in glue and glitter and they're turning out very well - we're even going to flip them over and glitter the back so that we can hang them anywhere.
2. Lots of simple paper crafts at first-school - my girls thoroughly enjoyed cutting out the snowman and pasting him and their chosen hat and scarf to a bright piece of construction paper. I have my eye on the Christmas Bell Angel and the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus Craft for this upcoming week.
3. We're going to see The Nutcracker on Thursday, and I'd like to work on this printable stage production. At the very least, I'm planning to make these cute Nutcracker finger puppets. You could enjoy these while watching a video of the Nutcracker (this version is my favorite) or even just listening to highlights.
4. Isn't this Reindeer Six Pack the cutest thing ever? It would make a great gift for the soft drink-loving grandparent in your kid's life.
5. Ooo. We have plans to use our half gallon of peppermint ice cream to try to imitate Chick-Fil-A's heavenly peppermint chocolate chip milkshakes, but if that hadn't already been the plan, I'd be making this Peppermint Christmas Punch.
6. Build a virtual snowman at Holiday spot
7. Print Christmas-themed math worksheets at kidzone- and here is a Christmas word problem sheet - and some more colorful math sheets here
8. Print a Christmas Bible readings chart and let your older kids read the Christmas passages for themselves.
9. Fun set of language arts related North Pole worksheets from Kids Domain
10. Do your kids love the Grinch?
11. I've got so many more links to share, but must get some shut-eye. Here's a page full of lovely links for you to explore on your own. I'll try for installment 2 soon.

Tony Perkins Asks Barack Obama: When Does Life Begin?

Remember this?

Two U.S. Border Patrol Agents are serving decade long prison terms for attempting to apprehend a known drug smuggler for illegally crossing our border with more than 700lbs. of drugs!

Almost as outrageous is that the illegal alien drug smuggler, who was given free medical care, and immunityfor testifying against the agents is now suing the U.S. for $5 million--claiming his civil rights were violated!

I have just signed a petition calling for the Presidentto pardon these two Border Agents and I'm asking you tojoin with me by clicking here for the full story and the petition: http://www.grassfire.org/142/petition.asp

There is a push to have 450,ooo signatures on the petition by today, so please fulfill your responsibility as an American citizen and speak against this imjustice NOW.

Labor of Love

I posted this song a couple of years ago, but it's so touching that I thought it worth reposting.

This is a different kind of carol. A newly written carol that makes you rethink your preconceived ideas of what Christ's birth was like, and leaves you with a fresh glimpse of His overwhelming love for us.

It is from Andrew Peterson's Behold the Lamb.

Labor of Love
Listen here.

It was not a silent night
There was blood on the ground
You could hear a woman cry
In the alleyways that night
On the streets of David's town

And the stable was not clean
And the cobblestones were cold
And little Mary full of grace
With the tears upon her face
Had no mother's hand to hold

It was a labor of pain
It was a cold sky above
But for the girl on the ground in the dark
With every beat of her beautiful heart
It was a labor of love

Noble Joseph at her side
Callused hands and weary eyes
There were no midwives to be found
In the streets of David's town
In the middle of the night

So he held her and he prayed
Shafts of moonlight on his face
But the baby in her womb
He was the maker of the moon
He was the Author of the faith
That could make the mountains move

It was a labor of pain
It was a cold sky above
But for the girl on the ground in the dark
With every beat of her beautiful heart
It was a labor of love

For little Mary full of grace
With the tears upon her face
It was a labor of love

Words and music by Andrew Peterson

Christ-centered Christmas Decorations

The Maxwells posted this beautiful Christmas decoration idea. I liked exploring their connecting articles as well. I don't agree with the extremes of their views, I think Christmas trees have a huge amount of Chrisitan symbolism, but I did find it profitable to take the time to think about exploring more ways to make or have decorations that directly point our children and guests to the true meaning of Christmas.



Their Christmas cross is beautiful lit up at night and I think that it would be prettier during the day wrapped with ribbon and a single bow.


While we have gone ultra-lite on Christmas decor this year, we usually have a nativity in every room. We always work on memorizing Christmas carols and the nativity story from the Bible. we have lots of Christmas books and videos about the true story of Christmas. We try to observe advent, particularly on the years we stay home (we find that we lose the climax when staying out of town Christmas week).


And we also remember by Christmas lights, saying a prayer for our Chinese brothers and sisters when we see the lights on our tree, and donating $1 to Voice of the Martyrs for every string of Christmas lights we buy.


What are some ways that you focus, in decorations or traditions, on the true meaning of Christmas?

For Mothers in need of encouragement

These two articles will touch you and spur you on.

From Ann, at Holy Experience, A Mother's Work, once again she finds the sacred in the mundane

And from someone I've never read before, Sarah, at Three Little Monkeys, Growing Parents, an article to encourage moms of one, two, or three, that see all of these super-moms of seven in the blogosphere and wonder why they can't even accomplish that much...it's all a matter of experience - and older children :^)

Free Amazing Grace DVD

By registering as a Walden.com member, you can receive a free DVD of Amazing Grace as well as a Walden Media calendar! For a limited time only, of course.

Thanks for the heads up, Crystal!

Advent conspiracy

Don't watch this if you like your comfort zone too much.

Addictive little Christmas game

Your kids will enjoy it too.

"I", said the pig?

I finally bought the children a Little Pe*ples nativity. They were tired of trying to position the stuffed figures in our play nativity that kept falling over and kept trying to play with mine.

I've been eyeing it for years, but it was a tad expensive (I'm actually peeved the the Fish*r Price website has this listed for $33 and I paid $40 at Walmart and mine doesn't have the backdrop piece.) The children, however, were thrilled.

They sat beside me eagerly assisting as I removed the baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, wise men, camel, shepherd, angel, goat, donkey, cart, pig... PIG???!!!!

I shook my head in disbelief and amusement and couldn't stop snickering, A pig at a nativity scene. No cow like the one in the picture above, or listed on the box. But a pig. And it wasn't exactly a fluke because the box actually had a pig pictured, rather than the listed cow, too.

I called Fish*r Price to tell them of my kid's delight, and to suggest that they might want to consider returning to the idea of a cow at this Jewish manger scene. The lady on the phone became rather amused as well as it sunk in how very out of place a pig would be in a Jewish stable. After she asked if I would like to have the Hanukkah version...of what? a nativity???!!!

I didn't go there. I just communicated that while we loved our nativity toy and would find an animal in our collection to replace the pig, there may be some Jewish Christians that might buy this in the future and go, "what the heck???!!!" with a little less amusement. She agreed that they really ought to try to correct this.

So I guess this is what happens when you buy an American nativity toy made in China. You get a pig in the stable. At least it happened to me and not to Joseph. That really would have been the last straw.

Free milkshake

A little bird told me that if you sign up to become an Arby's Extra member they'll send a coupon to your inbox for a free medium mint chocolate swirl shake.

So what are you waiting for?

Christmas Wishes

Rosie wants Santa to bring her a cake with pink icing and a pink Barbie.

I think he can manage that. :^)

Anna Kate wants a pink wall clock that is like a small grandfather clock with a pendulum - HELP!!!

Thankful

What I'm most thankful for this year

This is baby at 12 weeks - we're at 17 weeks now and still waiting for the all-day sickness to go away, but still very thankful.

Best Cocoa Ever

At lunch today, we were out of kool-aid, I hadn't gotten the tea made, and I was hoarding the milk for my dessert and baking requirements. The kids suggested hot chocolate. And this was a perfect idea.

1 packet Swiss M*ss
Some of my hoarded milk to cool it
And a splash of chocolate mint truffle creamer that my Brian brought home the other day

Heaven.

Thanksgiving Kids Stuff

1. Printable Thanksgiving memory match cards and lots of other fun activity sheets from Crayola
2. Pilgrim hat handwriting paper from Notebook Learning
3. Handprint Thanksgiving Wreath at Amazing Moms - we made a simple one last year with fall-colored construction paper and a paper plate. A raffia bow added a nice touch, and Gran has it up with her other Thanksgiving decor again this year.
4. The Oklahomea Homeschool site has six Pilgrim/Thanksgiving worksheets that would make a nice little unit notebook. 1,2,3,4,5,6
5. Colorful activity sheet, Thanksgiving Day Bingo (there's an easier picture version at Crayola's link above), Handprint Turkey - and lots more at Family Fun Thanksgiving Printables
6. Learn to talk like a Pilgrim at Plimoth Plantation
7. Beautiful things, including a gorgeous Mayflower from the Toymaker

What are we doing this week? Well...

1. We're reading lots of Thanksgiving books
2. Using the Pilgrim section of Draw-Write-Now 3 for art and handwriting, and we'll put them all in a portfolio
3. We have an old Thanksgiving minipage on turkeys and John James Audubon. Our newspaper doesn't carry the minipage, but my mom mails them to us from her paper. They're so fun to do!
4. We're working on our Psalm - only three days left - gulp!
5. We'll be doing lots of fun worksheets from Learning Pages Thanksgiving collections
6. We watched a neat DVD on Willliam Bradford and have another Thanksgiving video from the library
7. We'll be printing Thanksgiving bingo and a matching game for Thanksgiving day
8. We're making crafts from ABEKA's art books, like Pilgrim puppets
9. We need to dust off "Come, Ye Thankful People, Come", but I keep forgetting :^)

Twilight Movie review update

I think that my initial review would make you assume that I hated the movie. As I try to explain better in my edited version, I'd actually like to see it again. It's just hard to review a 3 out of 5 stars movie when comparing it to a 6 out of 5 stars book and knowing what could have been.

Twilight review at Common Sense Media

They pretty much agree with me.

And the Associated Press review really nails what one of the main problems was:
"But much of what made the relationship between Edward and the smitten Bella Swan work in Meyer's breezy book has been stripped away on screen. The funny, lively banter -- the way in which Edward and Bella teased and toyed with one another about their respective immortality and humanity -- is pretty much completely gone, and all that's left is a slog of adolescent angst." —Christy Lemire

Twilight Movie Review

Yes, I was at the midnight showing with my angel of a husband. (He let me read all four books to him too, so he already knew the story.)

So here's my opinion:

1. my initial review seemed a bit harsher than I intended, so I've tried to do better in this expanded version
2. I'd give it 3 out of 5 stars - the book was 6 stars
3. don't take anyone who hasn't read the book - it would just be too weird and corny
4. Edward seriously overacted - sometimes it felt like watching a high school play with really good cinematography
5. Edward is way too miserable, he's, like, frozen in a permanent grimace - he's cool when he lightens up, but that's not nearly often enough - the lighter moments let you see that this actor, who doesn't fit my image of the book's Edward at all, actually could have pulled it off quite well if he would have relaxed a little and understood his character better
6. awesome baseball scene - with my favorite song, no less
7. the rescue scene in Port Angeles was also amazing
8. Jasper is like a freaky mannequin, and I really liked Jasper
9. Alice, Rosalie, Charlie, Emmett, Carlisle, Bella, and Esme are wonderful, so are Billy Black and Jacob
10. in fact, it makes you want to root for Jacob - and I've always pulled for Edward
11. the meadow scene is pathetic, they chopped it all up - and the sparkle effect is seriously lame
12. otherwise, the script adaptation of the book was pretty good, not much to complain about
13. the first biology class is so overacted it makes you laugh
14. it is, unfortunately, not very romantic - I think because the tension of the Meadow scene wasn't resolved as quickly as it was strung out
15. it was fun to see - I'm certainly not sorry that I went
16. truth be told, I'd really like to see it again. I couldn't help being analytical and comparing everything to the book, but I think I would enjoy it more the second time around
17. Brian says Blade was better - haha
    

The Twilight Saga

Okay, this book review is seriously overdue.

I love the Twilight books! Love them. I saw them mentioned on Dawn's blog, and ordered the first one from the library without really thinking about it. When I finally picked it up, I was intrigued with the back of the cover, so I started reading. Straight through. And was dying to read the next one. It didn't help that the first book had the second book's cliff hanger of a first chapter in it. I found the next two books at Target the next day and read them in quick succession, then waited...for about six weeks for the last book to come out. The last day that my parents were staying with us. It nearly killed me, and I got very little sleep, but I got that read pretty quickly too. They were so romantic. I had read very little fiction since my kids were born - I used to read it all of the time. I went on a serious fiction binge. Trying to find books half as gripping or romantic as Twilight with little success. So I read lots of books, in between getting all of my girlfriends hooked on Twilight and reading them over and over again.

So that's my story. My review?

These are not Christian fiction, but they are written by a Mormon mother. Abstinence is a big theme here. That said, they are rather steamy. Not in the explicit sense, but in a charged atmosphere sense. Teenage girls all over are addicted to these books, but I would not feel comfortable recommending them to teenagers. The first book, Twilight, is pretty tame, but each one gets more intense. The last one is on a different level, but still not in anyway explicit. So I recommend them to my married friends. So far, everyone has loved them to varying degrees.

I love romantic lines. Beautiful romantic words. And these books deliver. While not written with the quality of classic literature, to me, these books have the feel of a great, classic love story. To me, Bella and Edward belong in a list that includes Elizabeth and Darcy, Romeo and Juliet, Maria and Tony, Anne and Gilbert, Noah and Allie... I loved their story. I loved the characters. I want Emmet to be my big brother, and Alice to be my best friend.

And Edward is the perfect man. The one that's too good to be true. Ya gotta love him. Even if he is a vampire.

Which brings me to another point. These are not vampire books. Are most of the main characters vampires? Yes. But that is the background of the book, and these are not your usual freaky vampires (at least not the main characters, they're good vampires). These books are the love story of Bella and Edward, and the vampire thing is the obstacle to their love. It's all about love...

My Song

That's what Brian says. :^) Saw it last night on the CMA's - now I'm totally addicted. My kids are gonna be really sick of hearing this soon.




I'm the worst kind of romantic. Isn't this beautiful? I think we might be watching Becoming Jane tonight. Hope it's romantic too.

Our newest favorite youtube

If you're a Star Wars fan, you must click on this.

The new dirty word

Apparently Ethan has begun using the word democrat as a new word that can be used in the place of dolt or idiot.

Tonight's example : "Anna, I know what I'm doing. I'm not a democrat, I've played this game before."

Personal Experiences Meme

This one's from Jacki.
Play along - it's easy. Just highlight what you've done on this list.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band (I've sung in lots of choirs, though)
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain (probably ot the whole thing, though)
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea (from the beach)
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables (just tomatoes)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (I think it's attitude not quantity)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted (I've been drawn by my husband, though)
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business (just teaching piano - the IRS considers this a business)
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible (I might have , but sadly, never in order. Although I've read the entire New Testament multiple times, as well as many other Old Testament books multiple times - it's those major prophets!)
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

I was pleased that I've actually done three of these for the first time this year!

Fall on the farm

Leave it to my kids to need a song

They needed a song to help them memorize the poem. Fortunately for me, there already was one.

Sheeeeeee's back!

My sister Hannah has reappeared on the blogging scene.

So go give her a shout out. :^)

In Flander's Fields

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch, be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

~Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae

1. Print the poem here and the minibook version here
2. Wear poppies in remembrance - I love to find the ones made by veterans at the VA hospitals, but if they're not available use these

My southern girl

As a northern child, I found the idea of southern children confusing their vowel sounds kind of amusing. You know the "pin", "pan", and "pen" all sounding the same, when to me they were distinctly different.

My Anna girl is a girl of the South. She loves her greeits (grits). And today she was stumped by that adorable southern accent of hers (she's really the only one in our immediate family that has one, Daddy's wore off in college speech classes long ago). She was on the "st" in "stop" page in her phonics book, and got stuck on a word. She asked, "Mom, what is s-t-i-l-l ?" I replied teasingly, " 'still', as in are you still reading that page?" "Oh!", she returned, "I thought it was 'steal' like you steal something!" After many attempts she proudly nailed an "i" in Indian sound right in the middle of "still."

I know it's going to improve her reading, but I kind of hope that she doesn't lose that drawl.

Remember

thanks to Ann for finding this video for the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church

Autumn rainbows

Election Day 2008 brought a gift - beautiful rainbows all over the sky. First we saw this one in the field across from our home. It was so wide at times, almost like it was double-width.

Eventually, we had a double, but it only lasted a couple of minutes.

We left about ten minutes later and drove ten minutes away to Ethan's football practice and got to see this one and all the beautiful foliage around it.

Ethan forgot his cleats and as I drove home I saw another rainbow in a different direction towards the library.

*

Then as I neared home the most amazing one of all - a complete and absolutely HUGE arc across the sky in front of me and it seemed to be right there near the end of my street as I turned in, but I knew that it was too dusky (and I was in too much of a hurry) to get pics of that one. It was such an amazing experience and friends all over my area were talking about the rainbows on facebook that night. :^)

*

It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed,

because his compassions fail not.

They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

And our response?

The same as it always should be - PRAISE. God is good all the time; He is control; and the Church, despite persecution or roadblocks, is unstoppable.

So join me in our Third Annual Thanksgiving Psalm Memory Challenge.

So far we've memorized Psalm 100, 150, and 67. This year's Psalm will be Psalm 63.

A Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

1 O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.
2 So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and Your glory.

3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips shall praise You.
4 Thus I will bless You while I live;
I will lift up my hands in Your name.
5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness,
And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.

6 When I remember You on my bed,
I meditate on You in the night watches.
7 Because You have been my help,
Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.
8 My soul follows close behind You;
Your right hand upholds me.

9 But those who seek my life, to destroy it,
Shall go into the lower parts of the earth.
10 They shall fall by the sword;
They shall be a portion for jackals.

11 But the king shall rejoice in God;
Everyone who swears by Him shall glory;
But the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.

Now, it's your turn. Choose a Psalm to say with your family at each meal (or however you memorize) and leave your name in the comment box with a link to your Psalm on your blog.

In case you actually wonder how this happened

Children of the State by WORLD magazine



hat tip to Kendra

The election for kids

Update: Check out the links for election printables at LaPaz Home Learning

1. If possible, take your kids with you to vote. Try to avoid voting between 7-9 AM, noon-2 PM, and 5-7 PM.
2. Then head to Krispy Kreme for your free patriotic donut with your "I Voted" sticker - buy one for your kids too. :^)
3. Make a Future Voter button from Kaboose's election page.
4. Solve election word problems for math or print other election day worksheets from abc teach.
5. Need a mind-numbing game? Try the online election word search at the weekly reader election pages. Not really for younger kids - it took me four times to beat the timer!
6. There's lots of interesting stuff at Scholastic's election page.
7. And, of course - Time for Kids. The page of worksheets is a real gem. My fav on that page is the electoral college map. I alos like this candidate comparison sheet for young kids. Older kids can read this article, then fill out these worksheets.
8. Check you local PBS station for some of these new Election day episodes:

Electoral College

Their stance on LIFE - in their own words

Halloween night

She wanted the littlest pumpkin

Making "pumpkin stew"

Ethan made a dragon pumpkin

"trick or treat!"

Another side of the story