Our friends, Tony and Tracy, and waiting for their referral! They are adopting a baby girl from Ethiopia, and are hoping to see their little Olivia in another 7-8 months, and bring her home soon thereafter!
In the mean time, they are fund-raising to help cover the travel costs.
Please check out her blog for several opportunities to purchase something fun (artwork, African goodies, coffee), and help bring an orphan into a loving family.
Also, you if you re-post this information on your blog or Facebook, you might win one of Tracy's custom paintings! Read more about it here.
I know of several families fund-raising for adoptions right now, and even though we are not all called to adopt, we are called to care for orphans. What a fun way to help! Christmas shopping made easy!
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
To the Mountains We Go!
Last year, we had a "big kid" trip to Cherokee that ended abruptly when my mom fell ill. SO, almost exactly a year later, we planned a trip back to the mountains, but this time brought a few friends along for the fun. (Which made for an even better adventure!)
We did our traditional stop at our favorite German establishment in Black Mountain on the way up. You can see more pictures of the food from last year's trip (we always order the same thing).
Our friends, the Cullens, happen to be avid campers, and so we spent the weekend at Jelly Stone Campgrounds (with Yogi and Boo Boo) in Cherokee. Our other friends, the Brooms, have a new to them camper that they were more than willing to bring, while the Cullens and their neighbors opted to tent camp (they are hard core, haha). The Hauts on the other hand, rented a cabin, complete with a full bathroom. It was a rustic cabin, with a single room that held a bunk and queen bed, but I tell you, there is nothing quite like a private bathroom and soft mattress ;-)
We went on a kid friendly rafting trip on Saturday, when the skies opened up and rained every bit of our 3 hour adventure down river. But we all had SO MUCH FUN! Lauralyn was a bit scared, but held on to me during the bumpier parts of the ride. I would go again in a skinny minute, and would even venture to go down something a bit more advanced if given a chance (these were only class 1 and 2 rapids, and Noah questions if it was actually class 2... perfect for kids none the less). No photos of the rafting for obvious reasons... if we go again, I'll invest in a little disposable camera.
Saturday evening we dined on Low Country Boil. For those of you unfamiliar with this southern specialty, it is basic, but one of our favorite meals. All you need is a large pot, full of boiling water, Old Bay seasoning, red skin potatoes, corn on the cob, smoked sausage (sliced), and shrimp. You have to time it just right, start with potatoes, 15 minutes later add the corn, then sausage, and at the very end pop in the shrimp which only take about 3 minutes to cook.
You don't need plates or forks, just newspaper and your fingers. Oh, my, the yumminess.
I admit, I was lazy after the rafting journey, opting to lay in bed and read. Something I NEVER get to do. It was heavenly.
And I also admit, I didn't miss my computer. Not at all. Makes me feel the need to unplug from my computer addiction a bit more frequently. I'm sure Noah would agree.
I also admit I had a wonderful time, and I am even considering tent camping the next time around. Noah and I talked about possibly being able to take the whole family next year, when Daniel is 3 and doesn't require a nap. Although, I am a bit of a fair weather person... not too interested in tent camping in the rain (not that I would have a choice once we are there).
I think my favorite part about camping is fellowship with friends. Making fun memories with our children. Getting away from the daily grind. Seeing the beauty of God's creation. Campfires and s'mores. I hope the Cullens and Brooms invite us along on some more camping adventures (hint hint). :-)
This last photo was taken through a dirty window... it is a gigantic elk, who was grazing in the same spot two days in a row, right by the road. Pretty humorous given we were camping with two avid hunters who would love nothing more than to have his head hanging in their living room and the rest of him on their dinner plate. HA!
We did our traditional stop at our favorite German establishment in Black Mountain on the way up. You can see more pictures of the food from last year's trip (we always order the same thing).
Our friends, the Cullens, happen to be avid campers, and so we spent the weekend at Jelly Stone Campgrounds (with Yogi and Boo Boo) in Cherokee. Our other friends, the Brooms, have a new to them camper that they were more than willing to bring, while the Cullens and their neighbors opted to tent camp (they are hard core, haha). The Hauts on the other hand, rented a cabin, complete with a full bathroom. It was a rustic cabin, with a single room that held a bunk and queen bed, but I tell you, there is nothing quite like a private bathroom and soft mattress ;-)
We went on a kid friendly rafting trip on Saturday, when the skies opened up and rained every bit of our 3 hour adventure down river. But we all had SO MUCH FUN! Lauralyn was a bit scared, but held on to me during the bumpier parts of the ride. I would go again in a skinny minute, and would even venture to go down something a bit more advanced if given a chance (these were only class 1 and 2 rapids, and Noah questions if it was actually class 2... perfect for kids none the less). No photos of the rafting for obvious reasons... if we go again, I'll invest in a little disposable camera.
Saturday evening we dined on Low Country Boil. For those of you unfamiliar with this southern specialty, it is basic, but one of our favorite meals. All you need is a large pot, full of boiling water, Old Bay seasoning, red skin potatoes, corn on the cob, smoked sausage (sliced), and shrimp. You have to time it just right, start with potatoes, 15 minutes later add the corn, then sausage, and at the very end pop in the shrimp which only take about 3 minutes to cook.
You don't need plates or forks, just newspaper and your fingers. Oh, my, the yumminess.
I admit, I was lazy after the rafting journey, opting to lay in bed and read. Something I NEVER get to do. It was heavenly.
And I also admit, I didn't miss my computer. Not at all. Makes me feel the need to unplug from my computer addiction a bit more frequently. I'm sure Noah would agree.
I also admit I had a wonderful time, and I am even considering tent camping the next time around. Noah and I talked about possibly being able to take the whole family next year, when Daniel is 3 and doesn't require a nap. Although, I am a bit of a fair weather person... not too interested in tent camping in the rain (not that I would have a choice once we are there).
I think my favorite part about camping is fellowship with friends. Making fun memories with our children. Getting away from the daily grind. Seeing the beauty of God's creation. Campfires and s'mores. I hope the Cullens and Brooms invite us along on some more camping adventures (hint hint). :-)
This last photo was taken through a dirty window... it is a gigantic elk, who was grazing in the same spot two days in a row, right by the road. Pretty humorous given we were camping with two avid hunters who would love nothing more than to have his head hanging in their living room and the rest of him on their dinner plate. HA!
Friday, August 20, 2010
A Response
There is a blog I couldn't help but comment on tonight... and since I spent so much time writing my lengthy comment, I figured it was worth using as a blog post :-)
HERE is the original post I commented on. Note this is not a blog I necessarily "follow" but I do check in on occasion because the writer has a passion for orphans and Jesus. I admit I don't agree with her 100% of the time, but she has a way of getting me to think about what Scripture says and dig to find the truth.
And now that I think of it... I don't know too many people (at least people I am close to) who judge a person's love for Christ based on tatoos, liquor drinking, bar patroning (hello! Noah loves to brew his own beer), etc. etc. However when people, and when I say people I mean Christians, come to church in grubby clothes, sporting facial piercings and smell of cigarettes... they shouldn't be offended if they get a few odd looks. When you choose to stand out from the typical church goer, it's only natural for people to be suspicious. Stereotypes do exist. It simply a part of life, whether it's wrong or right. And let's face it, facial piercing freak out those more "mature" in years ;-)
-------------
This is just my 2 cents, I know it's not worth much ;-) It's lengthy. Sorry.
Ten years ago this post would have really hit home for me. I was jaded and angry at those "judgmental" Christians who cared more about outward appearances than the actual person. But, I was living in a sinful lifestyle, and I liked pointing my finger at the "holier than thou" Christians. They may have been in the wrong, but so was I.
I have no doubt we will be a bit surprised when we get to heaven and see who is there and who is not. It is not people who make that final decision, as only God knows the heart of each man.
Now, I do believe if one is a follower of Christ, and is prone to a habitual sin, he or she will be convicted of that sin because the Spirit dwells in them. We continue to sin all the time, but just as Paul said in Romans, we do the things we don't want to do and we don't do the things we want to do (paraphrased). We will battle sin until we are made complete, when death and sin are no more.
When Christ is in us, we don't want to sin! (That is not to say sin doesn't feel good at the time of temptation, I know too well that sin often feels good.)
When a person claims to follow Christ, but lives in habitual sin without repentance... I think it's biblical to question the condition of their heart. Not to stop loving the person, but we are not to just ignore or tolerate sin. If they are my friend, in love, I will call them on that habitual sin (after examining my own heart), and pray that the Spirit will be at work in them, just as I pray the Spirit would convict me of my own sin.
There is a place for righteous judgment. So, all judgment certainly doesn't qualify as a sin. (Yes, I do realize there is a lot of scripture speaking against unrighteous judgment.)
"Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment" (John 7:24)
In Leviticus 19 we are commanded, "In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor." A few verses later we are also commanded to "love your neighbor as yourself." To me this means righteous judgment is actually commanded of us. We can't turn a blind eye to blatant sin, but the key is, what is righteous judgment? It seems to me righteous judgment must include LOVE.
The Bible is clear on certain sins. Homosexuality is a sin, as is alcoholism, abortion, adultery, taking the Lord's name in vain, etc. Does that mean there will be no homosexuals in heaven? Umm, my guess is there will be (former) sinners of every kind in heaven. Including yours truly. My sin is just as filthy and horrendous to God as the murderer on death row, but the blood of Christ has covered all my sin.
I believe some people are born with a homosexual predisposition (after doing minor reading about how are brains are formed in the womb). Some people have the genetics that make them prone to alcohol addictions. Men have high amounts of testosterone that makes them tend to lust or fall to pornography. Personally, I am bent toward gluttony (and now that I think of it, a harsh tongue). That is NO excuse however, we are all prone to certain sins, and can't throw up our hands and say, "I can continue to live in a sinful lifestyle because this is who I am." We can't cherry pick what we like out of the bible, but ignore the verses that ruffle our feathers.
If I have a child who is gay, I will be so sad. Just as I would be sad if they became obsessed with money, etc. I will NEVER stop loving him or her, but will grieve that they have a sin in their life and pray that they will have to turn to God to overcome that battle. I will not, however, tell them it's okay to give into that sin. I believe we can love and not condone at the same time.
It's all a challenge! It boils down to God, and God alone will be the one who separates the wheat from the chaff. And we can pray He helps us live in such a way to bring Him the most glory.
Praise be to Him who covered our sin! It makes the cross that much more amazing to think about.
HERE is the original post I commented on. Note this is not a blog I necessarily "follow" but I do check in on occasion because the writer has a passion for orphans and Jesus. I admit I don't agree with her 100% of the time, but she has a way of getting me to think about what Scripture says and dig to find the truth.
And now that I think of it... I don't know too many people (at least people I am close to) who judge a person's love for Christ based on tatoos, liquor drinking, bar patroning (hello! Noah loves to brew his own beer), etc. etc. However when people, and when I say people I mean Christians, come to church in grubby clothes, sporting facial piercings and smell of cigarettes... they shouldn't be offended if they get a few odd looks. When you choose to stand out from the typical church goer, it's only natural for people to be suspicious. Stereotypes do exist. It simply a part of life, whether it's wrong or right. And let's face it, facial piercing freak out those more "mature" in years ;-)
-------------
This is just my 2 cents, I know it's not worth much ;-) It's lengthy. Sorry.
Ten years ago this post would have really hit home for me. I was jaded and angry at those "judgmental" Christians who cared more about outward appearances than the actual person. But, I was living in a sinful lifestyle, and I liked pointing my finger at the "holier than thou" Christians. They may have been in the wrong, but so was I.
I have no doubt we will be a bit surprised when we get to heaven and see who is there and who is not. It is not people who make that final decision, as only God knows the heart of each man.
Now, I do believe if one is a follower of Christ, and is prone to a habitual sin, he or she will be convicted of that sin because the Spirit dwells in them. We continue to sin all the time, but just as Paul said in Romans, we do the things we don't want to do and we don't do the things we want to do (paraphrased). We will battle sin until we are made complete, when death and sin are no more.
When Christ is in us, we don't want to sin! (That is not to say sin doesn't feel good at the time of temptation, I know too well that sin often feels good.)
When a person claims to follow Christ, but lives in habitual sin without repentance... I think it's biblical to question the condition of their heart. Not to stop loving the person, but we are not to just ignore or tolerate sin. If they are my friend, in love, I will call them on that habitual sin (after examining my own heart), and pray that the Spirit will be at work in them, just as I pray the Spirit would convict me of my own sin.
There is a place for righteous judgment. So, all judgment certainly doesn't qualify as a sin. (Yes, I do realize there is a lot of scripture speaking against unrighteous judgment.)
"Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment" (John 7:24)
In Leviticus 19 we are commanded, "In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor." A few verses later we are also commanded to "love your neighbor as yourself." To me this means righteous judgment is actually commanded of us. We can't turn a blind eye to blatant sin, but the key is, what is righteous judgment? It seems to me righteous judgment must include LOVE.
The Bible is clear on certain sins. Homosexuality is a sin, as is alcoholism, abortion, adultery, taking the Lord's name in vain, etc. Does that mean there will be no homosexuals in heaven? Umm, my guess is there will be (former) sinners of every kind in heaven. Including yours truly. My sin is just as filthy and horrendous to God as the murderer on death row, but the blood of Christ has covered all my sin.
I believe some people are born with a homosexual predisposition (after doing minor reading about how are brains are formed in the womb). Some people have the genetics that make them prone to alcohol addictions. Men have high amounts of testosterone that makes them tend to lust or fall to pornography. Personally, I am bent toward gluttony (and now that I think of it, a harsh tongue). That is NO excuse however, we are all prone to certain sins, and can't throw up our hands and say, "I can continue to live in a sinful lifestyle because this is who I am." We can't cherry pick what we like out of the bible, but ignore the verses that ruffle our feathers.
If I have a child who is gay, I will be so sad. Just as I would be sad if they became obsessed with money, etc. I will NEVER stop loving him or her, but will grieve that they have a sin in their life and pray that they will have to turn to God to overcome that battle. I will not, however, tell them it's okay to give into that sin. I believe we can love and not condone at the same time.
It's all a challenge! It boils down to God, and God alone will be the one who separates the wheat from the chaff. And we can pray He helps us live in such a way to bring Him the most glory.
Praise be to Him who covered our sin! It makes the cross that much more amazing to think about.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Friendship
I have determined, that friendship is one of God's great gifts to us, to keep us strong on our short journey on earth.
If I really think about the ways God brought our closest friends to us, I want to shout, "You are so GOOD, Lord!"
"Coincidence, luck, and chance," are words that don't even come to mind. Instead, I prefer, "Planned, predestined, chosen." (Yes, I know these are often seen as theological buzz words, but I think they a very appropriate in terms of how God brought my friends into my life.)
God moved us to a street in an area we had no real desire to live in. We wanted to be in the country with land. Instead we got a half acre lot, by a golf course. And some of our dearest friendships as a result.
We went to a church, just for a try, a month after Noah and I got married. We went to the "visitors dinner" the week after and were immediately welcomed and befriended by a couple who we have been friends with for almost nine years!
They moved two doors up from us 5 years ago. Together, we have been through think and thin, heartache and joy. Last night, as I held their tiny newborn son, I was in awe of the intricate weaving God does in our lives. The miracles HE orchestrates.
The same church we started attending almost 9 years ago became our family. The love showered on us and the friendships formed are those that last a lifetime (and Lord willing, beyond a lifetime). Some friends have moved away or attend different churches now... and yet, our love for one another remains. Friendships that aren't dependent on constantly seeing one another.
We will soon be going on a fun adventure with some of our "church friends" (them and them)... friendships that have become a part of daily lives, that bless us continually with encouragement and love.
And then 3 year ago God used our friends who live two doors up to stir our hearts about fostering children and adoption. We had to take a 10 week course to receive our foster care license, and low and behold, we met soul mates in that class. Unlikely coincidence? Luck? Hardly.
Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of friendship.
*All photos taken last week on our "pool date" with the Beavers.
If I really think about the ways God brought our closest friends to us, I want to shout, "You are so GOOD, Lord!"
"Coincidence, luck, and chance," are words that don't even come to mind. Instead, I prefer, "Planned, predestined, chosen." (Yes, I know these are often seen as theological buzz words, but I think they a very appropriate in terms of how God brought my friends into my life.)
God moved us to a street in an area we had no real desire to live in. We wanted to be in the country with land. Instead we got a half acre lot, by a golf course. And some of our dearest friendships as a result.
We went to a church, just for a try, a month after Noah and I got married. We went to the "visitors dinner" the week after and were immediately welcomed and befriended by a couple who we have been friends with for almost nine years!
They moved two doors up from us 5 years ago. Together, we have been through think and thin, heartache and joy. Last night, as I held their tiny newborn son, I was in awe of the intricate weaving God does in our lives. The miracles HE orchestrates.
The same church we started attending almost 9 years ago became our family. The love showered on us and the friendships formed are those that last a lifetime (and Lord willing, beyond a lifetime). Some friends have moved away or attend different churches now... and yet, our love for one another remains. Friendships that aren't dependent on constantly seeing one another.
We will soon be going on a fun adventure with some of our "church friends" (them and them)... friendships that have become a part of daily lives, that bless us continually with encouragement and love.
And then 3 year ago God used our friends who live two doors up to stir our hearts about fostering children and adoption. We had to take a 10 week course to receive our foster care license, and low and behold, we met soul mates in that class. Unlikely coincidence? Luck? Hardly.
Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of friendship.
*All photos taken last week on our "pool date" with the Beavers.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Giveaway Link
Missy at It's Almost Naptime has a great giveaway for a very cool piece of jewelry! Check it out!
Monday, August 16, 2010
Monday Musings
At the pool, a working mom of two (well behaved) girls told me, "I don't know how you do it... I took the day off and by lunch I was ready to go back to work because it's easier."
I did my usual response of, "Some days I wonder myself... there are good days and bad days, but it's worth it."
If I am really honest, the days lately have not been peaches and cream. I find myself on the brink of tears in frustration. I get so weary feeling like a mean mom, constantly hollaring, continuously reminding people to pick up their clothes, toys, trash, dishes, etc... "Push in your drawers, stop whining, don't pee in your pants! Turn off the TV, eat your food, get off the kitchen counter, who made this mess? STOP YELLING AT EACH OTHER!"
Get the picture?
Today we had a particularly hard morning. It started with my favorite necklace being destroyed by the two youngest, while the two eldest watched, and then decided to tattle AFTER the destruction was done. It never crossed their minds to stop the destructive act, but instead took joy in the impending doom their siblings were destined for.
Mommy meltdown. ("You don't respect me or my belongings, you treat my treasures like trash." Phone call to Noah, just to inform him his kids were being jerks.) Meltdown over.
The day continued in that fashion, and by lunch time I was in tears, crying out to Jesus to sustain me. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE MY KIDS. And yes, I want more. It does not change the fact that I am outnumbered, and at times, all I can do is cry out to God for help.
I don't want to yell at my kids. I don't like mommy meltdowns. I was brought to my knees because I can't do this on my own. Crying out to Jesus for help is the only thing that will redeem me as a parent (and person), and this morning, I was reminded that I do not rely strongly enough on HIM.
As tears rolled down my cheeks, God sent a messenger in the form of my eldest daughter. Lauralyn came to me, wrapped her arms around my neck, and told me how much she loved me. She let me cry, and her affection was entirely what I needed at that moment. Assurance that despite my mistakes, I am loved.
With my heart feeling comforted, we managed to eat lunch and go to the pool for a couple of hours for some much needed "fun."
Sanity restored.
And then the came the comment from the mother of 2... I laugh just thinking, "If only she knew."
I do know "how I do it." Quite simply, it's the grace of God, and nothing more, because on my own two feet I stumble. On my own two feet, I would have 2 (well-behaved) children, and spend my days away enjoying my career. On my own two feet, I cry tears of frustration after a hard morning... and realize it's time to climb up on my Father's feet and let him take the lead.
I did my usual response of, "Some days I wonder myself... there are good days and bad days, but it's worth it."
If I am really honest, the days lately have not been peaches and cream. I find myself on the brink of tears in frustration. I get so weary feeling like a mean mom, constantly hollaring, continuously reminding people to pick up their clothes, toys, trash, dishes, etc... "Push in your drawers, stop whining, don't pee in your pants! Turn off the TV, eat your food, get off the kitchen counter, who made this mess? STOP YELLING AT EACH OTHER!"
Get the picture?
Today we had a particularly hard morning. It started with my favorite necklace being destroyed by the two youngest, while the two eldest watched, and then decided to tattle AFTER the destruction was done. It never crossed their minds to stop the destructive act, but instead took joy in the impending doom their siblings were destined for.
Mommy meltdown. ("You don't respect me or my belongings, you treat my treasures like trash." Phone call to Noah, just to inform him his kids were being jerks.) Meltdown over.
The day continued in that fashion, and by lunch time I was in tears, crying out to Jesus to sustain me. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE MY KIDS. And yes, I want more. It does not change the fact that I am outnumbered, and at times, all I can do is cry out to God for help.
I don't want to yell at my kids. I don't like mommy meltdowns. I was brought to my knees because I can't do this on my own. Crying out to Jesus for help is the only thing that will redeem me as a parent (and person), and this morning, I was reminded that I do not rely strongly enough on HIM.
As tears rolled down my cheeks, God sent a messenger in the form of my eldest daughter. Lauralyn came to me, wrapped her arms around my neck, and told me how much she loved me. She let me cry, and her affection was entirely what I needed at that moment. Assurance that despite my mistakes, I am loved.
With my heart feeling comforted, we managed to eat lunch and go to the pool for a couple of hours for some much needed "fun."
Sanity restored.
And then the came the comment from the mother of 2... I laugh just thinking, "If only she knew."
I do know "how I do it." Quite simply, it's the grace of God, and nothing more, because on my own two feet I stumble. On my own two feet, I would have 2 (well-behaved) children, and spend my days away enjoying my career. On my own two feet, I cry tears of frustration after a hard morning... and realize it's time to climb up on my Father's feet and let him take the lead.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Truckin' Along
Today, we are 1/8 of the way through our school year! Tomorrow, we will celebrate by taking the day off of school (except for art class), and play with the Beavers at their friends' pool. Our school year is really going pretty well, and juggling the education of two kids is not all that difficult. The challenge comes with finding quiet time to do the work, as having two loud pre-schoolers does not lend itself to ease of concentration. Of course, there is Isaac, who can't concentrate when it's too loud, OR too quiet. Put him in a room by himself and he is distracted by his own thoughts :-)
My new organizational method... I love it!
Can you believe I got just a few weeks into Sonlight and decided it was not for me... at least not at this stage of educating. You see, my kids just won't sit still listening to me read for a huge length of time, and some of the subject matter was just a bit much for a 7 and 5 year old. So, I'm selling my Sonlight Core K, and will continue to use their list of read-alouds as they really seem like a great assortment of literature. When my kids are more able to read on their own, we may very well return to Sonlight.
This is what we I am currently reading to them:
Lauralyn is a dream to teach, and soaks everything up like a sponge. For reading, she is making her way through Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, and I throw in some of my favorite beginner readers for good measure, as it tickles her to be able to read "real books."
Here is what lesson she is up to (seriously cheesy stories, but effective enough I suppose):
Isaac is doing well, too. His reading is slowly improving, and I am simply making him practice for about 15 minutes daily, reading out loud from The Big Blue Book of Beginner Books. He reads a page, then I'll read it after him showing him how to add inflections. The stories are cute, and they are truly well written for a solid foundation of poetry and creative thinking.
For writing/grammar/handwriting/spelling we are doing alternating two activities. I am LOVING Writing with Ease by Susan Wise Bauer (Workbook: Level 1).
We actually do two lessons out of this book at a time, which includes copy work and listening to me read a passage from a selected piece of literature, and then having them answer questions orally about the passage. I encourage them to always answer in complete sentences, and each day there is some small grammar lesson within the copy work (i.e. a name is called a proper noun and is always capitalized, etc.). This book is great for both kids and gives two different sentences for copy work, a more advanced sentence for Isaac and a simple sentence for Lauralyn.
(Above is an example -- the first sentence I write so they know what to copy. The second is their work. Lauralyn needed work on her "r" which explains the row of r's at the bottom... the added hearts are just a bonus ;-)
Our alternate activity is using our Picture Story Pads from the one and only Dollar Tree. I give a topic, such as "your favorite animal" and they have to draw a picture and write 3 sentences about the given topic. My goal for later this year is for Isaac to write and illustrate a few books. Lauralyn will also start Draw Write Now later on in the school year.
There is nothing much to talk about on the math front. They are working through their respective Horizons math books and cruising right along. Isaac is going to start learning multiplication this year, and Lauralyn is being introduced to addition and subtraction. Along with all the basic skip counting, time telling, money configuring, and reading of calendars.
We will be doing lots of checking out books from the library for science and history, in addition to many books in our home library. I like Usborne's Finding Out About Everyday Things (although the drawback would be it's written for folks who use the metric system).
And for good measure I throw in a little Geography and Etiquette:
And for my Kristin, there are some work books she likes to work through, but my favorite things are homemade projects and a wonderful puzzle toy called Imaginets. I bought it from Timberdoodle for about $20 and it is worth every penny. Kristin can surprisingly do many of the puzzles on her own, and the big kids enjoy playing with it too.
A sample of a homemade project:
And the Imaginets with my cutie patootie at work:
Another sample of her work:
Off to a good start! Hopefully, we can keep this momentum going!
My new organizational method... I love it!
Can you believe I got just a few weeks into Sonlight and decided it was not for me... at least not at this stage of educating. You see, my kids just won't sit still listening to me read for a huge length of time, and some of the subject matter was just a bit much for a 7 and 5 year old. So, I'm selling my Sonlight Core K, and will continue to use their list of read-alouds as they really seem like a great assortment of literature. When my kids are more able to read on their own, we may very well return to Sonlight.
This is what we I am currently reading to them:
Lauralyn is a dream to teach, and soaks everything up like a sponge. For reading, she is making her way through Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, and I throw in some of my favorite beginner readers for good measure, as it tickles her to be able to read "real books."
Here is what lesson she is up to (seriously cheesy stories, but effective enough I suppose):
Isaac is doing well, too. His reading is slowly improving, and I am simply making him practice for about 15 minutes daily, reading out loud from The Big Blue Book of Beginner Books. He reads a page, then I'll read it after him showing him how to add inflections. The stories are cute, and they are truly well written for a solid foundation of poetry and creative thinking.
For writing/grammar/handwriting/spelling we are doing alternating two activities. I am LOVING Writing with Ease by Susan Wise Bauer (Workbook: Level 1).
We actually do two lessons out of this book at a time, which includes copy work and listening to me read a passage from a selected piece of literature, and then having them answer questions orally about the passage. I encourage them to always answer in complete sentences, and each day there is some small grammar lesson within the copy work (i.e. a name is called a proper noun and is always capitalized, etc.). This book is great for both kids and gives two different sentences for copy work, a more advanced sentence for Isaac and a simple sentence for Lauralyn.
(Above is an example -- the first sentence I write so they know what to copy. The second is their work. Lauralyn needed work on her "r" which explains the row of r's at the bottom... the added hearts are just a bonus ;-)
Our alternate activity is using our Picture Story Pads from the one and only Dollar Tree. I give a topic, such as "your favorite animal" and they have to draw a picture and write 3 sentences about the given topic. My goal for later this year is for Isaac to write and illustrate a few books. Lauralyn will also start Draw Write Now later on in the school year.
There is nothing much to talk about on the math front. They are working through their respective Horizons math books and cruising right along. Isaac is going to start learning multiplication this year, and Lauralyn is being introduced to addition and subtraction. Along with all the basic skip counting, time telling, money configuring, and reading of calendars.
We will be doing lots of checking out books from the library for science and history, in addition to many books in our home library. I like Usborne's Finding Out About Everyday Things (although the drawback would be it's written for folks who use the metric system).
And for good measure I throw in a little Geography and Etiquette:
And for my Kristin, there are some work books she likes to work through, but my favorite things are homemade projects and a wonderful puzzle toy called Imaginets. I bought it from Timberdoodle for about $20 and it is worth every penny. Kristin can surprisingly do many of the puzzles on her own, and the big kids enjoy playing with it too.
A sample of a homemade project:
And the Imaginets with my cutie patootie at work:
Another sample of her work:
Off to a good start! Hopefully, we can keep this momentum going!
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
It's Never a Good Thing...
...when your 2 year old can open the refrigerator on his own strength.
Why?
Because, when I take a shower, I never know what he will have gotten into.
Today I opened my bathroom door to see this standing, waiting for me:
A quarter of a honey dew.
It's a good thing it wasn't the most flavorful honey dew, otherwise, I wouldn't have found it so funny.
What a nut.
Last week, he flooded the hall bathroom while I was in the shower... but that resulted in Noah fixing a long overdue pipe issue. So, I guess I can't be too mad about that either.
Maybe I should start showering during his nap time.
Why?
Because, when I take a shower, I never know what he will have gotten into.
Today I opened my bathroom door to see this standing, waiting for me:
A quarter of a honey dew.
It's a good thing it wasn't the most flavorful honey dew, otherwise, I wouldn't have found it so funny.
What a nut.
Last week, he flooded the hall bathroom while I was in the shower... but that resulted in Noah fixing a long overdue pipe issue. So, I guess I can't be too mad about that either.
Maybe I should start showering during his nap time.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Lazy 5 Ranch
On Noah's birthday, we convinced him to take a vacation day and go to the Lazy 5 Ranch with us and a bunch of our homeschool friends. I prefer the Lazy 5 over the zoo, simply because you get up close to the animals, and don't have to walk all over creation to have a good time.
I wasn't sure about how Kristin or Daniel would react to these large animals in close proximity, but they had a great time. Daniel was pretty upset that he couldn't "ride horsey," which he said over and over again, and didn't want to hear "no" as the answer to his request. On the way home, we were able to give into his request and found a horse for him to ride... as you will see below.
My favorites are the camels with the giraffes taking a close second. God sure did do an incredible job creating these beautiful creatures. Enjoy!
I wasn't sure about how Kristin or Daniel would react to these large animals in close proximity, but they had a great time. Daniel was pretty upset that he couldn't "ride horsey," which he said over and over again, and didn't want to hear "no" as the answer to his request. On the way home, we were able to give into his request and found a horse for him to ride... as you will see below.
My favorites are the camels with the giraffes taking a close second. God sure did do an incredible job creating these beautiful creatures. Enjoy!
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