First Day of School

Yesterday was our first day of school. And it was wonderful...mostly because we started using the CM method. It was a very relaxing, stress-free, learning-filled day.

Once I explained the CM method to the children, they were very eager to get started on this new aspect of our homeschool journey.

I ordered some wonderful books for the new year. They haven't arrived yet, but I did take some photos of what we did on our first day....

                                     Of course, Bible is always our first subject.   :)

              Mimi likes her workbook, but she would rather use manipulatives. I agree with her.  :)

                                                   Aaron working on Math.

                                       Ian writing Scripture verses for penmanship.

                                            Asher decorating his Nature Journal.

                                                  They love the Time Line.

                                      Examining a grasshopper on the our nature hike.

                                                   And a Thorn-back Spider.

                                                        And a Harvestman.

                                         Cracking open a nut to see what's inside.

                                                     Examining some moss.

                                        Back home to journal in our Nature Journals.

                                   

Have a blessed day,











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Summer School

My children got a wonderful, in-depth education this summer.

No, they didn't memorize a 500-page textbook. But they did take some hands-on courses that taught them more than any textbook could teach them.

They took a course in theology........

..a course in agriculture....

..a course in entomology...

..a course in water ecology...

..a course in herpetology...

..a course in kinetic energy...

..a course in felinology...

.. and a course in music appreciation..

We had a wonderful, fun summer of hands-on learning! But we know that knowledge and wisdom ultimately come from the Lord.  We can read and memorize every text book ever printed, but godly wisdom and knowledge is what's most important.

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." - Proverbs 9:10

Have a blessed day,









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Tye Dye Tradition

As the end of summer approaches, we have a tradition at our house: we tye dye t-shirts. It's easy and inexpensive. I bought the t-shirts and tye dye kit at Wal Mart for under $25.00.

The children always look forward to it, and I do, too. I always encourage each of them to make up their own design. And it's always exciting to cut off the rubber bands to reveal the design they made.

Since I'm the one who puts the dye on the shirts, there aren't any photos of the process; only a photo of the finished products....

You can see the different design on each shirt...reflecting the different personality of each child. I love it!  :)

Have a blessed day,









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Whole Wheat Flaxseed Waffles

Waffles are a favorite breakfast food with my children, but I wanted to make them healthier than the typical white flour version.

So I substitute whole wheat flour for the white flour, and I also add whole flax seed  - for extra fiber and a good dose of Omega-3s. My children hardly noticed the difference. In fact, I now have to double the recipe to have enough to feed all of them.   :)

Here's the recipe.......

Whole Wheat Flaxseed Waffles

2 eggs

1 3/4 c. milk

1/2 c. butter, melted

1 3/4 c. whole wheat flour

1/4 c. white flour

4 t. baking powder

1 T. sugar

1/2 t. salt

1/4 c. whole flaxseed

Heat waffle iron. Beat eggs til fluffy. Beat in remaining ingredients

til smooth. Pour batter onto hot waffle iron. Bake til done.

Makes 9 or 10 waffles.

Enjoy!

"Give us this day our daily bread."  -  Matthew 6:11

Have a blessed day,

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Peace, Perfect Peace

I don't listen to or watch the news, but my hubby listens to talk radio throughout the day.  On Monday, he came home and told me about the stock market dropping. And yesterday, he came home and told me that it had dropped again. He also told me about all the trouble in London. And then there's the supposed impending food shortage.  I can easily go into what I call a "frantic panic"  after hearing about all the bad news.

Having peace in this world seems impossible. Only the Lord can give us peace during these dark days. He tells us in Philippians 4: 6 & 7 to "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

"Be anxious for nothing"???? That's a tall order....if you skip the next part of the verse: "in everything by prayer and supplication" and "let your requests be made known to God".  So prayer is the key to peace that "passes all understanding". I love that!  By having time in prayer, we can have peace that is beyond understanding!

The world can stand around and bite their nails and wring their hands about what's happening and what might happen in the future, but believers can have the peace that is cannot be comprehended!

I love the hymn "Perfect Peace" by Edward H. Bickersteth.  The 3rd verse goes like this....

"Peace, perfect peace, with sorrows surging 'round,
On Jesus' bosom naught, but calm is found."

And since our son-in-law is deployed to Afghanistan, the 4th verse is special to me...

"Peace, perfect peace, with loved ones far away,
In Jesus' keeping we are safe, and they."

So what does the future hold?  The words to verse 5 are...

"Peace, perfect peace, our future all unknown?
Jesus we know, and He is on the throne."

Yes, He is still on the throne...

...even if the stock market crashes...

...even if the other countries ( and our country!) are falling apart...

...even if there's a food shortage.

Though the world may be crumbling around us, we can have the perfect peace that passes understanding and that only He can give.

Isaiah 26 :3 "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You,
                       because he trusts in You."

Have a blessed day,










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Maker of the Home

Little maker of the home,

What do you really do?

When all is said and done,

What will be said of you?

You rise each day just like the sun,

You give your life away,

And tired, you run the course again.

You need to hear Him say,

"Well done, 

Oh, maker of the home,

Well done!

You labour not alone.

And though your eyes may never see,

This home you live to make, 

You make for Me.

Your life a shadow seems,

Compared to what others do.

But who would catch the tears

And point to Me,

If not for you?

And when they've grown,

Imprinted on their hearts will always be,

How good, how right, to give their lives,

And build a home for Me."

 - unknown

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