How do you respond when a band says, "I Just Want to Sing About Jesus"?
Sounds good at the outset, right?
4.27.2008
4.25.2008
Stuff Christians Like
If you haven't read anything on this site yet, give it a try, because it's healthy for us to laugh at ourselves.
Most posts are like these:
#176. Giving Open Flames to Kids on Christmas Eve
#151. Francine Rivers, the Thoenes and other books with windswept people on the cover.
(shudder)
And then every once in a while there's one like this:
#172. Letting Porn Win
Most posts are like these:
#176. Giving Open Flames to Kids on Christmas Eve
#151. Francine Rivers, the Thoenes and other books with windswept people on the cover.
(shudder)
And then every once in a while there's one like this:
#172. Letting Porn Win
4.24.2008
Recent TJ's Finds
Recent Trader Joe's finds...
- Trader Ming's Soyaki sauce. I used this on a stir-fry last week. It was tasty and lacked that extreme saltiness that I dislike in soy sauce. No artificial preservatives, HFCS, etc. In the aisle with the spaghetti sauces and tapenades.
- Unsweetened baking chocolate. This was a little hard to find at first, because it doesn't live with its baking friends, the flour and the chocolate chips. It's over the frozen fruit, near the massive candy bars. And it's NINETY NINE CENTS per 8 oz. package. That's a great deal!
- White whole wheat flour. Where have you been all my life?! It's the same nutritionally as regular (red) whole wheat flour, but made from a softer kind of wheat, so it rises a bit more eagerly and acts more like all-purpose flour.
- I almost forgot! My new favorite coffee is TJ's Organic Fair Trade Breakfast Blend. YUM. SO good...one of those cases (I'm finding more and more frequently!) where organic really tastes SO MUCH BETTER. Apparently everyone on this side of Charlotte likes it too, though, because it's frequently cleaned out when I'm there.
4.23.2008
Superlatives
The boys often end conversations with superlatives referring to God or Jesus.
Typical example:
Boy #1: Wow, that truck is very powerful!
Boy #2: But God is more powerful than anything.
This morning I heard a new one...
Scene: Andrew and Jonathan setting the table for breakfast. (Before you start being impressed, please understand that this means Andrew puts the silverware down, and Jonathan follows him around the table, picking up each piece, putting fingerprints all over it, and then setting it down. Because breakfast isn't breakfast without little boy fingerprints on your flatware.)
This morning Andrew decided that everyone needed to have knives (BUTTER knives, everyone! CALM DOWN!). There is a special knife in our collection, given to us by my grandmother for one of the boys' births. It has a little flowery decorative pattern on it, and the kids call it "the plant" silverware. The plant knife. The plant fork. You get the idea. It is an honor to use the plant knife, especially.
Andrew was handing out the silverware, and gave himself the plant stuff (we have some ways to go on the whole "consider others better than yourself" thing). This is the conversation that transpired...
Andrew: I have the plant knife and you have a grownup knife!
(he's a good little salesman, isn't he?!)
Jonathan: Oh, I have this one? (picking it up)
Andrew: Yes, it's very big.
Jonathan (obviously impressed): Ooooohhhh.
Andrew: But JESUS has bigger knives than ANYONE.
Typical example:
Boy #1: Wow, that truck is very powerful!
Boy #2: But God is more powerful than anything.
This morning I heard a new one...
Scene: Andrew and Jonathan setting the table for breakfast. (Before you start being impressed, please understand that this means Andrew puts the silverware down, and Jonathan follows him around the table, picking up each piece, putting fingerprints all over it, and then setting it down. Because breakfast isn't breakfast without little boy fingerprints on your flatware.)
This morning Andrew decided that everyone needed to have knives (BUTTER knives, everyone! CALM DOWN!). There is a special knife in our collection, given to us by my grandmother for one of the boys' births. It has a little flowery decorative pattern on it, and the kids call it "the plant" silverware. The plant knife. The plant fork. You get the idea. It is an honor to use the plant knife, especially.
Andrew was handing out the silverware, and gave himself the plant stuff (we have some ways to go on the whole "consider others better than yourself" thing). This is the conversation that transpired...
Andrew: I have the plant knife and you have a grownup knife!
(he's a good little salesman, isn't he?!)
Jonathan: Oh, I have this one? (picking it up)
Andrew: Yes, it's very big.
Jonathan (obviously impressed): Ooooohhhh.
Andrew: But JESUS has bigger knives than ANYONE.
4.22.2008
24 weeks
You may notice that the counter in my sidebar says that I just passed the 24-week mark. My doctor holds to a slightly different calendar; I think by his estimation I will be 24 weeks on Thursday.
At my appointment last week, he told me that this is the gestational age when we can first start talking about the baby surviving after birth. By 28 weeks, he said, approximately 95% of babies survive and thrive.
This reminded me of a blog where I've been lurking for the past few months, called Confessions of a CF Husband. It's the blog of a young husband whose wife has Cystic Fibrosis. She gave birth in January to their first child, a daughter, at 24 weeks. A few weeks ago the mom had a double lung transplant...and today she's being discharged from the hospital. What a journey this young family has been on already in their short time together. Both mom and baby were given a less than 50% chance of survival by the doctors, and naturally they were advised to abort. Now, months later, the baby continues to do well in the hospital, and they are waiting for her to gain some more weight before she can go home.
Here's a post that shows you their daughter, Gwyneth, not long after birth, in perspective with her dad's big hands.
I link to this not because I fear a premature birth, but because it's a wonderful reminder of how distinctive our daughter already is in utero. If and when you look over at their blog, please pray for Tricia (the mom) and Gwyneth (the daughter). They are looking forward to going home for real in a few weeks...for now they will stay in a hotel while Tricia undergoes outpatient therapy and Gwyneth continues to grow stronger.
At my appointment last week, he told me that this is the gestational age when we can first start talking about the baby surviving after birth. By 28 weeks, he said, approximately 95% of babies survive and thrive.
This reminded me of a blog where I've been lurking for the past few months, called Confessions of a CF Husband. It's the blog of a young husband whose wife has Cystic Fibrosis. She gave birth in January to their first child, a daughter, at 24 weeks. A few weeks ago the mom had a double lung transplant...and today she's being discharged from the hospital. What a journey this young family has been on already in their short time together. Both mom and baby were given a less than 50% chance of survival by the doctors, and naturally they were advised to abort. Now, months later, the baby continues to do well in the hospital, and they are waiting for her to gain some more weight before she can go home.
Here's a post that shows you their daughter, Gwyneth, not long after birth, in perspective with her dad's big hands.
I link to this not because I fear a premature birth, but because it's a wonderful reminder of how distinctive our daughter already is in utero. If and when you look over at their blog, please pray for Tricia (the mom) and Gwyneth (the daughter). They are looking forward to going home for real in a few weeks...for now they will stay in a hotel while Tricia undergoes outpatient therapy and Gwyneth continues to grow stronger.
Happy Valentine's Day to ME
Remember that post a few months back about the funny man in Lowe's, who talked to me while we were checking out a slightly used gas range? A few days after that, David called me on his way home from work and told me that he would be late since he was going to buy said range for my Valentine's Day present...if I still wanted it.
And I believe I exercised the self-restraint necessary to pause a nanosecond before replying, "OF COURSE I still want it!" Ever since we left California three and a half years ago, I have pined away for the mountaintop experience of cooking with gas.
OK, I guess I exaggerated there a bit...but I did miss it.
So this range sat over at Lowe's for a while, and then sat in our garage for a while, until we finally got a gas line plumbed to the kitchen. And on Saturday, the great unveiling happened...
Behold the beautiful blue flame.
That's David trying to be a "Price-is-Right" model.
To celebrate the stove's homecoming, I bought this functional yet entertaining spoonrest from Signals. :-)
Who says appliances aren't the way to a woman's heart?
And I believe I exercised the self-restraint necessary to pause a nanosecond before replying, "OF COURSE I still want it!" Ever since we left California three and a half years ago, I have pined away for the mountaintop experience of cooking with gas.
OK, I guess I exaggerated there a bit...but I did miss it.
So this range sat over at Lowe's for a while, and then sat in our garage for a while, until we finally got a gas line plumbed to the kitchen. And on Saturday, the great unveiling happened...
Behold the beautiful blue flame.
That's David trying to be a "Price-is-Right" model.
To celebrate the stove's homecoming, I bought this functional yet entertaining spoonrest from Signals. :-)
Who says appliances aren't the way to a woman's heart?
4.18.2008
Spring in its Full Glory
The last few weeks have been so beautiful. We had a good solid week of rain and after it was over, it seemed like the world burst out in gorgeous color!
Our front flowerbed is very pretty right now...tulips are some of my favorite flowers....
and the garden is giving us a few good salads a week....
and my hydrangea, which I lovingly nursed through an extra-late fall planting, looks like it survived the winter.
Our front flowerbed is very pretty right now...tulips are some of my favorite flowers....
and the garden is giving us a few good salads a week....
and my hydrangea, which I lovingly nursed through an extra-late fall planting, looks like it survived the winter."Office" Party
Last Thursday night was the return of our one-and-only show, "The Office." To celebrate, we invited a few friends over for a party.
The food was themed after episodes...Angela's double-fudge brownies
Pam's Mixed Berry Yogurt
We also had Jim's grilled cheese sandwiches, Stanley's Peach iced tea, and Kevin's M&Ms. It was not the most nutritious menu.
And like the mega-fans we are, we dressed up. (l-r) Andy Bernard, Surprisingly Pregnant Pam Beesly (hey, the writer's strike lasted five months, right?!), Cuter and Thinner Pam Beesly, Angela Martin, Ryan Howard, and (smiling) Phyllis Vance (Vance Refrigeration).
The food was themed after episodes...Angela's double-fudge brownies
Pam's Mixed Berry YogurtWe also had Jim's grilled cheese sandwiches, Stanley's Peach iced tea, and Kevin's M&Ms. It was not the most nutritious menu.
And like the mega-fans we are, we dressed up. (l-r) Andy Bernard, Surprisingly Pregnant Pam Beesly (hey, the writer's strike lasted five months, right?!), Cuter and Thinner Pam Beesly, Angela Martin, Ryan Howard, and (smiling) Phyllis Vance (Vance Refrigeration).
4.16.2008
Gilead
Right now I'm taking a break from non-fiction and delving into a little fiction. I saw the book Gilead (winner of the 2005 Pulitzer Prize) by Marilynne Robinson reviewed positively by many over at the Rabbit Room, and on my last trip to the library, I picked it up.The language is simple but profound, and there have been many favorite passages already. Here are two:
There was a young couple strolling along half a block ahead of me. The sun had come up brilliantly after a heavy rain, and the trees were glistening and very wet. On some impulse, plain exuberance, I suppose, the fellow jumped up and caught hold of a branch, and a storm of luminous water came pouring down on the two of them, and they laughed and took off running, the girl sweeping water off her hair and her dress as if she were a little bit disgusted, but she wasn't. It was a beautiful thing to see, like something from a myth. I don't know why I thought of that now, except perhaps because it is easy to believe in such moments that water was made primarily for blessing, and only secondarily for growing vegetables or doing the wash. I wish I had paid more attention to it. My list of regrets may seem unusual, but who can know that they are, really. This is an interesting planet. It deserves all the attention you can give it. (p.28)
This is an important thing, which I have told many people, and which my father told me, and which his father told him. When you encounter another person, when you have dealings with anyone at all, it is as if a question is being put to you. So you must think, What is the Lord asking of me in this moment, in this situation? If you confront insult or antagonism, your first impulse will be to respond in kind. But if you think, as it were, This is an emissary sent from the Lord, and some benefit is intended for me, first of all the occasion to demonstrate my faithfulness, the chance to show that I do in some small degree participate in the grace that saved me, you are free to act otherwise than as circumstances would seem to dictate. You are free to act by your own lights. You are freed at the same time of the impulse to hate or resent that person. He would probably laugh at the thought that the Lord sent him to you for your benefit (and his), but that is the perfection of the disguise, his own ignorance of it. (p. 124)
4.15.2008
God Works In Mysterious Ways, Sometimes Using craigslist.
Yesterday I put two items on craigslist, since we're in the midst of more de-cluttering and organizing what with the room switch.
One item I was giving away (a toy that the kids no longer use, and Lord knows we have more than enough toys!), and one item I put up for sale: our treadmill. We bought the treadmill when we lived in the snowy north and I wanted to exercise for more than six months out of the year. But since we live in a milder climate now, both David and I work out outside all year long. Plus, if I have the urge to use a treadmill (not likely), we now belong to the YMCA.
The toy went rather quickly, and a lady came to pick it up in the late afternoon. But I didn't get a nibble all day on the treadmill. Then around 5:30 I received this email:
Jacob is a missionary we know from our old church. And his friend with the truck? He was on his way in that same truck to our house for dinner at 6:00.
We all had a good laugh about God's providence over free internet classifieds, and we were able to give a couple in need a treadmill for free, only hours after they requested it from (they thought) a stranger.
What a funny blessing!!
One item I was giving away (a toy that the kids no longer use, and Lord knows we have more than enough toys!), and one item I put up for sale: our treadmill. We bought the treadmill when we lived in the snowy north and I wanted to exercise for more than six months out of the year. But since we live in a milder climate now, both David and I work out outside all year long. Plus, if I have the urge to use a treadmill (not likely), we now belong to the YMCA.
The toy went rather quickly, and a lady came to pick it up in the late afternoon. But I didn't get a nibble all day on the treadmill. Then around 5:30 I received this email:
My wife's elliptical just broke and she would really like to get back to exercising. Would you be willing to sell your treadmill for $150. I have checked other sites and this seems fair. Same model sold on craigslist a week ago. I just would prefer to get her one rather than having to wait. She is due with the baby in a month and really wants to be in good shape when it comes.We also live in the university area and have a friend with a truck, so we could pick it up any evening.Thanks,Jacob
Jacob is a missionary we know from our old church. And his friend with the truck? He was on his way in that same truck to our house for dinner at 6:00.
We all had a good laugh about God's providence over free internet classifieds, and we were able to give a couple in need a treadmill for free, only hours after they requested it from (they thought) a stranger.
What a funny blessing!!
4.14.2008
I Wasn't Expecting That
I wasn't expecting it to be 35 degrees this morning when I went walking.
I wasn't expecting the shower curtain, suspended by a tension rod, to come crashing down as I opened it before my shower.
I wasn't expecting my children to take quite so long doing school today.
I wasn't expecting to step on a cookie cutter (left on the floor by an eager helper) with my bare foot while preparing lunch.
I wasn't expecting that the mountain of laundry would be quite so large...oh, who am I kidding. Of course I was expecting that.
I wasn't expecting the lady to whom I sold some home school curriculum to be persnickety about an inside title page that contains exactly...zero information.
I wasn't expecting to only be starting lunch at one o'clock.
I wasn't expecting that the house would be this messy when there's company coming in three hours.
No, I wasn't expecting any of that...but everything's on schedule...
I wasn't expecting the shower curtain, suspended by a tension rod, to come crashing down as I opened it before my shower.
I wasn't expecting my children to take quite so long doing school today.
I wasn't expecting to step on a cookie cutter (left on the floor by an eager helper) with my bare foot while preparing lunch.
I wasn't expecting that the mountain of laundry would be quite so large...oh, who am I kidding. Of course I was expecting that.
I wasn't expecting the lady to whom I sold some home school curriculum to be persnickety about an inside title page that contains exactly...zero information.
I wasn't expecting to only be starting lunch at one o'clock.
I wasn't expecting that the house would be this messy when there's company coming in three hours.
No, I wasn't expecting any of that...but everything's on schedule...
4.11.2008
Grilled Shrimp Tacos
Last time we went to the library, I took out a bunch of cookbooks and have since filled them with Post-it flags at the recipes I want to try. (Does anyone else out there LOVE Post-it flags as much as I do? I have considered composing a sonnet.)
This is a new recipe I tried from the Real Simple: Meals Made Easy cookbook when we had our friend Amanda (who's moving away... sniff, sniff) over the other night. It was almost as good as Cabo Fish Taco, but not quite. But it was very easy.
Grilled Shrimp Tacos
To keep the shrimp from spinning when flipped, thread them on 2 parallel skewers instead of one.
1/2 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 large garlic cloves, minced
4 limes, cut into quarters
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 6-inch corn tortillas
2 to 3 cups finely shredded green cabbage
Whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, milk, and cumin. Set aside. Skewer the shrimp. (If using wood skewers, soak them in water for 10 minutes beforehand.) In a small bowl, combine the butter and garlic. Preheat a gas grill to high; adjust to medium after 15 minutes. (If cooking over charcoal, allow the coals to burn until they are covered with gray ash.) Brush the skewered shrimp with the garlic butter. Place them on the grill with the limes. Cook about 4 minutes on each side or until the shrimp are opaque and the limes are browned. Remove from grill. Lightly salt the shrimp. Grill the tortillas for 30 seconds on each side, then place inside a paper bag to keep warm. To serve, pull the shrimp off the skewers and divide them evenly among the tortillas. Top with the cabbage, sour cream sauce, tomatillo salsa, and a spritz of grilled lime.
Rainy-Day Method: Broil the shrimp and limes about 4 inches from the heat using the cooking times above. Wrap the tortillas in foil and heat in a 350° F oven for 15 minutes, or wrap them in a napkin and microwave for 3 minutes.
Yield: Makes 8 first-course or 4 main-course servings
NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 247(0% from fat); FAT 13g (sat 5g); PROTEIN 16mg; CHOLESTEROL 147mg; CALCIUM 96mg; SODIUM 345mg; FIBER 3g; CARBOHYDRATE 18g; IRON 3mg
Jane Kirby
Real Simple, JUNE 2003
This is a new recipe I tried from the Real Simple: Meals Made Easy cookbook when we had our friend Amanda (who's moving away... sniff, sniff) over the other night. It was almost as good as Cabo Fish Taco, but not quite. But it was very easy.
Grilled Shrimp Tacos
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To keep the shrimp from spinning when flipped, thread them on 2 parallel skewers instead of one.
Whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, milk, and cumin. Set aside. Skewer the shrimp. (If using wood skewers, soak them in water for 10 minutes beforehand.) In a small bowl, combine the butter and garlic. Preheat a gas grill to high; adjust to medium after 15 minutes. (If cooking over charcoal, allow the coals to burn until they are covered with gray ash.) Brush the skewered shrimp with the garlic butter. Place them on the grill with the limes. Cook about 4 minutes on each side or until the shrimp are opaque and the limes are browned. Remove from grill. Lightly salt the shrimp. Grill the tortillas for 30 seconds on each side, then place inside a paper bag to keep warm. To serve, pull the shrimp off the skewers and divide them evenly among the tortillas. Top with the cabbage, sour cream sauce, tomatillo salsa, and a spritz of grilled lime.
Rainy-Day Method: Broil the shrimp and limes about 4 inches from the heat using the cooking times above. Wrap the tortillas in foil and heat in a 350° F oven for 15 minutes, or wrap them in a napkin and microwave for 3 minutes.
Yield: Makes 8 first-course or 4 main-course servings
NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 247(0% from fat); FAT 13g (sat 5g); PROTEIN 16mg; CHOLESTEROL 147mg; CALCIUM 96mg; SODIUM 345mg; FIBER 3g; CARBOHYDRATE 18g; IRON 3mg
Jane Kirby
Real Simple, JUNE 2003
4.10.2008
Stock up!
For those of you here in the Charlotte area, I thought I'd pass along this tidbit in case you didn't know already...Joseph-Beth booksellers is having their HUGE children's book sale this weekend. Last time we went to this, we were able to buy many, many birthday and Christmas presents!
Our weekend is already pretty booked, so I'm not sure if we'll make it this time around, but we'll try!
Our weekend is already pretty booked, so I'm not sure if we'll make it this time around, but we'll try!
Because North Carolina Actually Matters This Year
Back in January, I heard a commentary on our local NPR station by a local woman who was bemoaning the fact that our primary is so late in the year here in NC. Essentially she was saying, "we don't really matter, so why should I even bother getting interested?".
I wonder what that woman is thinking now that May 6 seems to be of growing importance! Both Democratic candidates have been paying a bit more attention to our state recently. Visits from both candidates and their spouses are more frequent, and our airwaves are being filled with messages like this one:
She's listening...because a random state primary at the beginning of May has never been so important....
I wonder what that woman is thinking now that May 6 seems to be of growing importance! Both Democratic candidates have been paying a bit more attention to our state recently. Visits from both candidates and their spouses are more frequent, and our airwaves are being filled with messages like this one:
She's listening...because a random state primary at the beginning of May has never been so important....
4.08.2008
Congratulations to
Worth Noting
My, how the goodwill is flowing now that Boston has those pretty rings on!
From Extra Bases:
Related article: The Boston Red Sox, Bill Buckner, and Worship
From Extra Bases:
Bill Buckner just walked from the Green Monster out to the mound. As soon as he was spotted, the crowd stood and gave him a standing ovation. He came all the way to the mound, where he stopped and the crowd continued to cheer.Buckner threw the ball to Dwight Evans at home plate, and when Evans caught it (not a bad pitch, by the way), there was another big cheer.
Johnny Pesky then said "Play Ball."
And now ... baseball.
Related article: The Boston Red Sox, Bill Buckner, and Worship
The transition has begun...
Our upstairs is a complete wreck, but the moving around has started. The boys' beds are up in the master BR, and we are in the midst of creating a little reading corner in there for them. It's quite cozy.
The more we "grow into" this option, the more it makes sense to me. Last night the boys were brushing their teeth, clamoring for a spot at the sink as usual, and it was so nice to say, "Look, Cam, you can use that sink," and over he went. Aaahh. A little more peace at bedtime.
It's also making us "hurry up" some painting jobs...last night we went to Lowes' and bought paint for the (new) Master bedroom, because we'd rather not set up camp in a room that's colonial blue with stenciling on the wall. It'll be nice to be in a more finished room ourselves...that has been the last priority since we got here, and we're finally settling down and doing it while everything else is topsy-turvy. I think after that we'll tackle the hall bath, which right now is bright yellow with duckies...not exactly ideal for a bathroom that will be mostly used by adults!
So if the blog is kind of quiet for the next few days, that's why. I'm trying to remember what room my clothes are in and where the kids' shoes are....
The more we "grow into" this option, the more it makes sense to me. Last night the boys were brushing their teeth, clamoring for a spot at the sink as usual, and it was so nice to say, "Look, Cam, you can use that sink," and over he went. Aaahh. A little more peace at bedtime.
It's also making us "hurry up" some painting jobs...last night we went to Lowes' and bought paint for the (new) Master bedroom, because we'd rather not set up camp in a room that's colonial blue with stenciling on the wall. It'll be nice to be in a more finished room ourselves...that has been the last priority since we got here, and we're finally settling down and doing it while everything else is topsy-turvy. I think after that we'll tackle the hall bath, which right now is bright yellow with duckies...not exactly ideal for a bathroom that will be mostly used by adults!
So if the blog is kind of quiet for the next few days, that's why. I'm trying to remember what room my clothes are in and where the kids' shoes are....
4.04.2008
Home School Q & A
I received an email yesterday from a friend in another state who is considering home schooling in the fall. I thought her questions and my answers might be of help to some of you, so I post them here for your perusal...take them for what they're worth...which may be little to nothing. :-)
Anyway, I'm so glad you asked about homeschooling! I don't have a ton of experience, but what I have learned you are welcome to! You have ALL great questions here, and I hope you don't mind that I've cut and pasted here to make sure I get everything. Also, I'll probably have a ton of links here. There is so much info on the Internet!
I think first you need to consider what you think your approach will be. Have you looked into any methods, or do you see anyone around you who is doing HS in a way that you think would fit your family? Here's a brief intro to the different methods out there: http://www.homeschool.com/Approaches/default.asp Also, I've heard really good things about this book, both for descriptions of approaches and individual curricula. I started out thinking I'd do classical and I've switched to Charlotte Mason. But there are few people who are purists...I say I'm CM but the phonics book I use is written by a lady who's classical. There is a lot of crossover and freedom, and once that stops being overwhelming and scary, it can be really freeing!
Let me say that you don't have to have this figured out in the preschool year!! It would be a good time for you to research different options and find out what you think will work for your family. I usually approach preschool from a very relaxed point-of-view: I'll start a bit of phonics here and there (maybe two to three times a week), do some seasonal crafts, work on puzzles and coloring (fine motor skills are important before "real" school begins). Preschool is also a fun time to do little unit studies, and take trips to the fire station, etc. But there is so much that she can pick up from you, just from following you in your everyday routine: counting, letter sounds, right/left, and character traits like diligence, perseverance, and so on. One of the best pieces of advice I ever got from a fellow homeschooling mom was, "Until they're five, teach them to OBEY." That's not to say that you shouldn't do anything else up 'til then, but the most important thing, and the thing that will make your life as a homeschooling mom MUCH easier, is teaching them habits of obedience early and often (which I know you are already doing!).
More specifically on curriculum, this is the phonics book I use: The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading. Cameron is just now finishing this book, having worked through a little in preschool, more in kindergarten, and now completing it in first grade. Ben is about two-thirds of the way through it (he's in K). I like it a great deal. The lessons are all pretty short, which helps the child to continue to learn without getting overwhelmed or frustrated. I will probably start Andrew in with it slowly in the fall.
For a baseline curriculum (literature/history/Bible/science/music/art), I use Ambleside Online, which is FREE. If you visit this site, I highly recommend following directions like a good little do-be and going to the "If you're new here..." page first. There's a ton of info on Ambleside's site and it can be confusing if you aren't familiar with it.
Most of my purchases for curriculum-type stuff come from either Rainbow Resource -- they are a homeschooling family business, have great prices, and sometimes have good deals on shipping, though their website is a bit clumsy -- or Christian Book Distributors. Many, many of my other purchases for history and literature, because they are "living books," come from Books-a-Million (where we are members, and the prices usually beat Amazon).
Your state has these standards posted online in their Dept. of Education website. I will say that you shouldn't get too stressed out about these. I diligently printed these off when we were in California and I found myself saying, "where am I going to get them introduced to African music and dance?!" It was a random thing (among others) assigned to the Kindergarten program in the state of California. Homeschooling is not quite so tidy...maybe the kids will encounter African music and dance in second grade when we go to a music festival. The important thing is that they realize that America isn't the center of the universe and they develop an appreciation for other cultures.
The most important thing is to make sure that you are obeying the laws for homeschooling in your state (remember to submit to the governing authorities, Romans 13). If you would like to check up on your children's progress, the most helpful thing is to talk with other HSing moms. Sometimes children's progress (especially in the early years) can vary so much from public to private to home school, that it's easy to think, "we're not doing that! Should we be doing that??!!". There are also books out there that tell you What Your First Grader Should Know if you're looking for extra reassurance. But again, everybody's standards are different.
Again, check out the HSLDA website. It varies from state to state.
Again, thanks for asking! This has been a good exercise for me to think through what we do and why all over again! If you want to know more about our specific approach, just ask. :-)
Anyway, I'm so glad you asked about homeschooling! I don't have a ton of experience, but what I have learned you are welcome to! You have ALL great questions here, and I hope you don't mind that I've cut and pasted here to make sure I get everything. Also, I'll probably have a ton of links here. There is so much info on the Internet!
1- Where do you begin to look for the right curriculum? I've heard many home school parents say they just pull from different curriculums. Where do you search out and figure which curriculum to pull from? Where do you purchase items?
I think first you need to consider what you think your approach will be. Have you looked into any methods, or do you see anyone around you who is doing HS in a way that you think would fit your family? Here's a brief intro to the different methods out there: http://www.homeschool.com
Let me say that you don't have to have this figured out in the preschool year!! It would be a good time for you to research different options and find out what you think will work for your family. I usually approach preschool from a very relaxed point-of-view: I'll start a bit of phonics here and there (maybe two to three times a week), do some seasonal crafts, work on puzzles and coloring (fine motor skills are important before "real" school begins). Preschool is also a fun time to do little unit studies, and take trips to the fire station, etc. But there is so much that she can pick up from you, just from following you in your everyday routine: counting, letter sounds, right/left, and character traits like diligence, perseverance, and so on. One of the best pieces of advice I ever got from a fellow homeschooling mom was, "Until they're five, teach them to OBEY." That's not to say that you shouldn't do anything else up 'til then, but the most important thing, and the thing that will make your life as a homeschooling mom MUCH easier, is teaching them habits of obedience early and often (which I know you are already doing!).
More specifically on curriculum, this is the phonics book I use: The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading. Cameron is just now finishing this book, having worked through a little in preschool, more in kindergarten, and now completing it in first grade. Ben is about two-thirds of the way through it (he's in K). I like it a great deal. The lessons are all pretty short, which helps the child to continue to learn without getting overwhelmed or frustrated. I will probably start Andrew in with it slowly in the fall.
For a baseline curriculum (literature/history/Bible
Most of my purchases for curriculum-type stuff come from either Rainbow Resource -- they are a homeschooling family business, have great prices, and sometimes have good deals on shipping, though their website is a bit clumsy -- or Christian Book Distributors. Many, many of my other purchases for history and literature, because they are "living books," come from Books-a-Million (where we are members, and the prices usually beat Amazon).
2- I'd love to have a list or guidelines of goals that my children should achieve at each level. Where do I find this? How will I know if they are learning everything they should in a school year?
Your state has these standards posted online in their Dept. of Education website. I will say that you shouldn't get too stressed out about these. I diligently printed these off when we were in California and I found myself saying, "where am I going to get them introduced to African music and dance?!" It was a random thing (among others) assigned to the Kindergarten program in the state of California. Homeschooling is not quite so tidy...maybe the kids will encounter African music and dance in second grade when we go to a music festival. The important thing is that they realize that America isn't the center of the universe and they develop an appreciation for other cultures.
The most important thing is to make sure that you are obeying the laws for homeschooling in your state (remember to submit to the governing authorities, Romans 13). If you would like to check up on your children's progress, the most helpful thing is to talk with other HSing moms. Sometimes children's progress (especially in the early years) can vary so much from public to private to home school, that it's easy to think, "we're not doing that! Should we be doing that??!!". There are also books out there that tell you What Your First Grader Should Know if you're looking for extra reassurance. But again, everybody's standards are different.
3- How do you know how much time to spend each day/week on schooling? I remember you saying at the preschool age it was around 20 min. a day? a couple times a day?? then it increased.
You will be able to tell. :-) Remember people telling you when you had a newborn that you'd eventually just know what they needed? And when you were pregnant you inwardly thought, "yeah right, I will not have a clue. Babies cry all the time and I have no idea what they need. So stop telling me I will know, because I WON'T!" But then a couple months in, you realized that you kind of did know. And then with baby number two, you were slightly more confident and got the hang of it quicker. And, except for the occasional moment of confusion, now you do know.
The main rule around here is, lessons stay to 20-30 minutes, unless the child is completely captivated by what we're doing and then I milk it for all its worth. I try to keep school strictly in the morning, because even though Ben and Cameron don't take naps anymore, they are still mildly fried in the afternoon. Their brains just aren't wired towards school in that part of the day, and honestly neither is mine. They have outside time and rest time and chores in the afternoon.
So right now school takes about two to two and a half hours per day, four days a week, and Friday is a lighter day when we leave phonics and math behind and do more read-alouds, art, music and outside nature study. So school on Fridays sometimes takes longer than school every other day, but it doesn't "feel" so much like school. Does that make sense?
Early on, I saved school until Jonathan's morning nap. Andrew usually welcomed the alone time because it was the only time that he could play without interference from big brothers and his baby brother. He had the toys to himself. Some people set up a toy rotation...Monday for duplos, Tuesday for lincoln logs, and so on...so that the toys are always a little bit special and hold the kids' attention longer. I haven't found the need to do this (yet).
A couple things to train your little ones in will help you later...one is sitting still and being read to. If I have something to read to the boys for school, I make Andrew and Jonathan sit with us. That way they have a bit of structure to their day (they're not just doing whatever they want during school), they learn to listen, and it's another chance for them to develop that all important character trait of self-control! Granted, I will not make them sit for more than twenty minutes or so. Jonathan usually wants to get down by that time, because the books we read from frequently don't have pictures. But Andrew has gotten to the point where he often chooses to stay and listen. And as we worked our way through Narnia this past time, I was amazed at how much he remembered. His listening skills have really come along.
The second thing I would recommend -- and this may not be applicable to you right now, but may be down the road a bit -- is using your playpen. When a child is in that nightmarish phase when they can get around at will but they have NO discernment and you have to keep an eye on them all the time, the playpen can be your best friend. BUT you must get them used to it from the earliest part of their life! A year-old child is not going to want to go in to a playpen if they haven't been trained that it can be a quiet, peaceful place for them to play alone (rather than a prison, which is how most children see it). If you have another baby, I would highly recommend you put him or her in that playpen every day for at least a half hour when they are awake. It may save your sanity. :-)
The main rule around here is, lessons stay to 20-30 minutes, unless the child is completely captivated by what we're doing and then I milk it for all its worth. I try to keep school strictly in the morning, because even though Ben and Cameron don't take naps anymore, they are still mildly fried in the afternoon. Their brains just aren't wired towards school in that part of the day, and honestly neither is mine. They have outside time and rest time and chores in the afternoon.
So right now school takes about two to two and a half hours per day, four days a week, and Friday is a lighter day when we leave phonics and math behind and do more read-alouds, art, music and outside nature study. So school on Fridays sometimes takes longer than school every other day, but it doesn't "feel" so much like school. Does that make sense?
4- How do you manage the other children in your home as you are trying to focus on schooling your children who are in school?This is probably the most common question I get when people learn that I homeschool. And the answer is, "it varies." Andrew and Jonathan are pretty used to our routine by now, which is lovely. They usually play together either in the room where we are or upstairs in their room.
Early on, I saved school until Jonathan's morning nap. Andrew usually welcomed the alone time because it was the only time that he could play without interference from big brothers and his baby brother. He had the toys to himself. Some people set up a toy rotation...Monday for duplos, Tuesday for lincoln logs, and so on...so that the toys are always a little bit special and hold the kids' attention longer. I haven't found the need to do this (yet).
A couple things to train your little ones in will help you later...one is sitting still and being read to. If I have something to read to the boys for school, I make Andrew and Jonathan sit with us. That way they have a bit of structure to their day (they're not just doing whatever they want during school), they learn to listen, and it's another chance for them to develop that all important character trait of self-control! Granted, I will not make them sit for more than twenty minutes or so. Jonathan usually wants to get down by that time, because the books we read from frequently don't have pictures. But Andrew has gotten to the point where he often chooses to stay and listen. And as we worked our way through Narnia this past time, I was amazed at how much he remembered. His listening skills have really come along.
The second thing I would recommend -- and this may not be applicable to you right now, but may be down the road a bit -- is using your playpen. When a child is in that nightmarish phase when they can get around at will but they have NO discernment and you have to keep an eye on them all the time, the playpen can be your best friend. BUT you must get them used to it from the earliest part of their life! A year-old child is not going to want to go in to a playpen if they haven't been trained that it can be a quiet, peaceful place for them to play alone (rather than a prison, which is how most children see it). If you have another baby, I would highly recommend you put him or her in that playpen every day for at least a half hour when they are awake. It may save your sanity. :-)
5- Do I need to look up anything about my state's rules and regulations for h.schooling? If so, where do I look for this info?
The most helpful site on this that I've found is the Home School Legal Defense Association. They have laws and organizations to contact laid out by state.
6- Do I need to some how become official? I saw on your blog that you did this and gave your school a name. How do I make sure that what my kids are doing is valid/accredited?
Again, check out the HSLDA website. It varies from state to state.
Again, thanks for asking! This has been a good exercise for me to think through what we do and why all over again! If you want to know more about our specific approach, just ask. :-)
4.03.2008
People are More Important Than Things
This is what I recited to myself as I swept up the remains of my beloved Bennington pottery batter bowl after lunch today. 
I try to make everyday use of some of the nice things I have so that the boys have the pleasure of being served on nice-looking dishes from time to time. This bowl was used daily (frequently multiple times a day), and now it is no more. I guess that's the risk I'm taking using my nice things.
The good news? I paid about a third of its retail price because I bought it at Building #19.
People are more important than things, and I'm thankful that no one was cut by a shard of stoneware as it flew through the air under the table!
Now, off to shop for a replacement...
I try to make everyday use of some of the nice things I have so that the boys have the pleasure of being served on nice-looking dishes from time to time. This bowl was used daily (frequently multiple times a day), and now it is no more. I guess that's the risk I'm taking using my nice things.The good news? I paid about a third of its retail price because I bought it at Building #19.
People are more important than things, and I'm thankful that no one was cut by a shard of stoneware as it flew through the air under the table!
Now, off to shop for a replacement...
4.02.2008
Two Simple Additions
In the past month or two we made two little additions to our trash routine:
Just wanted to brag a little... :-)
- Instead of stacking up our recyclables in the one bin provided to us by the city, we acquired another one, after my friend Joanne told me that they were free for the taking at the local library. One bin now resides in the kitchen and gets full pretty quickly! I was pretty good about recycling before, but sometimes out of sheer laziness I would just throw things out that could be recycled because I didn't feel like walking to the garage.
- Two weeks ago David built a compost bin for me in the woods behind our house. The bin has been the happy recipient of fruit and veggie scraps, eggshells, weeds, grass clippings, and even the leftover hair from the boys' pre-Easter haircuts.
Just wanted to brag a little... :-)
This is How Reading Should Be
Last week our family finished go-round number two through the Chronicles of Narnia. This time it was particularly fun to watch Andrew develop an understanding of the people and places of Lewis' world.
David read this passage from the last chapter of The Last Battle: "And what came was the last thing he had expected: a little, sleek, bright-eyed Talking Mouse with a red feather stuck in a circlet on its head and its left paw resting on a long sword." At this point I saw Andrew's eyes grow wide and he mouthed at me silently, "REEPICHEEP!". What a glorious thing to have such a friendship with a fictional, courageous, noble mouse, that you are happy to "see" him after some time.
And here -- for your enjoyment and mine -- is the great reunion of the Narnian friends:
David read this passage from the last chapter of The Last Battle: "And what came was the last thing he had expected: a little, sleek, bright-eyed Talking Mouse with a red feather stuck in a circlet on its head and its left paw resting on a long sword." At this point I saw Andrew's eyes grow wide and he mouthed at me silently, "REEPICHEEP!". What a glorious thing to have such a friendship with a fictional, courageous, noble mouse, that you are happy to "see" him after some time.
And here -- for your enjoyment and mine -- is the great reunion of the Narnian friends:
Everyone you had ever heard of (if you knew the history of those countries) seemed to be there. There was Glimfeather the Owl and Puddleglum the Marsh-Wiggle, and King Rilian the Disenchanted, and his mother the Star's daughter and his great father Caspian himself. And close beside him were the Lord Drinian and the Lord Berne and Trumpkin the Dwarf and Truffle-hunter the good badger with Glenstorm the Centaur and a hundred other heroes of the great War of Deliverance. And then from another side came Cor the King of Archenland with King Lune his father and his wife Queen Aravis and the brave Prince Corin Thunder-Fist, his brother, and Bree the Horse and Hwin the Mare. And then -- which was a wonder beyond all wonders to Tirian -- there came from further away in the past, the two good Beavers and Tumnus the Faun. And there was greeting and kissing and hand-shaking and old jokes revived, (you've no idea how good an old joke sounds when you take it out again after a rest of five or six hundred years)....
4.01.2008
Exciting package
An excerpt from an email I just sent to my sister, who sent Andrew a set of toy dishes and pots and pans for his birthday:
We drove up to the house and I spotted it on the front step and said, "Andrew there's a package for you from Aunt Tracy on the step!". Cameron said, "Oooohhh...Aunt Tracy! She gives GREAT presents!!".
Then the box got ripped open and there was much jumping up and down and yelling. By all four boys. Cameron ran to get his scissors from his pencil box so he could open it up right away.
Now I am receiving a steady stream of imaginary meals...pasta, banana sauce, chocolate clam chowder (this is a dessert, I'm told) ...mostly from Ben, who is apparently on imaginary roller skates (Sonic, anyone?).
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