Test Post for Australian Adventure

My name is Susan and I'm on an adventure to Australia.

Currently

celebrating - a great start to a new school year and the lovely temperate weather we are experiencing.

creating - a crocheted blanket for my sister.

growing - basil, oregano and rosemary.

learning - new ways to enrich our read-aloud experience from the book Deconstructing Penguins by Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone.

listening - to the audio version of Jane Eyre, wind chimes and the wind blowing through trees.

Around here

July

Yarn Along

One of my very favorite blogs that I discovered last year is Small Things.  Each Wednesday she hosts a link up featuring bloggers current knitting/crocheting projects and current reads - two of my favorite past-times! 

I have been enchanted with this crochet pattern for quite some time - ripples.  I finally mastered it (after several tries - my pattern reading skills are very basic) a month ago.  This will be my Autumn Throw.  For the past several months the colors of orange and gray have figured largely in my scrapbook layouts and most recently my new flip flops!  The color scheme of this blanket reminds me of autumn fires - the orange flames, the gray ash and the dark gray of wood.  This is turning out to be a long term project!

On the reading front, I just finished Another Place at the Table by Kathy Harrison.  It is the memoir of a woman in Massachusetts whose family has fostered children for many years.  I literally could not put this book down and it stirred again my desires to foster.   Now is not the right time for our family to re-enter this venture full-time, but I am praying that there will be a small way we can soon get involved again.

The Ultimate Prescription

from the back of the book..."Many of the diseases sending us to doctors' offices, surgical suites, and early graves are preventable-and we don't need to be overmedicated to cure them."  This intriguing claim is made by Chattanooga cardiologist Dr. James L. Marcum, author of The Ultimate Prescription.

In this book, Dr. Marcum directly coorelates the cure for many of our (non-acute) illnesses to a health plan based upon the days of creation.  He also details common and prevailing myths and lies that we are bombarded with through both the media and other sources.  While Dr. Marcum definitively supports the use of modern medicine to combat illness, he also strongly proposes a definitive shift toward God's "original Health Plan" in our lifestyles. Among the eighteen chapters, are chapters relating each day of creation and how the particulars of that day's work impacts our health. The last chapters bring it all together in "The Ultimate Prescription" and "The Ultimate Healing."  Also included in this work are appendices dealing with symptoms, diagnostic testing, and treatment.

Dr. Marcum is a practicing cardiologist at the Chattanooga Heart Institute.  I found this book both throrough and very readible.  He presents his thoughts with clarity and in layman's terms.

I recieved a complimentary copy of this book for review by Tyndale Media Center.  The opinions are my own.

The Book of Man

I recently finished reading The Book of Man by William J. Bennett, also author of the literary compilation, The Book of Virtues. 

from the back of the book "Using profiles, stories, letters, poems, essays, historical vignettes, and myths to bring his subject to life, The Book fo Man defines what a man should be, how he should live, and to what he should aspire in several key areas of life:  war, work, leisure, and more....."

This literary masterpiece is divides the writings under the headings:  Man in War, Man at Work, Man in Play, Sports, and Leisure, Man in the Polis, Man with Woman and Children, and Man in Prayer and Reflection.  The pieces in each section range broadly in both period written and style.  The selections span both fiction and non-fiction material.  All, however, are united by messages of noblilty, honor, respect, courage and humility.  There is an overarching sense of elegance throughout these writings.  Bennet did a masterful job in compiling this work.  And while the themes are directed toward men, I, as a woman, found much to be edified by also.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book for review by Thomas Nelson Publishers.  The opinions are my own.

Our Sunday To-Do List

1.  Sunday School and Church this morning (lovely service)

2.  Run by Target to get the (nearly) last of our Christmas presents

3.  Eat Lunch

4.  Celebrate the first Sunday of Advent
(with candles, scripture and songs)

5.  Have a Family Sing Off (Christmas songs)

6.  Put up the Christmas Tree

7.  Finish addressing Christmas cards 

8.  Play a Game

9.  Watch The Next Iron Chef on Food Network
10.  Have Bedtime Ritual by the lighted Christmas Tree

My Seven Wonders of the World

My Seven Wonders of the World are:
 - experiencing love, deep and abiding
 - experiencing soul cleansing forgiveness
 - experiencing grace, unmerited
 - experiencing unspeakable joy
 - experiencing peace that passes understanding
 - experiencing miracles, with eyes wide-open
 - experiencing hope found only in Christ

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones!

The Wonder of WonderMaps!

Oh. My. We have been blessed to try out an awesome new resource called WonderMaps from Bright Idea Press!  With this program, you can print over 350 maps, ranging from world, regional, historic and state focus, each customized with the details of your choice.  It is so much fun to use and very user friendly.  The possibilities of use with this program are endless.  Not only do the producers provide an list of several creative and exciting potential cross-curriculum uses, but the system also coordinates with both

The Mystery of History and All American History curriculums. 

This year we are using Veritas Press' Old Testament and Ancient Egypt Series and I can see many opportunities to utilize WonderMaps to augment our study.  Also, we are currently reading Little House on the Prairie as part of our night time ritual.  I printed each child a map of the "Heartland" of the United States.  I had them color the states that the Ingall's family have traveled through.  They had so much fun with this and it helps bring into focus the reality of the distance and struggles of the Ingall's journey. 

So, so many fun and creative possibilities!  You can learn much more about this incredible educational resource by checking out the following sites:

http://www.timberdoodle.com/WonderMaps_CDp088-950.html

http://www.brightideaspress.com/

http://www.timberdoodle.com/Homeschool_Geography_s/30.html

http://www.becausemomsaid.com/2011/09/wondermaps-reviews

   

Request a free educational resource catalogue at http://www.timberdoodle.com/Articles.asp?ID=139.

As a member of Timberdoodle's Blogger Review Team I received a free copy of WonderMaps in exchange for a frank and unbiased review.

The Blessing ~ a book review

I recently finished a book that I have long wanted to read - The Blessing by John Trent and Gary Smalley. 

from the front cover - "Giving the Gift of Unconditional Love and Acceptance"

from the back cover - "Children of every age long for the gift of "the blessing" - the unconditional love and approval that come from a healthy relationship with their parents.  This lift-changing gift, essential for instilling a deep sense of self-worth and unshakable emotional well-being, contains five essential elements......"

This updated edition of the book, originally published in 1986,  thoroughly outlines implementing the "five essential elements."  It details the application of each element and offers real-life examples of both individuals who experienced that element and those who suffered the lack of it.  Utilizing personal anecdotes and scripture, Trent and Smalley present their strategies both with clarity and compassion.  In addition, the authors pepper the chapters with noted links to further resources online at their website http://www.theblessing.com/ The reader is left confident that they too, can offer "the Blessing" to each of their own children and to the other significant people in their life. 

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.  As mentioned earlier, I have long wanted to read it and count it an honor to have it as a parenting/life resource.  It is thorough, but very readable.

I received a complementary copy of this book for review from http://www.booksneeze.com/

The opinions are my own.

in praise

1921. bedtime ritual again

1922. the comfort of rituals

1923. always grace

1924. reading aloud Little House on the Prairie

1925. Stevia in the Raw (I like my coffee even better now, Jennifer!)

1926. rearranging furniture

1927. my office space

1928. our school room

1929. the freshness of repurposed spaces

1930. kids journaling in their night-time journals

1931. looking at their journal entries with them

1932. today's early morning walk

1933. being drenched with sweat

1934. the blessing of a cool shower

1935. new lotion

1936. in our 3rd week of school

1937. antibiotics for strept throat

1938. the sound of my kitchen fountain

1939. the tapping of my computer keys

1940. shutting my eyes

1941. getting a letter in the mail
1942. a dad's homeschool prayer group for my husband to be a part of

our 2011-2012 homeschool schedule

As always I really, really enjoy designing and planning each year's homeschool schedule.  The grade levels that I am teaching this year are 6th, 3rd, and 1st.  This schedule is what we are aiming for on Monday through Thursday.

8:00 - 8:30 Morning Devotions
8:30 - 9:00 1st Silent Reading (each child will read out of a pre-chosen grade level book)
9:00 - 12:00 Grammar & Math Instruction/Seatwork
12:00 - 1:00 Lunch
1:00 - 2:00 History (M/W)/Science (T/Th)
2:00 - 2:30 Mom Read Aloud Time (probably history/science related)
2:30 - 3:00 Peer Spelling Drill/3rd graders read aloud to me
3:00 - 3:30 2nd Silent Reading

Friday's schedule looks like this:
8:00 - 8:30 Morning Devotions
8:30 - 9:00 Silent Reading
9:00 - 10:00 Math Testing (all)
10:00 - 11:00 Comprehension Quizzes/Handwriting (completion of a History Review Sheet in their best handwriting - doing double duty here)
11:00 - 12:00 Art Activity or additional History/Science Project
12:00 - 1:00 Lunch

I have also come up with a Daily Rhythm for which to aim.  I have never tried this before, so we will see how it works.   

 - Good Morning! + Breakfast (7:30 A.M.)
 - Morning Devotions
 - Homeschool
 - Daily Chores (Desk Ready, Public Rooms, Bedrooms)
 - Free Time
 - Supper + Kitchen Cleanup
 - Free Time
 - Night-time Ritual (8:00)
         TV off
         Pajamas + Brush Teeth
         Prayers + Monthly Memory Verse
         Journal + Story
 - Bedtime (9:00 P.M.)
 - Good Night!  Lights Out! (9:15)

I really enjoy reading other's schedules and plans, so I thought I would put mine up!

Desiring God

I have recently finished reviewing Desiring God, a DVD Study, by John Piper.  Quoting Piper, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."  So simple, yet so profound.  Piper supports this premise scripturally and it is a result of many years of study. John Piper is the Pastor for Preaching and Vision at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  This DVD presentation is set up as a 5 hour topical study to a small audience.  While the trappings of this presentation were a bit less sophisticated (use of overhead projector as opposed to powerpoint), Piper's delivery was both personable and engaging.  I found the message of this text both challenging and thrilling. 

From the back of the study guide - "This study guide companion to the DVD version of Desiring God - the classic explanation of Christian hedonism by John Piper - will help individuals and groups understand that the supreme calling of life is to "glorify God by enjoing Him forever." "

I received a complementary copy of this book for review from waterbrookmultnomah.com   The opinions are my own.

Growing Up Amish ~ a compelling read

When I was a young girl, I checked out biographies by the stack, laid across my bed and read my summer days away.  When I was in my early twenties, I read through the published diaries and letters of Anne Morrow Lindbergh.  Since that time, my taste has shifted more to prefering fiction titles.  Then, I read Growing Up Amish by Ira Wagler.  I have read many fictional accounts of Amish life, all of which have been written by women.  Most of those women had a least some real connection to people of

 Mennonite or Amish backgrounds, lending credibility to the accounts. 

Never have I read a like book from a male perspective. 

This non-fiction story is an autobiographical telling of Wagler's childhood up until his mid-twenties.  He recounts details of Old Order Amish life and many challenges he faced.  This work was both compelling and provocative.  Even though the back of the book tells you clearly that Wagler leaves the religious background of his youth, even knowing how it would end, I could barely put the book down.  Wagler has such a gift for capturing his experiences in words, that the end result is a life-story that is both honest and yet tender.

I recieved a complementary copy of this book for review from mediacenter.tyndale.com 

The comments are my own.

from the gratitude journal

1363.  friends enjoying Gracie in Sunday School

1364.  focusing

1365.  setting boundaries on commitments

1366.  sunlight spearing up and down on a strand of cobweb

1367.  M and J cleaning laundry room on their own

1368.  Gracie sleeping

1369.  coffee ready to drink

1370.  a day spanning before me unmarked by outside obligations

1371.  being able to work on projects

1372.  being reminded - nothing matters more than each interaction - careful attention to words and attitudes

1373.  14 years of marriage marked today!

To learn more about the joys of journalling gratitude visit aholyexperience.com !

Please Pray

Please pray for my dear homeschooling friend Marie, who blogs at justcallmerei.blogspot.com  She is having surgery Tuesday.  Please pray for peace and healing.  Thank you!

may book of days

 Papa has been playing and repairing his clarinets.

S learns to ride her bike without training wheels!

We celebrated Mother's Day.

We visited our local agricultural museum.

We also visited our local science museum!

The children have discovered the wondrous possibilities of hot glue!

We celebrated the end of the school year with our homeschool group.

E, M, J and S participated in the homeschool play.

J won first place in the derby car races!

We all signed up for the summer reading program at our library.

E played beautifully in her piano recital!

We watched our nephew/cousin graduate from high school.

Papa was promoted to Captain in the State Guard and participated in the security detail for the annual

Trail of Honor.

Also during this month, as a family, we learned Matthew 6:9-13 and read The Ordinary Princess, poetry of A. A. Milne, and continued The Hobbit.  Last week, we brought home our ninth foster baby, Gracie!

It was truly a fun and busy month!

Happy Birthday M!

We celebrated M's 10th birthday in April - double-digits!!! She is an active girl who loves riding her bike and rollerblading.  She also has a great sense of style.  Quick, inquisitive and compssionate, M is a treasure and we are blessed to have her as our daughter!