Posted by Cindy on February 20, 2008
We’re having so much fun studying Medieval history! After reading about various aspects of life, we’ve been doing a project every day or two to go along with that aspect. The picture above shows the kid’s projects after learning about knights and armor.
Sorry, but after that picture the camera pooped out again. The kiddos have also made a model of a castle and period costumes so far. This week, we’ll be preparing a medieval feast, setting a period table and eating with the manners of the time. I’m hoping to be able to snap pictures here and there, so hopefully, I’ll have more pictures to share by the end of the unit.
Posted by Cindy on February 19, 2008
The leader of our homeschool co-op spoke in the Mom’s Room this week on the topic of courtship. It was a wonderful presentation as her oldest daughter met and married her husband the through process. The daughter gave her testimony, too. It was precious.
So many people think the idea of courtship is very weird and unnatural, but she dispelled those myths by showing us that - in their case anyway – it was more a matter of supervised dating. In other words, the couple never put themselves in a situation to be alone and thus tempted to take the relationship “further”. Their story held much more information and “testimony” than this, but it’s not my story to tell – yet anyway. 
I would like to share some resources on courtship and/or purity, though. I’m sure this list is not exhaustive and I would LOVE for you to add to the list through your comments. Some of these relate specifically to remaining pure for a husband or wife, while some speak more to generally keeping your heart, mind and soul pure.
Purity for kids as young as eight
The Princess and the Kiss by Jennie Bishop (Life Lessons from the Princess and the Kiss)
The Squire and the Scroll by Jennie Bishop (Life Lessons from the Squire and the Scroll)
The Garden Wall by Jennie Bishop
The Glass Heart by Sally Gardner (This one is not written necessarily from a Biblical perspective, which means I added more discussion after we read it, but there is merit in the overall storyline.)
A Parable About the King by Beth Moore
The Way Home: A Princess Story by Max Lucado
For Teens (thanks to Cathy – our co-op leader for introducing me to these.)
Seven Royal Laws of Courtship by Jerry Ross
Stay in the Castle by Jerry Ross
Waiting for Her Isaac by Mr. & Mrs. Stephen B. Castleberry
The Mysterious Alabaster Bottle by Elizabeth Rice Handford
Jason and the Windsurf Ordeal by E. R. Handford
You might also find The Courtship Connection helpful. I have heard Kathie Morrisey speak a few times and have always been blessed.
Posted by Cindy on February 18, 2008
Ha! I actually think it’s ironic that the theme for the newest edition of the CM Carnival is “Mother Culture” – otherwise known as taking care of momma. You see, I’m not doing a very good job of that right now. Maybe it’s having a toddler who isn’t a good sleeper day or night. Maybe it’s too many responsibilities outside of homeschooling. Maybe it’s having a husband who works hard (aka – me not having much free time.) Maybe it’s too much “Martha” and not enough “Mary”. Whatever the reason, I almost didn’t write an article for the carnival because I thought I needed to hear more than I needed to speak.
But, then I remembered the gals at my co-op who are struggling right now with feelings of being overwhelmed. I never want to pretend that just because I’m a ‘seasoned’ homeschooler, it doesn’t mean that all my days are bright and bubbly. On the contrary, almost every year about this time in fact! So, I’ve decided to write this article as a little note to myself that I need to carve out time for me (and attempt to come up with a plan as I write.) And to give myself the same advice I’ve been giving everyone else - the winter blah’s have hit, but spring renewal is just around the corner!
I need time to myself. I believe I always have. A busily nursing baby for over a year now has cramped my style as far as time alone goes. But, it’s time to reclaim some moments for me. Boy, do I feel selfish saying that! It’s a shame how the devil uses guilt to keep us tired and frustrated. However, it’s much more a shame that we allow him to make us feel guilty!
First step – I am going to start exercising again. Denise Austin and I used to visit with each other every morning on the Lifetime channel. Thirty minutes with just the two of us bebopping around my living room is really all I typically need to improve my spirit, my energy level, my health and my productivity rate. Why, oh why is it so hard to start exercising again when you’ve been away a while?
Second step – It’s time to start asking for help. I’ve fretted long enough that Eli can’t be left with others for a long period of time (hey, I’m only talking a few hours!) He will not starve if he goes a few hours without nursing. So, family and friends reading this, you better not pretend you aren’t home when your caller i.d. shows my number. What will I do during these few hours to refresh my soul? As sad as it sounds, I might simply go to the grocery store alone! Okay, we’re talking about taking care of “mother culture”. Does browsing antique shops count? How about taking a lonely walk through the park? I love to browse at the library, too. It’s been a long time, but remembering what I like to do is quickly coming back to me!
Third step – I must give some things up, or at least set limits. Everything I do is “good” – it helps someone or teaches someone or makes people smile. But, pretty much everything I do is for others, and all those things are taking up too much space on my calendar and too much space in my brain. In high school I was voted “Most Dependable” – to my joy then, but I think my detriment now. I’m the person people come to for helping with this or that and in the past I had trouble saying no. I’ve gotten much better at using the ‘no’ word, but all the appointments, to-do’s and exciting opportunities are overtaking me again. If I’m always busy doing everyone else’s tasks, or even just taking my children hither to and yonder all the time, I will never be able to carve out time to refresh my spirit.
Fourth step – and the most important – I gotta turn all these decisions over to God more than I do. He knows my frustrations. He knows my needs. He will provide perfectly for me if I allow Him to. What’s the saying – I turn my problems over to Him, only to take them right back. Why don’t we trust Him more? For me, a schedule that’s too busy and not taking time for myself keeps me at just a far enough distance from Him that I’m too far to pass the burdens on. Ouch, that even hurt to type.
So there you have it. An article that shares way more of my struggles than I like to write about, and my attempt at figuring out how to nourish my “mother culture”. I’m rather sure I’ll keep you posted on my progress.
Here is a list for Overcoming Homeschool Burnout that goes along with the winter blah’s I mentioned earlier.
Spring is only one month away!!
Posted by Cindy on February 15, 2008
My older two children and hubby are gone today. They’ve taken off with some friends to visit the Farm Machinery Show in Louisville. As much as I love my children, I’m realizing how much I’ve really needed a break from them.
There’s just something about these dreary, grey days of winter that put me in a funk. I’ve been a tad crabby with my whole family. Time alone, even a short bit (and, yes, even with Eli still toddling around beside me), is doing my spirit some good.
Eli is napping now – something he does much better when the house is quiet. I’ve taken care of almost all my normal Saturday chores today since there’s no school to teach and no arguments to referee. I might even have the time to plan next week’s school, menus, chore lists, co-op and church stuff before the day is over. Aaah. A chance to be completely prepared? I don’t know what I’ll do with myself over the weekend if it actually happens. You think I might have time to sit and read a magazine all the way through tomorrow? Nah. I’m afraid that’s still asking way too much. The big kids and hubby will be back in the house tomorrow, after all.
Spring, come quickly!
Posted by Cindy on February 13, 2008
At co-op each month, I’ve been asking the ladies to fill out notecards with ideas for certain topics. Last month the topic was “Romancing Our Husbands Frugally”. Because of some ‘mature’ content, I didn’t post the list of ideas here on my blog, but if you’re interested, you can go here to see the list.
This month’s topic was “Learning in the Car”. Below is the list of ideas they came up with. So many of us spend a lot of time traveling to appointments, lessons, co-ops, field trips and more, that time sitting in the car can take away from school time if we aren’t careful. With all these ideas, though, you never have to feel guilty again if ‘school time’ finds you traveling to and fro! (Sorry, I copied this document from my computer and pasted it into my blog. For some reason, that never works very well here at homeschoolblogger.)
Making Time in the Car Educational
Bible Memory Work
*Recite Bible verses
*Recite the books of the Bible
Skills
*Math drills – any number of mental math drills
*Spelling drills
*Sign reading
*Vocabulary words
*Drills of important dates to remember
*Drills of important people or events and their significance
*Narration
*Poetry recitation
*Buy skill workbooks from the dollar store
*Buy fun books of mazes, crosswords, word finds, etc.
*Run off a blank US map and ask kids to color in each state when they see a license plate from that state.
Games
*Play ABC I Spy – either with objects or words on signs
*Name things you see outside that were mentioned in the Bible
*Buy little travel games and keep in a plastic tote
*“Bugs and Cruisers” – Assign point values to certain types of cars and have the kids keep a point tally as you drive. Example: VW Bugs and PT Cruisers are each worth 1 point. Hummers might be worth 10 points. Jeeps might be worth 5 points. You get to make up the rules and values according to your child’s abilities.
*Play color or shape I Spy
*Storytelling
*Storytelling where one person stops a story at the climax and another person continues the story
*Grammar guess – mom says a sentence and asks child to repeat a part of speech. Example: Mom says, “Name the prepositional phrase, ‘Look for the ball under the bush.’ ” The child then repeats the prepositional phrase.
*Hum or whistle tunes and see who is the first to guess correctly.
*Play 20 questions.
*Play an oral ABC scattergories. Think of a topic and the first person names something that fits in the topic starting with “a”, the next person thinks of a “b” word, and so on.
*Play word memory. The first person says a word that fits in a certain topic. The next person says that word and adds another word. The third person says the first two words and adds another word. You keep going until someone messes up. Example: Topic=animals, first persons says ‘dog’, second person says ‘dog, cat’, third person says ‘dog, cat, frog’
Educational CD Ideas
*Adventures in Odyssey
*Jonathan Park Adventures
*Foreign languages
*Bible verse CD’s
*Bible song CD’s
*Any “living” book on CD
*CD of music or stories that go along with a unit you’re studying
*Story of the World CD’s
*Any historical fiction book on CD
*Lyrical Life Science CD’s
Other Ideas
*Keep a lap desk or clip board in your car, along with a supply of pencils, crayons, etc. and bring the school books along on a trip!
*On a familiar drive, ask your child to create a travel brochure of the sights you see.
*Stop at a rest stop or hotel in an unfamiliar area and pick up a few brochures. Let your child be the “tour guide” of attractions in the area as you drive. You never know when an unexpected field trip might turn up.
*Listen to a preacher on the radio and discuss the sermon.
*Turn up the music and practice singing harmonies.
*Buy travel books like Smileage.
For more ideas, you might enjoy this book.
