Kingdom Academy

Closed

2010-09-22T02:48:00.000-04:00

For the school year of 2010-2011 we have chosen to put our girls back into public schools. It was not without a lot of prayer, sweat and tears. I have gone back to school and will be seeking full time employment upon graduation. I will leave this beautiful blog up in hopes of helping other homeschooling families. There are lots of great links here.

God Bless You All!

On a blog break

2010-04-07T23:19:00.001-04:00

Just a note to say that I will be away for a bit. ;)

March 1st

2010-03-01T21:12:00.004-05:00

This year is flying by. Zoom, zoom, zoom.

Guess what?

Yes, you guessed correctly! They are calling for more snow this week! The Farmer's Almanac says we'll be getting 31 more inches during the month of March! I'm just waiting to see if it's true. Somehow, I believe it is. We've had two our our biggest snows during the month of March.

I'm finally feeling better. I've been walking the dogs this week and trying to get out of the house.

I didn't realize it but I was a little stressed about curriculum. Why did I ever doubt the Lord? He called me to use My Father' World several years back and it has been the BIGGEST blessing WHEN I am using it. I am going to share a quote written by one of my friends on a homeschool board. It describes the changes that take place in our lives when we are using My Father's World.

"The thing with Exploring Countries and Cultures (and all MFW years) is that Bible *really happens* and therefore kids/families really get into their faith. It's very exciting! It also is different because it doesn't do a lot of jumping around and surface learning in Bible. Kids almost always know exactly where in the Bible they are reading and exactly how that connects to the rest of human history. The Biblical portion is very solid and not fluffy.

But what *doesn't* happen is the rest of the education being left out. In fact, I'd say the same thing about the rest of MFW -- the learning "really happens" and you don't get sidetracked into leaving out modern history or skipping creation or anything in between. It includes things like classical composers and the arts. It not only creates a framework of understanding for the kids, but it creates a solid teacher!"

My two favorite things that are said in the above quotes are these:

1. "Bible *really happens*"

and

2. "..it creates a solid teacher!"

Some people school fine without My Father's World but these two points alone are what *I* love the most about MFW. I need the instruction on how to teach. MFW takes all the leg work out of scheduling Marie has truly created lifestyle with this curriculum and for us, it makes all the difference! It really does help us get *into* our faith. Praise God!

This year I was concerned about cost. We usually take our tax check and purchase school for the upcoming year but this year we paid off a lot of acquired debt and we didn't have enough left over to purchase everything needed. I've been hunting since last October for two years of MFW used. I finally found ECC (Exploring Countries and Cultures) used, it saved me $150. I also found Sky's math, Saxon 8/7 with the Teacher cds for $45, which is a savings of about $85. That was such a blessing!

Then my mother in law offered to help me make the rest of my purchases. I was able to purchase the first year of My Father's World Highschool-Ancient History and Literature new from My Father's World. I love that we were able to do this because I love supporting My Father's World directly.

I am waiting for Teaching Textbooks to publish their newly made year of 3rd grade. It is suppose to come out in April.

I only have a few odds and ends to tie up and all my school purchases will be complete for next year.

Today was a good school day. We are getting back on track. Sky starts her volunteering at the hospital tomorrow. Keep her in prayer.

Till next time....

February

2010-02-18T18:12:00.003-05:00

Public schools have missed 20 days of school due to the snow so far and they are still forecasting more in the upcoming weeks. I am just amazed at how many years we've gone with no snow and all of a sudden, this year, we've been bombarded with snow.

We are doing the basics.

Language Arts

Math

Science

I'm just glad to be moving along.

I've noticed with Meadow that since we've been doing so little scheduled school she has started asking questions. I am really enjoying it. One night we orally covered spelling, rules, different words, nouns, adjectives and verbs for over an hour. She has written a letter and addressed her envelope. I'm proud of these little things.

She is also asking questions like where electricity comes from and how it works. I'm going to order a Bill Nye the science guy video for that one. :)

I just like that I can see her learning.

Sky is doing well. Things aren't moving as quickly as I would like for them to but I'm thankful they are moving.

Sky is starting a Jr. Volunteer program at the hospital. It's sort of a scaled down Candy Striper program. She'll be assisting the Activities Coordinator. I'm hoping that as summer draws closer that it will develop more into the duties of a Candy Striper. I'd like to see her responsibilities increase at the hospital over time.

All is well here at Kingdom Academy.

Calling For More Snow!!

2010-02-05T01:03:00.002-05:00

As a matter of fact, its snowing right now! The girls are so excited. We usually school through this kind of weather in the winter but I'm not feeling my best so both girls still have friends over. They are running in and out of the house right now laughing in the snow and it's midnight. Not the typical scene I'm sure but a memorable one for sure.

I had a doctor's appointment today and had some blood work done, it'll be nice to find out exactly what is going on with me. That is my prayer, that this problem reveal itself so the doctor's will know how to treat me. I want to feel better.

I'm resting this evening in His peace and His presence, reminding myself that all things have a purpose and praying that I hear what my Father is speaking to me now.

Snow days! Laugh out Loud! Public schools haven't had one day of school this week. Make up days will run well into June. I hope the girls will build a snow man if we get enough snow. I'll be sure to post pictures if they do.

God Bless!

Learning to Count Blessings

2010-02-03T22:42:00.005-05:00

Sometimes the lesson is to count your blessing when you can't see them. It's always hard to remember to see things through spiritual eyes. As most of you know I've had a rough couple of weeks. This weekend wasn't any easier.

We got more snow! That is a blessing I can see! I love the snow! But it was also my time and it really through me for a loop. I don't think there has been extra stress I just think I've been weak and haven't handled the stress as well as usual.

Then the lady that I had mentioned that I was purchasing the used MFW from hasn't contacted me. I've been praying fervently for her because it's like she just dropped off the face of the of the earth. That generally doesn't happen once you've exchanged weeks worth of e-mails and set prices on things.

Then I had another lady send me an e-mail that she had a kit that contained almost all of the consumables included which made it a much better deal because I wouldn't have to add to it to complete. If any of you have ever had to piece together a kit sometimes its easier to buy it done for you!

Some how though things have just fallen apart with this deal too. I'm heart broken. Sometimes it just seems like life throws more curve balls then I can handle. Even though I didn't want to admit it I needed to find these kits at half price.

Tonight in church our lesson was seeing things in the spiritual. How we get so caught up with things in the physical: jobs, money, family and the days ins and outs of things. So tonight I'm asking God, what is it Lord that You want me to do? Give me peace and provide. Forgive me where I fail You and strengthen me to handle things with love the way You would. Your word says whatever is bound on earth in Jesus' name is bound in Heaven and whatever is loosed on earth is loosed in Heaven. Father, I bind my flesh and anger and I loose Your gentle loving patience. Lead me and guide me. In Jesus name I pray.

They are calling for more snow Friday night. I can hardly believe it.

God has given me a budget. He'll meet it, one way or the other. He'll either send me the right family to sell to me half price or He'll provide for me to purchase new from My Father's World.

Listen to this song: The Lord just laid it on my heart. I know it'll take a few minutes but I promise you will not regret it. Close your eyes and seek Him. I'm going to seek Him.

Rainy Days

2010-01-25T20:17:00.005-05:00

It's been raining really hard since yesterday. I couldn't sleep last night so I didn't get up as early as I had planned and that set our day back a little. I worked right through, we've had to school this evening but that is okay. School is getting done.

So is house cleaning. We've gone through and dusted, swept, mopped, vacuumed and put everything in its place. I love how the house feels when that is done. I still have a little work left in the kitchen where we still need to paint. Hopefully we can finish that soon. I've been procrastinating. :)

I'm working on getting us through the general basic subjects and trying to get back into our history studies with MFW. We still have state and president sheets to finish along with our study of the state birds. No hurries. We have plenty of time but I'm ready to get started. I loved the history reading that I blogged about in my last post. I don't think the girls were as keen on it as I am but I suppose if you don't have history lovers that is to be expected.

I have found someone that is selling both years of My Father's World that I need for next year at 1/2 price. She also has some English, Science and odds and ends that I was looking for also. I'm quite thankful. The Lord continues to bless us in small but yet great ways.

We give love offerings to God's Word for the Nations and I order any extras that are missing from My Father's World to make sure we are still financially supporting them even though I am purchasing used curriculum.

Taxes are filed and I can't wait to place my orders for new school! It's an exciting time in my home.

Sky and I are getting ready to read The Hobbit and I'm going to order the audio cds to this. I can't wait! She could. Sigh... but thats okay.

Tonight I was sitting here on the couch calling out spelling words from Spelling Power to Meadow while our lovebird Mary sat on my hand. Tony was on the loveseat with his hat pulled over his eyes and Meadow's friend Brittany-who is here for a sleepover- was sitting beside me. I had such a sweet feeling. I am so thankful that the Lord has called me to homeschool. I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to really be with my children. I love the closeness, the talks, the time. Priceless.

All the money in the world couldn't bring a better life.

Highly blessed and favored!

I'm looking at a neat virtual homeschool group online that has live classes for two of Sky's subjects next year. They don't have schedules up yet but if they offer Apologia Physical Science and Saxon 8/7 or Algebre 1/2 (pre algebra) then I'm going to let her take those classes through them. They have real teachers and those teachers will grade her work. I'm praying this works out. It will help me out so much and I feel it will help Sky as much me. I'd feel really good having someone else look at her work too. Many pluses here so be praying that this works out for us!

I'll be sharing all my new buys soon. :)

Discussing History

2010-01-19T14:11:00.004-05:00

I came across this speech while searching online for information on Martin Luther King, Jr. I watch Meadow's eyes, as I read, even though she doesn't quite understand the language. She picks up on analogies and her heart breaks as she wonders why, because of the color of skin, some were allowed to learn and some were not. As the realization hits Sky that there were 72 laws in our state of VA in the year 1852 that if broken a black man would die, but only two of which held the same consequence for a white man. How do you explain that life isn't fair or just and yet we serve a fair and just God?

I wanted to share this below in case there is any reader out there, like me, who had never read this speech before. Looking at history from the other side of the glass isn't nearly as pretty.

I can see why satan thwarts our attempts at homeschooling on days like today.

Days of break through.

What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?
Frederick Douglass July 5, 1852.

The following is an excerpt from an oration delivered at the Rochester Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society. Douglass delivered a speech that took aim at the pieties of the nation — the cherished memories of its revolution, its principles of liberty, and its moral and religious foundation. The Fourth of July, a day celebrating freedom, was used by Douglass to remind his audience of liberty’s unfinished business.

Fellow-citizens, pardon me, allow me to ask, why am I called upon to speak here today? What have I, or those I represent, to do with your national independence? Are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us? and am I, therefore, called upon to bring our humble offering to the national altar, and to confess the benefits and express devout gratitude for the blessings resulting from your independence to us?

Would to God, both for your sakes and ours, that an affirmative answer could be truthfully returned to these questions! Then would my task be light, and my burden easy and delightful. For who is there so cold, that a nation’s sympathy could not warm him? Who so obdurate and dead to the claims of gratitude, that would not thankfully acknowledge such priceless benefits? Who so stolid and selfish, that would not give his voice to swell the hallelujahs of a nation’s jubilee, when the chains of servitude had been torn from his limbs? I am not that man. In a case like that, the dumb might eloquently speak, and the “lame man leap as an hart.”

But, such is not the state of the case. I say it with a sad sense of the disparity between us. I am not included within the pale of this glorious anniversary! Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us. The blessings in which you, this day, rejoice, are not enjoyed in common. The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not by me. The sunlight that brought life and healing to you, has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth [of] July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn. To drag a man in fetters into the grand illuminated temple of liberty, and call upon him to join you in joyous anthems, were inhuman mockery and sacrilegious irony. Do you mean, citizens, to mock me, by asking me to speak to-day? If so, there is a parallel to your conduct. And let me warn you that it is dangerous to copy the example of a nation whose crimes, lowering up to heaven, were thrown down by the breath of the Almighty, burying that nation in irrecoverable ruin! I can to-day take up the plaintive lament of a peeled and woe-smitten people!

”By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down. Yea! we wept when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there, they that carried us away captive, required of us a song; and they who wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How can we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land? If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth.”

Fellow-citizens; above your national, tumultuous joy, I hear the mournful wail of millions! whose chains, heavy and grievous yesterday, are, to-day, rendered more intolerable by the jubilee shouts that reach them. If I do forget, if I do not faithfully remember those bleeding children of sorrow this day, “may my right hand forget her cunning, and may my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth!” To forget them, to pass lightly over their wrongs, and to chime in with the popular theme, would be treason most scandalous and shocking, and would make me a reproach before God and the world. My subject, then fellow-citizens, is AMERICAN SLAVERY. I shall see, this day, and its popular characteristics, from the slave’s point of view. Standing, there, identified with the American bondman, making his wrongs mine, I do not hesitate to declare, with all my soul, that the character and conduct of this nation never looked blacker to me than on this 4th of July! Whether we turn to the declarations of the past, or to the professions of the present, the conduct of the nation seems equally hideous and revolting. America is false to the past, false to the present, and solemnly binds herself to be false to the future. Standing with God and the crushed and bleeding slave on this occasion, I will, in the name of humanity which is outraged, in the name of liberty which is fettered, in the name of the constitution and the Bible, which are disregarded and trampled upon, dare to call in question and to denounce, with all the emphasis I can command, everything that serves to perpetuate slavery-the great sin and shame of America! “I will not equivocate; I will not excuse;” I will use the severest language I can command; and yet not one word shall escape me that any man, whose judgement is not blinded by prejudice, or who is not at heart a slaveholder, shall not confess to be right and just.

But I fancy I hear some one of my audience say, it is just in this circumstance that you and your brother abolitionists fail to make a favorable impression on the public mind. Would you argue more, and denounce less, would you persuade more, and rebuke less, your cause would be much more likely to succeed. But, I submit, where all is plain there is nothing to be argued. What point in the anti-slavery creed would you have me argue? On what branch of the subject do the people of this country need light? Must I undertake to prove that the slave is a man? That point is conceded already. Nobody doubts it. The slaveholders themselves acknowledge it in the enactment of laws for their government. They acknowledge it when they punish disobedience on the part of the slave. There are seventy-two crimes in the State of Virginia, which, if committed by a black man, (no matter how ignorant he be), subject him to the punishment of death; while only two of the same crimes will subject a white man to the like punishment. What is this but the acknowledgement that the slave is a moral, intellectual and responsible being? The manhood of the slave is conceded. It is admitted in the fact that Southern statute books are covered with enactments forbidding, under severe fines and penalties, the teaching of the slave to read or to write. When you can point to any such laws, in reference to the beasts of the field, then I may consent to argue the manhood of the slave. When the dogs in your streets, when the fowls of the air, when the cattle on your hills, when the fish of the sea, and the reptiles that crawl, shall be unable to distinguish the slave from a brute, their will I argue with you that the slave is a man!

For the present, it is enough to affirm the equal manhood of the negro race. Is it not astonishing that, while we are ploughing, planting and reaping, using all kinds of mechanical tools, erecting houses, constructing bridges, building ships, working in metals of brass, iron, copper, silver and gold; that, while we are reading, writing and ciphering, acting as clerks, merchants and secretaries, having among us lawyers, doctors, ministers, poets, authors, editors, orators and teachers; that, while we are engaged in all manner of enterprises common to other men, digging gold in California, capturing the whale in the Pacific, feeding sheep and cattle on the hill-side, living, moving, acting, thinking, planning, living in families as husbands, wives and children, and, above all, confessing and worshipping the Christian’s God, and looking hopefully for life and immortality beyond the grave, we are called upon to prove that we are men!

Would you have me argue that man is entitled to liberty? that he is the rightful owner of his own body? You have already declared it. Must I argue the wrongfulness of slavery? Is that a question for Republicans? Is it to be settled by the rules of logic and argumentation, as a matter beset with great difficulty, involving a doubtful application of the principle of justice, hard to be understood? How should I look to-day, in the presence of Americans, dividing, and subdividing a discourse, to show that men have a natural right to freedom? speaking of it relatively, and positively, negatively, and affirmatively. To do so, would be to make myself ridiculous, and to offer an insult to your understanding. There is not a man beneath the canopy of heaven, that does not know that slavery is wrong for him.

What, am I to argue that it is wrong to make men brutes, to rob them of their liberty, to work them without wages, to keep them ignorant of their relations to their fellow men, to beat them with sticks, to flay their flesh with the lash, to load their limbs with irons, to hunt them with dogs, to sell them at auction, to sunder their families, to knock out their teeth, to burn their flesh, to starve them into obedience and submission to their masters? Must I argue that a system thus marked with blood, and stained with pollution, is wrong? No! I will not. I have better employments for my time and strength, than such arguments would imply.

What, then, remains to be argued? Is it that slavery is not divine; that God did not establish it; that our doctors of divinity are mistaken? There is blasphemy in the thought. That which is inhuman, cannot be divine! Who can reason on such a proposition? They that can, may; I cannot. The time for such argument is past.

At a time like this, scorching irony, not convincing argument, is needed. O! had I the ability, and could I reach the nation’s ear, I would, to-day, pour out a fiery stream of biting ridicule, blasting reproach, withering sarcasm, and stern rebuke. For it is not light that is needed, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake. The feeling of the nation must be quickened; the conscience of the nation must be roused; the propriety of the nation must be startled; the hypocrisy of the nation must be exposed; and its crimes against God and man must be proclaimed and denounced.

What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciations of tyrants, brass fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade, and solemnity, are, to him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy - a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices, more shocking and bloody, than are the people of these United States, at this very hour.

Go where you may, search where you will, roam through all the monarchies and despotisms of the old world, travel through South America, search out every abuse, and when you have found the last, lay your facts by the side of the everyday practices of this nation, and you will say with me, that, for revolting barbarity and shameless hypocrisy, America reigns without a rival.

Stumbling Along

2010-01-19T10:43:00.004-05:00

We are trying to school but its been a rough start this year. After the other fiasco, a terrible virus entered our life. One of Meadow's little friends spent the night and cheerfully announced that she had had the vomits.

Great.

4 days later Meadow had the vomits.

3 days later I had the vomits.

3 days later Sky had the vomits.

4 days after that, yep, you guessed it, Tony had the vomits.

Then another virus doubled back. It was terrible stomach cramps and diarrhea and it lasted several days. A very rough two weeks.

So right now we are working on the basics. We haven't been able to move onto my hopes of finishing the next year of My Father's World-1850's to Modern. I'm taking it one step at a time.

The college thing didn't pan out. I tried everything I could. I went to take the Compass Test and the class filled up. I was so upset, I got up early and went over there only to find out that it was a first come, first serve test and it was FULL. They turned away several before me, and several after me. I persisted only to discover that my financial aid was messed up, which broke my heart. They were going to make an exception and allow me to test had my financial aid been worked out, but by the time they figured out the problem and I had tested I would have been at least a week behind. All of that, on top of all that we've already been through this January would have probably been more than I could handle.

I do want to go back to college though. I'm truly praying that I can in the fall.

So, I'll update more when we are more on track!

Right now, we are just hanging on....

Better Days

2010-01-05T23:21:00.002-05:00

There are always better days coming aren't there?

Today was one of those days.

Somehow after the exhausting night, Meadow finally quit throwing up and Sky is talking to me. The devastation isn't as strong and things look smaller, like I can handle them and NOT so huge that the weight of the world is on my shoulders. God is good like that. He always steps in and picks you up and carries you when He knows you have all you can take.

I haven't decided what I'm going to do about college. I'll see how I feel tomorrow when I'm suppose to go and test. One day at a time. One thing I do know for sure though is that IF I don't get in this semester I'm definitely going the next one.

Today we took the day off from school and Sky cleaned out the basement. She relished the physical labor and took pride in what she accomplished. I know she was grateful to not have to do school. We will pick back up and try again later in the week. Maybe tomorrow, maybe Thursday. I'm so tired right now it's hard to say what we will do but one thing I know is that its going to work itself out.

Good night all.....

The Bad and The Ugly

2010-01-04T22:34:00.004-05:00

I post our progress and our success and sometimes I post our rough days but I don't know that I've ever had a day quite as ugly as today. I've second guessed posting this more than once but feel as though I have to keep it real. I'm so open, sometimes I fear I show too much of myself and my family.

Here it goes:

Our first day back and we nearly froze to death.

I waited until this morning to make our schedules. Sky is my middle daughter and she is in the 8th grade. I make each child a schedule for the week with subject, page numbers and what to do in each subject each day that week. When Sky brought me her last schedule for me to see where we left off, after a long 6 week break, she confessed that for those last few weeks of school before the holidays she crossed off that she did her school but didn't actually do it.

I was busy before the holidays and focusing on our MFW history, bible and reading ect... alot. Then I have to teach my 3rd grader Meadow. I expect my 8th grader to be able to follow the schedule and work on her own. She is fully capable and doesn't struggle in any area.

I had been slack in checking behind her and grading her papers.

As I took her subjects today I realized other things too. Like in her Jump In writing, instead of actually doing the lessons she had copied the examples given in the book into the areas that she was suppose to be doing the lessons.

She had written me two tiny reports on Abortion. A rough draft and then a corrected version. I was pretty impressed with her wording and felt as though she had a passion for abortion. She did a lot of research ect...

So, in trying to find her a writing teacher, someone to help me out, grading her ect... because writing is tough for me to grade and being her mom I'm often too lenient- I had found someone that I felt I would use. They needed an example of Sky's writing but Sky was gone for the weekend so I forwarded her abortion reports.

Today I get an e-mail from the someone gently explaining to me that Sky had plagiarized both reports. She easily found them word for word on the internet.

NOW- I DID discuss what this was (plagiarism) in detail with Sky and went over how to reword things or give credit if quoting BEFORE she wrote this paper. We did IEW last year and that did a great job in teaching how to take a few words from a sentence and make it your own.

She also understood it was stealing, lying and deceitful. I hate to even admit all of this here on the blog.

This is my middle dd and I've always felt like dh treated her differently than my older dd. He always seemed to be harder on Heaven than on Sky. To me it looks like Sky gets away with murder. Sky is different. BUT I'm at a loss in how to deal with this behavior.

She has always lied and been dishonest. She will look me dead in my eyes and lie and when she is caught she blows it off.

Dh and I had a heated argument. I was so angry. He of course said what I know is true-but still it hurt-that I AM her teacher and IF I had been doing my job I would have KNOWN that she wasn't DOING her work.

I feel like I have so much to do all the time already. I can't hold Sky's hand, I can't TEACH her every single subject. It's time she began DOING what she is suppose to do without me having to FORCE her or stand over top of her.

I feel like a failure as a mother and a teacher.

I don't even know how to discipline her in this and neither does dh. She is grounded from everything, ipod, radio, computer, friends, phone, cell, even classes at church, drama, everything. She did get a spanking- yes at 14. She is going to do school every day until she is caught up, even weekends. And for the finale-she is failing 8th grade. That one really got her. BUT had she been in college and did this they would have failed her in every subject and kicked her out of school.

You want to know what she is most upset over though? The fact that she is going to HAVE to take this writing class. She is furious.

Sky is not all bad. She is so smart, she is kind and very helpful. I've seen her changing the way she treats Meadow over the past month off of school. I've noticed lots of things about her. She is funny, has a great personality-often times the life of the party. I just don't understand why she insists on going out of her way to be lazy. To me, it took more time and effort to copy and pretend to do work than it would have to have just done it right the first time.

The thing that scares most me is wondering if she has a conscience. I homeschool because I know its what God called me to do and its SO hard on me to NOT see the fruits of my labor. It makes me doubt everything. Doubt myself, homeschooling, everything. I don't know WHAT to do differently. I've taught Sky about the Lord and lived the closest and best I could. I feel like when it comes to her that NOTHING I do or say will change her or matter at all.

God I pray this child matures some in the next four years because I don't know what I'll do if she doesn't.

THEN on top of all of this Meadow got a horrible virus and started puking about an hour ago. She is so sick. It doesn't look like we'll be doing school tomorrow and I PRAY this virus doesn't go through the house. I don't know how much more stress I can handle.

So there you have it, a really bad day in the life of Kingdom Academy.

Happy New Year 2010

2010-01-01T23:36:00.002-05:00

Oh my! I can't believe its 2010! We've had a nice long break over the holidays and I think it's ruined me! I have to laugh out loud at that. We will be getting back on schedule next week and I can't wait to get into the swing of things. I think the first week will be the toughest. Getting back on schedule. Um, that is going to be a toughie. I think even Tony has grown accustomed to staying up all hours of the night playing the new Wii and then sleeping in the next day.

Monday will be no fun for any of us but I can't wait just the same. I'll finish us up early and let Sky finish her *on her own* work in the evening as Heaven has a doctor's appointment. She is 14 weeks and we will get to hear the baby's heartbeat again.

Then on Wednesday my plans are to finish up school before noon and then go over to the college and take the Compass test. This is huge for me. I've been planning and talking about going back to school for like-well-absolutely forever. I'm hoping to be able to take all my first semester online. If things go as I've planned in my head, I'll only have to take one class in the summer but I'm trying not to think that far ahead. Often times things never go as planned and of course no plan can be made without seeing the results of my test. So, I'll talk more about that later.

I still have some cleaning and organizing to do before Monday, so I'll be busy busy.

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and that you do have a wonderful Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas

2009-12-23T01:55:00.002-05:00

We got snow! Below are some of our before Christmas pictures.

I wanted to stop by quickly and wish a hearty Merry Christmas to all my fellow homeschooling friends! Much love to you all and may the Lord grow you and reveal Himself to you this season, as He is the definitive reason!

Merry Christmas!!!

The Polar Express Field Trip

2009-12-11T21:38:00.024-05:00

Meadow and I ventured out on a long, long field trip last Thursday. We had to get up at 3:30 am and be at my friend Debbie's house at 4:15 am, travel an hour away, board a Coach bus, and travel 4 hours to ride a train with the theme planned as, "The Polar Express."

The day was long and the train ride short and disappointing but the time spent between Meadow and I: PRICELESS. We spent the entire day together as best friends. We wore our pajamas! We watched 2 Christmas movies on the way to the train and 2 Christmas movies on the way home. We laughed, we talked and we truly had a ball.

Below are a few pictures of our trip.

Early morning, two sleepy girls!

After we arrived, we seen the *chefs* going to their coaches.

Gift shops were nearby.

The Engine

Our coach: The Dillsboro

Meadow in front of our coach

People walking down the tracks to find their coaches.

One of our chefs. She was so funny!

After we had boarded our coach. Look at that smile!

This picture shows the inside of the coach.

The view from our cabin before the train ride started. This was a very poverty sticken town. Nothing like what we had expected.

Meadow, taking pictures of me!

Mommy and Meadow

Our other chef getting things ready. We are served hot cocoa. Yummy!

We are also fed chocolate, marshmallow santas. Mmmm

Meadow in front of town decorations after our train ride.

Back on the coach bus.

Tired eyes, but we had a great time.

The disappointment came for several reasons. We were under the assumption that the place we were visiting was nicer than it was. We also thought that the train ride would last more than an hour and that the scenery would be at least pretty. There were spots that were gorgeous, with maybe two pretty homes, and a few places that you could see the river without seeing garbage or trash but for the most part there was junk every where. Who wants to ride down a dump road on a train? We had also been told that our tickets were first class and that we would be on the nicest coach, with souvenir Polar Express mugs with our cocoa and shortbread cookies. That wasn't true. Traveling more than 4 hours each way was a hard day just to ride this train. BUT as stated above, Meadow and I had a great time together.

Thanksgiving is Over

2009-11-28T17:56:00.002-05:00

We had a fabulous Thanksgiving. How was yours? Ours was two whole days! One with my inlaws and one with my family. We also did a bit of black friday shopping. What fun!

Judy was a gem and helped me with the blog. I had no clue all of my images here were in my photobucket account! I had completely forgotten opening the account a year ago. And...since I had forgotten about it, I had not signed into it and that is what had happened here. Now everything is up and running.

We took last week off and will most likely take next week off also. We are expecting carpet installation on Monday and right now my home is upside down. Until I can set up my living room I can't reorganize our classroom, much less get to books to finish up school. After we get the house clean and everything put in it's place next week we plan to school two weeks in December and then take another two weeks off.

How are you guys doing? Schooling along, breaking for the holidays?

I can't wait for Christmas! We will be decorating next week after getting the carpet put in and furniture moved! Savannah also has a birthday coming up December 9th so that Friday we are having a sleep over. She will be 14! Growing up much too fast.

I'll check back in as we get back on track.

Happy Schooling!

Oops

2009-11-22T17:00:00.003-05:00

I've contacted Judy at Doodle Bug Designs about my header and blog design. Hopefully she'll be back in touch with me soon. Bear with me until then. Thanks!

Surprise for Me!!

2009-11-16T12:14:00.008-05:00

Today I printed our schedule for Week 30 in MFW Explorations to 1850's and we finished our Monday history. We are just about to finish Bound For Oregon, only 3 more chapters.

I took my Teacher's Manual to see our work load for the upcoming weeks so that I could plan how much time we would take off for the Holidays. Much to my amazement I discovered that we don't have 6 more weeks of history! We have a couple of weeks to work on our state reports and we are done!

Yep, you heard me right, done!

I am SOOO excited!

We will finish week 30 this week, take next week off of history all together, although we will still be doing our other subjects especially science, math and language arts.

I do so want to stay on top of things.

Some of you may think I'm a mad woman for being so excited over this but allow me a moment to share with you how the Lord has brought us to such success.

Over the years the biggest thing I've struggled with is consistency each day. It just seemed like there was always something coming up and we didn't get around to school like we should. The past couple of years I've really sought the Lord to help me with my sleeping habits and my scheduling abilities. I've never been a scheduler, I've just sort of always winged it and that was a lot of my problem.

The Lord has worked with me, gently calling me in the mornings to wake up and wooing me to sleep earlier in the night. I love my new schedule.

The Lord has also used My Father's World to help me with learning how to schedule our schooling. Having a schedule has made so much difference, and this is something that I never would have believed had I not experienced it myself! I was so against schedules and finally I've learned they do have their value.

I feel like right now the Lord is redeeming time we'd lost in our homeschool. I already have our next year of My Father's World 1850's-Modern so we will be beginning before Christmas! I'm quite sure as we continue to follow the Lord in this thing that we are going to finish this program before our 2010-2011 school year.

As I've shared before the girls will be separated next year with Sky going into MFW High School and Meadow going into MFW Exploring Countries and Cultures.

So after Thanksgiving we will be working on our state reports and after we finish those we will begin our new year of MFW!

Praise God!

Father, I thank-You for opening my eyes and bringing me to repentance, for forgiving me and restoring what I'd so carelessly lost. I pray you continue to keep Your hand upon Kingdom Academy and that we keep our eyes and ears open to hear as you lead. Amen

Hallelujah!

MFW Update Weeks 29

2009-11-13T21:03:00.002-05:00

I had so much running to do this week. I had appointments three days this week. It's also been rainy and dreary and blech. Aside from that I've had a a great week. We did manage to finish all of our weekly school work except for a little bit of reading in History. I plan to catch that up before Monday and we will be right on track moving forward to week 30.

Moving right along.........................

MFW Update Weeks 28

2009-11-06T10:01:00.011-05:00

I had to force the week to get everything completed. I've been running to the doctor with my older daughter a lot so we didn't get to have our typical school days. One of the glorious benefits of homeschooling is that just because you don't get to school in the day you always have the evenings. Since I've created schedules for Sky she is able to do her work each day regardless if I'm there to tell her what to do or not and this has made for a more productive school year for her as well. We are finishing up week 28 today and will be moving into week 29 next week. I'm hoping to slow down a little next week so we can hop back to those double weeks. I'd love to finish this history by Christmas!

We are studying the history of the hymn Amazing Grace. I've found some fabulous things online. I also plan to rent the move Amazing Grace so the girls get a more vivid picture of John Newton's life. I love this hymn. Learning about how and when it was written touched me all the more and reminds me of what a wretched sinner I am. I'm so thankful for the redemptive blood of Jesus Christ.

Have a blessed weekend!

MFW Update Weeks 26 & 27

2009-10-31T09:36:00.002-04:00

Last week was a fabulous school week. Everyday we dug in and moved forward. I can't describe how good it feels. We have started a new book called Bound for Oregon and we are really enjoying it. We continue to move forward with our study of the states and presidents. It's been a good productive week.

2009 Homeschool Blog Awards

2009-10-29T22:00:00.002-04:00

Nominations have begun and will end VERY soon.

Like Saturday!

Whoops!

I know, I know, no notice.

But alas, I have just learned of them myself this very night.

Blog awards are a lot of fun, a great way to meet fellow bloggers, gain insightful information and fellowship with others.

If you would like to nominate your favorite blogs you can do so by clicking on The Homeschool Post!

Go on! Give it a try! Nominate your favorite homeschooling blogs today!

Voting will begin in November.

Right...around....the....corner.

MFW Update Week 25

2009-10-25T20:27:00.004-04:00

We finished week 25 last week but didn't get to move onto week 26 as I had hoped. That is perfectly fine, these next few weeks are jam packed with history reading, state reports and presidents!

We had a great homeschool week. We finished our missionary book about William Carey. Once again I learned so much. I think it is so awesome to see (well read about) people with patience and trust in the Lord. William had to deal with many unpleasant situations and people. As I was reading there were several times that I found myself fed up and thinking, "I would have done this".....or "I would have said that"....but as I kept reading I was shown a whole new way of handling things.

I stopped and thought to myself, at the age of 38 is that possible? It would seem that being a Christian myself and living the life we live that this kind of behavior would be typical in our environment and every day life. Sadly, it isn't.

I was once again reminded of how far I have to go, and that I am not setting the best example for my children.

Lord, forgive me. Show me, mold me. Let me MORE like YOU!

This is one of my favorite things about My Father's World. It deepens my relationship with Christ, it convicts me and brings me to repentance. A place I never want to find myself short of.

We did go on our field trip to see the Tabernacle. I'm going to link it below so that you can see it for yourself and later this week when I have more time I will load and post our pictures. I had such a great time. It was a huge blessing and opportunity for our family to have the honor of being able to go and visit something of this magnitude. It brought the plan of Redemption to life. It really focused on repentance and the need for the covering of Jesus' blood to wash away that sin.

The Traveling Tabernacle

Change of Plans

2009-10-18T22:03:00.003-04:00

We ended up not going on our field trip. It was soooo cold here, Tony has been really achy lately and didn't think he could handle the walking so we decided not to go.

Instead, I took Sky to see Whip It. We had a great time both of us together and then she went and spent the night at a friend's house.

Saturday, Tony and I took Meadow to see Cloudy and Calling for Meatballs and Where the Wild Things Are. The first movie was so good, we laughed so hard. I really enjoyed it. The Wild Things was just slow and boring it was close to being pointless. The monsters were beautiful. I love certain parts but Meadow asked to leave the movie half way through. Tony dosed off twice and I had to wake him! It was that bad.

Then we went up on the mountain and visited my mother in law and Meadow spent the night with her aunt. We had a great visit. It was soo cold!

So the weekend was much different than planned we still had a great time and have two more field trips in the planning stages. I hope it warms up so we can go to the zoo and the other one is to visit a replica of the Tabernacle in the Old Testament that Moses and Aaron built. I'm really excited about it! Hopefully that'll happen Friday!

Plans for tomorrow are to begin week 25 in MFW Explorations to 1850's. Moving right along. :)

MFW Update Weeks 23 & 24

2009-10-15T14:45:00.005-04:00

We moved along so slowly last year with My Father's World-Explorations to 1850's. This year we are moving along in a pattern that feels fast but looking back at my weekly reports I can see, that its not nearly as quickly as it could be. I guess with Sky's surgery and the field trips it has held us back a little. I do like that I blog our progress so that I can keep up with where we've been and where we are without having to dig out our lesson plans. :)

This week we completed week 24. The girls are studying the states and presidents and are really enjoying learning. Their retention has been amazing also, I love it when they share with my family the new information we've covered. Sky really has a great memory and never ceases to amaze me with the facts she keeps hidden away in her mind.

I'm hoping to finish My Father's World-Explorations to 1850's and move onto the following year My Father's World-1850's to Modern by December. If this happens and we do history through the summer we may just be able to finish American History before the girls move onto separated years of My Father's World. This would make a mom's heart really happy and satisfied! :)

I continue to learn as much as the girls are. I just love American History and would be content never studying anything else. The girls would beg to differ!

Tomorrow we are going on another field trip to a D Day Memorial. Tony is off work and will going with us. I am so excited. I'll be sure to take pictures and post our field trip soon.

Praying you all have a blessed weekend!

(As I type the girls are teaching themselves to play Yankee Doodle Dandy on the piano! I love those perfect homeschooling moments, don't you?)

Virtual Field Trip

2009-10-13T22:41:00.004-04:00

I thought that this was very interesting and that it'd be nice to share. Let me know what you think about this. This story really touched my heart.

Just click below:

You're Invited! Meet Winter-the Dolphin at Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Florida!

Friday's Field Trip

2009-10-10T21:52:00.031-04:00

We had a wonderful time, my husband ended up being off of work and got to go with us and that made the trip extra special to all of us.

I love this picture of Meadow. We ate lunch at IHOP before going to the museum.

Daddy and Sky

Meadow and Mommy

Sky and Meadow playing a huge Xylophone

A Trolley, I really wanted to ride!

This was a weather station, so Sky and I tried our hands at being weather women...I don't think we are cut out for the job!

Mommy and Sky being silly.

Sky reporting a tornado!

Not sure what this is called but it was pretty.

This was in the History part of the museum. We've been reading a lot about families that had to weave for a living with the loom in the middle of their home. It was neat to see how large they really are.

A copper pot used to make apple butter.

Tee pee and an Indian

Inside of a cabin replica.

Battleship

I tried to get a close up so you could see the details.

Monkey Toes Meadow!

These next few pictures were taken inside the Mega Dome Theatre while we were watching the movie. Very neat and interesting shots.

This was a picture taken from the top floor looking down.

And that's all. I could have posted so many more but it felt like I loaded pictures forever. We had a great time and really enjoyed being together as a family. It's a wonderful part of homeschooling. I'm so thankful for the opportunity. God is so good to us.

It's Friday!

2009-10-09T07:52:00.004-04:00

This week I've decided to get the girls and I on a better schedule. For those of you who have been following our homeschooling journey or that know us personally, you know already that this is no easy feat for us. This week we've had success.

I had already made changes concerning our consistency in school, I logged days last year and it helped to see that we managed to get in over 165 school days (not including field trips). So, even though we only made it through half of My Father's World Explorations to 1850's that was okay. We learned a lot and we did finish all of the text books that we were using for various subjects.

This year we've been sailing along doing very well. The fact that we have been starting our school days around 9ish and that we've already logged in 33 school days even after taking a two week break for Sky's tonsillectomy, is really good. I was pretty impressed!

I can't really explain why I've decided to start getting up earlier, maybe it's the Lord who's been wanting me to seek Him early in the morning. I've just felt led to try and make a change. So, our new bed time has been 9:00 pm. In the bed by 9:00 pm, no excuses. We all read some before falling asleep but the girls have been falling asleep really early. I have a harder time falling asleep at night, I'm a natural night owl, so I've struggled some even though I'm really tired from getting up at 7. I'm praying that my body will adjust and this will become a new habit!

I have found that we are getting so much more accomplished. School is finished earlier with less resistance and the house is looking great with so much time on our hands for chores. I've even had to get one of the dogs groomed midday this week and still finished school earlier than usual. I'm a lot less stressed and pressed for time, I've been planning dinner ahead and having time to prepare for it.

A whole week so far!

Today we are getting ready for Sky's recheck at the doctor and then we are headed to a Museum for a long field trip. I'm so excited. I've been planning this trip for a month and it worked out beautifully that Sky's doctors appointment was the very same morning. It saved me from having to drive over an hour -one way- to the city we are headed to.

And did I mention it's Friday?!

Woohoo

I'll be posting pictures of our field trip soon.

Have a blessed homeschool day!

Glycerin Soap Making

2009-10-07T09:11:00.024-04:00

My girlfriend Tammy makes homemade candles and soap. She let Meadow come over with her son and niece to participate in making a soap project to enter into our Fair. Below are the pictures of the children making molds and soap.

Meadow making molds

Again-I love seeing her do this on her own.

Popping out the molds

Coloring the soap

Spooning the soap into more molds.

Again

Meadow, Christopher and Karleigh

Popping more molds.

Molds shaped like stars.

The green is my favorite.

Proud children.

Having fun!

Finished, how beautiful.

Wrapping their soap.

This was the picture entered in the fair. You'll notice Christopher also made a candle and a birdhouse. He won first place for both of those. For the soap Karleigh won first place, Meadow won second place and Christopher won third.

I was very proud of all of them. They worked so hard.
Thanks Tammy!

The New Lovebird Cage

2009-10-04T14:48:00.018-04:00

(Tony the builder-again!)

I love this picture, partly because he's putting on but mostly because it's how he is. Smiling. Happy. Joyful. I appreciate that more than he knows. He always brings me up when I am down.

I'm also excited to have the bird cage. It has made the waiting for the eggs to hatch that much harder. Tuesday will be day 23. I'm hoping we have a few hatch out of the 6 eggs that we have.

Below is the stand for the cage.

Here is Tony putting the cage together.

And here is the cage finished.

I love these branches that the guy threw in for free too. Aren't they natural looking?

Now, to get the playground together. There were lots of pieces, but it went together with ease. Tony and I both were thankful for that!

Finished it's absolutely beautiful.

The playground on top of the cage.

A close up of the playground.

Now if I could only move the birds into their new home! I plan to move mommy and daddy over to the large cage once I start hand feeding the baby birdies. The baby birdies will stay in the brooder box until they are old enough to put in the weaning cage (which will be the cage that the mommy and daddy are in now.) I'll decide later on, after we see how everything goes with the baby birds, who we are keeping and who we are selling. It'd be really nice to have a tame non breeding pair in the big cage.

Bunny Adventures-Part 2

2009-10-02T23:22:00.001-04:00

After Tuesday I was almost hesitant to go to see more bunnies but we were on a mission....so I found what looked to be a wonderful Rabbitry only an hour and a half away. It turned out to be a G-R-E-A-T rabbitry. This lady was so nice to me through e-mail and was willing to work us in last minute. She had a huge barn that she kept all her bunnies in and the only bunny she breeds is the Holland Lop.

Brenda introduced herself and shook my hand and I was thinking, "Praise God, this feels good." Brenda showed us around her barn and shared with us a wealth of information on Holland Lops. I was so excited. She put her Grand Champions up on blocks and showed us what the judges would look for if we decided to show our bunnies. She showed us differences in the bunnies, how one had this better or one had that better. The thing that excited me the most was that even if she pointed out what a judge would consider a fault, I couldn't see it. Her pet bunnies were show bunnies and I'm NOT kidding.

She proceeded to show me little kits that were only four hours old, 7 days old and then 14 days old. (Don't you know I forgot my camera and didn't get pictures of this wonderful experience!) This was truly an educational field trip on bunnies. Exactly what I'd been hoping for.

Brenda showed me Lops that were so friendly and some that were more shy. I learned that the boys were absolute lovey doveys and that my thoughts of having all girls was silly. The bunnies that I did finally end up getting have pedigrees and Grand Champion bloodlines. Not that that will matter, I really don't know that the girls and I will show our bunnies but you just never know. I'm going to continue studying it this winter.

Meadow decided on a buck that is 12 weeks old. We had a hard time choosing a name but finally all decided on Frodo. Here he is.

Meadow holding Frodo like a baby, notice how friendly he is.

I love the beautiful color of these Holland Lops, it is called broken tortoise.

Here is Frodo on the carpet.

Sky decided on a sweet doe that is 16 weeks old. I know looking at these pictures its very hard to tell them apart. They really do look so much alike. Sky named hers Bella. Bella doesn't like to be held as much as Frodo, she prefers to have her freedom and hop around the house! We are giving Bella a two week trial, and in two weeks if Brenda calls and has this other buck ready we may take her back and exchange her. Bucks are just friendlier and it would save me the worries of them ever breeding....which we would breed some beautiful Holland Lops if I decided to go that route, but we really were just looking for pets. I could get both bucks fixed and they'd live in perfect harmony. :) We shall see.

Bella, hopping in front of the piano.

Bella, facing me.
The butterfly shaped coloring on her nose is higher than Frodo's and the color is darker. I'll be posting more pictures of them soon.

Tony finally got one of the cages together today, so we've moved them over into it. I did have them in a dog cage but there is no wire for the poopies to drop through. We are going to set up the big cage as a play area for them a change of scenery and exercise. I am so glad that we went with the Holland Lops. They really are a friendly, furry and hearty breed. I just love bunnies!

Bunny Adventures-Part 1

2009-10-01T22:21:00.014-04:00

Boy has it been a long week.

The girls decided a while back that they wanted bunnies but with getting the lovebirds and being as busy as we've been I was just taking my time and studying the breed we wanted.

Meadow really wanted a Netherland Dwarf or a Hotot. Have you ever seen a Hotot? They are a beautiful solid white dwarf breed with a black circle around their eyes that looks like eyeliner. They are known as *Fancy Eyes*.

Well I had searched and searched online and had finally found what I thought was a good breeder about 2 1/2 hours away. We went through her web site and seen what was available, I e-mailed the breeder and talked with her on the phone and decided to make the trip up there.

Were we so disappointed. Meadow went right in and found the bunny she'd seen online that said it was available. "Here she is mommy, here is the one I want!" The lady said, I don't believe she is available. Meadow said, "She was on the web site." The lady picked one rabbit out of two different litters and told Meadow she could choose from them. We took one look at them and knew why she was selling them. They were not near as pretty and were over twice the size.

Now, I do understand that breeders keep the show animals and why they do this but to advertise a show bunny and try to swap out pet animals-some with severe conditions is deception.

We left not buying a bunny.

Meadow cried her heart out.

On our way home I passed a sign that said, "Dwarf Rabbits". So we pulled in. They had two tiny (and I mean tiny) white Netherland Dwarf bunnies. Meadow fell in love with the girl and they were only $25 so after all we'd been through I caved and bought her.

Meadow named her Lulu.

We got home at 6:45 pm, she was a small fragile, very pretty bunny. I could tell her ears were way to long for a Netherland but that was okay. We wanted to love her and give her a home. At 9:00 pm she started shaking and died within minutes on my tummy. It was a very horrible, traumatic experience. Meadow cried her heart out again and slept with Tony and I.

Meadow wanted to give Lulu a funeral and bury her. I called the Pet Store but the man refused to allow that and give me credit for what I'd paid for her. I had to box her and take her back to the store.

Here she is:

Lulu

There is more to our bunny adventures and I'll share them a little later, tonight I'm exhausted and I don't to write too long of a post on here. Stay tuned for Part-2.

Rest in Peace Lulu

Tony the Builder

2009-09-27T13:30:00.001-04:00

(hee hee-instead of Bob the Builder!)

Heaven's father in law gave me a chalk board that was left behind in a house that he purchased a few years ago. I thought it was so sweet of him. I'd been wanting one for a while and the Lord blessed Kingdom Academy with one.

In our classroom I've simply ran out of room. All of my walls are full. I don't have an empty space to hang a chalk board so Tony offered to build me a rack for it to hang on. He has been such a handy man for me the past couple of weeks. Below are the pictures that I took as he went along. I didn't get the whole process but you'll get the idea.

This is on our back porch. He cut the pvc pipe with a handsaw.

This is the extra room-that use to be Heaven's bedroom. It's a work in progress so ignore the mess. Tony almost has the rack finished in this picture.

Look at the smile, I just love this man.

And here is the finished product. I think it looks fabulous!

Thank-you Tony, for all that you do for our family.

Breakfast Quiche

2009-09-26T16:35:00.019-04:00

One of our projects from My Father's World was to fix a quiche. Meadow and I baked two breakfast quiche this week. It's one of Tony's favorites and we are playing with different variations of this dish. Tony wanted gravy on his so he fixed a small batch each time we fixed this. I prefer it without the gravy and thankfully this was a dish that every member of our family ate. It's nice to find something that everyone likes because my girls (especially Sky) tends to be really picky.

We changed the recipe up a little-I love that you can change this dish easily. I kept this one simple for Sky.

We used a pie crust already prepared. I mixed 3 eggs, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup of shredded cheese, a bunch of parsley and a pinch of salt. Then took tater tots that I had already baked and mashed them with a fork and whisked those in.

I cut up 1/2 pack of bacon and fried it a pan. I also cooked 3 sausage patties and mashed them. (no pictures of the sausage though)

Meadow rolled the dough out.

Sprayed the pan with Pam and pressed the dough in.

Mixed all the ingredients.

Poured them into the prepared crust.

She wanted to tuck the pie crust edges down since the mixture didn't fill to the top, so I let her.

We baked it at 350 for 40 minutes and it was perfectly golden brown!

Delicious!

Our Love Birds

2009-09-23T16:53:00.007-04:00

I can't remember how long ago it was that I decided I wanted lovebirds. A friend of mine's mother had a pair years ago and I was fascinated with them. I think they are so beautiful. I have never studied them or attempted to acquire any simply because I've never been around birds in my life and I wasn't so sure that I could take care of them or if I really wanted to.

A few weeks ago another friend of mine purchased three lovebirds and three parakeets. I went over for a visit and my interest was rekindled but I was still very hesitant. I began searching online and learning about them. This led me to craigslist and I was baffled that there were so many available in our surrounding areas. I sent out several e-mails mainly to ask WHY so many people were getting rid of them. The majority of the people said they simply didn't have the time to spend with the birds. I had one lady that kept coming back to me and in the end she offered me a breeding pair, cage and all for $50. My husband and I decided we couldn't say no. I picked them up on Saturday. Here are their pictures.

Peeping out

Aren't they gorgeous?

I'm so amazed.....and..............

They've laid eggs!

There were five day before yesterday and today when I checked there were 6!

I have really high hopes of being able to eventually tame the parents but will have to wait until after the eggs have hatched. At the moment I am preparing to pull the clutch and hand feed them so that we will have tame birds for the parents to learn from. It's going to be a job and I am praying that I can do this....I CAN do all things through Christ who strengthens me. :) If there are any bird lovers out there with tips, please feel free to share with me!

Oh and I had to edit this to add a sweet blessing from the Lord. I had ordered the cubes to build the Guinea Pig cage weeks ago. I had no idea when I chose the color purple that I would be getting lovebirds in a purple bird cage just a couple of weeks later. How sweet is it that their cages match? Tony asked me if I thought God really paid attention to those little details just for me, and I replied, OF COURSE HE DOES! I'm so special to my Father!
(He knew this...he was just picking on me!)

Our Cavy Cage

2009-09-20T19:41:00.003-04:00

Today Tony built our Guinea Pig cage. We learned about C & C cages from Cavy Cages. There are lots of neat ideas there and we plan to add a second level soon. In the beginning we had one of those folding tables and a huge dog cage on top of the table with card board used for walls for the cavies. You can see it below in the pictures. They had plenty of room but cleaning wasn't so easy and access to them was hard too.

In the picture below you can see Tony putting the cage together on top of a flat panel board. The cage we were building turned out to be bigger than the table and the dog cage that we originally had them in. We put the table away and used the dog cage for a table. Tony zip tied the cavy cage to the panel board and then zip tied the panel board to the dog cage to ensure the cavy cage wouldn't be accidentally slid off.

I love his smiling face, it meant so much to me that he built this cage for us.

This is the cage with the coroplast style flooring in it, you can see the guinea pigs in the dog cage below.

I then lined the coroplast with newspaper. I had my friend sew a piece of felt onto a thick towel the size of the cage and then lined the newspaper with it. I've read that the pee will wick through the felt and the towel will absorb it leaving the fleece dry for the cavies. I have two so that we have a fresh one when the other goes in the wash. I'm praying this saves me a lot of money as the bedding I was using was around $18.99 a bag and we used a bag every 6-8 weeks.

Here is the home completely set up.

They are hiding in their house. So shy they can be!

I just purchased this tunnel yesterday and they LOVE it! Penny is sneaking some fresh veggies.

Here Penny is again. Sophie didn't come out until the camera was put away today! I really love the new cage, it is bright and cheery. I found the purple cubes online at Walmart. It allows the cavies to be a bigger part of our lives. They are less hidden and we are able to see them and enjoy them even more!

(I do not leave these curtains up and windows open all the time. The curtains are very heavy and keep the heat or cold air out including the bright sunlight. I just thought I'd add that so that no one would think I was keeping the cavies in a harsh environment.)

Our Cavies

2009-09-15T13:38:00.006-04:00

This is Sophie, she is eating her fresh veggies during her floor time. She is so shy that she hid inside of her log and peeped out to grab bites. They are so fun to watch.

This is Penny trying to push her way into the hidey log.

Sophie again.

This is Penny, she is Meadows. Penny is really growing to be a fat little booger!

Meadow is playing with Penny.

This is a good close up of Penny nibbling on a carrot.

We have learned a lot about Guinea Pigs and taking care of them. We've provided them with ample living quarters and feed them fresh veggies daily. They are a great addition to our family!

Editing to show how they've grown. These are pictures we took when we first got them in April.

Me and Sophie

Meadow and Penny

Playing

Bonding

This is Penny. (Meadow's)

This was their home.

Homeschooling Dad

2009-09-14T20:19:00.000-04:00

I caught him off guard, he was reading the girls their history. Precious he is!

States and Presidents

2009-09-10T18:38:00.005-04:00

I cannot believe how long our history days have been.

I have to admit....it's my fault. I can't help it.

I start our lessons, I read the required entries and I'm full of questions for the girls. We discuss and I explain and then....I remember, "Oh, yes! I have books on this. I have the 'State-by-State Atlas, Don't Know Much About 50 States, The Declaration of Independence-The Words that made America, We The Kids-The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States, Words That Build a Nation-In Congress, The Congress-America's Law Makers, The President-America's Leader, The Judiciary-Laws that We Live By'......and I could go on...and on....and on.

I can't stop.

I believe I have a problem.

Hee hee, no but honestly I am going to have to limit our days. I find it funny that I use a bit of the Charlotte Mason approach with Meadow and limit subjects to 10 minutes and she is through with her work for the day except for history and crafts. Before you know it, the time has slipped up and oh dear, my husband is home.

It has taken us last week and this week to get through week 21 of My Father's World Exploration-1850's. It'll probably take the beginning part of next week too.

:D

I'm not going to speed up though, I'll shorten our days but take the time we need to learn the material. I missed American History my first go round in school and I'm loving learning about them this go round in our homeschool. We have all year to finish this year of My Father's World and next year will change.

Sky will be officially entering highschool (in our homeschool) and she'll be working on her own. Meadow and I are going to begin in My Father's World Exploring Countries and Cultures for 4th grade and we will work our way back through the five year cycle.

So this year, I can take my time!

Sky is scheduled to have her tonsils removed on the 23rd so that'll hang us up a bit too. It'll give me plenty of time to read aloud though. The joys of homeschooling!

Jesus, lover of my soul by Charles Wesley

2009-08-28T13:31:00.004-04:00

This is the new hymn in our My Father's World study, taken from Then Sings My Soul, by Robert J Morgan. I found it on itunes sung by Red Mountain Church. I tried to find it on You Tube to share and found other songs by Red Mountain Church but could not find this version sung by anyone. It's simply beautiful and has really ministered to the girls and I the past weeks.

It was written by Charles Wesley in 1740. Charles had a collection of Hymns and Sacred Poems collected over time. When he fell in love and decided to marry, he had the idea to publish his writings hoping to bring in royalties-money to provide for his family. Charles and Sally were married on April 8, 1749, Charles noting:"Not a cloud was to be seen from morning till night. I rose at four, spent three hours and a half in prayer or singing, with my brother......At eight I led my Sally to church.....It was a most solemn season of love!"

It amazes me that he arose at 4 am and spent 3 and 1/2 hours with the Lord. The sad thing is that it shouldn't. I know its hard for me to press in and spend moments with the Lord each day and the thought of spending hours that deep in the presence of God leaves me in awe. It opens my eyes and shows me how far I still have to go. I have not yet arrived. I pray that my precious moments become more consistent and grow in length.

This is beautiful. You can listen to a *clip* of it on itunes for free or download it for .99 cents. Just reading the words bless my soul. I pray it blesses yours also.

1. Jesus, lover of my soul,
Let me to Thy bosom fly,
While the nearer waters roll,
While the tempest still is high.
Hide me, O my Savior, hide,
Till the storm of life is past;
Safe into the haven guide;
Oh, receive my soul at last.

2. Other refuge have I none,
Hangs my helpless soul on Thee;
Leave, ah! leave me not alone,
Still support and comfort me.
All my trust on Thee is stayed,
All my help from Thee I bring;
Cover my defenseless head
With the shadow of Thy wing.

3. Wilt Thou not regard my call?
Wilt Thou not accept my prayer?
Lo! I sink, I faint, I fall—
Lo! on Thee I cast my care.
Reach me out Thy gracious hand!
While I of Thy strength receive,
Hoping against hope I stand,
Dying, and behold, I live.

4. Thou, O Christ, art all I want,
More than all in Thee I find;
Raise the fallen, cheer the faint,
Heal the sick, and lead the blind.
Just and holy is Thy Name,
Source of all true righteousness;
Thou art evermore the same,
Thou art full of truth and grace.

5. Plenteous grace with Thee is found,
Grace to cover all my sin;
Let the healing streams abound;
Make and keep me pure within.
Thou of life the fountain art,
Freely let me take of Thee;
Spring Thou up within my heart;
Rise to all eternity.

A Day Complete

2009-08-27T20:34:00.004-04:00

It was a long one. I'm working on *my* schedule and I woke up at 8:45 am.....I know....I know.... that is late to many of you but for me, its bright and early! I knew we'd have plenty of time to do everything I had planned. I love planning. It's so exciting! However, if I'm not careful I end up planning and having too many things left undone and the feelings of excitement quickly turn to feelings of defeat.

Then this scripture comes to mind: Romans 8:37 "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."

Habits can change.

Habits do change.

So imagine my excitement when the Lord woke me much earlier than usual!

My girlfriend called, actually she is my BEST friend, and has been since I was 3 years old. She needed a sitter, her mother in law was in the hospital and she didn't want to take her kiddos in. So, I kept her 6 month old and 3 year old little girls. Needless to say there went school and there went the schedule!

They left around 2ish and we picked up where we had left off. We finally finished everything around 7 pm this evening. It was hard pressing through and I had the thought-more than once-to just put it away for tomorrow. For the ordinary or even new homeschooler there is nothing at all wrong with that. Actually that is a sweet bonus of homeschooling, but here for me, this year, it would have been falling.

Falling back into bad habits.

So, we pressed in and we finished.

It felt good.

We got a lot done.

I've almost completed Sky's work schedule for next week. I'm going to have to shorten some lessons, I can see I'm expecting too much. I'm working towards a fair goal. I don't want to burn them out!

Our second week of school, finishing week 20 of My Father's World Exploration to 1850's is ending quite nicely.

I'm so glad I can do all things through my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who strengthens me.

(And I must add it was sweet having the little ones here today. I'm amazed at how quickly you forget what its like to take care of babies!)

Feeling it Out

2009-08-25T22:58:00.006-04:00

The first weeks of school are always feel out weeks for us. So far everything is working well. I ventured a little from my past posts on our *planned* 09-10 school year but not far.

I did decide to move Sky over into Saxon math instead of Teaching Textbooks. I have to say I'm really leery of this decision but I don't feel that she was getting enough explanation with TT. I'm not blaming the program, I know many who use it with great success but Sky just...needed more. I purchased the Saxon Teaching cd's for this very reason. I'm hoping they'll offer exactly what she is needing and that she'll experience a little more retention. I've heard great reviews about these and I'm praying that they will make a difference.

I don't like the new paper back books. Ick. I much prefer the old hardbook style. Bob Jones has gone to paper back too. They claim it saves on cost but how could it when you are cutting the life of the book down so drastically?

We are moving a long with My Father's World, this week is week 20 and Meadow and I are reading Mary Jones and Her Bible.

I still don't have Spelling Power up and running but hopefully by next week I'll be on track.

Just a short update before heading to bed. I must add that Sky is doing phenomenal compared to the struggles I had before last year. I'm so very grateful to the Lord for doing such a great work in her.

This is My Father's World

2009-08-19T13:50:00.009-04:00

We didn't finish MFW EXP-1850's last year. I think because we didn't complete it that I was discouraged with it. The past two days we've been doing the basics and I've been on the prowl hunting for something else for history, bible ect... but I've not been able to find anything that felt...well, right.

Today we picked up where we left off with MFW last year, and can I say "WOW", I'm amazed and I'm reminded of all the wonderful things we learned with MFW. It just *feels* right for us. We are going to ignore the fact that we aren't where we *could* be, stop beating ourselves up and enjoy where we are. We are going to finish MFW EXP-1850's before moving on to the 1850's-Modern Times this year with no guilt.

Once we'd finished our school work for the day I went to check my e-mail. I was simply amazed at the confirmation that God provided me and at the EXACT moment too. This is NO coincidence.

Watch this.....

Is God amazing or what? Everytime I tend to forget it He steps in and reminds me. I'm so thankful for that. I'm so thankful that we will be continuing on with My Father's World.

The New 09-10 Year!

2009-08-18T22:42:00.004-04:00

We started school yesterday. I still have some tweaking to do and we aren't full fledge yet but we are close. I'm studying more on Charlotte Mason's methods. Haven't quiet made up my mind on a few things.

Today was definitely a better day and I'm sure next week will flow more smoothly. I'll be glad to finish up our schedules.

:)

End of the year testing went well. I got the girls test results and I was very pleased. Both girls placed where should be. Higher on some ends and lower on others but within the mark. I'm very pleased.

Summertime

2009-07-24T10:03:00.006-04:00

We've been sunning at the pool, working in the church and spending time together as a family. We have schooled through much of the summer until the last three weeks. Sky had summer camp one week, Tony is preaching Sunday night and we are working on a drama which is a big step for me because I am not one to get up in front on people, and we are getting ready to go on a missions trip with our church. I'm going to make more effort in getting Sky to finish up her last lessons of Math and Spelling and get scheduling for the start of our new school year, which will begin when we return from the missions trip in August.

My printer is broken and I MUST replace it before school starts too, I simply cannot function without it. That pretty much sums up our homeschooling at the present. Here are some pictures of the girls enjoying their summer break.

Sky, Meadow and friend-Amy

Meadow swimming under water

Coming up

Made it!

U.N. protocol used to regulate homeschoolers

2009-06-19T00:14:00.001-04:00

U.N. protocol used to regulate homeschoolers

Shared via AddThis

Science in Color

2009-06-12T07:45:00.002-04:00

I found the pictures! Yay!!!

Daddy helping Meadow with Science Project

Putting color tablets in water

Mixing primary colors to make new colors.

Meadow with the magnifying glass, being her cute self.

Placing crystals into colors

Look at all the different colors Meadow made.

These are the crystals after being colored.

Observations that Meadow made:
Yellow and blue made green.
Different amounts of blue or yellow made different shades of yellow, blue and green.
Blue and red made purple.
Different amounts of blue and red made different shades of red, blue and purple.
Red and yellow made orange.
Different amounts of red and yellow made different shades of red, yellow and orange.

Giveaway Blender

2009-06-10T07:30:00.000-04:00

Gina at the The Clan McLeod is giving away a blender from Hamilton. For more information check out her blog. She is a sweet friend of mine who is always giving away something! Enter for a chance to win!

End of the Year Testing

2009-06-09T11:34:00.007-04:00

I have tried to post our science project on color mixing many times but can't locate the pictures in my folder. I have so many and somehow I have lost them. I know they are there I just don't know where. As soon as I locate them I'll share. It was really a pretty project and we truly enjoyed it.

Today we began our end of the year testing. The girls are testing right now as I type. Normally we would have tested in the spring but our school year had a late start so we are testing a bit late as well. We haven't tested in the last few years and the girls have really dreaded it. This is one of the main reasons I decided to begin testing them again. It isn't that I put a lot of stock in the test, it's more that they are familiar with taking them. I had to stop with them after the first one and pray. The fact that they are being timed really brought forth the anxiety in Sky. It is my prayer that she test very well and that her scores will give her a boost of confidence. She is such a smart girl. I believe that her late start in reading and her struggle with spelling has really taken a toll on her self confidence.

We have been schooling right along and we have started some new things. That excites me! I love starting new things. Sky finished up her English, The All in One English Series, recommended by My Father's World and has moved onto Lightning Literature 7 by Hewitt. I am extremely pleased with this program. Sky is having a hard time adjusting to the slang in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer but I think once she finishes the book and gets more exposure to those times that she will have more appreciation for Literature in general and how different each time period and culture use to be. I am confident that we will be able to complete LL 7 and move onto to complete Lightning Literature 8 this school year. I am really looking forward to reading the Hobbit with her.

Sky has is also finishing up The Phonetic Zoo level B and she and Meadow both will be moving into Spelling Power with the activity cards. I am hoping that it will be a success for us also.

Another new program for Sky is in her writing. She has just finished The Student Writing Intensive Level B by The Institute in Excellence for Writing and already started Jump In by Apologia Educational Ministries.

Math is also joining our change this year. Sky has almost completed Teaching Textbooks Level 7 and will be beginning Saxon Math with the Teaching Tape Technology which are teaching dvds. We are not sure what level Sky will be going into yet. She will test once she has completed her Teaching Textbooks.

Meadow is going to continue doing math through real life, hands on and worksheets that I have here. As soon as I feel she is ready and she can pass the entrance test, she will be going into Teaching Textbooks 4.

We are going to continue along in My Father's World Exploration to 1850's and pick up in My Father's World 1850 to Modern Times.

We just finished reading The Hallelujah Lass and we will be moving onto another book in The Daughters of Faith Series. If you have never heard of or looked into this series check them out. They are one of my all time absolute favorites because of the way that Wendy packs Jesus into them!

We are also beginning Sarah Witcher's Story by Elizabeth Yates. This one shouldn't take us long.

For science both girls continue along with Apologia. Meadow is using Exploring Creation with Botany and Sky is continuing on with Exploring Creation with General Science. We are really liking both of these programs. Both are very thorough and very intense. I ease Meadow's for her age and I push Sky to work at that highschool level.

It is summer! I love the summer and we plan to shorten our school days and hit the pool a few days a week around noon. The girls are really looking forward to the break and I'm hoping the pool will be an enticing enough reward that they finish their school in the mornings to receive it!

I'm very pleased with this school year. We have accomplished a lot and completed several things and I'm looking forward to completing more. Lots of bad habits were untrained and I really look forward to next year!

Science- Growing Mushrooms

2009-05-13T01:23:00.007-04:00

I didn't take before pictures of our box, us doing the watering, keeping the case cool, damp and in a dark spot. I did take pictures of the mushroom. There are more, many more but this one was the first and it was huge! Meadow was so proud! She didn't eat it though. I'm hoping that in time she'll develop the same love I have for mushrooms.

It could have grown longer but she was ready to pick it!

You can watch the process here at Veg Box- The Mushroom Diaries.

Read Alouds

2009-05-08T02:07:00.006-04:00

I love reading aloud.

I love it.

Somehow I have this impression inside of me of the perfect family. In it I see the family gathered around, the kiddos quietly painting-getting along, the dogs laying at your feet sleeping, the feeling cozy and warm, and the mom reading a good book to them, feeling accomplished knowing that all is well and she is doing exactly what she should be.

I experience it every now and then.

Tonight that impression came true again.

I can't explain how swelled my heart was with thanksgiving to the Lord for this huge blessing.

The book we are reading is The Hallelujah Lass by Wendy Lawton, as shared in the previous post its the fifth book in the Daughters of Faith Series. Reading about the poorness in their city and how the young children had to work in the mills makes my heart cry. I didn't know that there was bold women who stood up to preach Jesus Christ in a time when it was looked down upon for women to preach, I know this is still present today but it amazed me of their determination in the 1800's. Reading about how they boldly proclaimed the gospel in the face of adversity, facing the dangers of being beaten in public to share their own testimonies. Not keeping church in a building but taking the good news into the street to the lost and desolate giving hope to the hopeless. These bold women were called the Hallelujah Lasses or the Hallelujahs. I love discovering these gems in history and I can't wait to read more this weekend. I'm excited to see how the young teen girls stand up for Christ and to see how mightily our God uses them to save souls and change the world.

I pray that the Lord ignite a fire in my girls, a desire to DO something big for Him.

I'll be sure to share!

School Year is Ending

2009-05-05T14:47:00.009-04:00

Yes, the end of the school year is drawing near but for this family of homeschoolers the load will only lighten a little. I know that I could use regular textbooks that the girls would work through for each subject at their own pace and that they could finish their work during the year and be able to take summers off BUT I choose to teach my children myself. They do have some textbooks in which I don't actually have to teach them but my point is that I am very very involved in my girl's school days. This is a good thing but it can be a drawback. When life throws things at you at the speed of lightening, sometimes....well actually make that often, *I* don't get to do as I as I planned and we get a little behind. So, the subjects that the girls have been able to do without me are right on schedule (if you count the late start we had) and my part of things will have to continue through the summer.

I've encouraged the girls that if they help me keep a schedule, not rigid mind you, but, if we can get up at a decent hour and school in the mornings we will only have half days and we will be able to spend the rest of the day at the pool. I think that is a fair offer don't you?

We have finally finished Madeleine Takes Command. We learned so much from this book. I know I've discussed this book before but since it's been a while I'll start over. This historical novel, set in 17th century New France, 'Madeleine Takes Command' by Ethel C. Brill is the true story of Madeleine de Vercheres, a very brave young teenage girl with a strong faith in the Lord who is forced to protect not only her home but the homes of every person within the fort along the St. Lawrence River against Indian attacks during the year of 1692. Madeleine takes up arms in defense of family, country, and faith against the Iroquois.

Madeleine is 14 years old. Sky, my middle daughter is 13 years old. I feel that this book really opened my girl's eyes to what they are truly capable of. Sometimes they think, "Well I'm just a kid so what difference can I make?" I believe that Madeleine showed them they can make a difference and that they should expect more out of themselves.

My Father's World has us on a reading break for the next couple of weeks so I've decided to pick up another book that we had started but not finished called 'The Hallelujah Lass'.

The fifth book in the Daughters of the Faith Series, The Hallelujah Lass tells the story of Eliza Shirley, a 16-year-old girl who traveled from England to pioneer the work of the Salvation Army in the United States. The Daughters of the Faith Series gives teens fascinating character-building stories of real girls from history who did extraordinary things for God.

My focus for my girls right now is for them to have the realization that they can DO GREAT THINGS FOR GOD. I don't want them to believe the lies that they have to wait until they are grown to accomplish anything, that today, here and now is important and today, here and now is their life and that they need to live it to the fullest in Christ and not wait around to be older, smarter or to become an adult. If they can comprehend this fact I know I will see growth in them and their relationship with Christ.

Meadow is using a great hands on project for science. My brother gave her this for Christmas and we are pulling it out to use now. Its called, "My First Science Lab" and it contains 10 experiments. She will create a small lab for mixing up dozen's of colors, watch the colors turn to crystals, make a mini-rainbow in a test tube and many more experiments. I like it because it came with almost everything needed to do the experiements, other than a few household items and the experiments are visual and not complicated. We are all very excited about using this product. I'll be sure to share our findings!

So we are moving right along and looking forward to our summer!

Teaching the Trivium by the Bluedorns

2009-04-12T01:02:00.002-04:00

This is what I'm reading now. I'm amazed at how differently they see things than I have. I love it when the Lord opens your eyes to things and shows you things in a different way than you were able to see them before. Don't you?

We've slowed on somethings and push on through others. We are almost done with our current read aloud. Sky went to the beach this week with her girlfriend and that has been an adjustment for me. I know she is having a good time and she is in good hands. When she returns we'll finish our book up.

Meadow is working so well through her work. She is such a smart little girl. I'm so thankful that she picks up things so easily.

I'll share more later on my new found read. If any of you have read this I would love it if you would share your thoughts. For those of you who have no clue what I'm talking about, I know I'm not leaving you with much but I will.

I pray you all have a blessed Resurrection Day. He is Risen!!!!

Long Time No Update!

2009-03-30T08:06:00.001-04:00

Sorry!! I've just been so incredibly busy. We were forced by life to take a few weeks off and are just now getting back on track. The girls have been doing the basics but the rest was put on hold. This week we are picking back up. I'm happy if they finish Math and English but ecstatic at the thoughts of picking up our history with My Father's World again. I'm not sweating it. We've had some glorious family time and gotten a lot of house work done. It's going to be a little harder to post by the week though. While we are still in week 13 of MFW the girls have moved beyond that in their other work. I'll stick to the MFW schedule and move them up grades according to their math, and move into the next year's MFW when we complete this years. I was truly hoping to take the summer off but I think if we can get 2-3 days a week in through the summer it'll be a good thing. We are planning to join the pool this year and if we stay on a good schedule we can finish school in the mornings!

I love how learning doesn't stop when you aren't in the books. The girls find the neatest ways to do things. Meadow and Sky spent yesterday logging all of Meadow's pet shops. There were 72 to be exact. I was quite impressed with the list and the counting that Meadow done. Both girls have also taken it upon themselves to move their rooms around and clean. I'm so pleased with them.

I'll try to do better with my updates. :) Till next time!

Updating

2009-02-23T23:28:00.005-05:00

Weeks 11 and 12 went well. I have been so busy lately it seems hard to find the time to share specifics and take pictures. I'm going to try to be better at this in the coming weeks. We will be working on week 13 this week but there is sickness in the house and there was no school today. It seems everyone has a touch of something! If you are reading send up prayers for us and I'll get back and update more as soon as I can. I want to post pictures of Meadow with her trophy that she received for completing Sing Spell Read and Write!

MFW and our Plan for Next Year

2009-02-12T00:06:00.006-05:00

(This is more for me. I want this as a reminder for me to refer to. It looks like a lot and isn't meant to discourage anyone. It doesn't take as long as it looks.)

We use My Father's World, this year we are doing Explorations to 1850's and the following year we will move onto the 1850's to Modern Times. I use the 2nd and 3rd grade supplements for my 2nd grader.

Sky-7th/8th grade,

Bible-memorizing the book of James and Boy Have I Got Problems by Kay Author and Trial and Triumph

Hymns- Then Sings My Soul Volume One- This is so much fun. (I download the hymns from itunes as we go, which is just .99 cents every two weeks. Very convenient and we'll have a complete cd at the end of our study.)

History MFW uses: Exploring American History, In God We Trust, Building a City on a Hill, George Washington's World, The Last 500 Years, The Story of the World 3 (we have this on cd and LOVE it), and read alouds Almost Home, Amos Fortune, Free Man, Madeleine Takes Command, William Carey, Mary Jones and Her Bible & Bound for Oregon. (Plus odd and ends/writing state report, state flag stickers, state sheets and cards, maps of US and the World, presidents flash cards, and lots of projects)

Math-TT 7th grade and we plan to stick with Teaching Textbooks as long as it continues to work as GREAT as it has.

Spelling-Phonetic Zoo Spelling level B moving onto C (then if needed will try Spelling Power as recommended by MFW)

Language Arts-All in One English Series then Applications of Grammar Set, I will choose two Literature units from Progeny Press. I'm still undecided on which two. 8th grade we will do two more Progeny Press units but I'm undecided about LA, I do have English from the Roots Up, so we will probably pick this up.

Writing- IEW-SWI-B and will continue on with SWI C

Science-Apologia General Science (plan to stay with Apologia as long as it works)

Music-Studying Schubert, Mendelssohn, and Chopin using the 6 cd set: The Story of Schubert in Words and Music, Schubert Symphonies (music only), The Story of Mendelssohn in Words and Music, The Best of Mendelssohn (music only), The Story of Chopin in Words and Music, The Best of Chopin (music only)

Art: I have a vhs doodle series that they love to work from and I'm adding in God and the History of Art. Also planning to add in The Gluck Method: The Art of Drawing with dvds set one and two to continue through highschool. (adult set)

(link for those who may want to look at this: The Gluck Method )

Meadow 2nd/3rd grade does the same for Bible, hymns and music we add the Celebrate America cd.

History: The above list and her age level read alouds (both girls listen to each others books) American Pioneers and Patriots, North American Indians, Red White and Blue, The Fourth of July Story, Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims, The Courage of Sarah Noble, Sarah Witcher's Story and The Thanksgiving Story.

Math- 2nd grade BJU (for 3rd grade it will be 3rd grade BJU or 4th grade Teaching Textbooks depending on where she places. I've always used BJU math and really like it, but for older grades I like the instruction and the dvds are expensive. After finally trying TT the plan is to use this for both girls through highschool.)

Spelling-Spelling by Sound and Structure/Rod and Staff 2nd grade. She is almost done with this and she just finished Sing Spell Read and Write. I'm either going with Phonetic Zoo A or Spelling Power. Undecided.

Language Arts-moving into Prmary Language Lessons for 2nd and 3rd. Writing we plan to move into IEW-SWI-A either 3rd or maybe 4th grade.

Science- we are almost finished God's Design for Life/Animal Kingdom and will be moving on to Apologia Exploring Creation with Botany. I also use Kingfishers The World of Animals as a supplement.

Art: Meadow also watches the Doodle series I have, and I plan to start her in The Gluck Method:The Art of Drawing Kids package. (Use same link as above.)

Both girls also have book baskets to enhance our studies.

We are in week eleven. A little later for us due to the late start last fall, we began around the last week of October. For details on next years history, visit the 1850's to Modern Times .

And there is a great review of MFW on our review page here at HSC MFW Review!

Also next year we will be adding in Rosetta Stone Spanish for our Foreign Language.

It looks like so much but our days are full not jammed. It's been our greatest year by far!

Oh and my reasons for choosing My Father's World is multiple. I chose this mainly because of the biblical content/focus. There is simply no way to take God out of this. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the teacher's manuals that Marie Hazell has created. It is very open and go, I can tweak if I so desire and plan my heart away BUT if I cannot it is there for me as is. I love that she has a schedule at the beginning of each week to give a complete overview of what will be covered each day that week. Again, this makes great ease when I want to tweak and makes my planning ahead easier BUT if I can't I simply print my schedules put them on my clip board and school away. I love the added lists of books for the book baskets and I love that the program has been around long enough that I can easily find full book baskets for sale. I do plan to incorporate our library more in the future but for right now owning these book baskets has been a REAL blessing. I feel the program gives you much freedom to choose in other subjects such as math, science ect... I try to use what MFW recommends as much as possible but after homeschooling for 7 years and having things that I know work, its no problem using what works for us.

I love the rotation and it will work out beautifully for Meadow as she will finish 2nd and 3rd as listed above and then be able to start the whole 5 year cycle over again in grades 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.

Year One	Geography: *Exploring Countries and Cultures*
Year Two	History: *Creation to the Greeks*
Year Three	History: *Rome to the Reformation*
Year Four	U.S. /World History: *Exploration to 1850*
Year Five	U.S./World History: *1850 to Modern Times*

I LOVE the ministry that MFW supports. I love that we have been able to learn about the people and numerous different nations that still do not have God's word in their native tongue. I love that we are enabled to be missionaries in essence right from our living room. (Of course you don't have to have MFW to do this BUT I love that MFW has birthed this in us!) I could go on and on and on and on......................

Weekly Report wk 10

2009-02-11T10:43:00.005-05:00

I've been so busy lately that I just didn't have the time to do a weekly report. Last week we finished all of our work for MFW week 10. We had a couple of days off since Tony was out of work. One day was weather and the other day was that the work truck broke down.

Meadow has finished her Sing Spell Read and Write! She is ecstatic! We are ordering her a trophy to present her with for this accomplishment, I can't wait! I'll post pictures as soon as I can. Meadow is moving along in math, completing around a chapter each week. She has almost finished her spelling book and we will be moving into Primary Language Lessons soon. I'm very proud of her.

Sky is doing great too. She has finished the first module in her Apologia General Science and tested. This is one tough course for us and I'm so pleased that she has transitioned well with it. Teaching Textbooks continues to be one of the biggest blessings that our homeschool has come across for math. It is a perfect fit for our family and doesn't carry the high price tag that BJU dvds did. This is a math that we can afford!

I'll have to take some pictures of the lovely art history work that Sky is doing and share with you. I love that their notebooks are filling up after only a few months of school. It shows that we are accomplishing alot.

This week we are doing week 11. I'll report in soon! Happy homeschooling!

The Preamble of Our State.....

2009-02-04T00:42:00.005-05:00

Ours is Virginia~

Virginia 1776, Bill of Rights, XVI Religion, or the Duty which we owe our Creator can be directed only by Reason and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian Forbearance, Love and Charity towards each other.

I love this. It's poetic isn't it? It's what our country was founded on but everyone seems to have forgotten. Our Creator, Our Father, His Son Jesus Christ, The Holy Spirit.

'Those people who will not be governed by God will be ruled by tyrants.'
- William Penn

BLESSED IS THE NATION WHOSE GOD IS THE LORD ... PSALM 33:12
GOD BLESS AMERICA

Staggering Along

2009-01-30T19:59:00.004-05:00

Sky had her surgery on Tuesday and all went well. The recovery is taking longer than I had anticipated. Her swelling seems to be more as the days go by instead of less but I have been reassured that this can continue for up to a week or so. It's funny that I had it in my mind that we would get to do at least a few days of school this week! Ha! There is simply no way that Sky is capable of school at this point and its Friday!

I did manage to do a little Sing Spell Read and Write with Meadow, a page of math and a spelling lesson. She has enjoyed her time off this week! To be quite honest I don't feel my best either. I don't know if its the traveling and messed up sleep schedule or what but today I've had a headache that doesn't want to leave. I've taken Tylenol and am moving on to Motrin praying that something works.

So at this point the plan is to begin My Father's World week #10 on Monday.

Quote

2009-01-29T23:01:00.003-05:00

I came across this on one of my homeschooling boards today and felt it very much worth passing along.

"How can it be a large career to tell other people's children about [arithmetic], and a small career to tell one's own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone, and narrow to be everything to someone?"--G.K. Chesterton

Off Day

2009-01-21T22:00:00.004-05:00

I guess we all have them. I know they hit here quite often, although I'm thankful that it has been a while. This week has felt so forced. I prefer flow to force. I've been thinking today and trying to figure out what has changed. If there is anything that is different. The girls are bickering and bickering and bickering. I get so tired of hearing it between them. I have them stop, we pray outloud together, they apologize, then hug. Then it starts again. There are moments I want to scream! These are the tough times in homeschooling. The times when if you allow yourself to, your thoughts can wander to thinking that the grass may be greener on the other side. Thankfully, I know better. So I hunker down, I pray, I cry, sometimes I yell but I stand. That is the most important thing. I REFUSE to give in and I REFUSE to give up.

I know the battle is hard because we are having great success this year and the enemy doesn't like it one bit. In thinking about causes or changes, the Lord has shown me a few things. One, the girls were very disappointed that it didn't snow. Two, Sky has upcoming oral surgery Tuesday next week, with doctor's appointments on Friday this week and on Monday next week. So, we will miss three days of school and that adds some pressure on me trying to keep us caught up. Three, our schedules have slipped some. I've had Aiden (he is the 5 month old little baby boy that my sister in law is caring for) last week and this week. Last week went well, this week its been harder with him. I'm not sleeping as well and I end up sleeping later or napping during the days which means our time isn't being spent wisely.

Tonight Meadow tested at 10:00 pm, Sky drew two of her art history summaries, she'll have to color them tomorrow. We didn't finish our music study on Mendelssohn but will try to get it in before Monday. I don't like schooling that late in the evenings and the girls don't either so that is frustrating to all of us. I know that I'll work to get us back on schedule and we will see better days. I mainly wanted to share with my readers that our homeschool days isn't always perfect!

On the up side of things we are learning about such interesting people! This week we learned about another missionary named John Elliot. John had a heart to see the Indians saved. He taught himself to speak their language, and he preached to them in their tongue. Many came to know the Lord and they became known as the praying Indians. Another interesting person we are learning about is Madeleine Di Vercheres. She was a very strong 14 year old girl who protected and held the fort that was her home for 8 days, from the Indians, until help arrived. We are reading deeper about her in our new book Madeleine Takes Command by Ethel C. Brill. We are also reading The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh, which is geared more for Meadow's age. The middle book is Meadow's last Sing Spell Read and Write book! Yep, you heard right! Her last one! She is on step 34 and should be completing the series by the end of next week. We are both so excited!

My favorite thing this week is our new hymn. It's called Alas, And Did My Savior Bleed, written by Isaac Watts. The version we are listening to is sung by Sovereign Grace Music on the Songs for the Cross-Centered Life album. I'm going to try and embed it below so that if you like you can listen to it. It's so beautiful, so deep and it just touches my heart so. I hope it speaks to you as strongly as it did to me. Have a blessed week!

Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed - Sovereign Grace Music

It Was Trying to Snow

2009-01-19T23:18:00.006-05:00

It makes me feel so bad for the girls. We haven't had snow in so long and we all just long and pray for the Lord to open up the Heavens and rain SNOW down on us!!! Today it flurried for about 10 minutes. Meadow and her friend Mowpheth (pronounced Mafaith) ran outside to try and play a few minutes.

Meadow running trying to catch snow in her mouth!

Silly girls!

This is the only picture that you can really see the snow in.

Both girls had company last night so school was a bit slow going but we managed to finish our day. They are calling for a 70% chance of snow tonight so we are really praying hard that we get it. We have to get our school done by Thursday this week because we have doctor's appointments on Friday and Monday next week. Sky is having some oral surgery done on Tuesday so that will be three days that we'll be off schedule. I'm hoping to catch us up if Sky recuperates well.

Just for the record, if it snows tonight the girls will be playing in it tomorrow!

An Important Lesson

2009-01-13T22:53:00.017-05:00

Our day today went well, it was very productive. We finished our read alouds in history and then the girls worked on their maps and Sky did a small sketch on a missionary named Jacques Marquette 1637-1675. We had never heard of him before, we are learning about a lot of people we had never heard of before.

Below is a picture of Meadow working on her own. I love the image of her working at her desk. She is completing her math, Sing Spell Read and Write worksheets and her Spelling from Rod and Staff.

This is a picture of Sky's and Meadow's maps and the sketch that Sky drew. The little books above the maps are replicas (not exact) of the New England Primer that was commonly used by homes and school in New England and other areas. It was printed in 1690 and widely used through the 1800's. It was a simple project but a good one that also showed the girls how different the language was then. They are creating very nice, full notebooks this year.

For me the real learning came tonight. I'm a planner, I love learning about different curriculum and figuring out what we will cover for the year, but in times past we haven't always completed everything. For the most part it was because I would tend to get lazy. The Lord dealt with me a lot on this last year so this year I seen a great need for a schedule. In my zeal I have plunged into My Father's World head on and added a few things of my own. Our days aren't what I would call strenuous but sometimes I believe my attitude is. I want things to go smoothly, which means no interruptions. I want them to listen and learn. I want to get it done.

So tonight we had a science lesson we hadn't gotten to today. I planned to use the hour before Meadow's bedtime to finish it with her. We are using God's Design For Life the Animal Kingdom.

So we pile up on the couch along with The World of Animals which we add in mostly for nice pictures and I begin to read. Meadow doesn't want to sit still, she keeps pointing to pictures in the The World of Animals making comments about this amphibian and that reptile. I started to fuss at her and all of a sudden I thought to myself, "What are you doing?" I closed my mouth and I let Meadow show me, I let her talk. Then she informed me that she wanted to read the science lesson for tonight. So she took The Animal Kingdom and she began to read. I was blown away. What had I thought? That this book was too hard for her? That she wasn't capable of reading and comprehending what she read? Yes she stumbled on a few words. Yes she asked the meanings of a few words, but I'm willing to say that she learned more tonight about amphibians and reptiles than she would have remembered had she been forced to sit and listen.

It wasn't that I'd never read about this, or heard about it. It wasn't that I had never followed their lead before. Its just that somewhere along the way I became so focused in getting school done that I had lost how real learning occurs.

Today was a good day. Thank-you Father, I pray that You continue to reveal to me and teach ME.

Drying out Corn

2009-01-11T16:32:00.004-05:00

Meadow cut the corn off the cob. We were supervising and daddy helped out too!

Meadow carefully cutting corn off the cob.

It took a long time to dry so this picture was taken the next morning.

We couldn't eat it. It was too hard. Sandy Meadow's hamster enjoyed it!

Meadow plays with Sandy a lot!

Meadow loves Sandy!

Our Book Basket

2009-01-10T08:00:00.002-05:00

This is a picture of our book basket. My Father's World has the neatest ideas! Marie created a book list for you to choose from. You gather books from this list and keep them in a basket for your children to go through at their leisure each day at book basket time. No required reading or work, just free time to look at pictures or read if they choose. You can take the list to the library and fill your basket and it cost you nothing. I was blessed to have found a lady who had done the leg work and had purchased all of the books on the list. She sold them to me at a great price and I have them on their own shelf and I rotate them in the book basket. Works like a dream.

Making Butter

2009-01-09T08:10:00.005-05:00

I poured a pint of whipping cream into a 1/2 gallon mason jar and had Meadow and her friend from church Calli shake it until the butter began to form. Tony and I did take turns with them to help them in the process but still they worked hard! Their eyes just lit up when they started to see the butter.

Meadow

Callie

Sweet Callie again.

Meadow really putting muscle in it!

Meadow and Calli shaking the cream together! They had such a good time!

Pouring the butter and buttermilk into a colander.

There it is BUTTER!

The girls actually drank the buttermilk. I couldn't stomach it. I've never been a fan of buttermilk! My daddy always crumbles cornbread up in a glass and pours cold buttermilk over it and eats it with a spoon. I just never took to it.

We talked about how cows were milked in the colonial and pioneer days and how the cream would rise to the top. Then they would take the cream and make butter from it. Things sure have changed as the milk we drink is homogenized and all the cream is mixed fine enough to leave it in the milk.

We took a field trip to a diary farm about 5 years ago. I think its time to try and schedule another one for Meadow. We will definitely be waiting for spring time and warmer weather!

My Kingdom Academy Clock

2009-01-08T11:13:00.001-05:00

This is a picture of my Christmas present from dear sweet husband Tony. Isn't it just beautiful?! He hand made this. He drew the design, then burned it into the wood. He stained the wood and finished it, purchased a clock kit, drilled the hole and hot glued the pieces on. Then he purchased the letters and painted them finally hot gluing those on also. I LOVE IT! I think it is so beautiful! I especially love the heart, hard work and time that he put into this. He would get up extra early on his workdays and on the weekends to work on this while I was sleeping. This was a huge sacrifice for him because he rises at 3:30 am during the week already and me, well I just can't imagine having to get up that early to begin with! He is a sweet special man. I love you baby!

Our School Room

2009-01-07T22:04:00.001-05:00

Our school room and living room are combined. It is a very cramped living space. We have our computer and computer desk, our T.V. and couch, and my sewing machine and ironing board (which is temporarily in there because I'm currently working on a quilt). We don't have cable and cannot pick up any television stations. We turned our television off more than five years ago and it was the best decision that we have ever made for our family as far as family time. We do rent the occasional movie and I have tons of educational dvds and movies for the girls.

You may not believe this but even though the room looks very chaotic it is in fact very organized for me. These pictures are after the fall cleaning that I went through to get us ready to begin homeschooling again this year.

Do you see that shelf right in the middle of the floor in front of the couch? (You are seeing the back of the couch here with folded blankets on the back. We do our bible and history on the couch and snuggle in the blankets each day!) The shelf contains everything I need to get to complete our school day. The shelves lining the wall are so packed it was too confusing to remember where our needed material were. I have a friend who was throwing this shelf out and she gave it to me. It was perfect for me to put everything on and its easy to get to. It slides easily and I often move it close to the couch so I can reach it without having to get up. I read from so many different books that its easier than trying to lay everything on the couch or in the floor.

I really need to purge my bookshelves, dust and straighten them but its such a huge task I keep putting it off. As you can see I have a pretty nice collection so trips to the library aren't necessary. For us, I found that library days took so much time away from our schedule that we weren't able to finish our days. I also do not like venturing out in the cold a lot in the winter so it helps in keeping us in. In the spring we will go to the library as a treat, but I really like NOT having to go.

This is view from the front of the couch. I have cardboard stacked against the wall between the wall and the shelf on the end for projects. The back wall you see is actually the hall and I have collaged some of Meadow's work there. You can see the girl's desks too, these are used mostly for storage. They each keep their own notebooks and workbooks so they don't get lost through out the house. They do use their desks to do independent work too.

The good news is that in May when my oldest daughter marries and flies the coop I will have another room. Her room is actually a den. It's a huge room. It's the length of the house, it has a fireplace and carpet. Tony is planning to put in gas logs, paint and put in new carpet for me.

I have debated for the last couple of months on whether to move the living room into the den or the classroom into the den. My front door comes into the hallway you see there so Tony wanted the living room to remain in the front of the house. If I move the school room that will mean moving every single one of those books shelves. I have six. There isn't one single wall in the den that would hold them all and I would have to separate them. The more and more I've thought about it the more I've decided that it will be easier to move the living room. After all peering into this room how much moving do you think we'll have to move? Not much!

The tall table and chairs and television will go. I haven't decided on the computer. I think I'll just leave it in the classroom since the girls do use it for school. In all actuality the classroom will not change that much. However, the living room I could design myself. A new living room suite would be gorgeous! New curtains and blinds. The only drawback will be having to walk through the hallway and the kitchen to get to it. I don't think that drawback is big enough!

The Birds Nests

2009-01-06T20:46:00.001-05:00

Finally! It took me long enough to get to this project. It wasn't hard, it was actually pretty simple, and fun! It isn't really a fancy birds nests, I didn't do enough research on them to see that having jelly beans and maybe a peeps chick would have made them prettier, until after the fact! LOL! We had fun just the same. Here are some pictures of Meadow and her friend (who is also homeschooled) Christopher.

They were a little camera shy.

They enjoyed crumbling the Shredded Wheat

Look how hard they are concentrating

I think they had more fun eating them but I missed getting pictures of that.

Do you know what an owl pellet is? We are studying owl's and have just learned about how they eat and digest their food. I did not know what an owl pellet was. Now we all do. I can't wait until we have a few pellets to arrive in the mail so we can dissect them! I'll bet you can't wait to see the pictures!

A Great Week

2009-01-03T15:36:00.003-05:00

I am so happy that this week was well accomplished. We were able to finish up week 6 in My Father's World by Wednesday. We doubled up on our reading and did a little homework so that we were able to take Thursday and Friday off. One of the books we are really loving is called American Pioneers and Patriots, it contains wonderful humorous stories. Another one that we are loving is Story of the World, Volume 3, Early Modern Times. I also have the cds for this and I really enjoy listening to these as it eases my work load too. :)

The girls have had friends over, so the house has been full of laughter. I love these times! Last night I fixed a new dish called Pasta Carbonara at The Pioneer Woman's Cooking with Pastor Ryan. It was a winner here and there was not a morsel left!

Today Meadow and I are going to make an edible bird nest with shredded wheat, those crunchy Chinese noodles, peanut butter, and melted chocolate. I'll post pictures later!

God is so good!

Happy New Year!

Finally

2008-12-29T23:53:00.003-05:00

After all the mishaps, Christmas, visiting and business of the holiday season, we actually got a full days school in today! I was ever so grateful! Meadow wasn't very cooperative but in the end she gave in. Sky done wonderfully and my voice adjusted to the reading aloud. It just felt SO good to get school done. The girls didn't want to start back until next week but since we missed a week with my brother's accident I just didn't feel I could wait another week.

It was a good day!

Merry Christmas!! 2008

2008-12-25T00:34:00.001-05:00

Christmas is Almost Here! 2008

2008-12-19T23:49:00.001-05:00

Goodness it's hard to believe that there are only 6 more days until Christmas! I have finished up all of the shopping except for a gift card. I'm so thankful! The last few weeks have been busy and hectic and I'll be glad when the *rush* is over and I can relax. Our Christmas Play is Sunday morning and the preparations have been long but rewarding. I've asked the Lord for a spirit of might so that I can be full of patience, humbleness, kindness and love through the holidays.

School schedule is gone. The girls have been doing fair amounts of reading and math but nothing to brag about. I've just committed myself to not worrying about school or schedules and to enjoy the holidays with family and friends embracing Christ this season. Trusting that the Lord restores lost time and all will be caught up soon enough!

Moving along

2008-12-05T18:46:00.002-05:00

Schooling well but not covering as much as I would like. The holidays threw me for a loop. We spent the time with my father and mother in law, helping to cook, clean and other chores they needed help with. It was an enjoyable but tiring experience.

It's so hard to keep schedule and get things done through the holidays. So many things pop up unexpectedly. But we finished this week all but a little reading in history which I do hope to get done before Monday so we can catch up on things.

We just finished the book Almost Home from the Daughters of the Faith Series, A Story Based on the Life of the Mayflower's Mary Chilton. It was awesome and really enhanced our depth of understanding for what the Pilgrims went through. It gives you such a great appreciation for what others went through to build America. Our freedoms didn't come free and they paid a high price.

The other subjects were finished in a timely manner and the girls are doing pretty well working on their own. Our Apologia science continues to move along very very slowly. Dd has just finished the 3rd module. TT is moving along great and continues to be a success. I cannot express how grateful I am for this program and cannot wait to be able to start Meadow in it. We made horn books this week, learned more about Frans Shubert. The girls aren't developing much of a taste for classical music but are recognizing some of the musics from Disney films, which is a plus.

Scripture memorization is coming along well. They have James 1:1-11 down. No new scriptures this week just practice.

We will add a new hymn next week. Probably a Christmas Carol.

We didn't make the skate with our homeschool group or the Christmas play at the Homestead. I was just too pooped to do the running and wanted to finish our school. Schedules were messed up this week as we were up late many night and therefore slept late too. One night I had to drive to my best friends house to pick up her 4 littles so that she could go and visit her grandmother in the hospital. It was late and unexpected and we didn't get tucked into bed until almost 2 am.

We finished up week 5 of MFW today. I had a migraine so much of the read alouds had to be done by the girls.

Tonight we watched the new American Girl Movie "Kit Kittredge". It was very moving and touched my little Meadow and gave her a new appreciation for money and material things. It was just what she needed. I'll have to make sure this is added to our library.

Hopefully the make over will be finished soon. I'm excited to have a new look here. :)

I pray that your Thanksgiving was blessed.

Weekly Report......wk 5

2008-11-22T00:58:00.002-05:00

We had a few interruptions this week, I had to take both vehicles on different days and have the oil changed. We had company two different days, unannounced during school hours which makes it hard to stay on schedule. I didn't get to do all that I wanted but we got most of our school done, except for the last lesson of history so we will have some reading to do tomorrow. IEW is still coming along well, we slowed way down with Apologia's General Science and reviewed a lot. Teaching Textbooks and Phonetic Zoo are continuing to be a blessing.

We didn't keep schedule to a *T* as we ran about 45 minutes behind each morning but I'm not that unpleased with that. We've gotten ALOT done here at home. We cleaned out our basement and still have about 1/4 more to go, the laundry is caught up and the rest of the house is right in line. It feels so good to have a clean home. I feel like we accomplish so much more in a neater environment. We've also added the chore of bring in the fire wood. I actually like doing that one.

I'm still LOVING MFW EXP-1850 and the studying of Thanksgiving has fallen at the perfect time.

Next week will slow down some too, we are volunteering at a home alone/feeding program all day on Wednesday. I do believe dh has the whole week off! And we will try to get back in the saddle again the week after.

Today was a long day

2008-11-17T20:02:00.003-05:00

Especially after such a relaxed week last week. It took the girls a bit to get back into the swing of things. Sky's science Apologia General Science is a huge adjustment for her. I'm not as informed as I should be on learning styles but I know that she can't just read something and understand it. The companion cd helps us out a lot with this program but I also have to come behind her and read the lessons to her, pulling out definitions adding in deeper explanations or giving different examples. I do ask that she read her lesson first. I'm hoping that over time she will begin to process the information on her own better, but until then I must make the time to reread her the lessons in the afternoons. This can make for long days sometimes. I myself, don't mind the reading, I'm learning a great deal. It's the time that can be hard to come by. I know its time well spent and there will be a great reward for it later.

History with My Father's World Exploration to 1850's, just keeps getting better and better. We have finished reading Squanto and are learning more about the pilgrims and the development of their colony. I want the girls to do a Thanksgiving diorama. I'm going to go to Walmart and see if I can find a few nifty things in the crafts section. We had made wigwams the second week and I want to use those in something, they turned out so pretty.

If you have any neat ideas for crafts for Thanksgiving please share them.

My Father's World Week #4

2008-11-15T10:39:00.002-05:00

Monday was great, as we finished our school that day. Monday night we started painting Sky's room and dh didn't work Tuesday so we took the day off from school to finish painting. This week was also my totm and I have felt rotten.

So Wednesday and Thursday we ended up not doing regular school days and we talked about My Father's World and their ministry God's Word for the Nations and how I feel led to give to the ministry. We discussed how people didn't have God's word and how they needed the bible printed in their own language. We ran into a wall with my youngest daughter Meadow. She just thought that giving money to people we didn't know was absolutely absurd! She said, "Well momma if we go around giving all our money and our stuff away what are we gonna do?" I had to laugh and yet at the same time I was concerned. I tried to explain it to her but she didn't understand. So I left it alone, I asked some questions on my homeschool boards and I prayed.

We do give but not like we should and usually when dh and I give we don't always share with the kids. Sometimes its to people in need, other times its to ministries and you just don't think to tell your children that you've written a check to support so and so. So it isn't that we wouldn't share with them, we just don't think about it sometimes. This really opened my eyes to things that *I* need to change around here. It also opened my eyes to how many different ways there are to give, not just monetary giving. Maybe this is what my children were missing, seeing us give of ourselves and becoming servants to others and not just to ourselves.

Today we had our prayer, bible and hymns. While reading the story behind our new hymn, "The Lord is my Shepherd" from Hymns for a Kid's Heart the Lord spoke clearly as I read, "Did you know that God has put you in just the right place to give a gift to someone today?"

Thank-you Lord for opening up the door for me again!

So then we discussed different ways of giving, that it doesn't have to be money, it can be time, or services, or even just kind words. How giving comes from the heart and we prayed for the desire to give.

A friend on one of my homeschooling boards had a great idea for us on giving so I shared it with the girls and now they are simply ecstatic that we are going to be helping some who are very near and dear to us. I think it helped Meadow to understand a little more to begin with giving to someone she can actually see and be able to participate in the act of giving.

As always God had more in store for us, Heaven had gone to the mail box and brought me the mail. There were two letters in the pile, one from my sister who lives a long way from us and another from a lady in jail. Both in desperate need, just needing to know that someone cares. We all agreed to start sending them letters, postcards or something to encourage them. The girls were very excited at this point.

We also found a very beautiful purple box to set in our school room. Inside of this box we are going to place offerings from our hearts. We are going to pray about ways to make some extra money to place inside of the purple box. Our goal is to be able to send $100 to My Father's World's Ministry, God's Word for the Nations by then end of the year . Take a moment and read about them, pray about supporting them. Oh the souls that will be reached by the sharing of God's Word.

All of this to say that while we didn't do official school this week the Lord taught us a lot! So we will be picking back up with My Father's World week #4 next week. Prayerfully we'll get back on schedule. We slept in a lot this week so I'm sure it will not be an easy task for me and it will take some discipline on my part. But I know, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

:)

Another Blog!!

2008-11-13T14:07:00.001-05:00

I didn't think I would ever seperate our homeschool from my personal blog Jenileigh's Journey but lately it seems to have taken off in a different direction, our homeschool that is. Our name, Kingdom Academy, our purpose and our vision seem to be standing up and taking off. I didn't want the blog to be focused on me, Jenileigh, but on Kingdom Academy, the homeschool that God has birthed in us. Often times I don't feel my audience at Jenileigh's Journey is interested as much in our schooling. I think that this will be a better way to communicate with the homeschooling community and an easier and more focused way to share what Jesus is doing through us in our homeschool. It'll be a little slow to start. I have a vision of how I want this blog to look so help me pray my way through finding someone to create it being able to describe it to the person I find!

Welcome to Kingdom Academy!

Homeschooling Week 3 Ending

2008-11-07T15:12:00.002-05:00

This week went pretty well. Our work load lowered some from the first two weeks and I have to admit I was very grateful. I kept up but the pace was pretty stout. I had read it would slow after week 2 and week 3 definitely let up. We were able to take Wednesday and go skating with the homeschool group. We all had a really good time.

Our hymns thus far are My Father's World, O For a Thousand Tongues (I added it in early), and My Country Tis of Thee or America as it is also called. We will be adding The Lord is My Sheppard on week 5.

The girls are memorizing James 1:1-8 and I'll test them on Monday. So far they can recite through 5 without stumbling!

We are studying the Indians, England, Spain, Pioneers, the New World and such. The girls actually made wigwams and they turned out really nice. We are reading from several books, including Story of the World 3 (I just ordered the cds so it will cut down some on my read aloud load), Exploring American History, In God We Trust, & Building a City on a Hill.

I didn't think I would enjoy reading pieces of several books but the way MFW ties them all together its like reinforcements and it really sinks in. Plus these aren't boring history facts. I love having them put in somewhat of a story form. I'm learning so much!!! I am also reading Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims and from American Pioneers and Patriots. The girls keep begging for more Squanto and I really like American Pioneers and Patriots. The last book we are adding in is from the Daughters of the Faith series and its called, Almost Home a story about Mary Chilton. Today my voice gave a little from reading so much out loud but I didn't want to stop!

We don't have as much reading everyday, but we do read a lot. That is one of my favorite things, reading aloud, I usually just don't make enough time for it, so I really love how My Father's World has this included in our school day. The three of us pile up on the couch together while I read. Then the girls do an art picture of the person we have studied. I am so impressed with the pictures they are creating. We usually have music once or twice a week while doing art, and this too is another favorite of mine. Not so much with the girls but they are learning a lot about Franz Shubert.

Sky (7th grade) then works on her own completing TT math, IEW, Phonetic Zoo Spelling, and Apologia Science. Of course I'm nearby as she works here in the living room with me. (We schedule all projects and labs with dh in the evening and I make sure to read her science to her after she has read it that day as reinforcement too).

While Sky is working I do Meadow's SSRW or PLL, Spelling and Science and then we are through for the day. I try to encourage Meadow to look through her book basket during breaks but she doesn't show much interest after all of the other school we've done.

I grade Meadow each day and grade Sky at the end of the week, then I read through my lesson plans for the upcoming week and make necessary copies among other preparations and I'm done!

I've never ever schooled this way before. Not ever. I've always been so laid back. Its hard work but I have to admit I'm taking more pride in teaching the girls and we are accomplishing so much more. Our days aren't forced or overloaded, just very full and satisfying.

We finished the entire 3rd week. I feel accomplished.

Homeschooling is Going Great!

2008-10-28T15:11:00.002-04:00

We are using a variety of things. I have several *favorite* things and the first one is My Father's World which is a small unit study that includes Bible, History, Science, Music and lots of read-alouds. We are using Year Four, Exploration to 1850. One of my favorite things about My Father's World this year is that we are studying old hymns and their history, who wrote them and how they came about. We begin each morning singing praises to our King and then move directly into the bible study. We are studying James and doing a lot of memory work. I'm very excited about what I see transpiring in the girls even in such the short time of a two week period.

The first hymn we are studying is actually called My Father's World. It was written by a young man named Maltbie Babcock. We have studied how Maltbie was a very well liked young man, he was very talented in most anything he done, including music and sports. He stood up for what he believed in and he confronted others when their language or behavior was not appropriate. He was very aware of the beauty of God's creation and he spent a lot of time enjoying it. Observing the wonders of this world is how he came to write the song My Father's World.

I had never heard this hymn before and I have very much enjoyed becoming aquainted with it. I found a neat little book called Hymns for a Kid's Heart that includes a great version of My Father's World. In the My Father's World curricula they add a new hymn every two weeks. The girls and I decided to add a new hymn to our studies this week. Meadow chose 'O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing, written by Charles Wesley. Charles was also homeschooled, and his mother used the Bible as their text. He wrote over six thousand hymns in his lifetime! I thought it a good idea to go ahead and cover all of the hymns included in this book, even though it only has three of the hymns studied in My Father's World.

Once we finish in prayer we begin our history. I love doing history as a family. I love studying U.S. History. I didn't pay a lot of attention to it when I was in school so I missed out on a lot. The girls don't love it as much as I do but they are learning and remembering so much. They are both creating art pictures several days a week of what we cover that day. They are drawing explorers, ships and other things. These make for a beautiful notebook.

Then we break for lunch and come back to work separately. Sky is using Teaching Textbooks grade 7 for math. It has truly become a huge blessing in our home. She can work completely on her own and the program even grades each lesson for me. You can see examples of how it works by visiting the link. She is using Phonetic Zoo for spelling and this has proved, thus far, to be a wonderful hit. I love finding things that make my job easier and learning more fun for the girls. For science Sky is using Apologia General Science. My Father's World has conveniently created a schedule that makes Apologia General Science easy to implement in our studies.

Sky is also using the recommended curricula from My Father's World for English and Writing. I have another Writing program that I hope to move her into soon but just getting started out I haven't had the time. I will be sure to share when we do.

Meadow is finishing up Sing Spell Read and Write with only a few more steps to go. This program has been my all time favorite for teaching kids to read. Its catchy and loads of fun with the music, games and prizes. We have also moved into Primary Language Lessons and Spelling by Sound and Structure by Rod and Staff. Somedays we have enough time and stamina to complete all of these and other days we alternate. For math Meadow is using BJU Math 2. I used BJU Math with Heaven all the way through school and I love it. However since finding Teaching Textbooks once Meadow reaches the fourth grade level we will be switching over. Teaching Textbooks is just to easy and fun and I have to say the price is much better than BJU's dvds.

I'm hoping to add in God's History of Art and Rosetta Stone Spanish as funds allow. Our days are full and eventful. I feel so accomplished when our work is complete. I praise the Lord for leading us back home and for continuing His work in me. I look forward to sharing more of our days soon!

The Zoo

2008-10-24T15:09:00.001-04:00

Our field trip with my dad Wednesday was great. We had a blast and I was very impressed by what the girls learned. I must be a woman of few words today. I'm on a schedule and I only had time to load pictures. Hope you enjoy.

Unplanned Day

2008-10-21T15:07:00.003-04:00

Today instead of schooling as we had planned we attended a funeral. My bestfriends grandmother passed away Friday and today was her funeral. It was so sad. Her grandmother had not been sick, she was still driving herself and was completely in her right mind, which is wonderful that no one had to care for her before she went home to be with our Father, but her death was so out of the blue and unexpected. I think that situation alone, having no time prepare, made it a lot harder. My friend's daddy had passed away years ago and her mom is divorced and remarried. In a lot of ways this was an end to this side of the family for her. We had lunch with her and her family after the funeral and then we went to her house and had a nice long visit. We didn't get home until 7:30 tonight. It was a long day but it was nice to be able to take the girls and be there for my friend. Homeschooling enables you to live more of your life together. Tomorrow we have a play date planned and Wednesday, my dad is taking us to the zoo!

A Great School Day

2008-10-16T15:04:00.002-04:00

It's been a little rough getting back on track. I'm such a planner and being on such short notice threw me a bit but we are getting the hang of it again. Today we finished everything up in record time and we got chores done, the only thing waiting is dinner. Which I'm headed off to take care of now.

I'll share more about what we are using soon, when time isn't so limited.

Today was a good day. I love homeschooling, after seven years it is a part of me. :)

About Kingdom Academy

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I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands: one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

I pledge allegiance to the Christian Flag and to the Savior for whose Kindom it stands. One Savior, crucified, risen, and coming again with life and liberty to all who believe.

I pledge allegiance to the Bible, God's Holy Word, I will make it a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path and will hide it's words in my heart that I might not sin against God.

School year 2009-2010, Sky was in eighth grade and Meadow in the third. We started our days out with the pledges, we sang our hymns, we prayed, done our bible lesson and then pray again. This was before beginning our other subjects. We are finished the second half of My Father's World Exploration to the 1850's. It was my all time favorite which says a lot for me because for years my favorite was Learning Adventures. My Father's World is unit study style incorporating Bible and History.

The creators of My Father's World are David and Marie Hazel. They began MFW as a way to help fund their ministry of translating the Holy Bible into other languages around the world. They spent many years living in Russia translating and have currently returned to the states. Their curriculum is centered in God's word and mission minded. I cannot say enough about my love for My Father's World and its founders.

Our lives and school days have been transformed into exactly what I had envisioned when I began homeschooling so many years ago. Marie has schedules for each week included in each year of My Father's World so each week I copy the schedule and put it on my clip board and I use this guide each day to check off our school as we complete each subject. (a work in progress)

Our beliefs are listed below, with our story and how the Lord called us to homeschool following.

The beliefs of Kingdom Academy.

* THE BIBLE is the inspired and only infallible and authoritative written Word of God.

* There is ONE GOD, eternally existent in three Persons:

1. God the Father
2. God the Son
3. God the Holy Spirit

* In the Deity of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His miracles, His vicarious and atoning death, His bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and His personal future return to this earth in power and glory to rule.

* The only means of being cleansed from sin is through repentance and faith in the precious BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST.

* The redemptive work of Christ on THE CROSS provides SALVATION in response to believing prayer. This SALVATION includes spiritual salvation, physical healing for the body, protection, deliverance, safety and soundness.

* The Baptism in THE HOLY SPIRIT, according to Acts 1:8 and Acts 2:4, is given to believers who ask for it, for the primary purpose of "POWER" to be a witness of Christ. We believe in the Biblical evidences of the baptism in the Holy Spirit -- including praying in tongues and the gifts of the Spirit.

* In the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling the Christian is able to live a HOLY LIFE. Enabled by God's grace, it is the believer's responsibility to walk in PURITY AND HOLINESS before the Lord.

* In the BLESSED HOPE - the rapture of the Church and the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

* In the RESURRECTION of both the saved and the lost, the one to everlasting life and the other to everlasting damnation. Because of this and Christ's GREAT COMMISSION in Mark 16:15...

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."

* The SUPREME TASK of the Church is the evangelization of the lost.

Kingdom Academy

My oldest daughter graduated in May 2008 from our homeschool, Kingdom Academy.

2010-2011 would have been our 10th year homeschooling.

This blog is about that adventure.

I enjoyed it immensely while is lasted.

We continue to ask for prayer about the right thing to do for our girls and our family each school year.

Contact Me

2008-09-06T15:32:00.000-04:00

E-mail me at

jenferleigh at yahoo dot com