Educational Ideas

I love being at home and teaching my son. I love having the freedom to spend a whole day on one particular subject to remedy the curiosity that is overflowing about something as interesting as primates or as uninteresting as adverbs and adjectives.  We had that kind of day, today. It started off a little bumpy but ended up on a rather high note.




It's hard to believe that we are in our 10th week of school and our 7th year of home educating. We are now at the age/grade level where all the really cutesy craft ideas are a big, "That's so lame!".  Trying to make learning fun for this age is a little different from what it was in the past. I've been on the look out for things that will help in this area while looking for things that will help with some of the weaker areas like math and grammar.  Thankfully, at the moment, we are not on a low with math.  Since we use Teaching Textbooks, I'm not having to pull out my hair trying to come up with a way to explain something that is not so easy to a child that has my math ability. PTL!

I'm not getting paid for this ~ If you have never seen Teaching Textbooks, or you think that it is way out of your price range, go look at it. As a home educating mom, I completely understand the school budget. This year is the first year that I have actually looked at our books needed list and began to worry about how we were going to do it.  In the past, we've been financially able to buy the needed items and then some. Things changed back in January and while I was researching for this year, I found myself in tears, not knowing what we were going to do. The only thing I did know ~ Math was the most important on that list. If I had to do more research on new curriculum for other subjects or come up with my own thing, I would. ~ I did and I made some changes. The Lord worked everything out and I did not have to come up with my own. :)

Back to what I wanted to show you. For the past couple of days, I've been on Pintrest searching for school related ideas. WOWZERS!!!! is all I can say. I'm still scrolling through other people's pins related to home education. I'm finding some of the cutest ideas for educating younger children with not so much good return on older kids. But still, I've found some really neat things. If you click on the Pinterest link in this paragraph or over on the sidebar, you can see all the pinning I've been doing.

We made a Parts of Speech minibook, this morning and  I love it! I wish I would have thought of this sooner, with Jamie. Adverbs and Adjectives are his weak point. While working on this, he began to see how they both work. While working on the book, we  watched some of the SchoolHouse Rock  videos on  Youtube.  It's neat how those "ancient" three minute cartoons helped so many young people learn grammar and math while watching Saturday morning cartoons. ~ I was one of those young people. Conjunction Function is still my favorite! Here's a picture of our book...

I'm definitely not the photographer in the family. Can you tell?

I mentioned in an earlier post about our Bible memory system that we started this year. It's amazing! Again, I wish I would have started this sooner.  I put ours together a little differently than what is on the website. This is a system that is easy to use and easy to personalize. Here is a picture of my system...

Heiress a Review

this post contains affiliate links


Heiress

They can buy anything they want—fame, power, beauty, even loyalty.  But they can’t buy love. 

The beautiful and wealthy heiress daughters of August Price can buy everything their hearts desire. But what if their desire is to be loved, without an enormous price tag attached? When one sister betrays another for the sake of love, will she find happiness? And what happens when the other sets out across the still untamed frontier to find it—will she discover she’s left it behind in the glamorous world of the New York gilded society? What price will each woman pay for being an heiress?

Set in the opulent world of the Gilded Age, two women discover that being an heiress just might cost them everything they love.

About the Author ~ Susan May Warren is an award-winning, best-selling author of over twenty-five novels, many of which have won the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, the ACFW Book of the Year award, the Rita Award, and have been Christy finalists. After serving as a missionary for eight years in Russia, Susan returned home to a small town on Minnesota’s beautiful Lake Superior shore where she, her four children, and her husband are active in their local church.

Susan's larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder of My Book Therapy, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

Susan makes her home in northern Minnesota, where she is busy cheering on her two sons in football, and her daughter in local theater productions (and desperately missing her college-age son!)

A full listing of her titles, reviews and awards can be found at Susan's website.

My Thoughts~ This is the second book by this author that I have read. Susan's writing has won me over. She includes so many realistic feelings in the characters. The way she describes places/scenes, it makes you feel that you are right there watching from the sidelines. I love this in a writer! Heiress deals with a very sad situation that a lot of writers would steer clear from, but it is included in such a way that my heart was so heavy for these girls. It shows that money does not buy true happiness and love.  I can't wait for the second installment on the Price sisters. 

                           **I received this book for free from Litfuse, in return for my honest opinion.**

The One and Only Gift that Matters

Of all the gifts I’ve received in my lifetime, there is only one I am dearly thankful for. This gift is not like all the others, you see. Without it, I would not be who I am today.

I am truly thankful for the gift of salvation. I am thankful for Mrs. Connie who opened her Bible on a Sunday morning at the end of the hallway beside the doors that led out to the metal stairs on the building. She showed me (a little seven-year-old girl) with her Bible how I could know the Saviour and have a personal relationship with Him.

Today, I would like to share with you, the gift my Sunday school teacher shared with me all those years ago.

THE ONE AND ONLY GIFT THAT REALLY MATTERS

God Loves You

God wants a relationship with you. He doesn’t care about what you’ve done or where you’ve been. He loves you. John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

God is not some impersonal being who really doesn’t care. He cares about you personally and wants a relationship with you. God loves you so much that He sent Jesus Christ, His son, to die for your sins.

Sin Separates You From God

The holiness of God and our sin nature keeps us from having the relationship He desires. Every person who has ever lived has sinned against God. Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Because of sin, we face a penalty; separation from God forever. There is nothing you and I can do on our own to avoid this penalty. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Jesus Paid For Your Sins

When Jesus died on the cross, he became your payment for your sins. Romans 5:8  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Jesus, who was sinless, took upon himself the sin of the world – everyone. He took the penalty for our sins – death. This ultimate sacrifice didn’t end there, Jesus proved His love for us and rose from the dead three days later. He has already paid your penalty.

With Faith, You Must Trust Jesus

There are two groups of people in the world. Those who believe and those who do not believe on the Son. Those who believe have everlasting life, and those who don’t believe will not have everlasting life. John 3:36  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.

To believe on Jesus Christ means you accept you’re a sinner and that you owe the penalty. You believe that Jesus died on the cross, was buried and rose again three days later to pay your debt. You completely trust Jesus to get you to Heaven, there are no other ways to get there, only Jesus.

When you can do those things, God promises He will give grace to you. Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

If you trust Jesus as your Saviour you can pray this prayer or words of your own.

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner, and I deserve to pay my own sin debt, but I do believe that You died for me to pay the debt that I owe. Today, the best I know how, I trust You as my Saviour. I will depend on You from this moment on for my salvation. In Jesus' name, amen.

If you would like to talk more about this, or have any questions, you can email me and I’ll be happy to help you.

Lane's Chocolate Cake

My family has two favorite chocolate cake recipes. This recipe and the Crazy Wacky Cake while both are extremely easy and delicious, this one is my husband's all time favorite.

If you are into rodeos, then you’ll know the name Lane Frost.  This recipe originally came from the Lane Frost WEBSITE. But it has since been removed, but thankfully, I found a copy on Pinterest. I have to say that I don’t make this cake often, because it is very rich.  Since it is my husband's favorite and he has a HUGE sweet tooth, I usually give in when he asks for it.  It's perfect for a birthday!

~Lane's Chocolate Cake~

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Sugar

• 1/2 Cup Cocoa

• 1 Cup Oil

• 2 Eggs

• Pinch of Salt

• 2 Cups All Purpose Flour

• 1 Cup Sour Milk or Buttermilk

• 1 Cup Hot Water

• 2 Teaspoons Baking Soda

• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.

In a large bowl, mix sugar, cocoa, oil, eggs, salt, flour, and sour milk together. Add water, soda, and vanilla, the batter will be thin. Pour into a 9 X 13 inch pan. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Chocolate Icing

•  1/2 Stick Margarine, Melted

•  2 1/2 Cups Confectioners’ Sugar

•  3 Tablespoons Cocoa

•  Milk - smidgen

In a medium bowl,  mix margarine, confectioners’ sugar, and cocoa with enough milk to be creamy. Spread on cake after cake has completely cooled.

** If you have a true 9X13 baking dish, you may have a little volcano action going on towards the end of the baking. This cake does not rise like a box cake. I have to put a pan on the bottom rack to catch the over flow.

Sweet and Creamy Cream Cheese Frosting

Creamy and Sweet Cream Cheese Frosting. It’s super quick and easy but tastes like it took forever to make. Do you best to not eat more than you use.

The last time a store-bought cake and frosting was bought, my husband bought it. He wanted to make me a birthday cake, but did not want to deal with making it from scratch. I understand his thinking… it takes work to make a from scratch cake with the possibility of it falling during cooking to make matters worse. I loved the idea of a store-bought cake because it came from the heart.

Cream cheese frosting is my favorite of all frostings.

The tangy sweetness is something I can’t get enough of and would make a batch just to eat it out of the bowl.

I’ve used this recipe for my Peach Cake with Peachy Cream Cheese Frosting and even my Perfectly Tasty Pumpkin Bread. While I haven’t shared a recipe for Red Velvet Cupcakes, it is amazing on them as well.

While it is creamy and sweet, the best part of this recipe is that it is easy to prepare.

All you need is a bowl and a mixer along with a few minutes and you too can make this creamy and sweet cream cheese frosting.

This recipe makes two cups and is easy to double and even triple.

Creamy and Sweet Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

• ½ cup butter, softened
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, add softened butter and cream cheese. Beat until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until creamy and smooth.

Now, do your best to not eat more than you use.

Easy Flaky Pie Crust

This is a very easy recipe. I have tried many pie crust recipes, and none of them would turn out correctly. I was one who would by frozen pie crusts, just because it was quick and easy.

My neighbor and I were talking about pie crusts while I was visiting with her. She told me that she had one that I should try. Well that night I did and I could not believe my crust.

This special neighbor was a blessing to me. She and her husband had been married for over 50 years and she loved talking about homemaking and cooking. I loved learning what I could from her.

I’m sure that you are probably thinking, "What about chilling the dough, before rolling?” Well, the first time I made this recipe I did. It was very hard to roll. After that I tried making it without it. It worked just fine. I do not chill this dough. But if you want to try it, go ahead.

 Pie Crust

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening – chilled
 1/2 cup ice water

Sift flour and salt together. Cut in chilled shortening until mixture becomes coarse crumbs.

Drizzle 2-3 Tablespoons of ice water over flour. Toss with a fork to moisten. Add more water a few drops at a time until dough comes together.

 Roll out on a floured surface. DO NOT GET IN A HURRY. TAKE YOUR TIME. When rolling do not roll up and down and side ways. Roll only in one direction. Move the dough around (clock wise works). Continue doing this until the dough is rolled out enough for your pie plate.

 To get the crust into the plate without it falling apart, I roll the crust up onto the rolling pin and lay it across the plate. Trim off the excess dough, leave enough so you can pinch it with your fingers for a crimped look.

Fill with desired filling and bake.

THIS MAKES ONE CRUST.

The Harvest of Grace

this post contains affiliate links

The Harvest of Grace is third and final book in Ada’s House, and it is now available! Come join us for the conclusion of this New York Times bestselling series as beloved characters from The Hope of Refuge and The Bridge of Peace continue to grow in their love and commitment to one another.

In The Harvest of Grace, you’ll be introduced to two unique characters ~

Reeling from an unexpected betrayal, can Sylvia find relief from the echoes of her past…or will they shape her future forever?

Although Sylvia Fisher recognizes that most Old Order Amish women her age spend their hours managing a household and raising babies, she has just one focus—tending and nurturing the herd on her family’s dairy farm. But when a dangerous connection with an old beau forces her to move far from home, she decides to concentrate on a new start and pour her energy into reviving another family’s debt-ridden farm.

After months in rehab, Aaron Blank returns home to sell his Daed’s failing farm and move his parents into an easier lifestyle. Two things stand in his way: the father who stubbornly refuses to recognize that Aaron has changed and the determined new farmhand his parents love like a daughter. Her influence on Aaron’s parents could ruin his plans to escape the burdens of farming and build a new life.

Can Aaron and Sylvia find common ground? Or will their unflinching efforts toward opposite goals blur the bigger picture— a path to forgiveness, glimpses of grace, and the promise of love.

My Thoughts:

I wish I would have been able to read the first two books of this series before starting The Harvest of Grace. I really would have liked to have known more about  the people in the community around  Sylvia and Aaron. I did not feel totally lost in the story, since Cindy included a main characters list with a short detail regarding the character.

My heart went out to Sylvia as she chose to wait on marriage and the emotional roller coaster she faced regarding her former fiance and family. Aaron's dreams of owning a business and not following in his father's footsteps as a farmer were so real. Something many people face today. Watching these two "stubborn" people in their daily life, makes you want to just shake some pliancy into them. The outcome was actually a little surprising to me.

This is my second Cindy Woodsmall book. And my third or fourth Amish fiction book. If Cindy continues writing about the Amish community, I may be hooked! She has a way of bringing this way of life into reality for those of us who are nowhere near an Amish community.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

The Harvest of Grace, Ada's House Series #3 By Cindy Woodsmall / WaterBrook When Sylvia Fischer turned down her beau's offer of marriage, she expected him to give her the time and space she'd requested, believing they would eventually wed. .Instead he married her sister. When she learns that his betrayal was her father's idea--a proposition made to save the farm--she knows she'll never trust another man. Despite the secrets hiding in Aaron Blank's youth, he thinks he's ready to face his future. As he sets out to make up for the wrongs he's done to his family, he meets Sylvia, the new farmhand from a nearby district. She doesn't want him around, seems to have his father's heart in the palm of her hand--and what she knows could ruin his future.

A Lancaster County Christmas

this post contains affiliate links

A Lancaster County Christmas

Jaime and C. J. Fitzpatrick began their married life as most couples do--in love and looking forward to a bright future together. But four years later they've drifted apart and are almost ready to call it quits.

Mattie Riehl was hoping to give her husband Sol the Christmas gift they have both longed for--news that a baby was on the way. But as usual, she is disappointed. The holidays bring an acute awareness to Mattie that her dream of a big family isn't likely to become a reality.

Then a winter storm raging outside blows the Fitzpatricks into the Riehl home--and into a much slower pace of life. Can these two couples from different worlds help each other understand the true meaning of love this Christmas?

With her trademark plot twists and attention to detail, Suzanne Woods Fisher offers readers a beautiful Christmas story of love, forgiveness, and what truly matters in life.



About the Author~
Her interest in the Amish began with her grandfather, W.D. Benedict, who was raised Plain. She has many, many Plain relatives living in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and travels back to Pennsylvania, as well as to Ohio, a couple of times each year for research.

Suzanne has a great admiration for the Plain people and believes they provide wonderful examples to the world. In both her fiction and non-fiction books, she has an underlying theme: You don't have to "go Amish" to incorporate many of their principles--simplicity, living with less, appreciating nature, forgiving others more readily-- into your life.

When Suzanne isn't writing or bragging to her friends about her first new grandbaby (!), she is raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. To Suzanne's way of thinking, you just can't take life too seriously when a puppy is tearing through your house with someone's underwear in its mouth.

Suzanne can be found on-line at: www.suzannewoodsfisher.com.

My Thoughts~ The story was not what I was expecting and that's alright because it is a good story.  It is a story of hope, forgiveness and communication. The story is not just about the helping of one couple but both couples receive much needed help.

Lancaster County Christmas, A - eBook By Suzanne Woods Fisher / Revell Jaime and C. J. Fitzpatrick began their married life as most couples do--in love and looking forward to a bright future together. But four years later they've drifted apart and are almost ready to call it quits. Mattie Riehl was hoping to give her husband Sol the Christmas gift they have both longed for--news that a baby was on the way. But as usual, she is disappointed. The holidays bring an acute awareness to Mattie that her dream of a big family isn't likely to become a reality. Then a winter storm raging outside blows the Fitzpatricks into the Riehl home--and into a much slower pace of life. Can these two couples from different worlds help each other understand the true meaning of love this Christmas?