The End of the Longest School Year

The end has come... I never thought today would get here, but it finally came. ~ The last day of 7th grade. This has been the longest school year for us with traveling across the country two times. Thankfully, our state has wonderful home education laws, so I don't feel the need to rush, rush, rush to get things finished.

Honestly, if it weren't for a little poking and prodding we would still be working on Math next week. Math is the dreaded subject both Jamie and I hate to see coming but this past week, Algebra and Geometry were learned so it was a little more interesting for us both.  ~ Seriously, who am I kidding?  Math is math, call it what you want, it is still a snore fest for me.

Jamie's 4H projects were finally found and brought home. Aren't they just cute? Meet Snuffy and Daisy. They are Mini Lops and this little pair has been a breeding pair for about a year or so.

We are not planning on breeding them for a while, but we are planning on it in the future. Snuffy, the buck is a broken blue (gray) color and Daisy, the doe is a broken squirrel (brown) color.

~*~ SNUFFY~*~

~*~DAISY~*~

 

I've been working at gathering up all the books from years past that I just couldn't part with, so they can finally be sold. Next week, I'll be finalizing the paper work for this year.  Then I'll have a few weeks off for what will be our summer break.

Have a great weekend!

It's Flag Day

It's Flag Day!

On June 14, 1777, John Adams spoke about the flag at a meeting of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. He said, "Resolved, that the flag of the thirteen United States shall be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the Union be thirteen stars, white on a blue field, representing a new constellation." There have been twenty-seven official versions of the flag so far; stars have been added to it as states have entered the Union. The current version dates to July 4, 1960, when Hawaii became the 50th state.

On May 30, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a presidential proclamation establishing a national Flag Day on June 14.In August 1949, National Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress. Many Americans celebrate Flag Day by displaying the Red, White and Blue in front of homes and businesses. The day commemorates the adoption of the Stars and Stripes as the official flag of the United States.

We need to fly our country's flag with pride. Our country has some serious situations going on at the moment, but we live in the BEST country there is. A country that God has had his hand on from the beginning.

Blooming Where You're Planted

We have all heard the phrase, Bloom Where You're Planted. From what I have researched, this statement has been around a long time but it is still something to make you stop and think. After reading a hateful rant about hating a place where a family lived, I began thinking about the whole idea of blooming where you're planted. This person continued on with a list of reasons why they did not like the area. Sadly, this person is a professing Christian. Someone who is a pastor's wife, living a life as an example. Someone I would not want to be like. We all could sit down with pen and paper and list reasons why we do not like this or that, but why would we? What good would it do? As parents, how can we teach our children to bloom where they are planted if we are fighting the blooming process ourselves; we can't.

No matter who we are, God is in control of our lives. He is the one who places us wherever we may be. A lot of times, we want to take control over our lives and make quick decisions concerning where we work, where we live, etc. And you know what? A good chunk of the time those decisions bring us tears of sadness and not tears of joy. To  truly bloom where we are planted, I believe you have to be thankful.  Not only for what you call your home, but for the daily circumstances that are going on around you.  I could grumble about driving 225 miles to the closest mall and Sam's club. I could grumble about driving 70 miles to the nearest decent grocery store,  Walmart and fast food restaurants. I could grumble about there not being any of what I would call good local churches in our town.  I could grumble about having to go on the other side of the county to get good water to drink and cook with. I could grumble about not having any other home educators in our area who will get together. But what good would it do? God placed our family here, for a reason. Grumbling will get us nowhere except for a state of being miserable. Sadly, those close to you will not want to be around you and then there will be people like me who do all they can to avoid you like the plague. If you've been reading my blog for very long then you know our story and how we were placed in the southeastern corner of Montana. After years of praying to be brought back to this state with a job, God did just that. He answered our prayer. We did not ask him for a mall, a grocery store and I never thought to pray for good water. I know the Lord placed us where we are; I am happy with that. I am happy knowing we are in the middle of God's will for our lives; even if we are in the middle of nowhere.

BLOOMING WHERE I AM PLANTED

I cannot fully bloom if I am complaining about this, that or another. I cannot help my husband and son bloom if they hear my complaints or see the affects of my complaining. I would hate to know my selfishness ruined an opportunity for my husband to succeed in his job or in giving the plan of salvation to a co-worker or a neighbor.

I can't help but remember a chorus we used to sing when I was younger.

I shall not be, I shall not be moved;I shall not be, 

I shall not be moved;

Just like a tree that's planted by the waters,

Lord, I shall not be moved.

Psalm 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

I want to be a fragrant flower, not a prickly cactus blooming where God has placed me.

Brimwood Press Worldview Curriculum Review

We live in an age where we meet people of ALL WALKS OF LIFE all the time. People in general can be different in their way of thinking more than we really want to admit sometimes and it can be hard to understand why they believe the way they do.

this post contains affiliate links

When I was asked to review a Worldview curriculum by Brimwood Press, I was very excited because this is something I was planning on teaching in the fall. One thing I noticed quickly about A Young Historian's Introduction to Worldview way before I even received my package (I came across this from just reading the website) it is not strictly a Christian curriculum book. There are Christian leanings but it is an overall NEUTRAL worldview. That means other religions could feel at ease in choosing this book to study worldview from their point of view. These books are written for children between the fifth and eighth grade ages.

In the Worldview bundle I received:

A Young Historian's Introduction to Worldview

Secret of the Scribe

Christian Theology and Ancient Polytheism

A Young Historian's Introduction to Worldview
In four lessons, students and their families gain a solid working understanding of what worldview is, how it impacts culture and history, and its importance to their lives personally. Rather than studying individual belief systems, the guide helps students understand the basic beliefs of four worldview families. Contained within each family is a variety of specific religions and philosophies. Through learning about worldview families, specific religions and philosophies can be understood in light of their "family resemblances". 

This is where we started; we learned what a worldview is and how it influences our culture and our past. Our worldview affects our daily life and how we accept the challenges we face each day. This is a four lesson study, so you can finish up within a week or divide the lessons up between a couple of weeks, like I did. Each lesson consists of the “teaching” section, hands on activity section and a table talk section, which is extremely neat so families as a whole can join in on the learning whether they are there for the actual learning time or not.

This is a wonderful hands on approach and the book comes with the boxes and paper that is needed.

Secret of the Scribe

Born to a slave woman in the palace of a Sumerian queen, Tabni is raised amid splendor far beyond her lowly status. But when disaster strikes, she is thrust alone into a harsh world and forced to rely on the one possession she cannot lose – the ability to write. Struggling to survive, Tabni makes a daring choice that threatens to turn all the gods in heaven and earth against her. It is only a matter of time until the gods unleash their fury and exact vengeance.

This is a wonderful historical fiction book. It is written in the first person and Tabni draws you in, very quickly. It is the companion book to Christian Theology and Ancient Polytheism.

Christian Theology and Ancient Polytheism

Christian Theology and Ancient Polytheism (CTAP) is a nine month curriculum that compares and contrasts ancient Near Eastern myths with Old Testament stories to teach Christian theology. Through this in-depth study of the ancient struggle with idolatry, students gain a compelling view of the uniqueness, coherence, and beauty of the Christian faith. The student is engaged in a journey that reveals just where the ideas of ancient polytheism and Christian monotheism lead. Along the way, they will discover that the misconceptions and temptations of the ancients have profound relevance for youth of the twenty-first century.

CTAP enables young people to grasp the grand narrative of God's Word and to recognize its central plot, characters and themes. This literary approach combined with the method of comparison and contrast cultivates higher level thinking skills and gives students a rudder with which to navigate the sea of competing ideas.

CTAP is the Christian reader's guide to Secret of the Scribe and contrasts the worldview of both the novel and its historical setting (ancient Mesopotamia) with Christianity. As a comparative theology arising out of a historical narrative, CTAP facilitates explanation of Christian belief within a setting that shows the student why these beliefs matter.

CTAP has twenty five lessons; each lesson can take 2-3 days to complete depending on your schedule. Each lesson has a different “subject” that is explained along with discussion questions pertaining to the subject. Most chapters have a section that asks you to READ Bible scripture and answer questions regarding the scriptures. I love, love, love the idea of being able to take the Bible and show Jamie this is why we believe what we do.

We are at an area where we are taking a summer break from this curriculum, but I can’t wait to jump back in, come August.

I received this curriculum bundle to review in return for my honest opinion and the links are affiliate links which will cost you nothing if you choose to make a purchase.

Memorial Day

Just a Little Catch Up

I'm beginning to wonder if this school year is ever going to end! Normally, we would have finished around the tenth, but with us traveling for an interview and then our move, we fell behind a little. Thankfully, in the state of Montana I don't have to send in any school records or calendars; so we are going to plug right along.  With this lingering over my head and no days off, I have finally realized ~ schooling year round is not for me.

I have been busily working on my family tree and that is why I haven't been around much. Family history almost consumes me when I'm working on it. I work at getting all of my household duties completed as early in the morning as I can, so I can spend a good chunk of the day researching. Reading how one started out as an indentured servant to become a very wealthy landowner is like a story found in a history book. Amazingly, that story is part of my family.

I tried something new yesterday ~ RHUBARB! I have no idea why I have never tried this wonderful vegetable - fruit. My neighbor gave me several recipes for rhubarb cake so after seeing how tall the rhubarb stems were, I pulled five and wowzers! I'll be posting the recipe later on.

Spring is definitely here and hopefully to stay! My bird feeders are bringing in beautiful feathered neighbors. We have eight pairs of Goldfinches, Black Headed Grosbeaks,and a beautiful pair of Rose Breasted Grosbeaks. We have also been enjoying watching the Bird Cams with two Montana Ospreys. It's really neat watching both cams because we know the area where the birds have their nests.

Jamie's enjoying his weekly shooting class. Someone in our county donated money to be used for community classes like this one. Because of the donation, the classes are offered for free. That's Jamie right in front.


I hope you all have a safe and enjoyable weekend!

A Home Education Confession

If I was going to be totally untruthful about our home education, I would say everything goes smoothly according to plan EVERY. DAY. and that I NEVER have a day where I feel this time in my life is a huge waste of time.

Well, I'm not untruthful about our journey; home education is just that ~ a journey. It is not an easy road to travel; it has its ups and downs and more likely than not, we face more downs than ups. There ARE days, when nothing seems to go according to plan and I have definitely had the "I'm wasting my time" thought go through my head. Most of these problems come from the evilness of Math!

Math is not easy for me. Any time I do any type of math, I have to write it out on paper or if it is kinda easy, I use my finger and write it in the air.  I'm not crazy!  Some times, I have to break down and get out the calculator. Anyone who knows me, knows this about me and  I easily admit to this problem.

Sadly, my son is the same way. The only difference with him, he doesn't want to admit to it ~ to anyone! He is also a perfectionist; it crawls all over him, if he misses problem. He wants to be like is Dad and be able to do Math in his head and do it quickly; unfortunately, I don't believe he is going to be all that quick at it.  Over the last couple of weeks, I have started allowing Jamie to use a calculator on certain problems to help keep his confidence up. As long as he knows how to do the problem and explain it to me then he can use it. The calculator is not being used for everything; just a few certain things.

I remember all my school years struggling with Math and not one time was anyone there to offer any kind of ideas to help that would have boosted my confidence. I remember night after night sitting on the sofa with my Dad trying to explain long division and fractions.  Needless to say, I'm 42 years old and still have problems with them both. Somehow, I managed to teach several years of upper elementary Math and didn't hinder any student. Actually, I more than likely did and no one wants to be honest about it. :)

We use Teaching Textbooks for our Math and since I don't have to do any of the "major" teaching, Jamie can breathe a little easier than he did in the past. Of course, with time marching on, we end up with a problem area and he tends to freeze up on it. This is where the calculator comes in; a TOOL to help in learning. I don't have problem with this decision. As long as the calculator doesn't become a crutch, which I won't allow.

I think a little boost of confidence goes a long way. In this case, a simple tool to help in the aid of learning.

It's Finally Spring

Within the past two weeks, spring finally sprung in this area. The temperatures are perfect for open windows and doors. When I say doors, I mean opening the main door and allowing the sun to come in through the glass door. With frigid temperatures during the winter and early spring it is impossible to be able to open the door for anything other than going in and out.

 When we lived in western Montana, we heard people talk about depression ~ a lot. I can understand why there are so many in this part of the country who suffer from depression. During the winter months in this area the days are extremely short. This past winter, we had winter type weather for six months and many of those days had less than 10 hours of daylight.  When you drive through the two towns here, you will see 90% of the houses with their curtains/blinds closed up completely.  Most of these houses do this to keep the cold out, but they are also keeping wonderful natural warmth and light out of their houses.


I'm a rebel! I refuse to close my blinds during the day. I have to have the warmth of the sun shining in and being able to see the cheeriness of what is going on outside of my house. My curtains in the living room are never closed. Of course, I don't have neighbors in the back except for a couple of deer who seem to be curious some days. The morning sun peaks in and brings that room to life each day.

Would you believe the sun will rise around 5:05 during the second and third weeks of June? The sky is light for about 30 minutes before the sun even makes its appearance in this area. During those weeks, we will have almost 17 hours of daylight. With these long days comes the energy to get household chores completed rather early.  This morning, I was able to clean and put away the breakfast and lunch making dishes along with our bed made and two loads of laundry washed and hung out to dry all before 8:30. When I ran to check to make sure the wind had not blown any clothes across the back, believe it or not, they are already dried; and it's just 10:00.

Most of my little seedlings, have been transferred out into their proper containers. We have the most wonderful neighbors who live across the road. They are the ones who own a cattle farm and since they are up in age, they have allowed their son and his family to live there while they live in their son's house.  He took my husband out to the farm to get a truck load of "recycled" dirt. :) We were also given huge tubs (feed tubs) which we are using for are vegetables. Yay, no hoeing!

I'm so thankful spring has finally made it's way here.