Homeschool blog Carnival at Sprittibee

Check out this week's homeschool blog carnival at Sprittibee...ok - I must admit... I want you to visit - first because she has a great blog, and second - I have an article posted on this week's carnival. So do us both a favor and go check it out - there are always great posts about homeschooling!

Click here to visit the Homeschool Blog Carnival

If you are interested in submitting an article to the next homeschool blog carnival click here:

To them that believe, He is precious!

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. ~ III Jn 1:4

Today was an extra special day.  My dear crazy twins - born April 5, 2001 - were baptized.   Slater had made a profession of faith over a year ago at our church's annual Camp Meeting in 2009.  He had been under conviction for quite a while, but just couldn't quite get peace. Finally, after months of prayer, God saved him!  Charis was just recently saved, but in our conversation that day she revealed something that really startled me.  She told me that she was waiting to be saved, because she thought she would have a second chance after Jesus came for the rapture of the saints.  She and I have had other similar conversations, where she let me know she doubted if the Bible was true, and Jesus really was REAL.  This idea of a second chance stemmed from that.  She thought if she saw Jesus take us all to heaven, then she would know he was real.  This really scared me. WOW... I didn't realize that a nine year old was capable of that type of thought process.  Since the spring, Charis has really been on my heart. I have been praying that God would make salvation clear to her - to give her understanding.  On September 9th He did just that.  She became a beggar... asking God to save her. What a HUGE blessing it was to see the twins baptized TOGETHER!  God has been so GOOD to me! How could I ever thank Him for HIS abundant blessings on us... for He not only cares for our needs - but gives us our hearts desires as well! I am now praying that He would use them, not just to live an ordinary life in HIM... but to live extraordinary lives FOR HIM!!

It was my birthday on Friday - this was the BEST birthday present EVER!! :)

Cyber Book Club

I know so many of my dear cyber friends homeschool.  So, I wanted to share with you a really great new homeschooling resource, a cyber - book club!  This week is the pilot week, so I thought I'd ask you all to stop by and join up.  A dear friend of mine, Mary is moderating this book club. She's a wonderful and encouraging person - just meeting her will be a blessing I am sure!

CYBER BOOK CLUB

This book club is for everyone - and its free!  I am excited just thinking about the encouragement that it will be! Hope you will join us!

Soap and Jacuzzis

My children are so smart... they do science experiments without being made to!  Just this week, they wanted to find out the answer to what would happen if you put a whole bottle of Johnsons baby wash into a jacuzzi tub and turned it on.  Wow - were they suprised...

They look a little like deer in headlights...maybe it was because Daddy found them...

Feeling a little less than?

Homeschooling is one of the hardest things that I have ever done.  As most of you know, I taught in the regular classroom for over 12 years, was a principal, and taught college courses for over 10 years. STILL... I must repeat... homeschooling is the hardest thing I have ever done. It is so personal... if my children don't learn - it is MY fault and mine alone. Can you commiserate?? Sometimes the pressure that I feel is so great, I am almost overwhelmed.  I especially let it knock me down when I talk with homeschooling mothers who seem to have little "geniuses" that are getting college credit at 15.  How do they do it?  Is their whole life devoted to study? Do they ever have fun?  I would love to just ask - In fact, I think the next time I run across a genius homeschooler who has studied Biology and Algebra II before they reach high school... I WILL ASK... do you ever have fun?  Do you ever just watch movies?

Anyway, it took my wonderful husband to wake me up this time.  He pointed out that I have great children who are self motivated... who take time to learn and study and READ.  Yet, these children are individuals... they are NOT going to be just like another... they ARE going to be just what God made them to be!  We strive for excellence - we "Study to show ourselves approved unto God - a workman that needeth NOT to be ASHAMED..."

So if you are feeling like you don't measure up - just check yourself... Are you doing your best? Are you striving for excellence? Are you careful to encourage your children to learn within their means?  Are you fostering and letting them blossom within their strengths?  Then keep your head up... you are NOT less than! You are doing a great job!

PS - thanks so much Alan for resetting my viewpoint!

Birthday, ballgames and bugs...ladybugs that is!

Crazy began early this weekend... on Saturday I had to run up to the store - so Chloe came with me. She was so sweet and quiet all the way to the store.  I just wanted to hug her, when I got out to get her - I noticed that she was blue... from PERMANENT marker!  My lovey huggy feelings went right out the window...grrr...  So we went into the store looking like a mess... even got a comment from some nice gentleman about how she had made a mess of herself. Really?  that was obvious!  When we got home, I gave her two baths, and when she was finished with the second bath, she decided that she needed a haircut... a very short haircut. Then it finally came... the challenge of making Jordan's ladybug cake, along with doing a party for her and entertaining guests for Labor Day. We had loads of fun - played lots of ball... anyway...

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves...

Chloe's new haircut...

We worked Saturday evening making homemade ice cream...

Melting the marshmallows to make the fondant for the cake...

Kneading and rolling the fondant out .... and many hours later....

Here it is.... not exactly what I had in mind... but not too bad for my first "fondant" experience. Except when you ate the black - your teeth and tongue turned black for quite a while... ??too much food coloring???

...and here is my little ladybug herself... I can't believe she is six already!

We polished ladybugs on the little party goer's toes... and painted ladybug shirts... very girly fun...

A few crazy girls that were there... no these weren't the ones with ladybugs on their toes...

Party entertainment... playing basketball...

...opening presents...

...and that is a crrazzzyyyy lady... and her daughter...

A True Patriot

"Public virtue cannot exist in a nation without private, and public virtue is the only foundation of republics. There must be a positive passion for the public good, the public interest, honour, power and glory, established in the minds of the people, or there can be no republican government, nor any real liberty: and this public passion must be superior to all private passions. " ~ John Adams

What do you know about John Adams? In studying his life, he was an amazingly sacrificial man.  He lived the majority of his life "serving" America. Here are a few facts...

1. As a lawyer, he represented the British soldiers that had shot men in the Boston Massacre. They were wrongly accused of murder, and he stood up for them simply because the truth needed heard - British or not!
2. He represented Massachusetts in the first and second continental congress, and nominated George Washington as Commander in Chief of the Contintental Army.
3. He was appointed to a committee to draft the Declaration of Independence. Though Thomas Jefferson was responsible for the bulk of it, John Adams defended and protected it.
4. He represented America in Europe and Britain in many forms from 1777-1788. During which time his children were educated by tutors.
5. He never bought a slave nor did his family use slaves. Abigail employed (paid) free blacks to assist her at times
6. He was vice president for two terms.
7. He was president for one term. During this tumultous time, our nation teetered on the brink of war with France. The greatest achievement of his presidency was to keep America out of war, which he did at great cost. He left the white house to return home in a public carriage.
8. He was one of two presidents to see his son become president. (John Quincy Adams)
9. He died along with Thomas Jefferson on July 4, 1826. The fiftieth anniversary of our nation.
10. He served one less day than any other one term president. The year 1800 did not happen to have a leap year day.

"The foundation of national morality must be laid in private families.... How is it possible that Children can have any just Sense of the sacred Obligations of Morality or Religion if, from their earliest Infancy, they learn their Mothers live in habitual Infidelity to their fathers, and their fathers in as constant Infidelity to their Mothers? "

"The only foundation of a free Constitution, is pure Virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our People, in a great Measure, than they have it now. They may change their Rulers, and the forms of Government, but they will not obtain a lasting Liberty. "

"Posterity, you will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it. If you do not, I shall repent in heaven that I ever took half the pains to preserve it." ~ John Adams