Today Only!

Confessions of a Cloth Diaper convert is on sale TODAY ONLY for $3! If you've ever wondered about cloth diapering, wanted to get started but didn't know how or had any questions about it at all this book is the one resource you need. It's full of information that Erin has compiled as she made the switch from disposables to the more earth friendly cloth diapers. After today the book will cost $12 so make sure you get it with this awesome sale. Wednesday October 23 only. 

Click the image below to get your copy today and enjoy! 

I really want to change....So Help Me God

About a year and a half ago my best friend and I started doing a weekly Bible study group with our pastor's wife. We were going through the book "I Really Want to Change...So Help Me God.

 

This book really made you think about the little things in our lives that God wants us to work on. James MacDonald has a list of characteristics, actions, thoughts etc that many Christians struggle with. We then had the not so easy task of self-evaluation. Looking at each item on the list and ranking yourself as to how much you struggle with that issue.

After that part was done you went through the rest of the book which really helped me figure out why I struggle with certain things. My friend and I really could notice some weeks when we were working on things that Satan really knew it and would try to get us to stumble and struggle even more. We made it through and made some good changes with help from our Heavenly Father!

If you've never read this book I highly recommend it! Go through it with a close friend whom you don't mind sharing your deepest struggles in your walk with Jesus and who will hold you accountable. You'll be amazed at the things you'll see happening in your life if you do!

"Call to me and I will answer"

I think Jeremiah is another one of those books of the Bible that have so many encouraging verses! Here's one to share with you today.

God is always there waiting for us to call on Him. He is able to give us such peace, joy, comfort and so much more whenever we need it. All we need to do is ask and He never fails to be there to show us "great and mighty things"

Jesus Is Coming

A great reminder and encouragement for us all! We know He's going to return but only God knows when exactly that will occur. Be encouraged by the fact that He will return to earth and all who have put their trust in Him will meet Him in the sky! I can't wait for that day. Even my children ask me "When is God coming back?" Are you ready? Who do you need to share the Gospel with? 

Enjoy this video and have a blessed Lord's day! 

Pastor Appreciation

You've probably heard by now but October is Pastor Appreciation month. I wanted to share with you some ways that you can encourage your pastors and their wives this month since they work tirelessly all year round to serve, teach and guide us in our Christian lives. 

1. A card: drop a thank you card in their box at church or even send it straight to their home. 

2.Go up to your pastor after his sermon and tell him how much you appreciate his teaching

3. Invite them over for a meal at your house.

4. Offer to serve in the church in a way that you know your pastor or his wife would appreciate some help

5. Pray for your pastors and their wives.

6. A small gift or a gift card to their favorite restaurant

7.. Send an email or post a message to them on Facebook.

8. . Whatever else you can think of to show your pastors and their wives that you appreciate all they do! 

1 Thessalonians Chapter 5

¹² And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;

¹³ And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. [And] be at peace among yourselves.

Homesschool Week in Review 10/13-10/18

Hi again! We've had a fun week so I'd like to share a little with you of our week.

4th Grade 

Geography

For our geography study we finished learning about North America and Canada.

We looked up and printed out several pictures of traditional clothing for Mexico, Greenland, Cube and Canada. 

Found a great video on Canada on YouTube. It was a little long but the initial information was really good. It talked about the climate, language and lifestyles of people there. The video also mentioned the fact that they are getting immigrants from all over the world. 

We also made a blueberry dessert from a recipe found in A Trip Around the World and ate it with our home made ice cream (read more about that in the kindergarten section)

Hunter and Chelsea enjoying our desserts (and yes our table is a mess at the end of a school day!)

 Science 

We continued reading in the living world encyclopedia about river and stream animal life. All the kids were very interested in the page about water birds. We tried an experiment with paper feathers. I dipped them in oil and they tried running them under water to see how birds protect their wings from the water. 

Reading/Writing/English

This week we tried out Easy Peasy's English program which focused on poetry. We read several poems and had a blast trying out tongue twisters! 

For writing Chelsea made up her own sentence. We then made a list of ten words that could be used to describe the noun. One was chosen and added to the sentence. Then we made a list of ten words to describe the verb part of the sentence and added it to the sentence as well. 

Art

We tried making an imprint of a leaf into clay and then using that to make prints on paper. I'm not sure what we did wrong but it really didn't look like a leaf when we tried to put the paint on the paper. Maybe we needed to do a few more prints to get it going. 

Math

Chelsea is still enjoying Easy Peasy! YAY! We continued practicing subtraction with renaming and also rounding to the nearest hundred and adding those together. She is using Xtra Math to practice her math facts and it seems to be really helping a lot! 

Kindergarten

We finished out cow unit this week! Hunter practiced writing words we made on the word ladder and read several new words. He's finally starting to get how to figure out the word after sounding it out. He does get frustrated easily with it but we're moving along nicely. We also read the second Bob book "Sam" and Hunter was quite proud that he'd read the entire book himself! 

We tried shaking whipping cream to make butter but none of the kids were very interested in working at that project. So guess who got to do it? Yep, mom! We also made some home made ice cream using the Sassafrass ice cream maker Chelsea got as a gift a few years ago. 

Preschool

Natalie learned about the letter B this week! She had fun coloring a bee picture, watching videos, working in her Rod and Staff work book and making her craft.To end our week I found a fun little cow craft for Hunter to do and Natalie made a beaver for her B week. 

Baby Days

Allison is starting to hold toys and  be awake more. She loves to have attention whenever she's awake which is making things a little tricky for mom. A lot more baby wearing may be ahead for us during school.

"You're Raising Your Teens Now"

Wonderful words of wisdom from a great friend at our church, our associate pastor's wife. She said these words years ago when my oldest was maybe preschool age and they have really stuck with me. Whatever you teach your children in their youth will stick with them as they grow. 

Proverbs 22:6 says "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it."

Yes, it may take twice as long to let your kids sweep the kitchen floor, help wash dishes or vacuum and it may not be to your standards but you are teaching them so many important things through that simple task.

And it's definitely not easy to take time out of your school lessons to handle with an attitude issue for the umpteenth time but it's worth it! Your kids learn: 

1. They get a sense of accomplishment when done.

2. They know you are willing to take the time to help them with something and that you have faith in them to do a "big person's" job.

3. They learn to work hard, not give up and have a heart for serving others

4. You are reinforcing good behavior and attempting to get to the heart of the improper behaviors or attitudes.

Don't  get me wrong. This doesn't mean that you won't have issues but it does help a LOT. One personal example is Chelsea, my oldest. She is often very willing to help out around the house and last winter when my husband and I both got the stomach bug she was such a blessing to our family! You can read more about it here.  So remember, even though it's not always easy, "You're raising your teens NOW."