A Lazy Meme

I saw this meme over at Almost Unschoolers blog. I've been feeling pretty lazy here lately (I'm on vacation visiting family) and thought I would join the fun. I'm feeling the urge to travel after reading this list. I think I'd choose to visit (in no particular order) – Hawaii, Paris, Grand Canyon, London, and China. And all the other places mentioned! What places are on your "someday" list?

The instructions: copy the list and bold the items you've done.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29 Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33 Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41 Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45 Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60 Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64 Donated blood, platelets, or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66 Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67 Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79 Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Free Summer Issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine!

Take a look at the brand new Summer digital edition of The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine. TOS is offering this digital issue of the magazine totally free with no strings attached. Enjoy this free gift from TOS—no registration or email address required to view the magazine! Take a peek here. Then share the link with your friends by clicking on the share button at the top of the magazine pages.

Visiting Family

We had plans this past weekend to go to Maine to visit family. The trip was fairly uneventful – Nick had one moment where he dozed off and swerved a bit (this was at the 9.5 hr mark for driving). The day after we arrived my dad was having chest pains and had to go to the hospital. So our quick weekend trip turned into a week long trip. He's home now and recovering well but we decided to stay the rest of the week to visit, now that he's home.

TJ has been busy picking berries, beans, and peas in the garden and we've been to my sister's house to see her new goats. We've been bowling, and visiting, and playing games, and hanging out. It's been wonderful but I'm looking forward to getting back to my own bed and routine. But it has been wonderful to have a nice relaxing vacation visiting family.

Book Review: It Couldn't Just Happen

Kids are daily exposed to the theory of evolution by the media and public schools. It’s not safe to assume that your kids will reject that theory. It’s up to us as parents and Christian leaders to make sure our children know the truth about the creation of the world. With thousands of evidences to prove He created and sustains the universe, It Couldn’t Just Happen will fascinate kids with fun activities and examples of God’s marvelous works.

The title Lawrence O. Richards chose for this book explains the purpose of it's writing – it couldn't just happen; earth didn't just pop onto the scene and slowly evolve to sustain life as we know it today. Through a look at many facets of life on earth – from the earth itself, its place in the solar system, various creatures, and our own human bodies, Richards refutes various components of the Theory of Evolution. The book is obviously written from a creationist point-of-view. With chapters full of gorgeous photographs, Richards shares various facts about earth and the things it contains and how those facts prove that things couldn't just happen – there was a master plan and a creator behind everything – from the largest planet to the smallest cell.

My Thoughts:  While the book is marketed as a children's book, I believe it's better suited for 6th grade and above. It could easily be used in a homeschool setting, with easy-to-read sections, colorful photos, and follow-up activities at the end of each chapter. I liked the writing style and think it would make a nice supplement to a science program. I enjoyed reading it and look forward to using this resource in the future with my daughter.

Now for the fine print… I received this book in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was provided.

Favorite Things: Homeschooling Websites

As I get ready for another school year, I've been looking through lots of websites for printables. There are so many things out there that I get overwhelmed trying to find things that are useful to us. But, very often, after searching, I just end up at websites I've used many times before. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Homeschool Launch
• Homeschool Share
• Worksheet Works
• Math Master
• Making Music Fun

Looking back at my time on the Crew

The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew will be starting its fourth voyage very soon and I've been blessed to be a part of the team for the past two years (and now heading into my third!). I thought that I would share a few of my favorite products that I've been introduced to through my time on the Crew.

One of the first products I received to review was an Old Testament Bible study program from Grapevine Studies. TJ loves to doodle and draw so I knew that this would be perfect for her – and it has been. We loved working through the Old Testament workbook and purchased the New Testament books so we could continue the series. (You can read my review here.)

Another program that we have loved using is All About Spelling. I'll be honest and say that before I had the opportunity to review the first two levels of the program, I looked at it online and decided not to spend the money. Well, since reviewing and using the product I've changed my mind (and purchased the next level with plans to use the whole series!). TJ is thriving with this program and loves the hands-on portion. (My review.)

I also really liked using Super Star Speech. TJ had a few small speech difficulties and this was the perfect at-home program to work through those problems. (My review.)

Some of our favorite things haven't necessarily been curriculum. We've really loved the Maestro Classics cds, Schleich animal figures, and Wits & Wagers, Family.  Music, toys, and games! What more could we ask for!

It's been a wonderful two years with the Crew and I'm looking forward to our upcoming voyage!

 

I'm still here!

We are enjoying our summer vacation and haven't been doing much that I'd consider "blog-worthy" but we're still around! TJ is spending all her spare time playing in the pool or in the mud. I've been busy finalizing earth science lesson plans and we started our earth science study this week. (We do science and history once a week with friends and decided to continue through the summer, taking time off when we're busy or away on trips.) It started out well and I think the kids like the text we're using – A Child's Geography by Ann Voskamp. We're enjoying our history studies too, with Story of the World, volume 2. This week we spent time learning about India during the middle ages and looked at some pictures of the Ajanta caves. I would love to visit those caves some day!

We have lots of lazy summer days ahead (not counting the thunderstorms we are having right now!) but have some trips planned as well. We'll be going to Maine for a long weekend visit to see family, a weekend camping trip with friends, and a trip to Disney will finish out our summer vacation. Lots of fun for us this summer!

Well-Educated Mind reading update

I finally finished Gulliver's Travels! Yeah, me! This was a difficult book to slog through. I think I enjoyed reading Don Quixote more than this one. I just didn't care much for the main character, and it's so hard to get into a book when you don't care what happens to the poor guy! ;-)

Thankfully, Pride and Prejudice is the next book on the list and I'm looking forward to it. I'm not sure how much time I can devote to reading this month, with trying to get ready for another school year and getting ready for a trip to Florida (Disney here we come!) but I'm sure I'll fit some time in.

Goals for the summer:

1. Re-read portions of Gulliver's Travels and follow The Well-Educated Mind list of questions for each stage.
2. Read Pride and Prejudice.

Book Review: It's Not About Me by Max Lucado

Pop culture and psychobabble tell us to make ourselves the center of the universe in order to be happy. Churches have communicated the false idea that God exists to give us all that we selfishly want. In this book, Max Lucado reminds us that it's not about us, it's all about God. It is through this shift in thinking that we can truly live an unburdened, happy life.

In a day when we often hear the words, "it's my body, I'll do what I want," or "it's my life, I'll do what I want," or some variation on that theme, it's refreshing to hear a voice say, "It's not about you." And that's exactly what Max Lucado says in this new book.

With his engaging style of drawing the reader in with simple stories and illustrations to make his point, Lucado draws a picture of what life is like when we shine the spotlight on the Creator. Instead of a life filled with "me, me, me", busily pointing out my own accomplishments, I'm reminded that my job (for lack of a better term) isn't to bring glory to myself – it's to bring that glory to the One who deserves the accolades.

My Thoughts:  While it's not my favorite of Lucado's  many books, it's a point that needs to be made (and heard). It's not about us and what we want. Our focus needs to change. We need a shift in our thinking in this "me-centered" world. Our focus should be on bringing glory to God, reflecting His light to the world, instead of shining the spotlight on ourselves.

It's a quick read and a good message. I encourage you to read it as a reminder of your life's purpose.

Now for the fine print… I received this book in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was provided.