Don't miss this important message! Elbert Guillory

Wow! I just saw this last night and was moved to tears. I showed it to the kids just now and was moved to tears again. 

I have not heard anything so encouraging or inspiring in a long time!




God bless you, Mr. Guillory! You will be in my prayers.

Weekly Menu Plan {18 June}

This is lettuce from my garden (a.k.a. deck)!

I am a day late in posting this, but better late than never, eh?!


Monday - Sloppy Joes, baked beans

Tuesday - Teriyaki Chicken, rice, sautéed asparagus, salad

Wednesday - Tortellini Salad (or tortellini drizzled with olive oil for some)

Thursday - Leftovers

Friday - Homemade Pizza, salad

Saturday - PW Mini Meatball Sandwiches, sweet potatoes, green salad

Sunday - Popcorn, fruit


What's on your menu this week? I love getting new ideas! xo

Memoria Press - Prima Latina {Review}

Even though I took Latin classes in high school and in university, I have never purchased a Latin curriculum for my homeschool. I know the value of having a Latin background, but when in Canada, my older three children were involved in French classes and then branched out to other languages of their choosing. My younger ones have also been interested in different languages, and thus, I just haven't put much thought into having any of them learn Latin. Until now . . .

I was given the opportunity to participate in a review of Prima Latin by Memoria Press, which is written for students in grades 2-4. I received the complete set (retail value: $90.90), which includes the following: 

• Student Book
• Teacher Manual 
• Pronunciation CD
• Instructional DVDs (a total of 9 hours of instruction)
• Flashcards

This is a wonderful resource for getting started in Latin. I have had my Ava (age 8) using this material. She was thrilled to have her own "new language" to learn, although she has been learning a bit of French, as well. The way the program is set up is clear and straight-forward. Several times per week, we watched the instructional DVD, worked on the exercises in the student manual and reviewed the flashcards. There are 25 lessons and each lesson is only four pages in length. There are over 200 flashcards! The set of flashcards alone is a wonderful resource.

I wasn't sure if the exercises would be too overwhelming for Ava, who is improving in her reading but is not yet a strong writer. She did get frustrated a couple of times but I think amount of work is just about right. I do appreciate that each lesson only contains only 5 or so vocabulary words. It is just the right amount of new information, with plenty of repetition. 

One thing I want to note (it is the only drawback to this program and a minor one, in my opinion). If you are not from the southern part of the United States, you may find the pronunciation a little off-putting (unless you love a slight southern drawl!). There is not one thing wrong with it, it just threw us off for the first few lessons. After we had viewed several lessons, it was not a big deal. And I am glad we have the DVD lessons to practice the pronunciation, since I am a little rusty.

We have not used the CD for extra practice, although I have plans to do so. I want to get a portable CD player so that Ava can listen to it in the mornings when she is up early (she is our early bird). She could use headphones and get in a little more practice, without waking up all the sleeping siblings.

One of my favourite parts of the program are the Latin prayers we are learning. Here is the first one, called The Sanctus:

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus

Dominus Deus Sabaoth

Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria Tua.

Hosana in excelsis.

Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.

Hosanna in excelsis.

Translation:

Holy, Holy, Holy

Lord God of Hosts.

Heaven and earth are full of Your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest.

Click HERE to view a sample lesson.

If you are having doubts about adding Latin to your homeschool set, click HERE to read a short article.

To read what other families thought of Prima Latina or Memoria Press' Geography curriculum, click the banner below . . .

Birdcage Press - Wild Cards: Backyard Birds {Review}

Does your family enjoy a rousing game of cards? How about Go Fish? Concentration? Or Old Maid? We have played many card games over the years and enjoy the time together as a family, as well as the good, old-fashioned fun that a card game produces. We were recently introduced to Birdcage Press and given the opportunity to review their card game and book set entitled, Wild Cards: Backyard Birds. 

Birdcage Press is a company founded by Wenda O'Reilly who created the cards, along with her children, for all ages to enjoy. Her games are featured in art museums throughout the world. They offer a wide range of games in several categories, including art, wildlife and nature, air and space, and history. The set we received for review, Wild Cards: Backyard Birds, comes in a sturdy case, with 36 playing cards and a 32 page fact book. This set is intended for ages 6+ and sells for $10.95. 

The book gives ways to identify birds in your own garden, gives the categories of the cards (Tricksters, Songbirds, Woodpeckers, Hummers, Little Chirpers and Waterbirds), shows an Icon Guide, a Map Guide and then has one page of information per bird that is featured on the cards. In the back of the book are Game Rules for "Old Trickster" (a.k.a. Old Maid), Bird Memory (a.k.a. Concentration) and Go Fish for Birds.

We love birds and birdwatching. We were so blessed to learn so much about birds when we lived in Canada. We had many birds come to our backyard feeder, as well as come and eat from our hands when we would hike certain trails in Ontario. Now that we are in Virginia, we are delighted to have not only some of the same, but also many different backyard birds here, too! It's been interesting to compare our birds list with the cards to find out which backyard birds we still have yet to see in person. 

We have enjoyed multiple sessions of fun with these beautiful and sturdy cards. We've played Go Fish over and over. We have also introduced the little girls to the game of Old Maid/Old Trickster. They request that every time we play now!

Bob was even able to get in on the fun one day when he was home!

I have my eye on several of the other Birdcage Press card sets, including Close Up: National Gallery of Art,  Go Fish for Impressionist Artists, Battle Cards: Military Jets and 52 Amazing Places: National Parks! We recommend this company and their delightful products for any card-playing family!

To read what other homeschool families think about Birdcage Press products, click the banner below:

Summertime Reading

We are well on our way to enjoying a wonderful summer, full of good books, time in the sun and relaxing (although we do still have some school work to accomplish, as well)! So I thought I'd share some of our reading lists (so far). These are in no particular order . . .

Our current read aloud books:
Oliver Twist (Kindle edition) - Emma is reading this one to us at lunch.
Detectives in Togas - I am reading this one at lunch.
A Wrinkle In Time - Emma is also reading this one.
Little House on the Prairie (The Little House 9 book set) - I'm reading this to my little girls.
The Chronicles of Narnia - We've been listening to this in the car. These books never get old, no matter how many times we read them.

Maya's list:
Mrs. Piggle Wiggle
And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street
Lili At Ballet
Cross Country Cat
Put Me In The Zoo
In The Forest
A Hole Is To Dig
Rain, Rain Rivers
Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing
Always Room For One More
On Mother's Lap

Ava's list: 
Andy and the Lion 
The Big Snow
The Empty Pot
The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins
Anna and the King of Siam
Fire Cat
Owl At Home
The Bravest Dog Ever
Granny and the Desperadoes
Leo The Late Bloomer
Lucky and Squash

Audiobooks for the little girls:
The Penderwicks at Point Mouette (We all love this series so much!)
The Hundred Dresses

Ben's list:
The Redwall Series (He's on the third to the last in this 22 books series!)
Whittington
Rome Antics
The Time Machine
The White Company
The Wolves of Willowby Chase
The Librarian Who Measured The Earth
The Big Wave

Austin's list:
Watership Down
The Shakespeare Stealer
The Chosen
Onion John
The Old Man and the Sea
Profiles in Courage
Do Hard Things
The Robe
The Silver Chalice
The Virginian 
The Yearling
Ben Hur
Two Years Before The Mast

Emma's list:
Beauty
The Shakespeare Stealer
The Old Man and the Sea
One of Ours
Tevye the Dairyman and Motl the Cantor's Son
The Trumpeter of Krakow 
The Grapes of Wrath
My Antonia
Father Brown: The Essential Tales
Nineteen Eighty-Four 
The Scarlet Pimpernel
The Chosen

My list:
Bringing Up Bébé (I'm listening to this fascinating audio book as I taxi people around town and I am loving it!)
The Circle Maker
American Phoenix: John Quincy and Louisa Adams, the War of 1812, and the Exile that Saved American Independence (written by my friend and historian, Jane Hampton Cook)
Spirit Wars
The Little Way of Ruthie Leming: A Southern Girl, A Small Town and The Secret of a Good Life


We'll see how far these stacks get us and will probably add to them in the next month or two. Do you have any good books you're planning to read this summer? I would love to know any good titles you can recommend. Thanks! xo

{This post contains affiliate links. If you buy any of these books through my links, I will make a small commission. Thank you!}

Let The Rain Of Your Presence

We sang this beautiful song in our church service last Sunday and I cannot stop thinking about it and singing it. We've joined a new church and I weep every Sunday. The Presence of the Lord is so powerful and I am overwhelmed. 

I found this rendition and hope you enjoy worshipping with me this morning . . .



Lyrics:

By Clarence McClendon

Let The Rain Of Your Presence Fall On Me
Every Day That I Live With Every Breath I Breathe
Let The Rain Of Your Presence Fall On Me
Every Where That I Go Lord Let Your Presence Flow
Rain On Me

Let The Rain Of Your Presence Fall On Me
Every Day That I Live With Every Breath I Breathe
Let The Rain Of Your Presence Fall On Me
Every Where That I Go Lord Let Your Presence Flow
Rain On Me

Love Divine Joy Unspeakable
Overflowing In My Soul
This Heart Of Mine Is Refreshed And At Rest
In Your Presence, In Your Presence

Love Divine Joy Unspeakable
Overflowing In My Soul
This Heart Of Mine Is Refreshed And At Rest
In Your Presence, In Your Presence

Let The Rain Of Your Presence Fall On Me
Every Day That I Live With Every Breath I Breathe
Let The Rain Of Your Presence Fall On Me
Every Where That I Go Lord Let Your Presence Flow
Rain On Me

xo

Weekly Menu Plan {3 June}

It's been a hectic past three weeks. We enjoyed caring for the adorable little two year old, although, mercy, it made me realize how much my own children don't need me. Now you know I don't really mean they don't actually need me, but wow, no more diapers, no more nap-times, no more cutting up their peanut butter and jam into little pieces so they don't choke, etc., etc. It seems like it was just yesterday (sniff, sniff). They all helped so much with the little guy. They really did a great job with him, plus we had some fantastic discussions regarding parenting. The college student friend who was staying with us is no longer here, so today it was just us for the first time in three weeks. 

I am officially declaring it summer for us! We still have some schoolwork to do, but it will be relaxed. Today Ava and I picked up 49 books from the library that were on hold (they held them in two bins behind the desk instead putting them on the regular "hold" shelf, haha!) for our summer reading and we are planning lots of time in the sunshine. 

In the meantime, here is the menu plan for this week (super frugal, eat from the pantry/freezer edition):

Monday - Leftovers

Tuesday - Vegetable soup, cornbread

Wednesday - Peanut butter and jam sandwiches

Thursday - White bean and ham soup

Friday - Grilled cheese sandwiches

Saturday - We have several party invitations!

Sunday - Pasta with marinara sauce

I am continuing to pray for everyone in Oklahoma who has been through such heartache lately due to the tornadoes, as well as those in the wildfire areas in California and New Mexico. There are so many things to keep us on our knees, eh? xo

See The Light {Review}

I am so excited to share our latest review with you! This one may just be our favourite one so far. I was not familiar with See The Light but am thrilled to add their products to our homeschool shelves. I received the Poppy Collage DVD Art Project, which was absolutely delightful. 

The DVD teaches how to create an abstract flower masterpiece while learning about the American artist Georgia O'Keeffe. Poppy Collage is the fifth DVD in the Art Project series, which you can see HERE. The Poppy Collage is geared toward ages 10 and older and can be purchased for $14.99. The lessons are taught by the fantastic Master Artist, Pat Knepley, and include these topics:

• The Abstracted Flower Drawing 
• Tissue Paper Collage Technique 
• Layering Translucent Hues 
• Final Details to Create Interest

The materials needed for this project include:

• A 14”x14” sheet white Bristol board (or poster board)

• A flower with 4 to 6 simple petals – ex. poppy, New Guinea impatiens, hibiscus

• Sheets of colored art tissue paper – various shades of yellow, orange, and red

• Scissors

• Newspaper or old tablecloth to protect table

• Scrap paper

• Water

• A bowl

• Paper plates

• White school glue

• A pencil

• A white eraser

I had all my children, ages 16, 13, 10, 8 and 6 watch the videos and work on this project, even though two of them were technically too young. We watched one video lesson at a time and did the corresponding work. I appreciated how Pat took us through the lessons by demonstrating the techniques as she was teaching. We learned the meanings and differences between opaque, transparent and translucent. We also enjoyed the terrific art history lessons on the life and art of Georgia O'Keeffe. We were even prompted to check out a few other books from the library on her life and work. 

Another bonus is that Pat brings in Scripture that corresponds to each lesson! I love it when a curriculum or program reinforces what I am already teaching my children in our daily life. I highly, highly recommend See The Light and cannot wait to use more of their products!

Here are our masterpieces:

Emma (age 16)

 Austin (age 13)

Ben (age 10)

Ava (age 8)

Maya (age 6), who hasn't finished because we ran out of the green tissue paper for her background.

Mom (I decided to join the fun!)

And my favourite 10 year old surprised me with a birthday present yesterday . . .

I love that he was so thoughtful and took the time to make a second collage just for me. He knows how much I enjoy the colour red and appreciate the artwork he creates.

To see what other homeschool families think of this product and the other art projects from See The Light, click on the banner below.

Schoolhouse Library - Over 175 Resources for only $25!!!

I just had to share this great resource with all my homeschool friends! Schoolhouse Library is a new resource being offered by the The Old Schoolhouse Magazine!!!

Are you a new homeschooler and feeling overwhelmed? Not sure where to start or how to begin? How about a long-time homeschool parent who is looking for some new, fun reading resources to change things up?

For a one-time purchase of only $25, you will have access to a library of more than 175 E-Books or audio books for homeschool support and encouragement from many popular homeschool publishers and TOS, including:

• 2 Study Guides from YWAM
• Draw Write Now Sampler E-Book by Barker Creek
• Heroines of the Past-Victorian unit study from Amy Puetz
• Map Trek: Atlas and Outline Maps of World History from Knowledge Quest
• Teaching Writing E-Book from WriteShop
• 15 audio E-Books from My Audio School in history and literature
• A Glimpse at Carnivorous Plants Lapbook from In the Hands of a Child
• Video from Jessica Hulcy on  “Learning as a Family”
• From Frazzled to Focused: 7 Planning Tools for Busy Moms from Mary Jo Tate

This is the best new homeschool digital library collected for all ages and stages of homeschooling whether you are teaching a preschooler, a high schooler or somewhere in between. With over 25 topics, you’re sure to find what you need for your homeschool adventure:

• Art and Crafts
• Bible
• Economics
• Electives
• Encouragement
• Geography
• Government
• Grammar
• Spelling
• Reading
• Organization (with several planners)
• Nature Study
• Special Needs
• And many more!

Don’t start your homeschool journey off feeling alone and overwhelmed.

Buy the Schoolhouse Library now and get started today with instant downloads!

Disclaimer: I received these products in exchange for this blog post. I was not under any obligation to post this information and just want to share this great deal with my readers. 

Timeless Teaching Tips by Joyce Herzog {Review}

I was recently given the opportunity to review Timeless Teaching Tips: How To Think Like A Teacher by Dr. Joyce Herzog. Dr. Herzog taught in public and private school settings for twenty-five years and has been an author, speaker and consultant to homeschool parents for that amount of time, as well. I had heard her name for years but had, unfortunately, never read anything of hers or used her curriculum until now. I am so happy to know about her work and this book.

Included in Timeless Teaching Tips, are six main sections:

PRINCIPLES OF LEARNING

IT'S BEEN SAID

PRACTICAL HELPS

HOMESCHOOLING ISSUES

GEMS

SPIRITUAL CONSIDERATIONS

This book is packed full of advice, helpful hints, parenting points, homeschooling ideas and a great amount of encouragement. I wish I had read this book in the early years of parenting and/or at the beginning of my homeschool journey. Mrs. Herzog includes so many of the ideas other moms shared with me along the way, all in one compact book. Some of those gems include: read aloud every day (from womb to tomb); encourage mature language; relate learning to your child's delights; redeem the day; as well as many others. 

She points out that we are created by God to learn. From the moment we are born we are learning and growing. Even in our mothering and teaching, we are learning each day, more about the world, our children, our own likes/dislikes or what we didn't learn in school or have forgotten along the way. When I sensed God calling us to bring Emma home from public school to become a "homeschool family" I balked at the idea. The weightiness of it was a little more than I wanted to take on, plus what in the world did I know about teaching? I had been a social work major (although, ironically, I started out my first year in university as an education major). 

If any moms are feeling that way right now, I want to recommend this book to you. The Holy Spirit is our Source, Teacher, Counselour, etc., and He also uses those who have gone before us to give us ideas and help us think through what is important in our parenting and teaching. I like that Joyce invites us to think about the simple things. We do not have to have some intense, complicated philosophy or expensive curriculum. I know many homeschool moms who be be thrilled to learn some of the frugal ideas included in this book, and I have benefited from her reminders. 

Here are just a few of her ideas: 

• teaching with notebook journals
• using graph paper to practice writing the alphabet, teach math, encourage creativity, etc.
• using 3x5 index cards to aid in memorization
• adopting a multilevel learning approach for every student to learn together using encyclopedias and library resources

In the "It's Been Said" section, Joyce includes a plethora of quotes from history that would make excellent copy work content. One example I enjoyed reading:

Our Saviour would love at no less rate than death; and from the supereminent height of glory, stooped and debased Himself to the sufferance of the extremest of indignities, and sunk himself to the bottom of abjectness, to exalt our condition to the contrary extreme. Robert Boyle (1627-1691)Irish Scientist, "Father of Modern Chemistry"

Timeless Teaching Tips:How to Think Like a Teacher can be purchased HERE for $15. I recommend this books to old and new moms, alike! 

To read more reviews on a variety of Joyce Herzog products, click on the banner below: