daybook, january 25th

Outside my window...it is cold, and it is snowing...just barely, but it's snowing nonetheless

I am thinking...about what our goals are for our girls...what goals the girls have for themselves...will they line up...does it matter if they don't...I don't know about this teenager stuff...it's pretty hard...and even harder when you throw God in the mix...OK, so I don't 'throw' God anywhere...but raising a Godly teenager is hard...well, not really, because our teenager is a good kid...but one day...

 

I am thankful for...good health

 

From the learning rooms...a little Chinese history, adding -ing, and birds...I'm kind of tired of birds

 

From the kitchen...cereal for breakfast, leftovers for lunch, and I have no idea what's for dinner...I'm working hard in the kitchen today

I am wearing...jeans and my purple sweater wrap (yes, purple...it's one color I don't mind to wear)

I am creating... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

I am going...I may start going to a Mom's Book Club this Thursday, "Fat souls are better than clean floors." or it may be postponed by one week (the hostess has company this week)

I am reading...The Well Trained Mind, Ch. 16, "Why 1492? History and Geography," in hopes of finding a way to 'beef up' Kylie's History studies. I'm thinking we're going to use Outlining again (which TWTM explains in depth), add in some memorization (Declaration of Independence and Preamble to the Constitution), and TWTM's Notebooking is so thorough...

I am hoping...the house stays quiet for just a little while

 

I am hearing...the fan, TJ breathing (he's asleep, on the floor, in front of the fireplace...a new favorite spot of his)

Around the house...superclean, after all the after-sickness disinfecting

One of my favorite things...read aloud time. Give me a good book, and my babies, and I'm good!

A few plans for the rest of the week...ballet, (maybe) our Mom's Book Club, and The Last of The Mohicans Friday night

not my salvation story

Since we are a Godly, church-less family right now, we watched Love Worth Finding as our 'church' this evening. The sermon was entitled 'Understanding The New Birth.' And, just like most times when I sit in church, and it seems the pastor is speaking directly to me, such was the case this evening. Impossible I know, but it felt that way just the same. Something really spoke to me at the end of the sermon. Dr. Rogers was speaking about how we know for certain we have been born again. And the answer, "If we are now trusting Jesus, we are born again." Emphasis on now. He went on to say that some people have a story. A day. A place. Something in their past, that they know for certain, from that moment on, they were saved (born again). But some people do not have a story. And that is OK, because the bible does not say that we must have a story.

 I'm one of those people who doesn't have a story. I remember a few years back, when we first moved down here, and we wanted to 'join' our old church. The pastor came over, and at the end of the visit, he wanted to know our 'salvation stories.' I don't even remember what I said. But I remember wanting so badly to be part of that church, so I made up a 'salvation story' right there on the spot. It was based on my 'experience,' and it sounded good. But it was made up. It was a lie. That I told to my new (old) pastor. (...and you're thinking, "Maybe that's why you are church-less Kathi!" Maybe you're right.)

The truth is, I don't know exactly when I was born again. All I know is that in 2005, I had just had my fourth child, my husband had just left for Afghanistan, our home was getting ready to be in foreclosure, we were broke, and my life seemed rather bleak (to say the least). I remember thinking, "There is no possible way I can do this alone." As the days, weeks, and months passed, I found myself reading the bible. I found myself praying for my deployed husband, my lonely children, and help...I needed so much help. I found myself taking my family (minus their Daddy) to church. I discovered K-LOVE. I started reading bible stories to the kids. And we made it.

 I believe it was the Holy Spirit calling me to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and God answering my prayers. It is my 16-month long 'salvation story.' And I am still trusting Jesus. Right now.

an english lesson

We use Rod & Staff's Building Christian English Series for our english (grammar and composition) lessons starting at age 9-ish or so. I *heart* it. My girls *heart* it. Really, I'm not lying...you can ask them.

We go over the lesson together, do the oral drill together, and then they complete the lesson on their own. Kylie even grades her own, and we go over anything that she totally flubbed together. I grade Korinne's, and we go over anything she has totally flubbed together. They rarely totally flub their lesson. They are pretty smart girls (in my not-so-humble opinon).

R & S English is textbook-style, but it is also in narrative-style (the book 'talks' to the student, much like a parent-teacher would). We leave out the extra workbook pages, and we don't do the tests. The girls just learn, master, and move on (with review-ish lessons thrown in every 5 lessons). All my die-hard Charlotte Mason readers are now having heart failure. I openly admit, that this (grammar, not so much composition), is one area that I do not completely agree with Charlotte Mason on.

The only thing I do NOT like about R & S English, is that they put the 'grade level' in great, big black numbers right on the front of the book. I'm not a 'grade level' type of homeschool mom, I'm not even an 'age-level' type of homeschool mom...I'm more of a 'are they ready' type of homeschool mom. Once I convinced my girls that the 'grade level' was not important (and that they were NOT so many years behind!), I learned to live with the big, black numbers.

I'm telling you all this, simply because I wanted to share Korinne's lesson for today. It reminded me what a blessing homeschooling is. It reminded me that things matter, things like being polite. Even when the world tells, NO! shows us they do not matter...'put YOU first,' the world says. We say differently, Rod & Staff agrees with us. *And*, we can teach our children a better way (even through English lessons)!

I *heart* homeschooling. I do. I was born to be a homeschool mom.

Here is the lesson, taken from 'Preparing to Build,' Unit Three, Lesson 22, More Practice With I and Me:

God's Word is wonderful. In His Word He tells us how to do what is right. He tells us how to treat other people. Here is one Bible verse which tells us how to treat others:

"Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; love; in honour preferring one another." (Romans 12:10)

The verse tells us to prefer one another. This means that we should think about someone else before we think about ourselves. It means that we should treat others with courtesy and respect.

We show this courtesy in many ways. One way we show it is when we are walking with someone. When we come to a door, we open the door and step back. We let the other person go through the door first.

We can show this courtesy when we speak and write, too. Yes, even our speech can show whether we are "preferring one another." When we speak or write about someone else and ourselves, we should always say the other person's name first. We should say I or me last.

Say: Mother and I baked a cake.

Father spoke to Robert and me.

Let the name of the other person go first. Then let I or me follow.

:: Happy Homeschooling! ::

daybook, january 18th

Outside my window...dreary, wet, chilly

I am thinking...about how learning as a large family is a struggle...so many levels to teach

I am thankful for...tylenol, advil, amoxicillin, delsym

From the learning rooms...Jesus' healing miracles, France in the 1700s, adding the -ed suffix, plural pronouns, and some Mayflower Compact copywork that went missing (...it just vanished!)

From the kitchen...chicken soup

I am wearing...brown socks, khaki cords, and a red shirt with coffee and books all over it that my mom left me (the beige girl)...I feel clown-ish

I am creating...we put together our Family History and Science Notebooks yesterday

I am going...nowhere...well, Korinne has ballet this evening, but I'm not going

I am reading...I am ordering Large Family Logistics with leftover birthday money as soon as I finish this little post

I am hoping...this flu-ish illness is quick to leave our family, and I stay well

I am hearing...so much coughing

Around the house...tidy, but could use a dusting...and, with the sickness going around, we still have our Christmas decorations up (minus our tree)

One of my favorite things...my birthday presents from my parents

A few plans for the rest of the week: lots of learning, chores, ballet...GETTING WELL!!!

thirty three

. a birthday card in the mail, a day early, from my grandparents "we hope your day is Special." they write

 

. my 3 year old wanting so desperately to give me my 'bob the builder birthday pictures' the night before, but being as patient as a 3 year old can be, and waiting one more day

 

. my childhood best friend letting me know that she remembers tomorrow is my birthday

. hearing the van start up at 6:45 AM, as my husband heads to the bakery for donuts...a double gift. I don't have to make breakfast, chocolate in the morning

. my daughters making and hanging 'happy birthday mom' streamers

. greeted outside my bedroom by SE7EN (count them...one, two, three, four, five, six, se7en) blessings (gifts) from God singing 'happy birthday dear momma' at 6:48 AM

 

. the smile on Wesley's face as he (finally) gives me my 'bob the builder birthday pictures'

 

. my mom and dad and their kitty, louie, singing 'happy birthday to you' over the phone...and then saying, "we'll see you tomorrow!"

 

. a text from my brother, "happy birthday sis!"

. 'happy birthday mom' on my kindergartner's handwriting page

. a 'happy birthday, love you' email from my grandma

. a text from my husband, "won't be home for lunch, have errands to run before b-day bash tonight."

. a voicemail from a sweet lady at our old church. more singing, "happy birthday, God bless you..."

 

. ABC magnetic letters, placed just for me

 

. my daughters in the kitchen, baking for me

 

. a birthday dinner (italian food!), made by my husband

 

. Kylie's watercolor birthday card

 

. two blue, sparkly, burning '3' candles, 33!, and another round of singing, 'happy birthday'...hearing excited giggles, seeing happy smiles, Brian laughing and recording

. NOT blowing out my candles, thank you Benjamin!

 

. packages wrapped in leftover Christmas paper (crocheted dishrags by Korinne, handmade jewelry by Connor and TJ, chocolate kisses...1 for each day of my 34th year, my that's a lot of chocolate kisses, new watch, new bible...NKJV, genuine leather, ultra thin, large print, reference, so perfect!)

 

. sharing a piece of chocolate, chocolate cake with Judah

. having my 8 year old son 'tie' my new necklace on me, beautiful!

. one last voicemail, my sister and her three sons, singing a muffled and excited 'happy birthday (this one to) Aunt Kathi, happy birthday to you'

. choosing one of our hymns, 'it is well,' my favorite

. too many facebook messages to count, thank you all!

 

:: Hello Thirty-Three, welcome to my life, I do believe we'll get along fine! ::

winter book basket

:: In honor of the SNOW that is falling ::

The Long Winter
(an audio radio-show version)by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Winter Poems by Barbara Rogasky

...a variety of poems (Rachel Field, Robert Frost, Carl Sandburg, Emily Dickinson) that celebrate Winter itself. I love it (and I'm NOT a poetry fan), and the illustrations are so cozy.

 

Treasures of The Snow by Patricia St. John
...the movie version of this is also wonderful!


Owl Moonby Jane Yolen
...A little girl and her father go Owling on a moonlit Winter night near their farm. A 'Living Nature Book,' so calm and perfect for quiet, snow-y days and evenings.


***Jan Brett's Gingerbread Baby, The Mitten, The Hat, and The Three Snow Bears all in one Snowy Treasury ***


Snowflake Bentleyby Jacqueline Briggs
...a heartwarming picture book biography about the Vermont farmer who photographed snowflakes. Beautiful illustrations of wood block prints by Vermont artist, Mary Azarian (A Christmas Like Helen's, LOVE!).

 

And, of course, Sleepy Bears!

thoughts on mother culture

To read about our Mom's Night Out, you can visit my real-life girlfriend, Mrs. C.

 

A link to learn what Mother Culture is ... and in case you didn't know, Karen Andreola blogs!

"Charlotte believed that this countenance of contentment, of serenity, can come about even during stressful times when a mother learns to occasionally do for herself what she does for her children - go out to play. Charlotte tells us we would have happier households if we mothers "would only have courage to let everything go when life becomes too tense, and just take a day, or a half a day, out in the fields, or with a favorite book, or in a picture gallery. . ." For a mother to allow herself a bit of leisure to rest and refresh herself by exploring her own interests, to find a little time for herself, especially when so many others depend on her, is a what Karen calls, Mother Culture ®.

 

When a busy homeschooling mother takes part in Mother Culture she safeguards her enthusiasm, so she will be better able to cope with her responsibilities. To partake in Mother Culture is to feed herself with the Word of God, with ideas from books, nature, art, music, etc., thus taking care to keep growing spiritually and mentally. If there such is a thing as the joy of childhood, there is also such a thing as the joy of motherhood, and Karen admonishes mothers to recognize and live within such a blessing."

...and a few more Mother Culture-ish ideas!

today i:

. cleaned up after a Victory Party

. made oatmeal for breakfast (and the kids happily ate it)

. washed our bed sheets (fresh bed sheets are heavenly)

. heated up leftover Victory Party food for lunch (OK, so we had snacks for lunch)

. cleaned out the pantry

. went through my cleaning rags, finally throwing a few in the trash (I LOVE to throw things away, I LOVE it!)

. texted Brian to bring bags of salad home for dinner...added shredded cheese and croutons and everyone's dressing of choice...complete with ice water (and the entire family happily ate it)

. sang hymns with my husband and children out of our new hymnals

. and managed to DELETE my 'Learning' page

... and soon, I'm going to take a hot-ish, warm-ish shower, put on my new flannel nightgown and old cotton socks, get in our bed (which has freshly washed, heavenly sheets on it), and doze off as Brian flips through the channels. And, as soon as he turns the TV off, Judah will wake up, and I will nurse him back to sleep...and then...then I will go to sleep!

:: Good Night! ::