Fourteenth Anniversary

We recited these verses during our wedding ceremony fourteen years ago today.  

Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:  Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.  Ruth 1:16-17

Yes, We Still Homeschool

I just realized that from reading my blog you might think all I do is sit around crafting all day.  Not so!  Yes, we are a homeschooling family! 

Currently most days go something like this:

Start the "school" day out around 9am.  Actually, ALL day is considered as a learning oppprtunity, but what I mean here is formal lessons or table time and couch time.  Those are the places we choose to do most of our lessons. 

The boys like to get a few independent things completed first.

Brock - Handwriting/Copywork, Spelling, Silent Reading & Typing

Braden - Spelling, History, Math, Literature & Typing

Around 9:30 we meet on the couch and read/recite and discuss our Scripture Focus.  Then I read aloud, our current book is Hero Tales (missionary stories). We also read and discuss Science at this time and review our Greek and Latin roots.  Read various poetry selections, too. 

When we are finished with our couch time the boys go back to their independent work and I take turns working with each as needed. 

Brock and I read his history lesson together and discuss/narrate.  We also take turns reading aloud a literature selection, right now it's Farmer Boy.  After that we go over the days math lesson and he goes back to working independently.

Braden and I will work together on grammar, spanish, and starting next week, logic and reasoning excercises using The Fallacy Detective.  We also discuss his history lesson and anything else that needs clarification.

The boys like to be finished by lunch time.  Sometimes that happens and sometimes it doesn't.  I think Braden would wake up at 'dark-thirty' just to make sure he finishes early though!  He's my get-it-done boy.  Brock's my dawdler (I try, I try, *sigh*), he's slowly starting to 'get it' though.  He can't stand it when Braden is finished up and he still has lessons to complete.

The afternoon is usually left open to creative pursuits.  Right now that is mostly music related.  Braden is learning guitar and Brock is drumming. Yes, you read that correctly - drumming!  I know, we are crazy people.  I do love hearing him beat it out while singing "There is a Fountain - who is the Ki-i-ing - victorious Warrior - my God and Lord of Everythi-i-ing - My Rock, My Shelter -(a big BOOM, BOOM, BOOM goes here) My very o-o-own Blessed Redeemer - Who reigns upon the thro-o-one"  Good stuff!  Braden's still trying to put it all together but has come up with some little tunes of his own and is learning some worship songs and hymns.  I'm impressed with his progress as he's teaching himself with some help from his uncle.  I'm toying with the idea of downloading Penny Gardner's Nine-Note Recorder Method.  I have some funny desire to try it out for myself.  I would like to learn to play hymns and use it for our hymn study.  

I haven't been a part of a homeschool group in several years and have felt like it's time.  I hope to attend a meeting in March and see what I think.  Also, a few ladies from church are looking to get a homeschool co-op organized.  If anyone has any tips - let me know.  Or if you have posts on your blog regarding co-op experiences let me know.

Well, that's my homeschool ramble for now.  I think I'll play with the page feature here on Blogger and add a homeschool page with the curriculum we are using.        

With a Cherry on Top!

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Finished!

I want to have it framed, I think. 


So I finished up my sampler and went right into embroidery. 

It was fun!  Such a cute little chocolate cupcake with a cherry on top.  The pattern is from the book, Sublime Stitching. (I like the book better than I though!)  I just have no idea what to do with this darling little cupcake now.  I think I will just use this piece of fabric, which is quite large, to just practice.  My stitches need to be more uniform, but that will come with time I suppose.  I tried the split stitch and backstitch on this little cupcake with some "seed" stitches thrown in as sprinkles.  Hmm, what to try next.  Maybe a pretty little birdy.

I found some textiles for sale at the Sublime Stitching embroidery site I might like to try, once I get a few practice projects under my belt, a half apron and kitchen towels.  
  

Broken Bloom still BLOOMS

y So I have to tell this story  It probably won't mean much to anyone else but I don't want to forget it! 

My 10 year old, Brock, with his own money, picked out a rose for me today.  Too sweet, right?!

Bittersweet to him....He pointed out that it was taped near the top.  His brother, being silly, accidentally knocked the bloom clean off the stem.  Braden felt awful.  Brock was devastated.  His dad offered a rose from his bouquet, he wasn't going for that though - this was the one HE picked!  A little doctoring by dad with some scotch tape - good as new. 

I probably would have never know if he hadn't pointed it out; except that he looked so sad and teary eyed when he gave it to me.  I could feel his disappointment.  It brought tears to my eyes as he told me what happened.  Of course not because my flower was broken, but because it obviously meant a lot to his 10 year old little heart.  He will realize someday, it's not really the actual flowers that matter, but the heart behind it. 

My heart sure was in bloom!

Happy Valentine's Day

Love this vintage Valentine!  I just stumbled upon it - here. 

Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. Jude 1:2

 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8



Cross Stitch

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I guess I feel most connected to the FarmGirl within and the past through my crafting.  I picture farm ladies of old sitting by the fire with their needle and thread in hand darning socks, or working up a homespun crochet or knit piece to keep their farmer husband warm as he works in the winter cold.  I dream of what it would have been like to live on the prairie like Laura Ingalls.  My husband assures me I'd never make it.  Still, I continue to dream.

Here is my latest "FarmGirl" crafty endeavor:

I thought I would start out with a stamped cross stitch pattern, or rather re-start, to get back into needlework.  I did counted cross stitch as a teenager.  I plan to try out embroidery next.  I've only made one or two attempts at embroidery with poor results.  I found a book to help me out, Sublime Stitching.  Not crazy about it, but the price was right and I had a coupon.  It should be enough at least to get me started.  It has all the basics.   And a few cute patterns, too.        

She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.  Proverbs 31:13

Scripture Focus

Romans 12:1-3

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

I know a lot of people have a "life verse", and many times I've tried to pick one but I can never seem to narrow it down!  I tend to have verses for different seasons in life.  My favorite verse usually depends on where I'm at or what I'm going through in life at that particular moment.  I'm sure that is true for many.  But instead of having a 'life verse' I guess maybe I just have 'Scripture Focus'.  Right now Romans 12:1-3 is my Scripture Focus.   

I also plan to use it with the boys as well.  Reciting and memorizing it together and using it for copywork.

 

Snow Icing

Well, apparently, 4-5 inches of SNOW, yes, REAL, BEAUTIFUL, POWDERY SNOW, is the icing on our icy cake this week! 

Looks like I need to go clean out the birdfeeder.  I love those snow flocked evergreen trees in the background.  Snow is better than ice!

Birdy Cakes

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I don't have a barnyard to tend to but do have a few featered friends fluttering around the yard from time to time.  I decided I would leave them a little treat during our icy cold weather.  It gave me a little something to do as I was going a little stir crazy.  Yes, I suppose I could have cleaned out the closets, reorganized the bookshelves, or some other long-time neglected household chore, but what's fun about that?! hehe

Of course I filled the feeder in the back yard Red Oak.

I also made some little birdy cakes and decorated the backyard tree and a few front yard bushed.

I mixed a half cup of boiling water with 2 packets of Knox brand Gelatine and then added birdseed until it was more dry than liquid.  Not precise, I know.  But it worked.  I lined a cake pan with wax paper and put a few heart shaped cookie cutters in it and filled the shapes with the mixture and patted it down.  I stuffed the yarn into it and mashed a little more mixture on top to secure it.  I let them set up in the garage.  (I get a daily email from TipNut.com with all kinds of crafty links and this was one of them.  Sorry I don't have the actual link.  Their instructions were about as precise as mine though ;-) ) 

The next day I trudged outside and hung them.  I forgot gloves and my fingers 'bout froze off the first time I went out.  I remembered gloves the second time! :-)  I keep looking out to see if my birdy friends are up for a treat, but I think they are staying cozy in their nests.  I don't blame them.  

(This one I just used a shallow berry bowl - ran out of cookie cutters to fill.) 

I also made treats for the people too!  Homemade Chocoate Chip, mmm-mmm



Tea Talk

I'm Having:  green tea with honey in one of my Oma's mugs.  Ever since I can remember she served coffee in these mugs.  It's nothing fancy.  There is no marking on it.  It was part of a larger set, probably mass produced.  I only have the one mug though.  I think it was one of the last things I took from the estate sale.

I'm Feeling:  stir crazy!  Being iced in is no fun.  Not sure if dh will let me out today or not.  The roads are still icy in some spots.  My guess is he won't.  :-(  Also, a mix of emotions for several friends.   

On My Mind:  A dear friend who lost her father this week.  And four families at church with babies on the way this year!

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance... Ecclesiastes 3:1-4

  Reading over this, I realized how depressing it sounds.  Certainly not my intention, especially for my first ever Tea Talk!  I assure you there is still joy in my heart; and there is a bit of excitement in this icy weather we are having, believe it or not.  And I certainly don't want to be a 'downer' to anyone today, so let me end on a more joyful note:

Thou wilt shew me the path of life:  in thy prescence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.  Psalm 16:11

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.  Habakkuk 3:18

   

Icy Cold

It was January in northern New York State, sixty-seven years ago.  Snow lay deep everywhere.  It loaded the bare limbs of oaks and maples and beeches......"  So begins Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Brock and I could not have picked a better day to begin reading this book.  Although, it is February and it's ice here, not snow!  The boys got a good taste of the cold this morning when they tried to recess outside.  That didn't last long.  It made reading about Almanzo keeping warm in "his good woolen clothes" his mother had made hit home.

(Ice, not snow)

I've never read the Little House Series.  I decided, since I have most of the books, Brock and I would read through them to help with his fluency.  We will take turns reading - a paragraph or two at a time.  Thanks to Mary for the idea.  It's a tradition in her home to read through the series with her boys.  And to Jenn, too, for encouragement and also suggesting to begin with Farmer Boy, which is usually considered to be geared more towards boys.  I can't wait to continue tomorrow.           

We are experiencing historic low temps here.  We are expected to spend the next two nights in the single digits, not wind-chills, but actual temps.  That's COLD for us!  DFW airport actually closed down today, the only other time it's been closed was 9/11.  It's that bad.   

(just one of our wood piles)

So happy to have some firewood!  I'm looking forward to our evening fires.  I wish we had an unlimited supply of wood, I'd have a fire all day long!  We actually didn't have any wood and weren't going to be able to get any more, but the Lord blessed us BIG time!  Rick was finishing up a job last week and the guy just gave him a truckload of firewood.  Just in time.  Even when it comes to the little things - God is good!  He knows how much I enjoy the coziness of a fire.