What We Read and Our Homeschool Read Alouds ll March 2022

 

Between Ball Games by Amy Bloye-- See my full review here.

Pax by Sara Pennypacker

Far to Go by Noel Streatfeild-- See my full review here.

The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel

Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga

The Enchanted Hour by Meghan Cox Gurdon

The Teenage Brain by Frances E. Jensen

Christian Heroes Then and Now: David Livingstone

by Janet & Geoff Benge

What did read in March?

Keeping Christ at the Center of Easter

 *This post was originally published on 3/7/16.  Enjoy!

 

We love Easter.  It's a wonderful time to be with family, emerge from the doldrums of winter, and celebrate the resurrection.  And as our kids are growing, it's a joyful time to share with them why we celebrate Easter.  Below are a few things we done to point the kids back to Christ at Easter, and a few new ideas we'd like to try in the future.  It doesn't take much to open a conversation and watch our kids embrace the miracle of the holiday.

*Make Do-a-Dot Crosses
*Make Crayon Crosses
*Fill Easter Baskets with Bibles, devotionals, and prayer journals
*Read and discuss the Easter story
*Create tissue paper mosaic crosses
*Paint "Where is Jesus?" watercolor art
*Bake Resurrection Rolls
*Follow Resurrection Eggs
*Bake Resurrection Cookies
*Make pretzels and learn about their origin
*Collect items for charity
*Study Passion of the Christ artwork
*Wash your children's feet as an act of service
*Read the Crucifixion story
*Attend a sunrise service
*Listen to Handel's Messiah
*Prepare a special celebratory meal
*Make Bird's Nest cookies
*Study the origin of Easter eggs
*Plant an Easter garden
*Memorize ABC scripture cards
*Re-enact Palm Sunday with construction paper palms
*Write Easter messages in the driveway with chalk
*Color white carnations and discuss how Jesus took on our sins
*Plant a resurrection garden
*Paint a fingerprint cross (coming soon)
*Complete a lent word search
*Dip Chocolate covered pretzel crosses

How do you point your kids to Christ at Easter?

Far To Go {Review}

In this continuation of Thursday's Child by Noel Streatfield, Margaret Thursday pursues her dream of stardom, landing a part in a well-known London theater.  Unfortunately, word travels quickly and she soon finds herself being followed by an old enemy.  Will Margret and her friends be able to outwit Matron before it's too late?  Or will Margaret's dreams be taken away from her?

I was thrilled to see this book being published after reviewing the first title in the series.  Streatfield has a wonderful talent for writing well-paced novels.  The characters are believable and endearing. The story is filled with adventure and twists.  The plot is clean while still being engaging.  I just love the style of this author.  In a market saturated with ill-formed characters and low morals, Streatfield's writing stands above and beyond.  I wouldn't hesitate to share this one with any of my kids from ages 9 to early teens.  This will be a title that we'll enjoy again and again.

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book for review.  All opinions are my own. 

Between Ball Games {Review}

In today's world, parenting is hard.  Parenting boys... well, that comes with its own set of challenges.  From explosive energy to middle school hormones, moms are looking for answers.  How do you parent boys with joy and grace without loosing your mind?  Each 3-5 page devotional is filled with Scripture, parenting wisdom, and real life scenarios.  Real and honest, author Amy Bloye shares the ups and downs of parenting, as well as how to survive being a boy mom, and maybe even enjoy it.  For the most part, I appreciated this book.  The devotions were honest and relatable, but not too deep.  There were a few chapters that I didn't agree with Bloye's message, but for the most part, she shares some wonderful parenting advice from her years of parenting experience.  This would make a great devotional for any mom of boys.  Be prepared to learn, grow, and maybe even laugh along the way.

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.

Praying Scripture for Your Children

*This post was originally published on 1/10/14.  Enjoy!

It seems like the subject of prayer and scripture has been coming up over and over in my life lately.  As many parenting books as I read, as much training as I attend, as much as I try to glean from others... nothing is going to make a difference if my kids don't get ahold of God. 

All my parenting techniques can do is produce polite children.

And I can't settle for that.

I want children that love the Lord and love others.  I want children that are thriving and growing spiritually.  I want children that are completely, totally in love with their creator and living their destiny.

And that's not something I can do on my own.  The only thing I can do is lift them up in prayer... day by day and moment by moment.

So somewhere along the lines I saw this idea about praying scripture over our children and the thought rang true in my heart.  I put it on the back burner with keeping up in our crazy household.  Until I realized this is my foundation.  What am I waiting for?

I wanted to use scriptures that would speak to where my kids are at in this season of their lives.  So I prayed and I searched and these are the verses I chose for my little ones:

Noah (8 yrs)--

  Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young.  Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.  I Timothy 4:12

Noah is a leader.  He's young and immature, but I would pray that he be an example of faith and leadership.  Even though he is young, he is bright and insightful.  There are big things in his future.

Lydia (6 yrs)--

  You love him enough though you have never seen him.  Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with glorious, inexpressible joy.  I Peter 1:8

Lydia is joyful.  Joy just pours out of this child.  And she has an absolutely blind faith and trust in the Lord.  I just want to feed into that.  I pray that it would grow and grow and grow...

Baby (2 yrs)--

  You are a Son of God through faith in Jesus Christ.  Galatians 3:26

Little Man is our foster child.  I want him to know in his heart that whether he's with us or with his birth parents, he has a father that loves him and cherishes him.  If he can find his identity now, maybe his story will continue to be joyful in the future.

I traced each of their little hands.  Each time I look at them, I remember so much... their youth, their joy,  their promise for the future.  I'm blessed to keep these little hands in my Bible and pray for them each day.  And I'm excited to see how the Lord is going to work in their hearts in the coming year.

Do you ever pray scripture for your children?