Tree.Table.Book {Review}

                                                         

Lois Lowry's newest book takes us deep into the friendship between two Sophies... one an eleven year old little girl, and the other, her elderly neighbor who knows so much about the world.  These two Sophies are best friends and the younger adores her mentor.  Until one day, eleven year old Sophie overhears a conversation about her neighbor loosing some of her memory and needing to go live with her son.  So she takes it upon herself to coach the elderly Sophie in order that she may pass the cognition test and stay in her home.  Throughout the book, young Sophie comes to know more about her friend's past including stories of war, hunger, and family.

This middle grade book goes where most will not.  Tree.Table.Book is a heart-felt story of love, loss, and aging.  It takes a very difficult topic and presents it in such a way that it's real, but not overwhelming.  It's also an incredible story of friendship across the generations, reminding all of us that there's much to be learned from the elderly.  This book is sad, and hopeful... filled with compassion and caring... and ultimately acceptance by both parties.

And while I'd love to whole heartedly recommend it, there were two instances that parents should be aware of.  One, eleven year old Sophie makes a reference to a game that she plays with elderly Sophie mentioning that "we even have a same-sex couple" and she goes on to describe them.  Later, she uses the phrase "D*** it all!"  Neither detail added anything to furthering the story and didn't feel like something that was necessary in middle grade fiction.

This is one of those books that I would hesitantly recommend.  Ages 8-12 seems too young, but maybe a middle school audience would be more suitable for the topic.  Or Tree.Table.Book could be used as a read aloud with discussion.  The topic is sweet and relevant, but may be too much for younger audiences to fully comprehend.

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

FREE Homeschool Resources for the Younger Years

 *This post was originally published on 3/15/21.  Enjoy!

Teaching those early elementary years are some of my favorite homeschool memories.  The kids were excited about everything and the whole world was an open book.  Learning was everywhere!

So as my youngest is moving on to a new phase, I wanted to share some of our favorite FREE resources from the early years.  These are some of our favorites from grades K-4th that were used with lots of living books and outdoor time.  Hope you enjoy!

Needs Vs. Wants Freebie for Grades K-1

Me & My Community for Grades K-1

Martin Luther King Jr. Trifold for Grades K-3

Martin Luther King Jr. Organizers for Grades K-2

Martin Luther King Jr. Mini Book for Grades K-2

All About Me Flip Book for Grades K-3

Benjamin Franklins Inventions for Grades PK-2

States of Matter Graphic Organizer for Grades 1-4

Bat Race Game for Grades 1-2

Fall Themed Proper/ Common Nouns for Grades K-2

St. Patrick's Day Reading Comprehension for Grades K-2

Life Cycle/ Butterfly and Frog for Grades K-2

Ladybug Life Cycle Spinner for Grades K-3

Kindergarten Science Doodles

Living/Non-Living Things Sort for Grades PK-K

Chicken Life Cycle Wheel for Grades PK-2

Zoo Scavenger Hunt for Grades PK-1

Pumpkin Themed Time Cards for Grades K-2

What are some of your favorite resources?

Now and Not Yet {Review}

 

Many of us find ourselves lingering in the "not yet."  Professions, ministry, life circumstances,... we have a vision for our futures that is "right there" and yet, we can't quite reach it.  What do we do with our present circumstances when they don't align with where we want to be?  How can we embrace the now in the waiting for more?

Author Ruth Cho Simons shares some encouraging truths about living in the present moment when our hearts long for more.  It's okay to not like the now.  It's okay to admit that life is hard and takes us through challenging situations.  But the Lord can still use these hard circumstances for his glory, if we allow him.  Simons shares real principles learned through her own life and how she balanced the tension of these two realities.  Now and Not Yet is not just a fluffy, feel good book filled with cliches.  Rather, it is an honest look into how to move forward when life isn't all it's meant to be.  I didn't come into this book with a lot of expectations, but was genuinely surprised by how relevant it is.  This is probably the most real, and still encouraging, book I've read on the subject.  Ruth Cho Simons writes as one who has lived the struggle and can still see God's constant presence in her circumstances.  This book was a HUGE encouragment in my life and I hope it will be in yours as well.

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

Preschool In Our Home

 *Post originally written 8/4/14 and sat in the archives.  Enjoy!

In all my planning for the new school year, I find myself back in familiar territory... preschool.  Although I sent my older two to traditional preschool, I still did lots of supplementary activities with them... talking about letters... learning sounds... practicing life skills.  And while this is familiar to me, it's also strange.  I'm now balancing teaching three grades and balance is tricky.

But preschool is all about learning through play.  Finding the joy of learning... keeping school fresh...

On that strain, these are just a few of the things we're incorporating into our preschool year:

• Circle time-- He loves to join the older kids for circle time in the mornings.  Days of the week, months of the year, weather, time, graphing, songs... this is absolutely his favorite time of the day.
• Letter of the week-- Each week (or two) we learn a new letter.  Sometimes he paints a block letter, sometimes he glues beans on it.  Other days he models the letter out of playdoh.  
• Shapes and numbers--We do a similar process with shapes and numbers... sometimes even doing collage art to learn. Most of the time these activities are done while the big kids work at the table.
• Counting everything in sight-- Beans for collage, chocolate chips in cookies, counting for hide and seek, how many otter pops each sibling gets so he gets as many as big brother... math is everywhere.
• Community helpers-- We talk about the ambulance that drives by. Or stop and listen for the fire truck that's on it's way through town.  Or talk about what police officers do.  Most often we ask questions when the kids go to the Dr's office.
• Family structure-- Family is all around us.  Even if they're too far away to visit, they are a great way to learn about family structure, heritage, and history.
• Art--What child doesn't love doing art projects?  Break out the watercolors, crayons, markers, tissue paper... I've planned a few projects here and there, but I'm also open to letting him explore and learn on his own.
• Reading-- We love to read in our house. He's always a part of bedtime reading at night and reading our chapter books during the day.  I don't expect him to sit through the whole thing 'cause it's sometimes over his head. But he enjoys it and hears vocabulary, sentence structure, history, science... all kinds of new ideas.  And although he's still young this year, I know that next year he'll be ready to learn and we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.
• Life skills-- Helping mommy with lunch... putting on shoes... picking up after himself... these and so many more are just a part of learning at home and growing up.  And I'm excited to see him grow in all these areas in the next year.

So what about you?  Do you have a preschooler at home?    What will you be learning this year?

How to Be A Scout {Review}

 

Bear Grylls' How to Be A Scout is FULL of all types of scouting information... from pitching a tent to tying knots ... to identifying trees, stars, and birds.  Grylls writes with wild enthusiasm about all things scouting.  And believe me, this is a VERY thorough book.  Additionally he encourages young scouts to always do their best.  His excitement for the topic comes through, making this a fun book to read.  Grylls additionally seems passionate about the leadership opportunities available in scouting and challenges readers to pursue the activities to their utmost ability.  This book goes beyond the "how-to's" of scouting and really encourages scouts of all levels to do their best and make a difference.  How to Be A Scout would make a wonderful for scouts of all ages and abilities, or families who love spending time outdoors.

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

Gift Ideas for the 2-5 Year Old Set

*This post was originally published on 12/7/10.  Enjoy!

 I love having younger kids.  They're imaginative, excited about life, and generally all around happy and forgiving.  If we could tone down the energy level a little or give Mommy more energy, this age range would be perfect.  So much for wishing.

While I love this group, they can be sometimes hard to buy for.  Interests and talents have yet to emerge.  Reading is just beginning.  And they really don't have the freedoms that older kids have.

"Wants" come and go in the moment so asking what they "want" is an exercise in futility.  And really?  What do they "need?"

In case you're in the same boat I find myself in every year, I thought I'd with you a few of our favorite ideas from the years past.  Hope it helps!

1. MegaBlocks, Lincoln Logs, and Tinkertoys-- My son loves to build.  These have provided hours of entertainment and keep his mind working.  Because they are so unstructured, he can come up with new combinations every time.  And it's not just a boy thing.  My daughter loves them as well.  Although she's not quite three, she loves coming up with her own combinations (with a little help of course).  The small Legos are still a little advanced, but these items do just fine.

2. Books, books, and more books--Our house is over run with books and we love it.  Each night we love sitting down on the couch together and reading as a way of ending our day.  Some favorite include: If you give a pig a pancake, God gave us You, Little Red Hen, and the Berenstein Bears.

3. Dress-up:  My kids love to dress up.  We have old Halloween costumes and a few items we've picked up at the thrift store.  Just looking around a thrift store you can come up with so many ideas: doctor, business man, sometimes mail man.  Go in with an open mind and see what you come up with.

4. Play dishes and food, kitchen if you have the space--Both of my kids love this one.  Last Christmas, their Great-Grandma bought them a kitchen.  It's barely sat still since.  They are in there all the time, creating new recipes, gather items for a picnic or playing restaurant.  Plus if you have two kids, it's a great way to see them working together.

5. Art supplies-- I'm constantly seeking out new art supplies.  Whether it's a new pack of clay colors or glitter glue, it's well loved around here.  Crayons, popsicle sticks, stickers, scissors, glue sticks, pom pom, ribbon, construction paper, beans, noodles, markers... you can't go wrong with any of it.  Package it with some ABC books from the dollar store and a promise to create one new craft a week and you have every preschoolers dream.

Hope these ideas get your mind going.  I know these items have been some of the biggest hits in our house and are well used.

What's on your preschoolers wish list this year?

*Disclaimer: I was NOT paid for this post or reimbursed in any way by these companies or Amazon.  These are just products that we love.

Weekend Links ll April 5, 2024

 

Unleashing Childhood Creativity in the Homeschool Environment

25 Hymns to Teach Our Children

Monthly Date Days with Teens

6 Inexpensive Ways to Build Your Home Library

How to Teach Writing Without A Curriculum

This Week: 

What I'm Cooking:

We thought we'd try a new recipe this week so we picked out a recipe for Sesame Noodles with Snow Peas and Carrots.  It was fun, a good experience with my daughter in the kitchen, and we spent time just chatting and being together.  However, as we were putting the finishing touches on dinner, I looked at her and said, "What a minute!  Are we making Pad Thai?" And no, I know it wasn't exactly Pad Thai, but it was VERY similiar.  So after all that, we ended up making a dish that is VERY much the same as something that's already a family favorite.  So, so much for trying something new.  :-)

What I'm Reading:

Currently, Gone-Away Lake with my 7th grader.  He sort of fought me on it when I brought it out as our next read aloud.  I don't even know where I got the idea from, but I found this title and wanted to give it a try. The first chapter was a little slow, but after he gave it a fair shot, we found that we both really love it.  I'm enjoying this one so much.  It's sweet, wholesome, ... so good.  I hear there's a sequel, so I'm on the lookout for that one as well.  But I can't recommend this one highly enough.

What I'm Doing:

We're on Spring Break this week and I'm absolutely confused.  I confess that I've wasted too much time this week 'cause I can't keep track of days or times.... this whole week has been a blur.  I pulled out my Spring Break To Do List this morning and realized I haven't gotten anything done.  The rest has been nice, but I have got to get on some planning and grading today to get ready for Monday.

What I'm Enjoying:

Time with my 12 year old...

Trying new things...

Lunch with a friend...

Missionary biographies...

Planning for 2024-25...

What are you up to?

What We Read and Our Homeschool Read Alouds ll March 2024

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

A true classic to be sure.  Corrie Ten Boom shares the story of how she, her elderly father, and sister turned their home in Holland into a refuge for Jews during the Nazi invasion.  Without meaning to, they become a hub for stowaways, eventully being found out and sent to a concentration camp themselves.  Ten Boom shares the horrors that she saw and entured, tragedies which eventually take the lives of her father and sister.  Through a strange turn of events, she is released days before her own death is scheduled.  From the time of her release until her death, Corrie Ten Boom traveled the world sharing her story and a story of true foregiveness and healing.

Animal Farm by George Orwell

This short, quick read is written as an allegory reflecting on the events leading up to the Russian Revolution of 1917.  It tells the story of a group of animals which rebel against their farmer.  As the rebellion grows, the pigs lead the charge and eventually run the farm.  Conditions turn from bad to worse, and eventually the animals come to realize that they're being ruled by the pigs.  But it's too late.  Animal Farm has so many real life applications, both for the past and the present.  We added this one to my high schooler's World History couse and it brought up numerous meaty conversations.

Letters of Wisdom by Wanda E. Brunstetter

See My Full Review Here

Christian Heroes Then and Now: Amy Carmichael

by Janet and Geoff Benge

We love this series, but I have to admit that Amy Carmichael's biography really wasn't one of my favorites.  She comes off as self-centered in the beginning.  Some of that disapates with age and maturity, but I found myself struggling to become invested in her story. Once the children started coming into her life, Amy's story drastically changed for the better.  But my thoughts had been set by that point and I just didn't find her to be as inspiring and worthy of a biography as many of the others in this series.  This one was ok, but if you have limited resources, I'd invest in the Corrie Ten Boom or Elizabeth Elliot book.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

by E.L. Konisburg

When Claudia decides to run away from home, she realizes she needs an accomplice.  She invites her brother Jamie along, both for the company and for his wallet.  The two set off to the city and hide in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  They fall into a pattern of blending in with the crowd during the day, and finding a good place to sleep at night.  Until an mysterious statue arrives.  Claudia and Jamie find themselves chasing down a series of clues to discover the sculpture's identity.  Which leads them to Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.  In the end, she ends up being the true mystery and the treasure that the kids uncover.

Around the World in 80 Days

by Jules Verne

Funny enough, my kids tell me that we've already read this one, but I didn't remember it so we read it again.  Mom privilege.  This book follows the journey of Phileas Fogg, who after beating a sizeable wager, must complete a trip around the world in eighty days or less.  An easy feat in today's world, but not so easy in 1873.  To further complicate the voyage, a London detective, Mr. Fix, believes that Phileas is a bank robber and endeavors to keep him on English soil until a warrant can be obtained for his arrest.  Verne does a wonderful job of creating lively characters and describing the constanting changing scenery in this book.  It took me a bit of time to get used to reading this one out loud as the vocabulary is quite challenging, but once we got our rhythm, we really enjoyed it.  Just a fun read all around.

The Burgess Animal Book for Children

by Thornton W. Burgess

So technically we've been reading this book since late last fall as part of our morning basket, but we just finished it last week.  I'm really loving Burgess' writing.  I've learned to much about birds, and the seashore, and in the last title, a wonderful world of animals.  Burgess does a wonderful job of weaving story with facts.  This would make a great companion to any animal/nature study and we look forward to reading more in the future.

What are you adding to your reading list?

 

Praying for Your Children

 *This post was originally published on 8/19/13.  Enjoy!

 

I found this list of 31 Biblical Virtues to Pray for Your Children and had to share them with you.  With a new school year starting, it feels like a fresh start.  It just reminds me how important it is to keep first things first.  What greater gift can we give to our children than our time spent praying for them?

1. Salvation—"Lord, let salvation spring up within my children, that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory." (Isa. 45:8; 2 Tim. 2:10)

2. Growth in Grace—"I pray that my children may grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Pet. 3:18)

3. Love—"Grant, Lord, that my children may learn to live a life of love, through the Spirit who dwells in them." (Gal. 5:25; Eph. 5:2)

4. Honesty and Integrity—"May integrity and honesty be their virtue
and their protection." (Ps. 25:21)

5. Self-Control—"Father, help my children not to be like many others around them, but let them be alert and self-controlled in all they do." (1 Thess. 5:6)

6. Love for God's Word—"May my children grow to find Your Word more precious than much pure gold and sweeter than honey from the comb." (Ps. 19:10)

7. Justice—"God, help my children to love justice as You do and act justly in all they do." (Ps. 11:7; Mic. 6:8)

8. Mercy—"May my children always be merciful, just as their Father is merciful." (Luke 6:36)

9. Respect (for self, others, and authority)—"Father, grant that my children may show proper respect to everyone, as Your Word commands."  (1 Pet. 2:17)

10. Biblical Self-Esteem—"Help my children develop a strong self-esteem that is rooted in the realization that they are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus." (Eph. 2:10)

11. Faithfulness—"Let love and faithfulness never leave my children, but bind these twin virtues around their necks and write them on the tablet of their hearts." (Prov. 3:3)

12. Courage—"May my children always be strong and courageous in their character and in their actions." (Deut. 31:6)

13. Purity—"Create in them a pure heart, O God, and let that purity of heart be shown in their actions." (Ps. 51:10)

14. Kindness—"Lord, may my children always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else." (1 Thess. 5:15)

15. Generosity—"Grant that my children may be generous and willing to share, and so lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age." (1 Tim. 6:18-19)

16. Peace-Loving—"Father, let my children make every effort to do what leads to peace." (Rom. 14:19)

 

17. Joy—"May my children be filled with the joy given by the Holy Spirit." (1 Thess. 1:6)

 

18. Perseverance—"Lord, teach my children perseverance in all they do, and help them especially to run with perseverance the race marked out for them." (Heb. 12:1)

 

19. Humility—"God, please cultivate in my children the ability to show true humility toward all." (Titus 3:2)

 

20. Compassion—"Lord, please clothe my children with the virtue of compassion." (Col. 3:12)

 

21. Responsibility—"Grant that my children may learn responsibility, for each one should carry his own load." (Gal. 6:5)

 

22. Contentment—"Father, teach my children the secret of being content in any and every situation, through Him who gives them strength." (Phil. 4:12-13)

 

23. Faith—"I pray that faith will find root and grow in my children's hearts, that by faith they may gain what has been promised to them." (Luke 17:5-6; Heb. 11:1-40)

 

24. A Servant's Heart—"God, please help my children develop servant's hearts, that they may serve wholeheartedly, as if they were serving the Lord, not men." (Eph. 6:7)

25. Hope—"May the God of hope grant that my children may overflow with hope and hopefulness by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Rom. 15:13)

 

26. Willingness and Ability to Work—"Teach my children, Lord, to value work and to work at it with all their heart, as working for the Lord and not for men." (Col. 3:23)

 

27. Passion for God—"Lord, please instill in my children a soul that 'followeth hard after thee,' one that clings passionately to You." (Ps. 63:8)

 

28. Self-Discipline—"Father, I pray that my children may acquire a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair." (Prov. 1:3)

 

29. Prayerfulness—"Grant, Lord, that my children's lives may be marked by prayerfulness, that they may learn to pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers." (1 Thess. 5:17)

 

30. Gratitude—"Help my children to live lives that are always overflowing with thankfulness and always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Eph. 5:20; Col. 2:7)

31. A Heart for Missions—"Lord, please help my children to develop a desire to see Your glory declared among the nations, Your marvelous deeds among the peoples." (Ps. 96:3)

By Bob Hostetier

Weekend Links ll March 29, 2024

 

Games and Activities to Help Your Student with Reading

Non-Candy Easter Basket Fillers

Printable Easter Bunny Craft

Healthy Veggie Muffins

No Sew Felt Flower Bookmarks

This Week: 

What I'm Cooking:

My favorite meal this week was Crockpot Chili.  The weather has been chaotic lately so I'm taking every chance I have to keep adding soups to our menu.  This one is absolute comfort food.  The surprise came when I asked the 12 year old to make cornbread.  I've helped him several times so I felt confident that he could handle it without supervision.  I bet you can see where this one is going. :-) Ended up being ok, but we had to do a little rehab when he accidentally added too much salt.

What I'm Reading:

Currently, I'm working my way through Live Your Truth by Alisa Childers.  She takes popular mantras and addresses them through a Biblical lens.  I love how down to earth her explanations are and how true to real life.  I think I'll be adding this one to my high schooler's personal growth list.

What I'm Doing:

We had a short homeschool week.  Wednesday we took most of the day off to see a local production at the theater: Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief.  When I saw that we could do this one as a field trip, I knew I had to book it for my 12 year old.  He's obsessed with the Percy Jackson books and it ended up being a fun one to watch.  Now we have today (Friday) off from school to start our break and we're busy in the kitchen with Easter treats.  

What I'm Enjoying:

Meeting new homeschool moms...

Organizing field trips...

Slow mornings....

Bible study with the kids...

Oatmeal muffins...

What are you up to?

Letters of Wisdom {Review}

 

Part of the Friendship Letters Series, Letters of Wisdom shares the story of Irma Miller, a young wife and mother with a secret abusive past.  She thought that moving away from home and starting her own family would allow her to forget, but when her abusive step-father dies and she returns for the funeral, all the old emotions come bubbling to the surface.  Irma finds herself sinking further and further into emotional turmoil, beginning to repeat the mistakes of the past with her own children.  Can she recover from the abuse?  Or will the cycle continue?

Author Wanda E. Brunstetter continues her Friendship Letters series, addressing tough topics in a tender manner.  This series has already addressed alcoholism and depression, and now turns to childhood abuse.  Brunstetter does an excellent job of portraying the issues in an honest manner without being too gritty or overly graphic.  Still Irma's emotions are raw and portray the true struggle that victims go through.  

Letters of Wisdom also does a good job of drawing on the importance of community.  Irma writes letters to her two best friends (Doretta and Eleanor), who pray for and support her.  It's through their support and the support of her husband that Irma is finally able to reach out for professional help and heal the hurts of the past.  It's also through community support that her mother and siblings find healing as well.  

This book could be read as a stand alone title, but it so much richer within the series.  All three books are written exceptionally well, touching on tough topics in a Biblical and healing manner.  This one, in particular, felt very honest and real.  I'm happy to see an author addressing these issues in a sensitive way, filling a void in the fiction genre.  I would definitely recommend this book and feel like any of the titles in this series would make good book club selections.  These are topics that just aren't touched on enough.

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

Our Favorite Preschool Learning Games

 *This post was originally published on 6/13/22.  Enjoy!

                                                                 We love games in our house.

From a very young age, we've been a family

who loves enjoying an evening over a board game or puzzle.

As the kids have grown, our game collection has as well.

But some of our favorites are still these preschool learning games

that we often come back to again and again.

Some of our favorite preschool games include:

Rory's Story Cubes--
These fun dice are great for all ages.
Just throw them and make a story out of the pictures.
When your kids get older,
have their write their story.
Great for imagination, building vocabulary,
and story telling.

Hullabaloo--
Great for following directions
and having fun doing it.
Bonus:
Includes movements like "slither,"
hop, and crawl for gross motor skills.

Hi-Ho-Cherry-O--

Great way to learn about taking turns, counting,
and rules of game play.

Lego Duplo--
So much fun for building, imagination,
logic, and construction.

Thinkfun Roll and Play Game--
Great beginning game for learning colors,
emotions, gross motor skills, counting,
and so much more.

CandyLand--

Classic game of colors, turn taking, and general game play,

all packaged in the fun imaginative world of candy.

Memory--

Wonderful for building memory and logic.

This game comes in such a variety of subjects and

the classic version as well.

We've had three variations of this game 

and all have been well loved.

Chutes and Ladders--

Be careful going up, you just might come right back down.

Great game for counting and learning to

take the ups and downs of game play.

Love the older version that matches behavior 

with rewards and consequences.

Go Fish--

This is a fun game to learn about pairing,

based either on color, number, or symbol.

Uno--

This game comes in several variations as well,

including a Cars edition which is really fun.

Uno is great for identifying numbers, colors, 

and has the added fun of the "skip" card.

Animal Upon Animal--

This wooden game challenges kids to stack animals 

in crazy configurations.

Focused on logic and fine motor skills,

Animal upon Animal is one that my older kids still enjoy.

So what would you add to the list?

Do you have a favorite preschool learning game?

Weekend Links ll March 15, 2024

 

Coping with Stress:

Supporting Kids and Teens

Lemony Broccoli Pesto Pasta

Engaging a Homeschool Teen

Pistachio Bread

Rainbow Cupcakes

Free Resurrection Bookmarks

This Week: 

What I'm Cooking:

My favorite meal this week was Crockpot Lentil Soup.  Hubby doesn't love this one so on a night he had plans, we did too.  Crockpot Lentil Soup it is!  I love the rustic earthy taste of this one and cooked in beef broth makes it incredible.  Great way to stretch a family meal and so good!

What I'm Reading:

My currently reading list is out of control.  Seriously... OUT OF CONTROL.  But one of the books I've been reading is the Christian Heroes: Then and Now biographies.  Currently I'm reading Amy Carmichael's story.  I love reading how ordinary people have been used in extraordinary ways... and sharing these stories with my kiddos.

What I'm Doing:

This week we took a field trip to a town about a hour south of us.  We went to see the ABT studio company perform on a local college campus.  We haven't spent much time in this college town so find a fun spot for lunch was a treat.  And my 16 year old ballerina was enthralled with actually getting to watch the company perform.  It was definitely worth the trip.

What I'm Enjoying:

Ballet field trips...

Items checked off the "house" list...

Decluttering...

Great read alouds...

Days out with the kids...

What are you up to?

 

Ocean Anatomy Activity Book {Review}

Written as a companion to Julia Rothman's popular Anatomy series, this Ocean Anatomy Activity Book includes:

• shell observation sheets
• "how to draw" pages for sealife
• word searches
• poetry templates
• crossword puzzles 
• and more!

There is such a variety of activities in this book, it would be hard to list them all!

This activity book is illustrated in the same style as the original Ocean Anatomy book and would make a great educational addition to any home.  It would be a wonderful companion to any homeschool nature study or as part of an ocean unit study.  It would appeal to those upper elementary or middle school years, and would be a great item for any child wanting to learn more about ocean life.  We loved it and can't wait to use more of the book.  

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

 

10 Non-Candy Items to Fill Your Easter Eggs

*This post was originally published on 4/7/14.  Enjoy!

 Easter's coming up quick, quick, quick.  Here I am thinking it's great that Easter is so late this year, giving me extra time to think and plan.  But wait!  It's now the second week of April and Easter's almost here.  So if you're looking for an alternative to the standard candy filled egg hunt, here are some ideas to help get you started:

Money--This one's my favorite.  A few rolls of quarters, dimes, and nickels and the kids will love hunting for some change. 

Trail Mix--You can pick up some ready made mix or make your own.  I love making a mix of cranberries, white chocolate, and pumpkin seeds.

Stickers--The Dollar Tree carries a huge variety of stickers from seasonal to character.  And they make a great filler for Easter eggs.

Cheddar Bunnies--My little ones love goldfish and cheddar bunnies are a fun seasonal treat.  Plus they're not loaded with sugar.

Legos--My eight year old is obsessed with Legos and they make a great addition to an egg hunt.

Balloons-- Punch balloons, water balloons, party balloons... they're all great ideas for filling Easter eggs.

Bracelets--My daughter loves getting little bracelets, rings and jewels so they make a fun addition to Easter egg hunting.

Playdoh--Homemade playdoh or small containers... what a fun idea!

Bubbles--Dollar Tree carries small containers of wedding bubbles that fill perfectly in an Easter egg.

Cars--Again, dollar store has a great selection for little boys. 

Really I'm probably going to pick up a variety of all of these for Easter this year.  We have a variety of ages and genders and it should be fun to see the surprised looks on their faces.

What are your favorite Non-Candy Items for Filling Easter Eggs?

Weekend Links ll March 8, 2024

Free Printable Hibernation Worksheets

Chocolate Lava Cake

Benefits of Keeping it Playful with Teens

Valuable Life Skills vs Suffocating Responsibility:

How to Tell the Difference

Spinach Artichoke Chicken Casserole

This Week: 

What I'm Cooking:

My favorite meal this week was our lettuce wraps.  Oh, this is a "stuff yourself silly" recipe that pleases even our pickiest eater.  Since lettuce wraps can be so messy, we've actually turned this dinner into more of a salad or bowl just be layering the ingredients.  That way no one gets too frustrated to enjoy dinner.  But the sauce is so yummy with just the right balance of sweet and salty.  And it's light and fresh for a refreshing meal.

What I'm Reading:

I just finished The Hiding Place on Monday.  I knew the story of Corrie ten Boom and in fact, read the YWAM Christian Heroes: Then and Now biography with my 7th grader this past fall.  It's hard to be in Christian circles and not know something about the Ten Booms.  However, this was the first time I've ever read The Hiding Place and it was so powerful.  It's amazing to hear all that this family went through and accomplished during the Nazi occupation in Holland.  I can't wait to share this one with my 10th grader.

What I'm Doing:

This week was a bit of a breather for us.  We didn't have much on the calendar other than school and that was a good things since the rest of the month is going to be busy.  We did, however, have roofers at our house at the end of the week.  It will be nice to have that taken care of for insurance purposes, but it did make for an interesting schooling situation.

What I'm Enjoying:

A break in the rainy weather...

 Homemade lettuce wraps...

Field Trip planning...

Women's Bible Study...

Sunflower seedlings...

What are you up to?