What We Read and Our Homeschool Read Alouds ll April 2024

 

Daring to Live on the Edge

by Loren Cunningham

Faith and finances are so intertwined.  When finances run tight, it's hard not to question God's faithfulness.  And when finances are plentiful, it's a temptation to feel like we MUST be in his will.  But is that really the way that kingdom finances really work?  This book had a lot of good points in it, lots to consider about how finances can be indicators, tests, temptations, and more!  It was generally a good read.  However, I had two sticking points that stumped me.  First of all, although the book says it's for everyone, whether in full-time ministry or not, I felt like 85+% of the book applied to ministry and missions positions.  Second of all, Daring to Live on the Edge felt very repetitive.  Cunningham tended to repeat himself and beat a concept to death.  Although I loved hearing his testimonies, sometimes it felt over done and a few chapters, I tended to zone out. 

Live Your Truth and Other Lies

by Alisa Childers

We've all heard it... Live Your Truth!  Follow Your Heart!  YOLO!  What if this "sage" advice is actually what's making us anxious and stressed out?  When followed to it's logical conclusion, where does this advice lead?  Alisa Childers tackles some of the most well-known mantras of this generation and examines them in light of Biblical truth, exposing their flaws.  So good, I've already passed it on to my 

16 year old daughter to read as well.

Now and Not Yet by Ruth Cho Simons

See my full review here.

 

 

Christian Heroes: William Carey and

Christian Heroes: Adoniram Judson

by Janet & Geoff Benge

We're continuing through the Christian Heroes with my 7th grader.  This is books 11 and 12 for our year and we've really enjoyed them.  They're inspirational and awe-inspiring.  They're also a great way for my son to be exposed to heroes of the faith.  This Christian Heroes series are well written and very engaging.  We're both loving them.

Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck

I just love Richard Peck's work.  He always writes with such delightful humor.  And the title of the one caught my eye with the same whit that's he's become known for.  This story is about two siblings, left to make their way in the world.  Jake, the older brother, is challenged to keep his garage running while trying to raise his little sister, Peewee, into a young lady.  Peewee, for her part, wants nothing to do with being a lady, but would rather spend her time working on cars along side Jake.  This story is an endearing story of a young girl trying to balance growing up with her own daring personality.  So funny.  And I especially loved the fact that no matter what, Jake and Peewee were family and looked out for one another.

Tree.Table.Book by Louise Lowry

See my full review here.

Loving Your Adult Children by Gaye B. Clark

See my full review here.

Gone Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright

Return to Gone Away by Elizabeth Enright

These books are AMAZING!  I'm not even sure where I heard about them, but I'm so glad I did.  Written in a similiar style to The Boxcar Children, they contain just enough mystery and suspense while still maintining a sweetness.  The characters are kind without being overly done, and exhibit the type of relationships we all wish our children to have.  So glad I found them before my youngest child outgrew this kind of story.  If you have elementary students, definitely add these two to your read aloud list.

What are you reading?

Loving Your Adult Children {Review}

 

Launching and parenting adult children can be a challenging period for both parent and child.  It's a time of uncertainty and confusion.  How much do you guide?  How often should you share advice?  And the issue becomes even more complicated when there are hurts on one or both sides.  What does it look like to love?

Author Gaye B. Clark takes a closer look at how love endures through the launching years of a parent/ child relationship.  In Loving your Adult Children, she take a grace-centered, Jesus-focused approach to parenting our children in this new phase of life.  This book flips the script by asking readers to focus on their own relationship with the Lord and allowing themselves to be shaped through their parenting journey.

As a parent of a young adult, and two following close behind, this book was very timely.  Launching young adults can be tricky.  Parenthood never really ends and yet, these children must find their own way of doing things outside of us.  It can be a challenging season of life.  Some of my favorite take aways from this book include: 

• "He is a good God, and we can trust him even when we can't see how things will work out."
• "We can feel grief and lament the paind of broken relationships.... But we should not grow bitter, sulk, and stay angry at God or our adult children.  To do this, we need godly friends in our lives, walking with us to help us know when we've strayed from lament and grief and into bitterness.
• "When dealing with those wandering away from the faith, we must recognize that soometimes they'll not start evaluating the deep questions of their lives until they find themselves in a situation where they don't know what to do."

Each chapter includes about 10 questions for personal reflection or group study.  Overall, this was a timely book for my stage of life.  This author really hits the heart of what's happening in a parent/adult child relationship and offers relevant advice and hope for this transition.  A rich read for anyone launching young adults into the world.

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

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