There is Hope

A Day At The Doctor's

2012-02-02T15:24:00.006-05:00

We headed out early yesterday to have a check-up appt. with my primary doctor, and run to the library, etc... Due to an insurance mix-up that had to be corrected, we waited and waited. Once my vitals were taken and the doctor looked me over and talked with me, it was clear something new has begun due to my Dysautonomia. I had my husband there and he also put in some input from his advantage point. Into action we go. Several new appts., labs and back in a bit for an ultrasound. Ultrasounds used to be fun - babies, but not any more! Plus every action has an adverse reaction in my body, so I was 'spent' by the time we finally were home for good. It was seven hours since we began. My mind has been whirling ever since as we wait for a week to figure out the next step.

I think of footprints in the sand...

I have tripped again, only one footprint and some lines...

Next to it are two sandal prints, these are larger then mine...

Then I see one set of footprints moving forward. The footprints are deeper into the sand as if the person who made these, was carrying a heavy and burdensome load.

It is my Lord. He is carrying me...
~Becky

Be aware:

Dysautonomia Foundation
NDRF
DINET
News on Rare Diseases and Disorders

REKINDLE 2012 - Valentine's, Love and the Super Bowl

2012-01-30T14:15:00.005-05:00

With minds and hearts turning towards Valentine's Day, I thought we would take today's REKINDLE post to share my favorite idea stop for rekindling romance and love, not to forget all the wonderful ideas for Valentine's Day! Be sure and visit the "Dating Divas" and sign up for the newsletter. You will receive some freebies if you do! Just today I got a member exclusive download for Valentine's Day. Enjoy! Rekindle the intimacy and romance in your marriage, gather great ideas to spread love daily. Love is a great spark in the renewing of your soul, setting your spirit on fire!

By the way, before our men's hearts turn towards Valentine's, the Super Bowl is first. Dating Diva's had a guest blogger who shares great ideas for joining in on the fun and making the Super Bowl night, a date to remember.

John 15:17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.

REKINDLE 2012 - Finish Well!

2012-01-24T15:37:00.006-05:00

My dear friend, Meredith Curtis, has allowed me to pass on this information to you. This conference is a perfect way to kick-off the challenge we have here at There Is Hope - REKINDLE 2012! Pray and see if this might be the perfect event to help you rekindle your passion for God, your family and your Homeschool future! Finish the race well!

The beginning of the year is a great time to be encouraged and equipped in your relationship with Jesus, your family, and homeschooling. We have another Finish Well Conference coming up very soon: February 24-25 in Sanford, FL at Safeharbor Church. Please pray about joining us for this inspiring weekend.

You can download a registration form at the website.

This Homeschooling High School Conference is for teens and parents. We are kicking off with AIRSOFT!

We have a great line up of Speakers:

Coach Rick Andreassen
Felice Gerwitz
Marti Pieper
Pastor Mike Curtis
Meredith Curtis
Laura Nolette
Sarah Jeffords
Katie Beth Curtis
Julianna Curtis
Mike Jeffords
and More!

To read more about our speakers, visit our website: http://finishwellcon.com/?p=speakers

Here are some of the workshops & sessions at the conference:
Finish Strong!
Total Access Relationships
College Success
Going to College Debt-Free
Bass Workshop
Preparing for the Military
Total Access Home
Vocal Workshop
Ministering to the Heart of a Parent
Dealing with Rebellion
Dating, Courtship, Marriage
Homeschooling with Proverbs
I've Got Issues: Help for the Hurting Homeschooler
Families & Teens in Politics
Helping Your Children Follow Their Dreams
And more!

To read more about these and other sessions, visit the website.

Freebie Friday - Middle School and beyond

2012-01-20T09:25:00.011-05:00

Having a Kinesthetic student (our boy) I have become creative in my lesson planning. Gone are the days of having a book list a mile long for the librarian to pull for our daughter. Below I share some of our favorite sites for bringing our lessons 'alive', as my son puts it. Maybe you will find a few great resources for your family too. All families can enjoy these, not just homeschoolers.

In no particular order:
Fun With History - a large amount videos to supplement a History program. Activities are also available. We use this one several times a week. There is a large amount of historical footage to access.

Animated Atlas and Animated Timeline - the videos and timeline are bright, colorful and engaging. These have greatly helped us with Geography and creating our own timeline.

tvSchoolhouse.com - Retro videos! The site says, "A new way to learn with our 'old school' educational films." Again, at the end of a lesson and the reading of a text, we find it very helpful to watch a related video from this site. It seems to bring the lesson to life and help to cement it into our child's foundation.

MIT Blossoms - A MIT teacher for your child? YES! Here you can find teacher led videos to explain topics for middle school/ high school level in Mathematics, Engineering, Physics, Biology, and Chemistry. These videos are from Blossom Partners from around the globe. The videos include teachers from MIT and other institutions from around the world. I watch with my son so I am aware of what is being taught and so we can discuss it. So far what we have watched, have the student pause the video to carry out the same problem or activity that is being done. I therefore urge you to view the video first so you know what materials are needed. Use the available Teacher Guide for each video! This is excellent and we plan to use it throughout the rest of our son's education.

Brightstorm - visit this textbook supplement site for some more helps when teaching and/or for your child's homework. Free unlimited answers to questions, and many teaching/educational videos for most subjects are available. We are scheduled to use this site for help on building on Math lessons this year. This is another one I will keep bookmarked throughout my son's education. Affordable Test Prep is also available from this site.

Lastly today, Khan Academy - as their site puts so well - "WATCH. PRACTICE. LEARN almost anything for free!" They boast a library of over 2,700 videos and 276 practice exercises. Relevant instruction for your middle/high school student. Again, one I am bookmarking for the long-term. We have this site scheduled for explaining many upcoming lessons this year.

I hope this list sparks you to continue to make your learning lifestyle engaging, interactive and fun throughout your child's full school career. Learning can be fun and engaging at any age! Recently, a local woman turning 107 asked to be taught to ice skate and go on the ice just once. She did, and said, "This was my first and last time!" Then she laughed with glee. She mentioned that you are never too old to learn and try new things, to live without dreams. A good lesson for living long, enjoying life and always learning!

Review: Celestial Almanack by Jay Ryan

2012-01-19T10:17:00.008-05:00

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows thy handywork
~Psalm 19:1

As a family who has always adored looking into the heavens at night and rejoicing in His handiwork, we were thrilled to have the chance to review Jay Ryan's release of the "Celestial Almanack" Vol. 1, No. 1 (January Edition). We received this in e-book format. Mr. Ryan is eager to encourage others to learn about the starry sky. He has extensive background in Classical Astronomy and with publishing educational materials. Some of you may be familiar with Fourth Day Press and Signs and Seasons Homeschool Curriculum. This almanack will be a wonderful addition to that curriculum, but for a newcomer to the Press,like me, it was also very useful.

The "Celestial Almanack" will be a monthly periodical. It is quite timely as 2012 promises to be a very exciting time for sky events. I am not going to give those secrets away here though.

As with any almanack a calendar is included and gives data for each day of the month. It is suggested you compare the data with the rest of the information given throughout the almanack. Next you will learn about the daytime sky before moving onto the evening and nighttime sky. The illustrations and charts are easy to follow, even for a novice. They are bright and beautiful, really capturing the interest of all readers in our household.

The best part of this, was as a family looking up into the heavens and immediately recalling the things we had read and the charts/illustrations we had looked at. We would just be casually getting out the car and one of us would spot a constellation or planet! Questions arise from week to week as we peek out our window throughout the day. When they do, our new first place to go to is our "Celestial Almanack"!

It will soon be time for February's Edition, but there is still time to learn about and enjoy the sky of January. You can find this user-friendly Classical Astronomy Almanack at Curr-Click. Learn how to spot Venus and Jupiter in the evenings of January, 2012, and also find the evening constellations. Learn how to spot Saturn and Mars in the morning sky. 2012 will be a very exciting year for astronomy, so don't miss it! The Celestial Almanack, Vol. I, No. 1, eZine available from CurrClick.

REKINDLE 2012

2012-01-18T17:49:00.003-05:00

I found this poem and felt it was relevant to our challenge:

VENI, CREATOR, SPIRITUS
CREATOR Spirit, by whose aid
The World's foundations first were laid,
Come, visit every pious mind;
Come, pour Thy joys on human kind;
From sin and sorrow set us free,
And make Thy temples worthy Thee.
********
Refine and purge our earthly parts;
But, oh, inflame and fire our hearts!
Our frailties help, our vice control,
Submit the senses to the soul;
And when rebellious they are grown,
Then lay Thy hand, and hold them down.

Chase from our minds th' infernal foe,
And peace, the fruit of love, bestow;
And, lest our feet should step astray,
Protect and guide us in the way.
Make us eternal truths receive,
And practise all that we believe;
Give us Thyself, that we may see
The Father, and the Son, by Thee.

Immortal honour, endless fame,
Attend th' Almighty Father's name!
The Saviour Son be glorified,
Who for lost man's redemption died!
And equal adoration be,
Eternal Paraclete, to Thee!

~ From the Latin, 4th century,
by John Dryden, 1631-1700

`

REKINDLE 2012

2012-01-17T15:22:00.003-05:00

REKINDLE

Most of you know by now that every year I post some kind of a challenge. Last year, the goal was to live more abundantly. This year I was challenged by reading several blog posts that urged readers to pick just ONE word for the New Year, A word that would describe their focus and be their 'resolution'. I thought this idea to be marvelous as I for one seem to always create some long list of all I hope to accomplish. Let me expand on that. Not just the resolution list, but a whole notebook of ideas, bucket lists and such. The idea of choosing one word to unite all my notes, dreams, and hopes of the New Year seemed just the right remedy for my chaotic notebook and organization. I began to pray about 'My 2012 Word'. Immediately, I heard "RENEW", "REFRESH" - in other words child, "REKINDLE" all that you are in Me.

A new fire was IGNITED!

I urge each of you to seek out your own word for this year. I do hope, however, that you will also visit us each week to see how I am doing with my own challenge. The idea is to REKINDLE my relationship with my Lord and Saviour. Not that I was away, but that is always a growth journey in a relationship. I want to stir up the love for Him! He also commanded me to use the word as my focus with each passion in my life. In other words, it is a time for action! It is a time to grow and stir up the talents and passions He has planted in me. It is time to grow and stir up the friendships and relationships in my life, taking them to a new level. I see it as a call that if something is going to take time away from God then it better be worth it, and I need to let go and let God stir within me to rekindle those callings out of a rut, out of survival mode, into a time of passion and action! I am going to REKINDLE my HOPE, my JOY, my FAITH, and every blessing and calling upon my life! Would you like to join me?

We will share our family journey with you weekly in hopes that you too REKINDLE all the good things in your life, and most of all, your walk with Jesus Christ. Join us here and on our FB Fan Page for prayers, real life stories, encouragement, discussions, and sometimes we may even have you share your own links.Weekly I will share a call to action for all of us who are ready to REKINDLE the love, faith and joy in our lives! It is time to renew and refresh my friend. We have a blessed hope waiting for us, may we get ready and prepared to meet our Bridegroom.

REKINDLE 2012

2012-01-16T17:09:00.003-05:00

REKINDLE
Google and you will find words like : RENEW and STIR UP

You will find the meaning is to IGNITE and restart a BURNING

ONE WORD
IGNITING HOPE
IGNINTING PASSION

ONE WORD
seeking to grow
seeking to love

ONE WORD
stirring a fire within
making us want to share
shinging a light

REKINDLE 2012
Join us weekly on Tuesday's at THERE IS HOPE!

A Moment of Laughter During Advent

2011-12-30T13:47:00.006-05:00

So as many of our friends and family we celebrate and make the journey of Advent each year. We had always done so in church but started making it a part of home and homeschool about four years ago. Each year brings us closer to Jesus and helps us in our spiritual growth. It also tends to lead to some great family moments.

This year we had one of laughter! I just had to share it with you. Each year I hide our baby Jesus' (yes, we have more than one stable) during Advent Season. This is a tangible way to represent our 'search' for the babe. It is a tangible way of representing the journey, the growth that always occurs during this season for us.

Well, Mom hid the babies too well. Yes, we could not find the Baby Jesus this year despite our hard efforts and what seemed a long journey. None of us reached the manger. Now granted, this led to some good discussion and lessons but still, I felt just awful! My son seeing how forlorn I was, said, "Mom, it's ok. We have Him always in our hearts!" "Ok, son you so get it all but this is serious I HAVE to find those babies before Eve Service!", I replied. As he helped me look on Christmas Eve we could not help but laugh. Still, my heart continued to be heavy. Things just were not right! I kept searching and thinking. I had called my Mother in Kentucky crying, "Mom, I lost Baby Jesus! Three of them!" She lost it laughing. Dad walks in and asks, "What in the world?" "Becky lost Baby Jesus, three of them." Dad, who was a Pastor for over forty years, laughs! I was appalled but started laughing too. Then my dear Mother gets serious and of all things, repeats what my son had already told me. I know people! I know, but still - I MUST find Baby Jesus! I was relentless in my pursuit.

I began thinking about it and wandered if we are as relentless in seeking Him daily? Do we let others laughter, fun, or the busyness of the day, keep us from seeking Him? Are we as heartbroken at the end of the day when we realize we never stopped to talk with Him, to listen to Him, to read the 'blog' He wrote (His word)? Are we as heartbroken when we cannot tangibly feel His presence? Do we cry when we cannot see His hands in our life? Lastly, do we hide Him so deep to keep Him to ourselves so as not to lose Him? Not letting that light shine or sharing Him so all can see, does it break your heart when you realize you have done so? Whoa, God was stirring my heart and motivating me for a New Year thru this funny experience.

As I was running around the house getting ready for Christmas Eve, curlers in my hair, I took a moment to breathe and send out a message on FB. It was then I thought about needing to get off and go take out my curlers. CHRISTMAS LIGHTBULB - the bathroom! I never checked all the containers in the bathroom! In a Shaker made container , on the floor, under a chair, under the lid, laid all three replicas of my Baby Jesus! He had been found! PTL! All found with just minutes until we left for Christmas Eve Service. My heart was at peace, joy came back and I was ready to go worship the Babe in the manger, a King, come to save me and to save YOU! May you have a blessed New Year as you take time to rekindle, renew, and rejoice! We will be exloring these 3 R's in the coming year as a challenge hear at TIHope! Be blessed and share it!

40 Days of Seeking Him - Advent 2011

2011-12-15T15:39:00.006-05:00

Advent seems to be passing so quickly that we blink and nightfall is upon us again. We have had beautiful weather here in Central Florida. The holiness of God's creation
is seen and felt as soon we step outside. I have a little space where a kitchen window does not quite fit, the smells and warm air filter in. Here we have butterflies and birds singing us beautiful tunes as we are out and about. Today I watched dogs playing, a cat slithering along the alley, and squirrels wrestling and chasing each other about. We have a bush at the side of our house that vines almost two stories and is bursting with pink blooms. The Holly bushes are filled with bright red berries. While other trees are bare, and some bushes and grass brown, it seems life is bursting with color and life here on our property and around the area.

We have enjoyed these gifts from heaven during a week filled with anticipation, waiting and curiosity. We await the Messiah. We await the warmth of family. We await the giving of gifts out of love and honor of the King of King's birthday. We await with anticipation for the New Year. What will it hold? We await doctor and tests reports. Will new treatments and renewed hope be part of the new year ahead? So many questions. Such curiosity we have. We are like the cat! We, like the birds, sing praises for peace and provision sent from above this week. We, like the squirrels are scurrying about and having some fun along the way. We pray our lives burst forth with cheerfulness and that we shine bright for Jesus, like the beautiful blooms. Advent - a time to grow.

Holiday TV Addict - It Is True

2011-12-03T16:40:00.007-05:00

Hi, my name is Becky and I am addicted to Holiday TV!

Yes, SHOCKING!

It is so true. I anticipate it every year and have a calendar ready to mark down my strategy for watching, taping and viewing. We plan our meals around it. Holiday viewing is a family affair! I have my favorites, my annuals, and then I try a few new ones every now and then. Many have multiple showings, so with the right plan - bam - we can have a wonderful mix of drama and comedy, color and b&w, musicals and dance numbers, old and new, the animated and the live people....I could go on and on.
We began our hot chocolate viewing in Nov. and have not looked back. We are deep into the season now and counting down the days of Christmas with the likes of ABC Family and Hallmark, and many more. (Of course we also have our Advent Calendars and Studies as a sharp contrast as well.)

Wait, what? Surprise - I found the gem of all gems for us holiday tv addicts - the blog site called "It's a Wonderful Movie". Oh yes, you can visit channel sites and watch the TV guide but this gal, she gives you the whole low down. Be sure and click HERE for the whole Christmas schedule! I signed up for email alerts and it keeps me right on schedule, giving me the 411.

She even has a few fun things around her site like the "Which Holiday Character Are You?" quiz. Below is my answer - I am like Linus, cheerful and angelically sweet!

HAVE FUN with your family, find creative and free ways to enjoy this season of hope, joy and love! Merry Christmas!

You CAN Celebrate, even with $0 budget - There Is Hope

2011-12-03T12:38:00.006-05:00

I was there last year. We had no budget really. To add it to it, my daughter's boyfriend, who was courting her, was going to be with us. I felt so ashamed. I really beat myself up. He however, helped me to step back, breathe and see the beauty of the celebration itself. Recently, my thirteen year old son shared that last Christmas was one of his favorites, if not THE favorite! This Christmas, when we had to scramble eggs and make some microwave bacon moments before heading to Christmas Eve service? This Christmas, where many gifts were things we owned and were giving away to each other? This was my son's favorite? How could this be?

My point, several online friends have voiced there hurt and fear about this 2011 season. I know what you are feeling. I know those fears. I know the way you batter yourself because you feel like you are not measuring up. I understand that jealousy and covetness can creep in, even anger. I hear you. I feel you. So does your God.
Let Him guide you to frugal and resourceful ways you can share His love this Christmas.

Now I will share a few ideas and links that may spark an idea for you:

First, I want to mention that there are many blogs and companies doing giveaways. This is a way to earn some free gifts for loved ones. I just won a WWII video the other day for my son and husband.

I also have found some great DIY sites and shared those with my newly married daughter. She has made so many beautiful gifts and Holiday decor from things she had on hand. Ex: she took a coat hanger and an old book and made a very hip/retro wreath that she hung on her wall. She then had an old frame and put that around the wreath. It looks amazing and she did not spend a penny!

This Craft Site has a daily newsletter and what seems an endless amount of ideas!

Once again, here is the link for free schedules and information about ?Holiday programming. You can make these very special by watching as a family. Have holiday snacks and treats you have made. Make some Hot Chocolate and add a candy cane and some marshmallows to everyone's liking. Maybe everyone could watch in their pj's and snuggle inside sleeping bags. The ideas are endless. We often will do something special together while watching a holiday program, each evening before devotion time. This has become a treasured tradition that even Daddy looks forward too. Our daughter who is now married mentioned how she misses not being here to do this with us. some nights she calls and checks in during a show in order to feel closer.

How about mixing up a great snack mix? these usually begin with Chex cereal. Here is the site to many recipes from Chex!

Look for free events in your hometown or county. Look for Church's offering free concerts and plays. These bring alive the reason for the season! Also look online for free activities you can do as a family. Here is a link my children loved to visit when they were younger: North Pole

With prayer and creativity you can still celebrate the season. Yes, it will look different than years past, but it might just turn out to be the best Christmas ever! If you want more links or have questions, feel free to contact me.
Also be sure and see free links I shared in the posts on Advent. May you have a blessed and festive season, a holy season, as we celebrate the birth of Jesus and His amazing Love that came down. Embrace love and hope this Holiday season, and it will be the best you ever had!

Freebies to Enjoy

2011-12-03T10:50:00.006-05:00

I had offered to share a favorite freebie list back in Sept. but life circumstances kept me from seeing that offer through to fruition. I want to make good, per say.
We will start with Unit Studies and then I will post separately free resources for each subject and some other great free finds. I will do my best to post these on Friday's as many look for freebies on that day.

A new favorite place to glean ideas from is GuestHollow.com. Here you can find free Units, schedules and plans for all subjects, free printables, and helpful links. I adore her graphics.

Unit Studies:

I was able to use these as a resource even into Middle School. We have gathered Units in whole or gathered information and links and created our own.

You can find many resources at Heart of Wisdom for Unit studies.

Homeschool Share
Easy Fun School
Highland Heritage Homeschool

Check out this "Star Wars" Unit from Bella Online

One place I have been gathering alot from, for my son's education, is from Simply Charlotte Mason. This is a real treasure trove if you are using the CM method in any form. Most CM families are all CM are none, but we eclectics differ on that. We have our own groove here but I find this site very helpful.

I cannot do a list of Unit Study helpful links without listing Amanda Bennett. While not a freebie site, her units are very affordable and are fantastic! We have used and reviewed several of them. If you are wanting a laid out Unit Study that is affordable, this is the number one place to go, in my opinion.

Lastly, a huge part of our homeschool lessons came and still come from links, ideas, and information gathered from Tapestry of Grace supporting links list for each year! Find the time period you are in, click that cover. It takes you to the home page of that year. Then look on the right and you will see the link for supporting links. Just about every subject is covered. I create our studies and lessons from these. Fantastic resource!!!! A real favorite!

Well these are just a few of the many free resources you will find on the net. Keep searching, hope this list helps a bit. Blessings, and have a festive week!

Our Advent - Week One

2011-12-02T15:22:00.003-05:00

We have been celebrating the Advent season since Sunday when our church kicked off the season. Candles were lit as a reading was done, and there was special music and a special sermon. We have a church wide prayer and scripture guide for each day of the week. This week we were focusing on being "Proclaimers". The prayers challenged our son and I. My husband challenged his choir to be more aware of those around them that may be hurting this holiday season and just need someone to take some time for them. My son and I discussed ways we could proclaim God's love and message of hope more. We discussed ways we already do, like through the blog, openly sharing with those who visit our home for any reason, talking with people as we wait in lines, etc...

We also began opening the doors on our Advent Calenders. We have two this year. One is an old embellished paper calender from my childhood. Each door of the jolly winter scene opens to share scriptures from Jesus' birth. Our son reads these aloud to us. The other was bought in Germany at Epcot this year. It is a traditional German Advent Calender with the nativity scene. Behind each door is a chocolate surprise. The young lady who checked us out looked very much like me at 20 and made my husband chuckle. I didn't quite catch it till I later looked at a picture in the hall of me at that age, at home. Anyway, we enjoy these little traditions and the anticipation they ignite.

Another part of our Advent Journey, has been using Ann Voskamp's "A Jesus Advent Celebration" which she has been offering as a free download at her site, "A Holy Experience". This study is a Jesse Tree study. Ms. Voskamp does wonderful bringing the message to life, and using words to ignite the soul. We have literally met with Jesus each day for a few quiet moments in the hustle and bustle these short days bring. Today all got quiet as our son sang "Away in a Manger". I got chills as I could feel the saviour's delight in this thirteen year old's passionate heart and gift of worship, at this moment. It felt like heaven came down to our little school room. We have looked at how life began as a love story, and continues to be one. We were challenged to create something out of love. Our son is making Mama an ornament.
I baked my husband's favorite cookies and had them waiting hot for him has he came home from work. We were reminded that everyday God is with us and often is whispering, "Where are you?" I could tell this was getting to my son's soul as he thought about God always being with him, Jesus enveloping him, literally wearing Jesus! That is empowering and humbling all at the same time. Today we were reminded that we are saved! We read the story of Noah. We thought about the rain being the tears of our King, our Creator, our Saviour. We thought about the rainbow being a visual picture of God's love, as if that rainbow stretching across the sky is God's arms reaching out to hug us, to rescue us. These are powerful lessons! Nothing is more important to learn.

Our challenge for today was to do something that would please God. Once again our son, rises to the challenge, or I should say had rose. He had already accomplished this, as he worked hard and diligently on the house today helping me. Never a complaint, only "Yes Mam", and doing the job till it was done right. This included doing some work that had been designated for his Dad. Last night, he told Dad, "I got it. I will do it tomorrow for Mom. Don't worry about it. You've been working hard." Sure enough this afternoon, that boy carried up the stairs six large boxes and placed them in the right rooms for when I can get myself up there. remember, with my illness, going up stairs has a huge negative effect on not only my heart
but my whole body. I only go up when I stay up there for hours and get everything done in one sweep. In between my times, the boys do their best. Getting these Christmas boxes back up to storage and other boxes of decorations for the rooms upstairs was an important job that I needed someone to do. these boxes were crowding the hallway and were a hazard. Our son's willingness to help without being asked, obeying us and respecting us pleases God! I asked Anthony to stop and think about the fact that the Creator of all things had stopped for a moment and watched what Anthony was doing, and He was delighted, smiling like a proud Daddy. now, that is beautiful! That brings me the joy of the season!

* This post is part of a meme hosted by "Day by Day In Our World" and
"A House upon the Rock", I hope you will visit them.

Review: Birth of Jesus by Grapevine

2011-11-28T17:10:00.004-05:00

A perfect study for Advent Season or anytime of the year, Dianne at Grapevine studies has given us another wonderful adventure to take our children on. Our family is intertwining this study, with another that a group from church is doing.

Starting in Nazareth with the angel's announcement to Mary we chronologically will be going through the events surrounding Jesus' birth. We will come to know the people involved in the story. We will read scripture together aloud that account this miracle event. The story lessons then move on to the family's flee from Herod, and head on Egypt. Then, we head back to Nazareth. Through lessons, reading, the iconic stick figure drawing of Grapevine Studies, discussion questions and further research ideas, each family can grow deeper by digging dipper this Advent Season.
In our multi-level book, we have a map included and we will be using this regularly during the lessons.

My son at first scoffed for he is well versed on Jesus' Birth. The point however, is that we can always go further and grow more in understanding and knowledge. I look forward to seeing how God grows each of us as we do this study.

This study is good for homeschool, Bible classes, family devotions, outreach, and mid-week studies at churches. With books for all ages available, everyone can learn together at their own level. We chose the multi-level books to review, and have found it to be a good lesson for we adults and our young teen. Why not take a look and see if this might be the lesson you have been looking for! Sales are going right now at Grapevine Studies, the prices of levels varies. Our Multi-Level Teacher Guide E-book retails for $7.95 and is on sale for $6.95. The Student Book for Multi-Level retails for $5.95 and is on sale for $4.95.

Grapevine's Mission Statement clearly reflects in their products and customer service:

Our mission at Grapevine Studies is to provide believers with the tools they need to know God's Word and disciple others.

With our teaching method and Bible studies, parents and teachers can effectively disciple their children and students so that they are equipped to reach the world with the truth of the Gospel.

Thanksgiving Prayers

2011-11-24T10:55:00.005-05:00

Thanksgiving prayers for each of you. I hope today finds you well and at peace, reflecting on the many things we can still be thankful for despite a rough year.
My mother loves to send me little notes, postcards and newsletters she collects and has collected throughout her fifty plus years of ministry with my Daddy. One particular note comes from "Creative Communications for the Parish" and was copyrighted in 1996. It shares a lovely poem of Praise on the front, entitled, "Thank the Lord from A-Z". On the back it shares Thanksgiving Table Prayers for before and after the meal. It reminds us to thank the Lord for everything. It goes on to mention several vivid parts of creation like the trickle of a mountain stream and the majesty of an old-redwood tree. Thank the Lord for everyone. Remember the Queen on her throne to a babe in the cradle, it suggests, plumbers to presidents, acrobats to zookeepers, just to name a few. Thank the Lord today for every grace. His grace, made evident in covenant and promise, in prophecy and psalm, and so many other ways. Give all thanks and praise to Jesus Christ our Lord!

"We offer to to you, Creator, Redeemer, Spirit of Love - all thanks and praise...now and forever. Amen." ~ Creative Communications for the Parish, 1996

The little note then suggests that after the meal, you give a blessing "God of all grace", "Our lives are filled with blessings, even as our stomachs are filled with food..." Praise him and thank him humbly. Ask to be made fit to work for the kingdom. Ask to be enlivened by the Holy Spirit. Asked to be taught!

This lovely note for Thanksgiving, challenges the reader at the end, to create ones own litany of thanks from A-Z. I will be back later today to share what we came up!

Enjoy your special celebration, for you who live in the US. Whatever you do, how ever you celebrate, I hope you will take time to name your blessings and praise the Lord for them! For you who are from other countries, why not take a moment today with your own family, list your blessings from A-Z. It will change your focus and your heart. It is right and good to be thankful everyday.

Thanks to my mother for teaching me the joy naming my blessings, and speaking regularly with my God. I have carried this tradition on, and I hope to see my grandchildren one day do the same.

Free Advent Unit Studies-My Gift to You

2011-11-19T11:16:00.022-05:00

I am spending my morning listening to beautiful music and planning for Advent Lesson Plans. I wanted to share some old favorites and some new finds with you. You may find one that you want to use, or maybe you will glean ideas from several and make your own. The important thing is to not let the Advent Season pass by. Every year our Advent studies have been the highlight of the year for my children. It is something they look forward to. It has always been a time of renewal and revival in our home as we place our focus, our minds, our hearts in the right place.
Our focus also shifts even more towards family time and traditions. I hope you will pray and consider how Advent studies might fit into your Homeschool schedule this year. Below are some links to get you started. Also be sure and check out my post on "Time for the Advent Basket".

"In My Heart and Home" has this integrated literature Advent Unit Study using the literature of Tomie de Paola. We used this as a guide last year and really enjoyed our study. This study has a Catholic bend but went well with our Methodist Church's activities that year. We enjoyed learning more about our Catholic brothers and sisters in the process.

Before you get too overwhelmed consider these peaceful suggestions from "A Holy Experience". This post written a few years back by Ann Voskamp is always a good place to stop by, to be sure you have not lost your own focus while trying to plan a return to focus for your family! Yes, read the article now, take a deep breath and just pray about what HE would have you do this Advent Season. Then let Him guide you through the remainder of the links as you search for what is right for your family and home. Ann also shares about a Christmas when everything changed as a child pondered, "What does Jesus get for Christmas?" Read this inspiring story.

Day 2 of writing this post, days later: I continue to search for things God may want to add in to our plans as we focus on Him this Advent/Christmas season. Just yesterday we spent the day giving thanks and counting our blessings. We ate a feast representing the bounty of what He hath provided even during a year of mostly unemployment, and then working in a slow economy. While others rush for gifts today, I like to think of this as Faithful Friday, not Black Friday. I spend the day thinking of the gifts he has blessed me with, thanking him for them, and asking how I might use them in the days ahead. I look for gifts that He may bring my way today. Opportunities He may grant to both give and receive.I share a few finds with you:

Teacher Mom shares this Advent Calendar. She also shares many Advent related links and includes a DVD list, and some other related unit studies.

Picture from 2008 titled our Viking Roots.

Ann Voskamp's Holy Experience site mentioned earlier, also offers this beautiful Jesse Tree study for free!

This site, All Free Christmas Crafts, offers an overwhelming amount of free crafts and ideas including for Advent! I had to sign up to receive free newsletter via email before being able to browse the site. My daughter has also signed up, and neither of us as regretted the decision.

Here is a free study also from Teacher Mom that covers the stories of favorite Christmas Stories and Hymns. We did this unit one year and created a notebook as a keepsake of our study. Being a family whose head is a Music Minister, this study was embraced. We found it interesting and easy to fit into our busy holiday schedule. The children still mention this study with fondness. They will bring up the trivia they know about a carol when they first here it each holiday season. They say they probably will do this the rest of their lives which may be annoying to some people, "Thanks mom", I hear! Ho ho ho!

This one from Teacher Mom covers the Celebrations around the World. This is another one we have done and we all adored it! We would immerse ourselves in the country whose celebration we were studying usually for two or three days. We would try recipes, read stories and learn their customs. A trip to Epcot's Christmas Around the World wrapped up that study and sealed perfectly all we had learned. Our children never have forgotten the information learned that holiday Season.

Another favorite, and the last I will share today is "Names of Jesus" Unit Study, by EasyFunSchool. Again, we made memory notebooks with our study that year. I remember how Holy that season truly felt. I have always contributed it to the study and the sheer focus it gave us on our gift Jesus. It changed our hearts forever. My parents were visiting that year and they were so elated as the children shared their notebooks and all they learned about their Saviour. We included the Jesse Tree study with this one, which also focused us, but I wish we had done them separately. I am going back and doing them separately with my son.

Taking a break from your regular routine and doing a unit study during the holiday season can greatly bless and enrich your experience together as a family. The above pictures are from that Epcot field trip mentioned above under "Christmas Around the World". May you enjoy the rest of this Faithful Friday!

LIVE ABUNDANTLY!

Time for Advent Basket

2011-11-18T19:37:00.007-05:00

Preparing for Advent this weekend as we also finish up preps and plans for Thanksgiving week. Our church, New Horizon Church, is a Methodist congregation and we are starting the Advent Season on Sunday, Nov. 27.

Here is the schedule of services for those readers who are in Central Florida.
Advent and Christmas Worship Schedules and Locations
Sunday, November 27 – 9:30am and 11am – Davenport Campus
Sunday, December 4 – 9:30am and 11 am – Davenport Campus
Sunday December 11 – 9:30am and 11am – Haines City Campus
Sunday, December 18 – 9:30am and 11am – Haines City Campus
Saturday, December 24 – Christmas Eve Services
Five14 Emerging Worship Service – 5:14pm – Davenport Campus
Traditional Communion and Candlelight Service – 7pm – Davenport Campus
Sunday, December 25 – 11am – Haines City Campus

Our church sent daily prayer calendars to all members. We will be using this as our guide at home and as our homeschool studies over the coming weeks. I am taking a basket and dubbing it our Advent Basket. I plan to add some pretty ribbon. Inside the basket will be a Bible, our Daily Advent Prayer Calendar, our bag for collecting change(more on this in a moment), library books and videos, related worksheets, pencils, and crayons. We also will have a wreath with the candles to be lit each Sunday just as at church.

With our Prayer Sheet from church, each week will have a focus:
1. Focus: Proclaimers
2. Focus: Working Poor
3. Focus: Single Mothers
4. Focus: Faithful Fathers
5. Focus: Vulnerable Children

Each week has related scripture and focused prayers. On the last day of each week, we are instructed to reflect. Discussion questions are included. One could design your own spiritual Advent study using this as a guide. If you would like a full copy of this study, visit New Horizon Church - a Methodist Congregation for you own free copy. Please be aware we are still building this new website.

As I mentioned we will also be collecting our loose change in a special linen sack. During the season of Advent we as a church are invited to support a special mission initiative to support our food pantry and House Blest Ministries. One hundred percent of the gifts collected and given in specially marked Advent envelopes will be used in ministry with persons, that our church has covered with prayer, during this season through the purchase of food and blankets for cold winter nights. We are asked to pray and give as led. We are also asked, and so I ask you my readers, to be in prayer asking God to grow your understanding and love for our brothers and sisters in Christ during this Advent season.

I will be doing some more posts on Advent Studies and Christmas Studies, both secular and religious. Be sure and keep in touch with us!

Review: "We Gather Together" by Hal and Melanie Young

2011-11-16T11:15:00.007-05:00

Thanksgiving is just a week ahead. Are you looking for some recipes, ideas and easy lesson plans for the week? Possibly you are looking for old and new traditions. I have had the wonderful pleasure of reading through "We Gather Together - Sanity and Celebration at Thanksgiving" by Hal and Melanie Young. The same authors who gave the world "Raising Real Men"!

We look forward to implementing this study and many of the ideas next week. The Introduction grabs you right away asking "Why do we celebrate?", and encouraging you to "Grasp the Opportunity". The authors did a great job answering who the Pilgrims were, really, and "Why are they so important?".

As you begin taking a look through the "Readings from History and Literature", you may notice as I did, two things different about this download than some others I have received. This one uses selections from real Historical Documents and the pictures are magnificent, lending themselves to great picture studies.Through the readings the family can take a historical look at why we celebrate next Thursday.
Your family will understand the foundation of the celebration. This is important to teach so that it may be passed onto future generations and not lost. Together read the proclamations by Bradford, later Washington, and later Lincoln.

Wonderful traditions are shared throughout the study. Maybe you will find one you want to make your own. I am sure you may find even more. Traditions like "Five Kernels of Corn", "The Thanksgiving Tree" and others can be found in this rich
study.Being a Music Minister's family, we were thrilled to see traditional Thanksgiving Hymns shared as well. Do not like to sing? Several of these make great readings, or lend themselves to a poetry type presentation.

Oh yes, there is even more! The Young Family has included an entire menu for a Thanksgiving Feast with recipes included! Pictures are included too! Now anyone can take a try at a traditional Thanksgiving dish. Of course, from your readings you will know I mean modern traditions!

Oh, but it does not stop there! Also included are printable forms to plan a cooking schedule and a shopping list! The title does mention sanity, and these forms will surely help keep things organized. A suggested order of events for the great feast is then shared. I think the order flows wonderfully.Grandpa and Grandma, Aunts and Uncles will surely be impressed should you have them visiting. Here at our home, it will just be my husband and I, and our son. Other family, our daughter and her husband, are unable to attend this year. So, we are going to take the suggestions and tweak them a bit for our small gathering. We will still be including our traditions and some of these new ideas from the Young's. Yes, we are still having a full feast. Some traditions do not stop just because the crowd dwindles.

I am sure you will find this study a worthy addition to your plans for next week. Not only will your children learn while preparing for the holiday, but Mom and Dad will have some help. This downloadable E-Book is 66 pgs. and retails for $15 but is on sale at an Introductory Price of $7.50. A treasure worth far more! A fantastic Biblical Family Resource! Visit this website link for more information.

*I was given a free copy of this E-Book for my honest review.

Gratitude for a Living Love

2011-11-15T17:29:00.006-05:00

Today I viewed a video my daughter posted. It touched me so. I paused and thanked God for my husband and son, for both these men take time everyday to let me know how special I am to them. They and I realize what a gift every day is from our Father. Each day holds so many possibilities. We serve a God that can do anything He chooses, there is no end to His love. My men make each day special in some way for me. They daily tell me they love me, but that is not enough. They moment by moment live out their love for me. I am so truly blessed to get a glimpse of the Father's love for us through the way my men love me despite my weakness. By the way they show their love, live their love, and share their love. I am blessed because they believe me. I wander if we, each of us, can say we do the same?

I share this video with you, and hope it speaks to you in some way.

I am thankful for "living love". I shared this today as part of the Gratitude Challenge hosted by Brenda at Garden of Learning.

2011-11-14T17:16:00.005-05:00

Charlotte Mason Helper from Living Books Curriculum

This is amazing news: Living Books curriculum is extending their one-of-a-kind sale of $386 worth of online books, articles and audios for just $27! Even better, the sale proceeds go towards helping the Carrol's educate children in Nigeria. What a blessing! This CM Helper Package will help answer questions, encourage you, and provide you with wonderful lessons. Imagine having your own library of living books.

Do you want to homeschool using the Charlotte Mason method, but are unsure how?
Are you on a tight budget and wonder how you can gather the resources you need?

Living Books Curriculum has a solution that will help you and help them minister!

Would you like your own library of living books, guides and MP3s to help homeschool with Charlotte Mason’s timeless methods? Living Books Curriculum and a few of our friends have put together a big collection of e-books and audios that can be downloaded and read online or printed.

These are simply some of the best books there are.

With these materials, a good printer and access to a computer, anyone can educate their children with CM and living books. You will get fifty-four materials in all! Remember this truly is worth $386. Friends of the Carroll's, like Felice Gerwitz of Ultimate Homeschool Expo and Jim Erskine of Homeschool Feebie of the Day, Cindy Rushton, and others, all contributed to make this happen. There are some materials that no one has seen yet.

Why are they doing this, you ask?

Sheila Carroll shared this,

" Living Books Curriculum exists to support our work of education and discipleship in Africa. We have seven schools so far and have trained hundreds of teachers in the CM method beyond that. We are a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. 100% of the proceeds of LBC go toward this work.

In November we go to Nigeria to visit four of our village schools and do teacher training. What began as a pretty straightforward trip for us is turning into something amazing. You can read more about it HERE.

We need to raise extra funds to cover discipleship outreach and bless the teachers with educational materials and food and accommodations for the journey to come to us to learn. "

Every penny goes towards the ministry fund!

No worry about junk files or blank pages. These downloads are formatted and many have beautiful pictures you have the right to expect. These are worthy books as Ms. Mason would have expected herself. Want to know what all comes in the package? Visit the CM Helper link for all the information you need to take advantage of this amazing offer. I think we all have just been given a wonderful Holiday gift!

** I have not received any pay or free products for this post. I am simply sharing a wonderful offer that I too plan to partake in. I am sharing for my online friends Sharon and Jim Carroll who I have had the honor of praying for and supporting their ministry for a few years now. I wholeheartedly believe in what they are doing. May God bless them in the days ahead.**

Gratitude Challenge - Nov.11

2011-11-11T16:15:00.005-05:00

I wanted to be sure and get this posted before you forgot all about the first post about last weeks date night with my husband! As you may recall we went to a concert under the stars, at Historic Bok Tower Gardens in Florida. This evening was a gift from work. Bok Tower Gardens is a National Landmark. The concert was the "Sunset & Symphony" concert. This is an annual event at the Gardens.

Bok Tower Gardens offers membership or daily tickets can be purchased. They have many events. Some are perfect for adding to your homeschool yearly agenda. Here is a link to their exciting calendar of events. There were specific family events for 2011: "Naturally Creepy Trick or Treating", "Sunset & Symphony", "Star Gaze: Intro to the Night Sky", and "Christmas at Bok Tower Gardens". You can find more on these annual family events at their website.

At the "Sunset & Symphony" event that we attended, there were so many things to enjoy. We missed alot because of the late notice we received about attending. During the early evening they had a pre-show featuring ZEROtaiko. We have seen similar performances. We were disappointed that we missed this. There was also an Instrument Petting Zoo where families could learn about and play instruments used in the orchestra. They had a tent set up for refreshments called, "Hilltop Cafe". As I had shared, there were many attendees with picnic baskets. We would learn that this is the normal and expected as they have a 'Picnic Contest'. The lovely Tower & Garden Gift Shop and Visitor Center was open. This is where I had viewed the beautiful art display.

Our Conductor for the lovely evening was German Conductor Dirk Meyer. Lovely selections were sang by Fernado Varela. The theme of the evenings music was "Around the World". A few of my favorite selections were "From Sea to Shining Sea", "Pirates of the Caribbean", "Country Gardens", and "American in Paris Suite".

I am very thankful that I got to enjoy a night of beautiful music with my husband, an Opera Singer and Director himself. I am thankful for MUSIC! It speaks our emotions, lifts our souls, stir our passion, and can take us to the feet of our King.

Today's gratitude cannot end without also thanking our Veterans and currently serving soldiers. Freedom is not free. We thank you for your service and for our freedom!

Gratitude Challenge - It is an Upper

2011-11-09T15:39:00.007-05:00

Gratitude is such an 'upper'. If you can, in the middle of your darkest days, think of one thing that makes you smile. That smile shines a light and before you know it your mind is sending happiness through your body, more good things come to mind. Before long, light pushes the darkness away and you are able to find your way once again. Yesterday I listed ten silly little pleasures in life that make me smile. Today, I think I shall once again. If anything, you will know me better. Maybe it will make you think of even the smallest thing in a day, or a memory from last month. Maybe, just maybe, then you will smile.

1) The Disney Parks and Resorts

2) Viewing Art, no matter the medium

3) Cinnamon Rolls

4) Going for a 'drive' with my family.

5) Family "Pizza and a Movie" Night

6) My daughter's phone calls

7) My husband telling me how amazing I am, over the phone! Such a flirt, lol.

8) My son's hugs

9) Disney/Pixar Films

10) Concerts under the stars

Gratitude Challenge - Pleasures

2011-11-08T18:06:00.000-05:00

Day eight of the 2011 Gratitude Challenge over at Garden of Learning! Thankful to be a part of it, I have enjoyed sharing some of the things I am thankful for. Having a grateful heart daily is something we all should strive for. Tune into tomorrow for 'the rest of the story' about last weeks date night! Tonight, before I head off the computer to spend some time with my lovely family (Loaded Nacho Night) , I am going to share ten pleasures in my life that make me happy. Sometimes it is just the simple things in life. These are in no particular order.1. Charlie Brown Specials2. Reese Cups3. Butterflies4. Winnie the Pooh5. Coke - icy cold6. Mickey Mouse7. ABC Family Channel's 25 Days of Christmas8. Hallmark Channel9. Southern Iced Tea10. Fireworks

Nominated!

2011-11-07T11:27:00.001-05:00

What a lovely way to start the week. I happened to see, by chance, that this blog was nominated for "Best Encourager" at the 7th Annual Homeschool Blog Awards at The Homeschool Post. I am humbled and thankful. Encouragement is my priority for sharing my story here at There Is Hope. I hope you will take some time over the coming days (voting will take awhile) and choose your favorites in each category. I hope you will take some time to browse the posts here and consider us when choosing "Best Encourager". Thank you for your time and consideration! Have FUN browsing!

Gratitude Challenge - A Date

2011-11-06T16:52:00.001-05:00

The phone rang Sat. night. I was surprised to hear my husband on the other end. He has been working long hours and seven days a week since our daughter's wedding. He was not scheduled to come home for a few more hours. He proceeds to tell me that he had been called into a manager's office at his sales job. My heart sped up and my tummy turned into knots. I was thinking "Here we go again. Another layoff." He asks if I would like him to come home early. Of course, but I also want him to make sales and I sure do not want any bad news.

Surprise! He was calling to see if I would like to go on a date. Who wouldn't? He had been given two free tickets to hear the Orlando Philharmonic at the Bok Tower Gardens in Central Florida. We also could stop by the Ledger News Tent to let them know we were there, and get a few refreshments. I had forty minutes to get ready. So of course, I did, and was as giddy as a teen, 20-something, or 30-something when he used to pull the same surprises! Yes, I am blessed. I am grateful too! We ran through a drive-through and got us a sandwich laughing that some things never change. After our wedding we rushed to wash our car, (the guys had got shaving cream on the paint - a big no-no to my new hubby) then we ran through a McDonald's drive-thru because we were famished. On this night though it was a different choice and our favorite mushroom burgers. We were however, hungry and rushing yet again. So how did I get off on food? Anyway, as we were turning in between two orange groves, we realized what a crowd there would be. We parked with no problems. My gallant husband unpacked the trunk piecing together my amazing pink wheelchair. Once again, this chair would allow me to enjoy the beautiful splendor of nature, music and time with my husband. He left the tippers off, tilted me and away we went over hill and dale. People smiled and were gracious. Others laughed as they climbed onto shuttles while my husband, looking quite dashing, just marched on forward. We stopped at the lovely visitor center to take a breath. I enjoyed the beautiful art exhibit that used paper collage, much of it music, painted over, creating marvelous scenes of nature. One favorite was of a child being handed a daisy. It reminded me of our daughter. Another two had butterfly scenes, and many know my love of butterflies. Time to march onward. Back I go into a tilted position. My thoughts turned to being glad I was wearing a long skirt and tights, and that I had brought a sweater. Finally, we reached the top of the hill. We looked out among the mass of people. People were on blankets, in chairs. They had tables set with wine, candles, food. I loved admiring all the beautiful picnic baskets. We stood in amazement, and a little disbelief for we had not thought to bring any of that. We were just so excited to hear great music and go on a date! We found the tent we were to stop by, said our hello's and grabed two cola's for us. I already had the sweater on, it was chilly. After trying three spots, my husband walks away and then comes back announcing, "I have the spot I want to go to." Back I go again. He informs me that he hopes he can get me through the people. Mind you, many are laying on the ground. I am wandering if the man had blood loss while pushing me up the big hill? Sure enough though he weaves me here and there, under tree canopies and Spanish moss. We come to a clearing and look South. We can see so very far. It is beautiful as the sun is starting to lower in the sky. We came to a spot with a couple a few feet behind, and one in front but for the most part this area feels nice. We are under a huge tree. I could not get over the size of the trunk. It hangs over and some Spanish moss hangs from it. It is a beautiful tree. I am imagining the stories it could tell. Tonight it would gather another. There was a bench under the tree. It was a beautiful iron bench with a bird plaque on it. Someone had donated this bench in memory of someone they loved. I felt honored that tonight it would make such a beautiful memory for our love story.

This is part one of a story, our story, that will be shared as part of the 2011 Gratitude Challenge hosted by Brenda at Garden of Learning.

Gratitude: Men in My Life

2011-11-04T18:06:00.000-04:00

Gratitude Challenge: Wow! I cannot believe it is already the first Friday of the month. Christmas will be here before we know it. I am joining with Brenda at Garden of Learning for the 2011 Gratitude Challenge. I have been sharing daily my gratitude on Facebook, and plan to get here as often as I can to share with you. Yesterday I was so thankful for my nephew. He is a teenager and gave a whole afternoon to help my elderly parents clean their gutters and rake leaves. thirteen bags were collected that afternoon! I live far away, and even if I was close my body would not have allowed me to give in such a way. I was so very thankful for this act of kindness my nephew showed his grandparents. Today I was celebrating my gratitude for my husband. He wears many hats, works many jobs, and many hours. He is not only my provider, my protector, and all a husband should be, but also he is my caregiver. Because of my illness he has to take on a large load of what should have been my responsibilities. For many years these jobs were. My husband has taken it all on with a smile. He carries the large load with humor, love beyond words, and great character. This thankfulness did not even cover the fact how awesome of a Father he is. That will be a gratitude post for another day. I appreciate my husband! I happen to be head over heels in love with him too. We will be celebrating 23 years in 2012!

Stretching the Paycheck

2011-11-04T16:59:00.000-04:00

Decided to start writing some blog posts for my recently married daughter and her friends. Hope some others gain some wisdom from them as well. I will file them under Life Matters, Marriage Matters, and or Home Matters.

Wanted to share a few of my stretching the paycheck tips:

Many stores now offer online printable coupons to use: Target, Walmart, Walgreens, and Dollar General to name a few. Only down side was all the time I took cutting them out. It keeps your hands busy while watching a movie though. I have different containers for each store and file. Remember to note the expiration dates.I also always check the Walgreens and CVS weekly ad's first for good deals and coupons. I can often earn extra reward points which means extracare dollars each quarter, which always seem to come at the right time! Be aware though, it is always good to then compare your good deal list to sales at the local grocery store. Sometimes the great deal is even better somewhere else. Plus, many grocery store chains are now offering gas dollars. My own seventy-something Mother recently earned almost a full tank over time and had a blast turning in those *dollars* that did not come out of her wallet! "Like" your stores on Facebook. Sometimes there are exclusive deals located on their wall. Be sure and subscribe so you get the latest updates. You should always shop with a list. The deals you find will also help stock your pantry if you manage correctly. Often if I find a good bogo sale, we stockpile the free one and just consume the one we originally included in our menu plan. If we find for example a cleaning product at 3/2, we buy the three. I put one with my cleaning supplies and the other two go with the stockpile. For laundry detergent we found that one pharmacy in our area puts one brand at it's lowest price every four weeks. We buy four each time, and I have enough detergent to last a month or longer for $5. Watch the cycles! Plan ahead!Hope this helped a bit. Feel free to leave your own tips or any questions. May God continue to bless you as you build your home!~Becky/ Mama P

*** This article was featured in the finance section of "The Christian Home Magazine, Issue 36" on Nov. 7, 2011. Visit the link for more great and helpful articles from Christian homes***

2011 Gratitude Challenge

2011-11-02T14:55:00.000-04:00

Again this year, I want to join in on focusing on gratitude with Garden of Learning and the 2011 Gratitude Challenge! I have so many blessings in my life, so many things to be grateful for. Yesterday, on my FB wall, I shared how thankful I was for all my FB friends. FB has been a God-send for us because it has reconnected us with friends that we have gathered over the years and miles. It also has been a great source for family scattered over the world. Recently God has answered my prayers "to extend my boundaries" and has brought new friends from various countries and states, several who live the similar and yet diverse lifestyle of Homeschooling. Through friends new and old I am daily blessed, encouraged, stretched, and challenged. Today I celebrated the beauty of having a precious daughter. Our daughter is now grown and married. Yet, despite being busy and a newlywed, she finds time for some one on one conversation with me (Mama). For twenty years, having one on one with her was my priority. What a beautiful new season as she has become her own butterfly ,setting her course, spreading her wings. Knowing she makes a priority to speak with me, pray for me, and help me, shows me the depth of her love in a tangible way. She is expressing the love our Jesus has for us. He too longs for one on one with us, so that our relationship with him never becomes stale.May you be blessed as you visit There Is Hope Blog. I hope you too will join in on focusing on gratitude daily this month. As you do, share it with others! Praying you experience the JOY and HOPE,Becky

Tasty Brownie Recipe

2011-11-02T11:24:00.001-04:00

I am thrilled to join my good friend, Jennifer, over at her blog "A Glimpse of our Life". She is hostessing "Tasty Tuesday's" on the first Tuesday of each month. Here is a great way to gather up some wonderful recipes for the Holiday Season and beyond.

I am going to share an unhealthy recipe that is a Holiday favorite here at our household. Remember it is ok to treat yourself in small quantities once in awhile, as long as there is not a food allergy involved. You will find this recipe affordable and easy, while very rewarding. I forget where I first got the idea to do these but I started making them when my daughter, now twenty, was just three. They have been her holiday treat request every year since. RECIPE: Take one box of your favorite brownie mix and make according to directions. Before the brownies cool add some leftover peanut butter/chocolate from Halloween, or perhaps a new bag. We prefer the small sizes they came out with years after we began this. You put the candy pushed down into the brownie in the center. We found we liked the texture and slightly melted candy by sometimes sticking the brownies back into the cooling oven, turned off. We would leave it in for just a few minutes. This is optional though. Now many of you may have seen a similar recipe on the back of a popular candy. Yes, following that works too. Believe it - we were making this before they ever added it to their bags! We have also played around with various flavors of brownie mix. The Double Fudge Chocolate Brownie mix with the pb/chocolate candy was my favorite. Enjoy!

Fall Food Fun

2011-10-25T15:25:00.000-04:00

Enjoy the season with easy, fun , creative recipes. Choosing recipes, making a menu , shopping and creating a masterpiece can all be ways to incorporate food into your homeschool lessons. You will make some special memories along the way. So where can a parent turn for some easy affordable ideas? As I have told my adult daughter, ask your mom first. (wink) Mom many times has special family recipes to pass on down for the next generation. Another idea is to visit the local library. Several seasonal books tell a story and have a Fall recipe at the end, or you could always check out a *new to you* cookbook. Check your own library of cookbooks or online. I am listing a few favorite links where we will be pulling ideas from. Enjoy and cook up a bit of Fall!****Dollar General Easy Recipes for Halloween****Family Fun ****Great ideas from Kraft Recipes****Lots of fun at Activity Village ****Lastly, I am finding some great deals for our Fall Party at local pharmacies! I have found treats, toys, pencils, decor, bowls and serving trays, gift bags, and more. Check pharmacies/drug stores near you. In early Nov. watch for closeout prices and stock up for future years. With a little creativity and fun, you can have a wonderful time celebrating Fall.

Don't Give Up (Motivation)

2011-08-13T15:49:00.010-04:00

"Don't give up , just go on" , in a singing voice this is the message we often share between us in our home. Our minds always reverting back to a Blue Clues video that our son watched a zillion times (Ok, maybe not that many) . Steve and Blue really brought home the message of not giving up to our family, of course we always were a family who tried to rise above. (For more on that story read our "Miracle Week" Posts. Here is a link to the last in the series : Miracle Week Cont. )

As many start a new school year we look forward with excitement, and a little concern usually. "What are some ways we can motivate our students?" , asked one Mother. To many mothers, here are a few ideas from my own experience. I hope you will visit us again often and read about ways we have overcome, climbed those mountains, and did not give up! Maybe you will find ways you can too!

First, Mom take a breath! You need to take a step back . If possible, put this subject to the side for a bit, or go back a chapter, just step back. I would then go to prayer for guidance. I seek daily for wisdom to see the BIG picture and to know the best way I can encourage and grow this amazing child. My biggest advice is for neither you nor your child to give up on mastering a subject. I had one student struggle with reading for years. However, once he had mastered a firm foundation, through repeated practice, that child advanced several grade levels in reading all in just one year! It was on his own timing. He ended up embracing reading not hating it. I think that was because we would not let him give up. He kept getting back up and trying again. A lesson that crossed boundaries and impacted all of life.

Often, it only took repeated practice and so I would offer rewards for hard work and consistent training. An athlete does, so why not a student? I also found that often it was I who needed to change my approach in teaching the subject. Maybe I needed to make something more Hands-On, or a video worked better than just reading a text. Sometimes I just needed to offer something that was more visually appealing or centered around a passion. We might add in some music or a field trip. We try to make everyday a little different. Create an atmosphere for family life long learning and make learning fun!

Everyday, we also needed encouragement! All of us did! By focusing on the positive growth while pointing out the errors, the child grew in confidence and was soon spotting errors on his own. Before long the child was encouraging me and others as he learned that it is a gift we all need. These are just a few tips to encourage you to keep on encouraging and running your race. Best wishes!

Wacky Wednesday

2011-07-06T13:22:00.010-04:00

Whooo hooo, it is sizzling and July! This means Daddy has a little more free time on Wednesday's and we can have a little more wacky fun! Every summer we get so icky by the time the middle of the week comes around, so we have always planned a little far out fun to reboot. This summer has been more challenging due to layoff's, gas prices, economy, health, and the loss of free movies. The majority of mother's are having to get a little more creative! It is really no problem thanks to all the great ideas on the web. Some theaters in the nation still are doing our beloved summer free movie festival. Also, check your library! I found out that ours is using the community center for special programs on Wednesday mornings. This week was one on reptiles.

So what are we doing today? Well...sigh...unpacking, and trying to get over some virus. (pout face on) Our son though has plenty of wacky options: His friends have been coming up with some games and fun pretend play today. We are going hunting for dirt cheap shorts and shoes for camp, so he can have fun and not worry if something is ruined or torn.Our fantastic youth minister has planned a summer full of wacky fun on Wednesday afternoons and evenings. A girl after my own heart! Each week the youth will serve the community in some way for the afternoon, and then have some wacky fun afterwards. This afternoon, teens will serve for two hours at our food and clothing house called House Blest. They help to stock and the older ones help with distribution. Afterwards, the youth are having a Pizza and Slip/Slide party. FUN! You could easily adapt such an idea to your own family. Think of an act of kindness you could do together, and then plan something fun afterwards. Plan to repeat the process each Wednesday for a month. BTW, the picture above is from a youth "Get Gross" party recently. That's my amazing son on the ground, yes, having ketchup poured in his mouth! The one below is also from the party night. WACKY!

Go as extreme or simple as you want, but plan ahead and take time weekly to just reboot, and most of all, do it together! Do something that is out of your comfort zone or something new. Do something gross, or just as wacky as you can imagine!Celebrate life and embrace WACKY WEDNESDAY'S!

In all my wackiness,
Becky

Twisted Thursday Summer Fun

2011-06-30T21:59:00.005-04:00

Back in May, I suggested you take Thursday's for some fun Summer Twisted Thursday's, focusing on Science these days. Today, Dad announced that we are going to start producing our own worms. Yes, a worm farm! This is so the 'men' can have bait for fishing. I plan to see what else the little critters might be useful for.Remember, we are a family who had lost their small town roots but are trying to relearn them and some self-sustaining knowledge that we lost over the years. So, we are quite excited about Dad's announcement! Seems he has a friend who is going to guide us in our science endeavors over the rest of the summer.

My men are also going to learn how to take all those fish they have been catching and determine if they could serve a meal or two. They are going to learn how to clean, store, and cook the fish that are safe to eat. They have been learning over the past year, many of the names of various catches. They have also learned a lot about alligators. Let me just quickly add that these learning trips with Dad and a dear friend, have also expanded to Philosophy, History, Applied Math and Life Skills. Our son says these were the times he felt he learned the most, and enjoyed the most. Try and think of a family project that your child might do with Dad, and/or another godly man. You will be glad you did!

Back to our Worm Project: We need to get a large plastic bucket with a lid. We need to set a time to go visit our friend for our first lesson. I also found some websites with free 'extras' for learning that I might throw in on Thursday's. Fun!
More worm adventures ahead!

Here is one link on all things worms!

Make Memories and have some Twisted Thursday's!
Becky

Roman's Study: Written On Our Hearts

2011-06-30T21:05:00.007-04:00

This Thursday let us return to Chapter Two of Romans. Verses one through sixteen to discuss "God's Judgment of Sin". It starts out, however, warning us of judging others. This is a problem my own family has been experiencing from others upon us. It is a warning that we do not take lightly and work hard to not partake in ourselves. Yet we too sin.

"You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God's judgment when you do the same things?" Romans 2:1-3

I am guilty myself of catching myself judging, how about you? Here are verses for us really to think upon. Thankfully, as we confess this sin to our Father, he forgives and forgets. We should be offering that same kind of love to those who we think may be doing wrong. I remember often hearing as a child, "Love the sinner, hate the sin." It always seemed like such a cop-out to me. However, as I grew as a child of God, I realized that while the quote might have been a little annoying to me, there was a lot of truth in it.

"Don't you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can't you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?" Romans 2:4

Just as God is so patient and kind with me/you, we in turn should show the same to our fellow brothers and sisters. Through acts of kindness we can show the love and kindness that we were given when God rescued us from a life without hope. We can stop our stone throwing, our finger pointing, and reach out in love, kindness, and tolerance. It is then that we open the door for God to use us to minister to others through our actions and relations. Soon the door for sharing God's message of hope is often opened, or the spirit may prompt a time of confession. God begins a work that is beyond us but most often working in us, as well as, the person we felt tempted to condemn. That is just how much He loves us!

We all shall have times of wrestling with sin. Our actions on that temptation reflect on our walk with Christ. Does your own conscience and thoughts accuse you, or tell you what is right in a situation? It is not enough to just read, know or listen to his law. It is through obeying the word, applying to every second of life that makes us right with our God. Does your day to day life reflect a heart that has God's word written all over it?

"And this is the message I proclaim - that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone's secret life."(Romans 2:16)

May you have abundant life in Christ!
Blessings upon you,
Becky

** I used the Holy Bible, New Living Translation for sharing with you today.**

A New Day

2011-06-28T14:26:00.004-04:00

Hello Blogger friends!You have been on my heart and in my thoughts. What a May/June we have had. How about you? My family needed my time and attention as did my own body and soul. This meant something had to be laid aside, and that was blogging and computer time. We are slowly getting into a new groove though, so we will see what the new day holds.

We are becoming more and more aware of the beauty and gift of each new day! I hope you and your family are embracing the summer and celebrating each day God grants you. We have been growing and learning. We have started a new phase of life, moved to a new place, met new friends, and God is introducing new things daily! It has been such such a beautiful and yet hard time, as growth is.

As we begin July, we of course start with a BANG! What are you doing for the fourth? Have any great resources or ideas to share? Go and leave your ideas or links at our FB page or right here! It is so fun to share with one another, it is really a blessing. We are planning to head to the big celebration "Thunder on The Ridge". With music, family games, crafts, food and fireworks, it is sure to be a day of memories.

We have a lot we want to share with you from our summer. We figure eventually we will have some rainy days and can catch you up a bit on the great resources that have passed Mom's desk, things we have done, and things we are learning. I cannot wait to share with you about God's faithfulness to see us through our darkest nights. Thank you for your patience, and I do hope you will stop back by every now and then. I hope in some way that every time you visit "There Is Hope Blog" you leave with a renewed mind and heart. God bless you and have a fantastic July!

The Pennington Manual of Style

2011-06-28T14:17:00.001-04:00

The Pennington Manual of Style: "The Pennington Manual of Style"

What a great deal from CurrClick and Pennington Publishing! To learn more about "The Pennington Manual of Style", go and check out the information shared at CurrClick. A sample page is also available. We will be downloading this product and using it as a guide this year along with our writing curriculum. How will you use this free offer? A BIG thank you to CurrClick for once again bringing us another great deal on a very helpful product.

Thursday's Study of Paul's Letter - GRACE

2011-06-09T11:53:00.011-04:00

Today we can finally begin to move forward in our study of the book of Romans. Paul's letters lead us in some basic truths of the faith. I had suggested you read Chapter's one and two to prepare for these discussions. I wrote some opening posts to help you understand the background of this book. If you have not yet read those, please do. You can find them in my archives.

Ok, let's discuss Chapter One of the Book of Romans. Because this book is a letter by Paul, the apostle, the first seven verses are his greeting. Paul lists his credentials and describes himself as a servant of the Most High God, set apart by a calling on his life. He was a gospel preacher and a missionary to the Gentiles. He shares about his Christ.

Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name. (Romans 1:5)

Are you longing to see God's hand in your life? Are you feeling weak and helpless? Ask Him for His grace! It is free and He waits for his child to ask for it. As He pours out his grace you will sense his supernatural empowerment. This new effectiveness in your life is to be shared and enables you to "spread faith" through love, mercy and sharing the Grace so freely given to you. A gift so undeserving by any human. Grace is an attribute of our God. It, combined with mercy, is a love so enormous that we has his children often do not fully embrace it. Pray today - Praise Him, thank him, and ask for a refreshing new outpouring of God's amazing grace. Then open your heart and freely accept this love that will empower you to face anything that each day brings. You will have a new hope that will guide your every step. You will face life and its blessings in a new way. Go forth and spread the spread the good news as Paul did in chapter One! There is a freebie that beats any other offer on the web!

"For I am not ashamed of the Good News about Christ." (Romans 1:16)

Resources used:
* Hope Bible for Today printed by Free Press
* Willmington's Complete Guide to Bible Knowledge / New Testament Survey

**Please note that we are in the middle of lots of changes including another move, and recently had a computer crash. I will do my best to consistently post Thursday's studies. For next week, continue to ponder on Chapter 1 and 2. Thank you and I hope this look at Paul's letter to each of us, will be one that empowers you to embrace each new day! My God's grace is what carries us through each trial and adventure.
It is a large part of our HOPE! God bless each of you on your walk.**

Wacky Wednesday's Return

2011-06-08T22:54:00.003-04:00

A summer tradition here at this blog and in our home is "Wacky Wed." Years ago
we found that by Wednesday we need a break and renewal time. Our family serves
at churches on Sundays, and with Dad working two or three jobs over the years, Wednesday became our day to enjoy living! We celebrate our family and our quirkiness. You could do the same on any day that works best for your family.
A day when Mom and Dad can take a good chunk of time to be with all the family.
If you have teens or adult children at home, discuss a schedule with them so
that through the week they also are a part of these family times. This creates
a lasting bond, and I am speaking from experience.

On Wednesday's I try to have something planned that is a little off from regular routine. We aim to laugh and release each Wacky Wednesday. This week I planned
to have us make a marble maze using odds and ends I have been collecting over
the past school year. We have all sizes of tubes and pringle cans. The idea
started with my son remembering one of his favorite childhood toys being a
plastic marble maze I had earned from a work at home job. We passed it on
to another young child once my son had outgrown his. A few days after him
sharing his memory, I saw an idea for making a homemade one. So, we started on
our project today to see if we really can make one just as good. We tend to
not be a crafty family, so this will be interesting. Usually we do not start
long-term projects on Wednesdays, but we thought, "Why not?". We have had a few wacky weeks lately, and just found out yesterday that we must move in one week!
So more time today was spent making the best of our situation, being creative in packing up quickly and turning our whole unsure future into a great adventure.
We just know that God has us in His hands. He has never failed us. He is doing a
new thing, and we are so excited to see what we will have to share with the world
in the weeks to come! Many life changes are happening, and our tradition to take some time to laugh will be just what we need in the weeks ahead. I hope you
will return in the weeks to come and enjoy us sharing our fun activities. Maybe we
will inspire you to do the same. We do hope you will share them with us.

Lastly, be sure and check your local theaters for some wacky fun! Lot's of them are offering free, one dollar, or discounted showings of several children's films. These are usually showed on Tuesday and Wednesday's during the summer. We have enjoyed this inexpensive activity for eleven summers! It is a fun and great memory my children have of our summers. Sometimes we would take blankies or pillows, or maybe some homemade popcorn! It was even more fun when we should share these outings
with other Mom's and their children. We would often see the movie and then have a
picnic before nap time, during which I would read-aloud until the children fell asleep. I would have some fun activity for the evening to wrap up our Wacky day.
I had to get more creative the older they got, but we plan to continue this
routine even with the grandchildren one day. It just works!

Manic Math Monday

2011-06-06T21:33:00.004-04:00

Summer has unofficially started and we are relaxing and chilling out but inside as it is hot here but even more hot north of us! It has been a bit manic with the heat which greatly effects a dysautonomia patients body. I am still healing from the the last body crises, so for today's Math Monday activities I planned a few options. My guys chose a puzzle/logic XBox game to work on together (Dad and teen son). We got this from a free trial at Gamefly. We are so far enjoying the Gamefly experience and will be posting a review on this after a few weeks of using the service. The boys are also really enjoying this challenging game but are glad they did not spend money to buy it. You can find all kinds of Logic and Math games now available on both electronic, PC and board games.

For next weeks Math Monday we will be taking a look into the world of Tangrams. Research before next Monday and you will find several free websites that share the history behind these logic puzzles but also some have free puzzles. One good safe site is from PBS's Cyberchase on the topic TANGRAMS. Have fun with Math activties this summer!

Summer Fun Schedule For YOU

2011-05-25T16:29:00.011-04:00

Hello dear friends! Are you ready for summer? I have always loved summer despite that my body does not too much. My spirit sure soars during this time of year. However, I have a very bored 13 year old son. Yes, already! We ended school early in May. I knew boredom would happen, and knowing I might be down on bedrest, I planned out activities, one or two a day. I want to share these with you in case you too have a need and are looking for ideas.

The plan is to daily share what occurs on our summer journey and to give you ideas for the following week in case you want to plan something. Below I share a link for a FREE summer fun calendar from Amanda Bennett! This is a great place to gather ideas. I also share our daily blog schedule so you have a heads up of what will be coming this summer at There Is Hope Blog! I hope you will join us. Please come back and share so we can go and see about your own journey!

You do NOT want to miss out on Amanda Bennett's FREE Summer fun click HERE!

SUMMER 2011 BLOG SCHEDULE: LORD WILLING
Remember each main blog focus will be for the following week's plans. Also remember that my health status can change in minutes so nothing is ever for sure. I am a planner though, so on we plan:

Monday - Mathematical Monday's and sharing any fun activities we have done that day.

Tuesday - Tantalizing Recipes to cook together! We will also share any special activities from our day.

Wednesday - Wacky Wed. will return for a third summer to There Is Hope! This is when we share ideas for wacky fun activities to do together. Of course, we will also share any other ideas or things we do.

Thursday - Twisted Thursday's which we will share science fun. The goal is to have such fun it never dawns on my son that we are learning! We will continue to share. Also on Thursday's we will share devotions from the Book of Romans, in God's Holy Word.

Friday - Family Friday's which we focus on family activities to enjoy over the weekend and family movie night. On Friday's we like to sum up the week and share freebies as well.

Saturday and Sunday's - These are the 'Seeking' Days when we will share ideas for seeking God in Nature, Friendships, Worship, Family and Friends. It is my hope that each weekend post will encourage you to seek Him in all things.

***You can now follow us easier than ever before through Google Reader, Blog Frog, Circle of Moms, Networked Blogs, TOS Homeschool Crew, and now a Facebook Fan Page! Find us on Facebook at There Is Hope Blog! Plug in and follow us today - we want to hear from you!

Paul's Letter - A New Blog Series

2011-05-13T14:42:00.005-04:00

The apostle Paul was writing to believing Jews and Gentiles who were a part of the church, in Rome, in AD 57, when he pinned the letter that would become the book of Romans. Romans is a book that is filled with hope and encouragement. It is one I often to turn to. I look forward to one day sitting with Paul and celebrating the fulfillment of the hope we both found on Earth, from Heaven, during our own journeys that included illness. I look forward to thanking him for being a role model of how to run the race despite the obstacles placed before you.

In this letter, Paul wrote such a clear and full explanation of the gospel, and provided such a systemic outline of the essentials of the Christian faith that scholars often refer to it as a masterpiece. It is a masterpiece that both a young and a mature believer can return to it, time and time again, always finding new treasures.

While my 'letters' may not have the impact of Paul, I could not ignore a clear call to share the treasures from within the book with my readers. I will not be going chapter by chapter but only as the Spirit leads. I hope this series of blog posts over the summer will spark discussion here and on our Facebook page, as well as, spark new hope in each of us. Please join us as we learn from Paul's letter to he church in Rome.

Join us on Facebook!

2011-05-13T14:23:00.005-04:00

Exciting news - There Is Hope can now easily be followed right on Facebook!We have created a Facebook Page! We already have forty-five followers. It has become a gathering place for women from various walks. Some are older, some younger. Some are ill, some are in the medical profession. Some homeschool, some send their children to public school and some are teachers! The diversity expands even beyond that. How beautiful this diversity is! I was encouraged in a mighty way seeing how diverse women were finding a common ground among my FB posts and blog. They feel safe in this gathering place, and for that I am humbled and challenged to serve even more in the future. It will be amazing to see where all of this leads. Won't you join us? Just hit the like button at the There Is Hope Facebook Page.

Publix PreSchool Fun - For Free

2011-05-04T20:41:00.013-04:00

Here is some information on a great free online community and site for parents, grandparents, and teachers. It is offered by the Florida grocery store chain, "Publix". An educational and entertaining site, "Preschool Pals" is an exciting new online club for preschoolers and their caregivers to explore! You can join for FREE!

What comes with membership?
(Info is from a box of Publix Cereal)
*One of a kind CD - Rom
*A cool activity book
*On birthday's you get can get prizes and birthday cards for your children
*Parents receive a quarterly newsletter
*Access to an informative, educational and entertaining website
All you need is a Home Computer and Internet access, it is all free and easy!

On the back of Publix Cereal's a family can currently meet and get to know each of the Publix Pals! Each Pal has their own job. For Example: Henna the Hen teaches Meal Planning. I think she may just be a new friend to Mom too! You and your child can learn about healthy family meal planning from Henna, together. Another example, is Pearl the Polar Bear will teach parent and child about Food Safety. Learn how to minimize contamination. Baron the St. Bernard teaches about Child Safety and even wears his own bike helmet. There are several more pals waiting to educate both parents and preschoolers. Seven lively games bring home the lessons to your preschooler. See an example of all you get with membership by visiting the website below.

As it says on my own cereal box:
What are you waiting for? Go to the website publix.com/preschool.

* I bought a box of cereal and saw this information and thought I should share it with others. I did not receive anything in return!

Destination Disney - Pin Trading

2011-04-29T17:14:00.029-04:00

This DD topic was about Pin trading at the Disney Parks and now through sites and mail! Do you collect or trade these pins? Here are our answers to these Questions:

• Do you or someone in your family collect pins?
YES! We have been gathering pins for several years.

•Where/How do you store your collection?
We have many lanyards filled to the max with pins. Most of these were collected over the four years my husband and daughter worked for the company. We also had several given to us as gifts from other cast. The lanyards all hang in our son's room. We have also been given free lanyards over the years which we use for displaying.

•Do you have a favorite pin or set of pins?
My son and husband love a pin of Goofy and Max. They got this one because it always reminds them of their own fun father/son relationship. Each pin holds memories, so I find it hard to find a favorite.

•Do you purchase pins in the parks or elsewhere?
As said early on, we purchased in the park on visits, traded on visits, or got them as gifts and hand-me down's.

•How long have you been doing pin-trading?
How did you get started?
We actually started keeping pins from visits from our first visit s a family ten years ago. I don't think we started actually using a lanyard and trading till about five years ago. I remember my husband and son picking out a starter kit, and another time my husband won a prize which was four Magical Moment lanyards! It's true -you do not realize how much you are blessed sometimes till you no longer have it or till you commit it to a written form. It was a visit with Heidi Strawser's family that resparked our interest and made us realize the value of our extensive collection of memories! Here is a picture from 2010:

Be sure and visit Heidi's Blog for more great Disney information and stories!

LEARNED SOMETHING - LOTS OF PINS AND LANYARDS BUT NO PICS OF THEM! Well, I declare! I did have a pic of my big free Birthday pin - do you count those in your collection too?

Circle of Mom's - Top 25 Homeschool Blogs

2011-04-23T08:45:00.004-04:00

Happy Easter! I hope you are having a wonderful and beautiful Easter weekend.Tomorrow morning we will be rejoicing and celebrating our risen Lord! Our prayers go out to those being effected by the violent storms this week.

Today, my husband and son are off helping out with a large Egg Hunt sponsored by our church. Three hundred hot dog's, five thousand eggs, and a bounce house are just some of what will be experienced. I am home resting up so that maybe I can get out and enjoy tomorrow. Our daughter has been gone a week now flexing her wings. she will be serving Inner City youth this summer and getting married at the end of the year. It amazes me how fast the homeschool years went with her. I am sure it will be the same with our son who is already a teen.

We hope our family and the story of our journey have been a blessing to you over the years here on blogspot. If we have, would you bless us in return? We ask that you take a moment to visit Circle of Mom's and vote for our blog! We also ask that next time you are on Facebook, check out the There Is Hope Fanpage. Take a moment and 'like' us so that you keep up on the latest encouragement and tips. Thank you and God bless!

Faith and Hope Expressed: The Hamilton Family: A Soul Surfer Journey

2011-04-22T15:45:00.003-04:00

Have a blessed Good Friday and Easter weekend:
Faith and Hope expressed from a Sister in Christ and her family:
The Hamilton Family: A Soul Surfer Journey

Lemonade Mouth by Disney Channel

2011-04-18T20:11:00.004-04:00

My 13 year old son is going around the house these days singing songs from the newly released "Lemonade Mouth" from Disney Channel. Our family watched it twice this past weekend. Even Dad was joining in on the fun! We loved it. At first I was upset and about to turn it off, but my husband suggested we watch it all the way through and discuss anything that we liked or disliked. We are glad we did. It raised many discussions and inspired all of us in some way. No foul language, and other eyebrow raisers for us, made the viewing enjoyable. Although the family did shutter as mom busted a few moves (smile) - don't worry, I did them sitting down. Which reminds me - I was so excited to see a girl student, with speaking parts, in none other than a pink wheelchair!!!! Here so many thought I was the only one. Well, you go girl!

A soundtrack will also be released and we will be enjoying that, although we all already are creating our own soundtrack of it. We have all been caught singing the songs around the house. It is going to be our summer theme I believe!

Encouragement

2011-04-15T19:34:00.003-04:00

I want to post a thank you for the many prayers and encouraging posts and mail I have received from my readers, friends and family. Until you have walked such a journey, you can not know what taking a few minutes to share some positive words can do for the runner of this race! It helps to pick up the pace per say.

Many began to realize that something was up with me the past few months. I was not ready to share and still am a little reserved to expose all the attacks I have battled in the past few months that end up effecting all of life. However, Spring has brought new hope and a new medical team player. It has called me to wake up and thank God each morning! To fight and focus on love at the same time. My faith, love and hope, my walk with my Heavenly Father, have all grown this past winter and we see new buds sprouting forth! I do not know the number of my days, but He does. I daily recall Lottie Moon and her quote ~ "I am immortal until the Lord's work for me is done."

I will continue having testing, appts. and many meds to keep straight this Spring. As I continue to let God use others to help me keep going, I will share some of my journey with you here, on FB, BlogFrog,Networked Blogs and our new FB page for this blog. I do so not for anything but to hopefully encourage others, share love and the message of my Jesus.

I challenge you to speak encouragement to yourself daily, as well as, to others. The few moments you take to do so could change or save a life! God bless each of you!

Destination Disney - All About Me

2011-04-11T22:49:00.007-04:00

First Theme Park Memory:

I remember a picture of me in a stroller. However, it was the trip to Fl when I was three and from Ohio, that I first really remember. I still have my ears from that trip! I remember seeing the castle for the first time and thinking I had the best Daddy in the world because he brought me here. I decided on that trip that I wanted to grow up and live at Disney and marry Walt! When I found he would be too old, then I said, "Well, a man like him!" So that is what I did.....

First memorable Disney trip:

The one I mentioned above in the first question or when I was five. I remember me and mom, sis too, riding "20, 000 leagues Under the Sea" and being very scared. Thankfully, the ride broke down just before I was going to be forced to get on! The wild Toad ride also scared me to death. I loved the Tiki Birds. Pirates, and Jungle Cruise back then. I was addicted to Small World! Wonder why? I know I loved the Mickey Ear Ice Cream, even back then. Boy, was I a sticky mess. We would stay from open to close. These magical vacations have stayed with me even to today. I have been so blessed to be able to share the magic with family and friends.

First Disney Resort Memory:

I remember visiting the first three (Grand Floridian, Polynesian, and the Contemporary). I found myself very jealous and I knew I should not, plus I did not want to hurt my Daddy. So, I kept it quiet and kept the dream in my heart.

Our first, with my own family, was traveling and staying at Pop Century! The kids loved it and we loved all the extra service. The pools, game rooms, and decor made all the senses heightened. We liked the refillable cup from the hotel.

Last Disney Trip:
My husband and some friends recently took me for a Disney Day. We enjoyed Magic Kingdom for a bit and then it was off to the Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot.
It was lovely way to kick off spring!

Next Disney Trip:
From now through May, I will have a chance to enjoy the Disney World Resort and Parks with several friends and family coming in for the FPEA Homeschool Convention and other vacations. I know each will be days full of laughter and fun. Great memories are to be had.

Into the Parks (Family Favorites)

MAGIC KINGDOM

Tomorrowland: - Buzz Lightyear for the family, and Space Mountain for the thrill seekers!

Fantasyland: - Philarmagic, Peter Pan, Small World

Liberty Square: Haunted Mansion

Frontierland: - Thunder and Splash Mountains - These mountains will take your breath away!

Adventureland: - Pirates of the Caribbean! Can you find Capt. Jack Sparrow? We love this classic ride and the new additions.

EPCOT

Future World Attraction:
Spaceship Earth, Test Track, Soarin', Mission Space, and visiting the Lands and Seas.

Future World Restaurant: Coral Reef

World Showcase: The whole world! I cannot pick a favorite part.

Favorite Snack:
Favorite Drink:
Favorite Meal:
Our favorite snack is churros and funnel cake. Our favorite meal is at Le Cellier in Canada. We drink water or coke. No alcohol for this family.

Favorite Animal Kingdom Attraction:
This has become a favorite park of mine. I adore the Finding Nemo Show, and Lion King! We love wheeling my chair right on a truck for a safari. I love the nature and animals. Being able to experience so many learning opportunities makes this park a great field trip destination. I am the most relaxed at this park. Sometimes, I sit and watch the monkeys while my family goes and rides. Many times children will come up and talk to me while we watch these amazing creatures. My kids like the Dinosaur Ride and I miss riding the whirly swirly roller coaster with them over in Dino Land.
I could continue, but some of the fun is finding the treasures yourself!

Favorite Hollywood Studios Attraction: Two stand out most: Toy Story and The Great Movie Ride; Show: Indiana Jones

Favorite Non-Park Restaurant:
Boatright's Dining Hall and Whispering Canyon Cafe for Casual
Ohana's for Character

Top 5 Disney animated movies (non-Pixar):
Not in any particular order:
1) Tangled
2) Beauty and the Beast
3) Lion King
4) Mulan
5) Emperor's New Groove
Oh my, it was so hard to pick our Top 5 out of 50!

Want to play along? Copy the text and insert your own answers, then go and link up at Heidi's Reviews & Reflections!

Up and running , well more shuffling....

2011-04-11T22:21:00.006-04:00

I have not been regularly blogging because of an aweful flare of my illnesses. Over this time my mind has been enlightened to be more open to new technolgical helps. I look foward to moving this blog forward and even past just being a friend/peer blog, but one that strangers, and friends of friends come and find some help in. So, please stay tuned! Be sure and 'like' our new FB page called THERE IS HOPE BLOG on FB. You will find links to my blog, as well as, more discissions over what I share.
It is a place for hope, love, faith and encouragement on your own path, while we walk the journey ahead together, realizing we are never alone! Please, do follow the blog and the blog page on FB. I think you will be blessed. New Graphics, colors and pictures/images will be filling the pages. The vibe may change a bit, bust rest assured - the message is still the same! So - follow today, like tody on FB, and then come back and let me know you did!
This is not a heavily advertised giveaway, so this time it is real easy.
I will be doing a GIVEAWAY of a full Easter Basket for Easter!
Enter now!

Destination Disney

2011-03-23T20:19:00.010-04:00

I am rejoining the fun of "Destination Disney" hosted by Heidi at
Reviews and Reflections
and myself. One of the most recent topics has been about the "Flower and Garden
Festival" at Epcot. This is one topic that I can easily share about, as we have attended the past five years. Ok, I know - we are so blessed!

Spring has officially sprung and the temps are rising, especially in Central Florida! Color is bursting in many places in the nation, even white snow. Here in Central Florida many places are green and brown. We did notice some purple wildflowers which made us smile. We are so very dry and wildfires are a threat this time of year. Thankfully we can enjoy bursts of color at Epcot's beautiful and educational Flower & Garden Festival yearly. This year's runs from March 2nd through May 15th.

What about you? Have you ever experienced this wonderful event? What was your favorite part? We always enjoy the Butterfly Exhibit. The gardens and topiaries make us ooh and ahhh. The boys just tend to glance and move on but my daughter and I soak in everything we can from the event. One year we would love to attend some of the free workshops! Below I share some of our memories. Sadly there is a tech problem and after hours of three adults working - we gave up, for now. I do hope you enjoy the images of Spring that we could get working! May you soar and share beauty and love in the coming months.

From the Butterfly Exhibit 2010.

Some fun in 2011 with daughter and future son....

Miracle Week cont.

2011-02-22T21:56:00.004-05:00

Cliffhangers can be difficult, especially when the storyteller has a very unpredictable life! I am afraid I left you hanging too long, but alas health issues once again foiled my plans. I keep wandering why i have to learn such flexibility?

Because I will be away from blogging for a few days ahead, I hope to get you through the climax of this story tonight.

As I told you last, my husband was told to leave and get a breather. Grab some food, take a shower and regroup they said. She needs to sleep and should be a out a few hours they told him. Yet, as he got to the parking lot, his pager went off. As he turned and ran back inside and to me, nurses and doctors were working on me. Sounds filled the room and people were rushing around everywhere. I kept telling them to wait for my husband. Why did they send him away? I was crying and trying to yell above the noise. My sister and Mother were allowed in and prayed with me. There was not a moment to wait. They brought in my pastor as they finished prepping me, to pray over me and bless me. From the page to being wheeled out was about five minutes which seemed like an eternity. My baby and I were dying. I had denied the epidural and asked to be put out because I knew my odds. I told them to save my son. We had been told he had not thrived well in the womb just a few hours prior. I had known this to be true despite the Doctors reassuring me for months that all was ok and I was just having anxiety. Uggh...the frustration!

Just as I was beginning to be wheeled out , my knight in shining armor ran in and to me. They told him to just kiss me - and he did. I asked for another, and then was whisked away into a surgical unit. One minute later our son was saved. He was breathing on his own as they wheeled him by his family members on the way to NICU.
My Mother said that he looked like me! They whisked him across the sky way. god had everything planned. We had moved to near Louisville just a month before we knew this child was on his way. Now, here we were in such a crisis and were just across from Kosair's Children's Hospital fully equipped to save our son! God bless them and the Shriner's! I was still in surgery. The surgeon had "accidentally" cut some organ but thankfully all was ok and I was sent to recovery.

I awoke for a second to my seventeen year old niece praying over me, holding my hand and having her face close to mine. My Sister, Mother and husband had gone across the sky way to be available for our son. My niece said, "Oh, you are awake!" This was as I asked, "Do I have a son?" She gently and barely told me what was going on. She slipped a ring on my finger for good luck, gave me a kiss and I fell back asleep.

Miracle Week cont.

2011-02-19T19:52:00.004-05:00

Dear readers, I apologize for leaving you for three days, wandering what happened next!
Where did these days go? We have been busy celebrating the very lives we are sharing in this story.

Now, for the next part of the story....
I was awakened every now and then for medical intervention and tests. My body was turning black and blue. My husband stayed steadfast beside me. My dear nurse and others prayed right along with us. My sister had traveled to pick up my Mother and they arrived. I was unaware of the day, the hour. I would ask if my baby was still alive. At moments I wandered if I was. My sister and mother rotated allowing my husband to get some food into him and take a few zzz... He was allowed to lay where the Doctors would take their breaks. I remember one doctor telling me that this condition was rare, but even more amazing was that he had another patient with it, but over in the other Hospital in downtown. Two patients under the same Doctor on call, on the same day! I prayed for her and her baby. Our two would both end up in the NICU at Kosair's Children's Hospital - if they survived birth.

We were approaching the 24 hour mark. Time was running short. We had some scares as I had stopped breathing at various times. We now know this was probably due to neuron communication problems. They increased my oxygen and method of distributing it. They changed some medicines. I remember feeling so out of control and scared, panicked. The nurse told me to breathe and pray! Soon the breathing stabilized and my body was at peace again. My husband was debating leaving for two hours. He had not been home since leaving for work the previous morning, before being called to the hospital. Our Pastor had arrived and we prayed. Everything seemed stable for now, and I was ready to rest after so much activity. My Sister, Mother and Pastor
would stay at the hospital in case I needed them. It was decided that my room would go dark again and everyone would just watch from afar as I got some rest. We knew the next 24 hours would be even more critical and crucial. My body was rejecting all the medicines to induce labor. I had been on medicine for pre-term labor for months, my body was now confused! Magnesium and other medicines continued through the IV. Wires, masks, cords, cuffs and blankets for my chills were now my companion. It was time to rest in God's grip. I began to slip off...my husband ran to the car so he could get our things from home....people around the world prayed.

*To be continued*

Miracle Week

2011-02-16T20:28:00.005-05:00

This night holds many a flood of emotions. Thirteen years ago we had one of the biggest scares of our life. I say one because we have faced major challenges more than once. On this night, thirteen years ago I was in the ER. The Doctor, who had seen me in their many times over the past months, was apologizing. I had been and out of ER and Doctor offices arguing that I knew something was wrong with my baby and my body. They would stabilize me and send me home, always brushing events off as nothing. On this day, my home health nurse and I found ourselves fighting with them like never before. It was evident my kidneys were shutting down and something was terribly wrong. The Doctor, apologizing, said he did not know how this happened but I had developed an illness called HELLP Syndrome. A head political figure was also having her baby and I was told she would take attention over my situation. A dear older nurse said, "I will watch her and tend to her, whispering she was sure my baby was just as important to God." I cracked a smile.
This night would be long and hard as medicines flooded through the IV full strength, and the sound of the oxygen and machines were all the noise allowed in this room. My husband sat silent, holding my hand and praying. In my head came a flood of memories, prayers, hymns, praise and the verses of God's word. A peace filled the room and I fell off into a sleep.

*To be continued ....*

Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T18:59:00.005-05:00

I want to use this space today to wish you a very Happy Valentine's Day.I hope that no matter your situation you have taken a moment to realize how blessed you are to have the greatest gift of all - love. Someone loves you. Maybe you have received it from parents, a sibling, a spouse. Maybe it has been through blessed friendships. Love can be shown in a variety of ways. Are you aware of the love in your life?
Are your opening your eyes to the blessings in your life, the ways that others are expressing their love?

Today a few people were having a scrooge attitude about the day.I found this sad.
If the day is about love, then my dream would be that society celebrates love not just a lover relationship.While I hurt for those who have been hurt by relationships, the fact is,those hurt still have love in their life. That realization could be healing.

I challenge you to find the love that is present in your life and count your blessings. I challenge you to spread love through kindness, words and actions. Take time to tell others that you care about them, appreciate their friendship, love them, appreciate their service, etc...Then put those words into actions!

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only son. That whosoever believes Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life."

By claiming this verse and accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior, you can have everlasting life and everlasting, ever present LOVE! If you want to know more about
Jesus and His love for you, please leave me a message of how I can reach you. You also can visit this site from a church in Virginia, that we once attended, for more information. For my Jewish brothers and sisters, here is an excellent site for you to see how Jesus is your promised Yeshua. God bless you and again, Happy Valentine's
Day! Tomorrow I will share how we celebrated.

A Victorian Valentine's Day - Tweaked

2011-02-09T17:54:00.006-05:00

Preparing for Valentine's Day? Being homebound I have the opportunity to read, and I have sure been enjoying re-educating myself. I have been reading Sarah Ban Breathnach's 'Traditions'. My daughter had bought this year's ago at the Dollar Tree, and knew she had found a treasure. At first she was going to use the pictures for crafting and scrapbooking, but as we began to read it,that plan was pitched.
I am loving learning and trying to revive Victorian Family Celebrations. We have always loved tweaking traditions to fit our home and establishing new ones. This source book has sparked new creativity in our homelife. But about Valentine's Day, the various ideas for Valentine's are divine. You might want to see if the library has a copy of this delightful book. Each month is covered with poetry, history, ideas, and pictures that will delight.

See more on this author and her work by visiting her official website.

Sounds of Hope

2011-02-07T17:13:00.006-05:00

The week has started out difficult as I try to wrap my head around all that is happening in my body and thus in my life. So much of it out of any of my own control.
I found myself angry today when I happened to be watching a cheesy homemaker show that was supposed to be Christian. A guest, who had survived Cancer, was marketing herself and her recipes, etc... She was talking away when, in a tone that made me cringe, said something along the lines of "Well, you know, as your body is so are you spiritually". I was angry and hurt. Not good feelings rather you believe that statement or not. I was searching for what truth could I gather from Scripture.
I know that my attitude and spiritual temperament of each moment effect my body, but I do not think it is the reason/cause that I and others have endured so much. I have made it my goal to daily stay Christ centered, and have prayed that daily Jesus would be seen shining from my life. This lady's statement cut me to the core. Even worse is that she did it in the name of God and was getting paid! As one who suffers from chronic and genetic illness, I share this:

Enough! For the TRUTH:
Psalm 31:24 "Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord."
John 9:3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned", said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life."

These and other verses speak truth. Be sure you compare all you hear to scripture!
Now, I share this sound of hope that helps me daily:

Random Act of Kindness

2011-02-05T17:48:00.004-05:00

Yesterday my daughter's boyfriend had a thought of a random act of kindness to which I would be the recipient. I was so blessed and excited both about being the beneficiary but also that young people are catching on to the idea that with random acts of kindness, we can change the world. Random Acts of Kindness first reemerged in our life after watching EVAN Almighty, and joining a movement to train church members in reaching one person at a time through acts of kindness. To learn more google these terms and watch the movie. See what God sparks you to do to spread his love!

The kindness we received was that our growing up children planned a day out together so that we, mom and dad, could have a day/date. These are few and far between in this season of life. We have found health issues to be the greatest hindrance, even more so than time. What reasons do you and your husband find that keep you from having quiet time alone, going on a date, and so forth? See if you can find some creative ways to go on a date. My daughter planned one that cost nearly nothing. She made a picnic from food in the pantry, packed Grandmothers quilt and other goodies in Mom's old picnic basket. She took her guest to a park near a lake which was also near a historical downtown, this provided free activities after the picnic.

My husband and I took our gift of time alone and had a nice afternoon together that included a subway lunch, shopping with Birthday money - without kids,talking, praying, listening and more. I had the beautiful chance of him sharing the upcoming Easter Musical with me. It set the mood for the afternoon. We were truly blessed by the kids and hope they enjoyed their trip to a special store and the beach! Not sure who got the best early valentine's but it seems all of us had a lovely Feb. weekend because we thought of one another.

** THIS BLOG POST IS PART OF THE FB FEB CHALLENGE**

Blogging Begins

2011-02-02T21:05:00.004-05:00

To get me back into the routine of blogging I took on a blogging challenge from a friend. We are to blog everyday in February. I let everyone know that I might not make everyday, but will try to. The goal is just to get talking again! I hope you will support my efforts by visiting here regularly.

I am so excited about this challenge that I am posting the button so you too can get involved or read more great posts - all on facebook! See it to the left.

Why is this so exciting to me? My goal is to live abundantly in 2011 despite health, despite the economy, despite the world. My goals include spending more time in Bible Study and prayer, nurturing my family and friends, and not only educating my children but myself as well. There are other goals as well. I look forward to sharing about these in the days ahead. I recently found myself unable to communicate in anyway but gestures, this includes not being able to communicate online.Taking on this challenge is really retraining myself. I will always be more thankful for the gift and freedom to communicate. It is so worth working at it, and so worth fighting for.

God bless you as you strive to live abundantly in 2011!

In the Quiet

2011-01-27T16:53:00.005-05:00

My blog has been very quiet since just before the holiday's, that seem so distant now. We have been focused on family, friends, and battling health setbacks. Changes to daily life have disrupted our normal rhythm and routine. At times it has felt like we were in the chaos of a tornado. However, at other times we could feel the gentle winds of the spirit. A miracle often overlooked took place in the quiet aftermath of a storm. As my Life Application Bible notes, this is a powerful miracle. A whole nation, one that has been in bondage, moved from one land to another, lost its entire adult population, yet managed to hold on to its spiritual direction. Sometimes, we may feel like God isn't working dramatic miracles in our lives, or answering our prayers. We with chronic or terminal illness often feel in bondage and are looking for miracles. Do we pause to see the quiet ones? See, God often works in quiet ways to bring about his long-range purposes.

* This was based off of reading and notes in Numbers 26. You can read about this amazing quiet but powerful miracle in the Old Testament.

Holiday Bliss Continues

2010-12-20T13:19:00.007-05:00

Hello readers! Hope everyone is having a holiday season filled with joy, laughter, and singing! I hope love, faith, hope and light are filling you up till your cup runneth over.

So we have been sharing some of the 'bliss' of the season, one for each day. I will start where I left off, so on to #13.

Bliss 13 - I am so thankful for those cinnamon hot hard candies and the dear souls who gave me some! Besides the fact that I have severe chronic dry mouth due to illness, and that I am getting older, my new meds now also cause dry mouth. I love the burst of cinnamon when you first pop one in your mouth. What are your favorite hard candies?

Bliss 14 - God bless the givers! There were two families. One is blessed to live day to day without any struggle financially. Things are of course tight for everyone, but needs are definitely more met easier than most. Another family has months of wandering how needs will meet, sometimes they are not. Both have faith and hope. The later made up goodie bags for others - "A thought of love", they said. An act of love and faith I thought. That goodie bag became a treasure worth more than gold.

Bliss 15 - The sun in Florida. I am so not trying to rub it in, but I am so thankful for the sunshine and no white Christmas. I love that I am able to get out and enjoy the world with my family. In another climate, I would not. I love that my kids just decided to go on a nature walk and all they needed to add to usual outfits were socks and a hoodie. Awesome!

Bliss 16 - We want to take a moment and thank God for Doctors that are specialized and experienced that are starting to move to our neck of the orange groves. We are thankful for what this means for my care and the care of the hundreds of seniors we serve in our community/church. It will greatly benefit the citizens, and well, the doctors too. We welcome these new servants and are thankful for their God given talents.

Bliss 17 - This Christmas God is giving us the gift to begin anew. As the New Year approaches, accept His forgiveness and begin anew. He will heal and help guide you as you make daily changes. He loves you so much that He sent his only son -Jesus - to die for your sin so that you could be forgiven and have eternal life! Jesus is your hope, and the reason for this season. He rose from the dead three days later and is alive! He is preparing your eternal home. He will return. We each will one day face him. Their is no greater 'bliss' than knowing the unconditional and overwhelming love of Jesus Christ. Be sure and share your bliss with others so that the love and peace of Christ can be spread.

Bliss 18 - We had a health scare last week. We keep getting calls of others going through similar crisis. We do understand we are not alone on this difficult journey. We prayed and asked God to provide His touch in these situations and our own rather it be miraculously or through health professionals. We prayed for divine wisdom and provision. We asked for peace and hope. During our own situation we have been very aware of His guiding hand, provision and peace. By placing the situation in his hands we see him working, we allow him to take away fear and replace it with peace.
We have had guidance and found ways to still make the season merry and bright for our family. As I look back over the month so far, I am amazed at all the signs He has provided that He truly is Emmanuel in our lives.

Bliss 19 - I love curling up with my husband on the couch and watching something together. We often share the moment with our kids too, having a second couch and recliner for them. Last night we enjoyed a presentation by First Baptist Orlando. The two singing Christmas trees, drama and liturgical dancers brought singing and joy into the house. Our son attended his first youth party and participated in his first white elephant gift exchange. These captured moments where we took time to celebrate the greatest gift ever given, and do so together, will become lasting memories. for these I am thankful.

Bliss 20 - It's vacation time for our Homeschool! Whew - our first semester of this year completed despite all of life's drama. If that's not a testament to love, family, and our God - well take the sunglasses off!

Blessings and Bliss,
Becky

Holiday Bliss - The First 12 Days

2010-12-12T12:15:00.010-05:00

As I have been in silence since Thanksgiving, I thought we would get back into routine here by participating in another daily meme - "Holiday Bliss". I hope each of you has had a peaceful and blissful holiday season thus far. Ours has been eventful.

The First 12 Days of Christmas:

1) Christmas Music 24/7 - from Z88.3 Orlando! Beautiful when you are stuck in bed.

2) PBS, NRB, TBN, HALLMARK, ABC Family and others - who are filling my DVR with holiday specials. Here is a way to enjoy movies, holiday stories, and special events with your family, even if you are ill or homebound. It is up to each person to be creative and make each day special despite your financial or health situation. It really is possible to be blissful despite hard times. So number three...

3) Learning that attitude makes or breaks each day of the holiday season. My holiday season happiness is not determined by people, government, finances, disease, circumstances, and other outside forces. The beauty of the season is found in the reason of the season, and therefore, I can have a beautiful blissful day each day.

4) The beautiful decorations - The lights, the bulbs, greenery and more - they bring such warm feelings and evoke so many memories. We had such a blessed time unpacking our boxes this year. The children are getting older and found themselves getting nostalgic as they unwrapped memory after memory.

5) Rehearsals and a busy schedule - Yes, I can be joyful even about a full calendar, and my family rushing here and there. It is all for a good reason as they have been busy preparing for a Christmas Cantata. As many of my readers know, mu husband is a Music Minister , so this is his second busiest time of year. (The first is Easter)
We plan for this busy season, and do our best to fit in little moments of laughter and joy to help keep us all focused. Why do we give up so much during this time? We do so to share the Good News, the hope that this blog is all about, with our talents and time. It is our gift to the Saviour whose Birthday we celebrate, and to our community. If just even one heart is blessed, the sacrifices will be worth it.

6) Christmas/Advent Homeschool Lessons - We have had a beautiful time focusing our learning around Advent and the Holiday Season. We are using some free units I found online. One is a CM Method, liturgical study built around books written by one of our favorite authors, Tomie Depaola. My children and I had the chance to meet him many years ago. It was a moment and conversation they will never forget, the books they got will be treasured for generations. This unit was a blessing too as it was free and I found all the books through my county library system. Unit Study Link

7)Poetry, plays, carols and more - all daily enjoyed by me as I listen to my precious children share their joy and excitement. The other day we all curled up on my bed and did a read-aloud of a very cute and funny holiday play written by DePaola.
you would have joined in on our laughter, the voices we were throwing around trying to really bring the characters to life, was historical in itself! Such an impromptu simple moment and yet a moment we are all still talking about. It was a moment when age, talent, the lack of preparation, etc... did not matter. For a moment we just curled up, read aloud and enjoyed the journey. It was magical.

8)Holiday Crafts - Ok, so I do not consider myself crafty at all but we have attempted a few things so far. Our son made beautiful bead ornaments at a church event. Those are sure to become special over the years. We painted ceramic ornaments one day. My husband had picked up a neat little kit for us. We actually had fun and found we liked this type of painting. We tried to make manger cookies but failed at that attempt. My kids told me to just laugh about it. How did they get so easy going?
We have all been marveling at Anthony's cool modern art. He began painting and drawing some cool holiday scenes. I cut them out and mounted them on thick green construction paper, which made them pop. We then used some old frames, and shazam we had some cool Holiday art to hang.

9)Christmas Cards - I am old-fashioned, I adore getting Christmas cards and letters via snail mail. It is one of my favorite things about the season. Yes, I am very thankful for now the daily contact I can have with friends and family around the world but these special letters are anticipated every year. We have a white door that goes to the garage from the kitchen. We are hanging our cards and letters there this year. The white background makes them pop, but I think I may have my daughter do some other decorating to it. We will see what we come up with and share it with you.

10) The Manger Scenes - This is our son's favorite tradition. He loves setting up the scenes around the house. We started some new traditions with this a few years back. Baby Jesus is placed in the manger after we return from Christmas Eve Services, as near midnight as possible. The wise Men are brought out whenever we set up the scenes but they are placed randomly around the house. They are moved daily and wander the house until Epiphany when finally our scene is complete. This usually stays out until Lent. It yearly keeps us focused on the life of Jesus by following much of the liturgical year. Our children join us daily in devotions and study but these extra activities, together as a family, have only added to our spiritual growth in a very special way. It is so worth the time and planning.

11)Living in the Tropical South - This weekend a large winter storm has been blasting the country. The pictures make me hurt and cold just looking at them on TV. It reminds me how blessed I am to live in the tropical south and be in a heated home.
Although, the heater is not blowing much today. While others are dealing with shoveling, roof collapses, and more, I sit here with highs near 71. If it is any consolation to you, the wind has picked up and clouds have rolled in while I have been posting. Rain is to come along with colder temps. They say the local farmers will have to be concerned for the crops. While the ice protects the strawberries and other crops, we know the danger and marvel at the beauty of the site.

12) Sweet and beautiful Music, lights, colors, and drama are all part of today. Christmas Cantata Day 2010 has arrived! After weeks of my illness causing us a new worry, and a new difficult normal - we thank God for his faithfulness to get us here.
so many of our choir members had health crisis of their own this past month, and yet Today they are giving of their talents and time with loving joy! My husband just called in to check with me. Three church services are done and now two performances this afternoon lie ahead. He said emotions are joyful and exciting. We have a lot of Seniors, and bless them, they are like excited children on Christmas morning on Cantata day. It is so beautiful! I am praying that tomorrow my bliss report can be that I was able to attend and enjoy along with the masses we will have attend. I have decided to press on, and attend the last performance. I am so thankful for all the equipment, care, and meds my Doctor's have provided so that I may. Our son is in the drama which our daughter directed. Our daughter is in the choir, and we are so blessed to have her again this year. My husband, of course, will be taking flight, haha. He is quite an enthusiastic director. Happy birthday Jesus - this gift is for you!

One Black Friday Sale Not to Miss - TOS

2010-11-24T08:22:00.004-05:00

One of my favorite things to get in the mail is my Old Schoolhouse Magazine. I was so blessed all year long thanks to an early Christmas gift last year from my husband. I have been reading TOS for nearly seven years and now, I have served with the TOS Homeschool Crew for one and a half years. I am a First Mate on the crew. I am taking time to post this today because I can wholeheartedly stand behind the company and product. You will deal with honest service that is fast and easy. You will get great deals on curriculum and gifts, whose benefits are life-long. Purchase a gift subscription and your are giving what I view as the number one homeschool tool available. This is one Black Friday sale you do not want to miss. you do not even have to leave home in order to take advantage of great special offers. Read on for a sample:

"The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine is extending an extraordinary
subscription offer to homeschool families. U.S. and Canadian residents
can receive a one-year print subscription and a FREE Homeschooling
with Heat tote bag, FREE Schoolhouse Planner of your choice, and FREE
E-Book: Cranberry Christmas for just $19.95. One-year subscriptions
start with the winter issue. It makes a perfect gift for yourself and
a friend. There are a limited number of tote bags available from
November 24 through midnight on November 29-once they're gone, they're
gone! Hurry and grab this tremendous value today! It's over $80 in
free gifts--one of them the gorgeous Cranberries & Cream tote bag."

Thank you readers, and I wish all of you a very special holiday season with your families. To help you even further in your endeavors, I am pleased to offer you this Holiday Supplement for free. It is published by TOS and I had the beautiful opportunity to contribute this year! I hope it inspires you to enjoy the season with your family. Despite the difficult year, we all have so much to be thankful for, so much to celebrate and be joyful for! We have hope!

*Just click the banner for your free copy

Gratitude 20 thru 22

2010-11-22T10:57:00.003-05:00

I am way behind on keeping up with the Gratitude challenge, but all is worth it. I was thankfully still very full of Gratitude despite my lack of sharing it with the world. We had our weekend blessed with fellowship. This was fellowship with like - minded sisters and brothers in Christ, both old and young. It was a weekend of celebrating friendships, relationships and being a part of the family of God. It renewed our focus. It revived our tired souls and even our worn bodies. Laughter is such a good medicine, and we did plenty of that this past weekend. Yes, I have so much to be grateful for. As we enter this week of Thanksgiving, may all of us be even more aware of the bounty of blessings our Father has given us. Pay attention for even those small things, and special quick moments when all seems right with the world. Realize what a blessing and gift your friends and family are. Embrace them!

* To see how others are embracing an attitude of gratitude - visit Garden of Learning at My Homeschool Garden and click on the links to other's who have shared.*

Gratitude days 18 and 19

2010-11-19T20:56:00.004-05:00

Wow, the days are ticking away fast! I am so excited! i just love the togetherness the holiday's can bring. I often cannot be with extended family during this time because it is my husband's most important and busiest time of the year next to Easter. He is not Santa, but a Music Minister.

I want to give my thanks for the talents God gave my husband, and his willingness to use them. These past few days we listened as some shared ways they had been touched by his service over the past years, here in this corner of our world. What a gift of encouragement this has been. We heard of how music has changed lives, and how others have discovered their talents. This is my husband's fifth holiday season in this community of believers. It has been a time of growth and change for us, our community and our church. The music has carried us, healed us, taught us, stretched us, and brought us to the feet of our Lord. Thank God for Godly men and women who are willing to serve and lead in our communities inn order to spread the beautiful sound of music and the even more beauty of our Lord and Saviour.

KB Teachers Review

2010-11-19T19:12:00.004-05:00

I am thankful to introduce new resources to you. Today, I am sharing KB Teachers. Even though our homeschool does not use worksheets as a main source of activity and method of learning, I was eager to learn more about this resource. As a homeschooler in Florida, I must provide a yearly portfolio as an alternative to testing. My son and I began notebooking about our activities, as a way to document our Unit Studies. These include scrapbook type pages as well. I also keep a journal of activities. Would KB Teachers fit our homeschool where we find ourselves now taking a more CM and Unit Study approach? As a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew, we were able to try this out by experiencing a premium membership to the KB Teachers website. You can check the site out for yourself, as they offer many of their worksheets for free of charge! The premium membership offers you access to over 10,000 printables without the trademark watermark on the page.

KB teachers seeks to exist to provide the latest teaching materials and tools to teachers and parents. From worksheet generators and handwriting practice, graphic tools to clip art, coloring pages, to worksheets with answer keys for every subject, one is likely to find something to use here. We were glad to see that there were resources and tools to use with all age levels. It is often hard to find age appropriate worksheets for older students. I like knowing I am printing a notebooking page that truly is on target with grade level standards. This sure
makes me more at ease come evaluation time. I was eager to see if these would definitely be a fit into what we are currently working on.

As we near the Holiday season many want to incorporate Holiday activities. KB Teachers can help you! They offer several holiday and seasonal activities. younger students might enjoy some of these. There is also a monthly "Webquest" section. Click on the tab to take you to the monthly calendar that contains links for special days that month. Some may be new to you! One could easily build a day of study around the special events with the links to resources that are listed.

As an example, today is actually Gettysburg Day. A brief summary is given along with three links. Some ideas from me for using KB Teachers and this special day: Have your child dress up in civil war costume. Have him read the summary provided from KB Teachers.Visit the sites and read with him about this bloody battle. Watch the slide show from the link provided. Have him write a short story or paragraph from a drummer boy's point of view on that battle field. KB Teachers has a nice descriptive writing worksheet for 6-8th graders for help in teaching writing skills. For math have him research the sites given for statistics about that day. Be sure you have first taken time to teach him a little about statistics. After he has gathered his information, have him make a graph using them. In fact, maybe you could create a graph using the worksheet generator? I could not find any graph pages. Have him create an illustration for his story using some of the free clipart.For Science, you could study a bit about human anatomy using the related worksheets at age appropriate levels. Just an idea how one could use this site to create a full day of studies at the low cost of membership. Have fun creating some studies that relate to the curriculum you are totally using or for just a difference in your daily schedule! I must admit a flip side to this though. I would have liked to seen some other links I am aware of. I also felt the summary was lacking and too juvenile for my middle school student. One of the links did not work.

I also did not like the lack of a search feature. They state a designed website eliminates the need for such. I personally find that feature to be my easiest method on most websites. They do say that if you do not find what you want, to contact them and they will get back to you within 48 hours. Maybe the search feature would help them too. I found the readily available content, for my child, to be lower than with other sites. I was left wandering where the full treasure was? However, I do know this is a relatively new site and new content is being added often. For us, I will be checking back from time to time to see if there is something we might plug in here and there but this will probably not become a regular daily resource for us. I may check the calendar from time to time to be aware of curriculum related days ahead.

The KB Teacher site does offer some items for free, as mentioned earlier. They are also offering a free 10 day trial with a pay-pal account. This is for those who want to give the membership a trial run. If this should become something you really find yourself using, you can join for $29 for 12 months of membership benefits. A discounted rate is offered for a two year subscription, at $49. This company also offers a money-back guarantee, which says a lot about their integrity and belief in achieving their goal as they build this company. They are ready to answer any of your questions. Visit the KB Teacher site to learn more and see if this might be a handy source for you.

* To read more about others experiences with this company, please visit the TOS Homeschool Website *

Gratitude - Nov. 17

2010-11-17T17:56:00.004-05:00

"In everything give thanks' you often hear. These can be hard words some days. Take it from this over 40 blogger, if we can muster the strength and the words - you will find what this means. Think about the stranded sailor at sea, in a storm. He must keep looking for the light coming from the lighthouse, so that he may survive and find his way. Just as he, if on a day when you feel stranded or lost at sea, you look for a light - a good thought, you too will see your way to shore. Finding something positive, how ever small it may be, can bring you just enough positiveness that you find a way to once again press on. It can be just the spark to get a fire burning within you. That fire then might help you to make a change or give you the fuel to move a life roadblock. So, today, may I choose to give my gratitude!

Today's Gratitude: Thank you Brenda, at My Homeschool Garden - Garden of Learning, for creating and hostessing this Gratitude Challenge. It has been a blessing in many ways!

Gratitude Nov. 16th

2010-11-16T19:47:00.005-05:00

How fast is time going? Several of us are already getting out the Christmas decorations. We usually begin on Thanksgiving day, but we did get a few things out of an upper kitchen cabinet yesterday. The weather has stayed warmer than usual, staying in the low 80's the past few weeks. We were just 'itching' to get a little Holiday spirit flowing when we feel more like it is spring. I am thankful today for traditions. even though we messed with one of ours a bit, I am thankful that these 'constants' exist in life. Our traditions are a beautiful mix from our families. Over the years, we have found a few new traditions that have become a part of our children's life. They each make sure we follow each timed honored tradition to a tee each Holiday. While some years have been more lean than others, some shared with others and some not, some healthy and some not, we always keep the majority of traditions we have come to know and love. Below, I will share some of these traditions and I hope you will share some of yours. May you have a blessed Holiday season full of love, peace, and joy.

Some of our beloved, tried and true traditions:

1) Yes, we still do Christmas cards.

2) We have Pillsbury Breakfast rolls while the turkey bakes and we watch
the Holiday parades on Thanksgiving morning.

3) Our number one focus is Advent and focusing on Jesus' Birthday. We do a special unit for school hours and have special activties daily to celebrate Him.

4) We budget to buy one new decoration each year so that we continue to add to the boxes of decorations! One or more usually wear out so this way we are prepared.

5) We create our Italian Heritage Spaghetti feast for a king on Christmas Eve, enjoying it before church service which my family always plays a part in the worship to our King of Kings.

6) After all the celebrating and eating, we unwind by seeing a movie at the theater on Christmas Day.

That last one probably seems odd but see, we are always away from family on Christmas Day because of my husband needing to be in town as the Music Minister. One year we were rushing home from out of state. There was nothing open the whole way home. In fact, we had trouble even finding gas that year. We had nothing at home for dinner and we had been on the road over six hours with two little ones. My husband being determined to make it a great day, drove straight to the movie theater in town. It just happened to be open even though every store we tried was closed! Back then, we lived in Virginia. Anyway, we saw "Jimmy Neutron" and had some dinner. PTL! (Laughing about this as I type.)Our children decided that this had to be a new tradition, in a way to honor their Daddy. He "always makes it works!"

*For more great Gratitude stories visit My Homeschool Garden and the links listed*

Gratitude Continues

2010-11-15T18:50:00.005-05:00

Friday, I listed some dear friends who I was thankful for. I am so glad I mentioned more than one thing since I have missed posting the past two days. I have been down with a virus and flare. So today, I am going to keep things short and sweet but I just could not miss sharing again. See, every day holds so much for us to be thankful for. I hope you have been joining in the challenge to think upon your thankfulness everyday. Every day is exactly what I want to praise God for today. I am so very thankful for each day, it's challenges, it's victories, the beautiful, and the ugly. Each day brings us closer to the day we will see him face to face. Each day is growing us for an eternal future that us beyond our comprehension. May you and I embrace each day fully, being the gift it is,and focus on our many blessings. If nothing else, just be thankful you are getting to ride this roller coaster we call life!

Gratitude: Nov 12

2010-11-12T17:02:00.007-05:00

I am so thankful today for Michelle Smith. friendships and my role as part of the TOS Homeschool Crew. This is my second year of service. This year I have the double blessing of also being a First Mate. These experiences have promoted personal growth, and even spiritual growth, in measures I had not experienced in years. Having been a reader of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine for years, I was so excited when a dear friend, Michelle Smith suggested I try-out.

Michelle and I met when our husbands were both taking classes at seminary. A Professor had given me Michelle's phone number because she was a fellow Homeschool Mother and was helping to lead a support group. Michelle and I talked and realized we were also neighbors. She lived down the street from me! We have been friends ever since. God is so good to place people in my life wherever He leads.

One day, Michelle shared a copy of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. I was hooked immediately. That was back around 2004-5. Be sure and visit Michelle's blog 'A Life Better Than I Deserve'. After reading a few of Michelle's issues , we were blessed with a gift subscription. The articles inspired, and it was if the staff became trusted friends. I began to pray that if God's will, he one day cross my paths with the some of the staff and give the opportunity to thank them for the oasis they were for a number of years. This past summer I had the opportunity to meet the Saurez family, Heidi Strawser and her family, and several others. We had a lovely cook-out and some fun events we shared. Our friendships had been growing for awhile and this was a very special answer to prayer. God not only answered several prayers, but crossed the paths of several other dear families with ours as well. My family has made life-long friendships thanks to Michelle's seed that she planted in me, and the crew. God has filled our lives with special friends and co-workers. I find it such a joy! I don't think neither Michelle nor I ever dreamed all our Father would provide.

We have also been blessed abundantly with tools to build a good education for our children. How wonderful to witness the growth in products both in qaulity and qaunity in the homeschool market. The Crew has been an amazing resource for us.

All of this has also served as a catapult for achieving dreams. When you have people who believe in you, it is amazing how you are driven to heights you only once dreamed of. When you have people who support you when you fall, you are inspired to keep growing. I have new dreams and new hopes thanks to TOS, the crew, the friendships, and Michelle Smith who embraced a new and scared seminary wife/Mother.
I only pray and hope I can do the same for my mini-crew mates. Stay tuned for more about them this weekend! To all my dear friends - thanks for giving me a chance to soar, to continue growing, and for all the laughs and good memories.
*Read more stories of Gratitude here*

Review of Write Foundation

2010-11-10T20:09:00.004-05:00

My son and I set the goal to focus and grow in Creative Writing this school year. God has been good to supply us with materials to review to meet this goal. I love to write but was struggling with instructing my son who has shown signs of dysgraphia for years. Our evaluators have always been good at giving me tips, and there are of course many websites that give tips. However, my son would actually pray for Mom to find some good writing curriculum. He had overcome many penmanship issues and was ready. We had begun Grammar two years ago.

Write Foundation blessed us with free curriculum in exchange for our honest review, as part of the TOS Homeschool Crew. We were thankful to get to choose which level.
We have been using Level One, Sentence to Paragraph Writing. This title is for ages 11-13 and is a perfect fit. Both my son and I are enjoying the lessons together. There is very little preparation on my part. It has us creatively learning, and he is writing! Each lesson includes not only the creative writing lesson, but grammar, poetry writing, logical thinking, plenty of checklists and guidelines. The daily lessons grow and build my child in the process. The instruction is easy to understand. He likes that he feels like he is being instructed at his age level while helping him to 'catch' up. It has encouraged him.

Some lessons have taken us longer but that is ok. There are scheduled days but the introduction makes it clear that this curriculum can be flexible. I like a curriculum like that. We have learned a variety of writing and poetry styles. He and I are being energized and plan to continue on with this curriculum.

Rebecca Celsor found herself teaching writing at a homeschool co-op, and the lesson plans she developed for that course became the basis for a product now offered to homeschool families everywhere. We are so thankful she shared her experiences.

The website says this about Level One:

Sentence to Paragraph Writing is designed for the student who can write a basic sentence and follow directions. The student learns how to incorporate grammar into writing more descriptive sentences, while also becoming skilled at the organizational process. Creative writing is taught by the inclusion of figures of speech and grammar.

Visit the Write Foundation website for samples and see if this might be the writing curriculum you are looking for! A syllabus is also available for each level. We received the Book One of Level One. Curriculum packages contain Instruction Manuals, looseleaf student worksheets, and an additional resources CD,they are available for $100 each. My son created a notebook cover and we created a 3-ring binder which is keeping everything organized.
This is going to be wonderful to present to our evaluator. I urge you to also visit the TOS Homeschool Crew website to learn more about each level and the experiences of other homeschool families. This family plans to see this curriculum used in our home through High School. We have found the right writing foundation for the building of a future of communication. Thank you Write Foundation!

Gratitude Nov. 10 -

2010-11-10T19:20:00.004-05:00

A few days ago I shared about the lessons our dog Domino has taught us. Today I want to share Scooter with you. Scooter is my other baby and so very precious to our family. One day, I realized my daughter was a teen and gone often for her performance art classes and performances. My husband was always working. Our son was only in first grade then, but I found him getting too big to sit in my lap. I had no more babies. I found myself crying over the empty lap. Has this happened to you? I look back now and realize how over dramatic I was being. My children were far from not needing me anymore, but I was allowing myself to believe that I needed a new focus.

My husband felt the answer was a dog. I was happy to agree. He began to watch the local shelter. A dog would be my Christmas gift that year. One rainy cool day in St. Augustine my husband called from work and said the shelter had mentioned they had a dog that had been brought that day. They thought this dog might just be what his wife needed. I wander how silly they thought I was? Anyway, a few hours later we headed over to the shelter. As we walked in they said, "He's been here at the desk, at our feet, all day." They picked him up and carried him around to me. He looked so cuddly and cute. He stole my heart instantly. They handed him to me and he wrapped his little paws around my neck. He kissed my cheek and laid his head on my shoulder.
He would not leave or move while we talked with the staff. We then were asked to take him out to their yard. Out there my husband and I decided we could not walk away from this one year old who needed a new home. He jumped in my arms and we walked back in. He sat on my lap while we finished up all the paperwork. Everyone laughed as he became instantly protective. Anytime any other animal or person came near me he would growl and bark. That sure has not changed, until he gets to know you. He will usually sit on my lap while anyone visits, and for years he followed me everywhere. He now lets Domino take over that role. Over the years he has blocked my falls, laid on my achy body and awakened me when my breathing was off during the night. He is a very special creature.

His name was originally 'Flash' but the ladies said we just had to change that. The kids liked Scooter and I soon agreed. We soon found out why this little pooch was called Flash, for he flashed across the yard in lightening speed.

I remember the day I got my new wheelchair. Scooter looked up at the tech, who he had gotten to know, and let out a cry. The man told him he understood but it would be alright. Scooter turned his head and looked at the man, then jumped right into my lap as I sat in the chair. The patient man left him there and went on with what needed to be done. The children remember with fondness the day that we first walked him down the streets of old St.Augustine. He was a star that day! He knew it too. One of the craziest things was that he always stole our drinks and chips. He must have always been fed those before. He will hold a bottle, can or cup and drink away.
For years he was addicted to chips, but we have broken him and expanded his pallet. lol He also will take the mat under his bowl and cover his bowl. He has always hidden food. When he first came to our home, he would steal our food or water bottles and go hide them places for later. He has since come to know and trust that we will take care of him, but bless him, he still covers his bowl every night before bed. He will not let me dump and clean it until the next morning. We figure all of these antics come from his days before being ours. We love him so very much and are so thankful that he was brought into our life.

Gratitude Nov. 9

2010-11-09T20:20:00.014-05:00

Today, I am so thankful that I live in a state where someone like me can enjoy nature and wildlife. I have always loved nature and animals. I remember first learning from watching Walt Disney specials on animals and also, Wild Kingdom, with my Dad. Growing up in the city though, I did not get out among them except at the zoo. My parents would take day trips and we might see horses, cattle and buffalo on the Oklahoma plain but that was about it.

As I have been teaching my children, our love for nature has grown. As we began to implement Charlotte Mason philosophies we began to learn more and grow more inquisitive. Four years ago when my Cardiologist and Electro- Physiologist told me I would have to use a wheelchair when outside the home, and that walking over so many feet was out of the question, I thought my dreams of encountering wildlife was busted. I figured I was doomed to viewing the National Geo channel. Thankfully, a random Internet search and a random drive opened our eyes to something waiting for us in the Florida and County Park Systems and Reserves. Many are wheelchair accessible. With new technology, tires and equipment come in all different kinds of material, colors, and modes. We are able to do just about anything we set our minds to. I am so thankful for this. I am so thankful for these paths and boardwalks, no minding the gravel and roots! The little challenges like tree roots are nothing compared to the benefits of being able to hike with my family and embrace our environment. To boot I get to see some of the wildlife in their natural habitats. These scenes, being out among them, make me soar. Like Sara Palin says, "This is flippin' fun!"

Below are a few pictures I promised yesterday. They are from our hike this past weekend. We walked about four miles of trails and saw bald eagles, herons, and other wetland/marsh birds among other animals and various habitats. Visit this website for information on Florida Sate Parks. Visit this site for County Parks and this site for Circle C Reserve in Lakeland.
Visit here for more gratitude stories.

Gratitude Nov. 8

2010-11-08T17:54:00.008-05:00

Today I am thankful for God's beautiful Creation. Yesterday, we went walking (and I rolling) at the Circle C Reserve in Lakeland, Fl. This beautiful reserve, their trails, and the Polk Nature Discovery Center offer you a view of life that seems to jump from the pages of our library book on Audobon's art of Florida. It is hard to share words that describe fully the majesty and wander of what you behold. We most enjoyed the bald eagles and herons yesterday. Two weeks ago we enjoyed alligators, cranes, hawks, and a vast array of spider webs. Each hike has been about three miles long, and we have enjoyed different paths through wetlands, oaks, marshes, and sandhills. We still have a few paths unexplored. We enjoyed seeing old windmills and learning the past of these lands. If you are ever planning a trip to central Florida, you may want to add this free adventure to your itinerary. Below are a few pics from two weeks ago. Hopefully, we can load Sunday's pics and share those with you tomorrow in this post series. God bless as you take time today for thanking Him for your many blessings and his wonderful creation.

** Visit Garden of Learning for more great stories of Gratitude**

Weekly Wrap-Up - Cowboy Roundup

2010-11-06T18:06:00.005-04:00

Trying to get back into a routine of some sort, and some stability here at the 'ranch'.So I want to return to joining in the Weekly Wrap-Up hostessed by Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers. This week has been our Cowboy Roundup, the end to our cowboy unit.

We have been using some wonderful free resources from the library. I also recorded many related shows and we watched them using the DVR. We also enjoyed free and low cost related field trips. All it took was computer research time. We have had a very well rounded Unit that has included History, Math, Science, Language Arts, Arts and Crafts, Picture Study, Composers, Music, Poetry, Life Skills, Physical Exercise, Library Skills and Spiritual Studies. We even learned some cowboy language! You really can give your children an age appropriate education for just pennies. If you are interested to know more, we plan to offer this unit for free in 2011. It is our goal to bring you several of these in the New Year.

Today we wrapped up the unit with All About Cowboys for Kids part One DVD. This series is available through Amazon and other resources, or like me, you may be able to find it at your local library. This series of DVD's may also be used as a main resource for planning your own unit. Here is a link for more information. You can find many helpful websites for planning such a unit. Be sure to see offerings from the Cowboy Hall of Fame. Write western states for free information and maps.

This coming week we will be visiting a Cowboy Camp at Kissimmee Sate Park. I wanted to go ahead and include it here with our Roundup notes. If you are planning a trip to central Florida you may want to add this low cost field trip to your itinerary. Click the above link for more information.

'Cowboy Up' means to get back on that horse and never give up!So Giddy-up, Cowboy up!

2010 Gratitude - Pretty in Pink

2010-11-06T17:31:00.003-04:00

Well, I am having one blog defect after another today. If this posts ok, then we have something to be very thankful for, after several began to post after one word! I am scared to push the keys, but will try and carry on....

I am thankful today for "Pretty in Pink" moments. My daughter and I have a great relationship. We love to watch 'chick' flicks and old 80's movies together. Saturday afternoons have of late brought such moments. We sit going through mounds of papers, that have accumulated over the years, while having such a movie on. We gab and laugh over our antics and stories. We have fun with the fashions and decor, gathering ideas and laughing at the mistakes of yesteryear. We always are sure to have a drink and snack. Her brother always makes sure he is outside playing! I usually end up spilling some story from the past, like when her Mom and Dad were young college kids. Its odd to realize she is now as old as we were when we got engaged! These moments are good for the soul. Laughter truly is a good medicine. I am so glad that while she allows me to still be "mom" she has also embraced me as friend. She expands my knowledge of today's world while sharing my past. She challenges me. I for one, think that all of this is marvelous, and hope we have many more pink moments ahead!

TOS Review : Collectorz

2010-11-05T19:55:00.008-04:00

Boxes and boxes are stacked, yet unpacked. The contents you ask? Like many Homeschools, books and books and books. We have inherited a treasure trove of printed books from my dad. He has been passing them on to my children. If such a treasure then why still packed? Because they mean so much, we are waiting for just the right book shelves, and we plan to organize them in a fashion much like a library. We value them greatly. We have actually already begun the project.

As a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew, we had the opportunity to review a service called "Collecteroz- Book Collector". It is downloadable software. Hello, what a blessing and what perfect timing! Collecteroz offers cataloging systems for books, Cd's, Dvd's, comics and video games. These systems are available to be used with Window's on your PC, or Mac OS X System or online. What a wonderful tool to use for getting organized in the new year! We crew members received the Book Collector Pro Version. You yourself can check this organizing system out by visiting the Collecteroz website and downloading a free trial for up to 100 books! While there check out all of their systems to find what will work best for your family. Browse your collection while offline. You can print your list in case you are an avid notebook organizer like me. (The famous 'Mom Notebook', a three ring binder that contains my lists, plans and well, life.)

With Collecteroz you are not only able to organize what you own but you have it available to you even when away from home. You can share your database. You can access the list from your iphone, say while at one of the Fall Used Book Sales. It also provides a detailed list of these important possessions for insurance purposes in such cases as a Hurricane here in our neck of the woods, a fire or other disaster. you can also track your wish list! The Holidays are coming after all. see the website for more details on this app.

The ladies in my church share books, passing them from person to person. Each reader signs their initials in the cover. With this software I can better keep track of these books. I have been known to receive several at once and lose track of them.
Yikes! I am sure the women are going to be grateful for me getting things organized.

Beyond my notebook, I also have a pink lesson plan notebook and a pink 'stick' that holds all my E-Books. Anyway, I am so excited that I will also be able to organize my E-Books with my 'Book Collector Pro Version'. By the way, yes, I love pink and I am not technical jargon savvy. I do totally want the cue-cat scanner offered by Collecteroz. This would be a valuable time savor. There are three ways to enter your information (author and title or ISBN number). You can type each in, which we found to be impossible. We have too many books and not enough time to devote to that. You can scan the ISBN number with the cue-cat mentioned before. The information is automatically downloaded. You are able to scan your hard drive and catalog these automatically. You can even open them. Lastly, you can purchase the OPN-2001 and scan.

AS mentioned there is also an online database. This central online book database allows you to access cover art and other information on your books. By typing in the author and title, or ISBN number you can access the following information:
*ISBN, Author and Title
*Publisher Date and Publication Date
*Format, Genres, Subjects, Nr of Pages and LoC Classification
*Cover Images
*Plot Summaries and a lot more

Ok, I think I have touched on everything that this wonderful organizational tool can offer you but I do urge you to check out their website to get a true and full account of all. By the way, I also noticed among other tool, a Music Organizer. I fell yet another to do project ahead as we are a very musical family. In fact, my Mother just informed me she has packed up her music library and will be handing that over! Help Collecteroz!

The Book Collector Standard Version costs $24.95, while the Book Collector Pro Version costs $49.95. The Pro Version has extra features for larger collections.
Visit Collecteroz now and lets get organized! To read how homeschools used this product visit the TOS Homeschool Website.

Gratitude Challenge - Nov 5

2010-11-05T19:10:00.005-04:00

Today we celebrate the arrival of Fall in the tropical south! Yes, we thank you dear friends to the North for sending a 'low' our way to bless us with the joy of cooler temps. Seriously, the smell and feel of fall here is fantastic and a time when we can really appreciate God's beautiful Creation. The children have taken several walks today, and our son hung out with his friends. The dogs would sit with their heads into the sky, letting the cool breeze hit their faces. It was so cute! They got to walk too. We hope to enjoy the cooler temps this weekend by visiting some of the local Nature preserves. What a blessing!

** Be sure and visit here for more great thankfulness stories**

Gratitude Challenge -Nov 4

2010-11-04T20:07:00.008-04:00

Today we are going to change things up a bit. I am thankful for both of my dogs today. I want to share today about "Domino" who has been with us for over a year. Domino was born in April 2009 and came to us in August 2009. A friend had nursed her while a newborn and was needing a good home for her. I was so touched by Domino's story that I found myself begging my husband to take in this puppy. "It would be good for our son", I said. Little did I know she would become my shadow and lap companion.

She was the runt, and basically was abandoned by her dog family. Many of her siblings became sick and passed on. She fought and along with my friends care and love, she survived. Her spunky spirit helped her to strengthen. My husband and son went to pick her up. In they walk with this cute little spotted puppy. She immediately came to me and stole my heart.

She also has tried my patience, made me scream and made me cry. This dog has been a little slower than the other in learning the pulse of our family, following the rules, and learning who is the master. So many times we wandered if we just were not the family for her. My heart was breaking over the tension, and my feelings of failure over helping this creature. She is loud, awkward, and was very hyper. She and our old dog were not too keen on each other. Oh, what was I going to do?

At the end of the rope, I prayed. Slowly, things have been improving. We are seeing great progress. We still have things to learn. I love how she is often on my lap listening into the lessons being taught, or joining in on a conversation. She has brought us much joy, love and laughter at her antics. She doesn't give up on us and we don't her.

Today, I paused and thought about the lessons this beautiful creature has taught me. She has taught me again, to not give up on any living creature. She has taught me about acceptance and unconditional love. She has grown my patience. She has taught me to go beyond my expectations and ideal vision of a living being. She has expanded my "teaching" skills. She has taught me forgiveness and to keep my cool. I could go on and on....

She greets us with great enthusiasm every morning and upon every return. She shows her thankfulness many times daily. She is affectionate and gives fabulous hugs. She loves to be right in the thick of everything, every moment. I am loving the journey!

Thanks for coming into our life Domino and for all you have taught us! We are your forever family, and we are thankful to have been chosen to be so.

**Visit here at "My Homeschool Garden" for more Thankfulness Stories**

Gratitude Challenge - Nov 3

2010-11-03T18:57:00.008-04:00

Today as part of our Gratitude Challenge I wanted to share my thankfulness for God's love. "God is love." (I John 4:8)

Love is so complicated. It so often in life seems fleeting, is hurtful and is darn hard work. The love I am talking about transcends all of that and brings us healing and hope in ways words cannot describe. If we citizens of the world could learn to love as Christ has loved us, imagine what could be accomplished! Imagine the many pains and hardships, the trials that could be erased! We have a long way to go towards that, don't we? So how can we even begin towards moving a love such as this into our own relationships and daily existence? Well, let's first try and understand how He loves us. Let's look at this amazing love.

Amazing love,
How can it be
That You, my King, should die for me?
Amazing love,
I know it’s true.
It’s my joy to honor You,
In all I do, I honor You.
Lyrics by Chris Tomlin

Ephesians 1:4 "Long before he laid down the earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love."
( the Message)

Can we even begin to grasp that we are the focus of His love? WOW! That sends shivers down my weary spine! I think I how I feel when I can tell my husband is totally focused on me and my needs. I think about how I try so hard to focus all my love upon him in return and on my children, in model of my Father's love for me. To pause, and think that the Creator of all the tapestry of time and everything, had me in His thoughts and minds eye before the world even began? This, blows my mind. Why do we not live more abundantly and more free? Why do we not allow this to fuel us?
Why do we not allow Him to give us this peace? He, with all he has to do, is focused - focused on you! He knows your heart, your name, your every thought, your every breath. He knows your past, present and future. Yet still, you are His focus and the love of His life! WOW!

Romans 12:3 tells exactly how we need to be measuring ourselves and looking at ourselves, instead of through the eyes of others:

"The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us."

You are so important to Him, that He died for YOU! Not only that, but he rose again and is preparing an eternal paradise for you and all His children. He is with you now and waiting to hold you, to love you fully and unconditionally. He is waiting to free you and deliver you! He is waiting to be the same focus of our affection as we are His! Will you let Him in today? This post is just as much for me as it is you. I too need to remember that he has already won the victory and that I am so in His grip! I can breathe freely tonight, despite the chains that try to bind me. You can too! We are loved abundantly and He is waiting to do amazing things in and through us. We do not have to love in fear and chaos. Embrace Him today!

*All you need to do is confess the Lord Jesus as your Savior. Tell Him you realize you have sinned and are so in need of His love and forgiveness. Invite Him to indwell within you (invite Him into your heart). Thank Him for his love and forgiveness. Ask Him to help you and to set you free. You can talk to him just like you do your closest friend. He is listening. If you pray this prayer tonight, be sure you tell someone. Find a local church and get into the word of God, these will prove to be very helpful tools in the days ahead. God bless you!*

Gratitude Challenge 2010 - Nov 2

2010-11-02T19:23:00.006-04:00

"There Is Hope", I am always saying it, writing it. Throughout my life I have been challenged over and over again to believe it. This past year, I have had to abandon completely to those words. The challenges and the days, have been oxygen sucking, life rocking moments. You know those days when you feel like you are the very foundations that you stand on are being moved, shaken and reformed? That has been our year and I am betting in many of your lives as well.

In these moments I have sometimes wanted to scream and could not. Other moments, like when I awake to a new day, I am happy for the lessons learned and the way I see myself growing as a woman of God, as a wife, as a Mother, as a daughter, a sister , a friend, and so on....
I am seeing myself, the good, the bad and ugly unlike ever before. Even better, I am seeing Him, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, unlike ever before. For that, I am truly grateful. I am holding on with faith and am so thankful that he promises to complete the purpose He has for us (see Psalm 138:8) I am so thankful to be a part of this thing we call life and even more to be a part of the eternal tapestry! Keep the faith friends. Keep the Hope! He is busy working it all out. May we not forget that!

"It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything."
(Ephesians 1:11 The Message)

**Visit My Homeschool Garden for more inspirational gratitude stories**

2010 Gratitude Challenge

2010-11-01T19:55:00.003-04:00

I am so thankful to be taking part in this Challenge! My hope is that by participating I will have an attitude of gratitude despite any storms that may blow. In fact, with the right attitude and focus in the right place, I might just spot a rainbow! Visit me daily as I share my thankfulness. I hope you will comment and share with me your own blessings. For more inspiration visit "My Homeschool Garden" and other participants in the 2010 Gratitude Challenge.

TOS Student Planner Review

2010-11-01T18:23:00.010-04:00

"Mom when was I to turn in that project?"
"Mom, what chores do I need to do?"
"Mom, when is that youth party?"
"M....O....M"

Ok, Ok you get the idea. Sound like the Middle School student in your home? No matter where your child gets his/her education you can benefit from today's review. I do not know a parent or student who does not need a little more help getting organized. The Old Schoolhouse has taken their award winning planner and created student planners for each stage of the educational journey. But this is not your calendar, address book, and note pages Wal-Mart special. No, you get way more benefits and helps with a purchase of a TOS Student Planner.

One extra plus: You can use this tool to teach your child how to balance their life and stay organized! Important Life Skills indeed.....

Organizational Tools at their fingertips:
*Manage School Assignments
*Set Goals
*Organize and Plan Schedules

Lessons can Be learned:
*Daily Living responsibilities
*Time Management
*Organizational Skills
*Goal Setting
*Tracking
*Planning Skills
*Scheduling

The Middle School Planner is for Grades seventh and eighth. It is the planner we had the opportunity to review. Age-appropriate planners are available.

* Primary Planner—grades K–3
* Secondary School Planner—grades 4–6
* Middle School Planner—grades 7–8
* High School Planner—grades 9–12

The list of forms is extensive. You and your student choose what you want to include in your planner. The forms offer personalization by being able to type your information right in before printing. You can just leave the planner on the computer or print for a hard-copy. If you do print, add each to a three ring binder for a personalized planner just for your student! Let them make a creative and unique cover. We love being able to personalize in this way.

Some of the forms included:
* Chore charts (includes tasks and pictures for primary and secondary grades)
* Loaned and borrowed lists (no more lost books, CDs, DVDs . . .)
* Important phone numbers and contacts (never forget a phone number again)
* Address book (from A–Z)
* Family tree
* Community service record (college and scholarship applications may require this information)
* To-do lists (today, tomorrow, next week . . .)
* Audio/Visual log
* Log sheet
* Marking period planners
* Wish list (stuff to buy later)
* Science lab sheets (use to gather all the supplies and record the experiment too)
* General book reports
* Dates to remember (birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, important events)
* Website login/password reference (handy!)
and more.....

In addition , I share these as they are shared on The TOS Store Website:

*Schedule with monthly and yearly calendars; assignment and due date sheets; or daily, weekly, and quarterly sheets.

*Set daily, weekly, monthly, semester, or yearly goals.

*Build high school transcripts and track hours—start now to make transcript creation easy.

*Evaluate progress and document curriculum, educational objectives, course of study, test scores, yearly grades, or a 12-year plan.

*Capture memories of the first and last days of school with a Beginning/Ending School Year Page.

*Record extracurricular activities, music lessons, field trips, memory work, books read, or crafts completed.

*Create daily journals or nature journals. Fun journal pages for primary and secondary children include lines to practice handwriting and draw a picture.

*Document spiritual milestones with prayer journal sheets, Bible study notes, Bible reading highlights, or discipleship recording sheets. Even add a Bible reading plan to read from Genesis to Revelation or chronologically.

*Track library materials and due dates—no more fines.

Even beyond all this amazing content your child not only can create a one-of-a-kind planner, but age-appropriate articles and reference sheets will also make the planners a handy reference tool. Because this is digital and you choose what to print, you can use these tools for more than one child. "How-to Guides" are included for easy reference. These include such items as letter writing tips and handwriting guides. Several "Must-Know Lists" are also included. These can make a wonderful easy reference guide for many years to come. Some of the titles include, "The Thirteen Colonies", "Timelines", "Kitchen Measurements and Conversions" and more! Make organizing fun, order your child a student planner today!

Lastly, feeling left out? You also get a "Parent Pack" with your purchase. This downloadable file includes timely, informative homeschooling articles with grade-specific ideas and tips. You can also purchase yourself a TOS Homeschool Planner, and age-appropriate ones for each family member. I even am making one for my husband.

Saddle up, your in for your best organized year yet. Let 2011 be the year that you harness those schedules and help your family learn the planning skills they need now and as they grow.

Order a unique and flexible student planner today! Visit here for more information and to make that purchase. Various bundles and options available from $11.94 and up.

**Skills to prepare them for future education,community,family, life and jobs.**
**An Organized and Professional Appearing System**
**Be Productive!**

* Disclaimer: I received the TOS Middle School Student Planner for free,
in return for my review*

Yuck! Perfect Fun for the Season - Buckets of Fun

2010-10-29T19:56:00.010-04:00

An envelope arrives, and thankfully had the 'Buckets of Fun' sticker on the front or I might have freaked out! See, when I opened it some gritty stuff could be felt. As I tried to pull out the paperwork and contents, everything was really sticky. White gritty gook fell all over the counter. Yuck!

Thankfully, it all cleaned up easily and only a little had fallen out of a package that had been nicked in shipping. Thankfully, I was expecting the package and knew a gooey, yucky experiment was inside. This was my introduction to the fun from 'Buckets of Fun'. Visit this site to purchase the unique, the slimy, the flying, the crazy fun. Do you have a party or other fun event coming up? Then you need to check this website and company out. Do you join me in the summer for Wacky Wednesdays? Again, this site should be in your favorites. Their items will be perfect for my Summer Wed. fun!

Their Website puts it like this: "From things that fly to a bucket of slime...we are your source for fun and unusual products for all your events."

We had the fun of checking out all four of their "Yuck!" ( Yes, that is a noun.) experiments in return for our review as part of the TOS Homeschool Crew. Our mess at the beginning was caused by the Sticky Yuck. FYI, when water is added it is snotty. Too bad I tried to wipe some of it up with a damp cloth (smile and laugh inserted here). Paper Towel and patience cleans this up much better. You can use it by itself or mix it with Chunky or Saucy Yuck for more fun. Teenage boys love this stuff!

We also received the Snowy Yuck. My husband used the information that came with the substance to teach a little snowy science during our Weather Unit. For we Floridians, this snowy Yuck was the closest we were going to get! When dry it has the consistency of sugar but when you add water you have slushy snow. Ours was too slushy to mold well. We still think it might be fun to use at Christmas though. We came up with several fun uses.

Chunky Yuck starts out like rock salt. It forms into blocks like machine ice cubes.We think this item would be so cool for a party.
In fact we plan to do use some of this item this weekend. An idea for "Ghost Crystals" came with the item, so my son and his friends plan to do this experiment as they are having fun activities all weekend. Another idea to hide things inside. We thought this could be a fun party activity as well.

Saucy Yuck was seen on Letterman, and also came on our package. It starts out as powder and then changes into an applesauce consistency. This is a fantastic one for water balloon activities. Visit this You Tube link and you can see some great demonstrations.

Prices range from $16.00 for a 1 pound bucket of chunky yuck to 50 pounds of snowy or sticky yuck for $600.00. They even have yuck accessories to add color and even more excitement to the fun. There is a full product line at the website in addition to all the Yuck. The website links for a free Yuck PDF file and a free sample. You can read more about other Crew families and their experiences here.

*Not to worry - Yuck is a non-toxic, water-based product. They all clean up with warm water, and in the case of Sticky Yuck, a little patience and some paper towels.

* I was provided these free samples of Yuck, as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew

Internet Safety With PG Key

2010-10-27T20:08:00.007-04:00

Internet safety has become a real hot topic. It is often a priority in most Homeschools. Experts agree that the best defense is parental involvement. In our own home we have had set boundaries and rules for every member of the family. Each of us hold each other accountable and have access to each other accounts for such purposes.
We had our children use a central location when on the Internet until they reach 18. We installed safety products. These are what has worked in our home to try and guard our hearts, minds, eyes, and ears. Have we always been protected? Sadly, the answer is no. A pop-up, spam or other bad "vibe" does enter from time to time. Some times bad choices are made. We have instructed our children about dealing with such garbage that seeps in. So what else can parents do?

As part of the TOS Homeschool Crew, I was offered the chance to review a product called "PG Key" in exchange for an honest post. Could this be another valuable tool?
That is what I set out to answer.

Some facts:
*PG Key has called upon the help of Internet security specialists, law enforcement, educators, parenting experts and family psychologists to give you the first complete Internet safety solution.
*Parents plug the PG Key into a USB port. They then quickly set up the parental controls for each user. Parents can:

* block content
* restrict pc access
* set time restrictions
* review sites visited
* review chat in all forms
* record up to 60 hours a computer activity
* and much more…

* There are no annual fees
* You need one key per computer that you want protected
* Works with Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7
* Visit the site PG Key for a free trial offer and more information
* Visit the TOS Homeschool Crew to see what others say about their experiences

So what did we think?
We had some issues as right now all four of us are sharing a rather filled laptop. After working out installing glitches (on our end) we did get things to work. We wished we had this product when our children were younger for sure. For our nineteen year old daughter, having a recording of every conversation was to invasive. We have raised her and taught her at home. There is a time when parents must trust in the wisdom and training they have given. She agreed the product works and is an extra tool for parents to teach and monitor activity. We worked out a compromise between us that she felt comfortable with. As I said, we were already monitoring and holding each other accountable. Our son who is twelve liked having the extra accountability.
All of us thought the feature of controlling time was amazing. As a parent using PG Key you block sites you decide are inappropriate. Unfortunately, can we know every site we need to block? I see this has another tool but realize it still is not a full defense. With content blocking features you can eliminate unwanted results from innocent searches. You will need to take some time, well spent, in customizing your account. All in all, Pg Key is a valuable tool that may work for your situation. With ten parenting tools in one easy device, you might find this to be just the extra security you need. We personally do not have PG Key still installed. This is because of technical issues we are having with our one laptop, and that being our only computer at the moment. We wish we already had purchased a new family desk system.

I Have Been Tagged

2010-10-19T20:37:00.013-04:00

I have had three friends tag me over the past few weeks. Bear with me as I try and respond to each tag and award so graciously given.

Life has been going through the grinder, and yes we feel a little like shredded cheese. In such a state of change, we find ourselves being transformed. This is a painful and yet beautiful process. It has taken much of my focus and I have been quieter than usual online. Some may find that a blessing. I will however, be responding and sharing a few friends, while giving you a look inside, all with a little humor. I hope my readers enjoy this series of posts. So, inquiring minds want to know......

My friend Michelle at "A Life Better Than I Deserve" will be the first tag I will respond to. It seems many bloggers have their minds on Christmas.

1. What type of gifts do you prefer to give? Do you prefer homemade, gift certificates,store bought, etc...? I enjoy hunting for the right and perfect gift for someone, at a bargain. Sounds cheap probably, but I love the thrill and joy in being able to afford something special. I want the person to know I spent time, thought, and prayers into that gift, and that it is given out of love and appreciation for their life.

2. What type of gifts do you prefer to receive? Seriously, anything as long as it was given out of love. If I just have to name something, I love getting things that will last for years to come or make memories with my family.

3.Do you stock a gift closet, or box, and purchase gifts throughout the year?I do if I find things on sale and have picked them up. I keep a "gift" box and those items might be used for Birthday or other Holiday. I am always kicking myself when I find really good deals and am out of funds. We live on cash not credit so great deals are often missed. We are trying a new budget system these last months of 2010, for just such events. I look forward to letting you know if it works.

4. What is your favorite type of music? Do you have one?
We are musical family for sure. I most prefer listening and performing Praise and Worship Music, as well as, Christmas Music. All four of us perform, create and fill our days with music. My husband is a Worship/ Music Minister.

5. Do you like chick-flicks, or not? Oh yes!!!! I especially love them when I get to watch them with my daughter who soon will be nineteen. She is such a joy in my life, and these are precious moments we share. We have made it something we do together since she was born. We have video tapes of us watching chick flicks just to prove it has been our thing since day one. I wander if it will continue?

6. Do you have a hobby? Do you make time for it regularly?
Ha, my hobbies would be some of the things previously mentioned. I enjoy Music, Blogging, writing/journaling, reading, playing games with my family, going to Disney, and watching chick flicks. (Smiling)

7.What is your favorite thing about where you live? Every place has its pros and cons. What are the “pros” about where you live? I love the sun, the palm trees, that Disney and the ocean are near by. I love that we have open lots with the nature still in place, behind our home. I love that on our new street there are many children within five years of age from each other. They have many adventures together and are learning so much from one another. Our neighborhood is very diverse and this has brought so many learning experiences. Our current church family is mainly over 55 and this has taught our children and us a great deal as well. I was so surprised when we arrived and met a couple from Michigan. They asked me what my maiden name was and about my family. To my utter shock, out of all the places God could have brought us, He brought us to a place where someone had grown up with my Dad and his brothers! Pretty cool and, "It's a small world after all."

8.What is your favorite kids cartoon movie? Disney's Beauty and the Beast ( One of the first 'chick' flicks we have shared, ha ha. )

Ok, so I shall now pick eight ladies and ask them to answer the same questions. Be sure and stop by their blogs to see their answers! If some of you have already been tagged, please do not feel like you have to answer. I just want to be sure and mention some of you ladies who have been so encouraging and helpful to me.

1. Heidi at http://www.chatterandclatter.blogspot.com/

2. http://faithfamilyandfun.com/

3. April at http://homeschoolblogger.com/elcloud/page/2/

4.Heidi (My close friend and Crew Captain)at http://heidi-strawser.blogspot.com/

5. http://www.weirdunsocializedhomeschoolers.com/

6. Cindy from our Crew: http://www.fencedinfamily.com/blog/

7.Visit Mrs. White at http://homeschoolblogger.com/members/mrswhite/

8. I'll take this moment to remind you to visit Michelle's Blog which started this whole thing! http://homeschoolblogger.com/ALifeBetterThanIDese/

Weekly Wrap-Up : The Round Up!

2010-10-15T20:17:00.005-04:00

Giddy-Up and get along little doggy! Are you ready for some vittles, campfire songs and a drive that is long and hard?

We are well into our study of the Cowboy and Cattle Drive Era. We visited the Wild West and learned about some outlaws this week. We even discovered what was behind these men turning to a life of crime, and how to avoid those "forces". Our favorite book we are using is "Book of Cowboys" by Holling C. Holling. We were blessed to find a copy at our library. We are taking our vocabulary from this book. We are doing our picture studies and artist studies through a book of Western Art and several craft books I picked up. I will share the entire book list in coming weeks. Activities like campfire music, eating beef jerky, pretending, roping practice, and target practice make the unit come alive. I am writing my own unit this time around, and hope to one day share the final draft with all of you.

Everyday this week started with a visit to CBH's http://itoadu.com/. My son is loving this new part of our Spiritual Studies. He loved creating his character, cabin, and earning games and points. He enjoys learning more from the Scriptures and seeing how much he recalls. I adore hearing him read the Scriptures out loud. There is so much "good" that comes from this online site, you will not mind the time spent here. At the site is a link for Parents that gives you all the details. We have found it to set a tone for our entire day.

For Science, we have been taking a look at the Desert Biome. We first have been using Digital Frog's Virtual Field Trip to the great deserts of the world. This is another great tool, and I love the independence it is fostering in my son. I have him narrate what he learns at the end of each visit daily. He also calls me over to take a look at this and that, so I know he is really learning. Nature Studies also continued, and we have gathered some specimens for art projects next week.

Math has involved review, hands-on, real life and Math Tutor's Word Problem DVD.
I am still looking for that perfect fit and plan to return some products I reviewed last year, seeing what is going to work best at this point. We also continued our studies that combine Math, Technology, Engineering, and Science. If you have a child with dysgraphia, I would love to hear what program best works for you. I am open to suggestions here.

Language Arts takes up a good part of our studies. We are currently reviewing two creative writing products that combine spelling and grammar into the lessons as well. We are so thankful for these opportunities and the "double" class. Both are growing and challenging my son. I am watching his language arts confidence grow. Always a reluctant writer, and overcoming dysgraphia, he now looks forward to our language arts classes. Something I never thought we would achieve. I cannot wait to share these titles and products with you soon.

Other classes like Life Skills, Computer, Music, Art studies ( mentioned under History), and Handiworks round out our days. Most afternoons are spent exploring and playing with the neighbor children. They get plenty of physical exercise playing various sports, going on bike rides, walks, and enjoying trampolines. My son and another boy have been creating a lot lately too, including a homemade, working bow and arrow set. Nights with family talking, singing, watching shows or movies together, eating, and playing Wii or other games, bring our busy days to an end.
We settle in for some zzzzz.... and await the next days adventures.

The long drive, you ask? Well, after six months my husband is back to working a full time and a part time job. Praise the Lord! He has a long commute, but we thank God for His provision. We continue to have some matters up in the air and our future is unknown but we know who holds the future! We eagerly await to see all our Father has in store and what adventures lie ahead. Yeee Haw!

Friday Fall Sale - Time Sensitive

2010-10-15T11:44:00.002-04:00

The crisp winds of autumn have blown TWO special deals into the Schoolhouse Store for
ONE DAY ONLY!

Usually our crazy deals are on one item--
But THIS FRIDAY ONLY—

Please read carefully--Both options will give you the Cranberries & Cream Homeschooling with Heart tote bag FREE!

TIME SENSITIVE--FRIDAY ONLY

Here are your choices:

Option A:

Just $19.95 for The 2010-2011 Schoolhouse Planner. Plus, receive the gorgeous Cranberries & Cream Homeschooling with Heart tote bag for free!

http://www.theoldschoolhousestore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=191_193&products_id=14269

You save 63% in all--for ONE DAY ONLY.

OPTION B:

Only $19.95 for the May 2010 Expo To Go OR the Fall 2010 Expo To Go, and receive the Cranberries & Cream Homeschooling with Heart tote bag for FREE.

Select from the May 2010 Expo To Go or the Fall 2010 Expo To Go!

You save 43% in all--for ONE DAY ONLY.

Either offer is only $19.95 and both offers give you the beautiful Cranberries & Cream Homeschooling with Heart tote bag for FREE.

http://www.theoldschoolhousestore.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=433

But you have to act fast-the wind is changing and this offer is only here for one day!

TOS Review: Digital Frog Review

2010-10-08T22:10:00.011-04:00

I was intrigued from the get-go, due to the name of this product! For a Mommy
re-learning science along side her children the past ten years, I am always excited to find great new products. Once a science avoider, I have fell in love with learning about Creation! Nature study, experiments, and exploring, all capture our imaginations, intrigue and minds.

The product: Digital Frog Field Trip Series
Price: $125 for this combo of three trips; individually priced at $60, you save 20%

Visit the above link for a free demo. This Cd-Rom combines virtual field trips of three eco-systems: Wetlands, Desert and Rainforest traveling from Canada to America's SW, and on to Belize. The interactive software is user friendly. A 360-degree panoramas bring these systems to life. Individual sections to explore teach about organisms, types, mechanisms and even how humans impact and help protect these ecosystem. This helps to enhance understanding through interactive learning.

My son is able to use it independently, but I enjoy exploring with him. As an example, we visited the Wetlands during our Science studies while studying about Cracker Cow Hunters in the FL Wetlands. We visited a wetland park locally, and then was able to compare to the wetland of Ontario, Canada. As we visited different stations on our field trip, we would find different plants and animals. Clicking on these we dug deeper and received more information. The information also included information on classification and diet. This enabled us to also discuss animal classifications, carnivore vs. herbivore, food cycles and more. Please see more below. You can also visit the TOS Homeschool Crew to see others experiences. We are currently visiting the Desert during our study of the Wild West. I use this virtual field trip
as a supplement to a Desert Unit Study I have on hand. The interactive Cd-Rom incorporates animations, narration, games, text, full color photographs and a comprehensive workbook in one easy-to-use package. Many a student will find this product helpful and engaging. Reality technology adds to this engagement.

From the website of Digital Frog: Explore wetland ecology with a virtual field trip to a wetland in southern Ontario. Includes wetland types, bog formation, plus detailed sections on photosynthesis, food chains and webs and nutrient cycles.

From the Digital Frog Website: Experience the tropical rainforest of Belize with 28 virtual reality posts from deep in the forest and even up in the canopy. Other topics covered include rainforest types and mechanisms, an interactive dependency web game and a botany primer.

Digital Frog Website says this about the Desert Trip: Five deserts of the southwestern U.S. — from the saguaro cacti of the Sonoran to the sand dunes of Death Valley—are brought to life in our biggest field trip ever. Try your hand at building your own desert, learn about landscape formation and in-depth sections on adaptations and homeostasis.

* I recieved this product for free as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew. In return, I offer a honest review and a look at how we enjoyed the product. For more information, please visit the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog and Digital Frog. *

Zoe and Sozo Publishing: The Foundlings

2010-10-01T20:51:00.006-04:00

Lord of the Rings, Narnia, and other fantasy fiction novels made their way into our home, despite my reservations,years ago. Viewing together, we first opened our minds to these fictional stories through film. We discussed the genre and the movies, story lines and authors. As our son has grown he finds enjoyment in reading these novels leisurely. Our daughter enjoyed Narnia but has not found a keen interest in the genre, much like her Mother.

We received the fantasy novel, "Foundlings: The Peleg Chronicles" by Matthew Christian Harding. This was for a review of the story and the publishing company,'Zoe and Sozo Publishing'.

There are many new story series circulating that I find dark and frightening. At times, I find my views conflicting with my sisters and brothers in Christ. All of us must look at all literature and film in the light of Phil.4:8 in the Holy Scriptures.
It is then between each individual and their Saviour. We are not here to judge. Even in our own home we have caught ourselves becoming complacent in holding to this standard.

Philippians 4:8: Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Both in High School and College I came face to face with those who chose darkness and evil. I cannot even share the reality as to what my husband and I encountered. This is not the time for such. The struggle between light and dark is very real.
Because of having seen classmates choose a path so opposite of my own journey, the reality of their choice, I often do not want to speak of such evil characters and rituals. I know who is the Victor! I do not want to give evil any time.

As I picked up this book and took a look at Mr. Harding's story and testimony, I was intrigued to take a further look. Zoe and Sozo Publishing promote literature without magic, evolution, and humanism. The story, "Foundlings" is distinctively fiction, but set in the Old Testament days immediately following Noah’s flood, soon after the Tower of Babel.

I realized that this book was not quite to my tastes, but I would try and have an open mind. As we read on, I was happy to see hero's, who for the glory of God, fight evil with all they can. This is as we all must. I was not happy to read about a witch, in the opening, setting forth a curse. I was not happy to read of Dragon Priests. There are a few plot points involving the planned sacrifice of some of the characters. Evil is kept evil, thankfully. Realize the beasts are vividly described. We would not recommend this book for younger than thirteen. We think it would be best as a read aloud. Study guides and lapbooks are in the plans for the future. This book is part of a series. The second story, Paladins, was published in May of this year. I have not had a look at this book. Each book is sold as a softcover for $11.95 each. For much information and other products we direct you to the author's site.
You can also read more by visiting the reviews of the TOS Homeschool Crew.

I include the Publisher's Synopsis for yourself: (This copy is taken from the TOS Homeschool Crew Website)

Publisher’s synopsis of Foundlings: “In its pages we meet dragons, giants, false priests, the death hunt, an under-city of the Dwarven Brotherhood, and many memorable characters.

The story begins with Lord McDougal and his faithful shield-bearer, Fergus Leatherhead, departing their lands with giants at their backs, while before them lie in wait denizens of the bog-land and forest.

Ever ready to protect and serve others, they gather in tow an assortment of displaced adventurers and find themselves embroiled in a mysterious search for the foundlings: orphaned Thiery with his companion Horatio the white wolf, and Suzie who has been deceitfully retained by the thieves Elvodug and Flemup.

Others also seek the foundlings, and their purposes are most sinister – Dragon Priests who practice cozen sacrifices, and their leader Count Rosencross who is torn by his God given conscience and his pursuit of personal glory.

Onward toward the city of Hradcanny they travel, meeting with treachery, beast attacks, camaraderie and psalms of praise with an eye toward the gospel. Though their battles are at times fierce and the outcomes uncertain, the author maintains the integrity of these noble characters, who through weakness are made strong by Him in whom they trust.

Foundlings weaves together the Biblical principles of chivalry, truth, courage, duty, faith and love within the framework of Genesis, and a bold adherence to its historicity. It’s an exciting page turner that leaves you wanting more, but more importantly it leaves the reader with Godly heroes to think on and emulate, and a young earth creationist view of history that conforms to the Word of God.”

Destination Disney Topic - Join Us!

2010-09-26T19:57:00.004-04:00

Last week, we started discussing eating and drinking at Disney. This week, we’d like to continue that discussion by offering a few more questions for you to answer. It really is possible to do a Disney vacation on a budget, and answering these questions may help a “dreaming of Disney” friend make their trip a reality.

So, you seasoned Disney guests, help our newbies with their plans by answering these questions:

Have you ever experienced "Character Dining"? (Disney offers various character dining options throughout their parks and resorts for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You can find more information about character dining options here.)

Which restaurant has the best Kids Menu?

What has been your favorite dining experience while on a Disney Vacation?

Why is it important to make reservations if eating on property?

What are the options (quick - service, cart, sit down, and character)?

Share some "out of the box" ideas for feeding your family, other than making reservations or eating at a Quick-Service.

Share your dining ideas and experiences on your blog, then come back here and link up. We’re excited to see your ideas, tips, and tricks for making the most of your Disney Dining Experience!

Watch for these upcoming topics in the weeks ahead:

Transportation

Park info

What to wear

and more!

TOS Review: Salem Ridge Press

2010-09-22T18:05:00.009-04:00

Books open our world to possibilities. Long used, is the saying that books will take you around the world. It's so true. I am saddened by the decrease of printed materials. Our own public library alerted us to this decrease. Many have told me they prefer the new technology. Well, call me old-fashioned. I embrace the smells, the feel of a book and the printed prose on the page. My method is just as travel easy. Salem Ridge Press satisfies both literary lovers.

Established in 2005, by a homeschool graduate, Salem Ridge Press is dedicated to bringing back (republishing) the great literary books of the 1800's and early
1900's. The goal is to bring them to another generation. To open the eyes and the mind to "living books",the purpose. Daniel Mills, the developer of Salem Ridge Press, shares that the underlying philosophy of the company can be found in the Bible.

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things (Philippians 4:8)."

You can learn more about the company by visiting here. Great books are a great addition to any homeschool! For this Homeschool that is adopting a Charlotte Mason approach after ten years, this company came into our lives at the right time. God is so good to lead us on our journey, which has changed in methods and curriculum over the years. He has always provided, and is always growing me. I have enjoyed my introduction to the books republished by Salem Ridge Press. These have included, these titles: "Marie's Home", and "Yussuf the Guide" in E-Book form. We received "Out of the Mouth of the Lion" in print. I have been thoroughly enjoying these titles during my own reading time nightly.

I will be saving these for read-alouds in future years. I felt they could have been used for read-aloud time now but I wanted to first read through them myself. Let me mention that I did notice on their website, that they have three available titles for younger readers and I hope they will doing more for that age group. I also am glad to see that difficult words are defined at the bottom of the page. With that help we may venture to use some of these titles even in second semester now that I have read in them. I hope we can add more books from Salem Ridge Press in the future. Remember, you cannot find these at your local bookstore! You can access samples, information, prices and reviews by visiting this linked list here. Prices are competitive, mine ranged from $12.95-$16.95 for soft-cover. Sign-up for their quarterly newsletter and be entered into a chance to win a free book! The Homeschool Crew reviewed a variety of titles. You can read more about their experiences by visiting the TOS Homeschool Crew Website.

I was given these three titles for an honest review of Salem Ridge Press, as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew.

Destination Disney: Back to Basics/ Food and Water

2010-09-22T14:56:00.007-04:00

The Disney Dining Plan is a great way to save on food costs while visiting the Disney parks. We previously discussed the Dining Plan.
Here are some specific questions we asked of folks this week:

What are ways you have found to cut the cost of staying fed and hydrated? We recently spent a "Disney Day". We had frozen water bottles stuck inside our bags for the day. I use a bag that is waterproof and hang it on the back of my wheelchair. This makes easy access for the whole family. I also had packed some crackers and cheese. We refill the bottles throughout the day at the water fountains.
We also had bottle drinks in our hands as we went in. It was no problem.

For meals, we left the park and went to the nearest Publix where we purchased lunchables and even sushi, spending what one meal would have cost at the park.
Sometimes we get a sub, or we might add chips and desserts. We get more bottled drinks. We then have a *picnic* and the break from the crowd is enjoyed. We are fueled back up, rested and ready to go again.

Where are your favorite places to eat when on a Disney Vacation?
When possible we do absolutely love the dining experiences at Disney. Our favorites are La Cellier Steakhouse in Canada, Teppan Edo at Japanese, San Angel Inn in Mexico and Le Chefs de France. You can read about these and other Epcot restaurants at the Disney site. We have eaten at a few of the others, but the above are our picks!

At Hollywood Studios we enjoy Backlot Express, a quick-service restaurant. We also love Pizza Planet for the kids and for pizza. For a sit down, fun time try the 50's Prime Time Cafe! Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano was delicious.

At Magic Kingdom we enjoyed Tony's Town Square. A tip: A new dining experience featuring Beauty and the Beast is coming to MK!

At Animal Kingdom we have eaten at a few places. It's not really our place for dining. If we were picking a place to use our dining plan, I guess we would choose the Tusker House, and for quick-service, Restaurantosaurus.

At the Resorts we liked the Ohana's at Polynesian, and 1900 Park Fare at Floridian.
Another real favorite is the Pepper Market at Coronado Springs.

Are there some restaurants you would like to try?
We would still like to try the Sci-Fi Dine-In at Hollywood, and The Brown Derby. At Epcot we want to try both restaurants now in Italy. There are several at downtown Disney we hope to visit. We look forward to also checking out the Dinosaur dining experience there. I guess we can keep dreaming, and maybe one day....our dreams will again come true.

Weekly Wrap -Up : High Tech Civil War

2010-09-20T21:26:00.007-04:00

What a great week we had last week despite some sick days. We focused on the facts of Mr. Lincoln's High Tech Civil War. We even had a book of the same title from our local library. We took a look at the Hot Air Balloon, Telegraph, Ironclads,
Railroad and Submarines. We found a documentary on the raising of the Hunley, interesting. We wanted to make a periscope but never gathered the right supplies. This saddens me and I hope we can still make one within the next week before wrapping up our Civil War Unit. We did accomplish making a model Hot Air Balloon and we even got it off the counter! We sure did cheer.

We also made a tent and evaluated the camp life of the civil war. We enjoyed camp life foods like beef jerky, molasses cookies, chili and cornbread. We researched upcoming civil war and heritage day events throughout our state. We hope to make it to some events this year.

Read alouds involved the one mentioned prior, 21 Balloons by DuBois, The Great Balloon Race and a audio and cd-rom of Secrets of a Submarine. We used pictures and some reference reading in Civil War for Kids. I enjoyed learning about Prof. Myers and his wife Carlotta in the book about the Great Balloon Race. My son felt the story was childish, which it was beneath his reading level, but understood my excitement. I too dream of flying in a Hot air Balloon. In fact, it is on my 'Bucket List'. My son told me the story of his trip with his Dad. My husband and him stopped at a submarine and warship tour on their way home from Louisiana this past spring. My son shared about what all he learned on that sub. We also watched an episode of the Duggar family visiting the USS Razorback sub.

The week was full of field trips. My son and husband went fishing. They caught 14 fish in one night. They throw them back, except for the Gar fish. I got a lesson on what a Gar fish is. Do you know? Click here to know more. There's was not as big the ones featured in this article, thank goodness! My husband was also taken golfing. I am thankful for this kind gift that was given him. It is good for him to get out with other men, walk, hit balls and relax. Especially when out of full-time work.

Another gift was given, and we were able to enjoy a "US History" field trip to Disney world for a day! As an example, we rode the steam train and recalled our lessons. We went to the Hall of Presidents. My husband took my son over to Tom Sawyer Island for exploration. We enjoyed frontier land and visited the Carousel of Progress. We visited a few related spots over at Epcot as well. It was fun planning and spending a day built around studies we had done. My son was excited to see how he much remembered and knew.

We ended the week, or started a new depending on how you look at it, worshiping together. My husband is the Interim Music Minister at a local church, and this particular Sunday was full of music. He and our daughter gave a beautiful worship song. He played and she sang as a precursor to the Concert and International Dinner being done in her honor this week. The church has planned this event, donating the proceeds to her upcoming service as a Missionary with Youth for Christ in 2011. It was a beautiful transition to a new week.

Thanks for reading and sharing time with me, as I take a look back at our blessings this past week. I am amazed at all we accomplished and did despite our setbacks, chronic illnesses and colds. The Lord is definitely our Provider, Strength and Rock!

~ Becky

TOS Homeschool Crew takes a Blogwalk

2010-09-19T21:14:00.014-04:00

If you have been enjoying some of the Homeschool Crew's sites, you know that some have been participating in a Blogwalk. I am just learning what that term means.
( Types with an embarrassed grin.) I have had so many blessings by being part of the TOS Homeschool Crew. This year, I am serving as a First Mate. I am honored that my crew mates added my site to this adventure this week. Below, are some great links to Homeschool Blogs. Stop by them when you have the chance and leave an encouraging word. I am weekly touched by these families and learn so much from them.

1. Hearthside Homeschool Reviews... And More
2. Loving Learning at Home
3. Life on the Roller Coaster
4. A Life Better Than I Deserve
5. Joy in the Journey
6. Homeschooling, Autism & Stuff
7. There is Hope
8. Homeschool Reviews for You
9. Mom Loves Books
10. The Legacy of Home

Destination Disney

2010-09-19T18:12:00.005-04:00

This is the third week of our “back to basics” theme. We are discussing the nitty gritty of Disney vacation planning. This week, we’d like to chat with you about eating and drinking at Disney.

The Disney Dining Plan is a great way to save on food costs while visiting the Disney parks. We previously discussed the Dining Plan here.

Here are some specific questions for you this week:

What are ways you have found to cut the cost of staying fed and hydrated?

Where are your favorite places to eat when on a Disney Vacation?

Are there some restaurants you would like to try?

Please share your tips and ideas on your blog, along with any appropriate pictures and/or links. The linky will be open for one month. We hope you will join us!

Wacky Wed. Summer Wind- Up

2010-09-15T19:09:00.006-04:00

Oh wow, it is time for the last Wacky Wed. post for 2010. Fall is knocking on your back door. I would love to hear about your fall field trips, and see beautiful fall pictures. Rest assured, we are still tropical and warm down here in Florida. Today was exciting as we were cooler in the morning. The Christian radio announcer was thrilled to tell of her husband's victory pose after retrieving the morning newspaper. It is the little things in life! It was so nice for it to be cooler outside than in, when heading out for such morning rituals.

I had once assured you I would share more tips for locating exciting local field trips, no matter where home is. Here is a tip: be aware that websites do not always have the most current information or that what you are reading about is totally factual.

I was overly eager as one Saturday afternoon we headed out with a list of five historical stops here in FL. We packed snacks, had mapped things out and Mom had her list of information. I had planned a load of free activities. To our surprise, the museum was in a small house, the fort was just a fence,and that was just the beginning. There was little evidence of the 200 historical homes and buildings. The "monument" we planned to see of the Indian raid was just a cemetery looking pillar on a patch of undeveloped grass. The Stonewall Jackson Memorial was a stone etched with some information. We had read it was a monument and had envisioned a statue based on what we had read online. Not all was lost though. We laughed so hard we cried, as we drove around the area trying to locate these hidden gems. I had built up such anticipation that all enjoyed teasing Mom. It didn't help as I too was cracking jokes and wise cracks during our trip. The kids actually claimed that this afternoon ended up being one of the best in a long time. I replied, "Well, what that does tell me?" Ha Ha No, they were really serious. They gently shared that while most would have seen this as a failed trip, the laughter and time together were well spent. We had worked together to find our small gems. We even came across an unplanned stop. We found a wetlands park that had a bridge over miles of wetland forest! For the first time in years I was able to enjoy a Nature Walk in a park with my children. The park even had learning stations along the path. It rained as we were out there in the forest, but we did not care. Always enjoy, laughing and playing in the rain! Hold on to every moment!

I hope you have had a beautiful summer of bright experiences with your children and family. May God richly bless you with many memory making moments during the Fall time ahead. Till next summer....keep on embracing the Wacky Wednesdays!

* Our camera chord has a short so I am unable to share the pictures I had to share with you! Sad, I know! Thank you to Pink Studios for the beautiful and bright above picture!*