May 26, 2010 10:15 p.m.

Have you ever been so proud of your kids that you are just beside yourself?  That you are walking on clouds?  This is the way we have felt since Sunday.

Sunday was the annual end-of-year graduation recital of our local music school.  It was stunning.  So many fine students.  The entire time was emotional for me for reasons I will have to explain in a later post (I am not at liberty to write about it yet).

We have been with this music school for exactly 7 years now.  Chips was scarcely out of diapers when we began.  I think back to those early days in 2003 and then watch the children now and I am just amazed.  Of course, there are no miracles here.  It is simply hard work, daily practice, day after day, month after month, year after year, no magic.  But we couldn't be happier with the results.  And if I can't say this on my own blog, where can I say it?  As the owner of the music school said after Chips' performance, "his parents must be mystified!"

Today, I took an opportunity on the phone today to offer heartfelt thanks to our dear violin teacher for the difference she has made in the lives of our children.  They both adore her, more than ever, after four years of intense nit-picky study under her tutelage.  And we have developed a good friendship between us as well, because we mutually respect and appreciate each other for what each of us stand for.

Sweet Girl played Gavotte from "Mignon" from Suzuki Book 2 and played well for a relatively long piece for her to memorize.  Chips played Accolay like we have never heard him play.   It was emotional and bright.  The Trio played Uluru for the last time, also their final performance together as a trio.  Chips' concerto was the final act of the evening, and he brought down the house.  Even our violin teacher, who is virtually impossible to please (LOL!) called his performance "unbelievable" and that's a strong word for her.

Here is the videos for those of you who are willing to tune into them.  You music moms out there know exactly what this feels like!:

FOR TODAY... May 25, 2010 1:59 p.m.

Outside my window... actually, outside my front door, our dog is barking to be let back inside, but he does need to stay outside a few minutes longer and he needs to learn a bit of patience, since he only wanted out a couple of minutes ago.

I am thinking and praying... for a family who suffered the untimely loss of their father and husband, after two years suffering from A.L.S.; for a friend up north who is suffering acutely from a mysterious infected insect bite on her leg; for another friend's week, travels, and her parents who are dealing with difficult illness right now, that the doctors will be able to begin an effective treatment plan soon.

I am thankful for... The resourcefulness and calm temperament of my husband.  Also, the adults in our lives who care about and nurture our children's bodies, spirits, souls, and minds. 

I am wearing... navy blue shorts, a pink "homeschool mom" T-shirt, and my trademark athletic shoes.  Beginning tomorrow, I will also be wearing an orthodontic retainer.  Feeling young again...


I am remembering... exactly seven years of being taught at our local Suzuki school, and those days back when we began before Sweet Girl was part of our family, and when Chips was scarcely out of diapers.

I am going... to go on a van camping venture this coming Memorial Day weekend. 

I am reading... "Respectable Sins" by Jerry Bridges. 

I am hoping and praying... for the people who live on the Korean peninsula, especially the city where Sweet Girl was born, that war will be averted between the North and the South.  Don't even want to think about it.

On my mind... Not enough.  The fact that I have been blogging so infrequently is indicative of the fact that the pace of my life has been stifling any meaningful reflection on my part.  I am uncomfortable with this.  It isn't good.

From the learning rooms...  We have just about reached the one year mark of learning Westminster Shorter Catechism questions and answers.  Of course, the children have been memorizing it all.  I haven't memorized anything.  We have been using the book "Training Hearts Teaching Minds" by Starr Meade, and I always appreciate its concrete and clear explanations.

Noticing that... when you ask the Lord to reveal to you the sin in your heart that you don't see, he is very prompt about answering your prayer.



From the kitchen...  stuffed shells with tossed salad and garlic bread.

Around the house... greater than normal chaos, as we anticipate a road trip this weekend.

One of my favorite things... those moments when the children spontaneously embrace each other.  Usually (okay, always) initiated by Sweet Girl.

From my picture journal......

 May 24, 5:02 p.m.

A very dear lady at church has been sewing aprons to raise money for a worthy ministry : Wycliffe Bible Translators.  Anyway, we had requested a matching mother and daughter apron set, and so far, she has completed for us the daughter apron.  When my little girl reached into the bag to see her apron, a big smile came over her and she exclaimed "Pretty!!".

And pretty it definitely is!  I can't wait to receive mine.  I just love the pink and yellow combination, the daisy pattern, contrasting pockets and shoulders, and the bright yellow rick rack.  Can you see it?  So lovely, don't you think?

 Tuesday, May 18, 2010 3:48 p.m.

Last week was a week of celebrations in our family.  May 8th was my birthday, followed by Mother's Day and then our 16th Wedding Anniversary on May 14th.  These celebrations come together every year, and Mother's Day sometimes even lands on the 8th or the 14th.  So it is a big week for Self-Reliant Man and me.


By the time our anniversary was approaching, we decided that there wasn't anything that we needed to purchase for each other.  So we chose, instead, to have dinner at a nice restaurant in the area, and chose a local French restaurant for this venture.

Of course, our family culture dictates that we bring Chips and Sweet Girl with us to celebrations, even on our  anniversary.  (Now some folks would insist that this is the mark of an unhealthy marriage, but hey, I grew up in a family that did this, and my parents stayed happily married until death parted them after 43 years of marriage.  But I digress...)  This outing would prove to be a good opportunity to show our children what it is like to dine at a very fine restaurant.  I must say that we were not disappointed.  This restaurant was a very pleasant place to dine, and no detail was lost on our children.

We are sick and tired of corporate-owned eating establishments and it was a refreshing change to visit a 27 year old local family-owned establishment with real chefs who use their creative talents to invent dishes for their own menu.   This restaurant is not only surviving, but thriving, in a city of prodigious competition for dining and entertainment dollars (and that is an understatement!)  And they deserve to.  Not only was the food excellent, but the level of genuine friendliness and superior service exceeded our expectations.  This restaurant was all good food and service and no gimmicks.  And our family appreciates that!

Of course, when the owner (and chef's wife) visits our table a few times and bestows smiles and affection on our kids, that goes a long way with me!

So we had a blast ordering items like soupe a l'oignon, salade laitue et noix, poulet "coq au vin",  steak au poivre, and snapper avec shrimp et scallops.  Not to mention desserts such as creme brulee, mousse de chocolat and pain perdu aux framboises et chocolat. 

We also enjoyed teaching Chips and Sweet Girl all the details of fine dining.  Chips could not get over the amount of attention the waiters bestowed on our humble little table, anticipating every need, filling our water glasses, replacing flatware that had the residual taste of the previous course so that it would not affect the taste of the next course.  Could this be how service used to be in most places a long time ago?  My parents thought so.

And it is always a good deal of fun to be addressed as "Sir" or "Miss" when you are just 10 or 7.

 
It was a happy, pleasant evening out.  I am hoping that we can repeat this outing for our next anniversary.



p.s. Chips advised the owner that he would be ready, in a few years ("perhaps when I'm thirteen," I think he said) to play violin for the customers there.  She smiled broadly, and exclaimed that she would be happy to hire him.  So she shouldn't be surprised when he approaches her in a few years (we know a couple of piano / string students who have been able to make money playing music in their early teens; hearing things like this is a great motivator for Chips!)

 May 10, 2010 4:52 p.m.

A past violin teacher of Chips moved to Ohio four years ago, but she surprised us all by spontaneously flying down to Florida to attend the state music / strings competition back on April 30 and May 1. Her mother owns our local Suzuki school, and is getting older, so she decided to fly here to help her out with the grueling competition schedule.

We were all very happy to see her, and she was proud of her young beginner of seven years ago (Chips) doing so well at state. She was also amazed by how Sweet Girl had grown, and was playing music, especially since Sweet Girl was still in a stroller eating Cheerios when Chips was her student.

This afternoon, she sent us this nice photo taken of Sweet Girl shortly before she played her solo at the competition.  I really like this photo.  Her confidence that day really shows.

 May 8, 2010 8:09 p.m.

I hit the big 4-0.  Yep, that I did.........exactly seven years ago today.  I don't often get a new toy.  I usually receive clothes, books, and grown up things like that.  Never a toy.

This year, I got a new toy! A Sirius/XM satellite radio tuner and Speaker Dock. Self-Reliant Man installed everything today. He installed the antenna, tuner, and vehicle dock in my Hyundai. He also installed another antenna on the eave of the house so that I can listen to the tuner in the speaker dock.

Anyhow, I am loving the new world of commercial free music that has opened up to me.

Here are some photos highlighting this event in my day.   First of all, these tabletop roses were given to me by a special friend.  Aren't they lovely?

Here is the radio in the speaker dock in my kitchen. I think it sounds very good, like a Wave Radio might sound.  The tuner display shows the channel, the song title, artist, and sometimes even the year.  I am so bad when it comes to knowing song names and artists, so this is appreciated.



Self-Reliant Man had the existing car radio apart within minutes. He is amazing.  I am a retired electrical engineer, but I wouldn't be able to take these tasks on anywhere near how he does.  And certainly not so quickly.
  I think this little antenna is amazing.  It can pick up so clearly from the satellite.  This is before all the wires were concealed.



A couple of hours later, everything was installed, and it looks very professional, don't you think?  But the most important thing is, it sounds great!!


But if you ask me, this is my favorite birthday present by far!

May 6, 2010 10:09 p.m.

I have a friend who lives nearby.  She has decided to homeschool her two sons, who are now preschool age.  She apparently has been doing quite a bit of online reading and research on the topic of homeschooling.  She knows we use Calvert, and have been doing so for seven years (I can't believe it!).  I invited her over yesterday to take a look at what Calvert is like, fully advising her that my goal was not to persuade her to use Calvert, but rather to just give her an opportunity to get an up close and personal look at one curriculum.  This way, she would have a benchmark in her mind for comparison with other educational materials.

Having said that, I honestly feel that I couldn't have made a better curriculum choice, and that some other choices might mean that I would not have survived these past seven years of homeschooling.

So she perused some of the books, glanced at Sweet Girl's work portfolio, and chatted with me about homeschooling ideas for an hour and a half. After she left, I reflected upon how much about Calvert she may still not know.

As a somewhat homeschooling "veteran", I have made some of the following observations.

Children tend to try to negotiate themselves out of doing work tasks that they don't like, or that require extra mental effort than a simple rote worksheet.  Examples range from answering "I don't know" repeatedly to
critical thinking questions, to whining and complaining when a composition is assigned ... again.  "That's two this week, Mom!"  You want to set in place ground rules for your children, and for yourself, on what work items are negotiable, and what are not.  This is especially important in composition, where the effort-to-production ratio is high, but the need for practice is often greatest.

This is where I appreciate the Calvert lesson manual.  For example, I will make all "Enrichment" items optional, for the most part, based on special interest in a topic.  But work tasks classified as "Applications" I
will generally consider mandatory (unless I decide in advance the task is worthless, which occasionally happens, and then I won't even mention it on lesson day).  Tasks classified as "Practice" I will require only when there seems to be a problem with doing the exercises correctly, as in Math.  I have had to hold the line, and if I firmly believe in the value of a task, I have been known to say "but Calvert requires it" when he/she has balked (regardless if it is an A.T.S. requirement.)  If I am inconsistent about this, showing myself to yield more easily on some days than on others, then they will try to negotiate their way out of anything that calls for higher order thinking, and then I will have additional battles to fight.  I don't like to fight battles that I can head off in advance.

I realized today that many of the benefits of our curriculum are invisible to a person who is merely looking through a stack of books and written assignments, as my friend was yesterday.  For example, there are many features of Calvert's daily lessons that I neglected to mention to her in detail.  So I advised her afterwards that when she is evaluating other curricula, she should try to find hard evidence that the curricular material challenges the child to do high order thinking tasks.  This is not always evident from brochures and sales materials.  For example, some homeschoolers I know have discovered over time that their language arts programs appear fine on the surface, but don't dig deep enough or challenge the student enough.  One mom recently told me about a popular languages arts program.  In this case, the product was attractive, the literature was engaging, but the depth of the material was lacking.  This only became evident to this mother after a year of use, after which she was in search of something else for the next year.  I see why the homeschool convention season is in the month of May!

So I wanted to list here examples of some of the common higher-order tasks that Calvert calls for in the lesson plans, things that I might not think to do on my own, or be motivated to do, without seeing it suggested there in the lesson manual.  These are the types of things one should look for when evaluating other
curricula.  Please note that I am referring to the requirement of my daughter, during her First and Second grade years. 

a.  Create a Venn diagram displaying similarities and differences between characters' personalities in two separate reading selections.

b.  Either read aloud, or have the student read, a short passage and have the child identify the main idea, the setting, and the characters.  Be sure the student expresses himself with complete sentences, either orally or in
writing.

c.  Answer a broad range of comprehension questions / critical thinking questions / inference questions ranging from the simple recollection of story details to the drawing of conclusions about an unstated moral or theme in a passage.  Have the student answer in complete sentences, whether orally or written.  This often requires a lot of patience on the part of the mom, in order to draw out the child's thoughts, which take effort for the child to formulate and express.  The mom may find it tempting to short circuit this process by spoon-feeding too much of the answer too soon.  (**grin**  Been there more than I care to admit).

d. Create tables / charts / word webs with the student supplying information classifying and categorizing a variety of details from one or more stories recently read.  The student fills them in to compare and contrast poems, characters, and ideas brought forth in reading selections, to classify and categorize events, animals, characters, etc.

e.  Read and/or listen to a selection and narrate the story back in the child's own words.

f. Have the student summarize a story, without telling too much, or too little, information.

g. Have the student create a sequence of events for a reading selection, and/or recognize an incorrect (illogical) sequence of events.

h. Have the student narrate an original story to the mom to be written down.  Make sure the story has all the elements: characters, setting, a problem to be solved, and a resolution, and that the story proceeds in a logical
manner.

i.  Have the student determine the meaning of new vocabulary words strictly through use of context clues in a sentence or paragraph.  Have him indicate which clues helped determine the meaning.  This should be done, even if the word is already in the child's working vocabulary.

j. All new vocabulary words or sight words should be used in complete oral sentences that demonstrate that the meaning of the word is understood.

k. Recognize the difference between fact and opinion in a selection.  State one's own opinion and back it up with facts or details.

l. Recognize the difference between fantasy and realism in a selection.  Be able to identify elements of a selection that demonstrate one, or both.  Be able to recognize the difference between fantasy and realistic fiction, or realistic vs. unrealistic fiction.

m.  Have the student stop reading, periodically, and make predictions about where the story may lead.  Then have them compare the actual outcomes with their predictions at the end.  Have the student propose alternative outcomes to a story as well.

n. Have the student be able to distinguish between important and minor details in a selection.

o. Creation of K-W-L charts for a topic to be studied, as in science (three columns - what I KNOW, what I WANT to know, and what I LEARNED).  These charts I really hate to do, and I sometimes skip them, although I see why they are useful for subjects such as science topics.

That's all I can think of right now, after brainstorming and looking more closely at some of Sweet Girl's 1st and 2nd grade work.  These types of tasks we usually do through oral discussion and on the dry-erase board.
Therefore, I had little in the way of "hard copy" evidence of their accomplishment for my friend to peruse.  As a result, I feel that she missed picking up on the full richness of Calvert.  They are tasks that can take time and patience; for which coming up with the ideas demands mental energy and creativity that I don't ordinarily
possess.  They also require the student to really evaluate and to think, exercise their brains, and practice precise, succinct oral expression.  I don't know whether many other curricula do these types of things so
regularly, but they are the types of exercises that one should look for in a curriculum, activities that are worth doing (even if they can be rather laborious at times).


There. Now I've said it.

May 2, 2010 11:05 p.m.

We are not allowed to take photos or record video in the competitions, so I have merely uploaded the most recent practice session at our teacher's home.  This is Chips playing Kuchler's Concertino Opus 15, mvt. 1.  at Miss S's house last Monday.  She is accompanying him off camera on piano.  It is the piece whereby he won the violin SOLO state competition.  Thanks for viewing!

p.s. to Linda in Scotland -- I am definitely thinking of you and your kids on Monday.  Can't wait to hear!

Sunday, May 2, 2010 2:09 p.m.

Just got the news after church today from Miss S.  Sweet Girl got Honorable Mention at our state competition, too, for her Violin Solo!  Yippeeeee!  She played her piece, short as it was, with such feeling and expression for such a young girl.  We are so proud of her, because honorable mentions are hard to come by.  I don't have any photos of her with her ribbon yet; she will get it next week.  It has been an encouraging year for us and we are truly thankful that her hard work has rewarded in this way.

 May 1, 2010 8:30 p.m.

NEWS FLASH: We got the results in from Chips' state music competitions. We are still waiting to hear about Sweet Girl's competition.

We are thrilled to report that Chips' won in two events. He was the sole winner of the Violin Solo Medium I competition, and he and his buddies were the winners of the Chamber Piano Trio competition. He/they had competed against students who are as much as 5 years older than themselves.  We are all so thrilled. This day was long in coming, and we rejoice!

Sweet Girl also did very well in her Violin Solo but we are still waiting to hear the results of her contest.

To say we are happy, gratified, encouraged, and thankful is the understatement of the year. It is such a sweet blessing to have won these trophies, especially the solo trophy, since it has eluded Chips for so long.

Here are some photos from this weekend...

Wednesday, April 28, 2010 10:17 a.m.

We here at our home strive to make our lives as commercial-free as possible.  Our modern environment is saturated with advertising, and we try to make our home and lives as safe a haven as possible, including minimizing the amount of advertising to which we are exposed.  Not simply for our children's well being, but also for our own.  Few things arouse a spirit of discontentment for Self-Reliant Man and me more than advertising.

Now I do enjoy listening to music, usually in the car, but over the years our options for doing so have narrowed.  I have been very unsatisfied with broadcast radio, and I am not in the habit, anymore, of shopping for recorded music.  Whereas at one time, about ten or so years ago, I spent a lot of time and attention acquiring music CDs, I am no longer interested in doing so.  I have relied on the radio, and been unhappy with it, so there has been a dearth of recorded music in my life.  Strange, for a family that spends so much time learning how to play string instruments.

In the last year, our local public radio station has stopped broadcasting classical music due to lack of listener support. The major city near us is not exactly a Mecca for the fine arts, I am sorry to say. So, no more classical music, except for a few well worn, tiresome CDs that I play in the car. The local contemporary Christian radio station seems to have a playlist of about 20 songs, and when an especially good one is released, it is played to death. So I can't stomach that anymore. For awhile, I got excited about a new radio station in town that plays music from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. So I would put that on (or Sweet Girl would request it) and that was fine for about a month. Then I found some of the advertising so offensive that I had to stay alert to quickly change stations. Well, this happened twice, maybe, and then I was sick of it and shut it off.

As Chips would say: "Blah!"

But this post does have a happy ending, I promise. While Self-Reliant Man had his car in the body shop for two weeks (due to his encounter with a garbage truck) we were loaned a rental car that had satellite radio. What a blessed discovery this was for me!!! 100% Commercial Free digital music stations of all kinds: pop, country, classical, jazz, Christian, world music and a station for many various sub-categories of musical styles. Plus all kinds of news, weather, and talk stations.

So this week, Self-Reliant Man announced to me that he is going to install a Sirius/XM radio in my car as well as purchase a free-standing portable radio for listening inside the house and in our yard. So I am happy as a lark. I can now hear all the music I haven't heard in years -- including music I remember from when I was age 7 or under, sitting in the back seat of the car when my mother was driving, nostalgic music for me, as well as classical music 24/7. I especially appreciate the display that identifies the name of the piece and the artist. Very nice. So although there are about 120 stations to listen to, we will be picking the Sirius "A la Carte" option whereby you select 50 stations that you particularly want (and there are many that I don't!) and pay $7 a month.

So that is my latest way to de-commercialize our lives; money well spent, I think.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010 9:48 p.m.

Sorry, but that's just the way I feel about it.  And yet we go back.  And -- help me here -- we are learning perseverance, perhaps?  longsuffering?  deferred gratification?

Or are we simply learning to do our very best to glorify the Lord, perfecting our music far above and beyond what we would have done if we were not going?

But we are going, again, to Jacks*nville this weekend for our annual pilgrimage to the state competitions.  It is difficult to not get our hopes up every year.  Every year, we think he is doing so well.  And Sweet Girl will be trying her hand at the competition this year, for the first time.  She, too, is playing fine.

Quick run down of events.

Chips -- Friday --  Violin Solo, Medium I -- Kuchler's Concertino in the style of Antonio Vivaldi

then

Violin Concerto, Junior II -- Concerto #1 in A minor, by J.B. Accolay

then

Piano Trio Chamber ensemble, Medium  -- "Uluru", from Summits, by C. McMichael



Sweet Girl -- Saturday --  Violin Solo, Primary I -- Oh Come Little Children, from Suzuki Book 1.


So, thinking we are ready for the emotional sandpaper, I say let's go for it!  And may this be the year we return home feeling differently than all those other years.  We all could use the encouragement around here.

April 27, 2010 11:05 a.m.

Yesterday was the final practice of the boys' chamber piano trio of which Chips is the violinist.  They were practicing for state competition this coming weekend in Jacks*nville.  This is "Uluru", from the Summits compositions of C. McMichael.  This was the selection that gave Chips such grief this year, but I feel has resulted in good lessons learned for him.  Lessons in perseverance and patience, for example.

So the coming weeks will bring the final performance of this group.  Hopefully, though, they will always remains friends as they are today.  For me this is the "end of an era".  I have mixed feelings.  First, it will be lovely to get the latter half of our Monday afternoons back; but I will miss hanging with these boys and their wonderful moms, as well as benefitting from the teaching of this particular group's director.  But life moves along, children grow older, transitions occur, seasons change.  In most cases everything we have done, and finished well, has been replaced by something else even better.  That's called Providence.  Hopefully, what is being relinquished now will be filled anew with bigger and better things.

There is more that is changing, but I am not at liberty to talk about it just yet.  In a few weeks I will be able to.

If you can spare three minutes, please view this final "practice" performance of a rather modern musical selection.

 Monday, April 26, 2010 12:27 p.m.

My children bring their friends home with them every day.  Sometimes physically, but most often in their imaginations.  It all began a few years ago when they would make references in their play to the friends they saw regularly at church small group, and then at AWANA, and then at Saints (PE class).  This practice continued on a daily basis, and grew to become more and more elaborate over time.

Eventually, it took on some of the structure they had learned from AWANA.  For instance, Chips had his group of friends, and Sweet Girl had hers; Chips became the Commander of his Group, and Sweet Girl was the Leader of her group.  Both children were in charge over their respective group of friends, but the Commander, of course, was in authority over the Leader.

Soon there were lists prepared on paper of each of the Groups.  Each child's group had membership of between ten and twenty children, identifiable by their real first names (although in the case where there were two children of the same first name, as in Madison, the first initial of the last name would be used).

Since then, the Groups have accompanied our children everywhere: in the car, to meals, to lessons, in the yard, and around the house, even to the bedrooms at night.  I am sure it became quite crowded when Chips had to share his bed with his entire group.  Good thing he has a double bed.

Then the Groups became "National Groups" because children were joining from all over the country.  They began to acquire special characteristics.  For instance, they travel in special vehicles called Sprint Cars, and Sprockets.  Yes, several drawings have been made of Sprint Cars and Sprockets, and each type of vehicle has a description and special uses to the Groups.

The Groups are very adventurous children.  They are able to leap tall buildings in a single bound...... when inside their Sprockets, of course.  The groups are extremely inventive, putting their collective brains together to invent many useful things.  For example, Moving Belts, which they put different things on to transport them, and Dual Rockets, motorcycles that fly with rockets.  One of the boys in the Group races against the space shuttle in a Sprocket and always wins a million dollars each time he wins.  He is up to seven million.  They have superhuman qualities in some ways, yet they, too, are members of our fallen human race as they struggle with their own weaknesses: poor judgment in managing their money, overeating (or eating too many sweets and getting stomach aches), reckless driving of the Sprint Cars, disagreements amongst themselves, failure to heed the warnings of their Commander or Leader, failure to floss their teeth regularly, reluctance to practice their instruments every day, or whatever.

We parents continue to marvel at the level of imagination that Chips and Sweet Girl exhibit when playing with their Groups.  I just when I am driving and I overhear Sweet Girl say to Chips: "Let's talk about our Groups." Self-Reliant Man and I cherish it, and we see that through the National Groups, our kids are able to safely and securely process the realities of life in the real world with the assistance of their friends ---- each other.

 April 20, 2010 6:33 p.m.

I truly want to share some of the highlights of the past several weeks /  months here, and have included some photos here.  Having said that, I must add that there aren't as many photos as I would have liked to include.  Most of the pictures included friends' children, and I don't post pictures of other folks' kids on my blog (unless they are generally unrecognizable in the picture).  So that left me with few photos to use, and I shall have to paint the remaining photos in your mind with words alone.

We had two birthdays here in our family.  Sweet Girl turned seven in March, and we had a quiet and peaceful home celebration for her.  This is the cake that Chips decorated for her.  Our children have a custom of treating each other like royalty on their birthdays.  When it is time to open the gifts, the non-birthday child sets up a type of "throne" for the birthday child to sit on while opening presents.  The throne may be outfitted with cushions, signs, a parasol over it, and a special gift opening table covered with a brightly colored cloth or blanket.  We capture it all on video.  It's pretty funny!

Chips turned ten earlier this month, and this is a moment from his bowling party.  He invited sixteen friends, and they were all able to come.  Chips had an ear-to-ear grin the entire time!

Back to February, now.  Here are the children watching the Olympics, complete with flags for the team members they were rooting for.  Notice Sweet Girl's handmade Korea flag. 
For any new readers, yes, we are a TV-free family, but over the seven years of not watching, we have made exceptions for the Olympics, for Presidential inaugurations, space shuttle landings (there was one here just this morning), and hurricane / tornado coverage (because our internet is the first thing to be knocked out).

Uh, yes, that's Self-Reliant Man teaching Chips to shoot targets with his air rifle.  Goodness, but what has country living done to me?!  Chips was still just nine in that photo.

We had a "field trip" for our homeschool fellowship group at our home.  One especially skilled mom led a terrific class on DNA, complete with hands on experimentation, and then the "field trip" morphed into frolicking in the field.

The children were in a musical production at church, singing "Do-Re-Mi" as the von Trapp children, and "So Long, Farewell".  It was a great show, but alas I cannot show it here...

Sweet Girl made a profession of faith at church on Maundy Thursday and became a communicant member.  She was one of eleven such children, and I have a sweet photo of all those children, too, but darn, I can't show it.  Sorry.  They really are cute, too.

Finally, our dry erase board in our school room doesn't owe us anything.  It has been used, and used, and used, and will need to be replaced rather soon.  But what can you do to thank a dry erase board that has consistently passed along to me such priceless messages?

April 15, 2010 11:08 p.m.

It has been a very busy week, and the busyness will not let up at all over the next few days.  I will write again when the dust settles a bit.
Until then, I leave you with a meaningful photo from our recent life:

We're just guessing that these gentlemen needed to stop in and get some more superglue to firmly affix that sign.  And we're pretty excited about the new dining option we will have soon.

April 6, 2010 8:42 p.m.

Chips is now a published writer. Back in December, for his final fourth grade composition with Calvert School, he wrote about Benjamin Franklin, imagining his reaction were he to come back to earth today. His A.T.S. (Calvert's supervisory teacher) wrote back recommending that we submit his composition to Calvert Connection. Calvert Connection is a quarterly publication for, and about, Calvert's home education community.

Imagine our surprise when we received a packet in the mail, yesterday, containing several copies of Calvert Connection and a cover letter telling us that Chips' composition had been published!

We were excited. I have retyped his composition here for those of you who don't receive Calvert Connection.

FOR TODAY... April 6, 2010 5:15 p.m.

Outside my window... lavender colored wildflowers have sprouted all over our property, and that of adjacent properties as well. These flowers give off a very sweet and floral scent, so that it really smells like Easter time around here.

I am thinking and praying... for the children of three different friends; children who are each dealing with their own issues and pain related to their school lives.

I am thankful for... fellowship time yesterday evening with my homeschool mom friends.

I am wearing... khaki capri pants, a periwinkle blue top, and my trademark athletic shoes.

I am remembering... a fun time at our house last week when one of our talented homeschool mom friends skillfully taught us about DNA and provided a laboratory experience for all the children in our group.

I am going... to host many friends at Chips' TENTH birthday bowling party this coming Saturday. He is very excited, and expects to see 14 friends there.

I am reading... creeping my way through all the books I mentioned within the past few weeks, but now have added the following into the mix: Endangered Minds: Why Children Don't Think and What We Can Do About It by Jane M. Healy, a book recommended by Sandy at Falling Like Rain .

I am hoping and praying... for as painless an adjustment as possible for my MIL to a new facility for her care. She is making the transition from assisted living to nursing home, and unfortunately has to be on a waiting list for a preferred facility. We hope that she doesn't have to be relocated more than once before finding the right permanent spot.

On my mind... two friends whose kids are at brick and mortar schools, and suffering quite a bit in school. I realize that homeschooling cannot solve every problem, nor is it for everyone, but I wonder how much suffering could have been avoided had they been homeschooled from the start. Praying for wisdom for them as well.

From the learning rooms... Chips is now a published writer, and I will write more about this in my next post.

Noticing that... the academic portion of our homeschool day is taking longer and longer lately. Some of it is from a more advanced and extended workload, some of it is from daudling. Trying to tell which is which, and maybe not wanting to know.

Pondering these words... He's alive and I'm forgiven -- heaven's gates are open wide! -- Don Francisco, circa 1977(?)

From the kitchen... Skillet burritos and canteloupe for supper tonight.

Around the house... roof repairs about done here. Now we need to tear down some patio screening to get at another place that needs patching and painting. I guess that means we will be having to learn how to rescreen next. I hope it can get done before the summer heat arrives.

One of my favorite things... watching the children sleeping comfortably in their beds and marveling at the miracles that brought them into our lives.

From my picture journal......

Well, I think it is high time to tell my faithful readers about all the changes that will be occurring around here. There are so many that I am going to give them numbers.

1. We decided to enroll both children in the local public school. We have had this nagging guilt about socialization and secret concerns about their academic prowess, so we decided that their needs could best be met by professionals in the field.

2. We also decided to discontinue their violin lessons at the same time. The reason for this is that we think they will be spending more time each day with school and homework, and requiring this activity on top of everything else will be too demanding. They will need some time for fun, you know? After all, you're only young once.

3. Since there will be several long hours to fill while they are away at school, I will fortunately be able to spend a lot more time shopping in the local malls. After all, we expect to save thousands every year not buying curriculum and paying for violin lessons. More $$ for me to spend, right?

4. We decided to sign up for cable television and we have an order in place for a brand new 55 inch LED high definition TV. This will better facilitate my being able to watch the Oprah show and more daytime TV on non-shopping days.

5. Chips' tenth birthday is coming up, and instead of a birthday party, we decided to buy him an XBox 360, his own laptop, and an Ipod. We have been concerned about his lack of technological skills, and figure these gifts will help. Also, the Xbox should continue to hone his fine motor skills since he won't be playing the violin anymore.

6. We decided that Sweet Girl's wardrobe needs some spicing up. After all she is 7, practically a teenager. So I ordered her some tube tops, short shorts, and bikinis for the upcoming summer. I am sure she will look great.

7. We're finally getting around to registering to vote in our county. I know, we've been here five years already, but didn't have the time. We're registering as Democrats.

8. I will be changing the name of this blog to "Free at Last!"

A lot of thought has gone into making these decisions. What do you all think? If you are still with me, scroll down some....







































APRIL FOOLS!!!!!

Now if you believe all that, I have some great oceanfront property for sale in Nebraska.

FOR TODAY... March 30, 2010 7:04 a.m.

Outside my window... still dark this morning, but clear, with a full moon.

I am thinking and praying... the parents of my friend (illness), another friend's son (trouble in school), my other friend's niece (bulimia and rebellion) and for renewal and repentance within me and our family as we approach the climax of Lent.

I am thankful for... the work, presence, and promise of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Also thankful for no headaches, after enduring nine days in a row with annoying pressure headaches.

I am wearing... fleece pants and sweatshirt, as it is chilly once again this morning. What else??

I am remembering... the home I lived in from age 3 until age 31. It is in New Jersey, and its photo is below.

Also, remembering the nice quiet birthday celebration we had for Sweet Girl last week as she turned 7.

I am going... headlong into a cold, I believe. That's because I started a diet a week ago. Any time I start a diet, I end up with a bug a week later. I'm at the "scratchy throat" stage.

I am reading... Stott's Basic Christianity, Barrie's Peter Pan, Created for Work by Bob Schultz, and more recently When You Rise Up by R. C. Sproul, Jr. The Sproul, Jr. family have recently moved here to our church community. They homeschool and have 7 kids.

I am hoping... for a happy, memorable, and blessed evening this coming Thursday as Sweet Girl makes her Profession of Faith and takes her first Lord's Supper! Now our family is complete!

On my mind... the changes coming down in our country, and the agenda that the gov't has in mind for the spring. Not sure where it is all going, but I know two things. ONE: We're going to have to pay for it, literally, with real money, and TWO: God is still 100% sovereign over it all.

From the learning rooms... I cannot believe how many compositions Chips and Sweet Girl are writing these days for their Calvert curriculum. One thing I can say about Calvert, it really challenges them, makes them think, discuss, and work, and especially write. Writing, like touch typing and reading music, can only develop ease and fluency when one is made to practice it over and over again. I can see their skills developing before my eyes. I see Chips creating outlines of his history reading and then turning the outline into a factual composition. I know that this is developing good study skills for when he is older. I see Sweet Girl letting her imagination loose as she turns most of her writing projects into fantasy stories. She is loving writing, always has.

Noticing that... the cortisone injection that our dog, Beau, received last week has turned him into a different dog. He is loving life again! But we have to be careful that he doesn't overdo it, because he hasn't been used to it. Missing his younger days.

Pondering these words... Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. Psalm 86:11.

I especially want that undivided heart part.

From the kitchen... Italian Casserole with Caesar Salad for supper tonight.

Around the house... Self-Reliant Man is still making minor improvements to the roof. All I have to do is spot him and mind the ladder.

Also, cleaning up the breezeway after our dog decided to "mark" the entire thing when we were at church on Sunday. And that's all I'm going to say about THAT!

One of my favorite things... the smells of spring time, and that first whiff you get when you open up a window.

From my picture journal......


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