Jesus...There's Just Something About That Name

     This year, the Bible part of our curriculum has us studying the different names for Jesus. It has been a REALLY great study. About every two weeks we study a different name. We color a little picture with the name displayed on it and attach it to our names for Jesus poster. With each name, we have a key verse that we recite everyday that goes along. The first day or two, we really break that verse apart and study it and what it means. We talk about the name and what it reveals about Jesus' personality. For a few days after that, we read passages from the Bible that exemplify that. Then the final days of the study, we brainstorm and give examples of how it can be applied in our lives.
      Right now, for example, we are studying that Jesus is the Giver of Living Water. Our key verse we recite everyday is, " ...If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink." John 7:37 . We colored a water drop that says " Giver of Living Water"  to add to our poster. We read in Exodus about Moses and the Israelites and water from the rock, and in John about Jesus and the woman at the well. Finally, we talked about ways we can tell "thirsty" people about the Living Water, so they will never have to thirst again.
      I love this! The kids are not just reading or hearing and comprehending (which is great in itself), but they are learning how to study the Bible! They are discovering for themselves who Jesus is and how he interacted with people. I know the younger ones aren't catching everything and taking it all in. But they are catching a little and absorbing some of what they hear. That lays a good foundation.
      I also like that we always have a little craft to reinforce it. It really helps, because it is usually something that we are supposed to display on the kitchen table for a week or two. Like with this week, we colored a picture of a water drop with our verse printed out that we are supposed to put on a water pitcher. When we use it during meal times, we are reminded that physical water will quench our physical thirst temporarily. But, when we drink living water, we will never spiritually thirst again.
     One time we decorated candles when we were studying that Jesus is "The Light of the World".  We kept them on our table and lit them every night for dinner. This is also a great way to remind us to talk about what we learned about that name earlier that day. Great dinner table discussions!
      Here is a picture of Camden decorating his candle. He painted glue onto it and then rolled it in salt. Matt did this with the boys while I was out one day.

 

Here are the finished candles.

 

 Yes, they are simple. They don't have to be anything elaborate. I don't know about all kids, but any kind of project, experiment, or craft that we can do related to what we are learning really helps my guys. If they can see it and feel it, it really helps to ingrain it in their brain. It really helps cross the line from just short term memorizing something, to really learning something. That is why I really don't like when I have to pass over  the crafts and such due to lack of supplies or time restraints. I would rather just slow down and do things when I can really do them. When I rush through or pass over, they aren't learning anyway, at least for the long term. And the important thing, after all, is that they are REALLY learning.

 

This is a picture of them working on their Jesus window decorations.

I posted this picture so you can see that Silas sticks his tongue out when he concentrates. He doesn't realize it, though. Silly boy!

 

This is their final product. They were really proud!

 

 

Columbus and the Sea Monsters

     We use My Father's World curriculum in our schooling, and this year we are studying American history. It has been so interesting! Since Zeb joined us in September, we've been taking our history and science kind of slow. We started at the beginning of the year with the Vikings and just finished up the Revolutionary war and the colonies becoming states. Now we are about to do a brief study of each state covering a few each week. Key people will also continue pop up from time to time, and we will take time to study them.
      After a little bit of  Eric the Red, Leif Ericson, and the vikings, we studied Christopher Columbus. Toward the end of that unit, we did a little science experiment. We used aluminum foil and the boys had to figure out how to construct boats and which shapes and sizes held up best in the water. They made three boats and we labeled them The Nina, The Pinta, and Santa Maria. The instructions suggested using a pencil and some clay to make the mast, but we found that a straw and some hot glue worked much better. When we were finished, the boys decided to move them to the bathtub. This was a much better representation of the sea than the sink! Of course, what's a good dramatic reenactment without some sea monsters?

 

 

 

After a few minutes of leaning over the tub, they decided it would just be easier to dive in!

 

 



Right By My Dad

     This past summer my husband worked A LOT! Yes, that's a good thing since he brings in our sole income for a family of six.  I truly appreciate what he contributes to our family, and he knows it. For the most part, the kiddos do not feel the pain of his sometimes late hours (There are a few exceptions during different times throughout the year.). The reason that this is the case is due to the fact that, when he IS home, he always makes sure that he is spending true quality time with our little guys.  As a matter of fact, he probably spends more quality time with them than a lot of dads that don't work near as often. I am very grateful for this, because it is so important to whom our kids will become as adults.
     I love  Matt's work ethic. He works hard, but at the same time is not consumed by it. When it's time to play, he plays. I think many adults often forget how important this is, myself included.
     He also loves building projects and in his "spare time", last summer, he decided to begin working on a sand box. I would probably call it more of a sand house. "Go big or go home" is definitely his motto when it comes to projects. Silas was playing inside when he asked where his daddy was. I told Silas that Daddy was outside working. A few minutes later, Silas had his outside clothes on and was heading out the door. I looked at him and, in his most serious voice, he said, "If you need me, I'll be outside working right by my dad."
     Now I know that may not be such an uncommon occurrence, but there was something about the way he said it. I could see that he was proud of his dad. It was like nothing else mattered nor would it compare to the time he was about to spend working with his dad. Here are a couple of pictures. Yes they are even working in the rain!

 

Matt said he never complained, even though his little bucket of sand was heavy. He just kept dumping and reloading.

 

 

 

 

He was so proud, and so was his Daddy! I hope twenty years from now that I can look out of the window and witness the same thing. Except maybe it will be Matt helping Silas build a sand house for his son, who is happily working hard beside them!

An "About Me" Top 20

A "Top 20" about me in no particular order:

1. When my husband isn't home, I ride the boys' scooters around the house. It's true.
2. I love to sniff the inside of new books.
3. If I could afford the kind of dresses I liked, I would wear dresses every day of my life.
4. I. LOVE. HOMESCHOOLING. I love spending a lot of time with my babies and seeing the light bulb moments.
5. I love the feel of sleeping infants breathing on my neck.
6. I strongly believe which facial products, hair products, and hair tools one uses makes all the difference in the world.
7. My husband is my best friend.
8. I have learned a whole lot since I started homeschooling. Since my oldest is in first grade, I am a little embarrassed to admit that.
9. I thoroughly research and compare almost everything I consider buying before I shell out the money. And I read no less than 100 reviews. This is true with hotel rooms, electronics, curriculum, toys, etc...
10. It would be a dream come true for someone to come decorate my home! A. Dream. Come. True! They would definitely have to be able to design on a dime.
11. I'm a homebody. I cherish nights at home with my family. I really don't need to get out much. Every now and then is perfect. But when I do need to get out, I need it in a bad way!
12. Lori Wick is my favorite author. God has used her to help me be a better wife.
13. I am a firm believer in "garbage in, garbage out". I don't think the garbage can just be stored in the brain and stay there. Nor should it be stored there.
14. My favorite episode of my favorite show is  Little House On the Prairie when Laura has her sweet sixteen. Sweet Almonzo! My least favorite episode is the circus one.
15. I have a Cricut and love it.
16. I love to sew, but have taken a "little" break since Zeb joined our family. Hopefully I'll get Bliss' Easter dress made. It's tradition, after all.
17. I really want a really NICE purse, but cant bring myself to spend the money on one.
18. I sneak candy so I don't have to share. I AM ashamed. Also, my husband can buy an individual size candy and eat on it for days. If mine is all gone, and his is still there, I believe I have the right to eat it. My husband doesn't see it that way, and probably hides his treats quite a bit.
19. I can not stand repetition. If we are watching a video, and my husband needs to take a phone call or something, I loathe rewinding so he can watch what he missed. Just push pause! I don't like repeating myself either.
20. I like the smell that comes out of the vent the first time the heater is turned on for the season. Matt said it is the smell of burning dust. I say it is the smell of winter. Winter has not officially kicked off until I've smelled that smell.

Tasty Thoughts

      Most people like food. I'm no exception. I don't know why, but I thought I would compile a list of some of my favorite foods (and not so favorite) that I stuff (and don't stuff) my face with. Most of it is junk, but I promise I don't eat it all the time. If I did, though, I'd be happy, happy, happy!

 

• I really like black beans, and I mix them in about everything. Pasta, fajitas, chili, dips, etc...
• I like ground hamburger in my mac and cheese (and I throw some black beans in there too).
• These Baby Cuties are so good! I can't quit eating them!!

• I love garden fresh tomatoes. I don't like store bought ones. And they MUST have salt. And I like them peeled. That's how my Pawpaw ate them. He trained me well.
• I like sourdough bread.
• I like Jell-O Jigglers. I like them made in the Jell-o egg molds, but can't find any these days.
• Though I like corn, I believe it should be eaten separate from other food in it's own little spot on the plate. This roots from some childhood memories that some may find comical, but it is what it is.
• I like my rice dry before the food goes on top (not sticky or creamy).
• My favorite part about eating cereal is drinking the cereal flavored milk afterwards. Yum-O! Cereal companies should make little individual serving cereal flavor packets to put in 8 ounces of milk. Fruity Pebble milk? You've got it!
• I love my Gran's buttermilk biscuits (especially with chocolate gravy).
• I like deer meat. It is really lean (which is good for my fatty liver). When we have it, we use it in the place of most all meat.
• Cherry cheesecake makes me happy!
• Milk and Oreo cookies are one of my favorites! I don't care for the cookies without the milk though. I can hang with the low-fat Oreos. It's been so long since I had the other kind, I forgot how good they were.
• My favorite candy bar is a Symphony bar. The kind with toffee and almonds.

• By the way, what ever happened to these? I think they were called Nestle Alpine White Chocolate Bars. They were a huge part of my childhood. We should start a petition to bring them back!

• My husband makes the best Chinese dish that I've ever eaten. I would seriously choose it over going to a Chinese restaurant.
• I WILL NOT buy the Wal-mart brand chocolate syrup. Under the allergy warning on the label, it states that it may contain traces of anchovies. I don't want anchovies in my chocolate milk. Thanks, but no. That's all I could think about after I read it. I buy the name brand now.
• Sadly, I am a picky eater. Most of the time, it doesn't have anything to do with the flavor, but instead the texture.
• I HEART white chocolate mousse.

• I prefer my pasta "al dente".
• I like candy that has gooey insides. True story. Fruit Gushers, that gum with the goo inside, or my new favorite, Twizzlers Filled Twists are all examples.

  

• And why can't we just buy those little candied marshmallows that come in some hot chocolate packets? Those are good.
• I MUST  have milk in my hot chocolate. There is just something really wrong with drinking chocolate water (though some would argue that's exactly what I'm drinking since I only drink skim milk)! Also, while the rule is one packet to eight ounces of milk, I always use a packet and a half.

 That brings me to my current favorite thing...

• I love Nestle's Chocolate Caramel Hot Chocolate. It makes my insides all cozy, like wrapping up in a big comfy blanket! It relaxes my whole body.

I