Our phone and internet went down on Friday afternoon, Feb 19. When we called, they said it should be up by Monday at 5pm. Well, we were actually without a phone and internet for a whole week. All they can credit us is $15!! Whatever happened to customer service! Okay, enough of my whining!!

What were we to do without internet! Isn’t it amazing how much we use the internet.

With the weather warming up, the kids and I headed outside and raked the yard and picked up pine cones. It was nice to get outside! I definitely need the exercise.

The second day, I started bagging the leaves, but I didn’t even get to half the yard before my back was killing me!! I only got three garbage bags full. To top it off, the past few months when I exert myself, such as mopping the kitchen, I start to wheeze. The wheezing is in my throat and not my chest, so I am not sure if it is asthma. I have never had asthma before, so I am not sure. It goes away about an hour later; during this time I also cough up phlegm. A doctor’s visit is in order. I am hoping I will not have to go on medication.

Well, I did make up the second chapter of Proverbs as copywork. I wasn’t able to add as much pictures, but it is still suitable!!

Proverbs 2 [KJV]

1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;

2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;

3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;

4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;

5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.

8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.

9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.

10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;

11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:

12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;

13 Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;

14 Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;

15 Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:

16 To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;

17 Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.

18 For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.

19 None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.

20 That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.

21 For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.

22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.

~Download~
Proverbs 2 Copywork - Primary Lined (20)

Blessings,

Here is what we are currently reading for our history studies. We loosely use the Beautiful Feet Guides. I usually add books to the ones already on the booklist. I love how the lessons are short, well, at least when they are written down. Some guides out there scare me with the full page of what to do. Beautiful Feet guides are so easy to navigate. They are separated by day and it can easily be seen what is to be done. The separations are not in calendar form and I think this is what always turned me off to other guides. The chart look I guess. Anyway, I like how it is set up. Each day is no more than a paragraph of what is to be done. And within that paragraph, is what is to be read by pages, map work, writing assignments, and sometimes even questions to be asked.

They are set up that older kids can take the guide and can do the work themselves. I plan on doing this with the Geography guide for MaryEllen. Of course I will check her work and be there to answer any questions, but it can be used for self-study.

Early American History By Rea C. Berg / Beautiful Feet Books This study guide is designed for the student of American History who desires to understand the hand of God in the American saga. Seeing God’s hand in the events of the past gives us vision and hope for the future. We have therefore carefully selected literature that best embodies this truth.

The kids and I are enjoying the Trailblazer books tremendously as our read alouds. They are nicely written where they keep the kids attention and a when you get to the end of the chapter, they leave you hanging enough to make you want to keep going.

I also like how they explain in the beginning which parts are true and which parts they added to the story. At the end of the book, they will give a brief biography of the character the book was written around.

The Mayflower Secret, Trailblazer Series #26 (William Bradford) By Dave & Neta Jackson / Bethany House Thirteen year old Elizabeth Tilley and her family have been waiting for this day for months; the day the Mayflower sets sail from England. The trip seems especially rough for Dorothy Bradford, the frail young wife of William Bradford. One night, Elizabeth discovers Dorothy alone on deck. Thinking the woman wants to be alone, Elizabeth returns to bed. But the next morning, she awakes to the news that Dorothy has disappeared! Afraid that William Bradford will blame her for his wife’s death, Elizabeth tells no one what she saw that night. When they finally arrive in the New World, many passengers become very ill. Several of them die before the new colony is established, including Elizabeth’s parents. Left an orpahan, Elizabeth must deal with her terrible secret alone. If she dares tell the truth, will it ruin her chance for happiness in the new colony? Recommended for ages 8 to 12.

Along with the Mayflower Secret, we are reading William Bradford, Pilgrim Boy. This is the story of William Bradford’s childhood. The kids like how we jump from reading about when he was a boy and then to when he is a grown man in The Mayflower Secret.

William Bradford: Pilgrim Boy By Bradford Smith / Beautiful Feet Books Young and old alike will enjoy this thoroughly researched and personable biography of the first governer of Plimouth Plantation. Read about Bradford’s difficult childhood in England and see how he was being prepared by hardship and los to face the challenges of his adult life. 200 pages, softcover.

We are using The Light and the Glory for Children as a spine for our history reading. So right now along with our Mayflower adventure, we are reading chapters 5-9 which will also include the Puritans arrival.

The Light and the Glory for Children also has questions you can either have the kids do on their own, or you can use them as discussion. We use them as discussion. So after we read a chapter, we will answer the questions together giving any insight we might have.

The Light and the Glory for Children By Peter Marshall / Baker Has America seen the last of its courageous Christian heroes? Put your kids on horseback with evangelist George Whitefield, in Valley Forge with president George Washington, and in many other historical places where believers stood for righteousness—and they’ll be inspired to continue God’s work in America! Includes study activities. For ages 9 to 12. 174 pages, softcover from Revell.

Blessings,

My son will begin to copy the book of Proverbs. I am thinking for both him and his sister, they will alternate chapters. So after they finish a chapter in Proverbs, then they will do one in Psalms. MaryEllen right now is copying Psalms.

He will only be doing a verse a day, but I want him to concentrate on neatness and letter formation. For now, I am giving him a little, but expecting neat and legible work.

I only made this one in primary lined because only Donnie will be using it. MaryEllen copies straight from the Bible or if I print up a page with the verses on it, she will copy them onto notebook paper. She prefers it that way.

I did include the verses printed out in a size 14 font for the older children.

Proverbs 1

1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
9 For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:
12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:
13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:
14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:
15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:
16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.
17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.
18 And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.
19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.
20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:
21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,
22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.
31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

~Download~
Proverbs 1 Copywork - Primary Lined (35)

Blessings,

The Monster at the End of This Book

How many of you remember this book? I do not know what brought it to mind, but I remembered reading it to my little brother when I was a teenager. It was SO much fun!!

Then I got to thinking that I don’t even own this book, nor have I ever checked it out from the library to read to my own kids!! So, I ordered myself a copy. I couldn’t wait to read it to the kids.

When it arrived on Thursday, I snuck it into the laundry room so the kids would not see it. I didn’t want them asking me what was in my package. You know how nosy kids can be especially when they see a package in the mail. Plus, they were still doing their studies and I didn’t want to distract them. But oh how I so wanted to just say, “STOP! Mom has a book she wants to read.” But I didn’t.

I waited until story hour at 7:30. Usually we start with the Bible, but that day, I announced that I had a book I wanted to share with them. They got curious when I headed to the laundry room and not the bookcase.

I showed them the book and explained how I use to read it to their uncle when he was a toddler. The looked at the cover and read the title, “The Monster at the End of This Book“. I never let go of the book so they couldn’t thumb through it. I sat them down and we began to read.

They made remarks about how Grover is a monster so why should he be afraid of a monster! I just chuckled to myself and continued reading. I read the book using my scared voice, my frustrated voice, bringing Grover and the story alive. I used hand motions similar to what it looked like Grover was doing and the kids were having a blast! They were so into the story laughing and giggling and smiling. What more could I ask!!

I have re-read the book to them twice already and they each have read it aloud to themselves or eachother. Donnie read it to me and it was cute to see and hear him read with such expression!!

This book was too much fun!! I am glad I got to finally read it to my kids who are now 8 and 10 years old!!

You can read it online here. Pretty neat!

Blessings,

Donnie is going through the Italic handwriting course, which is going great! I have seen a great improvement in his writing. He is in the third grade, and I never really concentrated too much with him on writing his letters. We did a lot of his work oral up to this point because his writing was so shaky. His letters would come out squiggly. So I figured it was a fine-motor issue.

Well, this year as he was entering 3rd grade, I knew we would have to work and improve on his penmanship because more writing would be required. So, I bought the italic course because it seemed the simplest to do.

I started him out on the first book, the very basic book with just the alphabet. He did a page a day, sometimes two. We made sure he took his time. Sometimes I had him recopy the page on a primary writing pad we had bought some years ago.

He then moved to the second book. And now he is beginning the third book. Even in his everyday writing that he does outside of studies, I can see an improvement.

But as he did his other writing for other subjects on wide ruled paper, I noticed that his writing would be uneven. His lowercase letters would sometimes be as tall as an upper case letter. Sometimes he would not bring the stem of a ‘p’ or ‘g’ below the line.

So this is where the primary lined paper comes in. I made this up for him to use during his studies. It helps him bring what he is learning in his penmanship book, into his other subjects. We have been learning about margins, so I made it up with the red lines going down both sides. Without the lines, he tends to start at the edge of the paper.

So, as with most everything else, I thought I would share these simple pages with you all. Maybe, someone else can use them too.

MaryEllen has been writing since she was 4, learning to write her letters, but I have noticed that her writing is a little sloppy. So, I started her in the Italic course also beginning with book C (the third book). I am hoping this will help her with neatness. She wasn’t too thrilled, but I told her until her writing improved, she will have to do the book concentrating on neatness.

~Download~
Primary Lined Paper - Line Height - Small (54)
Primary Lined Paper - Line Height - Medium (49)

Blessings,

We are in the process of memorizing this WHOLE chapter. I am guessing it might take us (or me) about a month or so. I am going to shoot for 2-3 verses a week. More if the kids can handle it. Their reward for memorizing this chapter will be a Beanie Baby stuffed animal. They are so into Beanie Babies right now. They are collecting quite a few, most of them bought with their own money or as gifts for Christmas.

Okay, back to 1 Corinthians 13. As we go through each verse, we are also discussing what they mean, looking up words that might not be familiar and sharing how we can apply them to our lives. We just started 3 days ago, and already have the first one memorized.

I do want to find a commentary on this chapter so I can read it and glean from it so I can better answer any questions the kids might have.

I know I memorized most of this verse as a child when I was part of Missionettes. I remember having to replace my name in the place of ‘charity’. I think I will have the kids do this also. Maybe I will even have them write it out to hang above their bed or somewhere they will see it everyday. I think I will make up a mini poster just for this.

Okay, I took a break from typing and went and created a poster for the kids to hang on the wall. I think it would also be a neat idea to have them write it out and maybe use magazines or different fonts to emphasize each description of love.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Poster (41)

So for me it would read, “Cynthia suffereth long, and is kind; Cynthia envieth not; Cynthia vaunteth not herself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave herself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easity provoked, thinketh no evil;…”

1 Corinthians 13

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

1 Corinthians 13 Copywork - Primary (64)
1 Corinthians 13 Copywork - Ruled (53)

I created these index cards to make it easier instead of feeling overwhelmed with a whole page of scripture. This way we can take them in bite-size pieces. Hey I know, I will call them “Scripture Bites.”

You can either cut them out into individual cards, or you can cut the paper across under the first and second cards, line them up in order, trim where necessary and staple on the left a few times to make a mini book. This way they are all together, but you can still focus on just the few verses you are working on at a time. This also works great for review of previous scripture because they will all be together. No fear of losing any cards.

1 Corinthians 13 Scripture Bites (38)

Blessings,