Monday, September 26, 2011

No Fast Food

Can we do it?  As a modern day family can we actually make it a whole month with no fast food?  I am very curious about this and since I desperately want to lose weight and even more since I want to save money I am willing to try this challenge.  What challenge is that? This one presented by my friend the Lazy Mom, she had challenged us to join her in no fast food for the month of October, yep the whole 31 days.  What classes as fast food can be decided by your family but loosely its defined as anyplace you don't have to get out of your car to get food.  For me I am willing to go a step further and say this includes all sit down restaurants that have the carside to go service. Unfortunately I will know this sets me up for immediate failure as we have a family birthday gathering in October which will mean one trip to Applebees, in this case I am amending to rule to include the exception of unavoidable family gatherings.  In this case its also because we meet in a town half way between where we live and the rest of the family.  So we are in, are you.  Willing to see what we learn and how we do? Either way it should be fun

Casssie

No Fast Food Challenge

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Michigan History Week: 2

I must apologize I am a few weeks late on my next post here. Things have been a bit crazy around here but we are finally getting back to normal. But anyway finally here it is, lol.

For week two we continued our study of our state symbols.

Monday we looked at the state flower, the apple blossom. I found this worksheet at kidzone.  I really like how it explains what the flower should look like when colored.  It worked really well and my kids liked having the coloring directions right on the activity.


Tuesday we studied the state bird, the robin. This can also be found at kidzone.  It had the same format with the description of each part of the bird on the picture.


Wednesday we added the state tree, the white pine.

Unfortunately I can't remember where i found the cute little pine tree accordion book.  The kids colored the tree and wrote inside about the white pine. We discussed how the state used to be covered in them and that they were a major source of lumber during the states logging boom.


Thursday we added the state reptile, the painted turtle.  I found this cute little guy at homeschoolshare.  He is actually a diagram, that was a little more in depth than I wanted to go.  So I only used part of the lapbook.



Finally Friday we looked at the state mammal, the white tailed deer.  I found a deer shaped lapbook at homeschoolshare.  We simply wrote that the white tailed deer was the state mammal inside.  (The deer we used in found on page three of the PDF.)



Week three should be coming soon.  We will continue our study of the state symbols and finish with a look at our state government.  Hope to see you back next week.

Cassie

Thursday, September 1, 2011

The Number One Reason Why Homeschooling Works, At Least for this Family

So many times as I talk to other parents about homeschooling I hear, "I am so impressed, I don't know how you do it all.  I could never make it work like you do".  Well my friends here is my little secret to success, I don't do it alone.  Nope, I have the very best helper in the World helping me, My Lord and Savior.  In fact the Bible says, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philipians 4:13.  So because of Christ I can do this because he will help me in my efforts.  However I don't think its quite that easy.  If by chance my homeschooling didn't glorify God then I don't think He would help me be successful.

However our homeschool does glorify God.  In fact one of our main reasons for homeschooling is to make sure that in everything we try to keep our focus on Him.  After all He commanded us to instruct our children in Deuteronomy 6:7, where it says "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."  That is exactly what we strive to do.  You see God is not just limited to a nightly devotion in our house or even a course of study for an hour a day.  He is there as we learn history, science, even spelling and grammar.   I admit math is a hard subject to bring God into, but how about thinking of it this way, we learn math so we can be better stewards of all God has given us.   Not just monetary stewards even but math helps us understand science and science helps us see the glory of god's creation. As a pastor I recently spoke with on this topic reminded me after all, it's about Him, all the other stuff just points back to Him.

This doesn't mean I am one of those homeschool moms that thinks all good Christian moms should homeschool.  He calls each family into what is right for them.  However I don't think any family should be afraid to try if they are focused on God.  It is my belief that He gives a special blessing on all those try to live out Deuteronomy 6:7 by teaching at home.

So for all my friends who wonder if you can do this.  I pray you find the strength to trust God to lead you into what is right for you.  For all those who already do, I pray God is the center of your school.

Cassie