Music Recital May 2009

Our three oldest children had their music recital yesterday. They all did very well. The recital was held at a new location and they were able to use a baby grand piano for their pieces this time. Fortunately, the feel of the piano was similar to ours, so the kids didn't find that to be a problem!

Thank you Mrs. Medlock for another wonderful year of lessons!

Here are a few pictures of them playing. I will be posting the videos of their performances also once the videos are compressed.

Bethany played two pieces: Never Alone and Fur Elise

Bryce also played two pieces: Fight the Good Fight and Cockles and Mussels

Kaitlyn played Oh Susanna!

Some of the Colorado Claytons were here visiting and were able to attend the recital.
Kyle, April, and Cody with Zach in the picture!

Bethany and Josh before the recital started.

SHINE Spring Ball 2009

Here is a slide show of pictures from the most recent SHINE Spring Ball. My oldest, Bethany, attended again. It was a great night and the teens had a wonderful time! Everyone looked amazing!

This is an annual event hosted by our homeschool group.

Enjoy!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Great books for your home and school!

Usborne Books & More!

An exciting update!! Usborne Books at Home is now Usborne Books & More! They have acquired the Kane Miller publishing company and are now able to offer even more books to your family!

Visit my website and click on the Kane Miller link (in the left hand column of links) to see the books! More will be added as we go! www.heartslovehome.com

There are also many new offerings and specials on the website! Make sure to enter the drawing to win $50 in free books!!

Come explore the world of Usborne Books & More! We offer high quality, attractive books in a variety of bindings for children of all ages! Our products range from cute baby board books to huge volumes on History and Science topics that are Internet-linked for added learning depth and fun!

You can purchase products directly through my website or host a party for free and discounted items while we share what Usborne is about with your friends and family! This is also a wonderful opportunity to earn income while sharing your love of books with other people! All orders ship very quickly once they are placed.

A child's interest in reading and learning is stimulated by the lavish illustrations and informative content. There are over 1300 bright, colorful and fun titles covering activities, puzzles and a wide range of subjects for children of all ages! Many specially priced sets are available as well as unique craft, fun and learning kits.

Please contact me for additional information!

Contact: Wendy Clayton

Phone: 210-599-6598

Email: wencla2007@gmail.com
**If you email me, please make sure to check your bulk/spam folder for my reply..as messages sometimes end up there instead of your in-box! I will always reply within 24 hrs of receiving an email!**

Website: http://www.heartslovehome.com/

Area: based in NNE San Antonio, available for business in all San Antonio and surrounding areas for home shows, nationwide for web sales!

There are a number of great new books available for this year!

Please let me know if you would like to host a home show or a catalog/eshow!! If you are interested in learning more about how the business works, please let me know!! There are several sign up specials this month!

Blessings,
Wendy

The Greatest Gift!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!



Below are part 1 and part 2 of the play the kids were in at our new church in New Braunfels!

It's about 53 minutes total with the two parts. I hope you enjoy it! The kids did wonderful considering that they really only had 2 practices before the performance!

I had to compress them in order to upload them here...but they should still look okay!

Many blessings to you and your family for the coming year!





The Greatest Gift - part 1





The Greatest Gift - part 2

The Gift of Eternal Life

1 John 5:11
And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. (NIV)

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NASB)

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (NIV)

Titus 3:4-7
But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (NKJV)

John 10:27-28
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me. (NLT)

This Side Up Christmas Concert!

I posted some info about the concert on my other blog but it wouldn't let me upload the videos. You can see a few other pictures and info here: www.tiwacademy.wordpress.com

This Side Up...band leads worship this week!

My daughter is in a Praise Band put together by moms in our homeschool group, SHINE.

They have done several performances before our co-op classes on Fridays, but they had their first "public" 'performance' yesterday. They were asked to do the music for a special worship service that is held at Brooke Army Medical Center. A church brought food and the band provided the music, shared scriptures, etc.

It was a great experience for all the kids and the parents involved! The kids did great and everyone seemed to enjoy the music! They have been working on Christian Contemporary/Rock Praise and Worship songs.

I was able to video some clips of their songs using my camera. The quality isn't that great, but it will give you an idea of what the songs sounded like and how they did!

They were playing in an outside courtyard, so that was also a new situation for them to deal with...especially when the birds started coming at dusk! :)

Hope you enjoy!

Be My Escape by Reliant K




Meant to Live by Switchfoot





They also finally decided on a name which one of the Band Director explains a bit about in one of the clips. It didn't get the whole description, but gives some idea of what is behind the name. She refers to 2 Chronicles 5:11-14. It is an awesome passage about worship..and ushering in the presence of the Lord through singing praise and playing instruments!!



Hosanna




From the Inside Out




How Great is Our God





Beauty of Simplicity by Telecast



Shine by Newsboys

Interesting video regarding our current Economic Crisis

Worth watching!

Burning Down the House - What Caused Our Economic Crisis

Pepper's First Litter 2008!

One of our cats just recently had their first litter of kittens. She is 4 years old and the dad was only about 6 months old or so at the time. She only had one kitten though! Her name is Pepper and the dad is Shadow. You will see a couple of pictures about halfway through the show with mom, dad and the kitten in the box!

This was a very interesting experience all the way around. When we realized that she might be pregnant, I estimated when she might be due based on the "signs" of pregnancy. She ended up delivering about a week and half before I had expected it so we weren't quite prepared.

We also have a situation with this particular cat...she doesn't like to be shut up in any rooms or small spaces! So she wouldn't stay in the areas/box we wanted her to in order to have the baby!

She was in labor for 2 days...it was exhausting as we waited and tried to make sure she wouldn't hide somewhere we couldn't find her, etc. She finally delivered around 6am on August 29th. I had fallen asleep and figured I would hear her making some type of noise to indicate she was delivering, but she didn't! I awoke on the sofa in the living room to the sound of the kitten crying!

Pepper had delivered her under the chair in the living room (which wasn't covered of course--making a big mess). I put her and the baby into the area we had prepared for her..it took a bit of time to get her calm, the baby warm and to get her to stay with the baby and not be freaked out! She finally settled down and started taking care of the baby. In order to get some sleep and keep her from moving the baby, we put her in the playpen we had arranged with her box and everything she needed and covered it so she would stay in. That worked for a bit and then we just put her box in the living room near the sofa so she wouldn't feel trapped.

She did move the kitten briefly into the tiny scratching post. We later moved her and her box into our bedroom so we could shut the door to keep them contained (not hide the baby where we wouldn't be able to find it) and she wouldn't feel like she was trapped. This was also to keep the daddy cat away from them until the baby was bigger.

She stayed there for about a week and a half. We started leaving the door open and she ended up moving the kitten to my daughter's bed! She is on the bottom bunk of their bunkbed. I guess it feels kind of like a box to her but with more room!

They have remained in the girls room through today..and will be for a bit longer. Once the kitten started walking well, we put the baby gate up to keep him (?) in but Pepper can come in and out as needed.

He is running, jumping and playing now! He has even started using the litter box and eating hard food...without us teaching him! He is very cute. He is being called Sam (so it would work for either a girl or a boy), but his name may be changed to Gizmo..because of his ears! We will see!

This is a slide show of the progression of her being in labor (NO gory details), up until today with a short video clip.

This has been a new experience for our family, but it looks like our other cat may also be pregnant! We will see if she will have more than one kitten!

Enjoy!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Special Sale! Organized Mom's Super Set by Cindy Rushton!

Would you love to spend an afternoon--or a week--with another homeschool mom and plan out the details of your school year?

You CAN! Check out Cindy Rushton's New Organized Mom Super Set!

Great ebooks
Audio Mp3's
Planning Pages

Plus! When you purchase your set you get MORE help with record-keeping, organization, and setting up your home to learn--you also get access to Cindy's Organization 911 Seminar Set and her newest seminar set, Let's Get Organized for the New School Year.
Yep! Both! Complimentary!

This set is on SALE this week only!! September 1st-7th for half off!! This is a deal you won't want to pass up! Please check it out!!


Get your set here:

Organized Mom's Super Set--click here!!


I love all the sets she offers and you are getting an awesome deal with this sale!! It is this week only....so don't pass it up!!

Great Article by Michael Pearl!

I will be trying to get caught up on posting pictures and info soon, but I wanted to get this article posted today!

I just received and started reading my new No Greater Joy magazine. There is a great article (will be a series of articles) that just explains very nicely why God has always given my husband and I discernment about not getting involved in certain "circles" of homeschoolers.

Take a few minutes to read this!

You can also read the article here: Cloistered Homeschool Syndrome

And sign up to receive the printed version here: http://www.nogreaterjoy.org/free-subscription/

Cloistered Homeschool Syndrome

By: Michael & Debi Pearl

The Foger family came to stay with us one spring about 12 years ago while they were on furlough from Mozambique.

Their eighth child was soon to be delivered. Although I had just met the family, I was highly impressed by them. The oldest daughter, 19 years old, was a joyful, hardworking, energetic, blue-eyed beauty. The next, a 17 year old son, was cut in the mold of his father, dedicated, reserved, and very mission-minded. The five other children were 13 years old and younger. The family sang together with strong, forceful voices, no bashfulness among them. The two oldest children provided the instrumental accompaniment. It was an experience just listening to such a group.

They all understood and spoke two languages. The oldest two children spoke three languages. The father had left South America after ten years of mission service to move to another country, which meant learning another language. The parents still stumbled around slowly learning the Portuguese language. The two oldest children were invaluable in the new ministry, which was already showing promise.

While we sat around one evening, the mother casually asked us to pray that their daughter find a husband before they left for Mozambique in the Fall. I asked in a shocked manner, “Why on earth would you want her to marry now? She is such a blessing to you and knows the language. Surely you need her to help you with the other children.” The mother lifted her arched brows as she pondered how she would answer me. Her look conveyed her surprise at my lack of understanding. “We will be in a foreign country for the next 4 years. All that time she will be at the prime of her marriageable age. We feel it is best for her to marry an American. God called my husband to Mozambique as a missionary…not our adult children. We have obeyed God and raised them up to serve HIM…not US. We don’t add; we multiply. It is time for her to live her life.”
That next year we received a mission card with their picture. There were only six children in the picture. The mission letter briefly stated that the oldest son was in Bible school and the daughter was married.

Over the years I received their missions update. I noted that the parents were growing fatter and grayer. The children disappeared from the picture, one or two every year or so. It was sad to see the diminishing of such a magnificent family. The mission letters were filled with gospel film presentations to prisoners and villagers, church camps, protracted meetings, people getting saved, and only a brief mention of their now grown children. They would write something like, “Joshua and his wife are in Romania serving as missionaries; Peter and his wife are in Russia working with the something ministry; Sara married this year. Her husband is the pastor of a church.” And so it went.

Today we receive mission letters from their now grown and ministering children. I see their families expanding. Their joyful, energetic, blue-eyed beauty of a daughter is now the mother of six children. Her family is growing up in Cajun country. I know if I meet them I will be very impressed. I heard that they sing like soldiers…with power and command.

I am thankful for the testimony of the Foger family as well as other families that have come into our lives. They are a prototype to help us understand the problems that are arising among some older homeschooling families. We call it by different names. Today it is the Cloistered Homeschooled Syndrome. Briefly, it is the failure of the parents to understand, appreciate, and respect the individuality of their adult children. They sacrifice the individual identities of their children on the altar of their own emotional needs, making them nurse when they should be killing and dressing their own food, making them obey when they should be learning to command. They seem to think that grown children are God’s gift to them rather than their gift to God. Through letters and personal contact, we see more and more of this cult-like isolationism, parents demanding absolute allegiance to the family group, and fearing outside contact might break up their “fellowship.” Adult kids who want to launch out on their own are told that they are rebellious and disloyal and are causing grief to those who have nurtured them. Emotionally needy parents manipulate their grown children into remaining loyal to the unit. Thirty-year-old daughters sit at home acting as surrogate mothers, watching their prospects to ever be a mother dwindle.

You cannot stop a tree from growing without killing it or deforming it. Likewise, every year of one’s life up until about the age of twenty-one or twenty-two is a year of radical change and development. Some parents are trying to stop that development, clinging to their teenagers like they were six years old. We have observed the victims many times. They either flee their chains in anger, or they are slowly smothered into inordinate submission, and their personalities die as they merge into the ego of their dependent parents.

This medieval hierarchy is preached as Bible doctrine. Father and Mother as King and Queen of their little kingdom preach the divine right of Kings and parents—“Obey me without question, for it is your manifest destiny.” Their “patriarchal” status is the only expression of their significance in an otherwise disconnected world, and they milk it until their children are dry and lifeless in spirit, or until they fly away to breathe fresh air.

For over a year we have been discussing this subject, thinking about how to address it. We have talked with many young adults who are, or were, held captive, the rebellious and the subdued, those who are disciples of Christ and those who are worldly and lost. We have spoken with families who lost their children early, in their teens, and families who lost a child to the world in their twenties or later.

How did this happen? It is the old pendulum at work. Thirty to forty years ago Christian parents were losing their children to the world through public schools, public churches, and public play. The family was disconnected and dating was the norm. We rebelled against the soul eating monster and took charge of our lives. Our children would not be raised on the TV. They would not lose their virginity in a school bathroom or under the stairwell. No more evolutionary philosophy and godless history and science. We took our children home and taught them from used books and the Bible. We created culture anew, abstaining from mega churches with their youth groups and revolving boy-girl relationships. We parents became the principle influence in our children’s lives, selecting their friends and ours with care. No overnight sleeps or backyard playhouses with closing doors. Family worship and Bible study took the place of Television. Once again parents were in charge and there was hope.
It felt good to be in control of our own destiny, to not be a victim, to know that our children would escape the sin and shame that some of us had to go through before we came to Christ.

There was a vacuum, a need for leaders to arise and define what had become a movement, to clarify our journey and give us direction through uncharted waters. First, curriculum was written, then seminars. Sub-movements arose to flesh out the new culture, specialists addressing every conceivable issue—head coverings, dress, doctrine, spanking, scheduled nursing, Kosher foods and Jewish practices, and the list goes on. Books were written, some good, some not so good. Then someone pulled from ancient Chaldean and Sumerian culture, also practiced by Jews of that day as reflected in Scripture, a system of Patriarchal rule. It was the way nomadic clans were held together, a necessity of the times, but never taught by Moses, the prophets, or Christ as God’s divine plan.

I laughed the first time I hear of the Patriarchal Movement. “It will never fly,” I said, “People are not that gullible.” But they were. Daddies who were never in charge of anything, maybe not even their wives, were finally given justification for assuming the throne. Yippee!

It is now become a disease of epic proportions. We call them PDFs, Patriarchal Dysfunctional Families. The children are treated as permanent property of the parents. If they don’t marry, and many of them never have the opportunity, they remain at home as a sort of indentured servant, never rising to the status of an adult, always under authority of the head of the clan, the Patriarch Daddy. Don’t snicker. A lot of kids are hurting. And if you want to see something scary, try to conduct a betrothal with two patriarchal mothers involved. It is uggggly.
Daughter sits at home serving the younger children and doing Mama’s chores—waiting for God’s choice. Daddy and Mama hold their merchandise guardedly, waiting for a buyer who never comes.

What is pitiful is the whole process is done in hopes of getting the perfect will of God, but one vital ingredient is missing—encouraging your children to become responsible, autonomous, well educated, and experienced adults as soon as possible. You should have trained your sons to be men by the time they are fifteen, independent by the time they are eighteen. Your daughters should be capable of living apart from the family by the time they are eighteen and should be allowed to make their own life’s decisions somewhere between the ages of eighteen and twenty. Unmarried, grown (18 years old) children may remain at home; it is good if they do; but the parent-child relationship should evolve into an adult-adult relationship by the time they are sixteen to eighteen years old. Parents should have earned the right to give advice, and kids should have grown in wisdom enough to ask for it. But a parent should never invoke his parental authority on a grown kid. It is demeaning to both and akin to not being potty trained.

To teach a student to drive or fly a plane and then always make him be in the company of his parents is degrading. You teach them so they can become independent of you. Whose need is being met when a Father treats a 22-year-old girl like a child, dictating the parameters of her choices?
The glory of a parent is to work himself out of a job, to stand back and see his kids fly solo. I expected to have supplanted myself by the time my kids were eighteen. And so it was. Long before that, I began to confer with them adult to adult. I have stepped back and allowed them to make decisions that I knew were not the best choices, and sometimes I was wrong; they were wiser than I.

Space does not allow us to say more at this time. More will come later. Sit down and talk with your nearly grown kids. Ask them what they want, feel, aspire to. Don’t express hurt, and don’t emotionally manipulate them. Encourage them to pursue their dreams and support them in their effort.

In 1996, our daughter Rebekah Joy, then a 20-year-old in training to be a linguist, wrote this poem. At the time, the poem was the future; it was full of promise and hope.

There is a mighty army
Being trained to stand and fight.
A Battlefield of soldiers
Learning what is right.
A Company of warriors
That will boldly take the Word
To every tribe and nation
Til every soul has heard.
There is a mighty army,
I’ve seen them everywhere.
Most are wearing diapers
And dragging Teddy Bears.
Infants in the training
Drilled in right and wrong.
Mom and Dad are making
Soldiers brave and strong.
There is a mighty army
Trained in righteous war.
Cheer them on to victory,
Children of the Lord!

At 22 years old, Rebekah went into a remote mountain range of Papua New Guinea to study the language of a tribe who had never even seen a white person. Her 19-year-old brother, Gabriel, went for a few months, then was replaced by Nathan, her 17-year-old brother. Nathan stayed for a few months until he believed that she would be safe. She was left alone on that mountain with the unreached tribe. After two years, others came to help, and she came home.

It was her understanding of languages that gave us the information needed to pass on to veteran missionary Tom Gaudet. He is a publisher of Bibles into obscure languages. He sent out an appeal on the web for any translator that might have been working on a common language of that area. He received 14 replies. One was from a missionary who had spent 35 years translating the Bible, but when he went home he couldn’t raise the money to get it printed. Tom pulled together all the translators, had them correct each other’s work and settle on a finished manuscript. We raised the money to get 20,000 printed and shipped.

Sending a beautiful, unassertive, young woman is not God’s usual way. He was proving a point. He was making a statement to her, to us and to you. “If I can protect and use this young girl to win a remote tribal people, then I can do the same for you.”

Rebekah kept a diary of those years, which we read when she came home. We wept at her courage and resolve. We wept that we had the honor of being her parents. We published Rebekah’s Diary in 1997. She was such a regular, normal girl until God gave her the vision of reaching a tribe. A few years ago, missionaries contacted us and told us that there are now seven strong villages of believers on that mountain and that the village men proudly carry their Bibles under their arms.

Because a young girl went willingly…
Because we, HER PARENTS, didn’t say no.
Because she would have obeyed us and stayed home.
But we cheered her on to victory…
There are new names written down in glory.

Worm Composting

I just posted an update about our worm composting project on our homeschool site.

Check it out at:

www.tiwacademy.wordpress.com

Happy composting!

Ballet Milestones 2008

Both my girls completed their Cecchetti Levels this year and took their Level exams in June.

They both passed and my oldest will continue with her private instruction through the coming year. Ballet is very hard work and especially so when you start so "late in life" as my girls have...especially my oldest. She has improved dramatically each year and is enjoying the challenge for the most part! :)

Of course, they have an AWESOME Ballet teacher who has been working her butt off all year not only to teach the girls but to also work on her Cecchetti Teacher certification for the higher levels--meaning she is also a student at the same time as being a teacher! She is truly amazing and we all love her!

We are all VERY proud of both girls and what they have accomplished in order to pass these exams.

Girls, you are beautiful and are really developing your focus, self control and determination through your ballet work! We love you and are proud of you!

Extra review just before the exam.

"Brooke" and her friend just before the exam, but after practicing--they were already really hot!

All smiles after the exam was over! Yea!

"Annie" and her friend (who did both Level 1 and 2 exams within 2 days!) after the exam.

Mother's Day Tips & Article by Cindy Rushton!

Another great article by Cindy Rushton!! Take a minute to check it out and also visit the links for the Ultimate Homeschool Expo! You can get a ticket and sign up for emails about the FREE Preview Chats going on this week!! You don't want to miss out!

Blessings to all,
Wendy
**********************************************

50+ Ideas for Taking Care of Mom!
By Cindy Rushton

Ultimate Homeschool Expo Information!


Tired? Weary? Need some fresh ideas for taking care of mom? Feeling that push and pull on you as you balance all of the many demands in your life? Are you great about taking care of others, yet not quite so good about taking care of YOU? Has it been a long, long time since you have done the little things to just fill your cup back up? How about a few fresh ideas for filling your cup and ministering to your heart! I promise that these will be easy for you to do! Here goes:

--> Grab Your iPod and go for a long, long walk! I LOVE my iPod. I have it filled with great Praise and Worship music, teachings and workshops, podcasts, tutorials, etc. My iPod has become my “pocket pal” when I work on my chores, take care of business duties, or even get out for my walk. Talk about my best investment of 2006!

--> Laugh! Just sit there right now...laugh! Start small...just a little giggle! Then...laugh about laughing! Roll on the floor laughing! Feel better?

--> Begin a new Bible Study. Either find a Bible Study guide...or dig out Words to study on your own! For Word Studies, I LOVE my Strong’s Concordance. It helps to find all of the references of a certain word of interest. I also love my Vine’s Dictionary. I use it to look up the meanings of the words AND it also has other references for uses in Scripture. Another great help for Word Studies is my good old faithful Webster’s 1828 Dictionary. I LOVE it as a reference to deepen the studies. Usually it helps me to also find OTHER great studies to dig into also! Dig into the Word! It will feed your heart and soul during this tough time!

--> Meet a friend at the park and let the kids play while you visit.

--> Go for a drive around the city—look at the lights! Look at flowers. Look at the seasonal changes.

--> Look at photo albums. Remember the silly stories!

--> Watch the sunrise! Or, not an early bird? Watch the sunset!

--> Collect jokes and funnies! Barb Johnson...Chonda Pierce...Becky Freeman are just a few of my PERSONAL favorites! Get one of their books or videos. Then, snag some mom-time to just kick back and enjoy!

--> Chocolate! Chocolate Candy...Chocolate Bars...Chocolate Shakes...Chocolate Latte’s...CHOCOLATE! REALLY! Chocolate helps to release endorphins in the brain—plus! It tastes great to boot! So, why not grab a bit for mom-time!

--> Watch an old movie! Curl up under a great big quilt—even if you have to turn the air down COLD! Don’t forget to turn down the lights and turn off the phone!

--> Look at your old school albums! Your HAIR! Ha! Enough said.

--> Got a grassy hill nearby? Go to the top and just roll down it! Like a child! (Snowy? Get a sled! And SLIDE!)

--> Take the kids to the park—just WATCH them! They are adorable!

--> Begin a “Quote Book.” Collect quotes that encourage you to keep on, keeping on! Keep them in a special journal dedicated only to keeping your special quotes.

--> Memorize your favorite Psalm. Try out Psalm 91...or Psalm 61...or Psalm 35...or Psalm 37...Oh! Enjoy!

--> Begin a Tea Ministry. Doing for others ALWAYS lifts even the heaviest spirit. Get a tea basket to keep your goodies in...visit a shut-in...bless them. Then! Watch the blessing boomerang! You won’t be able to leave without a blessing.

--> Take the kids to a candy store—sample the Jelly Bellies...or Sweet Tarts...or Sour Gummy Worms.

--> Fly a kite!

--> Take a ride in the country. Turn up your praise music...roll the windows down...sing to the top of your lungs!

--> Watch a funny video! Elisabeth and I LOVE to watch old movies like If a Man Answers. It is one of our “chick flicks” that we always watch together. We love it! SO FUNNY! Chonda Pierce is another one of my picks. She is just totally hilarious. My children LOVE old comedy shows like I Love Lucy or The Three Stooges. Oh, you may want to watch anything! Just find something that will make you laugh hard!

--> Scrapbook! Pick photos that you MUST tell the story behind! Kick up your favorite music...spread out your goodies...and Scrap till you drop!

--> Read a biography of a GIANT in the faith! My favorites are Corrie ten Boom...Hudson Taylor...George Mueller...Amy Carmichael...Jim and Elisabeth Elliott...etc!

--> Get today’s newspaper and read the comics!

--> Get a yo-yo! PLAY!

--> Make Chocolate Chip Cookies with the kids! On a diet? Take them to someone who blesses you! Include a note of thanks and encouragement for all they do to bless you!

--> Go out and sit on your boat—watch the stars! (Oh, watch the sunset or sunrise, if you can too!)

--> Dig into the Bible and study what God says about trials...suffering...faith...death...depression...oppression...warfare...battle…

--> Read a new book! Normally ready non-fiction/how-to’s? Get a fiction book for a change! Normally read fiction? Get a humorous book! Renew your weary heart and mind!

--> Take a break and go for a long ride on a motorcycle! Don’t forget your headset and praise music!

--> Take a hike! Really! Find a nice nature trail OR go for the tough stuff!!

--> Go to the mall with your teenager! ENJOY!

--> Buy a Mp3 Player and some great praise music—turn it up! I LOVE my iPod! I have my iPod loaded with all of my favorite CDs. My favorites are Michael W. Smith’s Worship CD’s AND Hillsong’s Praise and Worship! The moment you enter into worship, you will enter into the very presence of God—so, turn it up and devour the presence of our precious Lord!

--> Pull out that old sewing machine and make some of those goodies that you have been wanting—new purse/tote...outfit...home decorations...doll clothes...etc!

--> Buy a “whoopee” Cushion...or “Bubba” teeth... At least your family will laugh!

--> Write out the funny family stories! Reminisce! Enjoy!

--> Go skating!

--> Try an afternoon of “Laser-Tag” with your teens! Get um!

--> Make Homemade Bread—KNEAD yourself!

--> Plan a regular Mommy Getaway. This is not an extra! It is essential! I plan getaways for different purposes: to just get alone with God to hear Him, to plan, to work on my homeschool and business projects, to just fill my cup back up. Decide what will fill you up. What do you need right now? Decide what will help meet that need. Gather your goodies: Bible, journal, iPod, camera (I love taking pictures of little treasures along the way), your planner, your computer/Idea Notebook, etc. Pull aside and take that time to just get-away and fill your cup back up!

--> Get a pet! My bird, Harley, has ministered to my heart MORE than I could remember! He is just SO funny! HE had the idea to “boogie” for Jesus! I had not danced for years! AND it is decent! Elisabeth’s new puppy, Pooh, is a TOTAL delight! I say all the time that she is JOY in fur! She has become my little buddy. She loves to sit with me while I work and follow me around while I am doing my chores. She keeps me in stitches. Struggling? Get a pet just for YOU...see that puppy in the window??

--> Take the day to go for a flight! Look at the whole world from a different perspective!

--> Dance! Turn up your favorite music and dance! Dance your heaviness away! Dance till you laugh! Dance in worship to the Lord! Jump! Lift your hands in praise and worship!

--> Clean out your house (only if this is NOT your struggle! Ha!). Attack those closets...cabinets...dusty bookshelves...paper piles!

--> Go out for a cup of coffee...tea...or a good old Coca-Cola! Meet your sweetheart or a mommy pal! Or...take your Bible and make it a special time with the Lord!

--> Find some silly-putty or slime—PLAY!

--> Get up earlier (or take regular breaks throughout the day!) for your quiet time! You may feel SO weak that you can barely concentrate—if so, just turn on praise music and lift up your arms in praise and adoration. Watch what happens! Make a list of your heartaches—lift them to the Father (then, hide them in your Prayer Journal—later they will be a praise record!). Dig into the Word for comfort...perspective...and hope for tomorrow! Really tough days? Well, when the Israelites had very HOT days, they had to gather MORE manna—in the heat of your battles and toughest trials gather a surplus! It will help you survive your struggle.

--> Make a quilt. You can EVEN cheat by making it on the sewing machine! ENJOY!

--> Take an afternoon to go to the movies. Get a big bucket of popcorn...a super-HUGE Coke...sour Gummy Worms (unless you are due a BIG DOSE OF CHOCOLATE!). Take your sweetheart...or a friend if you want to share! Pick a movie that will make you laugh like crazy...OR CRY your eyes out! ENJOY!

--> Ride three-wheelers! Get MUDDY!

--> Treat yourself to a leisurely afternoon (or a bunch of afternoons!) at the pool...park...or creek.

--> Try your hand at BOWLING. Take some friends!

--> Take time for tea—each day.

--> Exercise. Swim...walk...jog...hike...go skating...aerobics. Relieves stress AND boosts your health to boot.
Learn a new hobby! What have you been putting off that you have ALWAYS wanted to know? Pottery? Quilting? Flight Training? Smocking? Scrapbooking? Jewelry Making? Sewing? Crochet? Horse-back riding? Go for it! Now is the PERFECT time.

--> Treat yourself to a nice looooonnnnnngggg Bubble Bath! Don’t forget to set up your favorite music to play during your Bubble Bath. Also...be sure to fix a nice cup of tea (or a Latte!) or a nice big Coke that will last till the water gets cold! ENJOY!

--> Go to the park and just swing—HIGH!
Go get an ice-cream cone—with a double dip!

--> Do a “Promise” hunt in Scripture. Keep in a “Promise Notebook” of your very own! KNOW that they are yours.

--> Snuggle up for the afternoon to read a great book!

Got some fresh ideas? Don’t let this limit you! Let your brain GO! Find some things that will fill you back up and take care of you all along the way.

This is not an extra. This is an essential. Carve out time on your calendar today to just take care of mom!


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Need MORE Help?

How about the ULTIMATE mom-time? Yep! Check out our Ultimate Homeschool Expo! If you missed the live recording of the workshops, no problem! You can now hear ALL of the workshops at your convenience. They are CERTAIN to fill your cup to overflowing! Get your ticket here:

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Buzzing About Our Ultimate Homeschool Expo...

My friend, Cindy Rushton is at it again! I am so excited!

I have been attending her Ultimate Homeschool Expo Preview Chats. Talk about great! They are just A-m-A-z-I-n-G...or shall I say ULTIMATE?

There is truly "no stone unturned" with this convention. Every topic you could fathom is being addresssed.

Wonder what it is all about? Oh! Let me share what Cindy is doing...

For a long time, Cindy has had a vision of setting up a homeschool convention online. When she began teaching her Talk-a-Latte Online Seminars, she knew that she had everything in place to go for the dream. So, last year she gave it a try to host the very first Ultimate Homeschool Expo. It was so fantastic. But, even that event pales in comparison to this year's event. It is truly the ULTIMATE event. Now, we are counting down days until the big event!

Well, we say till the big event, but Cindy is actually offering Preview Chats featuring her 2008 speakers. Those are free each week. If you have never joined an online class, don't toss this offer! Join us--I will be there! You will love it!

Each session features a free seminar by one of the speakers. You can listen to the speaker on your computer or you can also "text chat" with other moms. It is hard to capture all of the fun in words. You have just GOT to join us! Get the details here:

Ultimate Homeschool Expo Details!

Sincerely,
Wendy

Ballet Milestone Reached!

Both my girls have been taking Cecchetti ballet lessons for a little over a year. My oldest daughter had the opportunity to take her Level 1 exam this past week.

She, as well as the other girls from her class who tested, passed! She was very nervous for the past 6 months anticipating this exam but she did well! She spent the rest of the weekend attending all day seminar classes with various guest Cecchetti teachers. She is now exhausted and sore but she had a great time!

Congratulations sweetheart! All your hard work and studying paid off!

Here are a few pictures from exam day!

Waiting to go into the exam.

After the exam!

"Sitting Pretty"

Beautiful Ballet Painting with our 5 beautiful girls!

Make Your Own Spirulina Capsules!

A number of months back, I started on the road to learning more about how to use herbs, and how to make them into tinctures, rubs, etc. At that time, I had also purchased several items that need to be encapsulated to be used easily and all the supplies to do it.

Of course, I spent a lot of time make various tinctures and rubs, but didn't get around to trying out my supplies to encapsulate the spirulina and bentonite clay that I had bought.

So, yesterday, in the midst of having 3 extra kids in my house, I decided to try it out. It was actually a very easy process and I will finish filling up my 1000 capsules on a day when I don't have so much going on! Below are some pictures of the process of filling up the Spirulina capsules. I will do the Bentonite clay later also.

You can order these items and so much more at the Bulk Herb Store. The water filter they sell is also wonderful!

I will let you know if taking the Spirulina makes a difference. It is supposed to be very good for you. You can even use it to replace food as it is a complete food.

Here is a link to some information I just found today--it even has a break down of nutrient content if you click on the various links towards the bottom of the page. It is for a different spirulina product than what I have, but should be very similar! What is Spirulina?

I will continue to share what I learn as I go along!

My capsule making "set up".

Filling the capsules.

Capping the capsules.

The finished capsules.


Labeled and stored in a bag for now.

Quote of the Day!

My friend and I were just talking via IM and she thought the comment I made was funny, so I figured I would post it here.

We were talking about our crazy fall schedules and fitting ’school’ in among our outside activities and commitments such as teaching classes and taking the kids to lessons/activities.

Friend: I guess - works for me… or rather… I hope it works for me LOL
Me: Yes….it’ll have to work!! We will have to make our crazy schedules work some how…praying all the way!!

Friend: ROFLOL
Me: Not funny, just true!! I have to keep telling myself “with God all things are possible!”. He is ultimately in charge of making sure our kids know what they need to know to serve Him anyway, we just need to do the best we can to allow Him to use us to reach our kids–how ever it works out!

Don’t know if you will find it amusing, but just though I’d share!

Have a blessed evening!

Never Enough Time!

I have been feeling slightly overwhelmed lately with all the "to-do's" I have on my list that I never seem to quite finish! I seem to go through phases where I am "on top" of that list and other times where I just can't seem to keep up! If only time would stop for about 2 weeks for me to get caught up....so I think to myself!

I am really working this week to get my outside job responsibilities caught up while I am also beginning to work on detail planning for the kid's school lessons for the rest of the summer and into the fall. I want to try to have things more laid out (in addition to our unit work which I always plan out) so they can become more responsible for completing their oen work each week. Especially for my two older kids, they need to realize that school isn't over until the work for the day is done! Even if that means working into the evening and missing out on "free time". I know that if we are consistent with this tactic, they will reap the benefits of being a more disciplined student and they will be able to make progress much more quickly.

To help me with this very detailed planning, I am using The Full-Year Notebook System by Julie Anderson. I have my own way of planning in general and for our KONOS Units (which is posted on www.konoskarats.com under Resources) but I am going to try out this method also to see if the more detailed layout will help us all to stay on track better despite all our activities and responsibilities that will start back up in the Fall. It is going to require some time before we start to really lay everything out, but after the work will come the reward of plans to follow and no excuses to take unnecessary breaks during the year!

You can read more about her system at: www.full-year-notebooks.com

Although I like the flexibility of being able to do what we want, when we want, as the kids are getting older we need more structure to make sure they cover the basics they need before graduating along with all the extracurricular/enrichment activities we are involved in.

I will try to give an update on my progress as I work through this system!

The Lord is faithful and I know He blesses the time we spend getting our life in order...it only allows us more time with Him!!

"The Lord is my strength and my song, and is become my salvation." Psalm 118:14 KJV

"This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24 KJV

Free Ebooks!! Win a Prize!

Hello, everyone! I just wanted to share about this great site I found. I have already been able to download over 20 books for free!

There are all categories of books and the free book of the month (on the front page towards the bottom) is the Velveteen Rabbit.

Just go to: http://www.wowio.com/index.asp

Click to sign up for a free account on the right hand side. When you get to the part of the registration asking if anyone referred you, please enter my email address (minus the spaces):
wencla 2004 @ earthlink . net

Have a look! It is all free and you can find many types of books good for adults and children!

Should We Expose Our Children to Worldly Issues?

This topic was brought up on my local homeschool group's moms' discussion board. I thought I would post me recent post here also.

A friend who had been teaching an Essay Writing class this past semester, brought up the question about protecting our kids but also making sure they are aware enough of the world around them, especially as they approach the high school years, to be able to answer questions that will come up on essay tests, SAT, etc. intelligently. If they have never had the opportunity to discuss various issues openly at home in light of a Christian Worldview, how can we expect them to go out into the world and share an intelligent witness to others?

Anyway, my post below is about a book I just finished reading that should be a priority to read for every parent! I encourage you to buy it and check it out for yourself!
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I have just been reading through For the Children's Sake--Foundations of Education for Home and School by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay.

This is an excellent book. She covers many aspects of the Charlotte Mason approach to learning as well as many other great ideas.

It gives you a lot to think about and ways to examine yourself to see how you are doing in the "job" of educating your children for LIFE.

The section I am reading now is related to what S.M. originally posted about making sure we discuss issues with our children.

This Chapter is-- Education: A Science of Relationships. She covers many areas in this chapter, but in the section below, she is referring to how we are teaching our children to have what we now refer to as a Christian worldview---how we look at everything in relation to the God who created this world and who is ever present--not just making things "separate" but how to truly make all of life into one complete "picture or story"--no separation between "religion" and "academics" or the "real world". God's world IS the real world!

Anyway, here is a section from this chapter, just some ideas to think about! From pages, 101 to 103.

"It is an imperative priority, as never before, to allow our children to learn to think, understand, and see the central truths quite explicitly and clearly. This is a central part of the "Christian" aspect of our education.

We were able to show the film series Whatever Happened to the Human Race to our daughter's school. Attendance was optional. The children were between thirteen and sixteen years old, from average homes. They were absolutely riveted by the ideas of who the person is and his worth, and the topics of euthanasia, abortion, old age, and so on. Discussion afterwards was lively and penetrating. Children need to consider practical issues. They want to think. They want answers. Christianity is part of that rock of reality about which youngsters long to know. They need to understand how contemporary issues fit into what the Bible says.

Have you read The Plague by Camus with a group of fifteen-year-olds? Have they wondered over the problem of evil, the human problem? In reading this novel, do they notice the fallacy of the priest's argument? 'God has willed this child to suffer.' Do they think about how different the biblical perspective is: that the suffering was unleashed by man's choice to disobey God? That all individuals, and the course of history, are caught up in this river of consequence; an abnormal world?

Do they read Brave New World and discuss the logical conclusion of the humanist view of man, his morality, humanity, and social purpose?

Can they pick up something like Time magazine, read it, and think about where it fits into the Christian framework?

Do they come home from school, or from having seen a TV program, and spontaneously discuss what is right, what is wrong?

Have they thrashed through the reasons why the Bible is true? Do they understand the fallacies of other positions? Can they remember numerous occasions when the Bible was seen to fit like a key into the keyhole of reality? Do they know about the historical and archaeological evidence? Are they amazed at how the philosophical ideas of the Bible fit into the way we find reality to be?

They should not be left with only a feeling--'I know it's true because I feel it in my heart.' That is not enough.

One morning they will wake up and you will be gone, and so will their feelings.

Do they know?

All of this is 'Christian education'.

Seeing fallacies. Understanding. Knowing the Bible. Thinking. Judging ideas. Seeking and keeping ears open. Being in touch. "

You'll have to get the book to read the rest of what she has to say!

This book will be an inspiration to all homeschooling families!