Story of the World, Vol. 1, Chapter 6

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Chapter six deals with the Jewish People. It fits nicely with our devotional (Through the Bible with Felts – Betty Lukens), as we are still in the Old Testament, right around the time of Exodus and the story of Joseph. Another coincidence: we have started listening to the MP3 Bible in the car. As I type this post, we are in Genesis Chapter 28. So the SOTW chapter was a nice recap of the story of Terah, Abraham, Moses and Joseph for us.

I chose Alexander Scourby’s reading of the King James Version. A bit boring for the kids, but we are slowly making progress. I tell them, “One chapter only,” so they don’t have room to protest. But we go somewhere by car several times a week, so we have the potential of listening to at least six chapters in three trips, for instance (one chapter each way per trip).

From Dance, Sing, Remember, one of the recommended readings, we made Harvest Muffins. We loved these.

Harvest muffins with a glass of rice milk

Harvest muffins with a glass of rice milk

I scanned the recipe and printed it out for future reference. And by “future” I mean “next week.” They were that good.

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French Friday, Tu or Vous?

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Once and for all, let’s settle the discussion about the familiar “tu” or the formal “vous” in French. I found this witty flow-chart which will take you through all sorts of social situations.

You will find out how to address God in French, among other things. (You might be surprised…)

tu ou vous - french friday

Also, how to address your boss if you are upset with him and you want to let him know about it. (I would like to be a fly on the wall, provided your boss speaks French and you talk to him/her on a regular basis in French… Riiiight!….)

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Free Online Software and Web Develpment Courses

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A homeschooling dad operates Webucator.com, where homeschoolers can take software and web development courses.

To register for a course, all you need to do is:
  1. Go to our Self-paced Courses page.
  2. Browse through the courses.
  3. Click the Order Now button next to the course.
  4. Enter HOMESCHOOL for the Coupon Code and click Validate Coupon.
  5. Complete the registration.
  6. For any registration questions, simply email: homeschool@webucator.com.

 


Mom Monday Week 38 – Athens and Jerusalem

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What are you reading these days?

After finishing up Einstein and Music Lessons while we were at the beach last week, I started When Athens Met Jerusalem – an introduction to Classical and Christian thought.

Western civilization, founded on Greek, Roman and Christian thought, cannot truly be understood until one considers each of these underpinnings. Christianity owes much to Judaism, so one must start there. On the other hand, Roman thought and life built itself on Greece.

When Athens Met Jerusalem

The title spells out that Athens, as a metaphor for Greek philosophy, and Jerusalem, as a symbol of early Christianity, represent two major forces one must understand before truly grasping Christianity and Western culture.

When most people think of Athens and Greece, they think of philosophy and reason. After all, it is the pre-Socratic Greek philosophers who became the first scientists.

On the other hand, when people think of Jerusalem, they think of faith and belief in God. As such, Athens and Jerusalem might seem like opposites and, really, like enemies.  Continue reading »


DIY Sewing: You Won’t Believe How Much You Can Save!

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Considering learning to sew? Go for it! Not just a fun hobby, sewing can also help save you money. Here are just a few of the ways you can save by sewing:

 

 

Mend clothes

Sewing machines won’t just save you money — they’ll save you time as well, there are lots of different models to choose from, so take your time! Who wants to run to a seamstress every time you pop a button or tear your jeans? Mending clothes yourself will save you some cash and give you the satisfaction of doing it on your own as well.

scissors, needle, thread, sewing

 

Craft it up

No need to head to the toy store for every birthday or Christmas present anymore! Sew your children dolls, stuffed animals and dress-up clothes. When the kids are old enough to use the machine themselves, teach them how to make a simple patchwork quilt or pillow.

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The 7 Minute Life Daily Planner Review

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The 7 Minute Life is a company specializing in time management and productivity. They produce The 7 Minute Life Daily Planner and this post is my review of this product.

When it comes to planning and organizing, I am the first in line. There’s a running joke between me and my husband about my passion for planners. You do not want to know how many planners I have tried and used over the years.

7 Minute Life Daily Planner Cover

The 7 Minute Life Daily Planner is different from something you would pick up at Walmart or a bookstore. The regular features of a planner are there, of course, but then there is the front matter of the planner – that’s where you take the time to actually sit down, relax, and understand yourself and your goals.

First things first… Why this title? What’s with the seven minutes? Well, research shows that the average adult has an attention span of about seven minutes. Isn’t that scary? Regardless, the idea is to take seven minutes every day and plan your day, especially certain projects that absolutely must be done.

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Mom Monday Week 37 – Life Is A Beach

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I hear the ocean. I smell it. I see it. I’m in a beach front condo in North Myrtle Beach. The wall décor reminds me that “Life is a beach,” “Our house rules are relax, relax, relax” and “If you are lucky enough to be at the beach, you are lucky enough.”

Why do we need a vacation to feel happy and to relax? Do we get happier while on vacation?

mom monday wk37

According to a study done in Holland and quoted by the New York Times in 2010, vacations do make us happy while we plan and anticipate them. But we don’t stay happy. Even those who said their vacation was “very relaxing” share that, two weeks after they come home, their happiness level drops down.

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Mom Monday Week 36 – Your Physical Space

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A few years back, somebody told me that I have an organized mind. Maybe so. What I know for sure is that I can’t live in a disorganized home. Now, there are different levels of organization.

Trust me, my home is not picture perfect. A brutally honest relative came by a few years back and said with disgust as he looked at our living room, “This has become a play room now…” Well, those are his feelings. We like our living room peppered with LEGO bricks and dolls and toy trucks and ponies. It’s the price we pay for having children.  Continue reading »


Story of the World, Vol. 1, Chapter 5

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The First Sumerian Dictator, Chapter 5, – we listened to it in the car. It was a rather uneventful chapter.

Besides, we were still busy finishing up some of our Egyptian inter-library loan books which came a bit late. BTW, I have added the new activities to the post about Chapter 4.

We read the recommended stories from The Read-Aloud Classics to expose the kids to some vocabulary typical of the Arab world. The story of the merchant who hides 1,000 coins in a pot was very interesting. So was Aladdin, naturally.

The Three Princes Cover

The Three Princes was a really enjoyable story, with a great moral – sacrificial love. I made the parallel to God’s sacrificial love for us, in giving His Son to die for our sins.

It was neat to see my four-year-old search for words on the worksheet. She knows the letters and can read short words. I don’t expect her to read before she is ready. So the approach I took was quite relaxed.  Continue reading »