Aug 30 2016

How to Choose Literature for Children

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Once you decide reading should be an important part of your homeschool, you face the next question: how to choose good literature for children. There are lists of classics for kids online and, of course, the Harry Potter series is among them once you reach middle school. “The Call of the Wild” is another one. Or “Oliver Twist.”

How to Choose Literature for Children

Let’s take each of these titles and look at them closely. The Bible clearly states witchcraft is evil, so why would any Christian read Harry Potter? But even if you decided you wanted to know what the whole world is so crazy about, my biggest problem with the Harry Potter series is that the characters lie, cheat, and steal in order to accomplish their goals. Since readers usually end up sympathizing with the main characters, I do not want to put such role models in front of my children.  Continue reading »

Aug 29 2016

Story of the World, Vol. 3, Chapter 3

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Chapter 3 came with two stories, but they both focused on King James. I know it’s a bit much to read two stories in one sitting, and work through questions and narration, but we do it because, frankly, I find it hard to split history in two days during the week. Plus we have been doing this through the summer and the kids could take it.

When I finish one story, I ask them the comprehension questions. Then, I ask my eight-year-old to narrate the story back to me. As soon as he stops, they say, “Next story! Next story!” So it’s not like I am stressing them out or making them suffer. They love history.  Continue reading »

Aug 28 2016

Auditioning for KSYO

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Today was the day we had been looking forward to since the end of June. It was at the end of June my children attended String Camp in Knoxville, with the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra. When we started camp, I did not think we would be interested in joining simply because of the drive.

Boy and girl with violins

Before the second day of String Camp last summer

But by the end of the week, we were hooked. My children were having fun in orchestra and even though I was exhausted I knew it would all be worth it. Plus, I was enjoying seeing they finally had some positive feelings about the violin. Making friends who also like violin helped a lot, I think.  Continue reading »

Aug 27 2016

Wordly Wise 3000 Review

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The only vocabulary curriculum on the market, Worldly Wise 3000 has been around for decades and only gets better with each new edition. We are working out of the latest edition, which is the third.

Wordly Wise 3000, 3rd edition

Vocabulary curriculum, available for grades K-12

Even though it is clearly written for classroom use, Wordly Wise 3000 can be easily adapted for homeschooling. We started out with the volumes for Kindergarten and First Grade, which require you buy the Teacher’s Manual, as well. After that, grades 2-12 do not require the Teacher’s Manual. So you only need to spend about $9 for a consumable student workbook per child. Rainbow Resource Center seems to have the best prices though you can find these everywhere else. Continue reading »

Aug 26 2016

National Park Service Centennial

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Yesterday, the US National Park Service turned 100 years old. There were celebrations all over, I am sure. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park had their own celebration, complete with a visit from our Congressman Phil Roe and Senator Lamar Alexander.

Boy and girl taking a break from hiking

Taking a short break on the trail

I took the kids on a hike in the late afternoon and stayed away from the morning ceremonies. We avoid crowds, as people who live in a tourist area. We thoroughly enjoyed the hike.  Continue reading »

Aug 25 2016

Story of the World, Vol. 3, Chapter 2

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The second chapter of volume three had two stories about Protestant Rebellions: first in the Netherlands, then in Scotland. We got introduced to the many times over great-grandfather of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, who reigns today with his lovely Argentinian wife, Maxima. The royal couple have three cute daughters and he is the second youngest reigning European monarch.

William The Silent Coloring Page

William The Silent Coloring Page

But let me not get carried away with modern-day monarchs. Back to their ancestors. So William of Orange or William I, or William the Silent, or William the Taciturn are one and the same person – the ancestor of the monarchy of the Netherlands. He was a Protestant who lived in a Catholic world until he could not take it anymore and he lead some serious rebellions against the Catholic king of his country.  Continue reading »

Aug 24 2016

How to Memorize the Fruit of the Spirit

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If you are a Christian, you might be familiar with Galatians 5:22-23, also known as the Fruit of the Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

The Fruit of the Spirit

I recently learned how to memorize this text. It works in the Bible version you see above, which is the New Living Translation. It’s very close to the New King James Version, actually. Continue reading »

Aug 23 2016

Tuesday Tome Week 34 – The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the second volume of The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis and, probably, the best-known and the most read. Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy spend their summer in the country because of the war (this was World War II England – a chance to discuss some history with the kids), in the home of an old professor. There, Lucy walks into a wardrobe and, from there, into Narnia, a magical land.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

C. S. Lewis wrote about Narnia and you could just enjoy the story as it is, of course. But the writer meant it all as an allegory of the Christian walk and a human’s relationship with Jesus Christ. Aslan, the lion in the title, represents Jesus. The Witch represents Satan and, at times, our fallen nature. The Wardrobe is the actual “door” used to go between our world and Narnia.  Continue reading »

Aug 22 2016

Back-to-School Walmart Commercial and Socialization

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During the Olympics, Walmart ran a back-to-school commercial using “Here I Go Again” – a song from the 80s by hard rock band Whitesnake. As I listened to the lyrics, I could not believe my ears. Walmart was making my point for me: going to school is a lonely road. You are alone even though you may be surrounded by a group of children. What ABOUT socialization?

Walmart back-to-school campaign

School socialization is focused on clothes, loneliness and pairing up.

Socialization is used as an excuse by many parents who send their children to school. In fact, I heard it put this way: “For the rest of their life, they will live surrounded by people. So we must send them to spend several hours a day in a place where they are surrounded by people.” The French go as far as sending their babies to daycare at three months in the name of “living in a collective.”  Continue reading »

Aug 21 2016

Oven Fries

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French fries are not exactly the healthiest thing you could eat. In case you did not know, they were invented in Belgium. Want more trivia? McDonald’s fries are not vegetarian. Nope. They are not.

Oven fries taste just as good and, because they are baked, they will not load you with fat your body cannot process.

Oven fries

Oven fries are healthier than their fat-laden country cousins known as French fries.

Besides, oven fries are very quickly washed, cut up, and tossed with oil and condiments, while the oven is pre-heating. It is an easy food to make and a healthy side dish to any entree.

 

Ingredients

6 medium potatoes

3 Tbsp olive oil (more if desired)  Continue reading »